Ceramic pan baptism of fire

Once upon a time, I swore to myself I wouldn't turn into one of those people who constantly post their lunch photos on social networks. However, autumn is here, with all its wonderful, fresh produce, and I'm very much in the mood for experimenting with new dishes and cookware. And you know what they say: if it didn't appear on social media, it didn't happen. So, here's a little report on my latest feat.

Last week I bought a dreamy, rustic ceramic pan by Tognana, from its Linea Vulcania collection. It was a bit pricey, but it was love at first sight. As I'd never used ceramic cookware before, it felt like an extra challenge.

Photo: tognana.com

To try it out, I decided to make a simple dish, with seasonal veggies that I already had in my kitchen, based on Giada de Laurentiis' Roasted Potatoes, Carrots, Parsnips, and Brussels Sprouts. Actually, the name of the dish says it all - you just add olive oil, salt and herbs to the above ingredients, mix them all together, place in a pan and bake. For up to 40 minutes, said Giada. Easy peasy!

Well, for whatever reason, it took much, much longer than that. As I had to leave for a meeting, I had to turn off the oven after over an hour, and leave it all unfinished. Instead of enjoying a delicious lunch, I only had time for a quick peanut butter sandwich before I had to dash off. Frustrating business!

Once back home, I continued baking, slightly worried about what would become of it. Within an hour, my roasted potatoes were finally ready. It will take me another try or two to figure out whether baking took so impossibly long because of the pan, or the brand of potato that I used. I'm hoping for the latter, obviously, as I definitely intend to continue using this pan.

The dish itself turned out unbelievably delicious! Parsnips and carrots gave it that earthy, autumnal taste that I love so much. Equally important, nothing exploded, as ceramic ware is apparently prone to. So, I must count this as a double success - energy efficiency notwithstanding...

International Podcast Day 2017

Today, September 30, is the International Podcast Day. Here on Life & Letters I traditionally post a Top 5 list of podcasts I've most enjoyed listening to over the past year. While I continue to regularly listen to all of the podcasts I've singled out in 2016, I'd like to draw attention to some new titles, including those in languages other than English, namely in German and Esperanto.

The Art of Manliness
The Art of Manliness has been described as a "podcast that aims to make men become better men." Hosted by Brett McKay, it's a treasure trove of practical advice and stimulating ideas, done through interviews with acclaimed authors, researchers, athletes, and others. Some might say that the podcast promotes a bit old-fashioned notion of masculinity, but I'd say it's part of its charm. Highly recommended.

Radio Prague
I first started listening to Radio Prague back when it was a daily English language shortwave broadcast of the Czech public radio. It has since switched to online streaming and podcasts only. I think of Radio Prague as the very best of what international radio used to be, and so I always listen to it with a sense of nostalgia. Daily 30-minute podcasts typically consist of a brief news roundup, followed by interesting feature stories about the Czech culture, history, sports, etc. There's also a regular monthly quiz, with nice prizes for the lucky winners.

Fitness mit M.A.R.K.
There are several fitness podcasts I've been following, but none are as dynamic, informative and quite as motivating as this one. It's in German, and has been consistently at the top of the German iTunes list of health podcasts. It's hosted by Mark Maslow, who is also a bestselling author and a prominent speaker on the subject of training. I've found each and every episode useful, plus it provided me with another opportunity to practice my German listening skills.

Modern Witch
This one I've discovered only a few months ago, and it has definitely caught my attention. Modern Witch deals with the subject of "witchcraft, the occult and mysticism in the 21st century". Sounds cool, eh? The host, Devin Hunter, sits down with intriguing guests from all sorts of different neo-pagan and occult backgrounds, which makes for a fascinating listen.

3ZZZ Esperanto Radio
As I've been working on improving my Esperanto, listening to this podcast has been of great value. Hosted by several members of the Esperanto Association of Melbourne, each podcast includes news from the Esperanto community, contemporary music in Esperanto, and other features. When it comes to radio, this show - originally broadcast on Melbourne's local ethnic radio station 3ZZZ - is an invaluable resource for Esperantists.

To learn more about the International Podcast Day, and podcasting in general, have a look at the official IPD website.