Dalia Colon
Host, The Zest Podcast"I host a food podcast" is a great icebreaker at parties.
People assume I get paid to eat. True, I do get to sample the occasional slice of pizza or bourbon cocktail — hey, somebody's gotta do it! But serving as host and executive producer of WUSF's food podcast, The Zest, is less about stuffing my face and more about digging into the stories behind Florida's unique foodways: the origins of Cuban sandwich, how a self-described "non-religious Jew" became the kosher king of Miami, and the role of food in the life and work of Florida author Zora Neale Hurston.
I've always enjoyed feasting on a good story, from weekly library visits with my mother, an elementary school teacher, to dissecting Motown song lyrics with my father, a professional musician.
My first "big girl" job was as assistant editor for Cleveland Magazine in my hometown. But after college, grad school and one too many Ohio winters, I moved to the Sunshine State and became a staff writer for the St. Petersburg Times (now called the Tampa Bay Times). I eventually made the leap from print journalism to broadcast when I signed on with WUSF, becoming a health reporter and later covering features.
In addition to working on The Zest Podcast, I'm associate producer and co-host of WEDU Arts Plus on Tampa Bay's PBS TV channel. I also do quite a bit of freelance writing, and I'm working on my first book — a vegetarian cookbook for the University Press of Florida.
"I'm writing a book" is a pretty good icebreaker at parties. But "I host a food podcast" tops them all.
I live in Riverview with my husband and kids.
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Meet a mother-and-son duo who are reducing food waste and tackling food insecurity in northern Pinellas County. -
Her interest in wine began as a child. Now, the St. Pete resident has earned her level 3 certification from the Wine and Spirit Education Trust and she offers classes, trips and other experiences through her company.
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The conservationist describes the effect of climate change and hurricanes on oystering and explains the far-reaching economic impact of Florida’s oyster industry,
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Explore the African roots of foods commonly eaten in Florida, including watermelon, barbecued beef, and rice and beans.
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Fort Myers native Derrick Fox toured as a professional drummer in several rock bands before becoming a private chef. Fox discusses the similarities between playing music and cooking. He also shares lessons for home cooks that he learned from his time on the TV competition show "MasterChef."
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The Tampa-based tech platform allows neighbors to buy and sell home-grown foods.
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Learn how marketing tactics by housing developers led to an influx of Puerto Ricans to Orlando in the 1970s and '80s. What followed was a proliferation of restaurants, supermarkets and small food businesses targeting Latinos in Central Florida.
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Chef Dennis Littley of the website Ask Chef Dennis shares advice for selecting a recipe, simple ways to add flavor to a dish and the importance of knowing when to break the rules.
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Sarah Combs and Derek Laracuente share how the garden has transformed the neighborhood and offer advice for starting a community garden in your area.
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The Orlando-based chef and cookbook author suggests easy recipe switches and no-cook meal ideas.
