Hans Rueffert teams up with Food Network friend in new podcast
By Angela Reinhardt, Pickens County Progress — What do croissants and the Battle of Vienna have in common? What about nutmeg and Admiral Russell? Clams and Howard Johnsons?
I didn’t know either. But these connections and more are explored in “But I Digest,” a new food-centric podcast hosted by Pickens County chef Hans Rueffert and Steve McDonagh that delves into a food or ingredient with meanderings into quirky food history and culture.
Rueffert and McDonagh met on the set of Season 1 of “Search for the Next Food Network Star” in 2005. McDonagh went on to have a series on Food Network, as well as successful restaurants and a large catering business in Chicago with his husband.
Rueffert became well-known locally as a chef and cancer survivor, as well as a television personality. He hosted two series on ETC-3, “Hans Cooks the World” and “Hans Cooks the South.”
Rueffert, whose family owned and operated Jasper’s Woodbridge Inn for many years, is now head chef at the Old Mulehouse restaurant also in Jasper.
Over 15 years after that initial meeting — and lots of cooking in between — the seed for “But I Digest” was sewn.
Avid podcast-lover Rueffert saw a space that wasn’t being filled in the food podcast world. He wanted to create something informative, but fun and witty and casual, and approached
McDonagh about the idea last year.
“We didn’t want to just say ‘Hi. Here are the facts. See you next time,’” Rueffert said. “We wanted to have a fun journey discovering the food and going through its history, the food heroes along the way, and the hoopla, which is the culture around food. It’s crazy the things we eat, not just because of nutrition, but the ceremony and culture around it.”
They’ve already recorded 24 episodes for the bimonthly podcast. They’ve got titles like, “Figs, Fake Wasp News and Fig Funnels,” “Sandwiches, the 4th Earl and Demon Baboons,” and “Cabbage, Cartier and Colcannon Socks.”
Each episode also includes two recipes — one food recipe using that week’s ingredient, as well as a cocktail recipe that’s related to the food. (McDonagh is a mixologist and author of “The New Old Bar,” a book about vintage cocktails.)
For the croissant episode, for example, recipes are “Croissant Sandwich with Figs & Brie” and “Monkey Gland and Homemade Grenadine” (You’ll have to listen to the episode to find out how monkey glands relate to croissants, but the drink includes gin, orange juice, absinthe and grenadine — not nearly as unappetizing as it sounds).
The pair’s chemistry is relaxed and genuine, with no shortage of witty banter, puns and the occasional ribbing in each episode, in addition to segments like “Stump the Straight Guy.” It’s a show for foodies for sure, but sidesteps being stale or snobby (i.e., canned cheese and a molasses flood make appearances), or limiting its audience to only foodie types.
McDonagh is retired from working day to day in restaurants, focusing more on acting, so Rueffert comes up with the topics.
“I let him take the lead on that since food is still his day-to-day life,” McDonagh said. “He chooses items that mean something to him. Figs, because he’s got fig trees in his backyard. Honey, because he’s had honeybees. All of these items mean something to him so I’m happy to let him take the lead.”
After the topic is selected, they do their individual research, but don’t share notes before the show to keep things fresh and genuine.
“We do surprise each other quite a bit and that keeps things fun,” Rueffert said.
McDonagh believes that more than information, “What makes a good podcast is conversation and relationship.”
They also occasionally have guests, many of whom are well-known chefs in the food world. In June, for example, Virginia Willis, James Beard award-winning author of “Bon Appetit, Y’all,” will sit in on an episode. Mark Summers, host of “Unwrapped” and “Search for the Next Food Network Star,” will also be a guest.
“There’s real background information, there’s stupid silliness, and then there is useful application in what we’re doing,” McDonagh said. “We also sprinkle in trivia and mockery. I think we make a good team.”
You can find all episodes and recipes online at ButIDigestPodcast.com.