This week, Catherine chats with cookbook author and food writer Anna Ansari, whose new book Silk Roads explores the rich, interconnected cuisines stretching from East Asia to the Middle East.

Anna’s path to food writing wasn’t exactly linear—she started as an international trade and customs attorney in New York before moving to the UK and finding her way into recipe testing, food writing, and ultimately cookbook authorship. In this conversation, she shares how her background in law, her Iranian-American identity, and her global perspective all shaped the book.

Together, Catherine and Anna unpack the idea of the “Silk Roads”—not as one single route, but as a vast network of trade, migration, and cultural exchange that still influences how we cook and eat today.

They also get into:

• What the Silk Roads actually are (and why the plural matters)
• Growing up between cultures—and how that shows up in the kitchen
• Why curiosity matters more than getting it “right” when exploring new cuisines
• The unexpected entry points into Central Asian and Middle Eastern cooking
• How markets can unlock a deeper understanding of food and culture
• The recipes to start with (including a simple, crowd-pleasing Uzbek plov)

Plus, Anna shares her go-to strategies for sparking creativity in the kitchen—and calming the chaos when life (or dinner) feels overwhelming.

Whether you’re a cookbook collector, a curious home cook, or someone who’s ever felt intimidated by unfamiliar ingredients, this episode is an invitation to dig in with curiosity, playfulness, and zero pressure to be perfect.

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Tune in to the full episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube.

Not From Concentrate team:

Catherine Smart, Host/Executive Producer

Kevin O’Connell, Audio and Video Production

Allie Miller, Associate Producer

In this episode, Nina Gallant pulls back the curtain on the world of food photography: what actually goes into building a shot, how creative careers evolve, and what it takes to turn artistic work into a sustainable business.

balancing creativity with the demands of running a business, building community, and making work that people actually want to pay you for.

We also talk about:

• What a food photographer actually does (beyond taking beautiful pictures)
• How lighting shapes emotion—and why “photography is light”
• The art of building a visual world around food
• How trends (Instagram, digital media) have changed food photography
• The reality of creative careers—and how Nina made hers financially sustainable
• Practical advice for creatives trying to make the leap

Plus, Nina shares how she sparks creativity (in and out of the kitchen) and the small rituals that help her calm the chaos.

If you’ve ever wondered what goes into the images in cookbooks and magazines—or how to build a creative life that actually works—this one’s for you.

Sign up for the Not From Concentrate newsletter. Follow the Not From Concentrate podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Connect with Nina Gallant:

Nina Gallant’s website

Nina’s Instagram

Not From Concentrate team:

Catherine Smart, Host/Executive Producer

Kevin O’Connell, Audio and Video Production

Allie Miller, Associate Producer

In this week’s episode, Catherine chats with Ashley Moore, food stylist and senior editor at America’s Test Kitchen, about building a creative career with ADHD—and why the way your brain works might actually be your biggest advantage.

Ashley takes us behind the scenes of life at ATK, from fast-paced photo shoots to the precision and organization required to make every recipe (and image) just right. She shares how she found her way into food media, including early experiences working alongside chefs like Emeril Lagasse and Bobby Flay, and what it really takes to stay in the industry long-term.

They also get into the realities of home cooking—what dinner actually looks like with kids, why weeknight meals can feel so hard (even for professionals), and the small, practical tricks that make it easier.

Plus, Ashley opens up about living and working with ADHD: the challenges, the unexpected strengths, and the moments when it becomes a true superpower.

In this episode, we cover:

• What it’s really like working at America’s Test Kitchen
• Food styling tips you can use at home
• Career paths in food media (and how to find your lane)
• ADHD in creative work and the kitchen
• The reality of feeding a family during the week

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Connect with Ashley Moore

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleypwmoore/
America’s Test Kitchen: https://www.americastestkitchen.com/

Not From Concentrate team

Catherine Smart — Host / Executive Producer
Kevin O’Connell — Audio & Video Production
Allie Miller — Associate Producer