Thursday was the second and final deadline for the Trump administration to coordinate family reunification for immigrant families. We find out how many families have been reunited and what is left to be done. We also talk about delicious and fun platters you can make for friends and family on Food Friday and we discuss a new study that finds water on mars.
Featured in this Show
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Last Court-Ordered Deadline To Reunite Families
The Trump Administration faced its final deadline for reuniting families separated at the US-Mexico border Thursday. We talk to a reporter about how much progress the government has made, and what happens next for the children still in detention.
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Scientists Announce Discovery Of Liquid Water On Mars
Italian scientists with the European Space Agency’s Mars Express project announced Wednesday that they had discovered a large pool of liquid water under an ice cap on Mars. We speak with Sanjay Limaye–Senior Scientist for the Space Science and Engineering Center at the College of Letters and Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison–about the discovery and what it could mean for space exploration and searching for life in the solar system in the future.
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How To Take Your Summer Platters To The Next Level
Sometimes food is just too beautiful to cook. With seasonal fruits and vegetables at their peak, and the summer weather begging for simple meals to enjoy outside, platters and boards can check all the boxes.
If you’re new to the platter game, start small, like a cheeseboard, and build it out based on what looks and tastes best to you, said Shelly Westerhausen, author of “Platters and Boards: Beautiful, Casual Spreads for Every Occasion.”
“I pick out one main thing that I want to highlight, that I think looks gorgeous, that’s in season, that’s unique,” she said. “And for me a lot of times it’s a vegetable and then I just build the board around it.”
Seedy white cheddar crackers. Photo courtesy of Platters and Boards by Shelly Westerhausen.Once you’ve identified the ingredient you want to highlight, balance it out with things that are sweet, savory, salty, crunchy or tart, Westerhausen said. The classic standbys — cheese, fruit, crackers, nuts and pickled vegetables — are great places to start, but there’s also opportunity to step up your game, she said.
Cheese is a visual crowd pleaser, she said, and one that doesn’t require much work, while offering variety in both taste and texture. Westerhausen recommends choosing one cheese that is mild and one that has a stronger flavor.
Similar to a savory cookie, Westerhausen’s homemade seedy white cheddar crackers offer a crunchy pairing, she said.
“If you’ve ever made just normal slice-and-bake cookies, it’s the same exact concept, but they’re savory, so it’s super easy,” she said. “Make the dough, you let it chill, you roll it into a cylinder, you slice it and then you bake it and roll it in seeds.”
For a sweet and fresh kick, pick a fruit, whatever’s in season, Westerhausen said.
“My go to is always grapes because they go really well with cheese and meat,” she said. “In the fall apples and pears with a little lemon juice; and spring, strawberries. I always say go with the season.”
Quick pickled vegetables. Photo courtesy of Platters and Boards by Shelly Westerhausen.Then, balance it with something tangy and tart, like quick-pickled vegetables. Start with sturdier vegetables, like cucumbers or carrots, put them in a vinegar base and they’ll be ready within two hours, she said.
“What I always tell people if they’ve never made them before, is give them a couple of hours and then just taste test them until they’re where you want them,” Westerhausen said. “Some people like them crunchier, some people like them more pickled. And that way you can also kind of see the process as it develops.”
Finally, round the platter out with something salty. Westerhausen prefers a salty, sweet mixture. In her recipe, smoky sweet mixed nuts, she mixes smoked paprika with cinnamon and brown sugar.
“I’m a sucker for sweet savory, I love that combo together,” she said. “You coat the nuts and bake them and it fantastic, sweet and savory and super filling.”
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Food Friday: How To Create Gorgeous Spreads For All Occasions
Spreads featuring cheeses of every kind, fruit, nuts, and more can seem difficult to put together. But on this week’s Food Friday, Shelly Westerhausen joins us to talk about how to put together easy and beautiful platters for friends and family.
Episode Credits
- Rob Ferrett Host
- Rachael Vasquez Producer
- J. Carlisle Larsen Producer
- Nick Miroff Guest
- Sanjay Limaye Guest
- Shelly Westerhausen Guest
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