S1E2 Monica Eng and them Bad, Bad Bhaji

Sauced in Translation with Howie Southworth

My guest today is Monica Eng. Monica is the co-host of the Chewing podcast, along with Chicago Tribune reporter Louisa Chu. Get it, CHU-ENG? Brilliant. Having also spent years at the Tribune, Monica is currently a reporter with Curious City in Chicago on public radio’s WBEZ with a primary focus on food, culture, health and the environment. Needless to say, she’s been rather busy. Apart from fantastic and timely topics and interviews on their podcast - yes, go subscribe NOW - Monica and Louisa have this regular segment on Chewing called Will She Eat It, in which they challenge one another to sample seemingly absurd foods and drink. Oreo Spam Burgers, Chinese Baijiu, Sweet Steak Sandwiches, Filipino duck embryos, uh, you get the picture. I’ve been a guest of theirs twice and thank goodness they keep that ritual to themselves! Here’s our chat.