The Splendid Table: Conversations & Recipes For Curious Cooks & Eaters

This week it's contemporary food's most friendly wine: Riesling. We're in Germany on the fruity, classy little gem's home turf with our guest, award-winning Riesling master Dr. Ernst Loosen.The Sterns are multi-tasking in El Paso, eating Huevos Rancheros and Menudos while watching their car go through the cycle at H & H Car Wash. Smart cook Sally Schneider turns dross into gold with her smart saves for so-so vinegars. She leaves us her ideas for Vinegar Improvisations and a recipe for Peppery or Bitter Greens with Seasonal Fruits and Roasted NutsAmerican food historian, Andy Smith, takes us back to the birth of lunch. It was all about being a worker or a woman. Otherwise, you did "dinner."We have another round of our wildly popular refrigerator game, Stump the Cook, with guest Stump Master Christopher Kimball. Larry Wu, consumer strategist for Iconoculture, talks "conscientious consumption." He claims it drives our choices in the market. Lynne has recipes for A Classic Pesto of Genoa, and an Old Time Bar Lunch Sandwich in honor of Andy Smith's discussion of the beginnings of lunch in America. And in the second half of the show, the phone lines will be open for your calls.Broadcast dates for this episode:July 8, 2006 (originally aired)July 7, 2007 (rebroadcast)

This week we journey to Monterey, California for an in-depth look at one of the culinary world's biggest issues: healthy and sustainable seafood. It's politics at the grass roots level as we examine how the fishing industry is influenced by what chefs choose to serve in their restaurants. The show was recorded live at the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Cooking for Solutions weekend.Be sure to check out Jennifer Dianto's Seafood Watch program at the aquarium. It's a valuable resource for making choices about seafood that are healthy for our oceans.Dr. Steve Palumbi, a marine biologist at Stanford University, has put together a short video of him and Lynne taking DNA samples from supermarket fish to find out what's really in the package.Broadcast dates for this episode:June 24, 2006 (originally aired)June 23, 2007 (rebroadcast)

Can you remember the last time you ate a peach so perfectly sweet, juicy and delicious it knocked your socks off? Probably not. In fact, why does most of our produce have so little flavor? For answers we turn to Russ Parsons, award-winning food and wine journalist for theLos Angeles Times. Russ has been tracking American agriculture for 20 years and explains what it means to farm for flavor. He leaves us a recipe forSugar Snap Peas and Shrimp with Chive Mayonnaisefrom his latest book,How to Pick a Peach: The Search for Flavor from Farm to Table.At last, the Sterns have found a Belgian waffle worthy of Michael's endorsement. Cheers are going up at Beside the Point Café in Akron, Ohio.Master griller John Willoughby, co-author of Let the Flames Begin, wants us to forget marinating and go for last-minute spice pastes. He says they're faster and better. His recipe for EZ-Style Adobo Pork Ribs with Molasses-Chile Barbecue Sauce proves his point.Travel & Leisure magazine's critic Anya Von Bremzen picks the best new restaurants in eight global food capitals. For the full list read her article "From Tokyo to Las Vegas" in the April 2007 issue of the magazine. Anya's latest books are The New Spanish Table and The Greatest Dishes: Around the World in 80 Recipes.Spice hunter Nirmala Narine is back and this time she's talking turmeric. It lends its brilliant yellow color and pungent flavor to Goan Vindaloo Fish Curry from her book Nirmala's Kitchen: Everyday World Cuisine.Broadcast dates for this episode:May 19, 2007

This week it's a scholarly look at junk food and fast food through the eyes of American food historian Andrew Smith. He tells how it all started and claims that between the Erie Canal and Ben Franklin our destiny had nowhere else to go. Mr. Smith is the author ofThe Junk Food Encyclopedia.The Sterns report from beautiful Manchester, Vermont where they're feasting on a curious mix of goodness called Wild Turkey Hash at Up for Breakfast.Lynne talks spring lamb and new potatoes in her simple and luscious recipe for Ninth-Night Lamb, a dish she first tasted at a guest farm in Italy's Puglia region.Food & Wine magazine's Senior Wine Editor Ray Isle shares some little known tips for finding Good Wines for $10 and Under.Botany professor Dr. Peter Gail wants us to rethink the vegetable garden—as in weeds are good! Dr. Gail leaves us his recipe for Dandelion Flower Cookies, just one of many from his repertoire.We'll have another round of our popular refrigerator game, Stump the Cook, with Lynne and celebrity Stump Master Christopher Kimball, and Molly Sullivan steers us to a good time in Vegas. She's a co-author of Las Vegas Little Red Book: A Girl's Guide to the Perfect Vegas Getaway.Broadcast dates for this episode:May 12, 2007

"Hunger is a country we enter every day, like a commuter across a friendly border," says nature writer Sharman Apt Russell. She joins us this week with a look at the subject through a new prism—hunger as art, hunger as power, and hunger as revelation. Ms. Russell's book is Hunger: An Unnatural History. The Sterns dine on succulent Italian roast pork sandwiches at Tony Luke's in Philadelphia.Darryl Beeson, American editor of www.wineontheweb.com, roams the globe reporting on wine, spirits, food and travel. He stops by to talk good values among the wines of Texas. It's a look at sustainable meat with Bill Niman, a rancher who turned a wild piece of coastline into a sustainable model. The recipe for Grilled Pork Tenderloin Salad is from The Niman Ranch Cookbook.It's flying Fritos or any other snack of your dreams from Washington, D.C.'s unique solution for midnight cravings: www.dcsnacks.com. Reporter Jule Gardner has the story. Nigel White, secretary of the British Cheese Board, reports on a study the Board has dubbed "Cheese and Dreams," and, as always, Lynne takes your calls.Broadcast dates for this episode:May 27, 2006 (originally aired)May 5, 2007 (rebroadcast)

This week it's vegetable gardening for the horticulturally challenged. Gardening expert Katherine Whiteside, author of The Way We Garden Now, stops by with short cuts to instant gratification (hard labor is not for her) and a recipe for Rhubarbaritas.Mike Colameco, host of Colameco's Food Show on New York's PBS Channel 13, is back with tips for picnics in New York City. Keeping to the theme, Lynne shares a recipe for Roasted Asparagus Potato Salad.Self-described pleasure activist Fred Plotkin, author of Italy for the Gourmet Traveler, returns to the show to talk what we don't know about Helsinki: the unforgettable seafood, the strawberries, those intriguing Fins!Broadcast dates for this episode:April 21, 2007

She's sensual, iconoclastic, and hungry. In the late 1960's she blew the lid off stuffy food writing with her restaurant reviews for New York, the smartest magazine in town. She's Gael Green, a critic like no other and the woman who led the pack in a dining revolution. Gael joins us this week to share memories from her new autobiography, Insatiable: Tales from a Life of Delicious Excess. The recipe for Danish Meat Loaf is from the book.For the Sterns it's classics with a Texas twist at Houston's Avalon Diner. The pharmacy lunch counter is a favorite genre for our dining duo and the setting soothes Jane's hypochondria! It's a rhubarb revelation for our favorite improviser, Sally Schneider. She says discoveries happen when you let yourself go in the kitchen. Her recipe for Rhubarb Confit with Rhubarb Syrup for Improvising is quintessential springtime fare.Kai Ryssdal, host of Marketplace and a former resident of China, talks going back after ten years and eating in the new China. Are our kitchens making us fat? Some architects claim they are! We'll take a look at the latest patsy for our weight woes. A new exhibition at the Cooper-Hewitt museum in New York City takes a look at feeding desire, and Lynne shares a favorite springtime recipe, Roasted Asparagus and Spring Potato Salad.Broadcast dates for this episode:May 13, 2006 (originally aired)April 14, 2007 (rebroadcast)

Fred Kirschenmann of The Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture joins us this week to talk why America lost touch with her food source—the farm—and looks at the resurrection taking place, right now, on farms across the land. The Sterns are at the final stretch of the famed Route 66 in Stroud, Oklahoma.Our wine wizard Josh Wesson is back and this time he's debunking all those wine myths, starting with sulfites. Bee scientist Dennis Van Englesdorf joins us to investigate the mystery of the vanishing honeybees and the impact on crop pollination.Gourmet magazine's John Willoughby, author of Let the Flames Begin, has ideas for Easter lamb and ham, new party cuts to try, and a recipe for Mensaf (Lamb in Spiced Yogurt Sauce with Rice and Bread.) Stanley Feder of Simply Sausage, Inc. tells of cooking paella for 3,000 in Spain. It's a story that gives new meaning to cooking for a crowd.Broadcast dates for this episode:April 7, 2007

This week we're going inside the process of how exceptional cookbooks are brought to life. Our guide is Judith Jones, often called the cookbook editor's editor. Forty-some years ago she discovered Julia Child. In the ensuing decades Judith's influence changed the American cookbook forever and her authors became a "who's who of food."It's camp for the Sterns—roadfood style—at Mike Linnig's Fish Camp in Louisville, Kentucky. Our master of the wine bargain, Joshua Wesson, talks second labels, the hidden deals from world-class vineyards. We'll take a look at the delicious and the deadly when we go to the Fungus Festival in Santa Cruz, California.New York Times writer Kim Severson brings us chocolate with a passport; and Mark Kurlansky, author of The Big Oyster: History on the Half Shell, talks the bivalve mollusk's golden age in New York City.Broadcast dates for this episode:April 8, 2006 (originally aired)March 31, 2007 (rebroadcast)

This week it's a look at how the pros decide what to drink with nearly every food you can imagine. Our guest, Karen Page, author of What to Drink With What You Eat, talked with expert chefs and sommeliers to find out what goes with everything from apples to veggie burgers. She takes us beyond wines and waters to coffee, soda and even vinegar!The Sterns are in Tampa, Florida where they swooned over the Cuban sandwiches and ropa viejo at La Teresita. Lynne ponders the potential spiritual and ecumenical ramifications of Pope-approved Fish Snackers from KFC.Who knew that cauliflower of all things would become the latest darling of cutting edge chefs? Amy Scattergood, staff writer for the Los Angeles Times, joins us with a report. Not to be outdone, Lynne came up with a recipe for Roasted Cauliflower with Fresh Sage and Rosemary that takes this often overlooked member of the cabbage family to new heights.Dr. Richard Schulze talks Carolina Gold Rice, the huge cash crop of the 1800's (extinct by the 1900's) and what brought it back. Dr. Schulze is the author of Carolina Gold Rice: The Ebb and Flow History of a Lowcountry Cash Crop.Spice hunter Nirmala Narine looks at the herb you never actually eat — the bay leaf — and shares her recipe for Turkish Lamb Kebabs. Nirmala is the author of In Nirmala's Kitchen: Everyday World Cuisine. Gyro artist Bill Swislow tells a story of culinary collecting of a different sort, and, as always, the phone lines will be open for your calls.Broadcast dates for this episode:March 10, 2007

This week Mary Ewing-Mulligan puts wine where she thinks it belongs: it's all about taste. Mary claims quality is second to flavor, geography is more important than the grape, and a number on the bottle can help us match a wine to a menu. Mary's new book is Wine Style: Earthy Whites to Powerful Reds: Using Your Senses to Explore and Enjoy Wine.The Sterns have found the ultimate babka and bagels of their dreams in Montreal. Who knew? Vegetable gardening expert Jack Staub shares new ideas for gardeners and mail order seed sources. How about sweet little pocket melons, super lush tomatoes and day-glo lettuce for your garden this year? Jack is the author of 75 Exciting Vegetables for Your Garden.Julie Hauserman fills us in on the Florida tomato fight that's all about appearance over flavor. Our very popular refrigerator game, Stump the Cook, is back with Lynne and Stump Master Christopher Kimball! We return to the MIT Media Lab for dinner plates you toss when you're finished eating ... and make new ones whenever you want.Broadcast dates for this episode:March 4, 2006 (originally aired)February 24, 2007 (rebroadcast)

Imagine Mexico without tacos or tamales. Imagine Mexican intellectuals trying to eliminate corn from the country where it was born. History professor Jeffrey Pilcher, author of Que Vivan Los Tamales: Food and the Making of Mexican Identity, joins us this week for a look at a national identity crisis.The Sterns tuck into a weird-but-delicious chow mein sandwich at Evelyn's Drive-In in Tiverton, Rhode Island. Seattle's famed Herbfarm chef Jerry Traunfeld returns to the show to talk the next herb in the spotlight: shiso. His recipe for Shiso Crab Cocktail is from his latest book, The Herbal Kitchen: Cooking with Fragrance and Flavor.Gourmet magazine's John Willoughby reports on the best place in the world for a protein high: the meat palaces of Argentina. His article appears in the May 2006 issue of Gourmet. When famed restaurateur Mario Batali took his chefs to Italy for five days of non-stop eating and research, dining morphed into hard work. Bob Sloan, author of The Tailgating Cookbook: Recipes for the Big Game reads an excerpt from the article "Mario's Excellent Adventure: 5 Days in Bologna, 62 Courses" which appeared in the April 2006 issue of Gourmet. Broadcast dates for this episode:April 22, 2006 (originally aired)February 10, 2007 (rebroadcast)

Natural scent expert Mandy Aftel, co-author with Chef Daniel Patterson of Aroma, The Magic of Essential Oils in Food and Fragrance, joins us this week to talk about perfuming our food. With scent accounting for most of what we taste, the idea seems logical. A delicious example of scent meets taste is Rose and Ginger Soufflé.Jane and Michael Stern experience the outrageous sandwiches at Blue Ash Chili in Cincinnati, Ohio.We'll hear the story of two chefs, an exalted restaurant, and a trial by tragedy from Chef Eric Ripert of the famed Le Bernardin in New York. Chef Ripert shares the recipe for Warm Snapper with Ginger Oil from A Return to Cooking, his book with co-author Michael Ruhlman.When a lab geek takes on liquid nitrogen and ice cream something is bound to happen. We have the story. Washington Post Bureau Chief T. R. Reid has advice for eating cheap in Japan, and we'll hear about eating out in our jammies at Cereality.Broadcast dates for this episode:January 22, 2005 (originally aired)February 11, 2006 (rebroadcast)February 3, 2007 (rebroadcast)

Japanese culinary scholar Elizabeth Andoh talks washoku, the philosophical and spiritual heart of traditional Japanese home cooking. It's a concept of possibilities and transformations and a side of Japanese food few outsiders know. Elizabeth leaves us her recipe for Fried Eggplant with Crushed Green Soybeans from her book Washoku: Recipes from the Japanese Home Kitchen.The Sterns report from Cattlemen's in Oklahoma City where it's all about beef—from the horns to all parts south. Our bargain-hunting wine maverick Josh Wesson is back with more cheap wines. Just how low can we go?Seattle chef Thierry Rautureau brings us kitchen Zen—a peaceful stop-by-step guide to Butter-Poached Scallops on Celeriac Purée, a showstopper dish from his book Rovers: Recipes from Seattle's Chef in the Hat. NYU grad student Matty Sallin fills us in on a kinder, gentler way to wake up in the morning: his Wake n' Bacon alarm clock, and the phone lines will be open for your calls.Broadcast dates for this episode:February 4, 2006 (originally aired)January 27, 2007 (rebroadcast)

Check out the grocery meat case these days and there's rarely a bone in sight. We're talking flavor-enhancing bones that give cuts of meat ambrosial succulence. Food writer Jennifer McLagan wants to change this trend of boneless everything so she wrote Bones: Recipes, History & Lore. Her recipe for Beer-Glazed Beef Ribs is serious and delicious finger food.Jane and Michael Stern report on a couple making nothing but one exquisite loaf of bread at Wave Hill Bakers in Wilton, Connecticut. Sally Schneider is back with the Italian shortcut to crispy chicken. All you need is a brick and a bird. Crisp, Brick-Fried Chicken with Rosemary and Whole Garlic Cloves is the peerless result. Our New York City food guy, Mike Colameco, weighs in on Gotham's classic seafood restaurants.Gourmet magazine's John Willoughby investigates induction stovetops. Is it a case of "worth the cost," or "why bother?" We have the story on "scent kits" for wine lovers and, as always, Lynne takes your calls.Broadcast dates for this episode:January 28, 2006 (originally aired)January 20, 2007 (rebroadcast)

Paula Wolfert, the culinary scholar and author who brought cassoulet, roast garlic and confit to America, joins us to talk about the updating of her groundbreaking classic, The Cooking of Southwest France. Her recipe for Chicken Breasts in Garlic Wine comes from the area around Agen, located halfway between Bordeaux and Toulouse.The Sterns are visiting the Museum of Taxidermy and eating a stellar breakfast at Lisa's in Greybull, Wyoming. The always-curious Peter Mayle is back in Provence and this time he's making bread. He tells all in his new book, Confessions of a French Baker: Breadmaking Secrets, Tips, and Recipes.We'll take you to Portland, Oregon, where Andina is the Rose City's restaurant of the year. The story behind the fabulous food is especially fascinating. On a recent visit, Lynne was intrigued by the unusual and delicious chicha Morada.Finally, Ben Davis of Portland's Grand Central Bakery explains why late-night drivers are stealthily pulling up to the back door of the city's restaurants.Broadcast dates for this episode:December 10, 2005 (originally aired)December 30, 2006 (rebroadcast)

Britain's beloved columnist Nigel Slater joins us this week to reflect on cooking at home. He talks a kinder, gentler English Christmas and shares his Christmas Day Roast Goose, Juniper Sauce and Apple and Lemon Purée from his latest book, The Kitchen Diaries: A Year in the Kitchen with Nigel Slater.The Sterns report from Las Cruces, New Mexico, where they're digging into warm tortilla chips with "Christmas" sauce and stacked enchiladas at Nopalito. Cheese expert Steve Jenkins says skip the cookies and leave a plate of cheese for Santa this year. Steve's picks and go-with sips will put Santa is a very good mood indeedAmy Sedaris, author of the hysterical I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence, has entertaining tips, including how to make money at your parties! She leaves us her recipe for Cluster Haven's Pepper Mill Cheese Ball. Beer historian Alan Eames shares a curious Norwegian fairytale about a young woman brewmaster and her journey with a large barrel of Christmas ale, and the phone lines will be open for your calls.Broadcast dates for this episode:December 23, 2006

This week our guest, Andrea Nguyen, takes us to Vietnam for a look at the culture and lore behind a cuisine that began 4,000 years ago with a prince from the sea. Andrea leaves us her recipe for Chicken and Cellophane Noodle Soup from her gorgeous book, Into the Vietnamese Kitchen: Treasured Foodways, Modern Flavors.The Sterns' penchant for prison gift shops led them to some great hush puppies and shredded pork sandwiches at Hocutt's Carolina Barbecue. It's right across from the big house in Moundsville, West Virginia. We have the obscure but excellent in holiday mail order gifts from Francine Maroukian, author of Chefs' Secrets: Insider Techniques from Today's Culinary Masters; then, we flip to inside a food mail order warehouse — Zingerman's — where the rush reins and it's all about controlled chaos.Ray Isle, senior wine editor for Food & Wine magazine, reports in with his favorite wines and spirits of 2006, including a knockout red for $7.00! Dan Oko ponders the doggie bag dilemma (the original commentary appeared in the November/December issue of Mother Jones), and Lynne shares some olive oil picks, passes along the recipe for Ernie Crippin's Lefse, and takes your calls.Broadcast dates for this episode:December 9, 2006

This week novelist and wine critic Jay McInerney joins us to talk "wine characters" he loves. From the brilliant to the beguiling to the outrageous, it's a look at those folks who are making wine fascinating right now. Jay's latest book is A Hedonist in the Wine Cellar: Adventures in Wine.Jane and Michael Stern are dining at Hamburger King in Shawnee, Oklahoma, where great burgers with a theme song all their own are the order of the day. Master baker Dorie Greenspan gives us a master class in cookies and chocolate just in time for holiday baking. You'll want her World Peace Cookies, Grandma's Sugar Cookies and Café Volcano Cookies on your table this year. Dorie's latest must-have book is Baking: From My House to Yours.We go to Bali for the story of how a legendary spice center is struggling with modern times. New York Times columnist Marion Burros talks the latest in grass fed beef. We'll hear about this year's gift for the wine geek who has everything: Custom Curling's corkscrew with royal connections and, as always, Lynne takes your calls.Broadcast dates for this episode:December 2, 2006

Award-winning chef Susanna Foo shook up the traditionalists at her Philadelphia restaurant by marrying international cooking techniques and American ingredients. The result is delicious food that's fresh, light and approachable while staying true to Chinese culinary traditions. An example is Mandarin Potato Salad with Cellophane Noodles from her new book, Susanna Foo Fresh Inspiration: New Approaches to Chinese Cuisine.At the White River Fish Market in Tulsa the Sterns prove that great fresh fish in the middle of the Great Plains isn't an oxymoron. Josh Wesson has the dirt on biodynamic wines. It's the new wave in winemaking that's all about stewardship of the land and environmentally aware production practices.We'll meet David Ansel, a guy with a big pot and a bike named Old Yellow who became the Soup Peddler of Austin. He leaves us his recipe for Bouktouf from his new book, The Soup Peddler's Slow & Difficult Soups: Recipes and Reveries.Stump the Cook is back! The popular segment from a few years back has Lynne trying to turn five things from your fridge into a great dinner dish. Who will win? Jim Leverentz, owner of Leeners, talks things fermented and preserved, and Lynne takes your calls.Broadcast dates for this episode:November 12, 2005 (originally aired)November 25, 2006 (rebroadcast)

Lynne is here when you need her the most, just a phone call or e-mail away. Don't miss one of the liveliest call-ins of the year. It's Thanksgiving triage at its best. Guests include Chris Kimball of Cook's Illustrated magazine and PBS's America's Test Kitchen, our regular wine wit Joshua Wesson, Seattle Chef Tom Douglas and many more.Broadcast dates for this episode:November 23, 2006

Thanksgiving opens the season for hospitality. Between now and January we'll carve turkeys, swap cookies, light candles and be terribly social. There's no better guide to the art of hospitality than restaurateur Danny Meyer. Every night for twenty years he's entertained guests at his eleven eateries in New York City. He joins us with tips to get us through the season with style and grace. Danny's new book is Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business.It's a cross-country trek for Jane and Michael Stern as they search for the best pies from coast to coast. Sally Schneider weighs in with a guide for sides. She leaves us her recipe for Root Vegetables and/or Potatoes with White Wine and Shallots from her new book, The Improvisational Cook.Neurologist and synesthesia expert Dr. Richard Cytowic brings us the magical side of feasting when he explains The Man Who Tasted Shapes. The term "Indian corn" takes on new meaning when a long lost little ear finds the way home to its native Abenaki Nation. We have the story. Finally, it's Lynne's annual update in her quest for the ultimate roast turkey. This year's entry is Fast and Crisp Roast Turkey Scented with Apple and Basil.Broadcast dates for this episode:November 18, 2006

At 29, our guest Julie Powell was stuck in a mind numbing job and feeling defeated, aimless and depressed. In one eureka (some would say deranged) moment she decided that her salvation may lie in cooking her way through Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. She set out on August 25, 2002; a year later she emerged, battered but with her psyche intact and her soul renewed. Her book, Julie & Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes and 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen, is the chronicle of her journey as well as a tribute to Julia. Julia Child's Leek and Potato Soup is a classic.It's divine lemon ricotta pancakes and homemade peanut butter for the Sterns at Hell's Kitchen in Minneapolis. Beer guy Steven Beaumont talks his favorite innovative beers from wild and wacky brewers who like to fly outside the flock. We'll head out to an Iowa farmhouse where a French woman cooks to her own drummer. It's communal suppers with a message at Simone's Plain and Simple.Tea authority Bill Waddington warms us up with the forgotten teas: neither green nor black, they're oolongs. If tea isn't for you, warm up with an haute take on the ultimate comfort in a cup: Mocha Voodoo from Hot Chocolate by Michael Turback.Broadcast dates for this episode:October 29, 2005 (originally aired)October 7, 2006 (rebroadcast)

This week it's a French moment back in 1976 that turned the tide for California wine. Our guest is former Time magazine correspondent George Taber, author of Judgment of Paris. He reports on that moment when the earth moved in the Napa Valley. The Sterns are eating at Harmon's Lunch, a monomaniacal luncheonette in Falmouth, Maine with a two-item menu; and Lynne reports on her own "Sterns' moment" at Polehna's Meat Market in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.Gourmet magazine's John Willoughby has tasty ideas for that wunderkind of the Pacific - the coconut - including a recipe for Fish Masala. We'll go to Decorah, Iowa for a look at real grassroots biodiversity in practice at Seed Savers Exchange. New Orleans journalist Pableaux Johnson, author of Eating New Orleans: From French Quarter Creole Dining to the Perfect Po'Boy, talks food folks and a culinary heritage surviving Katrina.Lynne shares the recipe her luscious Fresh Heirloom Tomato Soup with Cream and the phone lines will be open for your calls.Broadcast dates for this episode:September 24, 2005 (originally aired)September 30, 2006 (rebroadcast)

This week it's bliss and total control for coffee lovers. We're talking home coffee roasting with Kenneth Davids, author of Home Coffee Roasting: Romance and Revival. He has tips and sources for home coffee roasters for the truly java obsessed.The Sterns report from Billings, where they're eating fabulous beef burritos at Sarah's and shopping the city's first-class saddle makers. Quince lover Sally Schneider reveals the one thing you need to know to enjoy the most sensual fruit in the market and leaves us her recipe for Sweet and Savory Quinces in White Wine and Honey.San Francisco Chronicle food writer Olivia Wu tells us everything we need to know about buying shrimp - what to avoid and what to scoop up - and shares her recipe for Steamed Spot Prawns with Ginger & Scallions. Indian Master Chef Vikas Khanna turns food into visions of palette for the visually impaired. Learn about his book Ayurveda: The Science of Food & Life on www.vkhanna.com. We'll hear about sit-down dinners in farm fields across America from the folks at Outstanding in the Field, and Lynne takes your calls.Broadcast dates for this episode:September 17, 2005 (originally aired)September 16, 2006 (rebroadcast)

Why would a successful New York magazine editor willingly take six months off to become a slave in a restaurant kitchen? Our guest, Bill Buford, editor of The New Yorker, answers that question in Heat: An Amateur's Adventures As Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta Maker, and Apprentice to a Dante-Quoting Butcher in Tuscany.The Sterns are on Boston's north shore eating the local favorite, roast beef sandwiches, at Nick's Famous Roast Beef in Beverly. Lynne keeps to the sandwich theme by sharing her recipe for Last of the Tomatoes Commemorative Sandwich. Forget the rusty grill and a rickety table! Designer Deborah Krasner stops by with the latest in outdoor kitchens. Is this the next "must have" on foodies' wish list?We're day tripping from Austin Texas with Gerald McLeod and his One Tank Wonders. Think pie happy hour and a German beer garden. The high priestess of Television Without Pity stops by with her take on the new season in food TV. Matt Richtel reports on McDonald's attempt to use drive-through order takers located in India; and, as always, the phone lines will be open for your calls.Broadcast dates for this episode:September 9, 2006

This week it's an often-overlooked gem that food snobs never take seriously: the great American peanut. Our guest, food writer Wendell Brock, takes us back to his roots in Georgia's peanut country for a look at the caviar of goobers. His fiery Chile Peanuts take bar snacks to a new level.For the Sterns it's a classic 1950's style drive-in with a California twist at Taylor's Refresher in St. Helena. Stephen Beaumont talks Belgian Trappist Ales and foods to pair with them, and the music guy who cooks, Bob Duskis, has new music to grill by.We'll hear about New York City's efforts to wipe out trans-fats in restaurants, and Lynne takes your calls.Broadcast dates for this episode:August 27, 2005 (originally aired)September 2, 2006 (rebroadcast)

This week it's the classic summer place: Martha's Vineyard. It always tempts vacationers to stay, and some move in. Our guest, Vineyard native and local chef, Tina Miller, talks what it's like to live there, the people who make the island what it is, how they live off the land and sea, and how a renaissance turn of mind is essential. The recipe for Lobster and Sweet Corn Fritters, the very essence of summer, comes from Tina's book, Vineyard Harvest: A Year of Good Food on Martha's Vineyard.The Sterns check in from Clamp's Hamburger Stand in New Milford, where Connecticut's quintessential summer food is in full flush. Sally Schneider has ideas on how to amortize lobster, that succulent but pricey summertime treat. Her Rich Lobster Broth gets us started.We'll check out San Francisco's Slanted Door, the first restaurant to put Vietnamese food on the city's culinary map; and the queen of televisionwithoutpity.com takes on the Food Network - the good and the so very bad.Broadcast dates for this episode:August 6, 2005 (originally aired)August 19, 2006 (rebroadcast)

Have you ever wondered what food pros want to eat when they travel? Gourmet magazine's John Willoughby says it's street food. He joins us this week with his picks of the cities with prime eats, along with safety tips for eating from street food carts. A recipe for Watermelon with Fennel Salt comes from the May 2005 issue of Gourmet.The Sterns are in summer Nirvana, tucking into lobster rolls at Red's Eats in Wiscasset, Maine. Wine guy Josh Wesson talks Hungarian wines. He thinks they're the next big thing. A chef for the Tour de France takes us into the kitchen mid-race for a look at what's involved in feeding the bodies and the psyches of fierce world-class competitors.We have the story behind an award-winning new Web site about Crying While Eating, and, as always, Lynne takes your calls.Broadcast dates for this episode:July 23, 2005 (originally aired)August 12, 2006 (rebroadcast)

This week it's a look at one woman's dream job: buy a French farmhouse, renovate, and pay for it by opening a cooking school. Our guest, Susan Herrmann Loomis, is living the dream and the reality. Susan's recipe for Melon and Lime Parfait is just right for summer. It's from her latest book, Cooking at Home on Rue Tatin.For the Sterns it's classic Jewish fare a little west of the Hudson. They report from DZ Atkin's Deli in San Diego.New York Times columnist Marian Burros talks whole-wheat pastas. The good news is they're actually edible!Reputed pizza maven Ed Levine, author of Pizza: A Slice of Heaven: The Ultimate Guide and Companion, reveals the results of his frozen pizza taste tests.Chef Bob Perry tells the story behind the extraordinary food served in the dining rooms of the Kentucky Department of Parks, and Lynne takes your calls.Broadcast dates for this episode:July 16, 2005 (originally aired)July 29, 2006 (rebroadcast)

We're looking at six mind-altering potables and their impact on human evolution with our guest Tom Standage, author of A History of the World in Six Glasses. For the Sterns, it's homemade root beer and hints of frivolity at Mug 'n' Bun in Indianapolis."Molto" Mario Batali joins us for at look at the Italian way with vegetables. His recipe for Pan-Roasted Turnips is from his latest book, Molto Italiano: 327 Simple Italian Recipes to Cook at Home.Gourmet magazine executive editor John Willoughby, co-author of How to Cook Meat, talks cuts of lamb kindest to our wallets and shares his recipe for Grilled Lamb Shoulder Chops Greek Style. Michael McGarry, co-author and editor of the Scoops guides from Fancy Pants Press, reveals where you'll find the country's best ice cream, gelato, and frozen custard shops.Lynne says brining, that culinary lifesaver, has gone astray. She puts it back on track with her Brine Time Guide. And, as always, she'll be taking your calls.Broadcast dates for this episode:July 9, 2005 (originally aired)July 15, 2006 (rebroadcast)

This week it's a look at life and death in haute cuisine. Guest Rudolph Chelminski takes us into the world of French restaurant culture, where one star can literally change lives. His book, The Perfectionist: Life and Death in Haute Cuisine, tracks the life and suicide of master chef Bernard Loiseau, who committed suicide in 2003 when he heard rumors that his restaurant would lose its ranking in a leading dining guide.For the Sterns it's the best Lemon Ice Box Pie in the country and excellent people watching at Silver Skillet in Atlanta. Keeping to the theme, Lynne shares her recipe for Stirred Lemon Ice Cream.Steve Jenkins thinks female cheesemakers are the best, especially when it comes to goat and sheep cheeses. He reveals his favorites.Dave Lieberman, the new kid at the Food Network, talks being young and hungry and on a budget. His recipe for Potato-Chip-Crusted Salmon is from his book, Young and Hungry: More Than 100 Recipes for Cooking Fresh and Affordable Food for Everyone.Salvage Sister Kathleen Hackett recycles junk into the kitchen and encourages us to do the same. She is a co-author of The Salvage Sisters: Guide to Finding Style in the Street and Inspiration in the Attic. We have the scoop on the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, and the phone lines will be open for your calls.Broadcast dates for this episode:June 11, 2005 (originally aired)July 1, 2006 (rebroadcast)

We're talking Korean food this week with Cecilia Hae-Jin Lee, author of Eating Korean, From Barbecue to Kimchi, Recipes from My Home. Korean cuisine is bold and spicy, and served in a way that lets you play with all kinds of flavor combinations. Cecilia gives us the essentials. Her recipe for Spicy Pork Ribs gets us grilling.It's classic hot beef sandwiches and sour cream raisin pie for the Sterns at Lange's Café in Pipestone, Minnesota. Chris Kimball of Cook's Illustrated magazine shares tricks for freezing summer's bounty. It's all about knowing your freezer. He shares a recipe for Blueberry Cobbler from The New Best Recipe with a variation using frozen blueberries. Lynne continues the theme with her Hungry Woman's Simple Sorbet.Francine Maroukian, author of Chef's Secrets: Insider Techniques from Today's Culinary Masters reveals tips and tricks from the best in the business. Mike Colamecco, our go-to guy for advice on good eats in the Big Apple, says you'll find some of the city's best food, at bargain prices, at wine bars. A Peabody Award-winning documentarian looks at the truth behind Tupperware, and Lynne takes your calls.Broadcast dates for this episode:June 4, 2005 (originally aired)June 17, 2006 (rebroadcast)

Award-winning chef Frank Stitt put Alabama on the gastronomic map with his mecca of great eating, Highlands Bar and Grill in Birmingham. He joins us this week to talk the return of the South's culinary glory days, a renaissance in which he plays a major role. The recipe for Miss Verba's Pimiento Cheese is from his new book, Frank Stitt's Southern Table: Recipes and Gracious Traditions from Highlands Bar and Grill.For the Sterns it's all about chicken wings at Dem Wangs in Memphis. Lynne's theory about the popularity of wings is apparent in her fabulous Mahogany Chicken Wings.Herb expert and chef Jerry Traunfeld is back to talk fennel pollen. His recipe for Fennel Blossom Soup could result in some very ticked off bees!We meet up with Tane Chan, the "wok woman" of San Francisco's Chinatown, who tells us how to pick the perfect wok. Find yours at her Wok Shop.Manhattan's irreverent caterer to the stars, Serena Bass, has tips for effortless spring entertaining and shares a Spring Dinner Menu from her book, Serena, Food & Stories: Feeding Friends Every Hour of the Day.Broadcast dates for this episode:May 7, 2005 (originally aired)June 10, 2006 (rebroadcast)

This week Lizzie Collingham, author of Curry: A Tale of Cook's and Conquerors, joins us for a look at the history of India through its curries. She says the most popular ones each tell a different story of a significant outside influence. It's a fascinating take on how a world-class cuisine came into being. The recipe for Vindaloo is from Lizzie's book.The Sterns are at Clementine in Los Angeles where they're swooning over the grilled cheese sandwiches and a banana cream pie that's to die for. We have new wine roads to travel in California with Wine Spectator columnist Matt Kramer. Celebrity Chef Charlie Palmer marked one Father's Day by taking his two sons into the kitchen of his multi-starred restaurant for a peek. They've been prepping the veggies ever since. Writer and Public Radio producer David Welch has the story.Los Angeles Times writer Charles Perry has the scoop on bitters and a Prom Dress, the latest thing in the $20 cocktail genre. Lynne shares a grill recipe for Black Pepper-Honey Steak, and in the second half of the show the phone lines are open for your calls.Broadcast dates for this episode:June 3, 2006

John T. Edge, Southern food and culture historian and director of the Southern Foodways Alliance, joins us this week and he's talking fried chicken. His recipe for Sweet Tea Fried Chicken is from his book Fried Chicken, An American Story.The Sterns report in from Putz's Creamy Whip, an old-fashioned custard stand in Cincinnati, Ohio.Josh Wesson stops by to talk a wine waiting to happen: Austria's Gruner Veltliner.The Washington Post's T. R. Reid, author of The United States of Europe, was in the enviable position of being sent to Japan to research an article for Entrée magazine, a Neiman Marcus publication. He was told to eat high and expensive. We'll have a report.Gourmet magazine's editor Ruth Reichl hits the Brooklyn hot spots with New York food maven Ed Levine. Ruth's new book is Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise.We'll learn about "girlie wine" and, as always, Lynne takes your calls.Broadcast dates for this episode:May 21, 2005 (originally aired)May 20, 2006 (rebroadcast)

This week it's all things Italian but not in Italy. Instead of heading east to Rome, we're going south to Buenos Aires where the descendants of two million Italians have settled. Food writer Rich Lang is our guide.The Sterns report from the Pacific Northwest, their favorite breakfast destination, where Michael says you'll find the paragon of waffles at Fresco Caffe in Portland, Oregon.Steve Jenkins lines up a cheese vacation in Portugal, and Sally Schneider talks the little fish everybody loves to hate: the anchovy. Her recipe for Warm Anchovy and Olive Oil Sauce might change some minds about one of Lynne's favorite sneaky ingredients.Chris Kimball of Cook's Illustrated magazine and America's Test Kitchen is back with the skinny on non-stick pots and pans. The latest book from the Cook's Illustrated folks is the 2005 edition of America's Test Kitchen Live!Sam Perkins talks wine auctions, and the phone lines will be open for your calls.Broadcast dates for this episode:April 16, 2005 (originally aired)May 6, 2006 (rebroadcast)

We'll go inside the dairy with Soyoung Scanlon, California's new star cheese maker who has celebrity chefs kissing the hem of her apron. She follows the milk and her mood, not the market, at her Andante Dairy in Santa Rosa and it shows in her cheeses.The Sterns cross the pond for pie and mash in London. Tune in to find out it they chose the optional eels.Vegetarian expert Deborah Madison talks spring things for this teeter-totter time of year. Her recipe for Lemony Risotto Croquettes with Slivered Snow Peas, Asparagus, and Leeks comes from her new book, Vegetarian Suppers from Deborah Madison's Kitchen.Margo True, Executive Editor of Saveur magazine, tells the story of the tiffinwallah, Mumbai's lunch ritual that's the envy of General Motors. Read the full story in the May 2005 issue of Saveur.We'll hear about the back-to-basics coffee served at Deaf Dog Coffee shops, and Lynne takes your calls.Broadcast dates for this episode:April 9, 2005 (originally aired)April 29, 2006 (rebroadcast)

This week it's Cuban Miami with Glenn, Raul, and Jorge. The "Three Guys from Miami" love to eat, they love their town, and they give us advice on where and what to eat, including airport food worth the trip. The recipe for Roast Pork is from their book Three Guys from Miami Cook Cuban: 100 Great Cuban Recipes with a Touch of Miami Spice.The Sterns are in a time warp at Lankford Grocery and Market, a 1940's era café serving divine triple cheeseburgers. The highly opinionated cheese monger and author of Cheese Primer, Steve Jenkins has ideas for what to eat with cheese. Dill pickles are on the list! Travel & Leisure magazine's Anya Von Bremzen returns with her picks of the best new American restaurants of 2004.Wine critic Matt Kramer talks the new California grape and the latest region to watch. His newest book is Matt Kramer's New California Wine: Making Sense of Napa Valley, Sonoma, Central Coast and Beyond. We have the story of Hamburger America, a documentary film about some of the best burgers in America and the people behind them, and, as always, Lynne takes your calls.Broadcast dates for this episode:March 5, 2005 (originally aired)April 1, 2006 (rebroadcast)

If you've always suspected that taste goes beyond science's big four of sweet, sour, salt and bitter your instincts are right. This week we're looking at umami. It's what food types call the "fifth taste." Our guest, David Kasabian, tells us how to use this wunderkind to make everything we eat taste better. Coq au Vin Nouveau, from The Fifth Taste: Cooking with Umami by David and Anna Kasabian, demonstrates the principle. For the Sterns it's retro burgers, fabulous hand-cut fries and malts at one of Lynne's favorite haunts: Convention Grill in the Minneapolis suburb of Edina. Anya Von Bremzen talks Spain's surprise national dish and it's not paella. It's Cocido from her latest book, The New Spanish Table. Wine critic Matt Kramer, author of Matt Kramer's New California Wine answers the controversial question: can you actually get cheap good wines? We go to Mexico for vanilla—the most labor intensive food in the hemisphere—and stop by Cake Man Raven Confectionery, a bakery in Brooklyn that claims to be the official home of the classic Southern Red Velvet Cake—and so much more.Broadcast dates for this episode:March 25, 2006

Joe Queenan, that quirky observer of the human comedy, takes us his England this week. It's a place of people driven by good-natured insanity, where home cooking thrives, and the steak and kidney pie requires a pneumatic drill. His book is Queenan Country: A Reluctant Anglophile's Pilgrimage to the Mother Country.Remember creamed chipped beef on toast? The Sterns tuck into the old-fashioned dish and more classic New England fare at the Blue Benn Diner in Bennington, Vermont. Wine maverick Josh Wesson talks cans, boxes and sippy straws, the next new things for serving wine. Sally Schneider returns with ideas for easy suppers starring cornbread, including her recipe for Parmigiano Cornbread.Health authority Nina Simonds advises saying no to Botox and yes to the spice cupboard for fighting those pesky signs of aging. She shares her recipe for Fragrant Cinnamon Pork with Sweet Potatoes is from her new book Spices of Life: Simple and Delicious Recipes for Great Health.Broadcast dates for this episode:March 19, 2005 (originally aired)March 18, 2006 (rebroadcast)

This week we take a look at the new kitchen science that has haute restaurant chefs rethinking everything, taking foods apart and putting them back together in ways we can't imagine. The instigator is our guest, chemist Hervé This, author of Molecular Gastronomy: Exploring the Science of Flavor (Arts and Traditions of the Table: Perspectives on Culinary History.) The Sterns report from Eddie's Supper Club in Great Falls, Montana, where the secret marinade is key to their renowned steaks. Then Lynne shares her Guide to Marinades, including several delicious recipes.Cheese expert Steve Jenkins shares his latest artisan cheese finds, the ones he calls "adult candy." Mike Colamecco, our go-to guy for good eats in the Big Apple, tells us where to find the city's best hot dogs. Reporter Peter Aronson tells of the Mexican scientist who sees edible bugs saving the world's poor; and we celebrate National Potato Chip Day with the chief flavor architect of Kettle brand potato chips.Broadcast dates for this episode:March 11, 2006

This week it's a look at a new way to buy wine and it has everything to do with knowing the importers and distributors. Neal Rosenthal of Rosenthal Wine Merchant joins us to talk wine importers and who to look for on the label. The Sterns are eating herring "cremated" and "sunnyside up" at Cypress Grill in Jamesville, NC. David Rosengarten brings order and tranquility to that baffling liquid: sake. He shares his recipe for Salted Seaweed Salad with Lemon and Freshly Grated Ginger from his latest book, David Rosengarten Entertains. John Willoughby of Gourmet magazine has ideas for what to do between meals in London. For starters, there's cooking classes, shopping, and a secret garden. The New York Times gardening columnist Ann Raver has new veggies for us to try and shares her picks of the best seed sources. We'll check in with Rick Field, the inventive pickle maker behind Rick's Picks, and Lynne takes your calls.Broadcast dates for this episode:February 19, 2005 (originally aired)February 25, 2006 (rebroadcast)

We're off to Australia where it's summer now and the food scene is hot. Aussie star chef Bill Granger tells us where and what to eat in Sydney. His book, Bill's Open Kitchen, is full of uncomplicated and tantalizing recipes like a Glazed Duck with Pear and Rocket Salad. Before taking off for some retail therapy at the Kittery outlets, Jane and Michael Stern fuel up with the Clam-O-Rama at the Maine Diner in Wells. Sally Schneider has a whole new concept for using dried fruit, including her method for Essential Plumped Dried Fruit. Just in time for Shrove Tuesday, global food authority and Moscow native Anya Von Bremzen joins us to talk a Blini. The recipe is from her book The Greatest Dishes: Around the World in 80 Recipes. Dr. Robert Kushner of Northwestern Medical School has the scoop on dieting dogs, and the phone lines will be open for your calls.Broadcast dates for this episode:February 5, 2005 (originally aired)February 18, 2006 (rebroadcast)

Chinese food authority Grace Young joins us this week with the story of China's famous pot and shares tips on how to achieve the perfect stir-fry. She leaves us a recipe for Chinese Broccoli with Ginger Sauce from her new book, The Breath of a Wok: Unlocking the Spirit of Chinese Wok Cooking Through Recipes and Lore.It's old-world Eastern European fare for the Sterns at Polonez in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Andrea Immer tells us how to stock a wine closet on the cheap and shares her recipe for Coconut Milk-Curry Shrimp Soup from her new book, Everyday Dining with Wine. Patricia Schultz, author of the fascinating book 1,000 Places to See Before You Die, names three places to eat before you die.Zanne Stewart, executive food editor of Gourmet magazine, tells what it was like testing the 1,000 recipes featured in the new The Gourmet Cookbook. The Rumaki recipe is one to remember for upcoming holiday parties. We'll hear about the healthy vending machine program from Stonyfield Yogurt, and Lynne takes your calls.Broadcast dates for this episode:November 6, 2004 (originally aired)January 21, 2006 (rebroadcast)

This week our guest is Barbara Kafka, one of the masterful cooks in the food profession. When Barbara digs into a subject she takes no prisoners. She's created her own short list of cookbook classics with titles like Roasting, Soup, and Microwave Gourmet, and each one is a complete education. Now, she has ideas for bringing more veggies into our lives with her new book, Vegetable Love. She leaves us her recipes for Parsnip Ice Cream and Greek Island Potatoes.The Sterns dig into classic Dixie diner fare and sky high meringue pies at Crystal Grill in Greenwood, Mississippi. Kitchen equipment expert Dorie Greenspan has the scoop on the new silicone kitchenware. From muffin pans to rolling pins, is silicone the way to go?For Chris Kimball of America's Test Kitchen fame, the ideal family vacation involves a tent, two kids, 4 camels, and a cook walking the desert in Morocco. Morning Edition's Kitchen Sisters talk America's hidden kitchens—the ones not in houses and restaurants—from their book, Hidden Kitchens: Stories, Recipes, and More from NPR's The Kitchen Sisters.In honor of its 100th birthday, Ted Allen, food guy of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, talks our most overlooked appliance: the toaster. And, as always, the phone lines will be open for your calls.Broadcast dates for this episode:January 14, 2006

San Francisco wine merchant and importer Kermit Lynch joins us this week with the story of how he entered the wine world through the back door and ended up a leader in the exquisite and the little known. His new book is Inspiring Thirst: Vintage Selections from the Kermit Lynch Wine Brochure.It’s meat-and-three for the Sterns at Zarzour’s, a Chattanooga favorite so elusive it’s only listing in the phone book is under the name of the owner’s mother-in-law! Joshua Wesson cracks the code for teaming booze with stews, and Lynne shares her recipe for Emilia-Romagna Braised Pork Ribs, a luscious dish from Ferrara just right for a wintery evening.Steve Jenkins talks bargain cheeses, and Nigel Slater, author of Toast: The Story of a Boy’s Hunger, remembers a mother straining to cook with love but always missing the mark. For winemaker wannabes we have the scoop on the Crushpad, a new idea for home winemaking, and Lynne takes your calls.Broadcast dates for this episode:January 8, 2005 (originally aired)January 7, 2006 (rebroadcast)

This week it's the mother of all kitchen tours. Thomas Keller is repeatedly named the best chef in the country. When he set out to duplicate his famed California restaurant, The French Laundry, in New York City, he dictated every design element, but for unheard of reasons. The result is Per Se, the hottest restaurant in the country right now. Chef Keller leads the tour and shares his recipe for Mussels with Saffron and Mustard from his fabulous new book Bouchon.The Sterns are forking into classic cowboy steak at Sleepy Hollow in Oklahoma City. Wine maverick Joshua Wesson talks Mourvedre, the new muscle man grape that produces a big bruiser of a red. Sally Schneider, author of A New Way to Cook, suggests vanilla beans to rescue a dish. Her recipe for Vanilla Bean Syrup kicks up the natural flavors of fruit. We have new food games - the SmartsCo flash cards - for trivia at the dinner table, and Lynne takes your calls.Broadcast dates for this episode:December 11, 2004 (originally aired)December 31, 2005 (rebroadcast)

Today we offer our holiday special, a special guide to reveling, relaxing, and reflecting. This is a remarkable time of the year and no matter where you go, you'll find celebrations and feasting.Chef and Mexican food expert Rick Bayless spends every Christmas in Oaxaca and he takes us inside the holiday south-of-the-border. Wine maverick Joshua Wesson advises us on whether to drink or store those wonderful gift wines we receive.Jane and Michael Stern find a place to celebrate the holidays all year round in Frankenmuth Michigan.Traveling around the globe we get the best of India's celebrations with actress and food authority Madhur Jaffrey. From London, Nigella Lawson talks about life, food, and Christmas dinner.In Europe it is Christmas in Paris with Patricia Wells and of course Lynne shares Italian celebrations.Broadcast dates for this episode:December 24, 2005

This week we're talking all things salted, cured and smoked with food writer Michael Ruhlman, co-author of Charcuterie. In Europe, charcuterie is high craft, done by masters. Here, it's the latest thing in the artisan food movement. Michael has tips for making your own home-cured meats and seafood and shares his recipe for the ultimate party food: Pâté de Campagne.The Sterns are at Becky's Diner, beloved by locals in Portland, Maine. The food is delicious and Becky makes you feel like you've come home to mom.Wine wit Joshua Wesson suggests wines to sip with fruitcake. Can they redeem the much-maligned gateau? Dorie Greenspan brings a French twist to the holiday cookie exchange with Anise Cookies and Lemon Butter Cookies from her wonderful book, Paris Sweets: Great Desserts from the City's Best Pastry ShopsOur New York food guy Mike Colamecco returns to talk pure romance: Christmas in New York. He names restaurants and food shops that serve up holiday magic along with great food.Robert Tinnell, author of Feast of the Seven Fishes, tells the story of the comic strip inspired by a Christmas Eve date, and, as always, the phone lines will be open for your calls.Broadcast dates for this episode:December 17, 2005