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

David Sedaris joins us this week with his stories about family dinners. His latest book is Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls. We look at an alternative and ancient way to bake -- on the grill -- with Paula Marcoux, author of Cooking with Fire, and learn the art of pairing beer with cheese from Steve Jones, owner of Cheese Bar in Portland, Oregon.Broadcast dates for this episode:June 27, 2014 (originally aired)June 26, 2015 (rebroadcast)

We learn some unconventional grilling techniques this week from Adam Perry Lang, author of Charred and Scruffed. Travel + Leisure magazine's Peter Jon Lindberg reports on the affordable food scene in Hawaii, and food scientist Harold McGee brings us some surprising news about the best way to thaw frozen meat.Broadcast dates for this episode:June 9, 2012 (originally aired)June 1, 2013 (rebroadcast)June 12, 2015 (rebroadcast)

This week we ask the question, “Who owns the world’s superfoods?” It’s the battle over quinoa with journalist Lisa Hamilton, we hear the story of wine entrepreneur Jess Jackson of Kendall-Jackson Vineyard Estates from the author of A Man and His Mountain and the duo from the award-winning Perennial Plate takes us to Argentina for the tradition of mate.Broadcast dates for this episode:June 6, 2014 (originally aired)May 29, 2015 (rebroadcast)

We are talking about fried chicken this week with Lee Brian Schrager and Adeena Sussman, authors of Fried & True: More than 50 Recipes for America’s Best Fried Chicken and Sides, Food & Wine Magazine’s Ray Isle explores a re-imagined wine bottle and we look at rice through a Persian cook’s eyes with Louisa Shafia, author of The New Persian Kitchen.Broadcast dates for this episode:May 23, 2014 (originally aired)May 15, 2015 (rebroadcast)

We are looking at mindfulness in the kitchen this week with Dan Harris, best-selling author of 10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge and Found Self-Help that Actually Works -- A True Story. We talk to the Martha Stewart of Australia, Donna Hay, chef Ronna Welsh tells us how to reduce waste in the kitchen, and the Sterns fill us in on Arkansas fried pies.Broadcast dates for this episode:May 9, 2014 (originally aired)May 1, 2015 (rebroadcast)

It's a look at the real world of the professional kitchen with chef April Bloomfield of New York City's The Spotted Pig and The Breslin, The Perennial Plate heads to South Africa to learn about biodynamic wines, and historian Frederick Douglass Opie takes us on a musical journey through the South's chitlin' circuit.Broadcast dates for this episode:April 25, 2014 (originally aired)April 17, 2015 (rebroadcast)

This week it’s a look at real ramen with Ivan Orkin, author of Ivan Ramen: Love, Obsession and Recipes from Tokyo’s Most Unlikely Noodle Joint, the Sterns are in North Garden, Va., at Dr. Ho’s Humble Pie, we talk to Gustavo Arellano of the syndicated Ask a Mexican! column about the latest in American-Mex cuisine, and David Rosengarten of davidrosengarten.com is just back from Sicily and brings us a primer in capers.Broadcast dates for this episode:April 4, 2014 (originally aired)April 3, 2015 (rebroadcast)

We’re looking at the world of wine tasting with an unusual guide, Hoby Wedler, the blind host of the Tasting in the Dark seminars at Francis Ford Coppola Winery. Chef Daniel Patterson of San Francisco’s famed Coi talks about the philosophy behind the vegetable emphasis on his menu, and could cactus be the next kale? We check in with Modern Farmer’s Sam Brasch.Broadcast dates for this episode:March 21, 2014 (originally aired)March 20, 2015 (rebroadcast)

This week we play another round of Stump the Cook with Top Chef's Padma Lakshmi. We meet Erin Byers Murray, author of the memoir Shucked: Life on a New England Oyster Farm, and we look at low-alcohol wines with Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl, author of Drink This: Wine Made Simple.Broadcast dates for this episode:February 18, 2012 (originally aired)February 16, 2013 (rebroadcast)March 6, 2015 (rebroadcast)

Investigative journalist Christopher Leonard takes us inside the meat industry with his book The Meat Racket: The Secret Takeover of America’s Food Business, wine expert Joshua Wesson brings us his picks of wines to pair with charcuterie, and we look at the food from Macau with the duo behind Chicago’s Fat Rice.Broadcast dates for this episode:February 21, 2014 (originally aired)February 20, 2015 (rebroadcast)

This week it’s a very private look at the restaurant business with chef John Gorham of Toro Bravo in Portland, Ore., the duo from The Perennial Plate take us into the jungles of Mexico for an inside view of cacao, we look at the history and origins of culinary diplomacy, and get a lesson in Italian pasta from the author of Sauces & Shapes: Pasta the Italian Way.Broadcast dates for this episode:February 7, 2014 (originally aired)February 6, 2015 (rebroadcast)

We take a look at regional Thai food with chef Andy Ricker, author of Pok Pok, chef Jenn Louis of Lincoln Restaurant in Portland, Ore., brings some inspiration for winter salads, and what exactly is a meal like in space? Astronaut Colonel Chris Hadfield, author of An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth, fills us in.Broadcast dates for this episode:January 24, 2014 (originally aired)January 23, 2015 (rebroadcast)

World-renowned chef René Redzepi of Copenhagen’s Noma joins us with a conversation about his latest book, A Work in Progress, Katie Workman of The Mom 100 Cookbook takes on picky kids, and we talk to Michael Anthony, chef of New York City's Gramercy Tavern, about bringing chefs' tricks into the home kitchen.Broadcast dates for this episode:January 10, 2014 (originally aired)January 9, 2015 (rebroadcast)

Fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi is featured in our series The Key 3. Jane and Michael Stern are eating classic Mexican in Mesilla, N.M., and we talk to Crescent Dragonwagon about her latest book, Bean by Bean.Broadcast dates for this episode:March 17, 2012 (originally aired)March 16, 2013 (rebroadcast)January 2, 2015 (rebroadcast)

We are taking on the Christmas goose with Hank Shaw, author of Duck, Duck, Goose, master baker Alice Medrich takes on chocolate with her book Seriously Bitter Sweet, Jane and Michael Stern bring us the best in holiday pies, and Nathan Myhrvold of Modernist Cuisine talks about what it takes to capture the best food photos.Broadcast dates for this episode:December 20, 2013 (originally aired)December 26, 2014 (rebroadcast)

This week it's a look at the Russian tradition of zakuski with Diana Henry, author of Roast Figs Sugar Snow: Winter Food to Warm the Soul. Iconoclast chef David Chang of Momofuku fame joins us with the method behind the madness of his inspired fusion cuisine. Jane and Michael Stern are eating sweets in Salt Lake City's The Lamb, and Food & Wine's Ray Isle joins us with his short list of the bottles every wine lover should taste.Broadcast dates for this episode:December 4, 2009 (originally aired)December 4, 2010 (rebroadcast)November 28, 2014 (rebroadcast)

Broadcast dates for this episode:November 27, 2014

Adam Rapoport of Bon Appétit joins us this week to give us a head start on preparing the Thanksgiving feast, we talk to journalist Elizabeth Royte about her article for National Geographic on how we waste food, and actor and cook Stanley Tucci joins us with his cookbook The Tucci Table.Broadcast dates for this episode:November 21, 2014

We are having a conversation with the original star chef, Jacques Pepin, we talk to Ina Lipkowitz, author of Words to Eat By: Five Foods and the Culinary History of the English Language, and we turn to Indian chef Vikas Khanna to learn about his culinary and broadcast journey in India.Broadcast dates for this episode:October 1, 2011 (originally aired)September 29, 2012 (rebroadcast)November 14, 2014 (rebroadcast)

This week it’s surprising cooking techniques from Andrew Schloss, author of Cooking Slow, we have a conversation with Food & Wine magazine’s Ray Isle about protecting America’s historic grapevines, and we talk to New York Times columnist David Tanis about his book One Good Dish.Broadcast dates for this episode:November 1, 2013 (originally aired)November 7, 2014 (rebroadcast)

Chef Daniel Boulud talks to Dorie Greenspan about his book Daniel: My French Cuisine, we look at the basics of cooking with coconut oil with culinary nutritionist Tricia Williams, and Jane and Michael Stern bring us the best in non-chain steak houses.Broadcast dates for this episode:October 18, 2013 (originally aired)October 24, 2014 (rebroadcast)

It’s a look at the newest in culinary exotica, salt block cooking, with Mark Bitterman, author of Salt Block Cooking, and we go behind the scenes of cookbook production with recipe tester Ian Knauer.Broadcast dates for this episode:September 21, 2013 (originally aired)September 26, 2014 (rebroadcast)

This week we’re looking at buttermilk with Diane St. Clair, author of The Animal Farm Buttermilk Cookbook, we talk to the duo behind The Perennial Plate about their latest travels in Italy and we look at the changing face of sushi in the states with Trevor Corson, author of The Story of Sushi.Broadcast dates for this episode:September 7, 2013 (originally aired)September 12, 2014 (rebroadcast)

This week we're cooling off with homemade ice cream from ice cream maven Jeni Britton Bauer, author of Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home. Andrea Nguyen, author of Into the Vietnamese Kitchen, shares her recipe for cool Vietnamese noodle salads. Susan Glasser, former editor in chief of Foreign Policy, talks about the ways in which food is used as a political tool from the story "Eat, Drink, Protest," which appeared in Foreign Policy's food issue (Glasser is now editor of Politico). The Wall Street Journal's Katy McLaughlin explains her story on edible fashion. Jane and Michael Stern visit Nick's Kitchen in Huntington, Indiana. Broadcast dates for this episode:August 6, 2011 (originally aired)July 21, 2012 (rebroadcast)August 29, 2014 (rebroadcast)

William Sitwell, author of A History of Food in 100 Recipes, joins us, we look at the Indian tradition of chutneys with chef Vikas Khanna and check in with film director Wayne Wang about his latest project, a documentary on the life of legendary Chinese restaurateur Cecilia Chiang.Broadcast dates for this episode:August 24, 2013 (originally aired)August 15, 2014 (rebroadcast)

Jo Robinson, author of Eating on the Wild Side, explains why eating five fruits and vegetables a day may not be enough, fruit expert David Karp of the Los Angeles Times tells us about a surprising new variety of table grape and we dive into summer entertaining with humorist Charles Phoenix.Broadcast dates for this episode:August 10, 2013 (originally aired)August 1, 2014 (rebroadcast)

Sandor Katz, author of the masterful Art of Fermentation, joins us with the guidelines for yogurt making, we get a basic guide to tequila from Lucinda Hutson, author of Viva Tequila! Cocktails, Cooking and Other Agave Adventures, and we learn how to train our wine taste buds with Megan Krigbaum of Food & Wine magazine.Broadcast dates for this episode:July 27, 2013 (originally aired)July 18, 2014 (rebroadcast)

We get a master lesson in pie crust from chef Thomas Keller and pastry genius Sebastian Rouxel, authors of Bouchon Bakery, Jane and Michael Stern bring us the very best in extremely hot road food and Mexican chef Roberto Santibañez looks at the Middle Eastern influences on modern day Mexican food.Broadcast dates for this episode:July 13, 2013 (originally aired)July 4, 2014 (rebroadcast)

We are meeting up with Lucinda Scala Quinn, author of Mad Hungry Cravings, for another round of Key 3, and we talk with award-winning writer and Texan Robb Walsh about whether or not Tex-Mex is an actual cuisine. He is the author of The Hot Sauce Cookbook.Broadcast dates for this episode:June 29, 2013 (originally aired)June 20, 2014 (rebroadcast)

We're taking our Weber to a more primal state this week with Tim Byres, author of Smoke: New Firewood Cooking, and we get a recipe for Japan's delicious pancake, okonomiyaki, from The Washington Post's food columnist David Hagedorn.Broadcast dates for this episode:June 22, 2013 (originally aired)June 13, 2014 (rebroadcast)

We take a look at the latest trend in sustainable meat -- goat -- with chef Jesse Griffiths, author of Afield: A Chef's Guide to Preparing and Cooking Wild Game and Fish. The Sterns are at Big W's Roadside Bar-B-Q in Wingdale, N.Y., and we talk to Bruce Feiler, author of The Secrets Of Happy Families, about the surprising news on what is really important about family dinner.Broadcast dates for this episode:June 8, 2013 (originally aired)May 30, 2014 (rebroadcast)

This week we talk to spice merchant Lior Lev Sercarz, owner of La Boîte à Epice in New York, we take a look Filipino food with Marvin Gapultos, author of The Adobo Road Cookbook, and turn to the duo behind The Perennial Plate to learn about their food travels in Spain.Broadcast dates for this episode:May 25, 2013 (originally aired)May 16, 2014 (rebroadcast)

This week we talk to award-winning journalist Michael Moss about the food giants that decide what we eat. He is the author of Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us. Chopped's Ted Allen has advice on how to get out of our food ruts and we look at the stirrings of a movement in the wine world, natural wine. Broadcast dates for this episode:May 11, 2013 (originally aired)May 2, 2014 (rebroadcast)

Dan Buettner, author of Thrive: Finding Happiness the Blue Zones Way, tells us about the significance of the shared meal among the world's happiest people. Jane and Michael Stern are tracking down the very best in deli rye and we talk to Dana Bowen about celebrating Easter in Sicily.Broadcast dates for this episode:April 23, 2011 (originally aired)April 18, 2014 (rebroadcast)

We’re heading to India for this week’s Key 3 with Raghavan Iyer, author of the best-selling 660 Curries. Bee Wilson, author of Consider the Fork: A History of How We Cook and Eat, brings the stories from our tabletops.Broadcast dates for this episode:April 27, 2013 (originally aired)April 11, 2014 (rebroadcast)

This week it’s a look at saliva with America’s funniest science writer, Mary Roach, author of Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Trail. The Sterns are at the Blue Scorcher Bakery Café in Astoria, Ore., and we learn which salts are really worth the money with salt merchant Mark Bitterman, author of Salted: A Manifesto on the World's Most Essential Mineral.Broadcast dates for this episode:April 6, 2013 (originally aired)March 28, 2014 (rebroadcast)

Greg Engert's profiling system divides beer into seven categories. Award-winning writer and cook Deborah Madison is here with the missing puzzle piece for vegetable cooking -- the plants themselves -- with her book Vegetable Literacy. We turn to the duo from The Perennial Plate, an online documentary series dedicated to socially responsible and adventurous eating.Broadcast dates for this episode:March 23, 2013 (originally aired)March 14, 2014 (rebroadcast)

Jeffrey Hertzberg, the best-selling co-author of The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, joins us with the newest take on bread making for the home cook, we look at Muslim-Chinese cuisine with Jason Wang of New York City's Xi'an Famous Foods, we head to Tallahassee, Fla., with the Sterns to Olean's Cafe for first-rate soul food and hear about how vegetarians are taking on the congressional lunchroom.Broadcast dates for this episode:March 7, 2014

We're talking to Smithsonian paleoanthropologist Briana Pobiner about the origins of meat-eating. Food scientist Harold McGee explains the nuances of rice wine vinegar, and we get the lowdown on real Southern cooking in Chicago with Garden & Gun magazine’s Julia Reed.Broadcast dates for this episode:March 9, 2013 (originally aired)February 28, 2014 (rebroadcast)

We're looking at legendary gourmand and politician Winston Churchill with Cita Stelzer, author of Dinner with Churchill: Policy-Making at the Dinner Table. And Jane and Michael Stern join us with tales from eating on the road; this time, it's the Stockholm Pie Company in Stockholm, Wis.Broadcast dates for this episode:February 23, 2013 (originally aired)February 14, 2014 (rebroadcast)

Nigella Lawson joins us this week with her new book Nigellissima: Easy Italian-Inspired Recipes. And we meet up with Joe Warwick, who has compiled a guide of chefs' favorite restaurants worldwide, Where Chefs Eat.Broadcast dates for this episode:February 9, 2013 (originally aired)January 31, 2014 (rebroadcast)

This week journalist Anne Applebaum, author of The Polish Country House Kitchen, joins us with tales of food and life in Poland, and we head to Kansas City for an Austrian-Germanic take on the cocktail with the bartender from Grunauer.Broadcast dates for this episode:January 26, 2013 (originally aired)January 17, 2014 (rebroadcast)

We talk with Britain's exuberant gastronaut Stefan Gates about his BBC documentary on bug-eating called Alien Nation. New York City restaurateur Eddie Huang of BaoHaus explains the art of the Asian bun. His memoir is Fresh Off the Boat. And chef Charles Phan of San Francisco’s The Slanted Door gives us a primer on the Vietnamese noodle soup pho. His latest book is Vietnamese Home Cooking.Broadcast dates for this episode:January 5, 2013 (originally aired)January 3, 2014 (rebroadcast)

Opinionated cheesemonger Steve Jenkins brings us his annual cheese picks for the holidays. We check in with writer Junot Diaz about the Dominican food of his childhood. He is the author of the award-winning book This Is How You Lose Her. And Sally Schneider of The Improvised Life has inspiring thoughts on making small tables large and beautiful for next to nothing.Broadcast dates for this episode:December 22, 2012 (originally aired)December 27, 2013 (rebroadcast)

This week we talk about eating on the road with rapper and poet Dessa. We head into Lynne's kitchen with comedian Lizz Winstead for another round of The Key 3. Winstead's new collection of essays is Lizz Free or Die. And we talk to Dr. Andrew Weil about what we really should be worrying about when we worry about what we eat.Broadcast dates for this episode:December 8, 2012 (originally aired)December 13, 2013 (rebroadcast)

Amy Sedaris is stopping by with some gift-giving help from her hilarious book Simple Times: Crafts For Poor People. Jane and Michael Stern are at Hartley's Pork Pies in Fall River, Mass., and Mexican cook Fany Gerson introduces us to the unusual sweets of Mexico with her book My Sweet Mexico.Broadcast dates for this episode:December 11, 2010 (originally aired)December 3, 2011 (rebroadcast)November 29, 2013 (rebroadcast)

Turkey Confidential is our annual live call-in show. Thanks to our guests: Mario Batali, Pati Jinich, Ted Allen and Michael Pollan. If you don't see enough Thanksgiving recipes below, here are all of them.Broadcast dates for this episode:November 28, 2013

It’s our get-ready-for-the-big-feast broadcast with best-selling author Mollie Katzen, author of The Heart of the Plate. Mollie takes on the vegetarian feast while Food & Wine’s Ray Isle deals with the wine, Mexican chef Pati Jinich, author of Pati’s Mexican Table, bring us her Mexican way with a turkey (swaddled in banana leaf), and Cheryl Day of Back in the Day Bakery in Savannah, Ga., covers the pies.Broadcast dates for this episode:November 22, 2013

It's our annual get-ready–for-the-feast broadcast with writer and comedian Mo Rocca; journalist Alex Witchel, author of All Gone: A Memoir of My Mother’s Dementia. With Refreshments; and David Leite, of Leite’s Culinaria, takes on the carving knife.Broadcast dates for this episode:November 17, 2012 (originally aired)November 15, 2013 (rebroadcast)

This week, we meet up with celebrity chef Silvena Rowe, author of Purple Citrus and Sweet Perfume. Jane and Michael Stern have uncovered the West Indies Salad, and fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi plays Stump the Cook.Broadcast dates for this episode:September 3, 2011 (originally aired)September 1, 2012 (rebroadcast)September 27, 2013 (rebroadcast)