Best-selling author Diane Ackerman, of A Natural History of the Senses fame, joins us to talk about our sense of taste; the Sterns take us to Chicago for great steak; tea merchant Bill Waddington discusses the merits of bag vs. loose teas; minimalist cook Mark Bittman introduces us to the easiest of sauces, roasted red pepper puree; and John Willoughby, coauthor of License to Grill, has an eater's guide to Hong Kong.
New York Times restaurant reviewer Ruth Reichl joins us with a conversation about her hilarious new memoir, Tender at the Bone, Growing Up at the Table. Jane and Michael Stern take us to Tea, South Dakota, cheesemonger Steve Jenkins shares his list of the great stinky cheeses,and, Lynne samples jam with grocery guru Al Sicherman in their monthly tasting.
We're taking a look at the cultural history of alcoholic beverages in the United States with Andrew Barr, author of Drink: A Social History of America. Jane and Michael Stern take us to Duarte's in the heart of California artichoke country, wine maverick Joshua Wesson advises us on wines to grill by, cheesemonger Steve Jenkins talks cheeses from Auvergne, and legendary cooking teacher, Marion Cunningham is back with another lesson for absolute beginners—this time it's biscuits.
Did you know that graham crackers were named for a preacher and that lobster newburg got its name as the result of a drunken brawl? We've a look at how foods got their names with Martha Barnett, author of Ladyfingers and Nun's Tummies . The Sterns talk gooey butter cake, minimalist cook Mark Bittman has the last word on sun-dried tomatoes, Joshua Wesson is back with wines to drink with the "problem children" of spring—things like asparagus, morels and artichokes – that can be tricky when pairing with wine. Tea authority Bill Waddington and Lynne taste Oolongs.
This week we're talking with maverick winemaker Randall Graham of California's Bonny Doon Vineyard. Forget the usual Cabernet and Chardonnay Randall says they aren't even compatible with California's climate. Instead, he grows grapes from France's Rhone River Valley to produce his award-winning wines with zany names like "Il Fiasco," "Old Telegram," and "Wine of the Ice Box."
World tours, glitz and glamour, a new city every night. At first glance, the life of a rock star seems exciting, but behind the scenes it's about greasy spoon food and months living on cramped tour busses. For singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan, healthy, delicious food is as important as her music so she enlisted Chef Jaime Laurita to cook for her band and crew. Jaime has catered for musicians from the Rolling Stones to Placido Domingo and is a genius at producing gourmet delights from sparse resources, often in the middle of nowhere. Together he and Sarah wrote Plenty, a collection of Sarah's favorite recipes. Try their recipe for Sundried Tomato and Pecan Pesto with Prawns .
We're talking kitchen equipment this week, so we called upon the pros for advice. Food Writer John Willoughby, Master of Wine Mary Ewing-Mulligan, Kitchen Designer Deborah Krasner, and Jane and Michael Stern tell us what they can't live without in their kitchens.
With the possible exception of novelty items like chocolate covered ants, the average American doesn't think of bugs as edible. But the truth is, cultures all over the world are entomophagous, (feeding mainly on insects)! The authors of Man Eating Bugs, Faith D'Aluisio and Peter Menzel take us on a bug tasting trek all over the globe. Jane and Michael Stern track down stellar chicken in a pot in NYC, Chef Rozanne Gold explains the 5th taste—Umami, and Lynne and Al Sicherman taste canned chicken stock in their monthly tasting.
This special live show with guest cohost Katherine Lanpher featured winemakers Michael and Elaine Honig, a conversation with minimalist chef Mark Bittman, and restaurant critic Sue Zelickson discussing Twin Cities restaurants.
Love it or hate it, "fast food" is a significant part of the average American diet these days. Our guest, Professor John Jakle, gives us a scholar's view on how it began, why it's taken over the way it has, and where it's headed. Professor Jakle coauthored Fast Food: Roadside Restaurants in the Automobile Age.