What makes a dish American? We've a look at American cuisine with Leslie Brenner, author of American Appetite: The Coming of Age of a Cuisine. Road foodies Jane and Michael Stern take us to the Ridgefield Ice Cream Shop for the 4th, Hoppin' John Taylor has the last word on fried chicken, and grocery guru Al Sicherman and Lynne taste BBQ Sauce, just in time for your family picnic.
We're exploring the Spice Islands and the spice trade with Charles Corn, author of The Scents of Eden. The Sterns take us West, to eat East ! They've found great Chinese Food in Butte, Montana,, and, if you're really gonna do it, Chef Ken Hom has some advice for traveling and eating in China.
Innovative cooking techniques are the subject today with Chris Maynard and Bill Scheller, authors of Manifold Destiny, a book about cooking on your car engine! The Sterns are sippin' malts and shakes at the Nixon Pharmacy in Mobile, Alabama, and cheesemonger Steve Jenkins reignites the battle of the sexes with his views on female cheesemakers.
We're taking at look at the world's oldest and most universal cooking method—grilling, with Steve Raichlen, author of The Barbecue Bible. Steve visited more than 25 countries researching this book. Look for Steve's recipe from Afghanistan for onion water lamb chops. The Sterns take us to Idaho for a bowl of soul and stumpmaster and grocery guru Al Sicherman and Lynne do a spaghetti sauce tasting.
Between graduations, weddings and reunions, party season has struck! We've got advice from a woman who loves to give a party, Abigail Kirsch, caterer and author of Invitation to Dinner. The Sterns take us to a surfer sushi bar, legendary cooking teacher Marian Cunningham is back with lesson two of her three-part series on learning to cook; composer Christopher Hogwood explains the English Tea; and Master of Wine Mary Ewing Mulligan deciphers wine ratings.
For those headed back to college, we've some advice from wine expert Joshua Wesson on matching fast food with wine! Yes, there is an ideal bottle to be had with a Domino's Double Cheese and Chinese take-out. Joshua is the reigning expert of $10 or less finds! Jane and Michael Stern take us to Chicago's Polish Neighborhood for funeral food, and Kitchen Designer Deborah Krasner wants us to welcome red worms into our pantry!
Grace Young, author of The Wisdom of the Chinese Kitchen, takes us into the Cantonese home of her childhood; the Sterns take us to the Brick Pit BBQ in Mobile, Alabama; the mother-daughter team of The Dreaded Broccoli Cookbook join us to talk pantry momentum; singer Patti LaBelle shares her soon-to-be-a-classic potato salad recipe; and legendary cook and teacher Marion Cunningham, author of The Fanny Farmer Cookbook, begins her three-part series on learning to cook.
Journalist Corby Kummer fills us in on Slow Food, an organization who believes in doing good by eating well; Jane and Michael Stern take us back to Chicago for gold coast hot dogs; the bestselling author of Under a Tuscan Sun, Frances Mayes, tells us tale of a trip to Venice; kitchen designer Deborah Krasner wants us to think about our four senses when working in the kitchen; and Lynne samples salt with Grocery Guru Al Sicherman in their monthly tasting.
It's a look at wine auctions with one of the country's foremost experts, Fritz Hatton of Christies U.S. Wine Department (http://www.christies.com/wine). Who buys Andrew Lloyd Weber's wine cellar? Our wanderers, Jane and Michael Stern, hit the road and head west toward the Grand Canyon, and Master of Wine Mary Ewing Mulligan gives us the rules on the basics, like how full should a glass of wine be filled?
The wines of Washington State have soared into prominence in a relatively short time due, in part, to the unique growing conditions and varied microclimates that give the region its potential to become one of the greatest fine wine producing areas in the world. Our guest, Lorne Jacobson of Hedges Cellars, will fill us in on these reasonably priced wines of exceptional quality. Our road food duo Jane and Michael Stern have entered the fray in yet another culinary controversy—clam chowder. Whether it's heavy cream, light cream, no cream, or tomato-based, they'll have the word on where to find the best of each variety. Fruit-obsessed David Karp has found a "fruit zoo" and he's back with a report, and culinary minimalist Mark Bittman streamlines Thai curries with his recipe for shrimp in yellow curry.