We're going behind the scenes of the CIA—The Culinary Institute of America, that is! Journalist Michael Ruhlman, author of The Making of a Chef, documented the trip from the first classroom to the CIA's final kitchen, and fell in love with the profession along the way along the way. Jane and Michael Stern take us to Arizona and kitchen designer Deborah Krasner talks refrigerators.
It's a look at some American traditions with Joyce White, author of Soul Food, Recipes from African—American Churches. Jane and Michael Stern share their nationwide "honor roll" of the best hamburgers, and grocery guru Al Sicherman and Lynne conduct a hot dog tasting and we meet up with some champion cherry-pit spitters.
Once again, steak has become the symbol of well-being and prosperity in the U.S. William Rice, author of The Steak Lovers Cookbook, joins us with the secrets to great steak, and a great recipe. Jane and Michael Stern talk road food and kitchen designer Deborah Krasner tells all about refrigerators.
What does San Francisco have in common with ancient Egypt? It's sourdough, and Dr. Ed Wood, a pathologist and author of World Sourdoughs From Antiquity, will be with us to discuss this humble and accidental beginning to leavened breads. In keeping with the theme, Jane and Michael Stern have been sampling hearty breakfast fare in Vermont and will tell us where to find great sourdough pancakes! Our grocery guru, Al Sicherman, reports on the latest from the grocery aisles, Cynda in North Carolina tries to Stump the Cook, and Lynne takes your calls.
It's a historical view of the picnic with award-winning author Claudia Rodin. From the cemetery picnics of China to the original picnickers, the Victorians, Claudia sheds some new light on summer's favorite pastime, and shares a recipe from her classic book, Everything Tastes Better Outdoors. Jane and Michael Stern take us to Little Rock, Arkansas, for great steaks and cheese authority Steve Jenkins takes us to Wisconsin.
Joy of Cooking, first self-published in 1931 by Irma Rombauer, became an American classic and perennial best-seller, beloved by generations of cooks for its reliability and wealth of basic information. The recently published sixth revision—the first in 22 years— continues the tradition, but with improved organization, revisions that reflect changes in eating habits since the mid-'70s, and decidedly more flair. Maria Guarnaschelli, vice president and senior editor at Scribner, talks about what's new and what remained the same in the 1997 edition. Try the three versions of tuna noodle casserole and see which you like best. Jane and Michael Stern have been to Texas where they sampled a hefty burger and are back to tell us about it. Stumpmaster and grocery guru Al Sicherman, discusses tamarind—an ingredient showing up in a surprising number of refrigerators these days—and Lynne takes your calls.
Just in case you're lucky enough to be heading to London this summer, we've a conversation with two legendary London restaurateurs, Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers of the River Cafe. London is quickly becoming the epicenter of gastronomy and Ruth and Rose share their picks. Jane and Michael Stern take us to the Yellowstone Drugstore in Shoshoni, Wyoming.
It's a look at our love affair with noodles with Nina Simmonds, author of Asian Noodles. Nina shares a recipe for rainbow peanut noodles.. perfect for the start of picnic season. Jane and Michael Stern talk country hams, writer Tom McNamee takes us out for Chinese with some rock 'n' rollers at the Happy Garden Restaurant, and grocery guru Al Sicherman gives us his take on what's up in the grocery aisle.
Dr. Linda Bartoshuk, professor in the departments of surgery and psychology at Yale University Medical School and a leading researcher in sensory science and taste, will be with us to explain why our taste buds are the real culprit in our battle with the bulge. Jane and Michael Stern said bah-humbug to diets and New Year's resolutions and have taken off to sample some true Florida cuisine in sunny Key West; Karen from Ohio tries to Stump the Cook; and Lynne tells us how to register comments on the USDA's proposed guidelines for organic food and takes your calls.
We're foraging for mushrooms this week with mycologist Alan Bessett, author of Taming the Wild Mushroom. While some of us may venture into our local woods, most of us do our foraging in the marketplace. The selection of exotic mushrooms has exploded in the local grocery—we thought it time for a guide. Our road-food experts, Jane and Michael Stern, take us to Kentucky—not for the Derby, but for a local specialty, burgoo, and grocery guru Al Sicherman takes us back to an American basic—Cream of Mushroom Soup.