On Food and Cooking

Lynne talks with Harold McGee, the man who took food science from the laboratory into home kitchens. He recently updated his classic tome from twenty years ago: On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen. He fills us in on the discoveries contained in the 21st century edition.vIt's crawfish and zydeco in the back woods of Louisiana for the Sterns. They're partying at D.I.'s in Basile.

New York Times columnist Marian Burros has holiday gift ideas from her famous annual list of the best in mail order. She leaves us her recipe for that ultimate comfort food: Macaroni and Cheese from her book Cooking for Comfort: More Than 100 Wonderful Recipes That Are as Satisfying to Cook as They Are to Eat.

Lisë Stern explains the origins of keeping kosher and shares her recipe for Perfect Potato Latkes from her book How to Keep Kosher: A Comprehensive Guide to Understanding Jewish Dietary Laws. Our intrepid reporter Scott Haas reports on the black market for Swiss night milk. Scott's new book is Are We There Yet?: Perfect Family Vacations and Other Fantasies. We have the backstory on this year's blockbuster food book: The Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America, and Lynne takes your calls.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

• December 4, 2004