The next time you open your refrigerator door, consider that, centuries ago, cold was a mystery—something seemingly without a source, often associated with danger and death, and altogether too fearsome to explore. Tom Shachtman, author of Absolute Zero and the Conquest of Cold, examines the subject that baffled ancient mankind before it brought conveniences like refrigeration and air conditioning that we take for granted today.

Jane and Michael Stern are in truck-stop heaven at one of their "Top 10 Favorites"—a tiny shack in Smyrna, Delaware, called Helen's Sausage House. The Food Network's David Rosengarten recently taste-tested mail-order barbecue ribs. He'll share his top picks and a recipe for the perfect side—Mustard Slaw. Reporter Scott Haas is on the Belgian beer beat, sorting out the Trappists from the Triples; grocery guru Al Sicherman is back for a supermarket salsa tasting, and Lynne has a recipe for Bellinis.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

July 7, 2001 (originally aired)
June 22, 2002 (rebroadcast)

The Conquest of Cold