The Splendid Table: Conversations & Recipes For Curious Cooks & Eaters

Broadcast dates for this episode:May 8, 2004

We're taking a look at fungi, organisms that can feed you, make you crazy, take down your house, devour flesh, and save your life. Our guest is Nicholas Money, author of Mr. Bloomfield's Orchard: The Mysterious World of Mushrooms, Molds and Mycologists and an expert on fungus growth and development. In keeping with the theme, Lynne shares her recipe for Portobello "Steaks" with Holy Oil.Jane and Michael Stern report on the exceptional produce at George and Pink's Vegetable Stand on Edisto Island, South Carolina. Joshua Wesson claims there's a link between wines and the personalities of their makers. Chef Jerry Traunfeld talks lovage, an unusual and mostly forgotten herb that's highlighted in his recipe for Steamed Mussels with Lovage. And famed clarinetist Richard Stoltzman reveals his other passion—pastry making—and gives us his recipe for Linzer Torte.Broadcast dates for this episode:May 3, 2003 (originally aired)April 24, 2004 (rebroadcast)

Lynne talks with Chuck Williams, the creator and vice chairman of the Williams-Sonoma retail empire. Back in the 1950s, when the pressure cooker was sophisticated cookware, Chuck was promoting French copper, couscous pots, and kitchen equipment from Europe. It was all so exciting and new. Nowadays, high-quality professional gear is virtually mainstream and cooks can thank Mr. Williams for his vision.Jane and Michael Stern are eating regional "street food" at its best: hot tamales at the crossroads of the Mississippi Delta. Sally Schneider fills us in on a rite of spring that's often overlooked: the wild and wonderful ramp. Her recipe for Pasta with Ramps highlights this assertive member of the onion family.Steven Beaumont tracks down some fine Pacific Northwest beers in Seattle and Portland. And travel writer Anya Von Bremsen returns with a report on Tokyo's stunning new food halls. Get all the details from her article in the May 2003 issue of Food and Wine magazine. Finally, we'll have a salmon update from the folks at the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch.Broadcast dates for this episode:April 19, 2003 (originally aired)April 10, 2004 (rebroadcast)

The gin craze in eighteenth-century London was a 30-year reign that both elevated and devastated an era. We'll hear the story from Jessica Warner, author of Craze: Gin and Debauchery in an Age of Reason.The Sterns are traveling New Mexico's Turquoise Highway and dining among peahens, wild turkeys, and peacocks at the San Marcos Café in Cerrillos. John Willoughby of Gourmet magazine thinks a bottle of Vietnamese fish sauce belongs in every cupboard—and it's essential in his recipe for Spicy Cabbage Salad with Chile-Rubbed Flank Steak.Nancy Silverton, the high priestess of bread baking, has ideas for what to do with those stale loaves lurking in the pantry. Sort-Of Frisée Lardon from her new book, Nancy Silverton's Sandwich Book, is a delicious way to use the last of that $5 loaf you bought last week. Food writer David Leite tells the tale of a man and his stove. And Lynne shares her recipe for Luxury Scrambled Eggs recently featured in our newsletter, "Weeknight Kitchen.""Broadcast dates for this episode:April 5, 2003 (originally aired)March 27, 2004 (rebroadcast)

We're taking a look at vegetarian meat substitutes—things with names like tempeh, seitan, and textured soy protein—that make cutting back on animal products easier for beginning vegetarians. Our guest, Crescent Dragonwagon, author of The Passionate Vegetarian, is a long-time vegan and expert chef. Her Deep December Ragoût of Seitan, Shiitakes, and Winter Vegetables is rich and hearty. Who needs beef?Jane and Michael Stern wandered off course and are now looking for street food in Rome. Joshua Wesson suggests we look toward the heel of the boot for interesting Southern Italian wines. The Washington Post's Bureau Chief T.R. Reid takes us out to eat in Nepal. And tea merchant Bill Waddington says knowing the flushes is key to bargains in great tea. We'll have a report on the return of TV dinners (sans the foil tray) in a most unlikely setting: the ultra-luxury Peninsula Beverly Hills Hotel, and, as always, Lynne takes your calls.Broadcast dates for this episode:March 15, 2003 (originally aired)March 6, 2004 (rebroadcast)

Dust off the TV trays. We're partying with Oscar and the stars! Movie buff and food historian Francine Segan shares "Best Picture Menus" to pair with this year's nominees. Penne with Saffron Cream Sauce, Three P's Salad andLemon Cake from Francine's book Movie Menus add culinary drama to Oscar night.It's a blast from the past for The Sterns. They're eating chicken croquettes at Hob Nob Hill in San Diego. Josh Wesson suggests stick-to-your-ribs reds to go with winter stews and other hearty fare, and Lynne shares her favorite comfort food cookbooks. Reporter Scott Haas takes us to Tokyo for an unusual evening with star chef Daniel Boulud. Scott's new book, Are We There Yet?—Perfect Family Vacations and Other Fantasies, will be published in March.We get the story behind Smirnoff Vodka and Bacardi Rum from A. J. Baime, author of Big Shots: The Men Behind the Booze, and we have a report on crime and nourishment in a British prison.Broadcast dates for this episode:February 21, 2004

This week it's an eater's guide to the port city of Marseille with Daniel Young, author of Made in Marseille: Food and Flavors from France's Mediterranean Seaport. Calamari, the great Marseille passion when it comes to food, is featured in Chez Etienne's Pan-Fried Calamari with Parsley and Garlic.The Sterns are eating lobster bisque and dainty pastries at the Wenham Tea House on Boston's North Shore. Fruit geek David Karp explains the mysterious bitter almond, the strongly flavored nut that can be lethal if eaten raw! Gourmet magazine's John Willoughby takes on the lowly pot roast and elevates it to star status with his recipe for Balsamic-Braised Pot Roast with Tomatoes, Lemons, Raisins, and Black Olive-Pine Nut Relish. Commentator Julie Hauserman takes a look at the pressures of being a snack mom. And we'll hear from an artist who is examining a difficult topic.Broadcast dates for this episode:February 22, 2003 (originally aired)February 21, 2004 (rebroadcast)

This week it's global politics at the grocery store when our guests Anne Marie Ruff and Kevin Knox examine two sides of the controversial fair trade coffee issue. The Sterns will make vegetarians happy with sensational Southern veggies at Café Atchafalaya in New Orleans and a recipe for Shockingly Sweet Stewed Tomatoes. Wine wizard Joshua Wesson talks bargain Port-style wines. And techno-musician Moby tells why his music is never played in Teany, his New York City restaurant.All that coffee talk sent Lynne straight to the kitchen to whip up a batch of her Espresso-Ricotta Cream with Espresso Chocolate Sauce. It's one of those desserts you want to eat all by yourself.Broadcast dates for this episode:January 18, 2003 (originally aired)February 7, 2004 (rebroadcast)

When your career involves chowing down on things like fries cooked in bacon fat with a steak chaser, what do you do when your health hits the wall? John Hodgman, food and drinks columnist for Men's Journal, found out. He stops by to tell the funny story of how he navigated the bumpy road to healthy eating.The Sterns, ever faithful to fats, have a bologna find in Pella, Iowa. And, to get us back on the healthy track, Sally Schneider, author of A New Way to Cook, shares ideas for quick composed soups.It's New Delhi restaurant picks from adventurer Anya Von Bremzen of Travel & Leisure magazine; then novelist Timothy Taylor morphs chefing and sourcing into primeval adventures from his new book, Stanley Park. Finally, we'll hear from a British chef trained in classical French cuisine who's making a fortune selling deep-fried Twinkies in a Brooklyn fish and chips shop.Broadcast dates for this episode:January 11, 2003 (originally aired)January 3, 2004 (rebroadcast)

This week it’s primal cooking at its most seductive—over an open fire. Our guest is William Rubel, author of The Magic of Fire. He leaves us with a recipe for Lamb Kabobs to get us started. The Sterns have found a beautiful woman who makes beautiful food at Café Poca Cosa in Tucson, Arizona.Cheesemonger Steve Jenkins names the best cheese shops in the City of Lights. Sally Schneider, author of A New Way to Cook, tells us how to have our way with chestnuts. She leaves us with two recipes, one for Simple Roast Chestnuts, the other for Chicken Liver Pate with Golden Raisins. And we take a look at L.A.’s Ethnic Delis.Broadcast dates for this episode:November 9, 2002 (originally aired)December 27, 2003 (rebroadcast)