Episode 198: Bourbon

We'll take a look at small-batch bourbons with Kentucky bourbon maker Frederick Booker Noe, the grandson of Jim Beam and one of the pioneers in this new take on American whiskey. Forget bourbon and soda—this is stuff you'll want to leisurely swirl and sniff before taking a sip. Some experts claim these whiskeys are right up there with the great brandies and single-malt scotches.

Texans take their pie very seriously, as Jane and Michael Stern discovered at the Blanco Bowling Club in Blanco, Texas, home of some of the best meringue anywhere. Anya Von Bremsen takes us to Spain, the country she says is the most exciting place on earth to eat. For tips, check out her article in Travel & Leisure magazine. Beer expert Stephen Beaumont has the scoop on India Pale Ale and the spicy foods that go with it (think curries). Poet and naturalist Diane Ackerman, author of Cultivating Delight: A Natural History of My Garden, muses over bread, and Lynne shares her recipe for Marble Cutter's Soup, just the thing for a cold winter night.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

• January 5, 2002 (originally aired)

• January 25, 2003 (rebroadcast)