Episode 208: Vegetable Curator

Elizabeth Schneider, a woman who knows vegetables from the seed to the plate, joins us this week with simple ideas for good, healthy eating from her new book Vegetables from Amaranth to Zucchini: The Essential Reference. Elizabeth has given over the past decade to gathering every shred of information on produce—the best varieties to buy and the best ways to cook them. Her recipes for Baked Scented Beets and Greens and Herbed Carrot and Leek Chunks, Oven Steamed are inspired.

It's terrific Mexican food at Mariscos Chihuahua in Tucson, Arizona, for Jane and Michael Stern. Our very opinionated cheese guy Steve Jenkins talkschèvre, and Randall Graham, founder of Bonny Doon Vineyards, forecasts the next thing in wine bottling—screw tops. Writer Susana Trilling, author of Seasons of My Heart: A Culinary Journey Through Oaxaca, takes us to Mexico and into the kitchen of the woman who taught her to cook. Her recipe forMole Coloradito Oaxaqueño is extraordinary. We'll hear about mind games designed to get us to tip more (listen up, waiters and waitresses!), and Lynne takes phone calls.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

• May 11, 2002 (originally aired)

• April 26, 2003 (rebroadcast)