Episode 335: Robbing the Bees

This week it's the wonder and biology of honey and the bees that make it. Journalist and beekeeper Holley Bishop, a woman who fell for bees the way one might fall for a puppy, tells the story. Holley is the author of Robbing the Bees: A Biography of Honey, the Sweet Liquid Gold that Seduced the World. Her Berry Striped Pops are the perfect icy snack for these dog days of summer.

The Sterns are in Seattle where Jane says they've found "the best doughnuts in the world" at Top Pot Doughnuts. Wine Maverick Josh Wesson talks France's unsung whites. The good news is the bargain prices.

It's a look at bottled water with New York Times reporter Julia Moskin. We want to know why we're spending nine billion dollars a year for what comes out of the tap virtually free. We join the Sterns in Seattle for adventures you can have on a tank of gas. Our guide is Hsiao-Ching Chou, food editor of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

It's the art and technique of competitive eating with many-times champ and hip hop artist Eric Badlands Booker. His latest cd is "Hungry and Focused II." Lynne shares her recipe for cool and refreshing French Greens and Melon Salad with Fresh Goat Cheese and takes your calls.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

• July 22, 2006 (originally aired)

• July 14, 2007 (rebroadcast)