Episode 343: Setting the Table

Thanksgiving opens the season for hospitality. Between now and January we'll carve turkeys, swap cookies, light candles and be terribly social. There's no better guide to the art of hospitality than restaurateur Danny Meyer. Every night for twenty years he's entertained guests at his eleven eateries in New York City. He joins us with tips to get us through the season with style and grace. Danny's new book is Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business.

It's a cross-country trek for Jane and Michael Stern as they search for the best pies from coast to coast. Sally Schneider weighs in with a guide for sides. She leaves us her recipe for Root Vegetables and/or Potatoes with White Wine and Shallots from her new book, The Improvisational Cook.

Neurologist and synesthesia expert Dr. Richard Cytowic brings us the magical side of feasting when he explains The Man Who Tasted Shapes. The term "Indian corn" takes on new meaning when a long lost little ear finds the way home to its native Abenaki Nation. We have the story. Finally, it's Lynne's annual update in her quest for the ultimate roast turkey. This year's entry is Fast and Crisp Roast Turkey Scented with Apple and Basil.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

• November 18, 2006