Episode 579: Saffron

Contributor Melissa Clark digs into the fragrant food of Lebanon with Maureen Abood, author of Rose Water & Orange Blossoms. Jeremy Nolen, author of New German Cooking, says German food is more than sauerkraut and schnitzel. Kimberly Jung co-founded Rumi Spice, a business that buys saffron directly from Afghan farmers. We meet up with a man with synesthesia -- he tastes what he hears -- and learn about his project to map out the tastes of the London Underground. Neil Kelley, a research fellow at the Smithsonian, explains what we can learn about animals' diets from studying their skull and teeth. The Sterns visit The Old Coffee Pot Restaurant in New Orleans.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

• April 10, 2015 (originally aired)

• April 8, 2016 (rebroadcast)