Cocktail-party season is right around the corner, and we have an expert guide with us, the irrepressible Sharon Tyler Herbst, author of The Ultimate A to Z Cocktail Guide. Have you ever wondered about the proper toast etiquette? Sharon will fill us in. Jane and Michael Stern take us to the Miami Airport, kitchen designer Deborah Krasner talks Butcher Block and Brad from Oregon tries to Stump the Cook.
Award-winning chef John Ash brings us an insider's guide to the California wine country. John tells of the humble beginning of the now famous region, where, in the fields, gardens, wineries, and kitchens a revolution is occurring, inspired by global influences and dramatic changes in wine-making and the pairing of wine with food. John shares his not-to-be-missed picks of restaurants in Mendocino, Sonoma and Napa, and you'll want to try his recipe for New World risotto from his book, From the Earth to the Table, a winner of the IACP/Julia Child Book of the Year Award. Jane and Michael Stern take us to Arkansas for BBQ; fruit sleuth David Karp goes exotic with sapote; Angela in Wisconsin tries to Stump the Cook; and our grocery guru and stumpmaster, Al Sicherman, takes a look at greens showing up in the lettuce section of supermarkets - iceberg, move over! As always, Lynne will take your calls.
We're talking to the "Mistress of the Mediterranean," Paula Wolfert about the women behind her new book, Mediterranean Grains and Greens. Jane and Michael Stern take us to Ohio for exceptional apple cider, wine entrepreneur Joshua Wesson picks three wine bargains for autumn drinking, Janice from Colorado plays Stump the Cook, and grocery guru Al Sicherman and Lynne do a chocolate chip tasting.
We're talking to one of the world's foremost authorities on Mediterranean food, Paula Wolfert, author of the newly published Mediterranean Grains and Greens. Jane and Michael Stern find some old-fashioned soda fountains, and New York Times food columnist Marian Burros predicts the future of food in the '90s.
We'll be talking to Joan Nathan, award-winning author and host of the new PBS series, Jewish Cooking in America, about what it takes to put together 26 weeks of programming. The Sterns are tracking down donuts and food editor Kathleen Purvis has some great music to cook by.
Next time you bite into a perfectly baked loaf of bread, think about the hands that made it! We're going behind the scenes of a bakery, with the owners of Philadelphia's famed Metropolitan Bakery. Jane and Michael Stern talk cafeterias and Master of Wine Mary Ewing Mulligan fills us in on Spanish wines.
It's the art of reservations with New York Times columnist Marion Burros. Puzzled about what to do when seated next to the men's room or your reserved table is now 45 minutes late? Marian has some advice. Jane and Michael Stern take us to Sheridan, Wyoming, to Melinda's, and James Peterson has the word on eggplant, including a recipe for eggplant antipasti.
We're taking a look at specialty coffee this week. It's big business these days, but it's also an affordable everyday luxury. A pound of fresh-roasted beans costing $10 yields 40 cups—a cost of just 25 cents each! Our guest, Corby Kummer is senior editor of The Atlantic Monthly and one of the country's most respected food journalists. His 1990 series on coffee was nominated for a National Magazine Award, and he recently authored a book on the subject titled The Joy of Coffee: The Essential Guide to Buying, Brewing and Enjoying. Corby will give us lots of tips to ensure a perfect cup of joe every time! Jane and Michael Stern have been to New York and have advice on where to find a great pastrami sandwich. John from Vermont talks maple syrup, commentator Kathy Purvis takes us to England, and Derek from Minneapolis tries to Stump the Cook. Lynne talks about a culinary history study tour and takes your calls.
We're at the height of the summer beach season, and the time to indulge in some luxury—Lobster. It's affordable luxury when you do it at home, and for some advice we've gone to chef Jasper White, author of Lobster at Home. Jane and Michael Stern are spitting cherry pits in Michigan and stumpmaster and grocery guru Al Sicherman conducts an iced tea tasting.
This is high season for flea markets and jumble sales—and a perfect opportunity to find unusual tabletop and kitchenware. We're gone to the queen of scavengers, designer Rachel Ashwell, author of Shabby Chic, Treasure Hunting and Decorating Guide, for some advice. Jane and Michael Stern gives us a list of the best ice cream in New England, and fruit expert David Karp tells of a revolution in stonefruit.