The Splendid Table: Conversations & Recipes For Curious Cooks & Eaters

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Thai Food Jun 05, 2004

Show notes

This week we'll hear how Buddhism and karma shape the most sophisticated cooking in Southeast Asia. Our guest, David Thompson, calls it "the cuisine that takes no prisoners." He shares a recipe for Thai Grilled Chicken from his book, Thai Food.

Jane and Michael Stern are eating Frito Pie from the Five & Dime General Store while strolling the mall in Santa Fe.

David Rosengarten reveals some extraordinary Mondavi wines, discovered while celebrating Robert Mondavi's 90th birthday and tasting his way through everything made by the renowned producer.

Travel writer Anya Von Bremzen went home to Russia and found a booming new food scene. She tells of some discoveries in Pushkin, and leaves us a recipe for True Russian Blini.

Only Calvin Trillin could turn a ride to the airport into an adventure in raw fish. It's a tale from his new book, Feeding a Yen: Savoring Local Specialties from Kansas City to Cuzco.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

June 7, 2003 (originally aired)
June 5, 2004 (rebroadcast)

Around the Roman Table May 22, 2004

Show notes

Food historian Patrick Faas, author of Around the Roman Table: Food and Feasting in Ancient Rome, takes us back to a time when flamingo tongues were finger food and boiling water signaled a decline in your morals. Patrick leaves us with an unusual recipe for Soft-Boiled Eggs in Pine Nut Sauce.

It's decadence road food style for the Sterns as they indulge in sub sandwiches at the White House Sub Shop in Atlantic City. Sally Schneider returns to reveal the gadget she can't live without and gives us her recipe for Warm Olivada. Food writer Ted Lee tells us what he discovered when he set out to find the next big taste. Maybe it has something to do with his recipe for Berbere-and-Mulberry-Glazed Duck. Randall Graham of Bonny Doon Vineyards introduces us to a Frenchman whose wines are not about taste. And we'll hear from the only remaining maker of limburger cheese in this country.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

May 24, 2003 (originally aired)
May 22, 2004 (rebroadcast)

Supersize Me May 15, 2004

Show notes

"We're fat, we're sick, and it's all your fault!" was the essence of a lawsuit brought by two teenagers against McDonald's. They denied it. Filmmaker Morgan Spurlock set out to find the truth by eating three meals a day for a month at the Golden Arches and documenting the process in his movie Supersize Me. He tells us what he learned.

The Sterns visit D.Z. Akins in San Diego to find out if there's sublime Jewish deli beyond New York. Josh Wesson says bargain-priced Pinot Noir isn't necessarily an oxymoron. He's found good ones under $15!

Gourmet magazine executive editor John Willoughby, co-author of How to Cook Meat, talks cuts of lamb kindest to our wallets, and shares his recipe for Grilled Lamb Shoulder Chops Greek Style. Novelist Eleanor Lipman muses about building great literary character at the table. Her latest novel is The Pursuit of Alice Thrift.

Tucker Shaw, author of Flavor of the Week, tells of photographing everything he eats in 2004. By year-end he expects to have about 2500 pictures representing the good, the bad, and everything in-between in one man's diary of a year eating in New York City.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

May 15, 2004

May 8: Jacques Pepin May 08, 2004

Show notes

Broadcast dates for this episode:

May 8, 2004

Mushrooms and Fungi Apr 24, 2004

Show notes

We're taking a look at fungi, organisms that can feed you, make you crazy, take down your house, devour flesh, and save your life. Our guest is Nicholas Money, author of Mr. Bloomfield's Orchard: The Mysterious World of Mushrooms, Molds and Mycologists and an expert on fungus growth and development. In keeping with the theme, Lynne shares her recipe for Portobello "Steaks" with Holy Oil.

Jane and Michael Stern report on the exceptional produce at George and Pink's Vegetable Stand on Edisto Island, South Carolina. Joshua Wesson claims there's a link between wines and the personalities of their makers. Chef Jerry Traunfeld talks lovage, an unusual and mostly forgotten herb that's highlighted in his recipe for Steamed Mussels with Lovage. And famed clarinetist Richard Stoltzman reveals his other passion—pastry making—and gives us his recipe for Linzer Torte.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

May 3, 2003 (originally aired)
April 24, 2004 (rebroadcast)

The Williams in Williams-Sonoma Apr 10, 2004

Show notes

Lynne talks with Chuck Williams, the creator and vice chairman of the Williams-Sonoma retail empire. Back in the 1950s, when the pressure cooker was sophisticated cookware, Chuck was promoting French copper, couscous pots, and kitchen equipment from Europe. It was all so exciting and new. Nowadays, high-quality professional gear is virtually mainstream and cooks can thank Mr. Williams for his vision.

Jane and Michael Stern are eating regional "street food" at its best: hot tamales at the crossroads of the Mississippi Delta. Sally Schneider fills us in on a rite of spring that's often overlooked: the wild and wonderful ramp. Her recipe for Pasta with Ramps highlights this assertive member of the onion family.

Steven Beaumont tracks down some fine Pacific Northwest beers in Seattle and Portland. And travel writer Anya Von Bremsen returns with a report on Tokyo's stunning new food halls. Get all the details from her article in the May 2003 issue of Food and Wine magazine. Finally, we'll have a salmon update from the folks at the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

April 19, 2003 (originally aired)
April 10, 2004 (rebroadcast)

Gin Craze Mar 27, 2004

Show notes

The gin craze in eighteenth-century London was a 30-year reign that both elevated and devastated an era. We'll hear the story from Jessica Warner, author of Craze: Gin and Debauchery in an Age of Reason.

The Sterns are traveling New Mexico's Turquoise Highway and dining among peahens, wild turkeys, and peacocks at the San Marcos Café in Cerrillos. John Willoughby of Gourmet magazine thinks a bottle of Vietnamese fish sauce belongs in every cupboard—and it's essential in his recipe for Spicy Cabbage Salad with Chile-Rubbed Flank Steak.

Nancy Silverton, the high priestess of bread baking, has ideas for what to do with those stale loaves lurking in the pantry. Sort-Of Frisée Lardon from her new book, Nancy Silverton's Sandwich Book, is a delicious way to use the last of that $5 loaf you bought last week. Food writer David Leite tells the tale of a man and his stove. And Lynne shares her recipe for Luxury Scrambled Eggs recently featured in our newsletter, "Weeknight Kitchen.""

Broadcast dates for this episode:

April 5, 2003 (originally aired)
March 27, 2004 (rebroadcast)

The Passionate Vegetarian Mar 06, 2004

Show notes

We're taking a look at vegetarian meat substitutes—things with names like tempeh, seitan, and textured soy protein—that make cutting back on animal products easier for beginning vegetarians. Our guest, Crescent Dragonwagon, author of The Passionate Vegetarian, is a long-time vegan and expert chef. Her Deep December Ragoût of Seitan, Shiitakes, and Winter Vegetables is rich and hearty. Who needs beef?

Jane and Michael Stern wandered off course and are now looking for street food in Rome. Joshua Wesson suggests we look toward the heel of the boot for interesting Southern Italian wines. The Washington Post's Bureau Chief T.R. Reid takes us out to eat in Nepal. And tea merchant Bill Waddington says knowing the flushes is key to bargains in great tea. We'll have a report on the return of TV dinners (sans the foil tray) in a most unlikely setting: the ultra-luxury Peninsula Beverly Hills Hotel, and, as always, Lynne takes your calls.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

March 15, 2003 (originally aired)
March 6, 2004 (rebroadcast)

Made in Marseille Feb 21, 2004

Show notes

This week it's an eater's guide to the port city of Marseille with Daniel Young, author of Made in Marseille: Food and Flavors from France's Mediterranean Seaport. Calamari, the great Marseille passion when it comes to food, is featured in Chez Etienne's Pan-Fried Calamari with Parsley and Garlic.

The Sterns are eating lobster bisque and dainty pastries at the Wenham Tea House on Boston's North Shore. Fruit geek David Karp explains the mysterious bitter almond, the strongly flavored nut that can be lethal if eaten raw! Gourmet magazine's John Willoughby takes on the lowly pot roast and elevates it to star status with his recipe for Balsamic-Braised Pot Roast with Tomatoes, Lemons, Raisins, and Black Olive-Pine Nut Relish. Commentator Julie Hauserman takes a look at the pressures of being a snack mom. And we'll hear from an artist who is examining a difficult topic.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

February 22, 2003 (originally aired)
February 21, 2004 (rebroadcast)

Movie Menus Feb 21, 2004

Show notes

Dust off the TV trays. We're partying with Oscar and the stars! Movie buff and food historian Francine Segan shares "Best Picture Menus" to pair with this year's nominees. Penne with Saffron Cream Sauce, Three P's Salad andLemon Cake from Francine's book Movie Menus add culinary drama to Oscar night.

It's a blast from the past for The Sterns. They're eating chicken croquettes at Hob Nob Hill in San Diego. Josh Wesson suggests stick-to-your-ribs reds to go with winter stews and other hearty fare, and Lynne shares her favorite comfort food cookbooks. Reporter Scott Haas takes us to Tokyo for an unusual evening with star chef Daniel Boulud. Scott's new book, Are We There Yet?—Perfect Family Vacations and Other Fantasies, will be published in March.

We get the story behind Smirnoff Vodka and Bacardi Rum from A. J. Baime, author of Big Shots: The Men Behind the Booze, and we have a report on crime and nourishment in a British prison.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

February 21, 2004

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