Episode 124: Holiday Sipping and Gifting

If you've been listening to the Splendid Table for some time, you know that our resident wine maverick, Joshua Wesson, is not only knowledgeable but quite outrageous. You might recall that Josh is the one who suggested Twinkies as the appropriate accompaniment to Asti Spumante, and his book, Red Wine with Fish, alarmed the traditionalists. He's back this week with some thoughts on fortified wines such as port and, predictably, has his own take on this wine so perfect for holiday sipping and gifting.

Jane and Michael Stern applaud the resurrection of the cowboy classic, Arbuckle's Coffee. Renee Behnke of Sur La Table is the super sleuth behind the gadgets and gear filling the catalog pages and shelves of this cook's Nirvana. She'll reveal some tricks of her trade. Greens Restaurant is celebrating 25 years of spectacular vegetarian food, and Ed McCarthy, author of Champagne for Dummies, picks champagne bargains and splurges.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

• December 18, 1999