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.
When you want to talk ice cream, you go to the source, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield of Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream. The two of them are still whipping up sample batches in Jerry's kitchen, and have agreed to share their recipe for Cherry Garcia. The Sterns take us to St. Louis for snoots and ears from C & K BBQ Restaurant #3, and award-winning author James Peterson begins his vegetable trilogy—this month, it's a look at beans and a recipe for bean and mussel salad.
We're going behind the scenes of the CIA—The Culinary Institute of America, that is! Journalist Michael Ruhlman, author of The Making of a Chef, documented the trip from the first classroom to the CIA's final kitchen, and fell in love with the profession along the way along the way. Jane and Michael Stern take us to Arizona and kitchen designer Deborah Krasner talks refrigerators.
It's a look at some American traditions with Joyce White, author of Soul Food, Recipes from African—American Churches. Jane and Michael Stern share their nationwide "honor roll" of the best hamburgers, and grocery guru Al Sicherman and Lynne conduct a hot dog tasting and we meet up with some champion cherry-pit spitters.
Once again, steak has become the symbol of well-being and prosperity in the U.S. William Rice, author of The Steak Lovers Cookbook, joins us with the secrets to great steak, and a great recipe. Jane and Michael Stern talk road food and kitchen designer Deborah Krasner tells all about refrigerators.
What does San Francisco have in common with ancient Egypt? It's sourdough, and Dr. Ed Wood, a pathologist and author of World Sourdoughs From Antiquity, will be with us to discuss this humble and accidental beginning to leavened breads. In keeping with the theme, Jane and Michael Stern have been sampling hearty breakfast fare in Vermont and will tell us where to find great sourdough pancakes! Our grocery guru, Al Sicherman, reports on the latest from the grocery aisles, Cynda in North Carolina tries to Stump the Cook, and Lynne takes your calls.
It's a historical view of the picnic with award-winning author Claudia Rodin. From the cemetery picnics of China to the original picnickers, the Victorians, Claudia sheds some new light on summer's favorite pastime, and shares a recipe from her classic book, Everything Tastes Better Outdoors. Jane and Michael Stern take us to Little Rock, Arkansas, for great steaks and cheese authority Steve Jenkins takes us to Wisconsin.
Joy of Cooking, first self-published in 1931 by Irma Rombauer, became an American classic and perennial best-seller, beloved by generations of cooks for its reliability and wealth of basic information. The recently published sixth revision—the first in 22 years— continues the tradition, but with improved organization, revisions that reflect changes in eating habits since the mid-'70s, and decidedly more flair. Maria Guarnaschelli, vice president and senior editor at Scribner, talks about what's new and what remained the same in the 1997 edition. Try the three versions of tuna noodle casserole and see which you like best. Jane and Michael Stern have been to Texas where they sampled a hefty burger and are back to tell us about it. Stumpmaster and grocery guru Al Sicherman, discusses tamarind—an ingredient showing up in a surprising number of refrigerators these days—and Lynne takes your calls.