Funny and frank journalist Linda Ellerbee joins us this week to talk travel, eating, and the meaning of life. She shares a recipe for Mama's Rescued Fudge Pie from Take Big Bites: Adventures Around the World and Across the Table, her recently published memoirs.

The Sterns celebrate Grilled Cheese Month at Clementine in Los Angeles where the banana cream pie is to die for! Deborah Madison stops by with a fresh take on crepes. Her recipe for Masa Crepes with Chard, Chiles and Cilantro is from her new book, Vegetarian Suppers from Deborah Madison's Kitchen.

Dr. Arthur Aufderheide, who runs the International Mummy Registry, tells a fascinating tale of exhuming the bodies of the Medici's to figure out their diet! Read a profile of Dr. Aufderheide in the May 16, 2005 issue of The New Yorker.

Jeremy Jackson, author of Good Day for a Picnic, takes summer dining al fresco beyond fried chicken and potato salad. His ideas for a perfectly packed picnic hamper include goodies like Brown Sugar Almonds for nibbling, Little Meatballs with Cherries for scooping up with pita bread, and Radler for sipping.

Food and Wine editor Dana Cowin names the epicurean magazine's picks for Best New Chefs 2005, and Lynne takes your calls.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

• May 28, 2005