We're going back in time, to the 1970’s and the beginning of the American restaurant revolution.  It was a time when young, talented chefs started opening restaurants that didn’t feel bound to tradition. It was when cooking first became cool, and writer Andrew Friedman says the energy at that time was palpable. Friedman runs a website about chefs called Toqueland and wrote the book Chefs, Drugs, and Rock n Roll, which documents this special era in American culinary history. Contributor Russ Parsons talked to Friedman about it.

Huge thanks to our presenting sponsor Bob’s Red Mill.  If you, like them, believe that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, check our their muesli. They have three gluten-free mueslis that come in single serving cups; you can soak them with yogurt overnight, or just crack them open, pour in milk, and go for it.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

• January 1, 2019

No matter what you celebrate – or where – one thing we all have in common this time of year is that we gather with family and friends to celebrate the season. And food is central to those celebrations. It’s in that spirit that we turned to Jack Bishop, the Chief Creative Officer at America’s Test Kitchen and part of the team behind the new travel and food book Tasting Italy: A Culinary Journey, to get his take on the holiday feast. Jack is an expert in Italian food, so it wasn't a surprise to Managing Producer Sally Swift that he chose to present an authentic six-course Italian holiday menu featuring regionally inspired cuisine.

Our presenting sponsor for Splendid Table Selects is Bob’s Red Mill. Remember that Bob’s Red Mill is a great source for all of your holiday baking needs, from whole grains and flours to foolproof gluten-free baking mixes. Visit the Bob's Red Mill website to see all of their products and to check out some of their holiday recipe collection.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

• December 18, 2018

Host Francis Lam talks to chef Samin Nosrat about the four elements you need to understand to make your cooking sing. She is the author of Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking. Emily Kaiser Thelin brings us the story of legendary food writer Paula Wolfert and her struggle with memory. Thelin is the author of the new biography Unforgettable: The Bold Flavors of Paula Wolfert’s Renegade Life. Dan Souza of Cook’s Science brings us an update on the culinary world’s hottest ingredient, cannabis. And Tom Scocca exposes the controversy surrounding caramelized onions.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

• May 5, 2017 (originally aired)
• April 27, 2018 (rebroadcast)
• December 7, 2018 (rebroadcast)

In our show’s home state of Minnesota, holiday cookie baking is a knock-down, drag-out competition thanks in part to the food section of the Star Tribune. Fifteen years ago, Rick Nelson, the paper’s restaurant writer, suggested that they have a little holiday cookie contest for readers. 3,500 recipes later, Rick and Lee Dean, the paper’s food editor, picked 150 of the very best for The Great Minnesota Cookie Book. Managing Producer Sally Swift talked to Rick about the best in show. He also shared four recipes from the book: Almond Palmiers, Italian Almond Cookies, Devil's Delight Cookies, and Pistachio Orange Cookies.

Our presenting sponsor for Splendid Table Selects is Bob’s Red Mill. Remember that Bob’s Red Mill is a great source for all of your baking needs, from whole grains and flours to foolproof gluten free baking mixes. See their website for more information about all of their products and to check out their baking recipes. 

Broadcast dates for this episode:

• December 4, 2018