The Splendid Table

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

Francis Lam talks to chef Sean Sherman, author of The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen, about the diverse elements of modern Native American cuisine in North America. Contributor Shauna Sever talks to Dorie Greenspan about the ingredient she has built her career around, butter. Tucker Shaw of Cook’s Country from America’s Test Kitchen comes to the defense of pumpkin pie spice, just in the nick of time. And The Mushroom Cookbook co-author Liz O'Keefe encourages contributor David Leite to think beyond the meatiness of mushrooms, and to embrace their more fruity, spicy and herbal attributes. Also see this week's featured recipe and video for 21st Century Mac and Cheese.
Broadcast dates for this episode:

• November 3, 2017 (originally aired)
• November 23, 2018 (rebroadcast)

Francis Lam hosts the 2018 edition of our popular Thanksgiving call-in show. Francis fields two hours of calls from listeners and is joined by guests Dorie Greenspan, Pati Jinich, Samin Nosrat and Lynne Rossetto Kasper. Looking for something specific from the show? See this page for a full rundown of questions and topics from this year's phone calls.
Broadcast dates for this episode:

• November 22, 2018

We all know that the starring role of the Thanksgiving feast belongs to the turkey, but the side dishes are just as important. While traditional sides bring a classic feel to the meal, sometimes it’s refreshing to shake up your routine. With that in mind, Managing Producer Sally Swift talked with our dear friend Lynne Rossetto Kasper. Lynne always has a long list of wonderful ideas for adding new flavors to your holiday table. Enjoy their interview... better have your notepad ready! Then check out Lynne’s do-ahead flavor combinations and our complete our collection of Thanksgiving sides recipes. Don't forget to join us live from 12-2 p.m. Eastern on Thanksgiving for Turkey Confidential! See our event page for more information about the show and our guests.
Huge thanks to our presenting sponsor Bob’s Red Mill.  With baking season upon us, remember that Bob’s Red Mill is a great source for all of your baking needs. Visit the Bob's Red Mill website for more information about all of their products and to check out their baking recipes.
Broadcast dates for this episode:

• November 20, 2018

This week, The Splendid Table presents unique perspectives on Thanksgiving. We begin with Indian-inspired dishes for your holiday feast. Francis Lam talks with Chef Vikram Sunderam and David Hagedorn, co-authors of the best-selling Rasika: Flavors of India. Contributor Melissa Clark visits with Emma Christensen, author of Modern Cider. Christensen explains the simple steps for making your own hard cider at home. Looking to save time -- and stress -- this Thanksgiving? Managing Producer Sally Swift discusses a wonderful list of tips, tricks, and Thanksgiving hacks with Julia Collin Davison and Bridget Lancaster, hosts of America’s Test Kitchen. We learn about what the Thanksgiving holiday means for immigrants and cross-cultural families from Amy S. Choi and Rebecca Lehrer; they are the cohosts of The Mash-Up Americans. After all the Thanksgiving leftovers have disappeared, you may still have hungry family members at your house. Doc Willoughby shares with us his family recipe for crowd-pleasing Lazy Sunday Pot Roast. Plus, Francis talks with listeners about menu planning for a small Italian-influenced Thanksgiving dinner and a large Friendsgiving get-together.
Broadcast dates for this episode:

• November 17, 2017 (originally aired)
• November 9, 2018 (rebroadcast)

Since the holidays are synonymous with entertaining, you may already be thinking about the wine you’ll undoubtedly need to purchase between now and the end of the year. With that in mind, we’ve called in an expert to help you choose unique wines that will impress your guests and hosts without busting your budget. Madeline Puckette is a sommelier, the author of the expansive wine guide Wine Folly: The Master Guide, and creator of the Wine Folly website. She talked with our Managing Producer Sally Swift, and shared her this list of suggestions for unexpected - and affordable - wines from unexpected places
Thanks as always to our presenting sponsor Bob’s Red Mill, who are committed to ensuring the highest quality by maintaining a close relationship with their products every step of the way. For more information about all of Bob’s Red Mill products visit their website.
Broadcast dates for this episode:

• November 6, 2018

Francis Lam is in the kitchen with cookbook author and Top Chef judge Gail Simmons to learn about her Key 3, the three go-to dishes she just can't do without - including the perfect fried egg sandwich. Chef, writer and photographer Michael Harlan Turkell traveled the world in search for unique vinegars for his new book, Acid Trip. He talks with Shauna Sever about his experiences, and discusses the equipment needed to make vinegar at home. Sous vide is an easy cooking technique that involves cooking sealed food in a precisely heated water bath. Molly Birnbaum, executive director of science at America’s Test Kitchen, explains the process and tells us about the winner of a recent sous vide equipment test. And The New York Times Magazine writer Tejal Rao opens her heart to love over a well-shucked oyster. Francis takes listener phone calls to talk about braising projects - large and small - cooking zucchini noodles, and he gets a fan's recipe for a ultra-savory umami powder.
Broadcast dates for this episode:

• October 20, 2017 (originally aired)
• October 26, 2018 (rebroadcast)

Welcome to Splendid Table Selects, our podcast featuring interviews we find particularly interesting or helpful. This episode, we're talking about hard cider. The alcoholic beverage made from fermented apple juice was popular with early Americans because it was easy to make and was safer to drink than water. Over the years, hard cider became less popular as people began to favor beer, wine, and spirits. Today, cider is making a comeback with small batch cider makers popping up all over. Amy Traverso knows a lot about apples and hard cider; she is food editor at Yankee Magazine, co-host of WGBH's Weekends with Yankee, and author of The Apple Lover's Cookbook. She talked with contributor Rebecca Sheir about the current hard cider revival.
Thanks to our presenting sponsor Bob’s Red Mill.  As we get into the thick of apple season - with all of the delicious pies, crisps, cakes, and buckles - Bob’s Red Mill is a great source or all of your baking needs. Visit their website for more information about all of their products and to check out their recipes.
Broadcast dates for this episode:

• October 23, 2018

Pastry chef Stella Parks, best-selling author of BraveTart: Iconic American Desserts, talks with Francis Lam about the origins of our favorite classic desserts. She shares the history of and her decadent recipe for red velvet cake. (Spoiler alert: there's red wine in it!) SAVEUR writer Leslie Pariseau takes us to India for a grand religious pilgrimage centered around a sweetened rice dish as devotional offering. Biographer Adam Federman shares his thoughts on the life of Patience Gray, one of the most important food writers you have probably never heard of; his book is Fasting and Feasting. America’s Test Kitchen shows us how to perfect a wicked good Boston cream pie at home. And expert halva maker Lisa Mendelson explores modern twists on the traditional treat.
Broadcast dates for this episode:

• October 6, 2017 (originally aired)
• October 12, 2018 (rebroadcast)

Here's the situation. You’ve got friends coming over for beers after work. You get home, and there it is. Your beer. On the floor of the garage, not in your fridge. And you can’t find your bottle opener. Have no fear; the King of Beer Hacks is here! Ben Robinson is the author of Beer Hacks: 101 Tips, Tricks, and Projects. He shared a handful of his favorite hacks with Managing Producer Sally Swift including three ways of cooling your beer down quickly -- one of which is quite mind-blowing -- creative workarounds for when you can't find a legit bottle opener, and his advice for the best glassware for beers with specific serving temperatures. Robinson also shared his recipes for the beer cocktails Black Velvet and Amaro and Beer Cocktail. And if you're looking for something fun to pair with your beer or beer cocktail, try Andrea Slonecker’s Pennsylvania Dutch Hard Pretzel recipe.
Our presenting sponsor is Bob's Red Mill, an employee-owned company that offers organic and stone-ground products. As we jump back into baking season, 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. For more information about all of their products, visit the Bob’s Red Mill website.
Broadcast dates for this episode:

• October 9, 2018