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November 21, 2009

This week for Thanksgiving we meet up with Chef Marcus Samuelsson for a new take on the turkey. His latest book is New American Table. Historian Andy Smith reminds us of the real origin of Thanksgiving Day, and Lynne takes on the great feast ... vegetarian style.

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Recipes

Lynne's Americana Thanksgiving with Turkey Options

Turkey Breast with Collard Greens and Stuffing

Thanksgiving with Marcus Samuelsson

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When we think about Thanksgiving and it's table of pure Americana, we forget something ... we are truly a nation of the "other." Except for Native Americans, all of us originally come from somewhere else, and in a way, Marcus Samuelsson is a poster boy for his take on Americana. He was born in Ethiopia, raised in Sweden, came to America in 1991 for what was supposed to be just nine months. But the young chef was so invigorated and so delighted by the uniquely American collision of culinary influences that he decided to make this country his home. Samuelsson went on to earn accolades for his New York City restaurants, including Aquavit, Aq Ca Kafe and Riingo. His latest cookbook is New American Table. Marcus came to town to teach some classes, we met up with him at the stove.

There's more to a successful thanksgiving meal than simply the food or the company. Let's not forget comfort -- we have to sit, often for long periods on an object called a chair. It can be an object of torture, or one of pure bliss! Antique expert Judith Miller knows both ends of this deal ... she has written over 80 books on collecting but we were interested in the lastest -- it's a study of seats and it's called Chairs.

Andrew Smith is a food historian and teacher at the New School University in New York City. He specializes in American culinary history. We thought there would be no better person to go to for the real story behind the history of Thanksgiving. Andrew is the author of Eating History

Charless Fowlkes is assistant professor of computer science at U.C. Irvine. He's a member of Turkey Trek, a group of almost 40 friends that come together to celebrate Thanksgiving every year. Many of them are college friends with backgrounds in science and engineering. For them, Thanksgiving is fodder for a take on do-it-yourself the likes that you've never seen! Want to build a gravy fountain, a pie-cosahedron, make liquid nitrogen ice cream or bake a giant fractal pecan pie? Find these and more at Instructables.com

Station Listings

Coming up November 28, 2009:

This week we're joined by British chef Heston Blumenthal, author of Further Adventures in Search of Perfection. Jane and Michael Stern authors of Road Food, are at Singleton's Seafood Shack in Mayport, FL, plus we'll talk with Chef Vitaly Paley author of The Paley's Place Cookbook. And Jenn Garbee shares notes from her latest book, Secret Suppers: Rogue Chefs and Underground Restaurants in Warehouses, Townhouses, Open Fields and Everywhere in Between.

Last week's show

We talk to Paul Roberts author of The End of Food, about global food prices. Jane and Michael Stern authors of 500 Things To Eat Before It's Too Late, are at Famous Fourth Street Delicatessen in Philadelphia, PA, and Shirley Corriher, author of BakeWise, The Hows and Whys of Successful Baking, brings us some practical baking advice as we head into high baking season.

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