Recipes, Listings and Audio | The Splendid Table with Lynne Rossetto Kasper

March 6, 2010

We learn how to loosen up the family dinner conversation with Daniel Menaker author of A Good Talk: The Story and Skill of Conversation. Jane and Michael Stern have found Orson Welles-sized pies at Royer's Round Top in Texas, and we'll take a look at some up-and-coming cheesemakers with James Norton, author of The Master Cheesemakers of Wisconsin.

Episode Rundown

00:00 – 01:00 Intro

01:00 – 5:41 Chinese Master Sauce

Lynne's hunting down Chinese Master Sauce, and her search leads her to talk with Chinese food expert Eileen Yin-Fei Lo.

Recipe: Old Water Duck
Book: Mastering the Art of Chinese Cooking

05:41 – 12:31 Master Cheesemakers of Wisconsin

James Norton shares his picks of some of Wisconsin's finest cheesemakers. (See feature at right)

Book: The Master Cheesemakers of Wisconsin

12:31 – 20:30 A Good Talk

Daniel Menaker offers some suggestions on how to initiate good dinner conversation.

Book: A Good Talk: The Story and Skill of Conversation

20:30 – 26:20 Lucid Food

Louisa Shafia's ideas for some eco-conscious cooking.

Recipe: Stinging Nettle Pesto
Book: Lucid Food: Cooking for an Eco-Conscious Life

26:20 – 31:17 Jane and Michael Stern

Jane and Michael Stern are eating at Royer's Round Top Café in Round Top, Texas

Book: 500 Things to Eat Before It's Too Late
Web site: www.royersroundtopcafe.com Roadfood.com

31:18 – 33:44 Calls, Pt. 1

Lynne fields a call from Lee in Durham, NC who has a question about oil splatter.

33:45 – 46:07 Calls, Pt. 2

Lynne talks with Brian about making penuche, (in the middle, Lynne shares her idea for cauliflower colcannon) and resumes talking with Kyle about hummus & chickpeas; and she chats with Bonnie about sending baked goods to the troops.

46:07 – 51:59 Getting Kids to Eat Better

Marsha Weiner uses kids books to influence children's eating habits.

Web site: www.foodmusemedia.com
Books: Cook-a-Doodle-Doo!, Mice and Beans, Oliver's Milkshake

This Week's Recipes

Stinging Nettle Pesto

Old Water Duck

Images from This Episode

Features

James Norton's Cheese Picks

SarVecchio: an aged parmesan made by Sartori's Master Cheesemaker Larry Steckbauer. This nutty, slightly sweet hard cheese won the overall champion title at the 2009 US Cheese Championship.

Aged Provolone: made by BelGioioso's Master Cheesemaker Gianni Toffolon. A sharp, piquant flavor gives this cheese a surprising jolt of soul.

Pleasant Ridge Reserve: made by Uplands Cheese Company and developed in partnership with Master Cheesemaker Bob Wills of Cedar Grove cheese. An alpine cheese made from the milk of pasture-grazed cows, its tender, subtle, grassy flavor has won it national championships on three separate occasions.

Aged Cheddar by Joe Widmer: of Widmer's Cheese Cellars. One of the best of Wisconsin's many excellent aged cheddars, sharp without being bitter or unbalanced.

Carr Valley Juusto: a Finnish style "bread cheese" made by Master Cheesemakers Tom Jenny and Sid Cook. Juusto is an unusual cheese in that it doesn't melt when heated; instead, it becomes warm, pliable and squeaky, perfect for serving cubed as an appetizer.

Where We Eat

Jane and Michael Stern: Royer's Round Top Café, Round Top, TX

Bud Royer has described his menu as "sophisticated comfort food." In fact, no one category of cuisine begins to describe this kitchen's boundlessly creative bent.

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