Steve Dolinsky's Audio Podcast

As we prepare to fill our bellies yet again, on this Thanksgiving Day, my kids and I reflect on some of the culinary things and places we are thankful for.

The harvest in California's Central Coast just wrapped up, and Denise Shurtleff is feeling a sense of relief. As Winemaker for Cambria, she oversees chardonnay, pinot noir and some viognier production. In Chicago this week for the big Pinot event and the Food & Wine Showcase, we tasted some '05 and '06 Cambria wines over a few crabs at Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab.

On a routine business trip out of town recently, I met Barry Levenson, the Founder/Creator/President of the Mt. Horeb Mustard Museum, in bucolic Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin. Barry has more than 5,000 different kinds of mustard on hand - plenty for sale too. He spoke with me about the birth of this unique endeavor. Incidentally, you can check out much more at www.mustardmuseum.com

If you're going to eat in Las Vegas, forget Zagat, Citysearch and Yelp. Instead, go check out www.eatinglv.com, the site run by local food critic/bon vivant John Curtas. The man makes me look downright lazy, with all of his noshing and blogging. John makes it a point to eat off the Strip as much as on it, and his reports air weekly on the local CBS affiliate as well as on the NPR station in town. He picked me up at the airport this week, and took me to a great little Thai place many foodies rave about, Lotus of Siam.

We're shifting into holiday baking mode over the next few weeks, and what better way to kick it off, then with some basic baking tips. Cindy Mushet is the author of the comprehensive new book, "The Art & Soul of Baking." She stopped in Chicago this week to talk about the book, and some basic tips for novice bakers this holiday season.

Bon Appetit Magazine just released a new cookbook, entitled "Fast Easy Fresh." It contains more than 1,100 simple recipes for everyday eating. I spoke with Editor-in-Chief Barbara Fairchild on her recent stop in Chicago, who talked about the process of putting this book together.

The 2nd Annual "Porkapalooza" took place recently in Fennville, Michigan. This local celebration benefits the Saugatuck Dunes Project, and celebrates all things local. I spoke with the "Beervangelist" from New Holland Brewing about it, as well as chef Matthew Millar, the owner of The Journeyman and Rye restaurants in Fennville, about the day's activities, and how you roast a pig in a pit.  More info at www.savegaseatpork.com

Farm-fresh produce comes to Downtown Chicago. The City's Dept. of Cultural Affairs has recently set up a downtown farmstand, featuring products produced or grown within 250 miles of Chicago, that will be open several days a week. I spoke with Judith Hines, from the City of Chicago, to talk about this new farmstand and what it means for locals and tourists.  More information about the farmstand is available here

Bridget Albert comes from a long line of bartenders, and the Beverage/Mixologist for Southern Wine & Spirits has a new book out, "Market Fresh Mixology," which extolls the virtues of real cocktails. I sat down with her (over a drink, of course) at the Chi Bar in the Sheraton Hotel in Chicago, to talk about her latest project.

For more than 140 years, Julius Meinl has stood for high-quality coffee and tea, yet the brand was limited to Central Europe. The company has recently expanded with two stores in Chicago, but on a recent trip to Vienna, I met up with the company's third and fourth generation owners, who showed me how the brand is viewed in their home country. From an elegant dinner in the flagship store in Vienna, to a tour of the coffee plant and a private jam tasting, this company does much more than just teach baristas to crank out espresso.  More information about Meinl available at www.meinl.com

Hart Davis Hart is one of the most prestigious wine auction houses in the country. This weekend in Chicago, they'll be holding their largest auction ever, selling off one person's collection, expected to fetch $7-10 million dollars. I spoke with Paul Hart about the auction, and he gave me a little preview of what to expect.  Incidentally, that large Imperial (6 liter) bottle of '98 Lafite-Rothschild in the picture, is expected to fetch between $4500 and $6500.

One of my favorite grape varietals for the past year or so has been gruner veltliner from Austria. I was just in Vienna last week, and had a chance to drive out to the countryside, to meet Michael Martin, owner and winemaker at Martinshof Wines. We talked about the challenges of growing this sought-after grape, and how he's trying to get it sold in America.  More information available at www.martinshof.at

The latest cupcake boutique to open in Chicago is called More. Located in the Gold Coast (1 E. Delaware), they don't open to the public until September 12, but I was able to sneak in for a press preview. They offer both sweet and savory flavors, all designed by Gale Gand, one of the country's top pastry chefs. I spoke with owner Patty Rothman about some of the inspiration behind the new treats.  More information available at www.morecupcakes.com

Bob Schwartz has worked for the Vienna Beef Company for decades. He's compiled some of the best stories about the birth of Chicago's beloved hot dog, including backstories on just about every notable joint in the city. I talked to him over a dog (with everything) at the legendary Max's in Chicago's Loop.

Chicago's Parthenon celebrates its 40th anniversary this year with the release of a new cookbook. The birthplace of flaming saganaki ("opaa!") and spit-fired gyros has plenty to be proud of. I spoke with author Camille Stagg at the legendary Greektown restaurant about local Greek history and some of the classic recipes. If you're in Chicago this weekend, be sure to check out the Greek Festival going on all weekend, up and down Halsted St. in Greektown.

A wave of churrascos - Brazilian-style beef emporiums - has swept the U.S. In Chicago alone, there is Fogo de Chao, Brazazz and Texas de Brazil, with another - Zed 451 - offering a more American approach. We visit the original, Fogo de Chao, to see what it's all about.

Jamaican Independence Day is this week (Aug. 6) and to celebrate, locals tend to feast on their national dish - not Jerk chicken or pork mind you, but rather, ackee & saltfish. A recent trip to the island nation showed me how this unique combination comes together.

Hi folks. After publishing podcasts for nearly a year straight, I'm taking today off. But I wanted to share a picture from a recent Persian feast my friend cooked up for us. These cucumber-yogurt-almond salads were tremendous. Enjoy!

I just spent 48 hours hitting 10 restaurants in the nation's capital. I'll break down each one, and tell you about some of the highlights, all in less than 10 minutes. You may need to bring some Pepto or a Tums, depending on the relative strength of your stomach.

Oak Park, IL - home to icons Ernest Hemingway and Frank Lloyd Wright, is now also home to a greatly expanded Marion Street Cheese Market. Owner Eric Larson gave me a walk-through on the eve of the highly-anticipated opening.

This one-of-a-kind farm grows specialty produce for some of the finest restaurants in the country. They're holding their annual fundraiser, a Food & Wine Celebration, at their farm in Milan, OH (about an hour from Cleveland) on July 19th. I visited the farm recently, and filed this report. For more info on the event: http://veggieu.org/assets/misc/fwc2008.htm

Tony and Cathy Mantuano are the forces behind the 4-star Spiaggia in Chicago, but they just released a new book, "Wine Bar Food," which focuses on their love of small plates paired expertly with Mediterranean wines. One of the big (and pleasant) surprises in this book is the fact they didn't just stick to their comfort zone of Italy. They also branched out to Greece and Spain, and added some really tasty recipes.

Katie Das had a simple dream: to make the best caramels. She and her husband now produce an assortment of delicious caramels from their tiny business near the Illinois-Wisconsin border, which are gaining distribution - including Whole Foods. I visited the plant recently to taste for myself.

This year, two of the magazine's "10 Best New Chefs" are from Chicago. I spoke with both of them at a fabulous reception at the Aspen Highlands, as well as with Editor-in-Chief, Dana Cowin, about the burgeoning food scene in Chicago.

The authors of "Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day" swept through Chicago recently, to tell me how to make delicious, homemade bread without the fuss. The authors spent years developing a fool-proof method that allows the home cook to keep plenty of dough on hand for last-minute baking. All you need are three tools: a bread stone, an oven thermometer, and, well, you better just listen...

In honor of this weekend's James Beard Awards, where excellence is honored, I salute one of my gastronomical heroes - the late R.W. "Johnny" Apple, Jr. - former New York Times reporter/editor and globe-trotting gourmand. Shortly before his death, he came to Chicago to promote his final book, "Apple's America," and we sat down to an incredible lunch at Topolobampo. I interviewed him right after our meal.

John T. Edge, Founder of the SFA, talks about a Memorial Day weekend eating/drinking tour of Chicago's South and West Sides, including a visit with legendary Soul Food Queen Edna Stewart, pictured, at her eponymous restaurant.

Sushisamba Rio in Chicago is featuring all things Brazilian until May 21st. I spoke with Valter Jarocki Jr., a Brazilian restaurateur who is in Chicago this week, promoting and cooking Brazilian dishes with a modern flair.

The Lanesborough Hotel in London recently won the coveted "Best Afternoon Tea Service in the U.K." from the U.K. Tea Guild's Tea Society. I spoke with their Tea Sommelier, Karl Kessab, about what makes tea service so special. As you can see from the assortment of tea sandwiches, sweets and other goodies, this is no ordinary high tea. The hotel is conveniently located across the street from Hyde Park, perfect for an afternoon respite. The selection of teas here is incomparable, and even if you only have an hour or two, it's worth it just to have a drink in the hotel's classic bar or a cup of tea in the light-filled dining room.

Restaurant Magazine in the U.K. just released it's annual "50 Best Restaurants in the World" last week in London. I spoke with Alinea (#21) Chef Grant Achatz about the award. The young chef recently overcame a battle with tongue cancer, and is also nominted by the James Beard Foundation this year for Best Chef in the U.S.

Think you know where they make the best prosciutto in the world? How about Grana Padano cheese? I travel to San Daniele for world-class prosciutto, and then to the Lombardy region for some amazing Grana Padano. The production process for both items is amazing: both utilize Old World technique combined with modern technology. This Geo Quiz originally aired on P.R.I.'s "The World"

Interview with Chef Jose Andres, owner of D.C.-area restaurants Oyamel, Jaleo, Zaytinya and Minibar. His PBS show, "Made in Spain" is currently airing all over the U.S., and he is one of five nominees for best chef in the country by the James Beard Foundation.

I talk with Judy Bart Kancigor, author of "Cooking Jewish," a new cookbook with an extensive chapter on Passover.

Interview with Tom Sietsema, Food Critic for The Washington Post, shortly after dining with him at IndeBleu in D.C. recently, about how he does his job.

Interview with Jose Garces, the Executive Chef at Mercat a la Planxa, the new contemporary Spanish restaurant in Chicago.

We travel to Boston Beach, Jamaica, birthplace of "jerk" cooking, which relies heavily on allspice from the native pimento tree.

With Passover approaching, we visit an all-kosher market just North of Chicago where the options have expanded greatly over the past few years.

We travel to Vancouver, BC to learn more about the Izakaya (Japanese pub) trend. This "Geo Quiz" originally aired on P.R.I.'s "The World."

Author and Greek food expert Susanna Hoffmann talks about her book, "The Olive And The Caper" over a meal of mezze, lamb and cheese in Chicago's Greektown.

We visit a one-of-a-kind farm near Delray Beach, Florida, where some of the world's most exotic fruits are grown and then consumed in a nearby hotel.

I continue my monthly series, discovering four regional differences of a single country - in this case, India - all within the city of Chicago.

Just in time for Valentine's Day, we meet a real-life Willy Wonka. New York Pastry Chef Jacques Torres has a way with sweets. We visited his namesake chocolate shop in New York City to see how he makes chocolate from cacao beans he buys from all over the world.

Sure, a lot of people will be ordering pizza for Super Sunday, but where does this tradition come from?  Chicago certainly has its own share of pizza history, as I discovered recently.

Report on how Chicago-based Intelligentsia Coffee travels around the world to find the best beans and pays farmers top dollar to get them.

I continue my monthly series on discovering four unique regions of a country's cuisine, all within Chicago.

I take 10 year-old Madeline and seven year-old Max on a hunt for good Vietnamese food along Arglye Street in Chicago.  We stopped at Pho 777.

It's fast food chicken with a cult following in Guatemala and El Salvador, and they've now opened their first location in Chicago.  Look out, Colonel Sanders.

Report on Saint's Alp Teahouse, a Hong Kong-based chain that has stores in New York, and is now opening it's first Midwest location in Chicago.

Craving a thick, juicy burger?  We talked with a couple of chefs who devote the same resources to their burgers as the other high-end items on their menus.

Report from Dearborn, Michigan, on how falafel is really more representative of the true Christmas meal than turkey or ham.

Report on how you can find authentic dishes from four distinctive Mexican regions all within Chicago's city limits.