Steve Dolinsky's Audio Podcast

The Sanabel Bakery (no relation to the island in Florida) has just opened in Chicago's Albany Park neighborhood. Run by Pierre Mounsef, who used to operate a popular Lebanese restaurant down the street, he now spends his days shoulder-deep in flour, sugar and yeast, cranking out tens of thousands of pita loaves everyday. I spoke with his son, Ellie, about the growing demand for local, homemade pita.

Cameron Hughes isn't a household name - yet - but his wines are remarkable, because he doesn't even own a winery. He's one of the few people buying wine on the bulk market, and then branding his own namesake label. His latest effort: The Flying Winemaker. Currently, his wines are available at Binny's Beverage Depot and a number of Costcos around the country. I spoke with him from the Costco in Lincoln Park, among bottles of reasonably-priced wines from all over the world.

Linda Long is not a food writer, but an accomplished food photographer as well. In her new book, "Great Chefs Cook Vegan," she talks with some of the greatest chefs in the U.S., and gets them to come up with dynamic, delicious (and from a few, rather complicated) vegan dishes that would have previously been unthinkable. This book really proves that vegan cooking is a cuisine in its own right, and has finally been elevated to rock star status and high acclaim among the nation's culinary elite. I spoke with her on her recent tour through Chicago.

Everyone jumps on the chocolate bandwagon this time of year, in anticipation of Valentine's Day. But at Eno - a chocolate/cheese/wine lounge inside the Hotel Intercontinental on Michigan Avenue - the staff is pumped up about chocolate yearround. I spoke with Shara Bauer, the Chocolate Buyer and Wine Manager at Eno, about some interesting chocolates, as well as some great wines that pair with them this Valentine's Day.  Incidentally, Shara will lead a chocolate-wine pairing class at 6 p.m. on Feb. 9 at Eno.