The Splendid Table

Whether it's a chef extolling the beauty of cooking with lard, a botanist discussing the history of ginger, or an inexperienced home cook wondering what to do with disparate ingredients in her pantry, the affable Lynne Rossetto Kasper has a way of making everyone she interviews seem like the most delightful person on earth. And we love her for it. On her food-focused public radio program, The Splendid Table, she plays both student and teacher, her questions scholarly but often punctuated by a jolt of ice-breaking laughter. An esteemed cookbook writer—her book_ The Splendid Table: Recipes from Emilia-Romagna, the Heartland of Italian Food_ (HarperCollins, 1992) was a James Beard Cookbook of the Year—she, along with managing producer Sally Swift, first hit the "On Air" button for what was then a local call-in show on Minnesota Public Radio in 1994. It wasn't long before the program gained national distribution; it's now broadcast on nearly 300 stations nationwide, and we're thrilled that it's celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. In past episodes we've learned about America's historic grapevines and independent steakhouses, and cooking with coconut oil. We look forward to many more years of listening to Rossetto Kasper, knowing we'll find inspiration in every episode.