Episode Details

This week we'll explore the often-confusing world of olive oil with Deborah Krasner. With extra-virgin oils going for $37 dollars a quart and higher, we want to know what the oil tastes like before shelling out such an outrageous sum. For her new book, The Flavors of Olive Oil: A Tasting Guide and Cookbook, Deborah taste tested 150 different oils. She'll tell us about three oils she keeps in her pantry, then leave us with a "Twelve-Minute Dinner Menu" that highlights these healthy oils.

Jane and Michael Stern discover a sausage known only in Washington, D.C., at Ben's Chili Bowl. David Rosengarten, that guy with the golden palate, talks Spanish hams and shares sources for buying these new imports. Christopher Kimball, editor of Cook's Illustrated magazine, has been taste-testing salts and finds they're not all alike. Winemaker Nan Bailey of Alexis Bailey Vineyards explains the odd process that makes Beaujolais Nouveau unique. And Lynne takes your calls.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

• November 2, 2002 (originally aired)
• November 15, 2003 (rebroadcast)