Radio Kitchen

Last week we gave you a useful little show chock full of ideas for using all that summer produce that is piling up around us. And this week we'll do it some more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We are most definitely in a transition period at the local markets.  Summer produce is phasing out and autumn crops are coming in. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With a touch of autumn coolness in the air, it's not much of a problem to spend some time in a nice warm kitchen doing a little baking. Our friend Chef Jerry Pellegrino is laying out his plans for some baking projects. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week we talked about using pumpkins for assorted savory dishes. This week I want to take the pumpkin pie as a point of departure and talk about some dessert ideas you can try at home. As Chef Jerry Pellegrino will tell you, the first place to start is with the filling. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last year at this time I had a revelation. I discovered the Cinderella pumpkin, a heritage breed that boasts the highest sugar content of any pumpkin. The pumpkin itself is large, and is shaped like Cinderella’s carriage without the wheels. And Chef Jerry Pellegrino knows this variety and can confirm that it is one of the best for cooking. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the sun slips below the yardarm all over Maryland these days, the siren call of a cold, refreshing adult beverage sounds loud and clear. Cocktails have made a big comeback, and aficionados keep their liquor cabinets well stocked with all manner of exotic ingredients.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You don't have to look far at your favorite farmers market to find delicious fruit these days. Apples, peaches, pears and plums are all around us. However in coming weeks, if you look a little closer you may just spot a few less conventional items. Chef Jerry Pellegrino is quite a fan of some of the undeservedly obscure fruits. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Since we don't eat steak all that often, it makes sense to splurge and get the best cuts all the time. Dry aged steak is expensive, but the difference in flavor and aroma makes it something of an irresistible choice. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Given the sheer abundance of fruit available to us now, it is natural to think about making some pies. As tempting an idea as this is, I used to be put off by the seeming complexity and futility of making a good pie crust. But not any more. Having learned a few crucial secrets, I am now qualified to turn out a lovely flakey crust just about every time.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

If you have a hankering to make a perfect brownie, rejoice, because Chef Jerry Pellegrino has a few tips. These are basic concepts, to be sure, but if you fail to follow them your brownies will not be all that they can be. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many of the dishes I encounter at restaurants or at dinners with friends are outstanding culinary accomplishments. I can easily imagine lengthy recipes and mounds of ingredients. But lately some of the best things I've eaten are incredibly simple and incredibly good. You don't always have to be fancy to score a home run. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I've been spending a lot of time with our slow cooker. There is something very appropriate about sitting around the house while the kitchen throws off mouth-watering aromas hour after hour. And Chef Jerry Pellegrino will tell you, one of the most tempting things you can prepare is good old pulled pork. But of course you don't have to use a slow-cooker. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy infor...

Some tips for the culinary science of baking. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Spring tastes like carrots, rhubarbs and asparagus. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A look at a classic French technique for cooking fish in a parchment paper pouch. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I have to admit that the warmer weather and the abundance of fresh food at the market have given me quite an appetite. Lucky for me there is a dish that not only incorporates all that is good about spring, it actually incorporates the word itself. Chef Jerry Pellegrino is proud to say, it's a gift the Italian language has given to the world: primavera. But in point of fact, it's a dish that doesn'...

One of my favorite vegetables is tremendously useful, totally tasty, and sadly overlooked. In a professional kitchen it is a ubiquitous standby, and it shows up everywhere, often without you knowing about it. And Chef Jerry Pellegrino will tell you, he wouldn't want to live without the humble little shallot. Note: In a previously released version of this episode, we recommended storing shallots in...

You don't have to look too closely to see smiles on the faces of Maryland farmers. A visit to your favorite farmers market will show you all you need to know: table after table of fresh produce and protein. We've had a nice spring with just enough warmth and a fair amount of rain, so, Chef Jerry Pellegrino says, it's a great time for Marylanders to go shopping. See omnystudio.com/listener for priv...

With spring here it's not too early to start planning what to do with all those fresh vegetables. I was faced with this dilemma this past week, and I hit upon a very attractive idea that worked quite well. Chef Jerry Pellegrino, inspired me to whip up some tempura, that perfect blend of crunch and fresh flavor. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As spring approaches, a look at what's hot in cuisine. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I was watching a British baking show the other day, and they kept referring to putting something in the oven “to grill.” Hold on, I thought, what are they talking about? Then the penny dropped and I realized it was one of those "the Brits call it this and the Yanks call it that" moments. Chef Jerry Pellegrino set me straight explaining that what they were referring to is what we call "...

Maybe it's a guy thing: it's late afternoon and you'd love to have a snack, but a cookie or two doesn't appeal. You start thinking and then the image of a handful of beef jerky pops into your head and you gotta have it. As Chef Jerry Pellegrino has told me, if you had planned ahead you could have easily whipped up a mess of beef jerky all by yourself. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inform...

We're in the cold heart of winter right now, and many of us are yearning for signs of a coming spring. One good idea would be to sneak a few warm weather treats into our winter diet. Chef Jerry Pellegrino has been enjoying one such treat—artichokes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We've gotten into the habit of ordering carry out from our local Indian restaurant up in Parkville. One of my favorite dishes is the famous palak paneer, an Indian sort of creamed spinach with cheese. And Chef Jerry Pellegrino, that got me thinking: winter is a great time for spinach, maybe we should talk about a few different ways of enjoying it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informatio...

We have never spent time on Radio Kitchen talking about TV cooking shows, but one has emerged that deserves our attention. As the pandemic slogs on, many of us have often found it hard to shake the blues. But there is one source of comfort and relief these days and that is The Great British Baking Show. As Chef Jerry Pellegrino recalls, the early days of the pandemic were marked by a bread making...