Food

Beer Culture in 'Travels with Barley'

October 30, 2004 • Ken Wells is the author of the book Travels with Barley, in which he recounts his journey through the southern United States in search of beer people and beer culture. Hear Wells and NPR's Scott Simon.

'Hidden Kitchens': Talking Recipes

Mae Bissett's Crab Soup

October 29, 2004 • Alice Witt ran the Hill Top Inn Restaurant in Mayo, Md., which she and her husband built in the 1930s. This is her recipe for Crab Soup, passed down through the family to her granddaughter, Mae Bissett, mother of candidate Phil Bissett. Bissett is running for county commissioner of Anne Arundel County.

World

Hungary Hit by Paprika Ban

October 29, 2004 • Hungary bans the sale of paprika after health officials find that products distributed by three of the country's leading paprika companies contained illegal amounts of the mold aflatoxin. Paprika is integral to traditional Hungarian cuisine, and difficult to substitute. NPR's Melissa Block talks with Kalman Kozma, director of Budapest's famous Gundel restaurant.

Hidden Kitchens: The Kitchen Sisters

Campaign Cooking: Hot on the Trail

October 29, 2004 • Fish Fries. Clambakes. Pancake breakfasts. To know the people's mood, you must eat their local food. Hidden Kitchens investigates the politics of campaign cooking.

'Hidden Kitchens': Talking Recipes

John Wheeler's Pasta Pomodoro di Zanardi

October 22, 2004 • Public radio listener John Wheeler first clued the Hidden Kitchens Team into the hidden kitchens of NASCAR. Wheeler is the chef for the Target Chip Ganassi Racing Team. He shares his recipes for pasta pomodoro di zanardi.

'Hidden Kitchens': Talking Recipes

Ken Enck's Recipe for Ham Balls

October 22, 2004 • Ken Enck, owner of Enck's Custom Catering, feeds many NASCAR teams. Below is his recipe for ham balls, courtesy of Ken's mother, Ann Enck, who calls the meal "excellent for Thanksgiving." The Enck family catering business in Lanchester, Pa., feeds about a thousand people a year on Thanksgiving Day. Ham balls are always on the menu.

Hidden Kitchens: The Kitchen Sisters

NASCAR Kitchens: Food in the Fast Lane

October 22, 2004 • Behind every car race is a kitchen — hidden in the crew pit, or tucked between the hauler and the trailer of the trucks that transport NASCAR and Indy cars from city to city. The Kitchen Sisters chronicle behind-the-scenes racetrack food and the people who make and eat it.

Limits on Caviar Imports Make Room for U.S. Producers

October 19, 2004 • Expensive restaurants and specialty stores in the United States are now offering fine caviar from Idaho and California. Restrictions on caviar imports from Asia are creating an opening for domestic producers of the pricey fish eggs. Tom Banse reports.

Diet Fads and American Eating

October 16, 2004 • Author Michael Pollan says the current aversion to carbohydrates is just the most recent manifestation of America's long-standing love affair with fad diets. He speaks with NPR's Linda Wertheimer.

Hidden Kitchens: The Kitchen Sisters

The Chili Queens of San Antonio

October 15, 2004 • For more than 100 years, women would arrive at twilight at the plazas of San Antonio, Texas, to cook chili over open fires. Soldiers, tourists, cattlemen and troubadours roamed the tables, filling the night with music. The Kitchen Sisters tell their story.

Music Interviews

Lydia Mendoza, Queen of Tejano

October 15, 2004 • Lydia Mendoza, queen of Tejano music, began her legendary career singing in the plazas of downtown San Antonio with the chili queens in the 1930s. She shared her memories with The Kitchen Sisters for Hidden Kitchens. Read an excerpt from Mendoza's autobiography.

Hear Mendoza Sing 'Mal Hombre'

Audio for this story is unavailable.

Science

Farmers Continue to Adapt to Pesticide Laws

October 12, 2004 • Since the federal government ordered a review of the safety of every pesticide used in agriculture some 10 years ago, restrictions on pesticide use have been growing. Farmers are having to find replacements for some of the oldest and dirtiest chemicals. NPR's Allison Aubrey reports on the scramble to find alternatives, and how some foods still elude the new protections.

Cereal Restaurant Has Fast Food Dreams

October 11, 2004 • A restaurant at Arizona State University specializes in breakfast cereals. The company hopes cereal will become the next fast food trend, so the restaurant can expand to a national chain.

Juan Valdez, Now Serving Hot Coffee

October 10, 2004 • Juan Valdez, the iconic figure known for his wide hat and poncho, is going into the coffeeshop business. Over the next five years, the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia plans to open some 300 Juan Valdez Cafes around the world. NPR's Jennifer Ludden reports.

Hidden Kitchens: The Kitchen Sisters

An Unexpected Kitchen: The George Foreman Grill

October 8, 2004 • The George Foreman Grill isn't just a popular appliance. For many immigrants and homeless, it's a de facto kitchen. For Hidden Kitchens, The Kitchen Sisters track the tale of the grill, from former heavyweight champion Foreman to the streets of Chicago and San Francisco.