We’ve got the most exciting cookbooks to gift this holiday season. Chef Chris Scott talks to us about his latest, Amish Soul Food and pays homage to the food of his Pennsylvanian German ancestors, and talks us through traditional recipes like chow chow, biscuits, and scrapple. He leaves us with his recipe for Okra Chow-Chow. Cynthia Shanmugalingam takes us on a deep dive into the seductive, cuisine of Sri Lanka. Her book is Rambutan: Recipes from Sri Lanka. Then, Ben Mervis, author of The British Cookbook, talks about the many food regions of Britain and the influences that have inspired them. His Yorkshire Parkin recipe is a must-try for this holiday season. Then, we get a lesson in home-made vinegar making with Pascal Baudar, author of Wildcrafted Vinegars. He leaves with a lot of inspiration and a recipe for Seaweed-Infused Vinegar.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

• December 16, 2022 (originally aired)
• December 15, 2023 (rebroadcast)

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This week, we’re all about community and coming together for the holidays. First, we talk to Lisa Kyung Gross, founder of The League of Kitchens, a unique cooking school where women from all over the world, welcome you into their homes and teach you how to make one of their family recipes. She talks about the delicious recipes she has collected in her new book, The League of Kitchens Cookbook: Brilliant Tips, Secret Methods & Favorite Family Recipes from Around the World. She leaves us with an Afghan recipe for Cake Jawari, a delicious yellow cake with rosewater and cardamom. Then, The New Yorker’s food writer Helen Rosner stops by the studio with treats and ideas for your last-minute gifts.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

• December 20, 2024 (originally aired)

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This week, we’re celebrating the holidays by looking beyond, into global stories that shape the season. First, we talk with Hetty Lui McKinnon about her new book, Linger: Salads, Sweets and Stories to Savor, and what the holidays look like in Australia, where Christmas is hot and the seafood markets buzz at midnight. Hetty reflects on the vegetable forward meals that defined her Chinese Australian upbringing and leaves us with her recipe for Coronation Cauliflower and Chickpeas. Then, we turn to writer Yasmin Khan for a deeper look at Yalda Night, the Persian winter solstice celebration that reminds us of the return of the sun, after the longest night of the year. Her latest cookbook, Sabzi: Vibrant Vegetarian Recipes, explores vibrant vegetarian cooking rooted in Persian culture. Yasmin shares how Yalda brings people together through poetry, pomegranates, and seasonal comforts, and leaves us with her recipe for Eggplant Fesenjan.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

• December 19, 2025 (originally aired)

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