This Wednesday our LIVE show features Chef Matt Steigerwald of the Lincoln Cafe in Mt. Vernon, Iowa.  Many folks believe Matt has the best restaurant in the state.  I would not miss this one-in the Club Room at Hy-Vee, 7:00 pm sharp.

Claudia Mueller, publisher of The Iowa Source, will be there, along with Nina Benjamin, who wrote an article about Matt for the Source's March issue.

Kicking off the show is Emily Rose Shaw presenting part 2 of her "Ode to Spring Greens."  I almost forgot to mention that Matt's making Harissa cauliflower with local greens, as a nod to Emily's presentation, and a Charred eggplant falafel with goat cheese lemon yoghurt.

Live at Hy-Vee on Wednesday at 7:00 pm it's Italian food, fun, and family as we welcome SOFIA, the Society of Fairfield Italian Americans, to the show.  SOFIA members will share stories and treasured family recipes, plus they will prepare several dishes-farinata, minestra, fresh-baked Italian bread, and fried peppers Calabrese-style.  Join us in the Club Room for a celebration of Italian life.  Also, Emily Rose Shaw kicks off her new weekly health and nutrition segment with helpful information and tips on how to feel your best.

On the KRUU stream at 7:00 pm Wednesday is our show from last week.  That was a 60-minute non-stop food happening.  Emily Rose Shaw started the hour with an introduction to her upcoming weekly health and nutrition appetizer segment.  She was followed by the queen of eating healthy and delicious on a food stamp budget, Linda Watson.  Jan Swinton provided the latest triumphs on the local food scene.  Joy Salmon introduced us to cornbread three ways.  Jeffrey Smith put in perspective how Whole Foods decision to label GMO's will play out in the rest of the food industry. And, chef Vanessa Allen prepared guacamole, slaw, and salsa to go along with her blackened fish tacos.  Whew!  Have fun listening.

The Great Taste Split Show Blog

LIVE AT HY-VEE IN THE CLUB ROOM AT 7:00 PM CT-Join the Indian Hills Culinary Crew for gluten-free pasta with two easy-to-make fresh sauces, and Jeffrey Elliot, author of the Zwilling J. A. Henckels Complete Book of Knife Skills:  The Essential Guide to Use, Techniques and Care gives us an introduction to the topic via Skype.  Watch a great video of Jeffrey here.

ON-THE-AIR AT 7:00 PM CT-http://kruufm.com/ is our discussion with James Beard award-winning author, Alan Tardi.  Alan talks with us about closing Follonico, his restaurant in New York City, moving to the region of Piemonte in Italy, and what it was like adjusting to a different culture.

Alan's Italian heritage and love of wine serve as entry points into his new life, and he has recounted the events of the first few years in his book, Romancing the Vine-Life, Love, and Transformation in the Vineyards of Barolo.  Now that he's spent a decade living in Piemonte, his reflections on both the viticulture and human culture make for a fascinating hour.   Check out some of Alan's articles on food, including his latest piece, Out on Lost Lagoon, here.

The amazing Gisella Isidori is our special guest on a bonus GREAT TASTE show live from Hy-Vee on Thursday evening.  Fresh from surviving Hurricane Sandy, Gisella blew into Fairfield last weekend and proceeded to capture the hearts of local food lovers and Italophiles.  On Sunday, she taught a hands-on class at the At Home Store with 20 people.  In a little over two hours they made 12 different dishes including polenta, sauces, and dessert.  On Monday, a group of middle school students at MSAE learned how to make pasta and two sauces with her.  Tuesday at Indian Hills she interacted with 30 culinary students, and they turned out an array of 12 plates featuring classic Italian dishes such as risotto Milanese.

Make Fairfield's Hy-Vee your destination Wednesday at 7 pm as KRUU's Great Taste broadcasts live from the Club Room/Food Laboratory.  Our special guest is Gisella Isidori, well-known Italian Food and Travel consultant, and general whirlwind. 

Join Gisella for the show where she'll discuss different Italian regional food traditions, current food trends in Italy, and share some of her favorite recipes.  She'll make several dishes including a Sicilian orange salad, the classic pasta dish spaghetti cacao e pepe, and more.  After the show stick around for another hour of cooking and a question and answer session.

Don't miss this great chance to learn how to prepare authentic Italian specialties. If you can't join us, tune into the stream at www.kruufm.com.  Ciao.

The All Things Italian Street Festival is set for Saturday, June 16 on the Fairfield square.  Italian-themed activities start at 9 am leading up to the festival kickoff at 5:00 pm.  Madonnnari street chalk artists, authentic Italian dance, bocce ball are all part of the authentic Italian experience provided by the festival organizers, SOFIA, the Society of Fairfield Italian Americans. 

NOTE:  This show is a rebroadcast.  Enoteca San Marco is now Otto-same ownership and same great food.  It's my "go to" spot in Vegas.  Zach and Doug are still running the food show with Chris Vaughn as Chef di Cucina at Otto.  Josef Helphinstine is with another restaurant.

Zach Allen the culinary director of Molto Vegas, Doug Taylor executive pastry chef of Molto Vegas, and Josef Helphinstine Service Director of Enoteca San Marco join us on this week's Great Taste. We're talkin' about Slow Food that beats the odds every time. Don't miss our dose of traditional Italian with a Batali (Mario Batali) twist or How to Survive in Vegas without Sacrificing your Palate or Wallet!

We'll be cooking Italiano in the studio with a little informal lingua Italiana thrown in for fun. Don't miss out on the next Great Taste "live in the studio" with the Indian Hills culinary crew.

When I think about the meals our family has been fortunate to share in Italy the most heartwarming have been those  cooked by women; women whose love shines through their preparation of local dishes, which reflect the culture and personality of the soil.  We reveled in food, laughter and love while dipping vegetables in the bagna cauda  made by Davide's mother in her Torino home, fought over the last piece of Christina's eggplant parmesan with just-made mozzarella di bufala, and studiously listened to our Italian mother and grandmother, Severina explain how to make cedano Veronese.  We swooned over each delectable bite of Dada's amazing soups and pastas, patiently waited for Erika's risotto with porcini, watched as tortelloni was crafted by a group of village ladies at Albergo Corsini, and enjoyed many other specialties found in the kitchens of friends in towns like Sant Ambrogio di Valpolicella and Spello.

Friday, June 4 is the annual "All Things Italian" Art Walk.  It's always one of the major events of the year in the Fairfield Town Square.  Dick DeAngelis, il capo, will fill us in on all the terrific events set to take place that evening, and we'll focus on the FOOD. 

RISOTTO RADIO COOKING CLASS!

and

SPECIAL GUEST CHEF PHELIX GARDNER

of the Wild Grape in Salt Lake City

By special listener request we're preparing risotti in the studio. Follow along with Kathy DuBois and Chef Phelix Gardner and you'll learn the techniques necessary to create one of the most satisfying of "comfort" dishes from Northern Italy. Cooking risotto is something that's easily done at home once you understand the process and have the right ingredients at hand.