A really sweet spot in London, and a newly emerging Pittsburgh Restaurant “Family:”  Rachel Wicking, Deputy GM & Ryan Thompson, Executive Chef, Dominique Ansel Bakery, Belgravia London, http://dominiqueansellondon.com; Rick DeShantz, Chef/Owner, Richard DeShantz Restaurant Group, Cecil Usher, Beverage Director & Head Bartender, Butcher & the Rye, http://butcherandtherye.com/, Keith Fuller, Executive Chef, Pork & Beans, http://www.porkandbeanspgh.com/, also part of the Group, http://meatandpotatoespgh.com/, http://takopgh.com/. Plus more new restaurants opening soon.

OTM meets Old & New friends in London during our recent Visit – 2nd of 2 programs:  Claudio Cardoso, Executive Chef, Sushisamba; Dan Doherty, Chef-Director, Duck & Waffle, both in Heron Tower, Bishopsgate;  www.sushisamba.com, www.duckandwaffle.com; Dan's latest book, Toast Hash Roast Mash: Real Food for Every Time of Day; Greg Taylor, Sous Chef, Yosma, Fitzrovia, www.yosma.london.

OTM meets Old & New friends in London during our recent Visit – 1st of 2 programs: Anthony Demetre, Chef-Owner, Wild Honey. Mayfair, www.wildhoneyrestaurant.co,uk, Chris Cavaille, GM-Sommelier, Wild Honey; James Lowe, Head Chef, Lyle's, Shoreditch, www.lyleslondon.com.  More next week.

An Introduction to some of London's great Art Museums--Tate Modern, http://www.tate.org.uk/visit/tate-modern/ , Barbican, http://www.barbican.org.uk/,  National Portrait Gallery, http://www.npg.org.uk/,  National Gallery, http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/ --and their current special Exhibitions. Then, to stimulate your interest in Modern British Food:  Aleksandra Crapanzano, Brooklyn NY, The London Cookbook; Coleman Andrews, CT, www.thedailymeal.com, The British Table: A New Look at the Traditional Cooking of England Scotland & Wales.  Note: OTM's recent coverage of London Restaurants begins next week.  AND,especially, WISHING YOU ALL A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR 2017!!

A Very Merry Christmas to OTM Listeners throughout the World!!! Katie Button, Chef-Owner, Curate, Ashville NC, ; https://heirloomhg.com/about-hhg/; Curate: Authentic Spanish Food from an American Kitchen; George Geary, Broadcaster & Journalist, Los Angeles CA, http://georgegeary.com/, L. A.’s Legendary Restaurants; Richard Bertinet, Baker, Bath UK, www.bertinet.com, Bread: Simple Contemporary Bread.

Mostly Cheese and a Very Special Review of “Bitter:s” Tia Keenan,  NYC, The Art of the, Cheese Plate: Pairings Recipes Style Attitude; Matthew Brichford, Owner & Cheese-Maker, Jacobs & Brichford Farmstead Cheese, Connersville IN, www.jandbcheese.com; Guido Mase, Chief Herbalist, Urban Moonshine, Burlington VT, www.urbanmoonshine.com, DIY Bitters: Reviving the Forgotten Flavior - a Guide to Making your own Bitters for Bartenders, Cocktail Enthusiasts, Herbalists and More.

Expressions of the American South:  Asha Gomez, Atlanta GA, http://chefashagomez.com/, My Two Souths: Blending the Flavors of India into a Southern Kitchen; Ronni Lundi, http://www.ronnilundy.com/, Victuals: An Appalachian Journey with Recipes; Fred Thompson, http://www.ediblecommunities.com/piedmont/, Bacon; a Savor the South Cookbook.

Drinks and another special treat for the Holidays: Jeff Hansen, Winemaker, Lula Cellars, Mendocino County CA, www.lulacellars.com, Pinot Noir & Zinfandel wines, direct from the Vineyard; Fred Minnick, World’s Leading American Whiskey Critic, www.fredminnick.com, Bourbon: The Rise, Fall & Rebirth of an American Whiskey; Craig Tabandera, Account Manager, Asahi Shuzo Co Ltd, Producers of Dassai Premium Kosher Sake, www.asahishuzo.ne.jp; Mima Sinclair, London UK, http://mimasinclair.com/, Gingerbread Wonderland: 30 Magical Houses Cookies & Cakes. 

Hope you all had a delicious Thanksgiving Celebration! Now:  three smart cookbooks & their authors: Julia Turshen, Ulster County, NY, http://www.juliaturshen.com/, Small Victories: Recipes, Advice + Hundreds of Ideas for Home Cooking; Katie Sullivan Morford, Bay Area, CA, http://www.momskitchenhandbook.com/; Rise & Shine: Better Breakfast for Busy Mornings; Erin Byers Murray, Nashville TN, http://www.erinbyersmurray.com/, A Colander, Cakestand & My Grandfather’s Iron Skillet.

Wishing all of you and your families a Grand Thanksgiving!!  First, some Local News: Chef Christian Frangiadis has a New Toy (& late night dining) at his restaurant, Spork, Pittsburgh PA, http://sporkpittsburgh.com/; Food Rescue comes to Pittsburgh--thanks to Leah Lizarondo, Founder, 412 Food Rescue, http://412foodrescue.org/; Lucy Jessop, London UK, https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucy-jessop-79760615, The Goodness of Avocado; Natasha Edwards, Sandown UK, http://www.thegarlicfarm.co.uk/, The Goodness of Garlic.

A Program dedicated to the Far East: Abraham Conlon, Chef-Partner, Fat Rice (Chicago Restaurant dedicated to the cuisine of Macau), http://www.eatfatrice.com/, The Adventures of Fat Rice; Fuchsia Dunlop, London, UK, http://www.fuchsiadunlop.com/, Land of Fish & Rice; Kei Lum Chan & Diora Fong Chan, Hong Kong, China: the Cookbook.

Brooklyn, NY, Star Chefs' International Chefs Congress, http://www.starchefs.com/cook/icc: Conference Keynotes, Chef Elena Arzak & Laboratory Chef Igor, Arzak, San Sebastian Spain, http://www.arzak.info/arz_web.php?idioma=En; Chris Cosentino, Chef-Partner, Cockscomb, San Francisco, http://cockscombsf.com/; A Peruvian Connection, Mitsumaru Tsumura, Chef-Owner, Maido, Lima Peru, http://www.maido.pe/en/; Eric Ramirez, Chef, Llama Inn, Brooklyn, http://www.llamainnnyc.com/; Kathleen Blake, Chef-Partner, The Rusty Spoon, Orlando, FL http://therustyspoon.com/; Damian Sansonetti, Chef-Partner,  Caiola's & Picolo, Portland, ME, http://piccolomaine.com/; Jamilka Borges, Executive Chef,  & John Wabeck, Wine Director, Spoon, Pittsburgh, http://www.spoonpgh.com/.

OTM wishes all of you and your families a Happy Halloween!!  This week we bring you “sure fire” recipes you can produce at home because the authors consciously developed them, so that you can be a Culinary Star.  Meike Peters, Berlin Germany, www.meikepeters.com, Eat in My Kitchen; Kaitlyn Goalen, Brooklyn & Raleigh NC, The Short Stack Cookbook; Betty Rosbottom, http://bettyrosbottom.com/, Soup Nights: Satisfying Soups & Sides for Delicious Meals All Year

How Sweet It Is.  Two Great Ladies of Dessert publish Guides to success, plus the Story of a Place dedicated to Chocolate: Dorie Greenspan, NYC & Paris, www.doriegreenspan.com; Dorie’s Cookies; Kate McDermott. Port Angeles WA, http://artofthepie.com/, The Art of the Pie; John Payson, Founder-Partner, The Chocolate Room, Brooklyn, http://thechocolateroombrooklyn.com/, There’s always room for Chocolate.

Heritage Grains, especially Rice, Sonoko Sakai, Los Angeles, www.commongrains.com, Rice Craft: Yummy! Healthy! Fun to Make! Then OTM goes SPICY: Susan Wheaton, SWG Consulting for Marin French Cheese & Laura Chenel Spicy Cheese, www.marinfrenchcheese.com/ & http://www.laurachenel.com/; Mando Ray & Jared Neece, The Tacos of Texas; Denver Nicks, Hot Sauce Nation: America’s Burning Obsession.

OTM says Ciao to Roma--until the next time: Checchino dal 1887, traditional “Fifth Quarter” & other traditional Roman specialties, Francesco Mariani, Partner, www.checchino-dal-1887.com; “Steeler Nation” is alive & well in Rome at La Botticella Birreria-Vineria, Facebook - La Botticello Rome, Giovanni Poggi, Proprietor. And for the High Holidays, Jeffrey Yoskowitz & Liz Alpern, Brooklyn NY, www.gefilteria.com, The Gefilte Manifesto: New Recipes for Old World Jewish Foods.