Great Cookbooks and an interesting new concept in Fine Dining.  James Briscione, Director of Culinary Development at the Institute of Culinary Education, NYC, http://jamesbriscione.com/ Great Cook; Marco Canora, Chef-Owner, Hearth, NYC, http://marcocanora.com/#, A Good Food Day; Tanya Bastianich Manuali, Lidia’s Italy, Queens NY, www.lidiasitaly.com, Healthy Pasta; Zach Kupperman, Founder, DinnerLab, www.dinnerlab.com

A not completely, but mostly Cheesy Program, with a Whiff of Black Gold at the Finish: Janet Fletcher, talks about Cheese & about her latest Cookbook, Napa Valley CA, http://www.janetfletcher.com/, Yogurt: Sweet & Savory Recipes for Breakfast Lunch & Dinner; Melissa Pasanen, Cabot Creamery, Cabot VT, https://www.cabotcheese.coop/, The Cabot Creamery Cookbook: Simple, Wholesome Dishes from America's Best Dairy Farms; Diane Sauvage, Importer – Fromager d'Affinois, Interval Export, Hoboken NJ, www.intervalexport.com, www.pavedaffinois.com; And on a different but equally delicious subject, Robert Chang, Managing Director, & Dr Paul Thomas, Chief Scientist, American Truffle Company, Napa CA & Scotland UK, www.americantruffle.com.

Modernizing Classics: Leah Koenig, Brooklyn NY, Modern Jewish Cooking: Recipes & Customs for Today’s Kitchens; Ronnie Fein, Greenwich CT, www.ronniefein.com, The Modern Kosher Kitchen: More than 125 Inspired Recipes for a New Generation of Kosher Cooks; Max & Eli Sussman, NYC, New Restaurant in the Planning Stages, Classic Recipes for Modern People: A Collection of Culinary Favorites Reimagined.

Mostly Italian, with a drink to close: Lidia Bastianich, Chef, Restaurateur, PBS Star, Author, Long Island NY, www.lidiasitaly.com , Lidia’s Egg-Citing Farm Adventure; Elizabeth Minchilli, Author & Tour Guide, Rome Italy, www.elizabethminchilliinrome.com, Eating Rome: Living the Good Life in the Eternal City; Domenica Marchetti, www.domenicacooks.com, Ciao Biscotti: Sweet & Savory Recipes Celebrating Italy’s Favorite Cookie; Alex Finkelshteyn, Partner, DeLuxe Vodka, Minsk Belarus, www.deluxevodka.com.

OTM wishes you all the very best for Easter, Passover, or just Sunday. This week three strong voices, three so different stories: Bryan Voltaggio, Chef-Owner, Volt, Frederick MD, www.voltrestaurant.com, also Lunchbox, Family Meal, Lunchbox, Range & Aggio, various locations in MD & DC, soon to open in Richmond VA, HOME: Recipes to Cook with Family & Friends; Kent Rollins, Chuck Wagon Cook, Red River Ranch Chuck Wagon Cooking School, Hollis OK, www.kentrollins.com; A Taste of Cowboy: Ranch Recipes and Tales from the Trail; Gene Baur, Co-founder & President, Farm Sanctuary, based in Washington DC, Sanctuaries in CA & NY States, www.farmsanctuary.org, Living the Farm Sanctuary Life: The Ultimate Guide to Eating Mindfully, Living Longer and Feeling Better Every Day.

This week we’re going a whole lot Southern (USA that is): Alice Randall & Caroline Randall Williams, Nashville TN & Oxford MI, Soul Food Love: Healthy Recipes Inspired by 100 Years of Cooking in a Black Family; Jay Pierce, Executive Chef, ROCKSALT, Charlotte NC, http://www.rocksaltrestaurants.com, Shrimp, a Savor the South cookbook; Dale Curry, NOLA, Gumbo, a Savor the South cookbook.

Beer and Hearty Food to Go With It: Jane Peyton, UK Beer Sommelier for 2014, Organizer, Beer Day in Britain, http://www.beerdaybritain.co.uk/ London, Beer O’Clock: An Insider’s Guide to History, Craft, Culture; Clodagh McKenna, Food Broadcaster & Owner, Clodagh’s Restaurants, Dublin Ireland, http://www.clodaghmckenna.com/home/, Clodagh’s Irish Kitchen; Jeremy Nolen, Chef, Brauhaus Schmitz, Philadelphia PA, http://brauhausschmitz.com/, New German Cooking: Recipes for Classics Revisited.

Interesting Wine Stories and Recommendations, plus a Luxury Spirit to finish:  Eco-friendly Wines from Italy with a Surfing Connection, ZIOBAFFA  Puglia Pinot Grigio & Toscana Rosso, Kevin Swadish, Sage Beverages, Carlsbad CA, www.sagebeverages.com; Exciting New Red Wines from Toscany, Piemonte & Umbria,  Nipozzano Vecchie Viti 2011 from Frescobaldi, Tuscany, www.frescobaldi.it; Barolo 2007, Lecinquvigne, Damilano, Piemonte; www.cantinedamilano.it; Collepiano 2009, Umbria, www.arnaldocaprai.com; samples courtesy Colangelo, NYC, www.colangelopr.com; Kosher Wines for Passover etc., Jay Buchsbaum, Royal Wine Corp., Bayonne NJ, www.royalwine.com; Audrey Fort, G’Vine, Ultra-Premium Gin, produced by Eurowinegate, Cognac, France, www.g-vine.com.

Three fine examples of Culinary Instruction:  Anne Willan, Founder, Ecole de Cuisine La Varenne, Paris France, www.lavarenne.com, Secrets from the La Varenne Kitchen; Claudine Pepin, Providence RI, Kids Cook French – Les Enfants cuisinent a la Francaise; Jonathon Sawyer, Chef-Owner, The Greenhouse Tavern, Trentina & Noodlecat, Cleveland OH, www.jonathonsawyer.com, Noodle Kids, Around the World in 50 Fun, Healthy, Creative Recipes the Whole Family Can Cook Together.

What’s happening in Italy?  And a Great Guide for Diners around the World.  Dorothy Hamilton, President, International Culinary Center, and President, USA Pavilion at Milan Expo 2015, NYC,  www.culinarycenter.com & www.usapavilion2015.net, Emilia Terragni, Phaidon, London UK, www.phaidon.com, Puglia, from the Silver Spoon series; Joe Warwick, London UK, Where Chef’s Eat, 2nd Edition 2015, www.phaidon.com.

Initiatives to raise the profile and support of Women in the Food & Beverage industry:  Claudia Wu & Kerry Diamond, founders of Cherry Bombe, an acclaimed biennial, high-quality Magazine, NYC, www.cherrybombe.com; Kari Underly, Butcher, Meat Expert & Teacher, founder Muscolo Meat Academy, Chicago IL, www.rangepartners.com, The Art of Beef Cutting: A Meat Professional's Guide to Butchering & Merchandising; Susan Citron, Partner, A Woman’s Palate, Fox Chapel PA & Rutherford CA, www.awomanspalate.com.

Belated Valentine’s Day greetings to all.  THE Charleston (SC) Wine & Food Festival – 10th Anniversary – Cathryn Zommer, Director of Communications, www.charlestonwineandfood.com.  Then we stay close to home to celebrate a Fine New Restaurant: Chef Dennis Marron, The Commoner at Hotel Monaco, www.thecommonerpgh.com & www.monaco-pittsburgh.com; and a Sweet New Venture, Chef Chad Townsend and his wife Lauren launch an Artisanal Ice Cream business, Millie’s Homemade Ice Cream, why and how they’re doing it, www.millieshomemade.com.

Mostly  about Grains, Flours & Baking, plus a surprise ending:  Alice Medrich, Berkeley CA, http://alicemedrich.com, Flavor Flours: a New Way to Bake with Teff, Buckwheat,  Sorghum, Other Whole & Ancient Grains, Nuts & Non-Wheat Flours; Shanna & Tim Mallon, Nashville TN, http://foodloveswriting.com, The Einkorn Cookbook; Erin Patinkin & Agatha Kulaga, Brooklyn NY, www.oven.ly, Ovenly: Sweet and Salty Recipes from New York’s Most Creative Bakery; and to finish charming stories for Young Travelers, Liz Manzine, Bella and Harry, www.BellaandHarry.com.  Lots of activities on the website.

Sweet things to Eat & Drink:  Dorie Greenspan, "culinary guru" (by New York Times), Creator "Tuesdays with Dorie" an online baking club, her latest of 10 Cookbooks, Baking Chez Moi: Recipes from My Paris Home to Your Home Anywhere, NYC & Paris, http://doriegreenspan.com/; Mario Molinari, Chief Operating Officer, Molinari Italia, Producers of Molinari Sambuca Extra (Declared Extra by Italian Law since 1970), Molinari Caffe Liquore & Limoncello di Capri, Citavecchia & Roma Italy, www.molinari.it; John Wabeck, Beverage Manager, Spoon & Willow Restaurants, Pittsburgh, Inventor Common Decency Gin, www.spoonpgh.com; Joy Richardson, Brand Representative, Haagen Dazs - how an Ice cream maker moves into Limited Edition flavors & Gelato, www.haagendazs.us/Products/Gelato/.

AS OTM BEGINS ITS 12TH YEAR, WE WISH ALL OF OUR LISTENERS AND FRIENDS AROUND THE WORLD A HAPPY & PROSPEROUS 2015. Three good conversations--Three different stories that became Cookbooks:  Norman Van Aken, Illustrious Chef, Norman's Orlando FL, www.normanvanaken.com; No Experience Necessary; Eric Skokan, Creator, Black Cat Farm, Chef-Owner, Black Cat Bistro and Bramble & Hare, Boulder CO, http://blackcatboulder.com/; Eric Skokan's Farm, Fork, Food; Dana Cowin, Editor in Chief, Food and Wine Magazine, NYC, www.foodandwine.com, Mastering My Mistakes in the Kitchen.

We wish a Happy and Prosperous New Year to our Listeners and Friends all around the World, as On the Menu begins its 12th Year. All Southern and Mostly Texan.  Jack Gilmore, Chef-Owner Jack Allen's Kitchen, Austin TX, www.jackallenskitchen.com. Jack Allen's Kitchen: Celebrating the Tastes of Texas; Terry Thompson-Anderson, Fredericksburg TX, Texas on the Table: People, Places and Recipes Celebrating the Flavors of the Lone Star State; Chris Chamberlain, Nashville TN, https://www.facebook.com/TheSouthernFoodie, Southern Foodie's Guide to the Pig.

Three Great Books from Three very special & talented Women.  And a Very Merry Christmas to Our Listeners Everywhere.  Cortney Burns, Co-Chef, Bar Tartine, San Francisco, www.bartartine.com, Bar Tartine: Techniques and Recipes; Rene Erickson, Chef-Owner, Boat Street Cafe, The Walrus & the Carpenter, The Whale Wins, & Barnacle, Producer Boat Street Pickles, Seattle, www.boatstreetcafe.com, A Boat A Whale & Walrus; Recipes and Stories; Karen Page, NYC, www.karenandandrew.com, The Vegetarian Flavor Bible.   

Assorted Voices: Jamie Bissonnette, Chef-Owner, Coppa & Toro, Boston MA, Toro NYC, www.coppaboston.com, www.toro-restaurant.com, The New Charcuterie Cookbook: Exceptional Cured Meats to Make & Serve at Home; Keith Schroeder, Founder & CEO, High Road Craft Ice Cream, Atlanta GA, www.highroadcraft.com, Cooking Light's Mad Delicious Cookbook: The Science of Making Healthy Food Taste Amazing; Philip Shen & Kim Pham, San Francisco CA, Terri Phillips, Portland OR, www.behindthefoodcarts.com, Food Truck Road Trip: a Cookbook; Malin Elmlid, Berlin Germany, www.thebreadexchange.com, The Bread Exchange:Tales & Recipes from a Journey of Baking & Bartering..

Mostly about Fermentation & other Preserving Techniques - plus a musical treat: Cathy Barrow,Mrs. Wheelbarrow's Kitchen food blog, Washington DC, www.mrswheelbarrow.com, Mrs. Wheelbarrow's Practical Pantry: Recipes & Techniques for Year-Round Preserving; Branden Byers, host of Fermup weekly Podcast & Blog, Madison WI, www.fermup.com, The Every Day Fermentation Handbook: a Real-life Guide to Fermenting Food - without Losing your Mind or your Microbes; Kirsten & Christopher Shockey, Applegate Valley OR, Fermented Vegetables; and Heather Scott, Teacarinas--teacups that double as ocarinast, St LO Ocarina, St Louis MO, www.stlocarina.com.

An interesting Ethnic Mix - how to cook like an Indian/Syrian/Mexican:  Anupy Singla, Indian for Everyone: the Home Cook's Guide to Traditional Favorites, www.indianasapplepie.com; Joumana Accad, Taste of Beirut, www.tasteofbeirut.com; Margarita Carrillo Arronte, Mexico: The Cookbook, Mexico City; Jim Peyton, Naturally Healthy Mexican Cooking, www.lomexicano.com.

Pastry, Cakes & Nuts!!  Nick Malgieri, Dir. Baking Program, Institute of Culinary Education NYC, Nick Malgieri's Pastry: Foolproof Recipes for the Home Cook; Jane Hornby, Oxford UK; www.janehornby.com, What to Bake & How to Bake it; Andrea Tutunjian & Cara Tannenbaum, Institute of Culinary Education NYC, In a Nutshell; Cooking and Baking with Nuts & Seeds..