Charleston (SC), YES Charleston, a new Fine Dining Favorite.  OTM took the opportunity offered when attending the recent Food & Wine Festival to interview some old friends up to something new..........  Sean Brock, Chef-owner & Clint Sloan, Beverage Program Director, Husk, a restaurant devoted to bringing the best of the "Old South" to 21st Century diners; Frank McMahon, Executive Chef & Joey Ryan, Sommelier, Hank's Seafood, proof that great things change only to get better; Brett McKee, Founder, Roadside Kitchens, at 17 North, Mount Pleasant SC; Nico Romo, Executive Chef, Fish, and Corporate Chef for Patrick Properties Hospitality Group, on "north" King Street.

Peter's outnumbered by these 4 great ladies of the Culinary World.  Kate Moses, Cakewalk - a Memoir; Sarah Simmons, Home Cook Extraordinaire, Host of NYC's City Grit Supper Club; Pam Anderson, Perfect One-Dish Dinners & www.recipegirl.com; Laurie Buckle, How to Squeeze a Lemon (and 1023 other kitchen tips & food fixes...).

Foods & Flavors that we love, with fascinating stories to match!!  Tim Vincent, Vincent Family (4 generations) cranberries, dried & juiced, Bandon OR; Joby Rumiano, Rumiano Cheese (soon to celebrate their 90th anniversary), Crescent City CA, specializing in Jack Cheese; Julian Rose, Moonstruck Chocolate Co., Portland OR, fine chocolate bars and chocolate-dipped beans of the rediscovered "Pure Nacional" variety; P.  Allen Smith, America's best known "TV Gardener" talks about his Cookbook Debut, P. Allen Smith's Seasonal Recipes from the Garden.

"The Yanks are coming............."  From NYC to London, Bar Boulud & Barbecoa, and OTM chats with some old friends about the London scene.  Dean Yassarian, Executive Chef, Bar Boulud; Adam Perry Lang, Chef-Partner, Barbecoa; Eddie Hart, Co-owner & Paul Mant, Club Manager, Quo Vadis Club (Eddie & Sam Hart also own Fino & Barrafina) talking Cocktails & what's new in London dining; Rowley Leigh, Chef-Owner, Le Cafe Anglais, about his new Oyster Bar & Cafe.

OTM in London, Part 2, from Traditional French to Modern British - AND BACK!  Tristan Welch, Chef-Co-Owner, Launceston Place, formerly of Le Gavroche & Petrus, also a Gordon Ramsay Award winner, now staunchly Modern British; Rachel Humphrey, Chef de Cuisine, formerly Chef Apprentice, Le Gavroche, working with Chef Patron Michele Roux Jr. to combine French tradition with new touches & fine local ingredients; Chef Frank Raymond & Owner Alain Lhermitte, Mon Plaisir, a French Brasserie in the heart of London since 1942.

OTM in London, 1st of several programs.  Three Great Veteran Chefs with similar ideas but very different menus.  Jeremy Lee, Executive Chef, The Blueprint Cafe at The Design Museum near Tower Bridge; Joel Antunes, Executive Chef, Brasserie Joel at The Park Plaza Westminster Bridge; Anna Hansen, Chef-Owner, The Modern Pantry, Clerkenwell.  More great Chefs next week................ 

Two of Pittsburgh's "Young Guard" of Chefs & Cooking for the Vegan Diet.  Derek Stevens, Executive Chef, Eleven (11) Contemporary Cuisine, Pittsburgh; Kevin Sousa, Chef-Partner, Salt of the Earth, Pittsburgh; Mary  Margaret Chappell, Vegetarian Times: Everything Vegan.

OTM's first ever program devoted to a SINGLE restaurant (well not exactly).  Michael Tusk, Co-Owner & David Lynch Beverage Director at Quince, and Cotogna the new casual alternative next-door owned & managed by the same team.  First Michael & David talk about their restaurants.  Then they detail the dishes and wine pairings served at OTM's truly memorable dinner at Quince late last year.  GREAT Food, GREAT Wine, GREAT service - OTM says GO HERE!!  Thank you Michael, Lindsay, David and (GM) Katrina.

A New Voice from the NW US, Ethan Stowell, Ethan Stowell's New Italian Kitchen: Bold Cooking from Seattle's Anchovies & Olives, How to Cook a Wolf, Staple & Fancy Mercatile & Tavolata; Jean Anderson, one of America's most respected Food Writers & Cookbook Authors, Falling off the Bone; Joanne Chang, Owner, Flour Bakeries, Boston MA, Flour: Spectacular Recipes from Boston's Flour Bakery, a fascinating story of how Joanne made it from Mathematics to Pastries; Patricia Helding, owner, Fat Witch Brownies, NYC & author Fat Witch Brownies, how she from stocks to sweets, from Wall St. to Chelsea Market (repeated from Dec. 19, 2010 program because it fits so well with Joanne Chang's story).

An Ethnic Cooking focused program & an multi-award winning Chef to finish.  Rosetta Costantino, My Calabria: Rustic Cooking from Italy's Undiscovered South; Colman Andrews, The Country Cooking of Ireland; Suvir Saran, Executive Chef, Devi NYC, talking about Pushpesh Pants' India Cookbook; Rozanne Gold, Radically Simple: Brilliant Flavors with Breathtaking Ease.

Dave Racicot reappears in Pittsburgh's Fine Dining Scene with his Exciting New Spot, Notion, Oakmont PA.  Our 3rd program wrapping up our San Francisco experience, MORE great casual options; Anna Weinberg, Owner & Jennifer Puccio, Chef, Marlowe; Bruce Hill, Owner, Zero Zero, also inventor of The Chef's Press; Scott Youkilis, Owner, Hog & Rocks; Owner Michael Pierce & Chef Matt Brimer, Maverick; Christopher & Veronica Laramie, Co-owners, Chef & Pastry Chef respectively, eVe, Berkeley.

OTM In San Francisco, 2nd Program.  Two more Great Young Chefs; Thomas MacNaughton, Flour+Water, Joshua Skenes, Saison, and his Partner-Sommelier Mark Bright.  Then 3 great casual options; Adam Timney, Chef-Partner, Starbelly; Eddie Lau, Chef-Partner, The Summit; Bridget Batson, Chef, Gitane.

OTM Dines San Francisco for the Xmas Season - 1st of 3 programs.  Two IMPORTANT Chefs; Daniel Patterson, Coi Restaurant, Cane Rosso & Plum (Oakland); Dominique Crenn, Luce Restaurant in the Intercontinental Hotel, soon to be Chef-Owner, Atelier Crenn (planned opening January 2011).  Dominque talked to OTM first about her inspiration, career & Luce menu, then John Wight, Sommelier, Luce talks about wine pairing.  Then Dominique talks about her ambitious & exciting plans for Atelier Crenn.

Happy Boxing Day, OTM hopes you had a great day on Christmas.  Today, Celebrity Authors/Subjects; Eric Ripert, Chef, co-owner, Le Bernadin NYC, PBS Star & author Avec Eric: a Culinary Journey...; Ming Tsai, Chef-owner, Blue Ginger, Wellesley MA, PBS Star & author, Simply Ming One-Pot Meals; Joan Reardon, As Always, Julia, the correspondence of Julia Child & Avis Devoto; Nick Malgieri, Bake! Essential Techniques for Perfect Baking, Director of Baking Programs at The Institute of Culinary Education.

Unusual Tastes & Treats, for the Holidays or any other time for that matter.  Jim Schilz, Schiltz Meats, Sisseton SD & Howard Helmer, NYC NY, talking Goose, including pre-cooked & smoked frozen whole birds & select cuts; Carla Bartolucci, Jovial Foods, Franklin CT & Modena Italy, Einkorn Pasta, made in Italy with heirloom wheat; Patricia Helding, owner, Fat Witch Brownies, NYC & author Fat Witch Brownies; Linda Fishman, Founder & President, Medora Snacks, Freeport NY, Popdcorn "Chip" snacks; Robert Krause, Chef & co-owner, Esquina, Lawrence KS, author The Cook's Book of Intense Flavors. 

OTM devotes a program to the mysteries of wine & food-wine pairing.  Terry Theise, Master of Wine & Wine Importer specializing in German & Austrian bottlings, Reading between the Vines; Jim Gordon, 25 year veteran of Wine Journalism, Editor, Opus Vino; Christopher Sawyer, Sommelier & Wine Educator, The Lodge at Sonoma, takes the mystery out of pairing Wines with Holiday Foods; Joe DeGruttola, Founder & President, & John Coonfare, Catering & Event Coordinator, The Wine Loft, Pittsburgh, introduce their Wine Bar concept & their unique approach to food-wine pairing.  Salut, Cheers....... OTM wishes you happy wine drinking for the holidays, and please do so reponsibly.

Some Specialized & Unusual Cookbooks & their Authors, and a Sharp Edge with Wusthoff to conclude.  Sarah Scott, The Wild Table: Seasonal Foraged Food & Recipes (with Co-author & Forager Connie Green; Alissa Cohen, Raw Food for Everyone; Mindy Fox, A Bird in the Oven & then Some - the perfect Roast Chicken....; Janine Whiteson, Cooking Light Way to Cook Vegetarian; Annette Garaghty, Wusthof-Trident of America, New Classic (Knife) Collection with Precision Edge Technology (PEtec) - and boy are they sharp!

Goat Cheese & More from Vermont.  Angela Miller, Co-owner Consider Bardwell Farm Award-winning Goat & Cows Milk Cheeses, Pawlet, Author Hay Fever; Calley Hastings, Fat Toad Farm, Brookfield, Goat's Milk Caramel Sauces & Chevre.  Two Wonderful Characters with New Books & Stories; David Tanis, Chef, Chez Panisse, Berkeley CA, Author Heart of the Artichoke; Lidia Bastianich, Lidia's Italy, Lidia's Restaurant, Pittsburgh, Felidia, NYC, Eataly Food Emporium, NYC, Author & Host of Numerous Books & TV Programs, new book Nonna Tell Me a Story. 

A REALLY SWEET Program.  Dylan Lauren, owner, Dylan's Candy Bar, NYC, author Dylan's Candy Bar: Unwrap Your Sweet Life; Lauren Chattman, Cookie Swap; Lara Ferroni, Doughnuts: Simple & Delicious Recipes to Make at Home; Deborah Cadbury, Chocolate Wars: The 150-Year Rivalry between the World's Greatest Chocolate Makers.  Back to a Strict Diet next week!

4 GREAT Cookbooks (& Chef/cook Reference & Resource Books).  Amanda Hesser, The Essential New York Times Cookbook: Classic Recipes for a New Century; Deborah Krasner, Good Meat: The Complete Guide to Sourcing & Cooking Sustainable Meat; David Joachim, The Food Substitutions Bible, Second Edition; Gil Marks, Encyclopedia of Jewish Food.

A Fond Farewell to Toscana, until the next time.  John Voigtmann, Founder & Owner, La Bandita Luxury Accomodation & Dining in the Heart of the Val D'Orcia & Chef David Mangan.  An Important & Authoritative Guide to Whisky by Dave Broom, The World Atlas of Whisky: More Than 350 Expressions Tasted - More Than 150 Distilleries Explored;  Ken Zorovich, Co-Owner, Zoku LLC, Inventors & Producers of the Quick Pop Popsicle Maker & Accessories.

More Dining & Wining in Toscana.  OTM finds the inspiring stories of two Great Ladies -excellent food & wine too!!  Daria Cappelli, Owner, La Porta, Monticchiello & Chef Moreno Motterle; Amineh Pakravan, Co-owner, Pakravan-Papi Vineyard & Cantina, near Bolgheri, and two great dining options near the A1 Autostrada Val de Chiana Uscita (exit); Chef-Owner Walter Redaelli, translation by Massimo Fringuello, Ristorante Walter Redaelli & Relais La Leopoldina B&B, Bettole; Davod Arrogucci, Owner & General Manager, Il Conte Matto, Ristoranate-Enoteca-Affitacamere, Trequanda.

OTM explores & loves the Countryside of Toscana - no overcrowded Firenze, Pisa or Siena for us!  And we find GREAT Food & Wine along the way.  A Fabulous Find, Ristorante-Enoteca Davide Canella, Chef-Owner Davide, Maitre d' & Sommelier Ana Ribeiro, in the Village of Armaiolo, at the Rapolano Terme exit from Raccordo Siena-Bettolle.  Then 3 FASCINATING Wine stories; Tiziana Frescobaldi, Communications Director, Marchesi de' Frescobaldi; Enrico Viglierchio, General Manager, Castello Banfi; Donatella Cinelli-Colombini, Owner of Cantina Cinelli-Colombini & Fattoria del Colle.  MORE Toscana next week.

A Quartet of Fascinating Ladies and Their New Cookbooks; Paula Shoyer, The Kosher Baker; Diana Henry; Plenty; When Less is More-a Cookbook for Our Times; Diana Kennedy, Oaxaca al Gusto-an Infinite Gastronomy; Jan Miller, Better Homes & Gardens New Cookbook, 15th Edition.

Colman Andrews, Ferran - The Inside Story of El Bulli & the Man Who Reinvented Food, a Revealing Interview about the Rise of Ferran Adria; Chef Richard Bertinet, Cook : in a Class of Your Own, Owner, The Bertinet Kitchen Cooking School in Bath, England; Mark Oldman, Oldman's Brave New World of Wine, a Refreshing & Candid Introduction to Wines beyond the "Usual Suspects".