This week, we've got a show full of great ideas and terrific recipes for guesting…and hosting! First, Casey Elsass sits down with us to talk about how to guest like a pro, from tips on arriving prepared to great recipe ideas for sides, salads, appetizers, and desserts like his Mosaic Jell-O. Casey is the author of What Can I Bring: Recipes to Help You Live Your Guest Life. Then, renowned fashion designer and cookbook writer Peter Som guides us in hosting your parties in style. He lets us in on his inspiration for his creative dishes, from tea eggs to lemon chicken, and leaves us his recipe for Potsticker Frittata. Peter is the author of Family Style: Elegant Every Day Recipes Inspired by Home and Heritage.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

• July 25, 2025 (originally aired)

Donate to The Splendid Table today and we will show our appreciation with a special thank-you gift.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Pandora

This week, we talk about life and food in Southern France. First, we sit down with Steve Hoffman to talk about his latest memoir, A Season for That, about his journey from Minnesota to the South of France with his entire family to live a romanticized French life. It turned out to be a complete culinary and culture shock that ended up inspiring his appreciation for the local food culture and its winemaking traditions. Steve Hoffman's latest book is A Season for That: Lost and Found in the Other Southern France. Then, we talk with author Rebekah Peppler about her connection to the South of France and its Provencal cuisine, which is the inspiration for her cookbook, Le Sud: Recipes from Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. She walks us through Provencal dishes from tapenades to bouillabaisse, and she leaves us with her recipe for Mussels in Aioli.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

• July 19, 2024 (originally aired)
• July 18, 2025 (rebroadcast)

This week, it's all about keeping cool and carrying on in the kitchen. First up , chef, farmer, and cookbook author Abra Berens joins Francis to take your calls about how to best use our summer produce. She’s full of ideas for all that zucchini, btw! Abra is the author of three wonderful cookbooks, Ruffage, Grist, and Pulp, and you can find the recipe for the Summer Squash Escabeche she talked about here. Then, we head into NYC to visit chef Jiho Kim at his restaurant, Joomak where he teaches us how to make a refreshing summertime dish: a Summer Salad with Cured Fish and White Kimchi.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

• July 11, 2025 (originally aired)

Celebrate kitchen companionship with a gift to The Splendid Table today.