Authors' Answers Series: Lynne Rossetto Kasper and Sally Swift

Lynne Rossetto Kasper, host of The Splendid Table, teamed up with Sally Swift, her producer of many years, to co-author the terrific book The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper. Part cookbook, part cheat sheet, part teacher--the book includes recipes from Kasper and Swift, as well as from friends and guests from the show.

Interviewing Kasper, one of the best interviewers on the air, was, I'll admit, daunting. Couple that with a wicked cold (you'll hear a little bit of a smoker's rasp in my voice, and I've never taken a drag on a cigarette in my life), and you'll understand why I was sweating in that recording booth. What I like about our chat is it covers a lot of topics--we had no agenda. Some of the things we discussed: food politics, trends in food, how we cook today, the acceptance of "American Cuisine," and synesthetes, a unique group of people who, in this case, feel shapes when they eat food. Interesting listening, if you ask me. Listen here. Requires QuickTime. Free download for Windows and Macintosh.