Did you know that most Americans did not eat tuna until the 20th century? On this week's episode of A Taste of the Past, Linda Pelaccio sits down with Andrew F. Smith, a food historian and author of the recent book, American Tuna: The Rise and Fall of an Improbable Food. Learn about how Mediterranean immigrant populations popularized the fish in the United States, and how the Japanese made it a staple of culinary culture. Hear about how American preferences in terms of tuna preparation have changed over the decades, from canned to raw. With all of the media attention concerning methylmercury, is tuna still safe to eat? Tune in to learn more about the different varieties of tuna, population levels, and the role of sport fisherman in the tuna industry. This episode has been brought to you by Hearst Ranch.

"Once you remove the oil from it, it's actually a very mild-tasting fish. You can use it as a substitute in pretty much all of your chicken recipes."

"80% of the Bluefin tuna stock that was around in the 1970s is now gone. The thought used to be if we restricted catching, then we would give the population an opportunity to recover... There's no evidence that supports that."

-- Andrew F. Smith on A Taste of the Past

Welcome to another episode of After the Jump! This week, Grace Bonney is joined by Sarah Brysk Cohen. Sarah is the florist and founder of Blossom and Branch, and online columnist for The Equals Record and Design*Sponge. Hear why Sarah left the field of social work to start her own flower shop, and the steps she had to take to start an independent business. Learn about the importance of self-examination when running a business, and how collaboration can help rejuvenate your creativity. How does Sarah stay inspired now that her passion has become work? Learn why the "fake it 'til you make it" business mentality can be detrimental to the growth of a business, and why Sarah finds it so important to stay true to her personal floral style. Tune in to hear more about the role of vulnerability and honesty in Sarah's professional development and personal life. This program has been sponsored by Clarkson Potter Publishers.

"Just like with cooking, where so much of it is preparation...that's flowers too, and perhaps many other creative endeavors."

"Once you start opening doors in your own mind and heart, there's no turning back."

-- Sarah Brysk Cohen on After the Jump

This week on The Main Course, Patrick Martins is speaking with Daniel Sharp, the Corporate Executive Chef of The Meatball Shop. Tune in to learn about how The Meatball Shop fuses fast food and full service without compromising food quality or customer service. Listen in to hear Daniel talk about efficiency in the restaurant industry, and how it is not only applicable to pricing and food preparation, but also kitchen design. How do different NYC neighborhoods and their populations affect the layout of a restaurant? Patrick and Daniel talk about the necessary processes for restaurant expansion, and the need for strong management personnel. Hear Daniel talk about how he cut his teeth in the restaurant industry, his love of wood-fire cooking, and his disdain for 'innovative' buffalo wing sauces. This program has been brought to you by The International Culinary Center.

"Pricing is very important to us in the sense that we want to make them as low as possible, and as accessible as possible so that we have a broad reach. I really think that's really one of our hallmarks of the business." [13:15] -- Daniel Sharp on The Main Course