This week Cooking Issues welcomes a surprise special guest: Alexander Talbot of the wonderful Ideas In Food blog. They dig into a mountain of questions from callers across the country and emails alike; from what type of carrageenan is best for your recipe, to how to cook a perfect leg of lamb, to using molecular gastronomy techniques in making cool beer. Tune in as we revisit topics such as nitrates, umami, and uses of kombu in making dashi. If you've ever had a question about vegan cheese, DIY ramen, or what exactly is in Fantastik and if it's safe, this episode is for you And don't forget, Thanksgiving is coming up so don't forget to listen in for ways to cook up your veggies low-temp style as well as a special code for a free sample of Iota Carrageenan from this weeks sponsor, The Modernist Pantry.

This week on Snacky Tunes, Finger on the Pulse are joined by Brooklyn knife-maker and founder of "Cut Brooklyn", Joel Bukiewicz. Joel explains how he got started in the knife business and how American made steel stands up to the rest. Later in the show, Fools Gold Records co-founder Nick Catchdubs drops by to tell the story of how he went from an employee at Fader to being in charge of one of the most influential and prolific labels in dance/electronic music today. This episode was sponsored by Fancy Restaurant Records.

This week on Cutting the Curd Anne Saxelby takes us Tennessee where we talk with local cheese makers Jim and Gayle Tanner of Bonnie Blue Farm and Kathleen Cotter of The Bloomy Rind. The creation of artisan goat cheeses, local cheese markets, and how to create and sustain a small cheese business are all discussed. This episode was sponsored by www.HearstRanch.com