This week on Hot Grease, Nicole reflects on some current food headlines including Shirley Sherrod's new gig and Gwyneth Paltrow's cover shoot for Gourmet Magazine. She also talks about street vendors, food trucks and hosts a Hot Five segment on demystifying meat buying with Rod Morrison. This episode was sponsored by Hearst Ranch, the nations largest single-source supplier of grassfed and grass finished beef.

Learn the 'ins and outs' of hosting on this week's episode of Hot Grease. Nicole Taylor is joined in the studio by Heather Christos, author of the recent Heather Christo's Generous Table. Tune into this episode to learn how to host a fabulous dinner with limited resources. Hear about Heather's life in Seattle, and why the climate provides such a bountiful harvest. Nicole heads South with Heather to talk bourbon and liquor tastings; hear what cocktails Heather suggests in her book! Later, Nicole calls Shell Harris, co-author of Skinny Smoothies, to talk about healthy, nutrient-rich beverages for the summer. Hear why some prefer drinking smoothies to juices, and find out what fruits to blends for a balanced diet! This program has been sponsored by Whole Foods. Thanks to The California Honeydrops for today's music.

"I try to create comprehensive menus with seasonally-appropriate ingredients because it makes it cheap and tasty, and it's just so easy." [7:00]

-- Heather Christo on Hot Grease

Norman King, Test Kitchen Professional for Southern Living Magazine, joins Nicole Taylor on this week's Hot Grease to teach her listeners how to fry. Tune into this episode to hear Norman and Nicole talk about Southern Living's place in Southern food culture. Listen in to learn about Birmingham as a growing food destination in the South. What's a typical day like for a test kitchen professional? Listen in to hear about Norman's new book, The Way to Fry, and how it combines Southern heritage with foods for new Southern lifestyles. How does Norman re-envision traditional Southern foods like soft-shell crabs and okra in his book? Tune into this episode to hear Norman's top frying tools on The Hot Five! This program has been sponsored by The International Culinary Center, and thanks to Blind Benny for today's music!

"As your evolve into your own in the test kitchen, you start to learn the way to explain what your'e doing to people in a simple way." [10:25]

"There's so much heritage and legacy in fried food and the South. It's raised generations of people; it can't be that bad." [13:00]

-- Norman King on Hot Grease