We've got a pork-filled episode of Cooking Issues this week! Dave Arnold and Nastassia Lopez are back again, and they're talking about the many uses for country ham. Tune in for Dave talking about country ham has a seasoning meat as opposed to a central protein. Hear callers ask Dave about smoking and cooking a pig head using low-temperature techniques! Other topics include vacuum distillation, and the uses for Wondra flour! Dave wraps up the show with some dessert suggestions. Learn about non-dairy ice cream and making lemon curd! This episode has been brought to you by The International Culinary Center.

"The definition of forever is two people and a country ham." [7:30]

"The benefit of Wondra being pre-gelatinized is that it will go into solution in a cold liquid." [31:00]

-- Dave Arnold on Cooking Issues

Today on The Food Seen, Michael sits down with Michael Laiskonis, executive pastry chef at Le Bernardin. The two talk about the art of dessert and the various artistic approaches to discussing it. Then, Salon.com's Francis Lam calls in to discuss the challenges of making dessert with a message and to say what he thought of dessert at Le Bernadin. This week's episode brought to you by Tekserve. For more information visit tekserve.com

Photos: Dessert creations from Michael Laiskonis

On today’s THE FOOD SEEN, we’re affected by the always -nspired Emilie Baltz, a multi-disciplinary French-American artist, who’s wild and widely ranging body of work examines how we interact with food on a cultural level. Recently her L.O.V.E. FOODBOOK, which explores our relationship between food and emotion, won the prestigious Best First Cookbook award at the Festival du Livre Culinaire in Paris. Now she readies herself for a summer in France teaching food design through SVA. You ask, “what is food design?“ Well, so does Emilie- all the time! Listen in to learn how to begin experiencing it yourself. Thanks to our sponsor, S. Wallace Edwards & Sons. Thanks to Cookies for the theme music.

"As designers, the food space is an important space to address... Within that moment you're affecting your nutrition and caloric intake, but also your emotions, politics, economics, etc." [7:00]

"We are being stimulated not by the cherry or the oyster, but it's a full body experience. And some of that might have to do with the physical aspects of the foods, but it's mostly the narrative behind them." [22:10]

"Who is in charge of food design? Marketers? Salespeople? These are things that we put in our bodies!" [32:00]

-- Emilie Baltz on THE FOOD SEEN