The Cooking Issues team is back! Tune in to the first 2012 edition of the best call-in food show in the world. Do you think whole wheat pasta is disgusting? Dave's got some advice for that. He also answers questions on low temperature duck breast, exotic fruits, foie gras terrine and more. Find out whether or not brushing your tongue will damage your taste buds and palate and learn more about New York City food destinations. This episode was sponsored by Cain Vineyard & Winery.

"Rice noodles are great but when you try to pretend it's Italian pasta, it's horrible."

"Pheasants are delicious but very easy to over-cook."

"Slow temperature cooking with cuts of meat that have multiple muscles can be tricky."

--Dave Arnold on Cooking Issues

How can Erica Wides afford two places to live? She doesn't drink bottled water, or any other bottled beverages for that matter. Let's Get Real is here to pull you out of that rabbit hole of foodiness, or in this case, drinkiness, that has been perpetuated by beverages that claim to make you smarter, faster, or are 'enhanced' with electrolytes and exotic flavors like 'dragonfruit'. All of this, says Wides, is BS. Tune in for a debunking of drinks such as Gatorade, Neuro, Arizona Green Tea and bottled water like Dasani (it's actually just tap water from Atlanta!), all of which waste your body's resources as well as the environment's. So before reach for that next Vitamin Water at the gas station fridge, listen up and get real about hydration. This episode is sponsored by Fairway Market.

This week on Why We Cook: Erica's triumphant return from Vietnam! Wides plucks tales from her travels, reflects on her work for Streets International, and breaks-down some of Vietnam's all-star dishes.