On this week's episode of Cooking Issues, Dave Arnold and Nastassia Lopez are tackling a bunch of different food-related topics; from peeling potatoes, to heat energy- your hosts have all the answers. Tune in to hear about Dave and Nastassia's respective potato peeling tools of choice, as well as the effectiveness of anesthetizing shellfish in heightening flavor. Dave fields some caller questions about whipping cream at home, and why it differs in consistency from store-bought whipped cream. Other topics include sugar content in purees, and the best way to modify an oven at home to cook pizzas and breads. How important is it to season a pan, particularly when cooking Chinese food? Dave shares his opinions on seasoning skillets and woks, and the chemical and physical reactions that take place during this process. This program has been brought to you by The International Culinary Center.

"Seasoning is actually important. There is a slight debate in the community about what is exactly is going on when you are seasoning a pan. For me, the accepted reason for seasoning a pan is that you are putting on a thin layer of oil or fat, and when you heat it, the fat is breaking down and polymerizing...and it is that surface that is non-stick."

-- Dave Arnold on Cooking Issues

This week on A Taste of the Past host Linda Pelaccio talks with food writer and interviewer Monica Bhide who has written on a variety of subjects from Indian cooking to her latest venture into the world of e-publishing with her newest e-book, "In Conversation with Exceptional Women". Learn about her tips for gaining inspiration in both cooking and writing, her views on authenticity and Indian cooking, as well as where she sees the realm of digital publishing heading. This episode is sponsored by Cain Vineyard & Winery.

"It really raises the question of what is real cooking and what is real food. And, to me, anything that is prepared with love and that is intended to nurture the people that it's prepared for is real cooking."

--Monica Bhide on A Taste of the Past

This week on Hot Grease summer is in the air and that means grilling. Nicole is joined by Lourdes Castro, author of ”Eat, Drink, Think in Spanish” to talk about Latin grilling in particular and they cover in from rubs to marinades to to glazes. Later they are joined by Sam Kim of SkimKim Foods and Kat Popiel for the Summer Solstice edition of The Hot Five. This episode is sponsored by S. Wallace Edwards & Son.