This week on Why We Cook Erica talks urban foraging and flavored honeys. A recent trip out to the northwest found Chef Erica in a wonderland of wild blackberries. These "Queens of the Berry World" grow like weeds out there, literally--many residents of Portland consider them to be thorny pests rather than a bounty of free wild treats, and they can often be found for sale at green markets a stones throw away from areas where they're growing wild. This episode also looks at carrot honey and Whole Foods's impressive new effort to spread awareness about conserving seafood. This episode was sponsored by Whole Foods Market.

New York City’s Craft Beer Week is just around the corner, beginning Friday, September 24th and running through Sunday, October 3rd. To kickoff the annual series, Whole Foods Market Bowery is hosting a beer and food pairing event in their Beer Room. Oskar Blues is on tap and Chef Jacques Gautier of Park Slope’s Palo Santo is cooking up one of his South American delights to accompany. Food tasting goes from 5 to 7 and beer will continue til 9. With a Craft Beer Week passport get $3 off a 64 ounce growler fill. Meet Chef Gautier Friday, September 24th and enjoy some special tastes, on tap and from the kitchen.

Photo 1: Green Figs, Photo 2: Blackberries

This week's conversation on Burning Down the House focuses on the fusion between urban design, architecture, transportation and shape of our cities. Curtis B. Wayne is joined by Mitchell Joachim and Melanie Fessel of Terreform ONE (Open Network Ecology), an Ecological Design Group for Urban Infrastructure, Building, Planning, and Art. Later on the show, the discussion shifts towards the sensitive and heated topic of licensure in architecture. This program was sponsored by White Oak Pastures.

"Pedestrians are the alpha position to explore a city. The foot is the best interface."

--Mitchell Joachim on Burning Down the House

"Infrastructure is not celebrated enough in the United States."

--Melanie Fessel on Burning Down the House

This week Mitchell Davis takes taste to the streets with Melina Shannon-DiPietro and David Weber. Melina, Director of the The Highline Park's Food and Revenue, talks about elevating the stature of street food, literally, and the importance of community input on the creation of such a public space. David Weber, President of the New York City Food Truck Association, gives his take on the surge in the last few years of 'premium' food trucks from LA to New York to Japan. This episode is sponsored Whole Foods Market.