DELICIOUS MISCHIEF COMES HOME TO CNN 650

HOUSTON – Delicious Mischief, the fast-paced Houston food, wine and arts radio program presented by Spec’s Wine, Spirits and Finer Foods, returns to CNN 650 at 11 a.m. Saturday Jan. 6.

Host John DeMers said the move was motivated by a combination of the CCN affiliate’s continued interest in his show and the FM station’s decision to switch to a sports format in early 2007. According to DeMers, the mixing of food, wine and the arts with highly respected local, national and international news is a natural.

"Everybody knows CNN," he says. "And here in Texas, everybody knows Spec’s. This opportunity lets us put these two respected brands together, in pursuit of all the best food, wine and fun.

I’ve been hosting this show in Houston for four years and, before that, for more than 12 years in my hometown of New Orleans. I still get up every Saturday morning excited to go to work – if that’s what you insist on calling it."

Delicious Mischief features spirited conversation with local and national chefs, cookbook authors and the occasional guest from the arts/entertainment world. Each show is structured around a central segment called Grape & Grain, during which DeMers talks and tastes his way through some of the world’s finest wines, spirits and beers. This is usually his favorite part of the show.

The author of 34 published books, most about food, drink, travel and religion, DeMers is the former food editor of United Press International, the global news service for which he also covered plane crashes and Mafia trials, Super Bowls and championship fights, and later food editor of the Houston Chronicle. He currently serves as editor in chief of ArtsHouston magazine. His latest books include "Wanderlust" (written with Houston chef Joe Mannke) and "My Home Is Your Home" (written with Capri-born Andrea Apuzzo). Over the decades, DeMers has traveled on assignment to approximately 130 foreign countries.

For the stage, DeMers has penned the Houston-set love story musical "Deep in the Heart," produced so far in Galveston, Austin and Houston, as well as the new musical about the history of the Lone Star State, "Texas at Heart," currently being readied for production in San Antonio.