SHOW & RECIPE FOR MAY 26

THIS BARBECUE NATION
At this time of year, the smell of wonderful smoke – wood or coal, or maybe simply food cooking on a hot gas grill – becomes part and parcel to tell us we’re in America. At least that’s the way Fred Thompson sees things, and he’s traveled up and down this whole country cooking and tasting so he can tell us all about it. Texas certainly enjoys a place of honor in his book “Barbecue Nation: 350 Hot-Off-the-Grill, Tried-and-True Recipes from America’s Backyard,” but there are many surprises from many surprising places as well.

THE ZINS OF RAVENSWOOD
Under the battle cry “No Wimpy Wines!”, Joel Peterson of Ravenswood has done exactly what a lot of folks told him couldn’t be done when he was just getting started in the 1970s. He has produced wines in a California then known primarily for cheap jugs of plonk that rival some of the best made in Europe. On top of that, he and his Sonoma winery have become famous using a grape no one else back then was very interested in – zinfandel. Joel joins us for much tasting and talking – and, we promise, it won’t be wimpy!

VIRTUOSI AT A TENDER AGE
Everybody can picture a classical chamber music concert, and the movies have taught to expect plenty of white hair onstage as well as in the audience. Still, a group called Virtuosi of Houston plays concerts sure to impress, and all the musicians are 18 or younger. We sit down with the people who coordinate Virtuosi – and even one Virtuoso himself – to learn how this music 300 or more years old is thriving in the Land of Hip Hop – and seldom sounding better.

PANNA COTTA WITH BLOOD ORANGE SAUCE

2 whole vanilla beans
1 quart whipping cream
1 ½ cups sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
8 sheets unflavored gelatin

Blood Orange Sauce:
2 cups blood orange juice
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in water

Split the vanilla beans with a sharp knife and scrape out the seeds. Combine the seeds in a heavy saucepan with the cream, sugar and salt. Bring to a boil. In a bowl of warm water, dissolve the gelatin, then whisk this into the hot cream. Remove from heat and strain. Pour into dessert cups (2-4 ounces) and refrigerate until chilled, 4-5 hours. Prepare the sauce by boiling the blood orange juice with the sugar for 20 minutes to concentrate. Whisk in the cornstarch. Strain and let cool. To serve, spoon the sauce around a dessert plate and unmold the panna cotta on top. If it sticks, set the cup in shallow warm water for 30-60 seconds to loosen the custard. Serves 8-10.