Al Spoler
Host, Cellar Notes and Radio KitchenAl Spoler, well known to WYPR listeners as the wine-loving co-host of "Cellar Notes" has had a long-standing parallel interest in cooking as well. Al has said, the moment he started getting serious about Sunday night dinners was the same moment he started getting serious about wine. Over the years, he has benefited greatly from being a member of the Cork and Fork Society of Baltimore, a gentlemen's dining club that serves black tie meals cooked by the members themselves who are some of Baltimore's most accomplished amateur cooks.
His most rewarding immersion in cooking came through his work as a television director at MPT. Spoler served as off-line editor and assistant director on two series featuring the legendary French chef Pierre Franey. He also worked with Mexican chef Patricia Quintana, and with Bed and Breakfast expert Gail Greco on her series "Country Inn Cooking". Al says traveling all over the US visiting country inns and taping recipes that they prepared in little makeshift television kitchens was an incredible education.
Spoler's tastes in cooking are influenced by regional tradition and contemporary casual French fare. Never slavish to recipes, he is never happier than improvising a Sunday dinner with whatever ingredients come to hand.
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My wife sometimes refers to me as The Sauce King because I am adept at whipping up a good sauce. But I think one key to my success has been that I manage to get it to the right thickness. As Chef Jerry Pellegrino points out, there are any number of ways to make that thin little broth thick and luxurious. -
The wines of Washington State continue to impress, and we catch up with a few new releases that show you why. -
Al has fallen in love with these full-flavored white wines produced with great skill on the island of Sardinia. And they are perfect for the season. -
My wife and I must go out for breakfast every other week when our housekeeper comes in the morning. And because of that I’ve discovered how much I like having some kind of potato with my ham and eggs. And Chef Jerry Pellegrino agrees, there are a few classics we can talk about, and a few new ideas. -
Although some of my rowdy friends might consider it to be an improper use of an otherwise fine beverage, beer is also good for cooking as it happens. Chef Jerry Pellegrino has some guidelines for approaching this savory technique. We can use beers in three different ways: as a leavening agent in baked goods, to tenderize as in a braise, or to add flavor. -
The season has arrived for glasses of bubbly sparkling wine, and Hugh has a handful of sensible suggestions. -
The once obscure viognier has flourished around the world, and an assortment of styles have emerged. Al looks into several. -
With the holidays coming up quickly it might be a good idea to plan a few dessert ideas. In my experience nobody passes on a piece of apple pie, and anyone who goes to the trouble of making one will make a lot of friends. And as an apple grower, Chef Jerry Pellegrino takes pie making very seriously. -
For decades Cline Family Cellars has been offering high quality wines at very affordable prices. Al catches up with their latest bottlings. -
Anyone who has watched a baking show on TV knows the bakers all come armed with an arsenal of tricks and hacks. For those of us who want to better our baking skills, it might be useful to learn something new. And Chef Jerry Pellegrino is just the guy to teach us. Here are a few ideas for better baking.
