Splendid Table

I cannot do without NPR's The Splendid Table. It plays locally on WFAE Saturdays @ 4:00, usually the time I'm heading home from a day of auctions/thrift shops/flea markets/estate sales. The soothing tones of Lynne Rossetto Kasper's voice create an almost pavlovian response, forcing me to pull into the nearest coffee shop for cappuccino and a bit of a stretch before continuing. I find a few deep breaths & some fresh coffee enable my fullest appreciation of the 60-minute Splendid experience.

Why do I love it so? Lynne has a knack for bringing out the best in everything. And while often the best is tied to some delicious morsel of food, it's really about finding the best in life. The greatest thing about her show is that it teaches me things I never knew I wanted to learn. Yesterday it was the buffalo's place in the American experience and music most likely to get dinner guests out of the house at a decent hour. OK, so we all want to shut down that never-ending dinner with grace {try Schubert's B-flat Piano Sonata}, but really, buffalo? And I loved every minute of it.

Each week is an epiphany. If you've never listened, try it. And if you're like me and never miss, just a quick reminder to support your local NPR station so we can all listen to Lynne for years and years to come.