Journalist Bianca Bosker takes us inside the high-end world of wine, from the big-money wine service at Michelin-starred restaurants to the grueling task of a blind tasting. Plus, we meet Bala Paiva, a Brazilian pro soccer player turned pro fish cutter; we discuss sous vide and the pursuit of culinary perfection with Alex Aïnouz; and we make Stir-Fried Black Pepper Chicken with Green Beans.

Questions in this Episode:

“I have won three ribbons at the Tunbridge World’s Fair for my cookies. I am looking for new flavor combinations for my entry this year. Everyone follows the same recipe but mixes in whatever they want for add-ins. I’ve never won first place. I want to try something very ‘Vermont.’ I was thinking of maple candied walnuts. What other ideas can you suggest?”

“I was making a yeast bread recently and I have three different loaf pans—a glass pan, a metal pan, and a dark metal non-stick pan. Do I need all three loaf pans? Or if I get down to one, which one should I keep? Also, what’s your preferred sheet pan—aluminum, dark non-stick, or air-cushioned?”

“I have a problem flipping certain foods like pancakes or eggs without them breaking. What's my best choice for spatula protocol?”

“I have a question about roasting garlic. A lot of times people call for it in a recipe, like a sheet pan recipe, but they’re cooking at a high heat and I don’t understand because it was always my understanding you needed to cook garlic at a lower heat so it doesn’t have bitterness.”