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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Fast becoming one of our favorite whites, pinot grigio is growing all over the wine world. Al takes a look at some recent finds. -
If you’ve ever vacationed in Maine or down along the Gulf Coast, the chances are you’ve gone to a “Boil”, a feast of seafood and veggies all boiled in one big pot. Here in Maryland, there is no reason we can’t do the same thing, and Chef Jerry Pellegrino has figured out what it takes to do your own backyard boil. -
I was watching a cooking show the other day and the chef was whipping up a pot of gumbo, that Louisiana specialty. Not only did it whet my appetite, it got me thinking, why not create one that celebrates Maryland’s traditions. And Chef Jerry Pellegrino will tell you, we have just about everything we need here. -
As Hugh and Al can attest, Portugal is a fabulous country to visit, not least because of the amazing abundance of high-quality low-cost red wines -
On this, our big national holiday, we turn our attention to our backyard grills. The natural inclination is to go with hot dogs, burgers and maybe a little shrimp for the barbie. But there are so many other things that we can prepare on the grill that will really open your eyes. And as Chef Jerry Pellegrino will tell you, this is when we let our imagination run wild. -
It’s time to pour a little pink wine into your glass and enjoy a warm summer evening. -
When I was a kid my mother always let me pick out what kind of cake I wanted for my birthday. From the time I was old enough to appreciate all the choices I settled on one in particular: angel food cake… with cherry frosting. We only had it once a year, but I loved it to pieces. And I told Chef Jerry Pellegrino that light spongy snow-white cake is still a favorite of mine. -
Baltimore wine retailer Michael Fishman is importing a line of informal and delicious wines from South Africa, intended for easy drinking. -
As a whole-hearted supporter of local Maryland food and cooking, I not only cherish the food we grow, but I also truly honor the champions of the eat local movement. Chefs like Nancy Longo and Spike Gjerde have been promoting the regional scene for decades, but there is one fellow we would like to single out. And that would be Chef John Shields. -
Just in time for barbecue season, the hearty red wines of Washington State combine intense flavor with notable finesse.
