11/05 Thomas Craughwell, Peter Mondavi, Jr, Todd Carmicheal

THOMAS CRAUGHWELL - "THOMAS JEFFERSON'S CREME BRULEE"

WITH ELECTION DAY TOMORROW TOM CRAUGHWELL,  A WRITER, HISTORIAN AND CONSULTANT TO THE HISTORY CHANNEL TALKS ABOUT SOME FAVORITE DISHES OF FORMER PRESIDENTS.  In 1784, Thomas Jefferson struck a deal with one of his slaves, nineteen-year-old James Hemings. The founding father was traveling to Paris and wanted to bring James along “for a particular purpose”— to master the art of French cooking. In exchange for James’s cooperation, Jefferson would grant his freedom.  Thus began one of the strangest partnerships in United States history. As Hemings apprenticed under master French chefs, Jefferson studied the cultivation of French crops (especially grapes for winemaking) so the might be replicated in American agriculture. The two men returned home with such marvels as pasta, French fries, Champagne, macaroni and cheese, crème brûlée, and a host of other treats. This narrative history tells the story of their remarkable adventure—and even includes a few of their favorite recipes!


PETER MONDAVI, JR - CO-PROPRIETOR OF CHARLES KRUG WINERY

Now under the guidance of Mondavi , the Charles Krug Winery honors its roots while forging ahead to the future. From the Wild West to the twenty-first century, relatively crude beginnings gave way to the finest form of winemaking. Founded in 1861 by Charles Krug, the 27-year old Prussian immigrant came to America with little besides willpower and a willingness to work hard to build the cornerstone of the first winery in the Napa Valley. He became the major local winery figure of his era, greatly influencing Napa Valley's development as a world-renown wine producing region. His leadership was said to be inspirational and his ideas innovative. Charles Krug introduced the cider press for winemaking, the first of which is still on display at the winery. He carefully selected rootstocks, varietals and vineyard sites - a novel concept in late 19th century America.


 TODD CARMICHAEL - "DANGEROUS GROUNDS"

Todd Carmichael is an adventurer and coffee magnate, star of Travel Channel’s “Dangerous Grounds,” which premieres on November 5th at 10:00PM. In 2008, Carmichael – a real-life “Indiana Jones” – set the world-record for the fastest unsupported trek to the South Pole: thirty-nine days, seven hours and forty-nine minutes.  In addition to being an avid adventurer, he is also a successful businessman.  His premium coffee company, La Colombe Torrefaction, is based in Philadelphia and supplies top coffee roasts to the best restaurants and gourmet outlets in America.  Since Carmichael focuses on the rarest coffee beans, his exclusive blends are sought after by many of the world’s top chefs.  Growing up on a farm in Washington, Carmichael can relate to the farmers he buys from throughout the world.  Because of this, he bypasses the distributor that typically takes advantage of the farmers, and pays a fair price directly to the source.  Carmichael is also an active humanitarian.  His expedition to the South Pole raised a great deal of money for Orangutan Foundation International and he worked with the Clinton Global Initiative to raise considerable funds and awareness toward a coffee university in Haiti.  He also developed a coffee blend with Leonardo DiCaprio, Lyon, of which 100 percent of the profits go to the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, funding wildlife protection, forest preservation, clean-water projects, disaster relief and climate-change research around the globe.  In the one-hour premiere episode of “Dangerous Grounds,” Carmichael travels to a poverty-stricken Haiti still devastated by the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake.  The country, despairing and dangerous, is home to what was once one of the most savored coffees in the world.  After averting a brewing riot in the marketplace, Carmichael travels deep into the mountains where he navigates treacherous roads, dodges dangerous armed middlemen and finds an ancient bean hidden in the deepest area of the elevated terrain.