Our common nature is a musical journey with Yo-Yo Ma and me, Ana Gonzalez, through this complicated country.

We go into caves, onto boats, and up mountain trails to meet people, hear their stories, their poetry, and of course, play some music, all to reconnect to nature and get closer to the things we're missing.

Listen to Our Common Nature from WNYC, wherever you get podcasts.

It's Lynn Rosetta Caspher with the Splendid Table.

Thank you. It's Lynn Rosetta Caspier with the splendid table. You know those times when you head out for a bite to eat and you're determined to stay on budget,

you give a lot of thought to your order, the bill comes, and the budget's blown.

Well, you have just experienced seduction by menu. I mean, here we are the most marketed to people on the planet,

and we're still, at least sometimes, babes in the woods when it comes to figuring out what's real

value. Now, take that menu. You weren't sucked in by the obvious, tempting language.

Oh, no, it's much more subtle than that.

Our guest, William Poundstone, has done a study.

He calls it priceless.

So today, it's the menu as Mindfield, your calls, and much more on the splendid table. Splendid Table.

Hi, it's Lynne Rocetto, Casper, and you're listening to The Splendid Table, the show for people who love to eat. Our program is produced by American Public Media.

Well, this is the time of year when I find myself looking longingly at airfares in the paper,

dreaming of Thailand or Singapore or the south of France, which is not happening for me right now.

But there is a way to get a little bit of a world food tour without the long flights.

Get to a city with lots of different cultures.

New York, for example.

Now, skip the midtown spots.

You want the neighborhoods.

These are the home territories where cooks are feeding the people who know when

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