Al Roker cooks for Daniel Boulud, talks about on-set disasters at the “Today” show, explains why sandwiches are his go-to conversation starter and wonders why Goofy wears pants but Pluto doesn’t. Plus, we dive into the world of pies and baking competitions with Chris Taylor and Paul Arguin; we get a lesson in the language of leftovers from Grant Barrett and Martha Barnette; and we present a recipe for a sweet and tangy Austrian Plum Cake. (Originally aired July 31, 2020.)

This episode is brought to you by Master Class and Moink Box.

Questions in this Episode:

“I love BLTs. They are the ultimate summer sandwich, and I look forward to them all year long. Do you have any tips for how to make a BLT the Milk Street way?”

“I don’t want to buy yet another appliance—the food processor. Most recipes that call for one are easy for me to adapt. Some are not. Quick guidance in recipes would be welcome.”

“I'm getting better at cooking Puerto Rican food, and using sofrito, but running out of ideas to vary it up. Can you give me other ideas on how to use sofrito?”

“I have been experimenting with challah but I can’t seem to get it to fluff up like the ones I buy in the bakery. What is the trick?”

“My question is about quick breads. I have inconsistent results when I make things like banana bread and pumpkin bread. Sometimes they turn out great and other times they don’t seem to rise well and are still underdone. I can’t figure out if it is my oven, the pan or something I do when I make the recipe.”