tasteMAKERS

Just outside of Austin, James Brown has created a grain hub that connects the region's bakers, chefs, brewers and distillers with organic heritage grains grown on Texas farms. The rise of artisan baking and craft brewing has spurred a resurgence in locally-milled stone-ground grain, and Barton Springs Mill is the conduit that gets unique varieties of wheat like Rouge de Bordeaux and ancient types of corn like the colorful Oaxacan Green into the hands of Austin's culinary artisans.

Everyone knows it's tough to succeed in the food business. Union Kitchen's Cullen Gilchrist is working to help launch and nurture culinary startups in Washington DC, offering business guidance, a communal kitchen, distribution services and even a string of grocery stores to help ensure success. In this episode, you'll meet three entrepreneurs who have leveraged Union Kitchen's assets to launch and grow food brands that have gone national.

Yoshihiro Sako uses time-honored Japanese techniques to brew small-batch sake using single-origin rice grown on Rue & Forsman ranch in the Sacramento Valley. With a focus on crafting sake that is meant to pair with northern California's renowned cuisine, Yoshi works with the region's sommeliers and shop owners to bring the beautifully ephemeral flavor of sake to the American table.

Through sustainable aquaculture, Marshallberg Farm is raising thousands of Russian sturgeon, producing environmentally-responsible osetra caviar and smoked sturgeon in North Carolina. Simply cured with salt, this osetra caviar is a buttery, briny indulgence. The fish is critically endangered in the wild, and farmed sturgeon is categorized as a "Best Choice" on the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch.

Mead dates back to 7000 BC in China where honey was fermented with fruit and rice. From the ancient Greeks to Medieval monks, this nectar has been enjoyed wherever honey bees thrive. At Blom Meadworks in Michigan, honey from local apiaries is turned into dry, session-style mead. Working in partnership with farmers and beekeepers across the state, Lauren Bloom and Matt Ritchey are creating ferments that capture the essence of the region's flavor, shifting to reflect fruit, hops and herbs that are ripening each season.