101 Olive Oil
As essential as water to Italian cooking, good olive oil can elevate simple ingredients to the sublime. Michael visits an olive oil press at harvest time to show how it gets from the tree to the bottle. Terrific olive oil is showcased in Whole Roasted Fish with Asparagus and Extra-Virgin Olive Oil; and Spaghettini Squared: Pasta with Olive Oil, Garlic and Zucchini. Michael's clever Mozzarella Martini is served in a chilled martini glass.

102 Gnocchi
Gnocchi is a master recipe that can go anywhere-served simply, or added to salads or stews. Warm Basil Gnocchi Salad with Carpaccio of Tomatoes, is a wonderful dish for summer. For colder weather, gnocchi are crisped in butter for Crispy Herb Gnocchi with Braised Lamb Shanks and Wild Mushrooms. Two nonnas teach Michael how to make gnocchi their way--the way Michael's own grandmother Vicenciana used to make it--in Gnocchi della Nonna.

103 Asparagus
When you start seeing asparagus in the market, you know that spring has arrived. Michael shows several techniques that bring out their best: Grilled Asparagus with Tangerine Mayonnaise; Asparagus Pesto with Tiny Potatoes and Pasta; and Roasted Asparagus Bundles. Michael also visits an antique hardware store to show how unique presentation ideas can come from anywhere.

104 Tomatoes
Michael believes that when tomatoes are in season, you should eat them every day. At Forni-Brown Gardens, he gathers organic tomatoes fresh from the vine, so delicious they need no adornment. He makes the most of them in Simply Tomatoes and Grilled Avocado & Tomato Salad with Basil Pesto. Michael also shares his technique for Cured Green Tomatoes.

105 Bread
Art and science come together in the perfect crusty bread, which is delicious fresh, but also versatile the next day. It is transformed into a serving vessel for Bread Bowl with Lamb Stew. Menisha Made into Ribolito is a rustic soup of hardy greens cooked with leftover bread. Michael also prepares Tomato Carpaccio with Panzanella. A visit to San Francisco's PANoRAMA Bakery reveals the secrets to making a perfect loaf.

106 Corn
Along with tomatoes, corn is a true manifestation of summer. Freshly harvested at its peak, corn doesn't even need to be cooked. Michael prefers the less-sweet "corny" tasting yellow corn for his Raw Corn, Arugula & Pecorino Salad with Grilled Chicken Breast; Grilled Corn Salsa; Corn Cocktail; Corn Pasta with Dried Tomatoes; and Halibut & Corn Salad with "Broken" Vinaigrette. Friends join Michael for dinner al fresco.

107 Summer Squash
Summer squashes are wonderful fried, roasted, grilled, steamed, or sautéed. Paired with prosciutto, they are exquisite, as in Saltimbocca of Zucchini. Hot and cold come together in Crispy Zucchini Salad with Tomato Vinegar. Southern Italian Ratatouille is a summer staple that is quickly transformed into burgers, pasta, gratin, and risotto. A visit to Forni-Brown Gardens yields the freshest squash imaginable.

108 Balsamic Vinegar
Acento balsamico traditionale is in a class of its own, complex and pleasingly balanced between tartness and sweetness. Michael shows when to use your best balsamic vinegar, or when to be more economical, in recipes like Sautéed Zucchini Batons with Melon "Pasta," Portobello Mushroom Cooked like a Steak, a meal as earthy and robust as it sounds; and Bistecca with Balsamic-Roasted Onions.

109 Peas & Beans
The short growing season for fresh peas and shelling beans forces a hurried celebration. Delicate, earthy and sweet, they need barely be cooked. Pan Stew of Scallops, Peas, and Pearl Onions is quick, light and delicious. Michael learned to make Pasta with Fresh Fava Bean Sauce while visiting his mother's hometown in Calabria, Italy. He uses a grill as a smoker for his easy rendition of Barely Smoked Salmon with Pea and Potato Salad.

110 Chocolate
If you weren't already craving chocolate, Michael's visit to the Scharffen Berger factory-considered the créme de la créme of chocolate makers-will put you in the right frame of mind. In Michael's kitchen, sumptuous layers of chocolate cake, Chocolate Mascarpone Mousse, and Zabaglione come together in Tra Vigne's Chocolate Tiramisù.

111 Piadine & Mozzarella
Are these little pizzas or open-faced sandwiches? Either way, they are wonderful out-of-hand or on a plate. Piadine with Blue Cheese Caesar Salad tops a warm, crunchy crust with cold greens and dressing. The addictive Chicken Piadine with Baby Spinach offers a great opportunity to eat your greens. Michael demonstrates how to make your own mozzarella at home for Grilled Eggplant Pizza. Guest is Palma Quagliata.

112 Salads
Salads present a good opportunity to showcase foods at their peak and create dramatic juxtapositions, from simple Mixed Greens to Michael's Crispy Onion Salad. Autumn Fruit and Frisée Salad with Panettone Croutons makes a festive looking starter for Thanksgiving. Roasted Beet, Onion and Orange Salad contrasts bright citrus with earthy flavors. Barney Welsh at Forni-Brown Gardens shares his farm-fresh lettuces.

113 Rice & Risotto
Risotto is a versatile staple of the Italian menu. The classic version uses arborio rice, as in this Asparagus Risotto with Shiitake Mushrooms or Potato Risotto with English Peas, Prosciutto Bits and Carrot. But Michael also uses other grains, like the small Italian pasta known as pastina in Rock Shrimp and Spicy Roasted Pepper Pasta. Guests are organic rice grower Jerry Maltby at Broken Box Ranch, and Bill Davies and Jim Higa at California Pacific Rice Milling.

114 Mushrooms
For Michael, the perfect autumn dish begins with a mushroom hunt after the first rains of the season. The big flavors these mushrooms create promote quickly prepared meals like Fusilli Michelangelo-named for one of mama Chiarello's pet names for Michael-and Grilled Chicken with Grilled Mushroom Vinaigrette. Lamb Shanks with Mushroom Bolognese has variations made with turkey, veal and chicken.

115 Wine Festa
A celebration of the grape harvest serves as a backdrop for a menu served right in the vineyards for winemakers and harvesters. Forever Roasted Pork is started in the morning and left in the oven until you are ready to eat it, 6 to 8 hours later. It is accompanied by rich mashed potatoes and Rhubarb and Red Banana Crostata, a reinvention of the classic American cobbler.

116 Artichokes
This beautiful plant protects its tasty center with inedible armor. Yes, it takes some work to trim the hearts from the artichokes, but think of it as a little winter therapy, and worth it for delicious Lemon-Braised Artichokes and White Beans with Pan-Seared Pork and Roasted Artichokes, Carrots, and Fennel with Pan-Roasted Halibut. Cindy Pawlcyn, chef of Mustards Restaurant and a longtime resident of Napa Valley, is guest.

117 Potatoes
Potatoes are at their very best when they are fresh, in the Spring. Michael's kids join him in the kitchen to help prepare a smorgasbord of The Definitive Mashed Potatoes with Variations, the ultimate in homey comfort food. Polpette of Potato with Avocado, Red Onion, and Cucumber Salad is elegant, but simple to prepare. Michael also explores the contrasts between olive oil from California and Italy.

118 Eggplant
The robust flavors of the eggplant are just the thing for crisp fall weather. Michael's homey "food hugs" include Roasted Eggplant and Onion Raviolini with Roasted Tomato Sauce, terrific as a first course, alongside a piece of lamb, or by itself; Lasagnette of Eggplant and Goat Cheese; and a wonderful appetizer or hors d'ouevre, Caponata with Polenta Crackers.

119 "Counter Culture"
Songwriter and performer Jack Blades and heavy-metal rocker C.C. DeVille from the band Poison join Michael at the kitchen counter for casual dishes that people who live "in the fast lane" can pull together quickly, while enjoying their good company. Recipes include Grilled Flank Steak with Roasted Peppers in Tomato Sauce, Potato Soup with Warm Clam Salad, and Famous Roast Garlic Crab.

120 Citrus
Brilliant colored oranges, tangerines, lemons and grapefruit bring a welcome brightness to winter. Tangy flavors add a spark to wintry dishes, such as Chicken with Roasted Lemon and Rosemary Sauce; and Lemon-Baked Sea Bass with Spinach Salad. Whole Citrus Vinaigrette is great to have around to use on everything. Dinner is shared with good friends in front of a roaring fire.

121 Winter Squash
Pumpkin and squash are sweet and hearty when roasted. Roasted Butternut Squash Soup also doubles as a tasty sauce, or a filling for Roasted Winter Squash Ravioli. For absolutely no waste, the shell makes a beautiful serving tureen for "Pumpkin" Pastina Served Family Style in a Pumpkin. Michael's daugher Giana joins him in the kitchen, and her friends drop in for dinner before their Halloween trick-or-treating.

122 Cookies
As in most kitchens, the holidays in Michael's house inspire a lot of baking, which is influenced by family traditions. Pastura was strictly a holiday cookie for Michael, but you can enjoy them anytime. Bugia, or liar's cookies, leave a tell-tale trail of powdered sugar behind. Michael also demonstrates classic Biscotti and samples roasted cocoa beans at the Scharffen Berger chocolate factory. Guest is Mariano Orlando.