This month on KQED Public TV 9, there are several television shows which will be of interest to those who love food. In addition to regular food programming like America's Test Kitchen, Mexico: One Plate at a Time with Rick Bayless, and Weir Cooking in the City, April brings us some special programming.

American Masters: Julia! America's Favorite Chef first debuted last summer and is a very good, comprehensive look at the life of Julia Child and her impact on the modern food culture. It re-airs Sunday, April 1 at 1:00 a.m.

Black Gold is a movie that looks at the disparity between the price Americans pay at coffee houses for our venti lattes and pricey drinks and the price that coffee farmers in third world countries are paid. The movie covers Fair Trade issues and the enormous coffee industry in this country. Originally shown in some movie theaters, this movie is being shown as a part of PBS' Independent Lens series. It airs Tuesday, April 10 at 10:00 p.m.

I first talked about The Real Dirt on Farmer John in 2005 when I saw it as a part of the San Francisco Film Festival. If you have any interest in the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) movement in America or the life of a really interesting farmer in Illinois, then this is a movie for you. The Real Dirt on Farmer John tells us about the life of John Peterson who is the farmer of Angelic Organics, a farm outside of Chicago. The Real Dirt on Farmer John airs as on Tuesday, April 17 at 11:00 p.m.

While perusing the KQED TV site, I noticed a show called Chefs A' Field, which I am hesitant to admit is new to me. In April, Chefs A Field will profile chefs such as Cory Schreiber of Wildwood in Portland and chef Tom Douglas of Seattle's Palace Kitchen. This show follows the chefs from farm to kitchen, tracing food sources and showing recipes. You can be sure I'll be tuning in. For a full schedule, view the Chefs A' Field section of the KQED website.

Labels: jennifer maiser, KQED