From ornamenting your pastries to adding embellishment to your table, Michael Davenport believed that for all the time we take preparing our food, it should be presented proudly. An elaborately, or even just a neatly set table can get the salivary glands going.

On this week's episode of Japan Eats, Akiko is joined in the studio by Ruri Kippenbrock, the founder of

Learn the secrets of quality event design with David Stark! This week on After the Jump, Grace Bonney invited David into the studio to talk about his history with painting, flower arrangements, and throwing spectacular parties.

This week on Let's Eat In, Cathy talks to the author of the "Hip Girls Guide to Homemaking", Kate Payne, about quick pickling, mending parties, and more. Kate takes us inside the re-appropriation of homemaking with an emphasis on community and crowdsourcing.