Cooking couple produce show with a spotlight on the family.

Byline: Jim Boyd The Register-Guard

Caprial and John Pence's latest cooking series won't show up on public television stations nationwide until April, but Oregon Public Broadcasting viewers get a weekly preview of the new family-oriented show beginning this Sunday at 5:30 p.m.

Produced by Caprial and John Inc., in partnership with Oregon Public Broadcasting, "Caprial and John's Kitchen: Cooking for Family and Friends" features 26 new episodes showcasing the husband and wife chefs.

The series is the first the Pences have produced as well as starred in. As a consequence, John Pence said, they were able to control all the creative aspects of the show.

"I'm proud to be able to produce and do the show with my wife and my family. That's a lot of fun," Pence said. "And to see the final outcome and how well it came out, it makes you feel like you did a good thing. ... Sometimes you do a show and you don't think it's the best that ever was, but I really felt like all the shows we did really came off really well."

The Pences' previous series was filmed before live audiences at the KOIN studios in downtown Portland. The new series was filmed without an audience during two weeks in September - three episodes a day - at Caprial & John's Kitchen, the Pences' cooking school in Portland's Westmoreland neighborhood, and on location at Portland-area markets, vineyards, bakeries and even the couple's own kitchen and backyard at home.

The series is based on "Caprial and John's Kitchen: Recipes for Cooking Together," a cookbook they co-authored two summers ago that was published this year by Ten Speed Press.

The show emphasizes family life - "people cooking together and getting together and working in the kitchen together," Pence said. The Pences' children, Alex, 15, and Savannah, 11, are featured in three shows.

"We also put a lot of emphasis on Oregon," Pence said. "We talk about Oregon a lot to try to promote Oregon and get people to come here and visit - you know, help out the economy."

Caprial Pence has been a familiar television cooking teacher since her 65-episode "Caprial's Cafe" debuted on the Learning Channel in 1994.

The following year, the show moved to PBS under a new name, "Caprial! Cooking for Friends." In 2001, John Pence came on board and the show was renamed "Cooking with Caprial and John."

The new series will be shown on Oregon Public Broadcasting at 5:30 p.m. on Sundays, with a repeat of each show at 2 p.m. the following Saturday.

This Sunday's initial episode is titled "Summer Barbecue." The recipes being demonstrated are John's Ribs with Plum Barbecue Sauce, Sauteed Baby Mustard Greens, and Potato Salad with Curry.

Other episodes will focus on ingredients from the farmers' market, a family birthday party, restaurant techniques for cooking at home, fresh pasta, braising, wine and food pairing, seafood, steaks, bread and biscuits, breakfast, soups and stews, a holiday dinner, knife skills, frozen desserts, a romantic Parisian supper, pies and tarts, a visit to Caprial's Bistro, sauteing, Asian ingredients, appetizers, sauces, pastry, and even pizza. One show focuses on cooking with kids.

"Aphrodisiac Dinner," the last episode, includes a menu "designed to make the evening end with more than just dessert," the couple's news release says. The meal consists of Artichokes with Basil and Honey, Rack of Lamb with Silky Spice Sauce, and Chocolate Fondue.

CAPTION(S):

Chefs Caprial and John Pence have produced 26 episodes of "Caprial and John's Kitchen: Cooking for Family and Friends." Oregon Public Broadcasting John and Caprial Pence prepare pasta for their show.