5@5 is a daily, food-related list from chefs, writers, political pundits, musicians, actors, and all manner of opinionated people from around the globe.

It’s not easy being king – that is, unless you’re King of the Cocktail. Master mixologist Dale DeGroff is just that, earning the nickname “King Cocktail” because of such intoxicating intelligence.

DeGroff is the author of "The Essential Cocktail," winner of the 2009 Spirit Awards, and "The Craft of the Cocktail," winner of the 2002 International Association of Culinary Professionals Cookbook Award.

He was also given the James Beard Foundation Award for “Outstanding Wine & Spirits Professional” in 2009, and the Tales of the Cocktail “Helen David Lifetime Achievement Award” in 2008 – among umpteen others.

Now, "the King" has found himself in the 5@5 hot seat to offer up some punchy, potent, Prohibition potations that are having a resurgence - no speakeasy required.

Top Five Prohibition Cocktails Making a Comeback - Where to Get Them and How to Make Them: Dale DeGroff
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Donna Huntley works in CNN Viewer Communications Management. This is her first in an ongoing series on her journey to understand wine.

Confession time: Until recently, I had never in my life partaken in wine. My parents did not drink it, we never had it in the house and it was never ordered when we went out to eat.

Wine was boring; I never really had a need or desire to learn about the topic, dreaded the thought of ever consuming it and certainly was not going to “waste” any time on the subject. It was not something I would ever lose sleep over. No, wine did not have a place in my life - until last month.

Not long ago my mother, who found out she was adopted, started researching her biological family. She found out that her grandmother once owned a vineyard. We don’t know much about it other than a sentence alongside some family notes, which included the phrases "she owned a vineyard" and "made wine." According to the notes, she was pretty good at it too.
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We may be a smidge late to the party, but we're suddenly, wholly charmed by this backstory segment from last Sunday's 60 Minutes wherein our own Anderson Cooper and rapper Eminem go to Burger King for a Diet Coke. You know, like any multi-gazillionaire recording artist and iconic TV anchor would when they're just kickin' it awkward-style in the mean streets of the Detroit suburbs.

Fun starts around 1:13 on CBSnews.com

Every so often, we're highlighting a local or regional blogger we think you ought to know about. We can’t be everywhere at once, so we look to these passionate eaters, cooks and writers to keep us tapped into every facet of the food world. Consider this a way to get to know a blog’s taste buds, because, well, you should.

Who: Merry-Jennifer Markham, of the merry gourmet
Where: Gainesville, Florida
Twitter: @merrymed
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Unless you've been living under half a mile of rock, you're aware of the astonishing rescue effort underway in Chile. 33 miners were trapped by a cave-in at a San Jose mine on Aug. 5 and were first feared dead, but teams bored down to an emergency shelter on Aug. 22 and found all safe inside.

Since late last night, miners have been lifted, one by one, to the surface via a specially designed capsule, and the family of at least one of them, Claudio Yáñez, is planning a special taste of freedom for him. His aunt told the New York Times, "We’re going to toast him with Champagne, and feed him a bit of roasted chicken."

We've been sharing menus from the mines - cuisine crafted to fit down the 4-inch tube that was their only conduit to the world 2,300 feet above - and CNN reported that the men were switched to a liquid diet to minimize the chances of them becoming ill on the way up.

A full-on feast might be staved off for a little while as the men adapt to life above ground, but if it were you - how would you like to commemorate your rescue, once you were feeling up to it?

Sink your teeth into today's top stories from around the globe.

• Starbucks baristas are being told to prepare no more than two drinks at a time. - Wall Street Journal

• On why the highly-regarded Michelin Guide might be "just another crappily written restaurant guide." - TIME

• How to handle a drunken guest ... at a baby shower. - CHOW

• Oreo cookies are being dunked and twisted by the likes of Shaq and Eli Manning in Kraft's new advertising push.– AdAge

• This happy hour you speak of - what's the point? - Inside Scoop SF

We may have mentioned we have a bit of a thing for this particular tuber.

While you're frying up some eggs and bacon, we're cooking up something else: a way to celebrate today's food holiday and the most delicious finds on TV.

Cheerio! October 13 is National Yorkshire Pudding Day.

For those not schooled in the British art of "pud," Yorkshire pudding is a savory, not sweet, creation reminiscent of a popover.

A batter of eggs, flour and milk is baked in meat drippings (where else?) and typically served alongside roast beef and gravy as a first-rate jus sopper-upper.

But don't take our word for it: the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

What's on TV?
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