Celebrate Upgrade Month At Tasting Table

"The only sin is mediocrity."

So said groundbreaking dancer and choreographer Martha Graham. And though we may not be practicing our contraction-and-release technique this September, we are taking her exacting words to heart—by bringing our collective dining, cooking and drinking experiences to a higher ground.

This month at Tasting Table's Soho office, we're embracing the upgrade. We'll learn cheffy techniques, expand our wine knowledge and make breakfast a little bit more interesting. We'll watch the country's best chefs take old favorites to a whole new level (stay tuned for Bruce Kalman's luxurious handmade pasta, Matthew Jennings's rich clam chowder and Bill Telepan's insane mushroom burgers). We'll show you ways to make a plain bowl of rice extraordinary and introduce you to a game-changing spice. We'll turn an of-the-moment lowbrow shot (hint: It rhymes with "miremall") into a classy cocktail.

And because we couldn't ignore the fact that September is back-to-school month, we're elevating the duds we used to find in our lunch boxes with our Sandwich of the Week series. Check back for new takes on egg salad, PB&J, even the usually sad turkey sando.

After you've soaked up all of these ideas and recipes, it might be time to take a bow.