Appetizers

OK, moms and moms-to-be - here's a shout-out from the Green Boheme restaurant, which specializes in "organic, raw, vegan, gluten-free, soy-free (dishes)."

Chef Brooke Preston has created a dish specifically for expectant mothers - "birthberry pie," which, she says, is "packed with nutrition and antioxidants." Ingredients include coconut, coconut oil, blueberries, cashews and dates.

The pie will debut on Mother's Day at Green Boheme, where moms and soon-to-be moms will get 25 percent off the $7.50 price.

Meanwhile, join chef Preston at 6 p.m. Wednesday for her culinary class that will teach how to make birthberry pie at home. Cost is $10, or watch the streaming version for free at the restaurant's Facebook page, www.facebook.com/thegreenboheme.

Green Boheme will serve a full menu on Mother's Day, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. The restaurant is at 1825 Del Paso Blvd., Sacramento; (916) 920-4278.

Your family and friends go wild when you prepare your special chicken dish from your super-secret recipe. If that's a close scenario in your cooking life, maybe you should get in line for the $10,000 grand prize (plus a year's supply of chicken) in the third annual Foster Farms Fresh Chicken Cooking Contest.

The competition is open to "home, amateur and professional chefs in California, Oregon and Washington." One of the rules: Recipes must reflect the "fresh ingredients grown on the West Coast." Entry deadline is June 3.

After the preliminary rounds, six finalists will compete for the top spot on Sept. 28 at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena.

For the rules: www.fosterfarms.com/cookingcontest. To see last year's recipes, visit the company's new Pinterest virtual pinboard page: http://pinterest.com/fosterfarmsca.

There are three ways to enter the contest: online at www.fosterfarms.com/cookingcontest; via email at cookingcontest@fosterfarms.com; and by snail mail at Foster Farms, c/o Cooking Contest, P.O. Box 306, Livingston, CA 95334. For still more info, Foster Farms has Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Bee staff photograph by Randy Pench

Two chauffeur-driven Rolls Royces stop next to each other at an intersection. The passengers in the backseats of both cars are eating lunch. The men are dressed in suits and ties.

The dashing gent in the white Rolls leans out the car window and asks the distinguished-looking man in the tan Rolls, "Pardon me. Would you have any Grey Poupon?"
"But of course," the man replies in a French accent, handing over a jar.
Voiceover: "The finer things in life... Happily, some are affordable."

That iconic 1980s TV commercial helped raise America's consciousness about mustard from the city of Dijon in the Burgundy region of France, the mustard capital of the world. Misguidedly, many Americans are still stuck on good 'ol ballpark mustard.

It's time to move on with two luscious Dijon mustards from Reine de Dijon, condiment-makers since 1840 - a traditional yellow, and that same mustard spiked with red pepper and tomato. Find them at Corti Bros. Market, 5810 Folsom Blvd., Sacramento, (916) 736-3800. They're $3.99 each in seven-ounce jars.

brobertson@sacbee.com

Stella, the well-respected restaurant at the Cedar House Sport Hotel in Truckee, is known for its fine cooking. But it also has a reputation for its cooking classes. I recently received an email detailing Stella's upcoming classes, and there seems to be something for everyone. I am especially interested in the class on salt. As some of you know, I wrote a story a few months back on the illuminating book, "Salted," by Mark Bitterman (not to be confused with Mark Bittman).

While looking at Stella's website this morning, I was impressed to see they are baking bread in a wood-fired oven and selling the loaves retail. That alone may be worth a road trip.

Below are the details about the upcoming classes, dubbed, "Dishing with Stella." Taking a class would be a nice way to spend a day in the Sierra. Even better, make it a part of a multi-day adventure.

I am looking at a photograph published in the Wall Street Journal showing one of the greatest chef's of our generation. Grant Achatz's restaurant in Chicago, Alinea, was awarded three Michelin stars and it has been listed by some as the best restaurant in the United States, and by others as one of the best restaurants in the world (how anyone can know these things without actually visiting all of the contenders within days of one another is a topic for another time).

Achatz is slim. His shirt is untucked. But my eyes looking over his shoulder. Yikes! He has a microwave! And it's white! And it's over his range! It's one of those gawd-awful microwaves that doubles as an exhaust hood - the kind that we used to have, the one that couldn't exhaust anything to save its life. The range and oven are also white. I rubbed my eyes. Refocused. Still white.

For the past decade or so, whether it was on one HGTV show after another or in magazines dealing with style and design like "Dwell," we have been led to believe that anything but stainless steel appliances are the kitchen equivalent of a fashion faux pas. We were supposed to make our kitchens look more commercial, more rugged. Watch HGTV. "Househunters," for instance. The first thing folks say when they walk through and encounter white or black appliances is, "Oh, we'll have to upgrade those." There is a slight and recent trend to offer other appliance options, like hiding them behind cabinetry.

I thought the LA Times did a nice job on this piece about Thomas Keller and how he makes the perfect omelet.

As the visionary behind the French Laundry and Per Se points out, sometimes it's all about simple ingredients done with the proper technique. Keller does a couple of interesting things: he uses a blender and he uses relatively low heat with a non-stick pan. This is in contrast to the classic French technique of high heat with an untreated carbon steel pan, with clarified butter and two forks to stir vigorously.

Since it's always nice to learn a new approach, read the text, watch the video and give this a try. As Keller opines, the omelet is not just for breakfast -- he likes to eat his perfectly cooked eggs at night.

And if you're still looking for different, take a look at what I posted here a few weeks back -- poached scrambled eggs!

Blair Anthony Robertson is The Bee's restaurant critic. Follow him on Twitter, @blarob.

I just heard back from Jenny Cavaliere, the farmer in Oregon House who owns and operates High Sierra Beef (see the original story here). She tells me the new farm store is in the process of being fully stocked and that the best time to visit is in early March. The store is open Saturdays and Sundays until 3 p.m. We're already planning a trip. If you're thinking of doing something similar, be sure to bring along an ice chest to pack the meat for the drive home (about 90 minutes). That way, you don't have to hurry to leave Oregon House and you don't have to worry about spoilage.

Ever since I came across the technique in the January 2012 issue of "Food and Wine," I've been tinkering with a new way to make scrambled eggs.

I'm referring to the illuminating article about Coi's Daniel Patterson and Rene Redzepi of Noma, considered by many to be one of the greatest restaurants in the world. They recently spent time at Patterson's house in Oakland collaborating on ways to come up with new flavors.

This is something for which Redzepi is particularly renowned. His rather mesmerizing book, "Noma: Time and Place in Nordic Cuisine" has scores of recipes using ingredients plucked right from the land, sometimes while strolling through the woods, traipsing across a meadow or walking along the seashore.

This scrambled egg dish is much more accessible. And it's a pretty cool trick.

Partially fill a pot with water. The pot should have high walls because you'll be stirring the water very briskly. My first go-round, the water tumbled over the top, so I switched to a taller pot.

Once the water is boiling, take a large spoon and stir vigorously (but carefully), creating a vortex. You will have already beaten your eggs. Stop stirring and immediately pour the beaten eggs into the vortex. Quickly cover the pot, turn down the heat and cook for about 40 seconds (for four eggs, slightly less for two eggs).

Carefully pour out the water into the sink, holding back the eggs with a slotted spoon. Then pour the eggs into a colander or strainer. The magazine suggests straining for 10 seconds. I found it needed longer than that; otherwise, you'll have watery eggs.

In no time, you're looking at plump, perfectly cooked eggs - something between scrambled and an omelet. They're good enough to eat just like that, with a pinch of salt, maybe. But the Redezepi/Patterson article has a nice goat cheese sauce to add to the eggs.

You'll do this ahead of time: Take 4 ounces of fresh goat cheese and whisk with a ¼ cup of warm water. Then 2 ounces of shredded aged hard goat cheese (maybe gouda), 1 tablespoon of grated parmesan and stir into a pot with ¾ cup of simmering water. Stir until melted, then whisk in the fresh goat cheese mixture. Season with salt and pepper.

Spoon the eggs into bowls (1 or 2 eggs per bowl), then spoon the cheese mixture on top. Drizzle olive oil over that and adjust the seasonings to suit.

It's a great new dish. And an entertaining way to get there.

If you're looking for more advanced recipes from Redzepi, you'll certainly enjoy his book, which is loaded with beautiful photographs. On page 275, for instance, there's a poached egg recipe (but not scrambled and poached), that includes radishes and verbena sauce. The entire dish is then covered with heated sea lettuce, creating an opaque window over the eggs and radishes.

Can Kelli Powers go from kitchen disaster to culinary master? The Sacramento woman has all-star help from celebrity chefs and a chance to win $25,000.

Powers is one of 16 contestants tabbed for season three of Food Network's "Worst Cooks in America," which debuts at 9 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 12.

Powers will be part of chef Anne Burrell's team of eight "recruits." They'll battle in kitchen boot camp with eight other admittedly awful cooks, mentored by superstar chef Bobby Flay.

All 16 contestants were nominated by family and friends for their atrocious cooking skills.

"Kelli's Nana -- her grandmother -- saw great cooking potential in her as a child, though Kelli was more interested in hitting the books than the pots and pans," according to the show's website. "Now a mother herself, Kelli wants to maintain her family's cooking traditions and is determined to no longer be the mom whose dish sits untouched at potlucks."

In the season premiere, Powers and cohorts attempt Orange Pumpkin Pancakes with Vanilla Whipped Cream and Cinnamon Maple Syrup. The contestant with the least successful dish each week goes home.

Upcoming episodes feature an international cuisine challenge, seafood preparation and cooking for a class of third graders. The series culminates April 8 when the two most-improved cooks are judged by culinary stars David Burke, Marcus Samuelsson and Susan Feniger. The winner gets $25,000 plus new confidence in the kitchen.

For more details, click on www.FoodNetwork.com/Worst-Cooks-In-America. Full episodes will be available for online streaming the day after original broadcast.

John Paul Khoury, the corporate chef for Preferred Meats, is one of the good guys in the business. He's smart, passionate, and committed to doing things the right way -- and the right way usually means a better, more flavorful product on your plate.

Khoury's main business is supplying high-end, sustainable proteins to some of the best restaurants around. But he's also a superb chef who often educates as he cooks. Usually, it's professional chefs. This time, it's the listeners for Capital Public Radio in a segment with the station's food journalist and author Elaine Corn.

Click here to learn a little about cooking a duck breast and making a sauce.

Blair Anthony Robertson is The Bee's restaurant critic. Follow him on Twitter, @blabrob.

You know her. You love her. But have you eaten her food?

If you're a fan of the fun and informative local food blog, Undercover Caterer, and/or you've been known to enjoy a good adult beverage at the legendary downtown bar Old Ironsides, AND if you like a really good bargain for dinner, I'm showing you the way to your perfect Monday night.

That's right, in a subtle stroke of ingenuity, Old Ironsides is having guest chef nights on Mondays to coincide with Monday Night Football. This Monday (Dec. 5), Sarah Singleton, aka the Undercover Caterer, is the chef. She's not a professional cook, but she is into food way, way more than most mortals. And she certainly knows her way around a kitchen. Her blog is loaded with recipes of all kinds, thoughts about cooking and food adventures.

The price of this dinner is a great deal -- $5. Dinner is expected to be served around halftime of the game -- about 6:30 or 7 p.m. No details yet on what Sarah will be cooking, but I'm sure it will be good -- and your $5 will go a long way. I don't think she could go wrong with her own recipe, "Baby back ribs with big cherry and Dr. Pepper sauce (pictured here)." Or maybe "Uncle Bobby's sausage burgers with peppers and onions (and marinated eggplant salad)." After I wrote this, Sarah, who actually has a real job, got back to me with some information about the dinner. She writes: "A prosperity sandwich, some sort of vegetable and gooey butter cake---all St Louis specialties. All designed to clog your arteries as well." Still, you won't have to sign a waiver before eating at Old I this Monday.

Sarah and I made an impromptu food swap a few months back -- a loaf of my sourdough for a jar of her homemade jam -- and it was a delicious deal for me. Her husband, Guido, is also quite the cook (and musician).

If you're not familiar with the venerable and beloved Old Ironsides, "Midtown Monthly" had a very informative piece on the bar a couple of years back. You can read it by clicking here.

If you're into design and baking, and you'd like to put your talents to work while helping a worthy cause, here's your chance.

The American Institute of Architects, Central Valley Chapter, and the Sacramento Self Help Housing are sponsoring an inaugural gingerbread house competition.

For avid home bakers, don't fret that you'll be pitted against the second coming of Frank Lloyd Wright or Gaston Lenotre. There are three separate categories:
*Professionals (architects or professional bakers, with a $25 entry fee)
*General public (you may or may not know what you're doing, but nobody pays you for it; no entry fee)
*kids 6 to 12 (also no entry fee).

To register, visit http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/210210 and select the appropriate category.

Take your house to AIA Central Valley office (1400 S St., Suite 100, Sacramento) on Nov. 30 or Dec. 1 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The entry must be edible and mounted on a base no larger than 20x20 inches. Other than that, creativity is encouraged.

Those interested in sponsoring the event as an underwriter are encouraged to call 916-444-3658.

Some readers expressed concern about product sourcing in my "First Impressions" piece on Juno's Kitchen & Delicatessen. Specifically, in this farm-to-table, local-first restaurant town, they were not thrilled that chef Mark Helms uses beef from New Zealand. I may have raved about his burger, but some wondered why he didn't get his beef from around here.

It's an excellent question - and a tough one.

Before I address it, let's begin with a digression. Way back in 2004, The Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op went through a red meat controversy (the Co-op wanted to carry red meat, while opponents didn't want anything more, animal-wise, than seafood and chicken in the store). After much debate, the very ethical store opted to carry organic beef from Prather Ranch in Klamath Falls, Ore. It seems so long ago, because well-sourced beef is such a big-seller at the Co-op now - and so mainstream. Back then, I went to Prather Ranch to check out what it was all about and learn why it met the Co-op's very stringent guidelines. I note that it was a five-hour drive, one-way, which meant I passed a lot of other beef ranches large and small just getting there.

If you're really into food, the new book "Salted" by Mark Bitterman (not Mark Bittman) is a must read. Here's my story in today's food section.

Recently, when my girlfriend and I traveled to New York, we stopped by The Meadow, Bitterman's shop in the West Village. The photo above is the wall of salt. Pretty amazing selection. The salt is also available online here.

Locally, the best places I have found for buying salt are the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op, Corti Brothers, and Taylor's Market.

I recently received an email from a reader who wanted to know a couple of my favorite places to get a good steak. I cut right to the chase: Walk to the back of Corti Brothers, peer through the glass at the various cuts of beef, and pick out something called the "Cowboy Steak." You won't have to look hard -- it's humongous. If you cook that thing properly, all two pounds of it, it will blow your mind. Covered wagon, Gatling gun and open flame are optional.

John Paul Khoury, the corporate chef for Preferred Meats, stopped by the house today to cook up some sausages and give me a chance to sample three products the company hopes to make available soon.

Known to chefs at some of the area's finer restaurants, Preferred is a boutique company that supplies top-shelf meat with an emphasis on sustainable agriculture. I have done several tastings with JP, most focusing on steak or pork, and find these sessions to be helpful. I try to keep up with the latest and best products out there, and I find that comparing different meat from various sources helps me appreciate the often subtle differences..

Now, Preferred is making its own sausage, with a proprietary blend of Berkshire and Duroc pork in a thin lamb casing. JP cooked up three kinds of sausage in my trusty cast iron pan: a breakfast sausage and two kinds of Italian -- mild and hot. In addition to this tasting, JP was making the rounds Friday to several restaurants.The sausage is not yet being sold, so he was simply looking for feedback from chefs. This is part of the business the public often doesn't get to see. Good chefs are constantly on the lookout for products new and great. The taste has to be there, and the price has to make sense. Then there's the all-important logistical component: can you get it to us whenever we need it? If the answer is no or maybe, a chef may pass on it.

After he does enough sausage tastings with chefs, taking notes along the way, JP may tweak the recipes slightly to arrive at a finished product that enough chefs will want to put on their menus.

The next stop for JP on Friday was to see Chef Pajo Bruich at Lounge ON20. I called Pajo later and asked for his impressions.

He said: "I appreciate what JP is doing getting input from myself and other chefs around town and it's nice to think we will have a hand in the finished product
I thought the sausage was very well made. From my perspective it seemed to be 100 percent about the quality of the meat they are putting into the sausage. The meat was fantastic."

Pajo and I agreed that, if anything, the overall flavor profile was straightforward and perhaps one-dimensional. But when you are using high-quality meat, the chef pointed out, you don't want it to be overshadowed by a plethora of seasonings.

I thought the quality of the sausage was very good, and especially I enjoyed the spicy heat of the breakfast sausage, which was seasoned with sage, garlic and chili flake. JP said some of the feedback from chefs was that there might be too much heat for a breakfast sausage. I could go either way on that, but I grew up putting Tobasco on my eggs, so I enjoy the heat.

In a matter of weeks, these sausages -- tweaked recipes or not, high heat or a version toned down a tad -- will likely land on several menus in the area,

The next tasting on JP's schedule Friday was with Chef Pajo Bruich at Lounge ON20. I called Pajo later to get his impressions.

"I appreciate what JP is doing getting input from myself and other chefs around town and it's great to think we will have a hand in the finished product.
I thought the sausage was very well made. From my perspective it seemed to be 100 percent about the quality of the meat they are putting into the sausage. The meat was fantastic."

He said:Pajo and I differed a little on the seasonings -- he thought the Italian sausage needed more coriander and fennel, while I could have been happier with a bit less. But we agreed that, if anything, the overall flavor profile was straightforward, even one-dimensional. But when you are using high quality meat, the chef noted, you don't want it to be overshadowed by a plethora of seasonings.

My phone has been ringing off the hook (remember when we put phones on hooks?) since word got out that Good Eats closed for good on Saturday.

My reaction? What took so long? This was a wounded, flailing dodo bird that just wouldn't die.

It was a big-budget eatery and gourmet grocery on Folsom Boulevard run by Mike and Julie Teel, of the family that owns Raley's grocery stores. It was eagerly anticipated, clumsily announced (remember the Corti Brother brouhaha?), awkwardly unveiled and, finally, it operated with a mix of chaos and confusion. Holding it all together? That's right, mediocre food.

Garlic is everywhere, so much so that we tend to overlook the details of where it comes from, how fresh it is and how it should taste.

Here is a new report I just heard on Capital Public Radio by Elaine Corn, who recently returned to the airwaves after a break. Corn interviewed 84-year-old Woodland farmer Perry Skinner. It's nice to hear her enlightening segments again.

Click here to read and listen.

Love blueberries? You're in luck.

The California Farm Bureau Federation reports that is could be a bumper crop year for blueberries.

San Joaquin Valley blueberry farmers are harvesting their crops right now, which could be the best quality and size in recent history.

The blueberry harvest happens three or four times throughout the summer, since blueberries on the same plant can ripen at different times, the farm bureau reported in its weekly e-newsletter.

Consumers should expect increased supplies - and lower prices - at markets now. Prices were highest when the harvest season began back in mid-May.

So what can you do with a bounty of blueberries, beyond the obvious smoothies or muffins? Try a mesclun salad with blueberries, goat cheese and a lemon vinaigrette. Put a spin on bruschetta and top toast points with blueberries, basil and lemon zest. Top sugar cookies with a thin layer of mascarpone and blueberries.

Or just kick back with this blueberry bourbon recipe from Serious Eats.

Photo credit: Eric Paul Zamora/Fresno Bee

When you dream of becoming a chef and change your life to chase down that dream, it's supposed to go something like this:

You kiss your lousy job and your miserable boss goodbye, you immerse yourself in culinary school, and you show all your instructors that you have a knack for cooking that just might revolutionize the restaurant world. You do an internship at a top-flight restaurant, where the staff compares your palate to Mozart's ear. You graduate, and you sift through all the offers, settling for the one that brings in the most money at a joint with the most Michelin stars. The TV gig, the three-book deal and the Lamborghini are just around the corner.

The reality, of course, is something else, and Scott Fenner -- talented and determined as he is -- recently got a heaping dose when he gave notice at Ella Dining Room & Bar. He went back to his former world of working construction.

It wasn't because he couldn't cook.

He just couldn't make ends meet.

A new line of grass-fed lamb has quickly become a hot seller at Taylor's Market in Land Park.

Taylor's owner Danny Johnson toured the Lava Lake Lamb ranch in Idaho in June and began carrying it in early July. The grass-fed summer lamb is raised sustainably, humanely and without the use of antibiotics or growth hormones.

"It's the most sustainably farmed lamb that we could find for mass production," Johnson said. "This stuff is just phenomenal."

The lambs are born in California and raised in the Northern Rockies. And the quality is unparalleled, especially for lamb available during summer months.

"We've never sold as much lamb as we did in July," he said.

The lamb is available at the butcher counter and at the market's adjacent restaurant, Taylor's Kitchen. Johnson said the quality is better, but he's keeping the retail cost of Lava Lake Lamb on par with other lines.

Want to take advantage of some great grilling cuts? Try shoulder chops - just marinate and grill - which run about $7.99 per pound. Or lamb ribs for $4.99 per pound. Click here to get lamb grilling tips and recipes from our recent Food & Wine section.

"It's all about the food. Even a fleeting visit to Thailand can leave you no doubt of this. Walking down the street - almost any street in Thailand - you can only be struck by the variety of stalls (sometimes literally) and amazed at the variety of food. Thais are obsessed by food, talking and thinking about it, then ordering and eating it. Markets brim with produce and snacks. Streets often seem more like busy restaurant corridors than major thoroughfares for traffic."

So begins the beautiful and inspiring coffee table-sized book, "Thai Street Food: Authentic Recipes, Vibrant Traditions," by David Thompson.

This book not only offers 371 pages of vivid photographs of meals and inspiring stories about the daily Thai quest for a great meal, it offers a blueprint, perhaps, of what is missing with regard to Thai cuisine in the Sacramento area. As I noted in my review Sunday of the impressive and consistent cooking at Thai Cottage, we rarely seem to encounter Thai restaurants offering a menu that reflects the amazing regional variety of food in Thailand. Obsession with food? It doesn't really translate to what we see in America.

Four home cooks been named category winners in the 2011 National Beef Cook-Off, one of the most prestigious cooking contests in the country.

The four category winners, who were each awarded a $3,000 cash prize, showcased simple preparations and cooking techniques with beef, great flavors and healthful ingredients, organizers announced in a news release today.

The cookoff, which boasts a $25,000 grand prize, is second only to the Pillsbury Bake-Off in terms of prize money. The National Chicken Cook-off, which used to offer a $100,000 purse for the grand prize winner, has since shuttered.

The Cook-Off category winners are Tedd Smith, of Mount Vernon, N.Y, for his Asian Barbecued Skirt Steak (shown at left); Peggy Calhoun, of Portland, Ore., for her Steppin' Up Beef Fried Rice; Edwina Gadsby, of Great Falls, Mont., for her Asian Beef Sandwiches with Slaw; and Ellen Verdugo, of Gloucester, Mass., for her Flash in the Pan Stir-Fry. Click here to see all the finalists and recipes.

I took a little coffee break this afternoon and enjoyed a thin slice of the cake I made yesterday for my girlfriend's birthday. She is finally old enough to rent a car, I am happy to report. The cake is very moist and the crumb quite tender.

I have been a paying member of the Cook's Illustrated website for at least 7 or 8 years. It's about $35 annually and well worth it if you A) like to cook and B) like to understand why your cooking either succeeds or fails.

I have been eating so much food truck grub lately that I haven't done much cooking at home. But after having my umpteenth grilled sandwich from Drewski's, I thought it was time to make my own. Here's a version of my favorite. Generally, I use my own sourdough bread that I make at home, but I was out, so I used some nice whole wheat bread. Don't underestimate the importance of the bread. If it's not substantial enough, the sandwich won't be as good as it could be.

The cheese is a matter of preference. This time, it was equal amounts sharp cheddar and medium-sharp cheddar, all shredded. The shredded cheese gives some volume and lift, and it seems to allow more uniform melting.

I have been using raw (yes, raw unpasteurized) butter lately and it is pretty impressive. Look for it at the Sunday farmers market or at the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op. The smell alone is wonderful -- like a grassy field. The flavor is deep and almost like a cheese. I coat the outsides of the bread with the raw butter as I heat up the old cast iron pan.

On the inside of the bread, I spread some coarse grain spicy mustard and top it with ground pepper. This seems to complement the flavor of the cheese and gives the sandwich a little zing. Then I add the shredded cheese. Sometimes, I do a double-decker and include a third piece of bread in the middle, with cheese on both sides of it. But I wanted my pants to fit tomorrow, so I went with the traditional two slices.

After the cheese comes the best part -- a smattering of sliced (pickled) jalapenos. I like jalapenos on my cheeseburgers and I like jalapenos on my grilled cheese.

The pan needs to be medium hot -- too hot and you burn the bread before the cheese melts. To help the cheese along, use a lid to trap some of the heat. The raw butter actually seems to burn slower and has a higher smoke point than regular butter, but I'm not sure why.

Grill it up to a golden brown and, voila! Five minutes to make it and about a minute to eat it. It's not going to make me forget about Drewski's and its braised beef (or, for that matter, those battered and deep-fried mac and cheese balls!), but this was good in a pinch.

So how do extreme couponers use up all those ingredients they score for next to nothing? They get creative.

Jen Freeman certainly does.

The Las Vegas mother of two and extreme couponer, who recently was featured at two extreme couponing events hosted by The Sacramento Bee and on TLC's "Extreme Couponing," said she stocks up on fruit and vegetables in season in order to save money, then creates recipes around her ingredients. I wrote about Freeman and her extreme couponing method in today's Food & Wine section. Click here to read the story.

Follow the link below to get Freeman's recipe for homemade strawberry preserves and a homemade strawberry preserves and poptart.

Grilling and barbecuing to celebrate Fourth of July is guaranteed fun, but nothing kills a party faster than food poisoning.

That's why three federal agencies and the Ad Council have teamed up to launch a new campaign, Food Safe Families, this week. The effort is the first joint national multimedia public service campaign and is aimed at helping families prevent food borne illnesses, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture news release.

The USDA, along with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, are behind the campaign, which includes a Facebook page, Twitter handle and online database with answers to hundreds of questions regarding foodborne illness prevention.

More than 100 coupon-clipping enthusiasts packed a Sacramento Bee conference room this morning to hear from expert couponers Jen Freeman and Jennifer Morris.

Freeman, a Las Vegas mother of twins, has been extreme couponing for about five years and earlier this month was featured on the season finale of TLC's "Extreme Couponing."

She wound up on the show after a video her husband filmed gained popularity on YouTube. The video showed only her hands, but in it, Freeman explains the process that helped her whittle a grocery bill to 20 cents from more than $300.

She's refined her process since then after learning a strategy from Jennifer Morris, who teaches in-home couponing classes in conjunction with GrocerySmarts.com, a free website that matches store savings with newspaper coupon inserts, thus taking the hassle out of couponing.

Frozen pops are all the rage, and they also appear to have taken over my brain.

I wake up with ideas for new flavors and textures. Go to bed craving the frozen treat. I think I've gone to the cold side.

My latest quest - create an "adult" pop to be enjoyed after the children are in bed. The result is a Nutella and Frangelico pop that is worthy of praise. The key is to go easy on the hazelnut liqueur (too much and the pop won't freeze). And be sure to keep these pops out of reach of the kids.

For more on frozen pops, click here to check out my story in today's Food & Wine section. Follow the link below to get the recipe for spiked chocolate hazelnut pops.

Here's a fun Friday idea for foodies: head to up Interstate 80 to Newcastle, where Newcastle Produce is offering cooking demonstrations, product samples and discounts.

The store is extending its hours to 8 p.m. every second and fourth Friday of summer to host "Summer Fun Fridays."

This Friday, in-house Chef Chelsea Federwitz will host a free salsa making demonstration and Snow's Citrus Court will hold a food tasting and is offering 15 percent off its products. Customers can also enjoy a wine tasting featuring Bonitata Boutique Wines, according to the store's website.

Participants also will be entered into a drawing for door prizes.

Cooking has many components. You have to understand your ingredients. You must acquire certain skills, some of which take years to master. Then you have to manage things, time and temperature among them. It's a lifelong pursuit that includes plenty of rewards, lots of great meals, a few heartbreaking learning experiences and the chance to buy all kinds of gadgets for your kitchen.

But if the world of cooking seems daunting and if you're unsure how best to begin, I can't think of a better solution than taking a three-week cooking class for beginners, taught by author and distinguished Sacramento food journalist Elaine Corn.

The class meets on three successive Saturdays in July (the 16th, 23rd and 30th) from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The cost is $300, which includes a copy of Corn's book, "Now You're Cooking: Everything a Beginner Needs to Know to Start Cooking Today."

Don't consider yourself a beginner? Even if you know your way around a kitchen, it's always a good idea to brush up on the fundamentals and sharpen the skills you already have. Corn knows what she's talking about. Topics include: pro-level chopping skills, the proper use of salt, knowing when meat and fish are done, and how to time the courses of a meal.

You'll also learn how to bake, boil, steam and sauté "in a positive, completely hands-on environment," according to information on Corn's Facebook page, which goes on to say, "Here's a guarantee: After the first week, you'll be mincing herbs like a TV chef. By the end of the series, you'll be cooking for yourself, family and friends."

For more information, contact Maryellen Burns, (916) 768-6077, or foodtalk@me.com. For those interested in paying online, the class is expected to soon be listed on www.Brownpapertickets.com.

Starting Thursday, patients and staff at Sutter Davis Hospital will be able to optimize health by simply walking outside.

That's because just a few steps from the hospital's main entrance will be locally grown fruits, vegetables, meats, bread and nuts. The hospital, at 2000 Sutter Place, is the newest location of the Davis Farmers Market. The market will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 2 through Sept. 29.

The market is the first in Yolo County to be affiliated with a hospital, Janet Wagner, chief executive officer for Sutter Davis, stated in a news release.

Easy access to farm fresh produce and products is "particularly important as we see an increase in diabetes, heart disease and childhood obesity in our country ..." Wagner stated.

Do you have a fabulous chocolate or yeast bread recipe? It could be worth hundreds of dollars.

The California State Fair is looking for contest entries for its Ghiradelli Chocolate Championship and Fleishmann's Yeast "Bake for the Cure" Contest. Registration deadlines for both contests is June 3.

The chocolate competition is looking for the bakers with the best treats, cakes and desserts featuring at least one Ghiradelli baking product (think chocolate chips, bars or cocoa) among its ingredients, according to a news release.

Prizes are, in order of first to fourth place, $500, $250, $125 and $50. Winners and one randomly selected participant also will take home Ghiradelli gift baskets.

Here's a great idea for those who have too many cookbooks gathering dust on kitchen shelves - swap them.

FoodTalk is holding a cookbook sale and swap from 10 to 3 p.m. June 25 at Cafe Bernardo at 28th and Capitol in Sacramento.

Participants can meet several Northern California cookbook writers, peruse hundreds of new, used and rare cookbooks and swap up to five of their own cookbooks, according to an event e-mail.

FoodTalk, a forum for foodies interested in all things food writing, is sponsored by MatrixArts, a nonprofit that works in the realm of visual, literary, performing and culinary arts and provides art and design education programs, the organization's website states.

For those who don't want to leave the comfort of their home on Mother's Day, here are some ideas and recipes that'll help create the perfect celebration for mom Sunday.

(And for those who do want to venture out, click here to read our Things to Do blog post on Mother's Day events in the region.)

Brunch and Mother's Day seem to be synonymous, but don't torture mom with burned toast that the kids made. Layer yogurt, granola and fresh berries in a see-through cup or bowl to make an instant, beautiful parfait. Serve with pastries, such as this recipe for fruit and chocolate scones. A fresh cup of coffee - served in the lovely china that mom rarely uses - is all you need to complete the meal.

Local food blogger and cookbook author Hank Shaw will be hosting two upcoming cooking classes for home cooks.

Shaw, whose cookbook "Hunt, Gather, Cook" debuts May 24, is teaching a pasta-making class at 5 p.m. May 7 at Whole Foods on Arden Way and a sausage making class at 11 a.m. May 14 in Sausalito.

The pasta class will teach participants how to make basic dough with various flours and turn out several different shapes, Shaw wrote on his award-nominated blog, "Hunter, Angler, Gardener, Cook."

The sausage making class features how to make professional-quality sausage at home.

For more information or to sign up, check out Shaw's blog.

Get ready Tripe-D fans, Guy Fieri is coming to the Capital. And Capitol.

The spiky-haired Food Network chef of "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" fame will be in Sacramento April 25 and 26 to endorse a resolution promoting cooking with children and to host fundraisers in the evening at his local restaurants.

In 2009, Fieri helped draft a resolution making the second Saturday in May as "Cook With Your Kids Day." From 11 a.m. to noon April 25, Fieri will be back at the Capitol where "Cook With Your Kids" will be introduced as a weekly initiative, a news release states.

The goal is to get families cooking and eating together every Thursday.

Starving. Drooling. Craving sugar.

Take one look at the decadent confections that are part of a local online bake sale benefiting Japan relief efforts and those descriptions are likely to make sense.

The auction is open until 11:59 p.m. Saturday, so it's time to place your bid.

Many local chefs, food bloggers, bakers and do-gooders have jumped in to participate, including Selland's, Icing on the Cupcake, Masullo Pizza, Mulvaney's B&L and Poor Girl Eats Well's Kimberly Morales.

The Bee's own Blair Anthony Robertson is even auctioning a loaf of his superb sourdough.

To see the full list of item's available or to bid, go to the post on Munchie Musings' website.

To learn more about the bake sale, click here.

Not only did Williams-Sonoma deliver with its spring and Easter-themed cookie cutter set, but the good folks in the WS Kitchen also provide a great cookie recipe.

The cookie cutter kit was among a handful of kitchen gadgets reviewed in today's Food & Wine section. Click here to get the story.

And yes, of course you could use the cookie recipe with other cutters, but considering the cute factor of the Williams-Sonoma kit (what's not to love about a basket cookie cutter complete with a stamp that makes a basket weave pattern?) and the reasonable price, why not give it a try? We did, and we haven't stopped using it since.

There'll be a little bit of Sacramento at the California Nut Festival in Chico next month.

Michael Tuohy, executive chef at Grange and a vocal advocate of farm-to-table dining, will lead a tasting and cooking demonstration at the festival on April 16.

The festival, scheduled for 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Patrick Ranch in Chico, also will feature demonstrations on cooking with nuts by local producers and restaurant staff, music, an art show and samples of local gourmet food, wine and beer, a festival news release states.

Nuts, beer, Chico. What's not to like?

Tickets are on sale for $20 per person and are available at any Tri Counties Bank branch location or online at www.californianutfestival.com. Tickets are $25 at the door.

Sacramento area foodies aren't wasting any time in answering the call to help those impacted by the natural disaster in Japan.

Mikuni is launching a new roll today at its restaurants in an effort to raise money for Japan relief and local food bloggers and bakers are planning an online bake sale in early April.

The "Rescue Roll," a spin on Mikuni's Michi Roll, features an inner layer of panko shrimp, crab salad and cream cheese, outer layer of avocado slices and seared tuna topped with special Mikuni sauce and torched and garnished with unagi sauce and tempura bits, a Mikuni news release states.

The rolls are $12 each, $16 at the Northstar Resort location.

The goal is to sell a minimum of 1,000 rolls by March 31, the release states. All of the money from the sale of the roll will be donated to the American Red Cross. The restaurant also will be selling copies of Taro Arai's autobiography "Abundance: Finding the American Dream in a Japanese Kitchen" (Blue Fig Publishing, $25, 118 pages) and donating 100 percent of proceeds to the Red Cross.

Who says Fridays are slow news days? Things are blowing up here in the newsroom on 21st.

I just got a call from the campus president at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Sacramento, who informed me: The student-run restaurant once open to the public has shut its doors.

Not yesterday or last week. It closed a year ago, according to Rafael Castaneda, the president who has been at the helm at the Natomas campus the past four months.

OK, so they're a little slow letting us know. They're chefs, not public relations experts.

The prez says the school is taking a different approach by closing the restaurant. Instead of hands-on, pressure-filled training at the school with the cafe, students will land externships (remind me how that's different than internships) at area restaurants.

For the general public, that's too bad. As I wrote over a year ago, the public was able to visit the restaurant, eat for free or cheap and then give a written critique. During our visit, we got mixed results, but there was plenty of good food and it was enjoyable. You just had to roll with the idea of eating rack of lamb, say, at 8:30 a.m.

But from what I heard, some of the "guest" reviews made my Morton's review look like a Hallmark greeting card. Yes, people were mean, and students were angry and flustered. Some guests didn't understand the concept of constructive criticism. Nor did they get that these were students, not pros.

Those externships will give students a different view of kitchen life -- they'll be doing mostly the kind of work no one else wants to do. That means plenty of time with brooms, rags and bleach rubbed on countertops in a circular motion. Sauces? Sautees? Not yet.

And they're not going to get a lot of sympathy from executive chefs around here.

Want to know what it's going to be like at some of the best restaurants? In the kitchen at a certain top restaurant downtown, the executive chef has a sign on the wall that lets you know where you stand:

"Your (past-tense expletive deleted, but it begins with the letter before "G" and rhymes with a certain tasty waterfowl) life is not my problem."

I'm told the chef also doesn't do hugs when you get your feelings hurt.

By Blair Anthony Robertson, Bee Dining Critic
Following up on Chris Macias' revealing story in today's Bee on the sudden rise of chef Pajo Bruich, here are a few signs that cutting-edge cooking techniques are catching on beyond high-end restaurants and boutique caterers.

As I was shopping at East Bay Restaurant Supply on Tuesday (for a silicon spatula and a couple of other things), I happened upon a sous vide machine for under $300. Next to it was a vacuum sealer. And near that was a book explaining how devoted home cooks can get into this compelling low-heat, long-hours way of cooking.

Be the first one on your block to cook a steak for three days without sending everyone to the dentist or the ER.

By Niesha Lofing
nlofing@sacbee.com

Teenage culinarians take note: you could be the next Iron Chef.

The Elk Grove Library is hosting a cooking competition modeled after the popular Japanese "Iron Chef" show that has launched a popular American offshoot on the Food Network.

The competition, held March 31 at the library, is open to 13 to 18 year old cooks, said Elsie Mak, the branch's librarian.

The library has held food programs for adults before, including strawberry jam making, pickling and raw food programs, but this will be the first food program for teenagers.

By Blair Anthony Robertson
brobertson@sacbee.com
Not to rub it in or anything, but I brought in a loaf of sourdough bread I baked this afternoon -- hot out of the oven.

I like to do this fairly regularly because it's fun to share food and, well, it's important that I don't eat all my bread myself.

This is the sourdough made with the techniques from the great new book, "Tartine Bread" by Chad Robertson. I wrote about this a couple of weeks ago.

The most popular accompaniment on this cold, rainy Thursday was some excellent brie from the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op called "Fromager D'Affinois Brie." Highly recommended. The best pairing was by higher education writer Laurel Rosenhall, who enjoyed the bread with her homemade soup.

By Niesha Lofing
nlofing@sacbee.com

Forget cookbooks, home cooks are increasingly turning to the Internet to learn how to roast, grill, bake and broil.

That's why you'll find a banquet of culinary legends like Martin Yan and Sara Masaharu Morimoto offering instructional videos at Food University, a free online cooking resource presented by IKEA and Family Circle.

But wait, there's more.

They're also getting ready to launch another culinary tour, where celebrity chefs will guide home cooks through free cooking seminars. And it's coming to West Sacramento.

Food Network's Curtis Aikens, a chef who has been with the cable network since its inception and also is a regular on Good Morning America, will be leading the seminar from 2 to 4 p.m. March 19 at the West Sacramento IKEA.

Aikens, who hosted "Pick of the Day" and is known for his healthful recipes, is one of the few African-American chefs featured on national television, a Food U Properties news release states.

The in-store cooking seminar will feature Aikens demonstrating Family Circle recipes and talking about the importance of local produce, using spices, ideas for quick and easy recipes and tips for entertaining, the release states.

Click here for more information about Food University.

PHOTO CREDIT: Food Network

By Blair Anthony Robertson
brobertson@sacbee.com

Elaine Baker, the highly regarded pastry chef at Grange Restaurant, is looking for work.

The position at Grange has been eliminated and Baker, whose many dessert creations distinguished the restaurant, isn't wasting any time looking for new challenges.

Freelance work? Baking classes? Catering? Writing?

Baker is getting the word out that she's open to those things and more.

"I'm just kind of seeing what opportunities come my way. I had one of the best pastry chef jobs in the city. It was fabulous," she told me Wednesday when we chatted by phone.

I didn't get into what happened. Instead, we talked about baking for a living and what she might do next. Just to give readers an insider's view of this line of work, I asked Baker about the demands, the long hours, the physical toll it takes, especially with discerning customers typical of a high-end restaurant like Grange.

"There is a lot of pressure. You need to stay on top of the trends. You need to do things that compliment the overall menu that the chef has. It's very exciting," Baker said.

While viewers of the Food Network might get the impression that it's a glamorous occupation, Baker says it's pretty much 12-hour days, you're on the feet all the time and the schedule you work can be tough on families and relationships.

Baker was an original employee at Grange, starting there two years and four months ago.

When I mentioned the popularity of baking classes in town, Baker said it's something she is considering as she plots her next career move.

"Some people make it sound so mysterious and difficult. It would be nice to show people how simple it can be," she said.

Baker graduated in 1999 from the Culinary Institute of America's baking and pastry arts program. Before Grange, she worked at Firehouse Restaurant.

Anyone interested in discussing opportunities with Baker can contact her via email, efrancetic@yahoo.com.

By Niesha Lofing
nlofing@sacbee.com

Safeway is launching a program today aimed at helping consumers make better nutrition choices while grocery shopping.

SimpleNutrition is an in-store shelf tag system that highlights 22 nutrition and ingredient benefits in products, including lifestyle benefits (organic, natural, calorie smart and gluten free). The green tags will be placed next to the pricetag and club card special tags, according to a Safeway news release.

All products in Safeway stores are screened for the program and about 15 to 20 percent of them have passed the criteria, said Kerry Neville, Safeway's consulting dietician.

Needless to say, you won't see a lot of green tags in the chip aisle (although there are a few that made the cut, Neville said).

The company is launching the program as a way to help take the frustration out of grocery shopping.

"Walking through the grocery store can feel overwhelming," she said in a phone interview. "Finding healthy choices can feel frustrating sometimes."

Safeway surveyed 1,639 moms and found that 41 percent said the biggest challenge regarding nutritional decisions is not having time to read all the nutrition labels in-store, and 19 percent said it's too time consuming to search the store for the healthiest options.

"I think of it as having your own personal nutrition coach with you in the aisles," Neville said.

The program, which also includes a website full of tips and recipes, launches today in Safeway and Vons stores nationwide.

By Niesha Lofing
nlofing@sacbee.com

The Valentine's Day-themed cheese and chocolate pairing class at Taylor's Market is booked, but cheesemonger Felicia Johnson provided a few tips for Appetizers readers.

For a post-dinner treat, pair a dark chocolate truffle with bleu cheese and serve with port.

"The sweet with the savory and salty is phenomenal," Johnson said.

Try milk chocolate and a lighter, fluffier cheese like chevre together. And for hazelnut chocolate truffles, try a meatier cheese such as a Taleggio or a Morbier, she suggested.

"Cheese for dessert is something that is definitely overlooked," Johnson said.

For more Valentine's Day meal tips, check out today's story in the Food & Wine section.

Speaking of chocolate pairings, UC Davis is hosting an event Saturday highlighting female winemakers and wine and chocolate pairings. Click here to learn more.

By Niesha Lofing
nlofing@sacbee.com

"I don't know whether to thank you or hate you."

If not for Dave Brochier's wide grin, the greeting might have been misconstrued.

Brochier, aka Pasta Dave, has been working at hyperdrive pace since a profile on the popular pasta chef ran in a recent Food & Wine section of The Bee.

Brochier is the man behind the pasta at Mulvaney's B&L and the numerous Mulvaney ventures, including the Crocker Cafe; Taylor's Kitchen; and Taylor's Market.

Brochier said orders for his pasta are flying out of the restaurants and market. Demand - and his workload - have quadrupled, he said.

One customer drove all the way from San Francisco.

"It's been going through the register a lot more since the article came out," Janet Caddel, a checker at Taylor's Market. "There's been a lot more questions about how to cook it, have we tried it."

Click here to read the story and see more photos of Pasta Dave.

PHOTO CREDIT: Randall Benton, The Sacramento Bee

By Blair Anthony Robertson, Bee Restaurant Critic
brobertson@sacbee.com

I just got off the phone with the product rep from Utah-based Thermoworks, makers of a high-end instant-read thermometer called the Thermapen. Cook's Illustrated raves about this gadget, as do many others. When I recently spoke with Harold McGee ("On Food and Cooking") and asked him about his favorite kitchen gadgets, he immediately weighed in on the wonders of the Thermapen. Emeril Lagasse? Alton Brown? They're fans, too.

The standard instant-read gadget costs $12 to $25, and "instant" in many cases should be taken with a grain of salt. It should probably say "eventual."

In the days ahead, I will be putting this highly touted and very speedy device through the paces in the test kitchen. We'll try to determine if it's worth $89 and who should consider getting one. Beyond that, we'll be preparing a story on the importance of understanding temperature during the cooking process.

Apparently, there's not much understanding going on. Thermapen's makers recently did man-on-the-street style interviews at the Sundance Film Festival, asking folks how they determine if the meat they are cooking is done. They couldn't find anyone who uses an instant-read thermometer, let alone an $89 one.

I'm looking forward to seeing if the Thermapen lives up to all of the raves.

By Blair Anthony Robertson, Bee Restaurant Critic
brobertson@sacbee.com

Speaking of the Super Bowl, I had a little Super Bowl déjà vu Sunday when, on a whim, I decided to make ribs. Specifically, I made the ribs from the can't-fail recipe in the timeless cookbook "Joy of Cooking," And no, I wasn't hosting a Pro Bowl party.

This delicious meal actually comes together with two recipes - one for the barbecue sauce and one for "country-style ribs baked in barbecue sauce." I had been thinking about the Super Bowl and recalling that these were the same two recipes I used for the first Super Bowl party I attended in Sacramento (January 2000) after arriving from the East Coast the previous June.

The party was at the apartment of Matthew Barrows, who started at The Bee two weeks after I did and sat across from me in the newsroom. We were both general assignment reporters. Matt went on to become the beat writer for the San Francisco 49ers, and now he pretends he doesn't know who I am. But back in 2000, all I knew about his interest in football was that he was a fanatical Redskins fan (he grew up in the D.C. area) and that he couldn't throw a tight spiral if his life depended on it.

Anyway, the ribs were a big hit at the party - incredibly tender, full of flavor from the meat and the sauce cooked into it, and most importantly, they weren't greasy. There are lots of fancy cookbooks these days, but this is a recipe that would be hard to improve. Best of all, you don't need a big outdoor smoker and thus, you don't have to wake at 3 a.m. to light your big smoker. The ribs are actually baked in your oven - very slowly over four hours.

Here's what you do:

First the sauce. If you have the "all new" edition, the recipe is on Page 90. There are plenty of ingredients required, but no technique. Dump everything into the pot and stir occasionally for about 10 minutes over low heat.
1 ½ cups of ketchup
1 cup cider vinegar or red wine vinegar (I used the latter)
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup soy sauce
1 cup packed brown sugar (scoop sugar into a measuring cup and gently push down until it is level)
2 tablespoons dry mustard
4 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger or 1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 slices of lemon

Now you've got an excellent all-purpose sauce. Next, you need some ribs. Pretty much any kind of ribs will work. The way you choose will depend on personal preference and, to some extent, the nature of the occasion. I went with country-style pork ribs because they are very meaty. I bought them at the excellent meat counter at Taylor's Market, where they cut them to order. These are actually boneless, which is even better. But if you're looking for traditional rib eating, where you gnaw on the bones to your heart's content, go for spareribs or baby back ribs.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place the ribs in a large baking pan. Mix 1 ½ cups of the BBQ sauce you just made with 1 cup of orange juice. Place the ribs in the pan, then pour in the sauce mixture, turning the ribs to coat. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and place in the oven.

Bake for three hours. Remove the pan from the oven, take off the foil and spoon sauce onto the exposed ribs so they don't dry out. Return to the oven uncovered for 1 hour, for a total of four hours. Check on them a few times in that final hour and spoon more sauce onto the ribs or turn them over. The sauce will cook down and thicken.

By the time you're finished, you will have ribs so good and tender they will be a big hit at whatever Super Bowl party you attend.

A couple of tips:

Plan ahead. This takes four hours of baking, plus more time to make the sauce. So you will want to start at least six hours before the party.

The baking pan will be tough to clean, so it might be best to line the bottom and sides with aluminum foil.

Finally, if you're going to eat these ribs, don't wear a white shirt.

By Niesha Lofing
nlofing@sacbee.com

The Del Paso Boulevard Partnership is hosting a free food fair Saturday, but one thing is not exactly welcome - meat.

VegFest Food Fair 2011 will feature vegan, vegetarian and raw cuisine, purveyors, exhibits and cooking demonstrations.

The fair, modeled after a similar event in Seattle, was initially intended to drive traffic to Del Paso Boulevard and showcase restaurants and catering businesses thriving in the area. But given the intense interest they've received already, organizers are considering holding VegFest twice a year.

"To be really honest, it's taken off," said David Plag, the partnership's executive director.

Several businesses will be at the event, including The Green Boheme, Sugar Plum Vegan Bakery and Happy Go Lucky Veggie Cuisine.

About 300 to 400 people are expected to attend.

The event will be held from 12 to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Artisan Building, 1901 Del Paso Blvd., Sacramento.

For more information, go to www.delpasoboulevard.com.

By Niesha Lofing
nlofing@sacbee.com

Kiwi is quite the popular little fruit.

California kiwifruit farmers reported a larger crop and stronger demand at the end of their harvest season, with farmers having sold nearly 9 million trays of the fuzzy fruit last year, about 2 million more than in 2009, according to the California Farm Bureau Federation.

Weather in other Northern Hemisphere countries hurt kiwifruit production, but California's crop escaped most damage from frost and rain, leading to an increase in demand for California kiwifruit, the bureau's Food and Farms News report stated.

And if you're like the millions of others resolving to eat better this year, you may want to add kiwifruit to the mix.

Consider this: each serving of kiwifruit is fat free, has more potassium than a banana and about 2 1/2 times the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C and is a good source of antioxidants, the California Kiwifruit Commission reports on its website.

It's also high in fiber - two kiwifruit contain more fiber than a bowl of bran cereal.

California kiwifruit season runs through May.

For tips on selecting kiwifruit and ideas on how to use them, check out the commission's website.

Follow the link below to get a recipe for Mediterranean kiwi couscous.

By Niesha Lofing
nlofing@sacbee.com

Upcoming food events, restaurant closings, free food. Those were the subjects of some of the most well-read stories posted on Appetizers this past year.

The Bee's food blog provided a Thanksgiving feast-sized bounty of information in 2010, from recipe contests to wine deals.

Here is a list of the Top 10 most popular Appetizer stories of 2010, complete with links to the full stories (click the "Full story" hyperlink to go to the original post).

We also want to hear from you about what you want to see us cover on Appetizers next year. What kinds of stories do you come to Appetizers for? What are we missing that you want to read more about? Post your thoughts in the comments area below.

Happy reading, and happy eating!

1. Early taste of new State Fair foods. Full story
2. Sacramento Beer Week coming in February. Full story
3. Bistro 33 Midtown closes to become Spin Burger Bar. Full story
4. Free mini sandwich @ Togo's on Jan. 14. Full story
5. Dave & Busters coming to Roseville. Full story
6. Midtown eatery Cornerstone facing closure. Full story
7. Amarin Thai Cuisine shuts down. Full story
8. Grand opening set for Cafeteria 15L. Full story
9. Recall of Parkers Farm products. Full story
10. Sacramento featured tonight on "Man V. Food." Full story

By Niesha Lofing
nlofing@sacbee.com

Dominic Staiti gave it his best, but in the end, his burger creation for the Red Robin Kids' Cook-Off Championship was beat Thursday by a cheesy burger topped with lava sauce.

Staiti (shown here in a photo by (Jack Dempsey/AP Images for Red Robin)
was one of 10 finalists in the fifth annual competition, held Thursday in Denver. The recipe for Staiti's creation, a jalapeño cornbread chili burger, will be included in the Red Robin Kids' Cookbook, which will be available for free to download from the restaurant chain's site next summer, a company news release states.

The grand prize went to Donovan Duggins, 12, of Wichita, Kan. For Mt. Vesuvius Burger, a beef patty topped with crumbled blue cheese, bacon, provolone cheese and a lava sauce that includes sweet barbecue sauce, hot sauce, garlic powder and paprika, all between a sesame seed bun.

The burger will be sold in Red Robin restaurants nationwide in summer 2011, and 50 cents of every Mt. Vesuvius Burger sold will support the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's (NCMEC) child safety efforts, the release states. Duggins also won a family vacation to Universal Orlando Resort and a year supply of Red Robin gift cards.

For more about Staiti and his burger, check out this previous Appetizers post.

By Niesha Lofing
nlofing@sacbee.com

Sweet tooths rejoice - Saturday is cupcake day at Ginger Elizabeth in Sacramento.

The midtown chocolatier is offering four flavors: real red velvet, salty caramel, gingerbread and Opera, a rich chocolate cake filled with bittersweet chocolate ganache and frosted with coffee buttercream, according to the shop's website.

Cupcakes are $3 and pre-orders are available for six or more cupcakes.

Ginger Elizabeth, located at 1801 L Street, is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday.

Don't want to leave the house? Check out these holiday-inspired cupcake recipes we received from The Stuffed Cupcake Place, a New Jersey cupcakery to the stars and celebs.

Click here to get the recipes for The Festivus for the Restivus cupcake (shown at left) - a gingerbread cupcake with nutmeg custard filling and spiced cream cheese frosting - and they're Peppermint Twist cupcake, red velvet and vanilla cupcakes with peppermint cream filling and vanilla frosting.

By Niesha Lofing
nlofing@sacbee.com

It's the day after Thanksgiving - do you know where your leftovers are?

And perhaps more importantly, how you're going to prepare them?

While reporting our Thanksgiving food stories, I came across these handy tips for holiday leftovers.

Blue plate specials: If you're a traditionalist and simply want a replay of that fabulous meal you slaved over, Food Network's Melissa d'Arabian advises folks to make their plate and then cover it with a moist paper towel, which will help leftovers taste fresher.

"The trick there, and this is my Grandmother's, is to heat everything up and the last 30 seconds, toss on the turkey," d'Arabian said in an interview from her New York home last week.

For more of d'Arabian's ideas on how to reinvent leftovers, check out my story from this week's Food & Wine section.

Cold weather = hot soup: Don't throw that turkey carcass away. Use it to make the base for soup, suggested Christine Bruhn, director of the Center for Consumer Research and a food safety expert at UC Davis.

Cut all the meat up and boil the carcass down, making a delicious broth that can be used for turkey soup or as the base for a rich, heart split pea. Just add carrots, onions, ham hocks and split peas.

"It's wonderful for cold weather and turkey stock has such wonderful background flavor," she said

Appetizing appetizers: Home cook Valerie Reynoso Piotrowski, of El Dorado Hills, loves using her leftovers to make little appetizers in the days that follow Thanksgiving. She uses Pillsbury Crescent Roll dough, and rolls out squares large enough to hold a small dollop each of stuffing, peas, turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy. Then she wraps them up like little bundles, brushes them with melted butter and bakes them at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

"Fabulous!" she said.

Do you cookie swap?

For the uninitiated, a cookie swap is an event where home bakers get together and each bakes a specified amount of cookies (usually several dozen), then get to trade cookies with each other, thus leaving with a diversified array of cookies.

The tradition is even more popular during the holidays, when people can attend and swap and then use the cookies they take home as gifts for coworkers, family and friends.

The Bee's Niesha Lofing is looking for local cookie swappers to share their success stories or frustrations. E-mail her at nlofing@sacbee.com or call (916) 321-1270. Be sure to include your name, city of residence and a phone number where you can be reached.

Happy holidays!

Thanksgiving is just three days away and for many of us, that means plotting, planning and, in some cases, panicking.

Never fear, The Bee's holiday experts are here!

We're hosting a live chat at noon today on all things Thanksgiving, from cooking that holiday meal to dinner conversation ideas.

The Bee's Niesha Lofing, food and family writer and author of Mom.Me, a parenting column, and Debbie Arrington, Home & Garden guru and food writer, will host the chat. Jessica Williams, a chef instructor at Le Cordon Bleu in Sacramento and Jodie Chavious, a pastry chef at Taylor's Restaurant and Market in Sacramento, also will be on hand to answer questions. Sacramento Connect blogger Ann Silberman, who writes "Breast Cancer? But Doctor....I hate pink!" also will be joining the discussion to talk about cancer and the holidays.

Join us and chime in with your pressing Thanksgiving questions at 12 p.m. today: http://www.sacbee.com/live/

By Niesha Lofing
nlofing@sacbee.com

Thanksgiving is just a week away, but Volunteers of America's Central Kitchen in Sacramento is lacking in one very big ingredient for the meals it serves to the hungry: turkeys.

Only 53 turkeys have been donated so far this year. The program usually cooks or distributes about 175 turkeys for Thanksgiving to the organization's emergency shelter, transitional housing and affordable-living senior facilities, according to a news release from Volunteers of America Greater Sacramento & Northern Nevada. Another 125 turkeys are needed for Christmas holiday meals.

"A traditional turkey dinner for Thanksgiving and Christmas is a treat for our clients, and looked forward to with great anticipation," Eric Nichols, the central kitchen program director stated in the release. "Maybe it reminds them of family, or just of a better time in their lives; but for whatever reason, I know they are truly thankful for the sacrifices made to bring it to them."

Community donations of fresh and frozen turkey are being accepted from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day through Nov. 25 at the central kitchen facility, located at 700 North Fifth St., Sacramento and its Mather Community Campus kitchen, 3587 Bleckely St., Mather.

Supporters also may donate money toward the campaign online at www.volunteersofamerica-sac.org, at either of the kitchens or by mail to Volunteers of America administration office, 1900 Point West Way., Suite 270, Sacramento, CA 95815.

By Niesha Lofing
nlofing@sacbee.com

Think you have a winning tailgating recipe?

The Sacramento Mountain Lions are offering you a chance to prove it - and win a season tickets for four and reserved VIP parking spot for the 2011 season.

The first ever Tailgate Challenge will be held at Saturday's game, the last home game of the 2010 season.

Prizes will be awarded for best food, best Mountain Lions theme and most original tailgate, according to a team news release.

Interested home cooks are encouraged to enter in advance by e-mailing sacmtnlions@gmail.com. Include the cook's full name and phone number where they can be reached on game day.

Check in and late registration will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. Saturday in the Tailgate Challenge tent in FanFest, the event that precedes the 8 p.m. kickoff against the Omaha Nighthawks at Hornet Stadium at Sacramento State University.

Celebrity judges will tour the parking lot to select a finalist in each of the three categories, who will then move on to compete in the main judging.

For more information, visit the Sacramento Mountain Lions' website.

By Niesha Lofing
nlofing@sacbee.com

An 8-year-old Citrus Heights boy's jalapeno cornbread chili burger recipe has been chosen as one of 10 finalist entries in the "Red Robin Kids' Cook-Off" contest.

Dominic Staiti's gourmet burger - which includes a beef patty, crispy jalapeno rings, crispy onion straws, pepper jack cheese, barbecue sauce, chili con carne and a drizzle of honey on a cornbread bun - was chosen from thousands of entries submitted by children throughout the country, according to a news release by the restaurant chain.

Staiti will head to Denver next month, where he'll make his burger for panel of Red Robin judges and Colorado-based culinary experts on Dec. 9. If Staiti wins, his burger will be sold at Red Robin restaurants next summer, with proceeds benefiting the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

It isn't the first time a local youngster has captured the attention of Red Robin officials. Eric Moore, of Roseville, had his recipe for a blackened avocado bacon burger included among the 50 recipes by 6- to 12-year-old chefs chosen or the fourth annual Red Robin Kids' Cookoff Cookbook, released this summer on the company's website. Click here to read more about Eric Moore's recipe.

Staiti's recipe is already guaranteed to make it into the cookbook based on this year's contest, which also will include safety tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, will be published online in summer 2011.

Grand prize for this year's contest includes a family vacation to Universal Orlando Resort and a one-year supply of Red Robin gift cards, the release states.

Staiti and the other finalists also have a chance to be named "Fan Favorite" at the December event. Starting Nov. 15, supporters can vote for their favorite young chef by logging onto www.redrobinkidscookoff.com. The winner will receive a $100 gift card to Toys "R" Us and a $200 Red Robin gift card, the release states.

Fans also can watch the cook-off, which will be streamed live Dec. 9 on the cook-off website. The winner will be announced live around 12:15 p.m. (Pacific Standard Time)

Good luck Dominic!

Experimenting with cooking technique or recipes has its place, but for many, the time is not on Thanksgiving day.

Many of us stick to the beloved, time-honored recipes that have been handed down from generation to generation or adapted to perfection from classic cookbooks.

We want to hear from you, dear reader, about your favorite dishes. What are the ones you turn to year after year? How long have you been using your recipes? Have you ever dared to stray from tradition and what was the result?

E-mail your name and contact information to The Bee's Niesha Lofing at nlofing@sacbee.com or call her at (916) 321-1270.

By Debbie Arrington
darrington@sacbee.com

A drop-dead bacon and egg cocktail? That could be an option during a special Dia de Los Muertos mixology class hosted by Tres Agaves Mexican Kitchen & Tequila Lounge in Roseville.

Ashley Miller, Tres Agaves' executive beverage director, will lead three sessions on Oct. 22, featuring Tequila Espolon. Each 90-minute hands-on class will explore the many options and unique ways that bartenders create new specialty drinks.

The class - which costs $25 to attend - also will feature a tasting of Tequila Espolon's collection.

Student mixologists will be encouraged to try combining unusual ingredients with tequila including bacon, eggs, fresh fruit, herbs and spices such as cinnamon, cloves and pepper.

Tequila Espolon is a product of Mexico's San Nicolas Distillery, based in Arandas, Jalisco. Introduced to the United States market in 2000, this brand recently got a makeover with new labeling featuring striking artwork inspired by Mexican folk tales and traditions such as Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead).

The classes will be held at 5:30, 7 and 8:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 22 at Tres Agaves, 1182 Roseville Parkway, Roseville. For reservations, call (916) 782-4455 or click on www.tresagaves.com.

Call The Bee's Debbie Arrington, (916) 321-1075.

Where do you get your recipes? Do you turn to food company websites like McCormick or Foster Farms for dinner inspiration? Have you ever tried the recipes included in the owners manual of your favorite appliance?

I want to hear from Sacramento area home cooks for a story. Email me at nlofing@sacbee.com or call me at (916) 321-1270.

Thanks and happy cooking!

By Niesha Lofing
nlofing@sacbee.com

Sacramento's Poor Girl, Kimberly Morales, is going knife-to-knife (and keyboard-to-keyboard) with food bloggers nationwide in the hopes of winning $10,000 and some major bragging rights.

Morales, who pens Poor Girl Eats Well, ihas made it to the third round of Project Food Blog, a contest open to Foodbuzz Featured Publisher Program bloggers. One other area food blog, Spicy Green Mango, also remains in the running.

The contestant pool grows smaller each week as industry judges and readers cast their votes for the bloggers who most successfully navigate the 10 challenges, which are designed to test the bloggers' culinary knowledge and writing skill, the contest website states.

The latest challenge asks bloggers to host a luxurious dinner party for guests.

Morales had an added challenge, however - do it on an extremely limited budget.

It's not just that she's trying to stick to her blog's roots. Morales was laid off last week.

"I was lucky enough that one of my readers sent me a gift card for Trader Joe's, which helped me go shopping," she said.

Her feast, which she dubbed "For the Love of Chocolate" and featured savory and sweet dishes centered around white, dark and milk chocolate, cost about $16 per person. Voting is taking place this week and the 100 contestants who make it through to the next challenge will be announced Friday.

A $10,000 grand prize would mean many things for Morales, most of all a financial lifeline.

"It would mean getting caught up on my rent and being able to have a little breathing room. Not always living on borrowed time," she said.

Click here to visit Poor Girl Eats Well.

Click here to go to Project Food Blog, where you can cast your vote for your favorite food blogger in the third challenge.

*Bee file photo by Randall Benton

By Niesha Lofing
nlofing@sacbee.com

Carmichael Library will be offering a free cooking class this month focused on foods that may help reduce the risk of cancer.

Emily Webber, a Food for Life instructor with the Cancer Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to cancer prevention and survival through nutrition education and research, will lead the workshop, according to a Sacramento Public Library news release.

The class will provide nutrition information no the power of proper foods in a cancer-fighting diet, demonstration of healthy recipes and samples of food, the release states.

The free lcass will be held at 1 p.m. Oct. 23 at Carmichael Library, located at 5605 Marconi Ave., Carmichael.

To register for the class, visit the library's website or call (916) 264-2920.

By Dan Berget
dberget@sacbee.com

Chef Claire Robinson of the Food Network's "5 Ingredient Fix" is teaming up with Arnold and Oroweat bread brands for the "Spin on Thin" recipe contest.

Readers and food lovers should submit their best recipes.

One Grand Prize winner will receive $2000 and an all-expenses-paid 3-day, 2-night trip for two to New York. Four finalists will receive $1000.

The contest runs through Nov. 29 and includes five different themes. The first theme, called Simply Delicious, lasts until Monday. Click here to get more information and to view official rules at the contest website.

Call The Bee's Dan Berget at (916) 321-4100.

By Niesha Lofing
nlofing@sacbee.com

Two California cooks are one step closer to $10,000 after their dishes were ranked the best in the Foster Farms West Coast Chicken Cooking Contest's regional finals, held today at Le Cordon Bleu in Sacramento.

The first annual contest, open to cooks in California, Oregon and Washington, garnered 2,000 recipes. The pool of entries were narrowed to 15 - five from each state - and regional finals were held to determine the top two dishes.

The final competition is scheduled for Sept. 17 at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena.

I was among three of the judges who had to taste all five and decide which two would move on the final round. Adrienne Bankert, of KCRA, and Georgeanne Brennan, of The San Francisco Chronicle, also served as judges.

Hard day eh?

It was difficult to settle on just two winners, but in the end it was the panko-crusted lemon butter chicken with Israeli couscous salad by Rebekkah Leber of Hayward (pictured at left) and spinach stuffed chicken breasts by Alexandria Boswell of La Jolla (pictured at right) that emerged victorious.

Brennan, of Winters, said the spinach chicken breasts were her favorite of the dishes we tasted. A spinach lover, Brennan enjoyed the fresh dill, cheese and spinach stuffing and the striking color contrast of the greens against the white chicken meat.

"It just put it all together for me," she said.

The other semifinalists from California included Megan Bailey, of Monterey, for her pumpkin seed and wild rice chicken fajitas; Sandra Keefe, of Fullerton, for her black orange pekoe chicken breasts and Vee Lark-Williams, of Los Angeles, who submitted a recipe for crispy feta chicken croquettes with a mandarin orange sauce.

Leber and Boswell will receive $1,000 and will get a free trip to St. Helena for the final round.

The grand prize is $10,000 and a year supply of fresh Foster Farms chicken.

The contest is hoping to fill a void left by the National Chicken Contest, the nation's premier chicken cook-off. The contest was suspended in 2009 due to the economy.

The contest, along with the Pillsbury Bake-off and the National Beef Cookoff, boasted one of the most lucrative purses in the country.

Click here to get Leber's recipe for the panko-crusted lemon butter chicken with Israeli couscous. Click here to the get Boswell's recipe for spinach stuffed chicken breasts.

By Niesha Lofing
nlofing@sacbee.com

Looks like eating locally grown, in-season food is growing even more popular.

The "Placer County Real Food" cookbook is now in it's second printing, author Joanne Neft told The Bee this week.

'I'm awestruck," Neft said in an e-mail.

Neft recently attended a writer's conference and learned that some 500,000 books are printed each year in the U.S., but only about 5 percent of those end up selling more than 2,000 copies.

"And here we are in our fourth month and we've sold 9,000 (copies)," she said. "Who would have thought this could happen?"

We did. The cookbook not only supplies readers with recipes for delicious, rustic cuisine, but is arranged in a way that winds readers through each of the four seasons, providing tips and hints for using in-season ingredients along the way.

Neft and chef Laura Kenny, who co-authored the book, spent one year hosting a weekly dinner party and cooking meals with ingredients procured from the local farmers markets. The Monday night meals, held at Neft's Auburn home, became some of the most sought-after culinary events in Placer County (cinderella squash soup, pictured above at left, was the first course at one of the dinners in November. Bee photo by Paul Kitagaki Jr.).

The cookbook is available at the Auburn, Rocklin, Roseville and Tahoe City farmers markets, as well as at many retailers throughout the region. Click here to see the list of retailers.

By Niesha Lofing
nlofing@sacbee.com

At upwards of $16 per pound, halibut can be more of an investment than dinner.

So when it comes to preparing halibut, knowing what you're doing is key.

Enter local chef Pajo Bruich.

Bruich, of Pajo's Boutique Catering, is hosting a cooking class Aug. 31 dedicated to teaching home cooks about the delicious flatfish.

Participants will learn how to select halibut and other fresh fish, the differences in fish's fat content, flavor and texture, how to cook various fish, how to properly sear and roast halibut, and how to pair local wines with fish, Bruich said in an e-mail.

Brand Little, of Wild Little Fish Company, is sourcing the fish and will be one hand during the class.

Participants also will feast on a halibut dinner (the menu is posted below), paired with local wines following the class.

Cost is $59 per person. Gratuity is not included. Reservations are required and can be made by clicking here. The class is scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. Aug. 31 at Steel Magnolia Kitchen in Sacramento.

Menu

Salad of Heirloom Tomato
Basil panna cotta, lemon verbena gelee, green zebra gazpacho, compressed cucumber, liquid buratta spheres, Lucero olive oil sorbet, marinated heirloom tomatoes, balsamic reduction.

Pan Seared Wild California Halibut
Local sweet corn, potato croquant, applewood bacon, red pepper relish, garlic pudding.

Chocolate and raspberry dark chocolate gateau, raspberry gelee, dark chocolate mousse, white chocolate sorbet.

By Niesha Lofing
nlofing@sacbee.com

Cue the booing.

Woodland firefighter Tara Daniels and her smokin' pear salad recipe didn't win the "Live with Regis and Kelly" show's Coast to Coast Firehouse Cook-Off.

Daniels was one of two firefighters in the final round of the contest, which airs this morning, but in the end it was Ross Signorino's "Rossome Ribs" that nabbed the $10,000 grand prize.

"It's a bummer," she said.

Daniels described Signorino's ribs as having a really sweet barbecue sauce.

"I didn't think they were amazing," she said. "Obviously I'm partial, but I thought my salad was a lot better."

If she won, Daniels was planning to donate $1,000 to a children's charity and take her sister on vacation.

But she is coming home with a $1,000 consolation prize, the bulk of which will be used to cover travel expenses.

Daniels said the loss won't keep her out of the kitchen, although it may alter her cooking repertoire a bit.

"I won't make pear salad," she said, laughing. "I'm not making ribs either."

Woodland firefighter Tara Daniels is flying to New York today for a chance to win $10,000 and some serious bragging rights.

Daniels, 32, is one of two finalists in the "Live with Regis and Kelly" show's Coast to Coast Firehouse Cook-Off. She learned early this morning that her smokin' pear salad recipe helped her secure a spot in the final cook-off, which will air on Friday's show.

"I'm so excited," Daniels said in a phone interview while driving to the airport. "I was at my station when they called and I got to jump up and down and scream with my coworkers."

Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa will announce the final two contestants during today's show. Daniels will be competing against Ross Signorino and his "Rossome Ribs."

If she wins, Daniels will come home with the cash prize and her recipe will be published in Better Homes and Gardens magazine.

The recipe, which pairs grilled chicken and pears with blue cheese, glazed pecans and butter lettuce in a salad dressed with a flavorful balsamic vinaigrette and is served with a side of buttery grilled garlic bread, is easy to prepare, an attribute Daniels thinks helped her excel in the competition.

"It takes like 20 minutes," she said.

The dish has been well-received among friends, community members and her fellow firefighters.

"My coworkers who don't like vegetables very much like it," she said.

Click here to get the recipe.

By Allen Pierleoni
apierleoni@sacbee.com

In the creative world of sandwich-making, certain phrases have long been commonplace. "Hold the onions" is popular. "Extra pickles" is often overheard. And then there's the biggie, "With mayo."

With that in mind, mayo took on a fresh persona recently when Kraft introduced a new line of flavored mayonnaises. Sandwich Shop Mayo is available in supermarkets in Chipotle, Horseradish-Dijon, Garlic & Herb and Hot & Spicy ($2.99 for 12 fluid ounces). The first three are reduced-fat mayos.

Our panel of tasters liked the four so much that a mild post-tasting debate surrounded the question of who got to take which squeeze bottle home.

Some tasting notes:
Chipotle: "Sweet. Lots of flavor. A medium-hot tang."
Horseradish-Dijon: "A tasty marriage of the two. Piquant. Not too hot, given its heritage."
Garlic & Herb: "A mild garlic flavor dominates. Herbaceous, with basil, parsley and onion in the background. 'Reduced fat' doesn't mean 'reduced flavor.'"
Hot & Spicy: "Lives up to its name. Nice heat, especially on the back end. The boldest of the bunch, with cayenne pepper adding punch."

For sandwich recipes featuring the flavored mayos (including Bavarian Rhapsody and Maui Wowie), go to www.kraftfoods.com/sandwich. Our tasters suggested the mayos also be added to potato, macaroni and tuna salads, and used as a dressing on green salads.

Call The Bee's Allen Pierleoni at (916) 321-1128.

On Saturday, Del Paso Boulevard promises to be the culinary center of Sacramento, as contestants will be stirring the pot at the Old North Sacramento Chili Cook-off.

The event runs from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Renaissance Square Building lot at 1219 Del Paso Boulevard. Admission is free. There will also be free hot dogs and free chili. And as the event promotional poster says, "Hint: creat your own chili dog!" We're told there are 11 competitors lined up, so that could make for many delicious variations

A celebrity panel of judges has been lined up, including trick roper James Barrera. There will be live music by Blusion.

Afterward, the fun continues just across the street, where The Spazmatics will be in concert. Those who attend the cook-off can receive $5 off the ticket price to the concert, which is restricted to adults 21 and over.

Woodland firefighter Tara Daniels has made it to the final round of the "Live! with Regis and Kelly" firehouse cook-off contest and will appear on the show Friday.

Daniels is a finalist in the show's "Chicken Part 2" category of the Coast to Coast Firehouse Cook-Off, the city of Woodland's website states.

Daniels' recipe for smokin' pear salad - a combination of pears, blue cheese, candied pecans, chicken and balsamic vinaigrette - impressed the show's production staff and apparently her hometown, too.

Appetizers recently wrote about Daniels' attempt to garner enough votes to make it to the final round. Click here to read the story.

The city's website attributes her final round victory to her recipe, video, "supportive co-workers and an unbeatable combination of friends, family and our Woodland community."

Daniels' segment airs at 9 a.m. Friday on KCRA.

The studio audience and hosts will rate the recipe on taste and the top five studio audience-ranked firefighters will be eligible for an online vote. The two top semi-finalists may be invited back to New York for a televised cook-off at the end of the month.

The winner gets $10,000 and the recipe will be published in Better Homes and Gardens magazine, the contest rules state.

Follow the link below to get Daniels' recipe.

Zócalo Chef Ryan Rose, 28, learned today that he's one of 15 finalists for the "Next Food Network Star YouTube Challenge," an online video contest that attracted about 250 entries.

The winner gets a free trip to New York, dinner at a Food Network star's restaurant and most importantly, a meeting with Food Network executives.

"It's super exciting," said Rose, who has worked his way up from bartender to head chef at the midtown Sacramento restaurant over the past six years

Rose was hunting online for casting information last month on how to apply for "The Next Food Network Star" when he ran across the YouTube contest. He quickly got a video together.

He's hoping the look of his video, set in Zócalo's kitchen, helps set him apart from the other finalists.

"I (taped it) through an actual Saturday brunch service," Rose said. "There were line cooks working and flames shooting up."

The video shows Ryan cooking paella, a dish he learned to cook while studying in Spain eight years ago.

The country fueled his love of food, but it was The Food Network that helped teach Rose how to cook. Now, he's hoping to return the favor.

"I'd love to be able to do that same thing for someone else," he said.

Online voting is being held through Aug. 16. The winner will be announced online Aug. 23.

You can see Rose's video at 6 p.m. today at Zócalo, where they're holding a viewing party and tequila and paella tasting. Or watch it here courtesy of YouTube (but you have to go to the online voting site to cast your ballot).

By Debbie Arrington
darrington@sacbee.com

Eric Moore knows his burgers. Soon, the 9-year-old Roseville boy will be a published recipe author, too.

His creation - Blackened Avocado Bacon Burger - was chosen from more than 11,000 entries to be part of fourth annual Red Robin Kids' Cookoff Cookbook.

Moore's recipe along with 49 others submitted by young chefs ages 6 to 12 will be included in the cookbook, available free online at Red Robin's Web site, starting Tuesday.

With the Food Network's Robin Miller serving as judge, the cookbook recipes were chosen based on their inventive combination of ingredients, fun flavors and a 100-word essay on why this recipe should be America's next "gourmet burger."

Moore's recipe combines a blackened hamburger patty, sliced avocado, cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, Cajun spice and thick-cut smoked bacon on a hamburger bun.
Top prize went to 10-year-old Emma Potts from Bonney Lake, Wash., and her Spicy Honey Glazed Bacon Burger. That burger will be added to Red Robin menus for six weeks with 50 cents from each purchase donated to National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Got a great burger recipe? Red Robin is starting on its fifth annual cookbook. Young cooks ages 6 to 12 can submit their gourmet burger recipe entries online by clicking here, starting Tuesday.

The grand prize winner gets a family vacation for four to Universal Orlando Resort, Red Robin gift cards for a year as well as a burger on the menu. Deadline is Sept. 12.

Call The Bee's Debbie Arrington, (916) 321-1075.

It's tomato season in the Sacramento region and we need your help in figuring out what to do our Brandywines, beefsteaks and other varieties.

What is your favorite tomato variety? Why do you love it so much - easy to grow, easy to cook, low acidity, extra sweet?

Do you have a favorite tomato recipe? We'd love to see that too.

Click here to send your tomato recipes and thoughts to Bee staff writer Niesha Lofing.

Do you have the worst kitchen in America?

The DIY Network and Food Network Magazine want to see it - and are offering one lucky cook a $30,000 customized renovation.

The contest launched Thursday and participants can post photos and video of their nightmare kitchens on DIY's website until Aug. 6, according to a news release from the network.

The winner and the renovation will be featured in a one-hour DIY Network special airing in January and be featured in the January/February issue of Food Network Magazine.

The winner also will receive a lifetime subscription to Food Network Magazine.

Click here for more information or to enter the contest.

By Niesha Lofing
nlofing@sacbee.com

Turns out Sacramento-based Cupcake Craving isn't the only sweet shop in the region to be approached by the Food Network.

Producers at "Cupcake Wars" also contacted Icing on the Cupcake, a Rocklin bakery, Babycakes Bakery and Esther's Cupcakes, both in Sacramento, and asked the owners to apply to be on the show.

"Cupcake Wars" is a weekly show that pits the nation's top cupcake bakers against one another in three elimination challenges. The winner gets $10,000 and the chance to showcase their cupcakes at a high-profile event.

If you ever needed an incentive to walk the straight and narrow and stay out of jail, one look at the following recipe may have you singing "Ain't Misbehavin'."

A lawyer friend of mine passed this along. It is the legally approved diet for someone placed in disciplinary isolation. When I walk past the jail downtown and hear all the wailing and shouting, I imagine they took their first bites of this meatloat!

Feel free to try this recipe at home for the kid who doesn't make his or her bed..

Here it is:

1247. Disciplinary Isolation Diet.

(a) A disciplinary isolation diet which is nutritionally balanced may be served to an inmate. No inmate receiving a prescribed medical diet is to be placed on a disciplinary isolation diet without review by the responsible physician or pursuant to a written plan approved by the physician. Such a diet shall be served twice in each 24 hour period and shall consist of one-half of the loaf (or a minimum of 19 oz. cooked loaf) described below or other equally nutritious diet, along with two slices of whole wheat bread and at least one quart of drinking water if the cell does not have a water supply. The use of a disciplinary isolation diet shall constitute an exception to the three-meal-a-day standard. Should a facility administrator wish to provide an alternate disciplinary diet, such a diet shall be submitted to the Board of Corrections for approval.

(b) The disciplinary diet loaf shall consist of the following:
2-1/2 oz. nonfat dry milk
4-1/2 oz. raw grated potato
3 oz. raw carrots, chopped or grated fine
1-1/2 oz. tomato juice or puree
4-1/2 oz. raw cabbage, chopped fine
7 oz. lean ground beef, turkey or rehydrated, canned, or frozen Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP)
2-1/2 fl. oz. oil
1-1/2 oz. whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp. salt
4 tsp. raw onion, chopped
1 egg
6 oz. dry red beans, pre-cooked before baking (or 16 oz. canned or cooked red kidney beans)
4 tsp. chili powder
Shape into a loaf and bake at 350-375 degrees for 50-70 minutes.

Guideline: Regulations require that food will not be withheld from an inmate as a disciplinary measure for major infractions (Section 1083, Limitations on Disciplinary Actions). With respect to inmates who are on a prescribed medical diet, the responsible physician must be consulted prior to putting that inmate on the disciplinary isolation diet. This is to assure that the disciplinary diet does not result in any unanticipated health consequences. The regulation includes a meat substitute and the vegetarian disciplinary option can also be used for a lactose-free disciplinary diet. Both the meat and the vegetarian options for the disciplinary isolation diet meet the nutritional requirements of Section 1241, Minimum Diet. A nutritional analysis of the diet is available upon request to the Board of Corrections. This recipe was updated to comply with the new DRI requirements and the carrot portion has been changed from 4 ½ oz. to 3 oz. of Carrots.

The 72- hour limitation was moved to Section 1083, Limitations on Disciplinary Actions, because restrictions on the use of the disciplinary diet are a custody issue.

A new take-away style restaurant with a tiny kitchen is aiming to make a big splash at Quarry Ponds Town Center in Granite Bay.

Pullman Kitchen, set in the center's fresh market, is hosting a grand opening this weekend featuring a free pasta demonstration from 3 to 4 p.m. Sunday.

The restaurant is planning to repeat the event July 11 as well.

Chef and owner Sovy Medved said the 448-square foot kitchen is probably one of the smallest in the region, but it won't hamper her and Chef Christian Flood from turning out the best food at reasonable prices.

"We're going to concentrate on providing good food and good service to the public," she said.

The menu includes things like pulled pork or ribeye steak sandwiches served with fresh fruit and pasta salad for $6.95. Seasonal dinner items also will be available.

She's also not letting the previous tenant's failure to thrive or the center's chapter 11 bankruptcy filing sway her thoughts.

"We're determined to stay and produce the best possible food we can do at reasonable prices," she said.

Pullman Kitchen, located at 5550 Douglas Boulevard, Suite 140, is open 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

For more information, call (916) 370-3223.

I uncovered many tips and tricks while reporting my story on homemade ice cream. Now it's time to dish.

Those festive ice cream sandwiches gracing the cover of our Food & Wine section in today's Bee? They're amazingly simple to construct (and lovely to look at thanks to Bee photographer Lezlie Sterling) .

Bake your favorite cookie rounds, making sure it's large enough to fit a star-shaped cutter. Once the cookies have cooled (I let our peanut butter cookies cool on a rack for 30 minutes, then sit overnight in a zip-top bag), cut them into stars, leaving perfectly flat inner edges.

Heap your favorite homemade or store-bought vanilla ice cream in the center of one star, and place another star cookie on top. Flatten the cookies a little, so the ice cream squishes out the sides. Use a butter knife and follow the line of the cookie's edge, shaving off extra ice cream as you go.

Freeze for about 30 minutes to harden before serving.

Follow the link below for more tips and a recipe for chocolate gelato.

Sometimes the memory of homemade ice cream is as sweet as the treat itself.

Such is the case the stories we received after we asked readers to send in their homemade ice cream stories. We're highlighting homemade ice cream and how to make it in tomorrow's Food & Wine section.

Consider Maria White's story a cautionary tale.

"When I was younger, three of my siblings loved making their own ice cream. We were a family of six and I'm sure my mother was very happy that they would entertain each other.

It wasn't until one day, one of my brothers came wailing from the ice cream making corner. He couldn't even tell my mother what was wrong, but he stuck his tongue in a cup of water while my other siblings were trying to hide.

It turns out that instead of using sugar, they had reached for the salt bin. It had been a very, very salty vanilla ice cream.

Now that I make ice cream with my children, I find myself checking it more than once, making sure I'm using sugar... not salt." - Maria White, 30, of Sacramento

Follow the link below for another reader's favorite memory.

Participating in the virtual wine tasting Wednesday night with my colleague Chris Macias and wondering what hors d'oeuvres you can quickly put together after work?

Look no further.

Appetizers don't have to fussy and labor intensive to impress your guests. Think simple, both in preparation and execution, and you'll end up with an array of treats sure to please palates and afford you time to enjoy the party.

One of the easiest appetizers to execute is the cheese plate. I asked Felicia Johnson, cheesemonger at Taylor's Market, to guide us toward cheeses that would pair well with the wines selected for Wednesday night's virtual tasting.

Follow the link below to get Johnson's picks and other appetizer ideas.

A story in Wednesday's Food & Wine section featured how famous chefs are putting their spin on the classic hamburger.

Well another celebrity chef has ponied up a burger recipe in time for backyard barbecue season.

Bobby Flay's recipe for green chile cheeseburgers sounds delicious and (perhaps best of all) simple enough to whip up on a weeknight.

The recipe came to us courtesy of Hellmann's Mayonnaise, which has teamed up with Flay.

Follow the link below to get the recipe.

A Vacaville farm that provides noted San Francisco restaurants with chickens and eggs is adding Sacramento to its community supported agriculture program.

Sacramento is the newest addition to the CSA program at Soul Food Farm, a 55-acre ranch that produces chickens for meat and eggs on certified organic pasture.

The farm, which also has CSA pickup locations in the Bay Area, sources chickens and eggs for Chez Panisse, Coi and Quince restaurants.

The monthly pickup for Sacramento CSA members will be from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. the fourth Thursday of each month at the Epicurean Farmer, 4421 24th Street, a news release from the farm states.

Round up the chocolate, graham crackers and marshmallows - it's nearly time for the Great American Backyard Campout.

The campout, a fundraiser for the nonprofit National Wildlife Federation, is Saturday and what better an excuse to indulge in s'mores and sleep out under the stars?

While there's nothing wrong with the old-fashioned s'mores of our youth, a quick spin around the Internet yielded some interesting recipes on the beloved, gooey treat.

An Epicurious.com recipe suggests subbing caramel or orange-filled chocolate bars for the Hershey's milk chocolate bar. Other recipes used the flavors behind s'mores to create cheesecake, ice cream sundaes and pie.

Food Network star Michael Chiarello riffed on the classic by creating an Italian s'more, a decadent dessert that features biscotti, roasted marshmallows and a cabernet sauvignon chocolate sauce. Click here to get the recipe.

What's your favorite s'more recipe or method? Do you have another favorite camping food? Post your tips in the comment window below.

File this under cool idea, silly name.

The California Fig Advisory Board has launched the "Figlicious Fig Fest Recipe Contest" on Facebook.

Yes, figlicious. No, it's not a real word (at least not according to Webster's).

Here's how it works: hit the "like" button on the advisory board's Facebook page. Once you like it, the page will allow you to post comments on the wall. Post your favorite fig recipe until Aug. 7 and you'll be eligible for a drawing to win fresh and dried figs.

The winner will be announced Aug. 9.

But wait, there's more zany names to be had. The board's Facebook page lists the name of the same contest as the "Fig Fest Figatastic Recipe Contest."

As if one absurd name wasn't enough.

Click here to go to the California Fig's Facebook page.

I scream, you scream, haven't we all screamed (at least once) while making homemade ice cream?

The pride and delicious joy that accompanies homemade ice cream is lovely, but sometimes making it is a bit, well, humorous.

My first go-round with a Cuisinart ice cream maker was far from perfect. The appliance only spent a few minutes out of the box before I was eagerly skimming the instruction manual, paying attention primarily to the recipes.

Once I realized I had all the ingredients on hand to make strawberry ice cream, it was game on.

I mixed, poured and flicked the switch. After 30 minutes, no ice cream, just pink-hued liquid spinning in the ice cream maker.

I was oblivious to a very critical step - freezing the maker's chilling chamber (insert hand-smack to the forehead). That night, we resorted to Dreyer's, but since then I've learned to keep the chilling chamber in the freezer. Now I'm an ice cream-making addict. Coffee, mocha chocolate chip, berry frozen yogurt. You name it, I'm willing to make it.

Do you have a funny story about making ice cream or just love making your own ice cream at home? Send me your stories and recipes at nlofing@sacbee.com along with your name, phone number and city of residence. Your comments could be used in an upcoming Bee story.

*Bee file photo of homemade vanilla ice cream by Kevin German.

In the Ramsay household, it's the world-famous, expletive-slinging celebrity chef, Gordon Ramsay, who tends to get the most press.

That's starting to change.

Ramsay's wife, Tana, made a guest appearance recently on the season opener of "Hell's Kitchen," disguised as a frumpy housewife who served up veal scallops with tomatoes that looked like "baby vomit," Gordon Ramsay proclaimed.

The dish was delicious, however. So much so that he planted a passionate kiss on the raven-haired woman, to the shock of the other competitors.

Then he revealed it was his wife, Tana.

The point was to show the competing chefs that it isn't experience but remarkable cooking that'll help them win the show's seventh season and the prestigious title of executive chef of Ramsay's new restaurant at the Savoy Hotel in London.

Tana Ramsay is about to reveal some more secrets too.

Her latest cookbook, "Tana's Kitchen Secrets" (Mitchell Beazley, $26.99, 288 pages), features tips and tricks that Ramsay uses to get meals on the table, as well as recipes they can't get enough of. The book hits store shelves next month.

The book itself is lovely to look at and the dishes appear beautiful and unfussy. The kind of food you'd make during the week or when friends are coming over for an impromptu supper.

Ramsay also included the recipe for breaded veal scallops with mozzarella, tomato and red pepper sauce that she cooked on the show.

Coincidence? Not so much.

The summer is finally starting to warm up, which for many of us means scouting for dinner ideas that don't involve time over a hot stove.

Newcastle Produce has the answer.

The gourmet grocery and specialty food store's roster of upcoming cooking classes features three courses on summer meals that require little to no cooking.

Chef Chelsea Federwitz will lead a class on raw summer food, summer salads and sushi in July, according to the store's e-newsletter.

The raw summer food class July 6 will feature lessons on how to "un-cook" and incorporate raw food into daily life. Participants will learn to make live cocktails, summer rolls, live pizzas and raw salads. Cost is $35 per person.

On July 8, cooks can learn how to chop, slice, grill, roast and marinate their way to amazing summer salads, as well as make fresh dressing. Cost is $25 per person.

Federwitz will teach a sushi "Rock and Roll" class July 16. Students will learn how to make sushi rice, small and large rolls and inside-out rolls. Spicy tuna, Philadelphia and California rolls will be featured. Cost is $35 per person.

The three classes all start at 6:30 p.m. and are "make and eat" classes, the newsletter states.

Federwitz also will be teaching classes on whimsical cupcakes, summer tarts and pies, tea parties, farm-to-table dinners and Asian street food this summer. She also is scheduled to teach children's classes on Italian food cupcake decorating.

Click here for more information.

A Loomis restaurant is holding a special dinner event next week to celebrate the recent release of a cookbook by Placer County locals Joanne Neft and Laura Kenny.

Cafe Zorro will be featuring a three-course menu based on recipes included in "Placer County Real Food" (In-Season Publishing, $28, 300 pages), according to an e-mail from the restaurant.

The cookbook will be for sale at the event and a book signing also will be held.

Diners may choose from a first course of either onion soup with creme fraiche and thyme or a pea shoot salad with citrus vinaigrette.

Main course choices are pan-seared halibut cheeks with an herb beurre blanc sauce, red quinoa with mushrooms and sauteed kale with mirin or barbecue leg of lambs, served with roasted sweet onions and fennel, sauteed summer squash and baby bok choy with crispy shallots.

Dessert is angel food cake with blackberry compote.

True to Neft's passion to eat locally-grown food in season, all of the food served, except for halibut, will be sourced locally.

The dinner will be held from 5 to 8:30 p.m. June 15 at Cafe Zorro, 5911 King Rd., Loomis. Cost is $35 per person.

Reservations are required and can be made by e-mailing matt@cafezorro.com.

Click here to read more about Neft, Kenny and their effort to help people connect with local food and farmers.

Following up on Rick Kushman's piece in The Bee today (and before that, Ann Martin Rolke's fine account at the excellent Sacramento-based blog "Sacatomato") on Chef Michael Tuohy's weekly guided tour of farmer's market across the street from his restaurant Grange.

It seems like an excellent idea in many ways. It's good PR for the restaurant. It's a good way for the chef to pass along ideas he believes in about cooking with local ingredients. And it's good for the city -- this kind of thing, on a larger scale, could be something of tourist attraction. Oh, and the farmers are happy, too, with the reminder that home cooks can actually save money by going the fresh and local route.

So, what else can chefs do to make it a win-win-win? Reading the recent issue of the magazine Food Arts, I noticed a brief item on a successful program in Houston that could work just as well here. It's called "Where the Chefs Eat," and it involves getting chefs to describe where they like to eat when they're not toiling in their own kitchens. What's more, the chefs then take groups of 16 or so on a tour of the restaurant, often a hole-in-the-wall joint or hidden-away ethnic eatery.

My round-up review last month on hamburgers revealed that more than a few chefs like to grab a good burger, usually late at night, when they don't feel like cooking? But where do they go for a little adventure or a little comfort? That's the idea behind the Houston program.

Since the farmers market tours show we have an eager audience for food and education, this seems like a great idea we can borrow for Sacramento. It would be good exposure for the chefs, their restaurants and this city.

By the way, I'm going to take the dining advice of the chefs over the nice fellow who sold me the magazine. What did he have for dinner? He had just returned from a break, where he dined at the nearby Old Spaghetti Factory. His meal? A plate of broccoli and a liter of beer.

As if we needed another reason to enjoy Chipotle's addicting burritos, the restaurant chain is now increasing its commitment to locally source its produce.

Though it started serving produce from local farms two years ago, it's now working with about 50 local, family-owned farms to provide lettuce, green bell peppers, jalapenos, oregano, tomatoes and red onions.

For Chipotle outlets here in Northern California, sources include Abbate Farms in Merced, Bee Sweet in Fowler, Kenter Canyon Farms in Sun Valley and Taylor Farms in Salinas and Tracy, according to a Chipotle spokesperson.

While not exactly hitting locavore standards in all cases, Chipotle's produce does have less mileage than the other fruits and vegetables eaten in the U.S., which on average, travel about 1,500 miles from farm to table.

The restaurant's produce usually comes from within 250 miles of Chipotle's distribution centers, and nearly 70 percent of that comes from within 150 miles. One-third of its produce arrives from within 50 miles, the release states.

Fish doesn't get much fresher than this.

Shoppers at the Sacramento farmers market can now purchase live fish at the Sunday food haven under the freeway.

Michael Passmore, owner of Passmore Ranch - a sustainable aquaculture facility in Sloughhouse that's been raising and producing fresh water fish since 2005 - began selling live black bass, silver carp, catfish and sturgeon at the market about three weeks ago.

The booth's a hit. Passmore's fish sales have doubled since he started selling fish at farmers markets. He also sets up shop at the Florin Road farmers market on Thursdays and in Stockton on Saturdays.

"It's been fantastic," he said.

And yes, Passmore is well within the law in terms of having a booth of live fish at the farmers market (he should know - the Marine-turned-entrepreneur is currently in law school). He has cleared his booth with Sacramento County and operates at the market under its health permit.

Here's the catch: Passmore or his staff can't hand a live fish to a customer, a requirement attached to his registration with the state Department of Fish and Game.

"We give it a tap on the head, which stuns and/or kills it," he said, adding that the method is among the more humane ways to kill a fish.

Prices range from about $4.25 for catfish and carp to $7.25 for black bass.

Need an idea for a delicious fish dinner? Check out Epicurious' recipe for black bass with ginger and scallions.

Fans of the former Mason's restaurant take note: a culinary reunion is taking place in Land Park.

Neighborhood hot spot Taylor's Kitchen features two members of Mason's original opening crew - chef Robert Lind and pastry chef Jodie Chavious - and has added a third to its line.

John Gurnee, who served as Mason's executive chef, will be working as Lind's sous chef this week, a role Lind filled under Gurnee at Mason's.

"John is just part-timing it for now," owner Danny Johnson wrote in an e-mail to The Bee. Johnson declined to speak to the chef's future plans.

Customer feedback about Lind's work since he joined the Freeport Boulevard restaurant in February has been "overwhelmingly positive," Johnson said.

"The changes put in place have allowed us to achieve a much higher level in the quality and presentation of the food at Taylor's Kitchen," he said.

It also doesn't hurt that they nabbed Andrew Willsen, formerly of Mulvaney's B&L, to manage the front of the house.

It always seems to be National (fill-in your favorite food, cause) month and guess what? May is no different.

National Burger Month doesn't come with a wristband or a parade, but at least it has free food attached.

Smashburger is offering a trifecta of freebies, beginning this week with fries.

The chain, which has a location in Citrus Heights, is giving away free French fries with the purchase of a burger until Thursday.

A free kids meal follows from May 17 through 20, and a free 1/3-pound burger on May 25.

The "fast casual" restaurant, named for the cooking method of smashing balls of meat on the grill, is partnering with Heinz and Coca-Cola for the promotional celebration.

Here's the catch: you have to register your name, address and e-mail at Smashburger's site.

Wondering where else in town to get your burger fix? Check out Bee dining critic Blair Robertson's review of burgers, from counter joints to fine dining restaurants.

Want to hold your own burger celebration at home? Try James McNair's recipe for Napa Valley Basil-Smoked Burgers burgers (from Epicurious). Got vegetarians at your table? This recipe for bulgur veggie burgers with lime mayonnaise got rave reviews on Epicurious' site.

With two stories in this week's Food & Wine section devoted to lamb and it's popularity, we couldn't help but wonder where the meat stands nutritionally.

Beyond being a good source of protein, it's also packed with vitamins, said Liz Applegate, director of sports nutrition at UC Davis.

Lamb is a little higher than other meats in its amount of B12 per serving, and has 40 percent of the daily need of niacin and zinc in a 4-ounce serving, she said.

"It has a wonderful nutrient profile," Applegate said.

But it is a bit higher in saturated fat than other meat, she said.

Care to test your cooking chops?

The California State Fair is looking for home cooks and professional chefs to compete in a host of culinary competitions and events.

The California's Kitchen Program includes food judging competitions, demonstrations, chef challenges and activities for children, according to a state fair news release.

There are seven food competitions to choose from: the jam and jelly show; soft spreads and fruit show; pickle, relish, sauce and salsa show; baked goods (bread); baked goods (cake show); baked goods (pie and pastry); and baked goods (confections and cookies). Each competition has multiple divisions.

Other competitions using products such as Guittard Chocolate, Malt-O-Meal, Ghiradelli, Fleischmann's Yeast and King Arthur Flour also will be held during the fair, which this year will be held from July 14 to Aug. 1. Those contests boast more than $4,000 in cash and prizes, the release states.

Amateur competitions are open to California residents 5 years old and up. Professional competitions are open to chefs and those working in a food-related career.

Food-related challenges "have an agricultural and nutritional focus relating to the fast-pace lifestyle of Californians," the release states.

Entry forms are due by Friday. Applications for chef challenges are being accepted through June 15.

For rules and requirements, follow this link to the State Fair's website or call Nancy Emelio at (916) 263-3194. Emelio also can be reached via e-mail at nemelio@calexpo.com.

Hank Shaw, an Orangevale food writer whose blog "Hunter Angler Gardener Cook," has twice been nominated for a James Beard Foundation award, lost once again.

Shaw attended the awards dinner at Espace in New York City Sunday night, but in the end, it was Ed Levine, who stirs up food enthusiasm on "Serious Eats," who took home the award for best blog.

"Oh well," Shaw texted me late Sunday.

Last year, Shaw lost to Sunset Magazine's "One-Block Diet."

Don't hit "send" on those condolence notes just yet though.

Shaw scored big late last month, having won an International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) award for best blog.

Shaw also has a book deal with Rodale. "Honest Food: Finding the Forgotten Feast" is due out in 2011.

Mother's Day is nearing, which means it's time to start thinking about how to show mom she's appreciated.

For many families, the celebration involves food, be it a beautiful brunch spread or delectable dinner.

But if you have children who are eager to help, cooking a meal mom actually wants to eat can be challenging.

Patty Mastracco, Raley's recipe developer and food stylist, offered us some simple recipes and tips for families looking to present mom with a memorable breakfast.

Click the document link to get Mastracco's recipes.Raley's Mom's Day Off Recipes.doc

There's something about buying sourdough bread that makes me cringe.

It's not the bread itself - I love the sour flavor and the textural juxtaposition of the crispy exterior and chewy center.

What bothers me is paying about $3 for something I've always wanted to learn to make at home.

So when I read Cammie Winston's e-mail about an upcoming bread baking class, my pulse quickened.

Winston will be leading "Sourdough Bread 101" from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday at the Culinary Kitchen at East Bay Restaurant and Kitchen Supply in Sacramento.

For $75, you'll get your own starter in a glass jar, learn how to take care of it, grow it and make sourdough bread out of it. Participants also will bake a batch of sourdough baguettes during class to bring home.

Call Winston at (916) 956-2466 for reservations.

Other classes coming in May and June include Mother's Day cupcakes, Parisian macaroons, "A Sourdough Breakfast," Fourth of July cookies and artisan pizza.

If you're interested in baking sourdough bread but don't have $75 to plunk down, check out this step-by-step post from Blair Robertson, the Bee's dining critic and resident bread baker.

Anyone can drive around the second largest city in North America, tweet a location, and then have hundreds of rabid epicures form a line for Korean BBQ tacos. Delicious, sure. But hardly green. OK, I hope that doesn't sound too envious of cities like LA, SF and Portland, where street food is thriving.

Inspired by the Twitter/Korean taco truck sensation in LA, Sarah Singleton, aka the Undercover Caterer, is doing pretty much the same thing -- but without the fumes that drive Al Gore crazy. Read about her quest for "Faux-gi Korean BBQ Tacos-Without the Truck" here, drool over the pictures, get the recipe, and when you get to the bottom, be sure to enter the contest for a free book. If you're lucky, you'll finish second -- to me!

Stay tuned for the car wash I plan to organize so we can get Sarah an exhaust hood for her 60-year-old house.

You may get the impression UC is not so keen on the restrictive laws Sacramento has regarding food trucks and carts. I'm with her. On a more serious note, if Sacramento wants to get to the next level as a food town, it needs to be more inclusive and offer more opportunity to fledgling businesses, not less. Food trucks, and food carts -- from simple fare to gourmet -- bring more life to our streets, offer more opportunities to folks looking for a meal and give the city a chance to be a more exciting place.

As someone who likes to walk and ride all over Sacramento, I would welcome the chance for greater diversity of choices. For now, I'm going to give Sarah's recipe a shot sometime soon.

Local food blogger Hank Shaw has a few reasons to celebrate today.

Shaw won an International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) award for best blog Thursday night at the organization's conference in Portland.

And in a little more than a week, he'll know whether he's coming home to Orangevale with a James Beard Foundation award for "Hunter Angler Gardener Cook."

Shaw said the IACP award took him by surprise because, well, he wasn't expecting to win.

"I had psyched myself up so hard to lose that thing that I was successful at not even thinking about the award until about an hour beforehand," he said in a phone interview from Portland.

Shaw was up against SF Weekly's John Birdsall, who writes "Sfoodie," and "Eating ...Our Words" by Robb Walsh, a Houston Press writer and legend in Texas food circles.

"I was a little shocked," he said.

In Shaw's pocket Thursday night were little stones his mother, who is very religious, had given him. The stones symbolize the ones that David slew Goliath with in the Bible.

"You can damn well be sure I'll be carrying them in a week," he said. Shaw's blog was nominated for a Beard award last year, but lost to Sunset magazine's food blog, "One-block Diet."

Shaw also is working on his first cookbook, "Honest Food: Finding the Forgotten Feast," which is being published by Rodale Books in 2011.

In case you missed it in theaters and it hasn't yet cycled to the top of your Netflix queue, "Food, Inc." is scheduled to air Wednesday night on KVIE.

The Oscar-nominated documentary is being presented as part of PBS' POV (Point of View) series, which also has launched discussions boards and a giveaway for viewers.

PBS' POV series also is urging viewers to host "Food, Inc." potluck parties featuring sustainable foods and has tips and recipes on its website. Food, Inc., directed by Robert Kenner, examines the nation's food industry and the corporate culture surrounding it.

But unless you like late-night food feasts (doesn't that mess with the ol' metabolism?), Sacramento viewers may want to DVR the documentary ‑ POV doesn't air until 10 p.m. Wednesday on KVIE.

Viewers also can watch "Food, Inc." from Thursday through April 29 on POV's Web site.

A potluck is a little more work than ordering a pizza and chicken wings, but it's probably a wise suggestion given the documentary's eye-opening perspective on what we eat and how it's produced.

New York Times writer Manohla Dargis described "Food, Inc." as an "often infuriating activist documentary about the big business of feeding or, more to the political point, force-feeding, Americans all the junk that multinational corporate money can buy. You'll shudder, shake and just possibly lose your genetically modified lunch."

To enter POV's gift basket giveaway for potluck enthusiasts, check out POV's website. There are 60 chances to win. Freebies include autographed books, DVDs and sustainable teas and coffees.

Check out Bee writer Carlos Alcala's April 14 story about the region's love of potlucks, as well as a handy potluck primer.

Evelyn Henderson won't be coming home a millionaire.

Henderson, of Roseville, was among four cooks vying for the Pillsbury Bake-Off's $1 million grand prize, but in the end, the judge's favorite was Sue Compton's mini ice cream cookie cups.

Compton's big win was announced live this morning on "The Oprah Winfrey Show." The New Jersey cook's recipe had snagged the "Sweet Treats" category of the Bake-Off.

Other category winners were Henderson, who won the "Entertaining Appetizers" category for her salmon pecan-crusted tartlets, Kellie White, of St. Louis, Mo. for her zesty lime-fish tacos, and Niki Plourde for tomato-basil eggs alfredo in bread baskets.

The four category winners had emerged from a pool of 100 finalists, who competed Monday in the Bake-off, held in Orlando, Fla. The quartet of winning cooks were flown to Chicago for the Oprah show late Monday night.

Henderson won't come home empty-handed however. Her category prize includes $5,000 and a new GE Profile Induction Free-Standing Range.

Click here to get Henderson's tartlet recipe.

Roseville home cook Evelyn Henderson's odds at winning $1 million just jumped to one in four.

Henderson won the "Entertaining Appetizers" category of the Pillsbury Bake-off today in Orlando, Fla., contest officials announced this evening.

Henderson's salmon pecan-crusted tartlets beat out 19 other entries for the category and nabbed her a $5,000 cash prize, a new GE Profile(tm) Induction Free-Standing Range and a shot at the $1 million grand prize.

Henderson and the winners of the "Breakfast & Brunches," "Dinner Made Easy" and "Sweet Treats" categories are being flown tonight to Chicago, where for the first time in the contest's 60-year history, the grand prize winner will be announced live on "The Oprah Winfrey Show."

Check tomorrow's Sacramento Bee for continued coverage of Henderson's win.

Evelyn's winning recipe: Salmon Pecan-Crusted Tartlets

Evelyn Henderson isn't likely to forget how to make her recipe for salmon pecan-crusted tartlets.

In recent months, the Roseville grandmother has made 50 dozen batches of the appetizers for various family gatherings, weddings and bridal showers.

Come Monday morning, she'll make yet another.

But this time, judges will be eating her tartlets (picture at left courtesy of the Pillsbury Bake-Off). Henderson's recipe, you see, has landed her a coveted spot in this year's Pillsbury Bake-Off, arguably the most popular and esteemed competitions among home cooks.

"I think I can make them in my sleep now," she said.

Henderson will be among 100 contestants competing in Orlando, Fla. in the Bake-Off. The categories are "Breakfast & Brunches," "Entertaining Appetizers," "Dinner Made Easy" and "Sweet Treats."

Follow the link below to read more about Henderson and get her recipe.

Love may be king in old Napoli, but good deals reign supreme at a string of Northern California Italian eateries.

Bay Area-based Pasta Pomodoro restaurant group has launched a Monday night promotion called "Cena di Familia," a family-style $35 three-course supper for four.

What's more, during April, 25 percent of the proceeds from each Cena di Familia meal sold will go to Bay Area food banks, the company stated in a news release.

So what do you serve culinary legend and award-winning food critic Ruth Reichl during a reception in her honor?

Garlic and sapphires of course.

Reichl's 2006 memoir "Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise" is the theme of her lecture tonight, part of the California Lectures series, so it was only fitting to carry the theme into the dishes served, said Michael Tuohy, chef at Grange Restaurant.

"There will be lots of garlic for sure, and Sapphire martinis," he said.

The menu will include a dizzying array of delectable dishes, from local lamb tartare with shallots, herbs and white truffle oil to lemongrass panna cotta with fresh grapefuit.

"Just the fact that it's Ruth Reichl means it's gotta be good," Tuohy said.

He's done it again folks.

Local food blogger Hank Shaw has secured a James Beard Foundation award nomination for his "Hunter Angler Gardener Cook," the second year in a row his work has received the honor.

The nomination, which the foundation announced today along with other finalists for this year's awards, took Shaw by surprise (Shaw is pictured at left in a Bee file photo by Anne Chadwick Williams).

"From what I understood, the Beard Foundation doesn't go to the well twice in a row," he said.

Shaw's blog is up against Ed Levine's "Serious Eats" and "Grub Street New York" by Aileen Gallagher, Daniel Maurer and Alexandra Vallis.

And now, for the answer "Iron Chef America" fans have been waiting for: just how does someone get to be a judge on the show?

I recently had the opportunity to ask Donatella Arpaia, a frequent judge of the Food Network show and judge on "The Next Iron Chef," that very question after interviewing her for a story on food presentation that will appear in Wednesday's Food & Wine section.

"They called me - I didn't call them," she said, laughing. "They're wonderful."

Arpaia, a corporate attorney turned successful Manhatten restauranteur, has several award-winning Manhatten and Miami restaurants, including Anthos, one of only two Greek restaurants in the world to have earned a Michelin star. Her first cookbook "Donatella Cooks: Simple Food Made Glamorous" hit stores next month (jacket cover at left courtesy of Rodale Books).

Food Network contacts a variety of people in the food industry to serve as judges for "Iron Chef America," and executives seem to seek out food authorities with strong culinary opinions and those very knowledgeable about food, she said.

Looks like some of us will be relegated to armchair judging. Oh well.

As for 'The Next Iron Chef," Arpaia confirmed rumors that another show may be in the work.

Will she be involved?

"Oh yes, I think so," she said.

Did you know that 1 in 5 Americans have eaten an entire pie by themselves?

Seems reasonable in a gluttonous sort of way.

The American Pie Council also recently reported that 113 million people have eaten pie for breakfast.

Guilty as charged.

This little factoid is a bit odder: apparently 1/3 of Americans have eaten pie in bed.

Seriously? Pie in bed?

Pie's a dessert associated with wholesomeness, red-checkered tablecloths and grandmothers, not sexiness. Notice that there's no pie in the food scene of the 1986 drama "9 1/2 weeks."

But no matter where you eat pie, Sunday is the perfect day to indulge in a slice or two (or eight if you're among the 1 in 5 who eat the whole thing) since it's Pi day, a celebration of the mathematical constant 3.14.

Want to learn more about Pi Day? Check out my story from this week's Food & Wine section and click here to see accompanying recipes.

Check out the American Pie Council's Web site for more Pi Day-worthy recipes.

Do you plan on celebrating Pi Day with a favorite pie? Share your pie recipes or where to purchase a great pie in the comments section below.

Bee file photo by Owen Brewer.

Interested in learning more about the cutting techniques and tips presented in the Food & Wine story about butchery today?

Taylor's Market is offering more butchery classes in coming months, the themes of which will vary slightly depending on the season.

A March 20 butchery class will focus on lamb, while a class on April 17 will concentrate more on barbecue cuts, said Danny Johnson, lead butcher and Taylor's owner (shown left).

Spots are still available for each class, which is limited to 25 people. Cost is $40 per person.

Future classes may also delve into sausage making, he said.

For more information or to sign up for one of the classes, call Taylor's at (916) 443-6881.

Bee Photo by Jose Villegas

Attention Whole Foods shoppers!

If you're shopping the Sacramento or Roseville locations today or Saturday, be sure to have an Organic Valley product in your cart - it could mean free groceries.

Organic Valley farmer and owner Cindy Daley, a professor at the University Organic Farm at Chico State, will be surprising four shoppers at Whole Foods stores and paying for a week's worth of groceries, Wendy Allen, an Organic Valley spokeswoman said in an e-mail to The Bee.

Here's the catch - the lucky shoppers must already have an Organic Valley product in their cart to win. The timing of the giveaways is not being disclosed.

Daley also will be at the stores from 11 to 3 p.m. today and Saturday to promote Organic Valley's new drinkable yogurt.

The grocery giveaway is "a gift from the 15 California farmer-owners of Organic Valley to Whole Foods shoppers as thanks for devotion to organic foods and for keeping organic farmers on the land," Allen said.

We received a handful of recipes fit to print while reporting today's Food & Wine story about our favorite light cookbooks, but unfortunately not all would fit in print.

But thanks to the wonders of technology, here are extra recipes.

Just click on the highlighted portion of the recipe name to get the desired recipe. Here's the menu:
Broccoli-cheddar soup.doc
Eggplant Parmesan.doc
Chicken Pot Pie.doc
Braised paprika chicken.doc
Roasted beets with anise.doc
Guacamole.doc

Did you miss the story? Click here to read "Heavy on the books, light on the cooking."

What are your favorite light cooking cookbooks? What makes them so great? Share your picks here.

It's the first of many highly-anticipated announcements in the food world: the James Beard Foundation has unveiled the semifinalists for its 2010 restaurant and chef awards.

Among the names unveiled today are several San Francisco and Napa area food industry stars, including Boulevard in San Francisco and Chef Timothy Hollingsworth of The French Laundry in Yountville.

Way to go Northern California!

The award semifinalists were culled from more than 21,000 online entries, which were narrowed by a panel of 400 judges comprised of food industry professionals, educators and journalists, according to a foundation news release.

Five finalists in each of the 19 restaurant and chef categories will be announced on March 22. The awards will be presented May 3 in New York City.

Click on the link below to see the list of semifinalists. Northern California contenders have been highlighted.

Talk about taking the old adage "An apple a day keeps the doctor away" to heart.

Sutter Davis Hospital is teaming with the Davis Farmers Market to provide produce and farm products at the hospital.

Plans include opening a small farmer's market at the medical campus, incorporating fresh local produce on cafeteria menus, selling gift baskets of farm products in the hospital's gift shop and hosting produce tastings in the cafeteria, Sutter spokespeople said.

The goal is to boost awareness of the relationship between eating farm fresh, local food and good health.

First Lady Michelle Obama launched her campaign to combat childhood obesity last week and boy, did people get moving.

E-mails started pouring in to The Bee, touting the nutritional benefits of one food or another. Recipes abounded.

Martha Stewart has even gotten in on the action, inviting White House Executive Chef Cristeta Comerford and Pastry Chef Bill Yosses to her show on Monday to share the recipes for some of the first family's favorite meals.

Turns out the Obamas, like many of us, are lasagna fans.

Follow the link below to get the recipes. For more about the growing epidemic of childhood obesity, check out my column in today's Living Here section.

There's nothing quite like going to dim sum with Master Chef Martin Yan.

For starters, the food never stops coming out the kitchen, a testament to his ordering skills and perhaps his cache as a beloved TV personality.

But Bee photographer Michael Jones and I walked away with more than just full stomachs on Feb. 1, when we spent the morning cooking with Yan at his Hillsborough home (click here to see the story about my cooking lesson).

We took with us a lesson in dim sum itself.

Here are the highlights.

Valentine's Day and dessert are pretty much synonymous, but that doesn't mean you have to resort to spending $8 per slice of cake.

Why not get into the kitchen and bake your sweetie some sweets they won't soon forget?

You may just get some confection affection.

Here's some baking hints:

• If you love rich chocolate flavor, look for recipes calling for cocoa powder or bittersweet chocolate with a high percentage of cacao.

• Chocolate dessert recipes that call for instant coffee or espresso powder also usually are winners, since coffee tends to deepen chocolate's flavor.

• Turn to the experts for inspiration. Epicurious, Food Network, Martha Stewart, Nigella Lawson and Nestle's Web sites are great places to start.

Click on the link below for an easy, delicious recipe for Love Struck Chocolate Bundt Cake.

*This story has been updated from its original version

Owners of a popular midtown breakfast spot are considering legal action against their landlords after receiving notice that their lease isn't being renewed.

The Cornerstone, located at the corner of J and 24th streets, will have to close as early as this month.

The neighborhood restaurant has been a popular breakfast and lunch spot for 16 years.

"We really feel like we are a part of the neighborhood and it is heartbreaking to be told we are going to have to leave," co-owner Danny Leung said in a prepared statement.

This isn't your average cooking class.

While the new workshop at Taylor's Market does provide cooking tips, it's butchery that's the meat of the matter.

The store is offering a three hour Butchering 101 class later this month, led by owner and butcher Danny Johnson (or as his truck license plate states "BEEF DR").

"There's been a lot of buzz about being a butcher - it's the hot thing in the food world," Johnson said.

The first session, held last month, met overwhelming success.

Participants were taught how to communicate with their butcher, how to buy seafood, cut up a chicken and provided with insider tips on saving money when buying meat.

But butchering a lamb and hog stole the show.

"Everybody started flipping out," he said of their excitement.

The workshops also include a light breakfast and lunch.

The next session will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 27 at Taylor's on Freeport Boulevard. Cost is $40 per person. Bring your knives too - there will be a knife sharpening contractor on site.

For reservations, call the store at (916) 443-6881.

Super Bowl is nearly here and for many fans, that means readying the food game plan.

Last week, the Bee's Chris Macias and I provided Food & Wine section readers with a cheat sheet of party food picks, including which restaurants had the best wings and dip recipes.

But what if you want to make the wings and buy the dip?

Here's help.

We discovered some truly delicious store-bought dip while on our quest to test dip delivery systems.

Here are the ones folks couldn't stop talking about (and eating):

Stonemill Kitchens Three Cheese Peperoncini Dip (Raley's and Safeway) - This creamy mix of cheese and sour cream, which has a great kick of heat thanks to the peperoncinis, can be served hot or cold. Scoop it into a serving dish and no one will know it's not homemade. We won't tell.

Trader Joe's Edamame Hummus (Trader Joe's) - Even non-hummus fans loved this one. The edamame lends a smooth texture and a bright flavor to the chickpea spread.

Mrs. A's Famous Salsa Buena in Hot (Taylor's Market, Whole Foods Sacramento & Roseville) - We were tempted to double dip into this flavorful salsa, which is made with organic tomatoes, cilantro and no raw onions. An ice-cold beer garnished with lime would make for a perfect pairing.

And what would a Super Bowl party be without wings? Sure you could order out, but if you're looking to score a touchdown with party pals, this recipe for Asian spiced chicken wings made using a slow cooker might just do the trick.

Follow the link below to get the recipe.

Calling all Canadians: you're needed for an upcoming story.

We're working on a story for an upcoming Food & Wine section about Canadian food and are looking for local expats to enlighten us on what it is that our neighbors to the north eat. What were the favorite dishes growing up? Is there something you most definitely can live without? Do you have a favorite recipe you'd like to share?

Home cook or professional chef, we'd love to talk to you.

If you're game, please e-mail Niesha Lofing at nlofing@sacbee.com.

Thank you!

This story has been updated from it's original version.

The California Office of Traffic Safety is holding a drinking contest.

Sort of.

The state department, which administers grant funding to reduce traffic deaths and injuries, is holding the final stage of its non-alcoholic "mocktail" drink contest today at Grange Restaurant in Sacramento.

The contest began in mid-December, when the department launched a Facebook site that included an interactive application soliciting mocktail recipes from Facebook fans statewide.

The recipes are hoped to provide designated drivers with interesting, delicious drinks that allow them to feel included in the party.

"Driving drunk is a problem, but at the same time we don't want people to not have a good time," said Chris Cochran, the department's spokesman. "We're not anti-alcohol, we're anti alcohol plus driving."

In less than a month, the Facebook site attracted more than 1,000 fans and officials received about 40 non-alcoholic drink recipes, he said.

Cochran, along with other staffers - including one that is a former bartender - was tasked with narrowing the list.

"We were looking for things that are new and different and had something unique about them that hadn't been seen before," he said.

Two entries emerged as finalists: Kimberly Beck's "Green Meenie Martini" and Erika Penzer Kerekes' "Minty Pink Sparkler."

Follow the link below to read more about the contest.

Ladies and gentlemen, Appetizers is about to get even more appealing.

We have added a new feature, an amuse-bouche if you will, that allows food writers here to share interesting content and food stories we find on the Web. The new links will publish under the heading "Recommended Links" on the right side of the page.

From links to quirky food blogs (check out the link at right to a food blog about the pursuit of "waffleizing" meals) to food and wine stories from other newspapers and publications, we aim to bring you what we find fascinating and hope you'll enjoy too.

If you happen across a story or Web site we haven't mentioned and think we should check out, send me an e-mail at nlofing@sacbee.com and you may spy your link included in the mix.

Bon Appetit!

Calling all parents of pint-size Emeril emulators - your child could be the star of a new PBS cooking show for kids.

"Hey Kids, Let's Cook!" will be holding an open audition on Jan. 30 in Elk Grove.

Producers are looking for one or two children, ages 6 to 9 years old, from the Sacramento region to star in the show's fifth season, Kathy Powers, the show's host and producer, wrote in an e-mail to The Bee.

A parent or guardian must accompany the child to the audition. No additional materials are required for the audition.

Cast members are required to travel to Fresno for filming, however.

The show, which airs on KVIE in Sacramento, provides cooking instruction in an entertaining format while also highlighting nutrition.

"Focusing on nutrition in conjunction with preparation techniques, the show gives kids the tools, and the know-how to eat properly, and challenges them to do it themselves," Powers said.

The audition will be held from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Jan. 30 at Save-Mart Supermarket, 7707 Laguna Blvd., Elk Grove. Save-Mart is the show's corporate sponsor.

Free activities, including story time and food demonstrations, also will be provided courtesy of Save-Mart.

Helping out has never tasted so good.

Taylor's Kitchen is hosting a dinner fundraiser from 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday to benefit Haiti earthquake relief efforts.

The $25 per person meal will feature several courses of Caribbean-inspired food and all proceeds will be donated to a Haitian relief fund, said Danny Johnson, owner of Taylor's Market and the restaurant. Beer and wine will be available at extra cost.

The idea for the fundraiser struck as Johnson and his wife, Kathaleen, were driving to the Fancy Food Show in San Francisco this weekend and listening to radio reports detailing the relief efforts.

"It's an unbelievably tragic story," Danny Johnson said. "That nation's already in a bad enough way."

Taylor's staff are donating their time for the fundraiser and at least one vendor has donated chicken for the event.

Johnson said he's hoping to raise about $5,000 to send to Haiti.

Reservations can be made by calling the restaurant at (916) 443-5154. Walk-ins also are welcome.

Taylor's Kitchen is located at 2924 Freeport Blvd., Sacramento.

The specialty food company Manischewitz is holding its 4th Man-o-Manischewitz cooking contest, with a deadline of January 31. The top recipe will win its creator a $25,000 package of appliances, cash and more.

Five finalists will be flown to New York City for the cook-off judged by celebrity chef Jacques Pepin.

The contest is for creative kosher recipes and this year requires use of the company's newly introduced natural broth. Some cooks favor using kosher products anyway because of the stringent rules for preparing them. The broth is made with chicken and beef.

Contest organizers encourage cooks to check out last year's winner for inspiration. Erin Evenson won the contest with her recipe for Ruby Red Risotto, using the company's unsalted borscht.

For more information, or to enter the contest, follow this link to the Manischewitz Web site.

- Carlos Alcala

I hear it's going to rain and rain and rain for the next week at least, and we're going to be hit with enpough water to raise the rivers, put an end to talk of a drought for at least a month and keep most of us doing indoor things.

For food people, that probably involves plenty of time in the kitchen. Right now, I have four pounds of souurdough bread dough rising on the counter and I just finished making a curried carrot soup. After arriving back to the house cold and wet with three wet but happy dogs, it was just the right way to warm back up. Same with my girlfriend, who decided to go for a run in the rain.

The recipe is from Eating Well, and if I did anything different it was to add just a little more salt than the recipe called for. But you do that at the end when you adjust the seasonings to suit you.

It helps to have a food processor to make quick work of the slicing and, though the recipe says to put the cooked ingredients in a blender to puree, I really don't like to do that. It's so much easier -- and safer -- to use an immersion blender. The flavors in this recipe, by the time it hits the bowl, are quite smooth, with just a hint of a spicy kick. But your kitchen is going to smell like an Indian restaurant (a good thing).

Check out the recipe here.

You're probably familiar with Eating Well. If not, it's an excellent magazine that focuses on healthy eating that is also delicious. The recipes don't sacrifice one to arrive at the other. The Web site is also very helpful. If you register (free), you can creat a "My Eating Well" and keep a collection of your favorite recipes from the site, which is what I do. Enjoy the soup -- and the rain.

Cooking gourmet at home and unconventional flavor pairings are among food trends forecasted for the coming year.

Spice giant McCormick have released the 10th anniversary edition of its Flavor Forecast, a report that details the trends that'll likely shape the way we eat.

Foods this year will be influenced by "bitter, warm and earthy notes," McCormick's Executive Chef, Kevan Vetter, said in a news release.

Here is McCormick's Top 10 flavor pairings for 2010:

1. Roasted ginger and rhubarb
2. Thai basil and watermelon
3. Caraway and bitter greens
4. Bay leaves and preserved lemon
5. Almond and ale
6. Turmeric and vine-ripened tomatoes
7. Pumpkin pie spice and coconut milk
8. Roasted cumin and chickpeas
9. Creole mustard and shellfish
10. Chives and fish sauce

To see more trends and get recipes, click on the link below.

Where's the recipe?

A kind reader called this morning to tell me that missing in today's Food & Wine section was Joni Hilton's recipe for maple-glazed prosciutto wrapped shrimp (we wrote about Hilton earlier this week on this blog).

Doh!

Follow the link below to get Hilton's recipe, which is a final contender in the Hungry Jack "Use Up the Box" recipe and essay contest.

One of my favorite places to satisfy my sweet tooth is Ginger Elizabeth Chocolates on L Street between 18th and 19th. It's a great business on a block that, believe it or not, used to be absolutely dead.

Ginger Elizabeth Hahn will be teaching yet another class on her favorite topic -- dessert. Here is the press release I just received. You'll notice the class is in a vacant penthouse of the loft apartments across the street. I believe the asking price for that unit is $1.2 million. I recently attended a party there and it is quite spectatular. So if you're on the fence about attending the class, figure that it's worth at least 10 bucks just to hang out in that loft for awhile. Here's the information:

SACRAMENTO, California (January 11, 2010)-- Local chocolatier and pastry chef Ginger Elizabeth Hahn will offer a soufflé class to teach you to prepare a memorable dessert for your Valentine. Discover how easy soufflés can be to make at home. Ginger will dispel many of the misconceptions and myths regarding soufflé making just in time for Valentine's Day. Learn to make these impressive and elegant desserts with confidence and ease.

Ginger will show you how to make 3 of her favorite soufflé recipes:
-Classic French Grand Marnier Soufflé
-Bittersweet Chocolate Molten Soufflé Cake
-Frozen Meyer Lemon Soufflé
This class will also include a bonus chocolate tasting and discussion: How and why chocolate can spice up your Valentine's Day.

Cost: $35 per person
When: Saturday, February 6th, 11:00am - 1:00pm
Where: L Street Lofts Penthouse (meet at Ginger Elizabeth Chocolates)

The class includes step-by-step recipes to take home. A dessert buffet will be presented at the end, so you can try all of the desserts. Following the class, attendees will receive a 10% discount on purchases in the chocolate shop. Seating is limited. All classes must be paid for in advance. Must be at least 10 years old to attend.

Ginger Elizabeth Hahn is a formally trained chocolatier and pastry chef. She offers an array of chocolate confections and chocolate pastries at her chocolaterie located at 1801 L Street, Suite 60 in Midtown Sacramento. For more information, please visit www.gingerelizabeth.com.

Joni Hilton had three goals when she was developing a recipe for the Hungry Jack "Use Up the Box" recipe and essay contest: include shrimp, the savory combination of sweet and salty and submit a winning recipe.

Her recipe for maple-glazed prosciutto wrapped shrimp fulfills the first two and may just help her nail the third.

Hilton, of Rocklin, is one of just nine finalists in the recipe contest, which saw a total of 324 entries. Participants had to submit original recipes that used Hungry Jack Instant Mashed Potatoes, Hungry Jack Pancake Mix or Hungry Jack Syrup.

Entrants also had to submit a 200 word or less essay explaining how they created the recipe.

Hilton said coming up with her recipe wasn't too difficult.

The family eats shrimp a lot - her husband, former CBS 13 anchor Bob Hilton, grew up eating shrimp in Louisiana - and Joni Hilton loves the combination salty meat and shrimp, so combining the two elements seemed like a perfect fit.

"It's explosively delicious," she said of the dish. "It's been a real hit with our family."

Hilton, 53, is well-seasoned when it comes to entering recipe contests.

She has entered hundreds of contests and won 60. She was a finalist in the National Beef Cookoff and has won trips to Hawaii, New York, Florida and lots of appliances.

The best prize thus far was a $25,000 trip to France in 1997 that she scored for having won a Bays English Muffin recipe contest.

The trip included a week of cooking school.

"It was just the trip of a lifetime," she said.

Prizes for the Hungry Jack recipe contests aren't too shabby either. A grand prize of a year's worth of groceries (in the form of a check for $6,000) will be awarded for each category, and runners-up will be awarded a gift basket of Hungry Jack products.

Online voting begins Friday on Hungry Jack's contest Web site.

What do sushi, cupcakes and coffee have in common?

Beyond deliciousness, all were among the top ten food trends of the past decade, according to the editors at The Food Channel.

Staff there also came up with the top flavors, food influencers, people, news topics impacting food and recipes from 2000 to 2009.

Here at The Bee, we're proud that we've provided readers with stories encompassing these top 10 trends and thought it'd be fun to take a look back. The following is The Food Channel's list of top ten trends, most with links to past Bee stories (some stories are no longer available online)

Follow the link below to see the list.

The question is simple: whose cuisine will reign supreme?

The task is not: constructing a three-course meal in just 45 minutes using five secret ingredients.

Six chefs will aim to do just that on April 30 as part of the Celebrity Chef Challenge, which will be held from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the California Automobile Museum in downtown Sacramento.

The event pits local chefs in whisk to whisk combat during the live cooking competition and food show.

Four chefs have signed on for battle thus far: Ryan O'Malley, executive chef at Piatti Ristorante; Chef Q, owner of Chef Q For Hire; Kristy DeVaney, caterer and food blogger; and Anthony Dimasuay, executive chef at 3 Fires Lounge at the Residence Inn Marriott Hotel.

Celebrity judges include News 10's Bryan May, Adam Pechal, owner of Tuli Bistro and a past Celebrity Chef Challenge winner, and Chef Dominique Crenn, of Food Network "The Next Iron Chef" fame.

Crenn is executive chef at San Francisco's Luce Restaurant and was named Esquire Magazine's "Chef of the Year 08."

On the second season of "The Next Iron Chef," Crenn, a delightfully spunky French gal whose accent could charm even the coldest soul, was sent packing mid-season when she served up an entree judges said lacked flavor and an undercooked churro.

About 100 food vendors, including local wineries and breweries, are expected to participate in the food show at the Celebrity Chef Challenge.

Guy Farris and Melissa Crowley of Sacramento & Co. will be the masters of ceremonies.

Tickets are $50 in advance and $60 at the door. All proceeds benefit InAlliance, a local nonprofit that provides life skills training and supported employment for people with developmental disabilities, said Jessica Bean, InAlliance's public relations coordinator.

For more event information or to get tickets, go to www.chefevent.com.

Apparently all this cold weather has done more than just drive us into our kitchens to cook soup and bake bread - it's aiding fruit and nut trees.

Most fruit and nut trees need a certain amount of chill hours - recorded when the temperature drops below 45 degrees - in order to help develop a crop for the next season, according to the California Farm Bureau Federation.

More chill hours have been recorded so far this year than last year at this time thanks to foggy weather conditions accelerating chill hour accumulations, the California Cherry Commission reported to the federation.

Cherries, apples and pears need the most chill hours, about 1200 hours. Fewer chilling hours results in a lighter crop, the federation reports.

Guess I should stop whining about this finger-numbing weather, if only for the sake of fresh cherry pie this summer.

Don't be put off by those long, seemingly daunting recipes in today's Food & Wine section - braising a pork belly at home isn't as hard as it sounds.

Yes, it takes a while (about 48 hours to be exact), but the actual hands-on cooking is rather simple. And the meat that results, well, is simply fantastic.

When I interviewed food writer and cookbook author Michael Ruhlman for my story, he said he recently talked someone through the process of making a pork belly using Twitter.

Conveying how to cook a pork belly in 140 characters? Now that's impressive.

"It's one of those things when people first do it, it changes their lives," Ruhlman said. "It's so easy, so delicious."

The hardest part about making a pork belly is acquiring one, though we are blessed with several great butchers and grocers in the Sacramento region who can help with that.

I got my pork belly at Taylor's Market, but it also can be found at Vande Rose Farms Meat & Fish in Granite Bay, Reed's Gourmet Meat Co. in East Sacramento and Corti Brothers.

It's also a good idea to call and pre-order one ahead of time. Many butchers also will take the skin off for you.

For pork belly recipes, including recipes for what to serve with pork belly, check out sacbee.com/recipes.

I used Pajo Bruich's recipe for vanilla apple puree, which I served beneath my seared pork belly and topped it with his recipe for apple celery salad. Follow the link above for those recipes. (pictured is an onion-crusted sous vide Duroc pork belly with cocoa and strawberry paint and compressed melon salad prepared by Chef John Paul Khoury, corporate chef for Preferred Meats).

Care to eat food that'll ensure good fortune in the new year but don't want to spend hours in the kitchen?

Lucky for you we have Hot Italian.

The Sacramento restaurant is offering a special pizza starting New Year's Eve that incorporates the Italian tradition of eating lentils for luck on New Year's (for more on why lentils and good luck food traditions in other cultures, follow this link to my Food & Wine story)

The $15 pie features Hot Italian's signature thin crust topped with a lentil puree, slices of Cotechino sausage, shaved parmesan and fresh extra virgin olive oil.

"It's just to die for," said Nicki Rivieccio, the pizzeria's operations manager. The pizza also will be served on New Year's Day.

The restaurant also is encouraging diners to abide by another Italian New Year's Eve good luck tradition and wear red.

Red underwear, that is.

If you're willing to show your skivvies - "Just a little piece," Rivieccio noted - you might just win a prize.

Speaking of good fortune, I was asked to come on "The Takeaway," a national morning radio news show produced in partnership with The New York Times, The BBC World Service and Public Radio International.

The interview aired as part of today's broadcast (during the third hour). To listen, go to The Takeaway's Web site.

Does $10,000 and some gourmet chocolate sound like a sweet way to start off the new year?

We think so.

That's the grand prize for Scharffen Berger and TuttiFoodie.com's Chocolate Adventure Contest.

Participants must create a sweet or savory dish using Scharffen Berger chocolate and one of 16 "adventurous" ingredients, which range from mint and Malbec to black-eyed peas and banana leaves.

One grand prize will be awarded in each of the contest's two categories. A second-place prize, which includes signed cookbooks and an array of Scharffen Berger chocolate, also will be awarded in each category, according to the contest Web site.

You better get cooking, however. Contest entries must be submitted online by 11:59 p.m. Saturday (Jan. 3).

For contest rules and information, follow this link to the contest Web site.

If chocolate isn't your thing, don't worry, there are several other food-related contests currently seeking participants.

Entertaining during the holidays can be a daunting task.

There's the cooking and tidying, not to mention making guests feel at home and keeping the mood light.

I spoke with entertaining and lifestyle expert B. Smith when she came to Sacramento last month to speak at area events and asked her to share some advice on how to a be a holiday host-with-the-most.

Q: What are some ways to make people who may be visiting for the first time feel comfortable and included, while still keeping the mood light?

A: One of the things I do is make placecards, even if its just my small family. I put their name on one side and something about the person on the other. I ask people to look at the cards before they sit down so they get to know their table-mates. I also like to hand-write a pretty menu for the meal and place it on the plate ... It gets the conversation started.

Q: What do you do if you have relatives visiting who don't necessarily get along or guests who don't know one another?

A: It's important that the host know something special about each of their guests and introduce the right people to each other ... It's always nice when people can participate because it can break the ice ... Maybe have one of the guests do the bartender role. Let them be a part of the entertaining. (Smith also advises having non-alcoholic drinks available).

Q: What are some easy things folks can do to make overnight guests feel special?

A: I like to have a little decorative touch in the bedroom or bathroom they'll be using. Maybe have some cookies by the bed, or even offer hot chocolate (before they turn in for the night). It's a seasonal thing that makes people feel like you really care.

Need some recipe ideas for meals to impress the family? Check out Smith's new cookbook, "B. Smith Cooks Southern-Style" (Scribner, $35, 336 pages) or her Web site, which has several free recipes.

It's hard to pass up a good deal on a turkey breast this time of year, even if you got your fill on Thanksgiving day.

But the thought of eating the traditional meal for another week can be about as unappealing as the liquid that coagulates amongst the leftover candied yams.

Here's an idea: turn that turkey into delicious dumplings.

Connie Lovatt and Wai Hon Chu, authors of "The Dumpling: A Seasonal Guide" (William Morrow Cookbooks, $35, 432 pages), suggest turkey stew with stuffing dumplings.

Click on the attachment to get the recipe.TurkeyDumplingsRecipe.doc

For more information about the book or author events, check out their Web site at www.thedumpling.com.

Still looking for a Thanksgiving dessert recipe?

Try this one from the folks at Whole Foods Market. It's user-friendly and the ingredient cost is cheaper than a store-bought version, according to a Whole Foods news release.

Plus you get the bragging rights of having made a homemade dessert.

Follow the link below to get the recipe.

Many of us are committing a lot of our spare (or not so spare) time this week to pondering how best to cook that famed fowl, cranberry sauce recipes, the debate of pumpkin pie versus pumpkin cheesecake.

I've been poring over cooking Web sites, cookbooks and magazines in anticipation. But one book in particular has proven useful in recent days, and I'm sure I'll be thumbing through its pages for answers come Thanksgiving.

It's "Tips Cooks Love: Over 500 Tips, Techniques, and Shortcuts That Will Make You a Better Cook!" (Andrews McMeel Publishing, $15, 384 pages). The guidebook comes from Sur La Table and cookbook author Rick Rodgers.

The publisher sent The Bee a review copy about a month ago and it's been my handy helper ever since.

Follow the link below to see some advice on cooking that Thanksgiving meal.

Since entertaining and lifestyle expert B. Smith is in town, we jumped at the opportunity to chat with her for a few minutes about her latest ventures and the upcoming holidays.

Smith's latest cookbook, "B. Smith Cooks Southern-Style" (Scribner, $35, 336 pages) hit bookstores this month.

She'll be signing copies at Borders Bookstore at 2339 Fair Oaks Boulevard at 7 p.m. tonight.

Q: Tell us about this new cookbook. What treasures does it hold for home cooks?

A: We have three restaurants and the one in Manhatten (B. Smith's New York City) is influenced by international recipes, but we also had people requesting southern food, so there are lots of southern dishes on the menu. We decided to share some of the restaurant recipes. One is fried green tomatoes, another one that people really like is braised black eyed peas soup ... Our collard greens are in there.

Follow the link below to read more from B. Smith.

Now these are two recipe contests that compliment each other quite nicely.

Bellwether Farms and the California Walnut Board are each looking for home cooks to enter their holiday recipe contests.

Bellwether Farms, an artisan cheese company in Sonoma County, is holding its first annual recipe contest using its French-style creme fraiche.

The home cook who submits the best recipe, with an accompanying digital photo, will win a $100 gift certificate to Bellwether Farms.

Submissions should be e-mailed by the Dec. 1 deadline to Lenny Rice. The winning recipe will be announced Dec. 11 and posted on Bellwether Farms' Web site.

"Recipes highlighting local and seasonal products will be key ingredients for a sure win," states a news release.

That's where the signature ingredient of another recipe contest might come in handy: walnuts.

The California Walnut Board is holding its holiday baking challenge and is looking for "unique homemade recipes that incorporate walnuts in an inventive way to celebrate the season," according to news release from the walnut board.

Participants can enter one of four food categories: cookies, brownies and blondies; cakes and pies; breads; and breakfast/brunch baked items.

Recipe contestants may also enter videos to be considered in the "Best Video Submission" category or submit their recipe as a "SMART" recipe, meaning the recipe is a less-indulgent version of a holiday classic.

Grand prize is a KitchenAid Mixer.

The online entry-only contest runs through Dec. 4. Winners will be announced Dec. 18.

For more information, go to www.walnuts.org.

It's likely to be an elegant affair Thursday night at Next Door at the B&L, the event space just steps away from Patrick Mulvaney's namesake restaurant.

Food, entertaining and lifestyle expert B. Smith will be the featured guest at an event hosted by the Sacramento Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, an international women's public service organization.

Members of the nonprofit organization are committed to "enriching, sustaining and ensuring the identities, culture and economic survival of African Americans and persons of African descent," according to the local chapter's Web site.

The event includes a book signing, reception, chat and cooking demonstration with Smith, who is a respected restaurateur and cookbook author.

An autographed copy of her latest cookbook, "B. Smith Cooks Southern Style" (Scribner, $35, 336 pages), is included in the ticket price, which is $50 a person or $85 per couple.

"An Intimate Evening with B. Smith" will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Next Door at the B&L, 1215 19th St., Sacramento.

Valet parking will be available.

For tickets, go to the local Links chapter's Web site or call (916) 929-8552.

Smith also will be the keynote speaker at the National Coalition of 100 Black Women (NCBW), Inc. Sacramento Chapter's eighth annual Business and Community Awards Recognition Luncheon.

The luncheon will be held at noon Saturday, with a champagne reception at 11:15 a.m., at the DoubleTree Hotel, 2001 Point West Way, Sacramento.

Tickets are $60 per person, or $600 for a table that seats 10 guests. For tickets, call (888) 722-6229 or go to the NCBW's Web site.

It's too bad that blogs don't come with sound tracks, because if they did, you'd be hearing a round of applause right now for Michael Tuohy and Hank Shaw.

Tuohy, Grange's executive chef, and Shaw, a food writer and blogger, cooked themselves into a fowl frenzy this afternoon in a duck competition held at the downtown restaurant.

There were duck gizzards, duck heart, duck liver, duck breast. It was a duck love fest. And darn it, it was delicious.

The show stopper, for me was Tuohy's warm duck rillette, served alongside a persimmon and pomegranate salad. While rillette is usually served at room temperature, forming a pate-like paste, this one was served gloriously warm. It was all I could do not to like the crockery in which it was served.

Shaw's final dish, a duck breast served alongside perfectly cooked apples, also was a showstopper.

Who won? It remains a bit of a mystery. I voted for Tuohy, as did fellow judge and colleague Rick Kushman. Grocer Darrell Corti and California Waterfowl Association President Bob McLandress declared it a tie.

The winner will be announced on this evening's special prix-fixe menu at Grange, as well as in Kushman's Good Life column on Wednesday.

I'll update this posting when I learn the outcome.

In the meantime, congratulations Chef Tuohy and Hank - it was a beautiful, delicious meal.

Today is the big day for food writer Hank Shaw and Grange Executive Chef Michael Tuohy.

At 3 p.m., the two will compete in a Iron Chef America-style cooking competition, although both know the secret ingredient - wild duck.

Neither are divulging how they plan to prepare their dishes, but I do know one thing - I will taste superb cooking today.

I was asked to judge the competition, along with my colleague Rick Kushman, well-respected food and wine expert Darrell Corti and Bob McLandress of the California Waterfowl Association.

Check back later on this blog to learn who won and which were the favorite dishes.

Tuohy and Shaw also will be teaming up this evening to serve a five-course prix-fixe duck dinner at Grange. Cost is $65 per person, with 10 percent of the proceeds going to the California Waterfowl Association.

Apparently lumpy gravy does not have to be a component of the Thanksgiving meal.

I've had varying degrees of gravy success over the years, and mentioned as much in my story about a turkey fryer in today's Food & Wine section. Several readers gravy gurus jumped to my aide.

Ron Coates, of Sacramento, said the solution is a cool one: if you see lumps forming, whisk the gravy and add a handful of crushed ice.

"The lumps will just disappear," he said.

Another reader called claiming to have a lump-proof gravy recipe. I've left her a message and am hoping to hear back. Stay tuned: if she agrees, I'll reprint her recipe here.

Do you have a gravy tip or secret weapon? Post your comments here.

Editor's note: This entry was corrected to say that no cooking oil should be poured down the drain.

Wondering what to do with cooking oil you'll use to deep fry that Thanksgiving turkey?

If the number of voicemail and e-mail messages I've received today are any indication, many of you are.

I wrote a story for today's Food & Wine section about a new indoor electric turkey fryer, but missing (due to lack of space) was a key part of the turkey frying equation: what do you do with the used oil?

Here's the deal.

John McLemore, president and co-owner of Masterbuilt, the company that manufactures the Butterball electric turkey fryer, said the oil can be used several times.

"If you refrigerate it, the oil can keep for up to three months and can be used to fry about five to six turkeys," he said.

When you are ready to dispose of the oil, let it cool and then pour it back into a container that can be sealed.

Some auto lube businesses will discard the oil for you, he said.

Another local solution is Sacramento County Waste Management and Recycling.

Cooking oil shouldn't be poured down the drain or placed in the garbage can. Instead, recycle the cooking oil curbside or at the county's hazardous waste drop-off center at 4450 Roseville Rd., North Highlands. Both services are free, according to the county's Web site.

To recycle curbside, pour the oil into clear gallon jugs and tape the lids shut. Also be sure to follow these guidelines: don't mix the oil with other fluids, don't put the oil in the mixed recycling container, place the jugs at least three feet away from the recycling container, limit the amount of oil to three gallons per recycling collection day.

The oil jugs will be collected on recycling collection day, the Web site states.

For information on how to dispose of oil in El Dorado County, follow this link to the county's environmental management Web site.

For disposal information for Placer County, go to Western Placer Waste Management Authority's Web site.

Yolo County residents can learn more about drop-off locations on the county's hazardous household waste Web site.

This is a book worth devouring.

It's "The Best Food Writing 2009" (Da Capo Press, $15.95, 348 pages) and by no means is the title a misnomer.

I was lucky enough to have obtained an advanced copy of the book, which hit store shelves this week, and consumed the delectable collection of prose in about two days, putting it down only for little things like work and care of children (although I did catch myself sneaking hits of it while my kids were watching PBS' "Dragon Tales").

The 10th anniversary edition of the book is edited by Holly Hughes and is an anthology of the best culinary writing found in newspapers, books, magazines, Web sites and newsletters from the past year.

Contributors include the likes of The New York Times' Kim Severson, Julia Moskin and Frank Bruni; Food & Wine's Lettie Teague; Gourmet's Ruth Reichl and Molly Wizenberg of the famed Orangette blog and "A Homemade Life" (Simon & Schuster, $25, 336 pages).

One of my personal favorites included in the book was a piece that Eric LeMay penned for Gastronomica about his love of French cheese and his quest to smuggle cheese back to the states.

Follow the link below to read an excerpt of LeMay's story.

Ed Jasper used to feel guilty about using canned chili as the base for his chili, going so far as to call it "cheater chili."

Not anymore.

Jasper took home first place for his chili on Nov. 1 in the Elk Grove Elks Lodge's chili cook-off, a fundraiser for the lodge's "Purple Pig" project, which raises money for disabled children.

Jasper's bowl of red, now deemed "Ed's Comfort Chili," was the favorite among the 12 entries tasted by the judges - which included Sacramento County Supervisor Don Nottoli, Good Day Sacramento Anchor Nick Toma and myself - and also was picked by lodge members and guests as the best among the winning finalists.

The use of ground beef and chopped tri-tip provides a hearty texture and use of pasilla peppers and a chipotle chili lend a wonderful flavor and heat to the dish.

I can't speak for the other judges, but I couldn't detect a canned chili base when I was scarfing down my portion.

Follow the link below to get Jasper's chili recipe.

Grange Executive Chef Michael Tuohy and local food writer Hank Shaw are going, well, beak to beak.

The two will be facing off in a duck cooking competition Nov. 12 at the downtown restaurant to raise money for the California Waterfowl Association (Shaw is shown at left in a 2007 photo by The Bee's Anne Chadwick Williams).

The winner will be named by a panel of judges during the afternoon competition.

The public is invited to partake in the fowl festivities that evening, when Grange's menu will include a five-course prix fixe menu ($65 plus tax and gratuity) inspired by the competition.

Ten percent of the proceeds will benefit the association, which works to preserve, protect and enhance the state's "waterfowl resources, wetlands and associated hunting heritage," the association's Web site states.

The special "duck off" menu includes such mouth-watering offerings as a duck charcuterie starter, house made tagliatelle with duck sugo and duck cassoulet.

Dessert? Try pear tart boasting a crust made with duck fat.

Oh duck fat, how I love thee.

Ahem, I digress.

Shaw, whose James Beard-nominated food blog, "Hunter, Angler, Gardener, Cook" recently led to a book deal, and Tuohy (shown at right) are keeping their competition recipes a secret from everyone, including each other, said Sarah Essary, a spokeswomen for Grange Restaurant & Bar and The Citizen Hotel.

Check back here next week to learn who served the winning dish.

Tuohy also is offering duck hunters a chance to have their own bounty star in a seasonally-inspired meal.

Hunters can bring the duck in 48 hours before their dinner reservations and Tuohy will meet with them to design a duck dinner for $75 per person. The offer runs through January.

For more information, check out Grange's Web site.

Here is Grange's Nov. 12 prix fixe duck menu: Grange_DuckOff_Menu.pdf

Here's a simple way to spread holiday cheer this month: donate a turkey to Volunteers of America.

The Greater Sacramento and Northern Nevada chapter of the organization is collecting fresh or frozen turkeys to serve as the main course for holiday meals at area homeless shelters, transitional living programs and affordable-housing residences this Thanksgiving.

Turkey donations are being accepted from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day through Nov. 25 at the Volunteers of America central kitchen facility at 700 North Fifth St., Sacramento, according to a news release from the organization.

The organization also is collecting money for the campaign. Donations may be made online, by mail or at the Volunteers of America administration office at 1900 Point West Way, Suite 270, Sacramento.

For more information, visit the organization's Web site or call (916) 442-3691 or e-mail Kim Castaneda.

I had a friendly chat this morning with Ettore Ravazzolo of Ettore's European Bakery & Restaurant at 2376 Fair Oaks Blvd.

I could talk all day about his superb Black Forest cake, carrot cake or Kahlua cake, but this time we focused on giving back.

It's certainly appropriate for a successful business to find ways to thank the community and inspire others to give as well. Along the way, we can have a little fun, raise a little money and, well, devour a few thousand calories.

Ettore told me about the origin of the bakery's new pink fondant cookie devoted to breast cancer awareness and research. The extra large cookie sells for $4.50, $2.00 of which goes to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

"I have a longtime friend who developed breast cancer a few years ago and she became very involved in the breast cancer cause," Ettore told me. "Every year, she does a fundraiser. Two years ago, I helped her do a spaghetti dinner and last year I supplied the pastries for a car wash.

This year, Ettore announced he wanted to come up with something that would make a difference - something permanent. So he developed a cookie, using a standard butter dough and applying pink fondant on top.

The idea is to sell the cookies in a decorative pink box, but the box has yet to be designed. Still, the cookies are already being made and Ettore figured he should sell them. For now, they're in a bag with a pink ribbon.

Ettore is no stranger to pairing his popular desserts with good causes. He started a fundraiser called Ettore's Coffee Break. Last year, the one-day event raised about $7,000 for Wellspring Women's Center, a non-profit based in Oak Park devoted to assisting and encouraging low-income women and their children.

Next year's fundraiser in February will be for the Youth Development Network.

Best of luck with the cookies and the causes.

As promised in today's Food & Wine (ahem, Juice) section, here are some more recipes that have proven successful at area preschools and day cares. The Health Education Council also sent us a recipe for pumpkin soup that sounds perfect for a spooky supper this Halloween.

Stevie's Speedy Enchilada Sauce
Cook time: 22 minutes
Serves: 8
Notes: This recipe is courtesy Chef Steve Magana of Sacramento Montessori School.

Ingredients
1/3 cup corn oil
2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons chili powder
One 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 1/4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Sea salt to taste

Instructions
Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in flour and chili powder and cook until lightly brown, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Stir in tomato sauce, water, cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder into the flour until smooth, and continue cooking over medium heat approximately 12 minutes, until thick. Season to taste with salt.

Eating Suggestion:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place a good amount of sauce in a casserole pan and roll some mozzarella cheese in a few corn tortillas and place in a casserole pan. Add more sauce over and top with cheese. Cover with foil and bake 15 minutes.
Per serving, sauce only: 102 cal.; 1 g pro.; 5 g carb.; 9 g fat (1 sat., 2 monounsat., 6 polyunsat.); 0 mg chol.; 94 mg sod.; 1 g fiber; 0 g sugar; 79 percent calories from fat.

To get more recipes, follow the link below.

Let's talk turkey. Well, sort of.

While much of the nation's culinary attention will be tuned to turkey in coming weeks, there are households that (take a deep breath) don't eat turkey on Thanksgiving.

We know you're out there and we want to talk to you for a story.

Do you cook another poultry in its place? Celebrate with prime rib, rack of lamb, manicotti? Have you always wanted to try a Thanksgiving feast sans turkey but too scared of the anticipated backlash?

Whatever your harvest table holds, we'd love to hear about it. The story will be published in our Food & Wine section in mid-November.

To participate or learn more, please e-mail Bee food writer Niesha Lofing.

I'm not usually one to brag, but I earned a compliment this weekend that made me blush.

Since my husband and I have two small children, Saturday nights often are spent at home with a movie. I've been told it's normal, not pathetic, but I was trying to make it seem less so this past weekend, so I grabbed some filet mignon, Point Reyes blue cheese, and a few sweet potatoes while stocking up on groceries.

Once one child was in bed and another was heading that direction, I sequestered myself in the kitchen where I improvised my way to a surprisingly lovely dinner for two. I crusted the steak in ground peppercorns, salt and Grill Mates Spicy Montreal Steak Seasoning, gave it a quick sear in a pan and finished it with a few minutes in the oven. The filets were topped with blue cheese I had mixed with a little butter and served alongside mashed sweet potatoes spiced with a hint of cayenne and topped with glazed pecans.

We ate quietly.

"Why do we go out to dinner if you can cook this good?" my husband said.

The best part? The whole meal cost about $25.

To get the recipe for the mashed sweet potatoes, follow this link to my blog.

What's your favorite date-night dinner at home? What do you cook when you want to impress your loved ones? E-mail me your favorite recipe. I'll post the most mouth-watering one here and on my blog.

Daniel Pont looked as good as ever Wednesday as he ladled soup, sliced baguettes and braised pork loin.

After he was forced to close recently due to easily remedied violation cited by a health inspector, Pont, 70, collapsed at home and was taken by ambulance to hospital.

Why is this big news? Pont is a beloved figure among epicures and his tiny cafe on 8th Street sports the highest rating for food in the Sacramento Zagat.

Today, on his first day back, there was a line at close to noon, but it was uncharacteristically short. I ordered the smoked duck sandwich and the French onion soup, which many claim as the best they've ever tasted. With a small bottle of champagne, I sat at the lone table on the sidewalk on an otherwise seedy block between I and J streets.

We will have a story later for the newspaper and I hope to get a word with Pont about how he is feeling. Judging from appearances -- and from the food -- he's as a good as ever.

As fans of the much-admired La Bonne Soupe know by now, the lunchtime legend in the making was recently shutdown by a health inspector on a minor violation that was supposed to be easy to fix.

But La Bonne Soupe's proprietor, Daniel Pont, didn't take it so easy. He fretted and fumed and, one might say, carried the weight of the world on his shoulders as he hustled to reopen.

La Bonne Soupe on 8th Street downtown is no ordinary eatery. It owns the highest rating in Sacramento's Zagat guide. Folks line up for an hour or more for the soup, salads and sandwiches.

It is a charming place, seemingly plucked from a French village and transported to Sacramento.

Pont, 70, collapsed over the weekend as he raced to clean the restaurant, address the concerns of the health inspector and be ready for a re-inspection on Monday. He didn't make it. He was rushed to hospital and, at last word, was undergoing tests.

His many admirers rose to his defense. Many offered to volunteer to help. Mop the floors, scrubs the walls, whatever it took to re-open.

The problem? Pont is stubbornly independent. He works alone. He handles the money, the ladle, the knife. He scrubs the pots. He turns out the lights at day's end.

His one-man act is part of his charm, but given the recent circumstances, it threatens to be part of his undoing.

This is not something Sacramento wants to lose. La Bonne Soupe is one of the things that distinguishes our city. It is a sandwich shop, but it's also a destination. It serves soup, but it also infuses its patrons with a special kind of warmth. Simply watching this quiet, calm and humble man at work is enough to make one smile.

It seems Pont will not be able to simply pick up where he left off. Sure, the inspector found a few roaches. What else is new? There are roaches in and around nearly every restaurant in the land, including the very best dining establishments.

After I wrote the story about the chef's collapse, readers flooded my email with offers to chip in. Perhaps our fine French chef will relent and allow these well-meaning folks to roll up their sleeves and work.

It could be a win-win. Why not set up a makeshift internship program for culinary students and avid foodies? They could work in the restaurant - collect the money, sweep the floors, peel the potatoes -- and allow Pont to focus his talent and energy on what really matters, making and serving excellent food.

Maybe it will take a village to reopen this fine little restaurant. For the good of the city, and for all the fans of La Bonne Soupe, let's hope that happens soon. For the chef, we wish him a speedy recovery.

I may be able to make a lemon cake with fresh lemon curd filling and bake irresistible brownies, but yeast breads? Not my forte.

So when I successfully made homemade pizza dough (which probably means they are among the easiest of yeast breads to execute) this past weekend, I was ridiculously ecstatic.

The dough recipe yielded enough for two pizzas, so I topped one with cheese for my children and made another topped with bacon and sauteed spinach, garlic, mushrooms and onion for the adults.

My husband vowed never to call for take-out pizza again, but I think he was still under the influence of pork fat when he said it.

Follow this link to my blog to get the recipe.

*Note: This story has been updated to include the winners' names.

You know you've tasted some delicious desserts when you can try nine pumpkin confections and still want to sneak a few more bites.

This past weekend marked the annual Elk Grove Giant Pumpkin and Harvest Festival and with it the "Best Pumpkin Dessert" recipe contest.

I was fortunate to have been asked to serve as one of the contest's judges this year. Tough gig if you can get it.

We viewed, we tasted, we voted. And in the end, three home cooks walked away with cash prizes and bragging rights.

First place, and $350, went to Lee Ann Duclo for her pumpkin cheesecake. The cheesecake had a delicate pumpkin taste, silky mouthfeel and just the right amount of tang.

Malinda Cirimele earned second place and $100 for her pumpkin spice latte fudge. This is a recipe that I will be trying out soon (like this weekend). It tasted so reminiscent of a pumpkin spice latte that the only thing missing was a burned tongue.

Third place went to Carol Dyer for her unusual, but delectable, pumpkin dip. This is a sweet dip, to be served with cookies. I thought the idea sounded strange at first glance, but the dip had a wonderfully spicy, pumpkin flavor and creamy texture.

Click the link below to get the recipes.

Here's the $1 million question: what will Poor Girl eat to celebrate?

Local food blogger Kimberly Morales' blog, Poor Girl Eats Well, has been nominated by the blogger readers would most like to see have their own show on the Food Network in the 2009 Foodbuzz Blog Awards. (left: Morales in her Sacramento kitchen. Bee photo by Randall Benton.)

Morales' blog chronicles her quest to eat gourmet (or at least close) on the cheap. Click here to read my story on Morales from earlier this year.

Take her most recent recipe, a roasted beet and farro salad with feta and caramelized onions. Cost per serving is about $1.70 and the dish serves three to four people. A healthy dinner for $7? Count us in.

Morales said she didn't know about the nomination until she saw the page views on her blog jump today. Morales had voted for her own blog once for the category and posted messages on Facebook and Twitter about the Foodbuzz awards.

"I wasn't expecting it," she said of the nod. "There were so many bloggers on there worthy of the nomination. I didn't actually expect to get a nomination."

Other bloggers nominated for the category are A Little Bit of Spain in Iowa, Eat, Live, Run, Oh She Glows, and Spinach Tiger.

More than 3,500 nominations in 24 categories poured in for the awards. Voting is taking place through Oct. 29 at foodbuzz.com and winners will be announced on Nov. 7 at the Foodbuzz Blogger Festival in San Francisco, according to the Foodbuzz Web site.

Morales said she'd be honored if Food Network came calling, although she probably wouldn't quite know how to respond.

"I'd probably stutter," she said. "But I'd work with them."

Morales said she hasn't figured out how to celebrate the nomination yet, but she plans to dish on her blog.

"There will definitely be a celebratory recipe," she said.

Another local, Elise Bauer, of Carmichael, also was nominated in the awards for "Best Recipe Blog." Her blog, Simply Recipes, is one of several the former Internet software executive maintains.

The foodie world let out a collective gasp this morning.

Gourmet magazine is closing.

The culinary prose powerhouse is the latest casualty of the economy, and just one of several Conde Nast publications to fold.

The Associated Press' Food Editor J.M. Hirsch, penned the following obituary:

After nearly 70 years of fine eating, the lavish meal known as Gourmet magazine is over.

Conde Nast blamed the tough economic climate Monday when it told its staff it was closing the stalwart of the food media world, long considered the dean of culinary publishing.

"It's the center of gravity, a major planet that's just disappearing," said chef and author Anthony Bourdain, who said Gourmet was the first food publication to give him a chance as a writer. "There's been a lot of speculation about this happening, but I'm still stunned."

Conde Nast also said it was shuttering Modern Bride, Elegant Bride and Cookie, a parenting magazine. Earlier in the year it ceased publication of Portfolio, a business magazine, and Domino, a homes title. Sister Conde Nast publication Bon Appetit survived the cuts, and will likely absorb many of Gourmet's readers.

Click here to read the story.

There was nothing quite like curling up on the coach on a Saturday morning with a hot cup of coffee and poring through the magazine, dreaming about what dinner could be rather than would be.

I will miss Gourmet's writing and inspiration greatly. Best of luck to those writers, editors, designers and other staff who made eating that much more pleasurable for all of us.

The extent of La Bonne Soupe's cockroach conundrum has been illuminated by a Sacramento County inspection report.

The popular soup and sandwich lunch spot, which claimed the No. 1 spot for "best food" in a Sacramento Zagat Survey earlier this year, was closed Wednesday by county environmental health officials after a county environmental health inspector found a cockroach infestation during a routine check.

Owner Daniel Pont has not returned multiple calls for comment.

The inspection report, which is public record, lists the following violations:

• One live cockroach on the floor below the hand sink.

• One live cockroach with an attached egg casing on the shelf below the register, next to paper bags used for to-go orders.

• One dying cockroach on the shelf below the register.

• One dead cockroach in a glass on the shelf above the hand sink.

• About 15 dead cockroaches on the floor below the hand sink.

• Several cockroaches adhered to sticky pads on the floor below shelves, which were underneath the register.

The county inspector also noted a minor violation related to handwashing after seeing the owner "making sandwiches, answer telephone and then resume making sandwiches without washing hands in between tasks."

For further details, check out my story in today's Our Region section.

A downtown Sacramento lunch spot famous for its soup has been shuttered due to cockroaches.

La Bonne Soupe, which topped a Sacramento Zagat Survey category earlier this year, closed this morning after Sacramento County health inspectors found pests in the small restaurant at 920 8th Street.

An inspector found three live cockroaches and 15 dead ones during a routine inspection, said John Rogers, the county's environmental health division chief. The cafe was closed before lunch service and a red "Closed" placard, which means an "immediate danger to public health or safety," was issued.

A call to the restaurant's owner, Daniel Pont, has not yet been returned.

Rogers characterized the infestation as "mild."

"This one isn't that bad, so it shouldn't be too hard to get it reopened," he said.

The county closes a little more than 100 food facilities each year, which amounts to about 1 percent of the facilities inspected.

La Bonne Soupe, owned and operated single-handedly by Pont, is well-known for its lunch fare and the droves of people that stand in line for the Frenchman's soups and sandwiches.

The restaurant earned the No. 1 ranking in the "best food" category in the Sacramento Zagat Survey pocket dining guide released in January.

Kerri Aiello, a spokeswoman with the Countywide Services Agency, said her phone has been ringing in protest since news about the restaurant broke earlier today.

"People are calling me and saying 'Why did you do it?'" said Aiello, who also is a fan of the soup spot.

Pont will have to enlist a pest control company to eliminate the cockroach problem and pay a $199 re-inspection fee. The restaurant will remain closed until environmental health officials can re-inspect the facility.

The length of time a restaurant remains shuttered varies, but "sometimes it's just one day," Aiello said.

Click here to check out The Bee's restaurant inspection database.

Hope you saw Sunday's story about Patrick Mulvaney, the Sacramento chef and locavore legend. As a bonus, we've got some recipes from Mulvaney with ingredients that can be found at local farmers markets. Even better, they aren't too tough to recreate at home. Enjoy!

Easy California Gazpacho

Ingredients:

4 Ripe, ripe tomatoes, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 medium cucumber, cut likewise
3 Garlic cloves
½ red onion, sliced
Juice from one lemon or lime
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper

Procedure:
Squeeze the tomatoes and add the next four ingredients to a blender. Three pinches of salt, 4 grinds of pepper put the lid on and turn it on. As it starts to smooth out drizzle in olive oil, probably about 2-4 ounces. Turn the machine off and taste, checking for salt & pepper. (Remember, you can always add more.) You can put some more oil in if you want to make it taste richer.

Refrigerate until ready to serve; can garnish with an extra drizzle of oil or some basil.
If you like things spicy you can throw a jalapeno into the blender when you make the soup. Serve, sit back and enjoy the soup and the compliments.

Summery Bledsoe Pork
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
24 oz Bledsoe (or other) Boneless Pork Loin
Egg wash (2 cups seasoned flour, 6 eggs beaten with equal part water, 2 cups breadcrumbs)
1 lb. linguine, cooked al dente
2 ears of roasted corn, kernels removed
1 onion, diced
1 basket of cherry tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
1 bunch fresh oregano/thyme

Butter, oil, salt, pepper

Procedure:
Slice pork in 2 oz slices and run through egg wash. Heat large skillet, add oil and cook pork, browning on both sides (about 2 minutes). Transfer to a sheet pan and finish in oven. Wipe pan clean and sauté onion in butter until soft and golden, add garlic and corn kernels. Sauté until onions are translucent. Add tomatoes, oregano, salt & pepper. Add cooked linguine. Stir well. Serve & enjoy!!

Strawberry Sorbet
Makes about one quart

Ingredients:

One pint of really ripe Strawberries
3 cups of simple syrup (recipe follows)
1 egg for testing
Ice cream mixer

Procedure:

To make simple syrup bring equal parts of sugar and water together in a pot bring to a boil over high heat until the liquid clears. Transfer to different container. This can be stored in the refrigerator for a week.

Take green tops off strawberries (called Hulling) and puree in a mixer. Put in a narrow container, add an equal amount of simple syrup and mix thoroughly. Wash one egg and float in mixture. When part exposed above base is between the size of a dime and quarter the sorbet is ready for churning. Follow the instructions for your ice cream machine, transfer to the freezer or enjoy straight out of the churn!

They came. They cooked. Seven of them conquered.

But the 2009 National Beef Cook-off winners circle didn't include our local teenage contestant, Natalie Benthin.

In the end, it was Mary Hawkes, of Prescott, Ariz., who took home the $25,000 "Best in Beef" prize for her Sonoma Steaks with Vegetables Bocconcini.

Her winning recipe was one of five entered in the "Live Well with Fast & Convenient Grilled Beef," a category that only allowed competitors to use six ingredients (along with a few freebie ingredients such as salt), and three steps of preparation of less.

Hawkes, who has competed in several cooking contests - including the Pillsbury Bake-off and National Chicken Cook-off - used the herb marinade from the mozzarella balls to flavor the boneless beef top loin steaks and vegetables in her dish.

The simple elegance and vibrant flavor of the dish was a hit with the judges (I was one of five judges at the competition, but did not judge Benthin's category. More on the judging experience later). The recipe called for the mozzarella and red grape tomatoes to get a brief rendevous with the microwave, a manuever judges thought was odd on paper, but fantastic on the palate.

"I liked the simplicity and the innovative use of the ingredients," said Amy Sherman, a food blogger and cookbook author from San Francisco who judged the entries Wednesday. "The finished product was just refreshing ... I would really make that dish."

As it turns out, it was Hawkes' last chance to compete for the beef cook-off's grand prize - she's attempted to secure the title twice before.

Here are the other winners, listed by category, state of residence and recipe name. First place winners received $10,000; second place received $5,000.

"Live Well with Fast & Convenient Grilled Beef Recipes"

First place: Kristina Vanni, California, Orange-Chipotle Skirt Steaks
Second place: Deborah Biggs, Nevada, Treviso Fig & Pear Steak Salad

"Teens Cooking with Beef"
First place: Morgan Hanrahan, Washington, Southeast Asian Steak Salad
Second place: Erin Ozment, Oklahoma, Olympian Burgers

"Lean Beef in Nutrient Rich One-Dish Meals"
First place: Elizabeth Bennett, Washington, Sonoma Ranch Steak Salad
Second place: Fran Fehling, New York, Beef Ranch Zucchini Gnocchi

"It's fun to have given teenagers an opportunity to compete," she said. "It's wonderful to see that genuine interest in cooking and their creative talent."

Although Natalie Benthin won't leave Sonoma with prize money for her Sicilian beef short ribs recipe, she's going home with fond memories of the competition.

"I love the adrenaline rush of it," she said. "I would love to do it again."

Click here to read my story about Benthin, which appeared Wedneday in Food & Wine section.

You can smell the competition here in Sonoma.

It's the scent of beef, and yes, it's what's for dinner. And in my case, breakfast and lunch.

I'm one of several judges at the 2009 National Beef Cook-off, a biennial contest second only to the Pillsbury Bake-off.

Fifteen home cooks from across the country are competing Wednesday, including 16-year-old Natalie Benthin, of Grass Valley.

Benthin is among five teenagers competing in one of the categories, "Teens Cooking with Beef" (full disclosure: given our story about Benthin in today's Food & Wine section - which I began reporting and writing before I was asked to judge the competition - I won't be judging the teen category).

Follow this link to see my story on Benthin.

At 7:30 a.m. tomorrow, the other judges and I will be whisked off to a secret room, where succulent creations will be brought in to (hopefully) please our palates.

Several cash prizes are at stake in the three categories. First place winners receive $10,000 and second place winners take home $5,000. The "Best of Beef" grand prize winner also will take home $25,000.

Now that's some moo-la.

I'll be blogging and tweeting as much as possible from the competition. To see my tweets, follow me @SacBeeMomme.

To watch the competition unfold via Ustream, go to the National Beef Cook-off Web site.

I have a confession: I can't stand leftovers.

Apart from leftover components of Thanksgiving dinner, I'm not a fan of repeat meals. Leftovers in my house used to prompt a white lie about the food not looking so great and a call to Round Table. Now, given the economic climate, leftovers are eaten, although sometimes without enthusiasm.

So when I come across a dish that results in appealing leftovers, it becomes a repeat feature in my culinary repertoire (can a woman who routinely uses a slow cooker and would prefer to eat brownies instead of dinner claim to have a repertoire? I'm not so sure, but I'm going with it).

The first night we had the dinner of sweet potato and pear stir-fry with chicken and chile sauce, it was good in a homey sort of way. The next night, however, it was delicious. The sweet potato had soaked up some of the spice and flavor from the sauce, the pears and the water chestnuts retained just the right amount of crunch.

This flavorful recipe also packs quite a healthful punch: one serving (which includes rice) is 370 calories and has 7 grams of fat, 24 grams of protein and 7 grams of dietary fiber. (If you're a Weight Watcher, it amounts to 7 points per serving).

Follow this link to my blog for the recipe.

Game for trying game? Whether you're a game meat novice or aficionado, I came up with a recipe for bison burgers that is sure to delight your tastebuds and spice up your dinner.

This burger recipe plays on the buffalo wing concept. The bison meat is topped with oven-fried onion rings, blue cheese and a spicy buffalo wing aioli. The result is a superb burger with just the right amount of kick (the burger is shown at left. Bee photo by Autumn Cruz).

For those of you who may be unfamiliar (or a little wary) of eating bison, it tastes much like beef, only it has a bit stronger of a flavor profile. Ranched bison can be found at some local grocers, such as Raley's, or ordered online.

Still leary? Just swap out beef for bison and you'll have a burger almost as delicious.

Click here to get the recipe for True Blue Bison Burger, or follow this link to my blog.

If you want to learn more about cooking game, check out my story in today's Food & Wine section.

Every so often, health codes frustrate restaurants even if the intentions are good. I'm told, for instance, that restaurants are not allowed to leave silverware set at tables when there are no customers present. That drives some restaurateurs crazy.

But I wasn't aware of the specific health code that ties the hands of chefs wishing to prepare authentic Asian noodles. Those noodles are best kept at room temperature, but the law prohibits this. That's a serious problem for food purists, and they're not taking this lightly. We just received the following press release about an event Friday, Aug. 28 in Daly City on behalf of better rice noodles.

Master Chef Martin Yan will join Senator Leland Yee in an effort to change state regulations regarding the production of Asian rice noodles.

Current regulations require such food to be held at or below 41 degrees, or kept at or above 140 degrees at all times. However, rice noodles are meant to be kept at room temperature for up to 8 hours. A change in production would make the noodle undesirable and change a standard used by Asian communities for thousands of years.

Recently, inspectors from the California Department of Public Health have cited such manufacturers of Asian rice noodles for violation of state regulations.

There have been no reports of illness from eating Asian rice noodles and independent tests have verified that such noodle preparation is not harmful.

Senator Yee has plans to introduce legislation to ensure the continued safe production of Asian rice noodles in California

Sure Craiglist has garnered a reputation as a great place to get deals on things like furniture and televisions. But cookware?

That's right - cookware. High-quality cookware to be exact.

I scored big time on a Le Creuset Dutch oven and used it this weekend to make a delectable, company-worthy New England halibut stew. To read about the adventure, check out my blog.

Have you spotted good deals on cookware lately? Is there a place you turn to for good deals? Post your comments here.

Sandwiches may be the main ingredient in many a lunch tote, but they also can make for a quick and satisfying dinner.

We're not talking about whole wheat bread and a few slices of turkey here.

Think dense, eggy slices of brioche filled with brie, carmelized onions, arugula and a hint of cranberry jam. Flaky, grilled mahi mahi topped with mesclun and tucked between slices of baguette generously spread with lemon aioli.

It's a wonderful thing.

For sandwich inspiration, check out this recipe on my blog for a sophisticated spin on grilled ham and cheese. The addition of Dijon mustard and honey to the three different cheeses and high-quality ham make the flavors in this sandwich sing.

Cold sandwiches more appealing on a hot summer day? Check out this story in today's Food & Wine section by my colleague, Allen Pierleoni, who went in search of a new twist on Julia Child's classic chicken salad (pictured at left).

What is your favorite sandwich recipe? Post it here in the comments section, or e-mail it to me, and your recipe may be featured on this blog.

If you're lactose intolerant, the list of enjoyable desserts is quite short.

Cream pie? Nope. Smoothies? Not so much. Ice cream? Don't even go there.

But there's help on the grocery store shelves for the more than 50 million lactose intolerant folks nationwide. Tofu company Nasoya has launched a line of non-dairy dessert starter that claims to be the sweet treat solution for dairy dodgers.

Nasoya Silken Creations, available in dark chocolate, vanilla and strawberry flavors, is low calorie, lowfat, and has 3 grams of protein per serving. The dessert starter is made from whole soybeans and sweetened with cane juice, making it lactose- and gluten-free, vegan and kosher, a company news release states.

The product is available in stores and retails for about $2.50.

Nasoya sent The Bee the variety of flavors to sample, along with recipes on how to use the dessert starter. The list of recipes includes cream pies, smoothies and ice cream pies.

We tried the strawberry smoothie/dessert starter first. The smoothies were made according to the suggested recipe instructions and served to coworkers.

Some people enjoyed the sweetness, while others commented that it had too much of an aftertaste.

"Fragrant, light, air, frothy and flavorful," colleague Debbie Arrington wrote in an e-mail. "It's much lighter than smoothies made with yogurt or ice cream. Doesn't taste like soy milk or tofu."

Bee restaurant critic Blair Robertson was a bit more tart.

"Light strawberry flavor overwhelmed by sweetness and a chemically finish," he wrote.

We also tried the Silken Creations' Dark Chocolate dessert starter to make chocolate cream pie. This time, it was a blind taste test.

The soy chocolate pie was made using Nasoya's recipe on the back of the package. It was served alongside Emeril Lagasse's recipe for Chocolate Cream Pie downloaded from the Food Network (click here for the recipe).

Both pies were made using Lagasse's recipe for graham cracker crust.

The ease of making the soy pie (simply blend ingredients in a blender, pour in the crust and bake) was attractive, although the finished product was not. The filling puffed a little, then sank dejectedly into a deep, dark puddle. To mask its dismal appearance - especially in comparison to the fluffy Lagasse pie - the pie was topped with puffs of homemade sweetened whipped cream.

Willing workplace tasters sampled slices of each. The Lagasse cream pie was easily the favored dish, but the soy pie got mixed reviews.

One taster said the flavor was "more chocolatey" and several said they would serve it to dinner guests or at a family gathering.

Others characterized the filling as "sticky," "almost chalky" and had "a texture and taste like instant pudding."

Three tasters (somewhat) jokingly said they would serve it to in-laws.

"I'd serve both, but I'd let folks know which is which," one taster wrote. "Assuming I've guessed correctly, this reinforces my belief that being vegan/gluten intolerant/lactose intolerant ain't much fun."

The soy pie might also find favor, however, among folks watching their calories. If you haven't had the luxury of eating a real chocolate dessert in a while, the Silken Creations pie might just be the saving grace that keeps the pint of triple chocolate ice cream out of the shopping cart.

For more information about the Nasoya soy products, go to the company's Web site.

Looking to celebrate National Lasagna Day today? Here are two ways to commemorate the cheesy occasion.

If you're looking to let someone else do the heavy lifting, Buca di Beppo is offering a free lunch-size serving of its popular lasagna with any purchase of a small or large pasta or entree today.

The offer is available at Buca di Bepo's 87 locations nationwide, including its restaurants at 1249 Howe Ave., Sacramento and 1212 Galleria Blvd., Roseville.

The free lasagna offer is not valid with other coupons, offers or to-go orders, but can be boxed and taken home for dine-in guests, a restaurant news release states.

Want to impress your family with a delicious, homemade lasagna tonight?

Try this recipe - an easy-to-prepare, quick-to-disappear dinner in my house - which comes courtesy of Paula Deen and the Food Network Web site.

Lots O'Meat Lasagna

Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour, 40 minutes
Serves: 4
Notes: Recipe courtesy Paula Deen, 2008

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds ground chuck
1 pound ground Italian sausage
1 onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons ground oregano
1 teaspoon ground basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano
2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1 1/2 cups small curd cottage cheese
1 (5-ounce) package grated Parmigianno-Reggiano
2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley leaves
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
9 oven-ready lasagna noodles
2 (8-ounce) packages shredded mozzarella

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large saucepan, combine ground chuck, sausage onion and garlic. Cook over medium heat until meat is browned and crumbled; drain.

Return meat to pan and add oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce and paste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 30 to 45 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine cottage cheese, Parmesan, parsley, and eggs.

Spoon 1/4 of sauce into bottom of a 13-by-9 baking pan. Place three uncooked lasagna noodles on top of sauce. Do not overlap noodles. Spread 1/3 of cottage cheese mixture over noodles, top with 1/4 of sauce and 1/3 mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers, ending with sauce, reserving 1/3 of mozzarella cheese.

Bake for 45 minutes. Top with remaining cheese and bake 15 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Do you have a fabulous recipe that you think others would enjoy as well?

Enter it in Dream Dinners 3rd Annual Recipe Contest and you might just walk away with $500 worth of Dream Dinners meals.

Dream Dinners, a meal-assembly franchise with a location in Natomas, is holding the contest through Aug. 28 and is looking for recipes featuring London Broil, chicken breast, pork chops and cod.

For more information, check out my blog.

I was on vacation in Lake Tahoe the first time I tasted Ikedas California Country Market's pre-marinated tri-tip. It was deliciously flavored, extremely tender and juicy and left me wanting more.

I've been an Ikedas tri-tip junkie ever since, trekking to the Davis store (there's also an Ikedas in Auburn, off Interstate 80) to get my fix.

The store sells a tri-tip made with Ikedas seasoning, as well as one with Ikedas marinade. The seasoned tri-tip is slightly spicy, while the marinated tri-tip has a touch of sweetness to it that makes the flavor dance in your mouth.

I cook my 2 1/2 pound Ikedas seasoned tri-tip this weekend over medium heat on the grill for about 45 minutes, which, after resting for about 15 minutes, resulted in the meat being cooked to medium.

Served alongside grilled white corn and a tangy and sweet summer salad, it made for a beautiful, simple summer meal (the recipe for my salad is posted on my blog).

Ikedas has two locations: 3500 Lincoln Way, Auburn and 26295 Mace Blvd., Davis. The store also carries locally grown produce, exceptional pies and other goodies.

I came up with a fabulous recipe for fish fajitas after flubbing a halibut ceviche that I'd been obsessing about.

Check out the recipe by going to my blog, Mom.me.

Happy eating!

Mark your calendars Southwest cooking fans - Grange Restaurant & Bar is hosting a book signing for super chef Mark Miller.

The Sacramento event on July 15 celebrates Miller's newest cookbook, "Tacos" (Ten Speed Press, $21.95, 176 pages).

Grange Executive Chef Michael Tuohy also will create a special menu for lunch and dinner, highlighting dishes from the Miller's cookbook, according to an e-mail from the restaurant officials.

Miller has created more than 13 restaurants, including Coyote Cafe in Santa Fe, where he now lives, and Fourth Street Grill in Berkeley.

The book signing will be held during lunch service, which begins at 11:30 a.m., and dinner service, which begins at 5:30 p.m.

For more information, visit Grange's Web site.

I'm a firm believer that quality vinegar can turn an average meal into one that you'll be talking about for days.

The following recipe for seared sea scallops calls for Banyuls vinegar, a wine vinegar made from grapes grown in the Banyuls-sur-Mer region of France. The vinegar is aged in oak barrels for more than five years, which helps yield a nutty flavor.

Though a bit of an investment at the outset, the vinegar keeps well and can be used to make delicious vinaigrettes and as a reduction sauce for a variety of proteins.

In this recipe, the Banyuls vinegar is used at the end to deglaze the pan, and is then poured on top of the scallops, which have been seasoned and seared in olive oil spiked with garlic. The vinegar's nuttiness marries beautifully with the scallops delicate flavor and turns the pungent garlic into a subtle undertone.

Banyuls vinegar can be found at many specialty grocers in the Sacramento region, including Taylor's Market and Corti Brothers.

Follow this link to see the recipe:

Have you ever heard of a 14-year-old who eats squab, much less knows how to cook it? My colleague, Carlos Alcala, has found a local teen who lives for cooking and chronicled his adventures for Wednesday's Food & Wine section.

Here's a sneak preview from Carlos to whet your appetite:

Some of us check, double-check and triple check our recipes as we cook. We don't make anything for guests that we haven't tested before. We measure ingredients carefully for every recipe. That's not Jeffrey Caves. The 14-year-old Carmichael cook is fearless in the kitchen. He's not afraid of knives, fire or failure. He knows enough about cooking that he can usually operate by the seat of his pants (or pans) and save any dish gone wrong from becoming a disaster. See what makes this teen kitchen whiz tick in Wednesday's Food & Wine section.

Looking for a healthy, inexpensive way to feed your family?

Find some answers Sunday at Fruit and Veggie Fest, sponsored by FoodMaxx and the Health Education Council.

The festival is part of a month-long effort to teach low-income families how to make healthy living a priority, said Lesley Miller, the council's spokeswoman.

"Basically, we'll share with shoppers educational and interactive activities so they can learn how to make healthy choices," she said.

The council is a non-profit organization focused on promoting health education.

The event will include dance performances, free health screenings, physical activity specialists and a "smoothie bike," where a rider will peddle a bicycle that powers an attached blender, resulting in cool, healthy drinks.

Store tours also will be given so families can learn tips on how to eat healthy on a budget.

The festival will be held from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday at the FoodMaxx at 3860 Florin Rd., Sacramento.

Talk about an important dinner service.

Grange Restaurant and Bar had a special guest for dinner Wednesday night ﷓ the mother of California cuisine, Chez Panisse co-owner and chef Alice Waters.

Waters was among a party of about 20 people dining at the J Street restaurant and also stayed at the Citizen Hotel Wednesday night, said Sarah Essary, a spokeswoman for Grange.

Waters was in town for the premier of Food Inc., a documentary that explores the corporate-controlled food industry being shown at The Crest Wednesday night.

She also is in town to help plant and dedicate a vegetable garden at Capitol Park this morning alongside California first lady Maria Shriver and celebrity chef Guy Fieri.

Waters and her party dined around 6:45 p.m. and chose items from Wednesday's dinner menu.

Waters had the local farm lettuce salad with sun dried tomatoes, North Valley Farms' chevre and a fig balsamic vinaigrette.

She also dined on grilled Bledsoe Farm lamb rack chops with olive oil crushed potatoes, minted fava beans and pancetta and a tapenade.

Specific compliments to Grange Chef Michael Tuohy were not overheard, but "I know that they enjoyed themselves," Essary said.

One ingredient that was specially procured for Waters' visit, however, wound up not being served.

A Grange staffer was spotted at the farmer's market at Cesar Chavez plaza Wednesday afternoon purchasing several pounds of cherries.

The chef was overheard eagerly remarking to the vendor that "Alice Waters is going to eat these."

The vendor looked at the chef with a blank stare.

"Who's that?"

No word on what became of the cherries.