Appetizers

The domestic wine industry wilted in 2009, rocked by the recession and tightening wine markets around the world. According to figures released today by the Wine Institute, a San Francisco trade group, wine exports in 2009 decreased 14.9 percent from the previous year to 417.9 million liters - or 46.4 million nine-liter cases. The value of wine exports dropped 9.5 percent to some $911.8 million in winery revenues.

While the wine industry nutures its collective hangover, there are signs that the market may rebound in 2010.

"The California wine industry was not immune to the global recession, but faired better than most wine producing countries," said Robert P. Koch, Wine Institute president and chief executive officer, in a statement. "Fourth quarter sales were up nearly 16 percent compared to the same period in 2008, giving us reason to believe that 2010 will be a good year."

Exports to the European Union proved to be especially tough in 2009. Volume shipments slid 21 percent in 2009 compared to the previous year. 42 percent of domestic wine exports are shipped to Europe.

"2009 was a tough year in an already highly competitive UK wine market, with pressure on prices, reductions in stock holdings, and cutbacks in the number of wine offerings occurring in all sectors," said John McLaren, Wine Institute trade director for the United Kingdom.

But, there was good news in Japan, where the United States overtook Chile as the largest bulk wine exporter to Japan. Bulk table wine exports to Japan were up 42 percent by volume and 34.4 percent in U.S. dollars.

By Al Pierleoni
apierleoni@sacbee.com

Sorry, foodies, the April 26 appearance in Sacramento by award-winning food writer and restaurant critic Ruth Reichl has sold out -- but there's a waiting list, and there's still space at the pre-event reception.

To join the waiting list for "An Evening with Ruth Reichl" at 7:30 p.m. at the Crest Theatre, call (916) 737-1300 or e-mail info@californialectures.org.

The pre-event fundraising reception -- dubbed "Garlic and Sapphires" after one of Reichl's memoirs -- will be from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Citizen Hotel, 926 J St., Sacramento. Cost is $100 per person, tax-deductible. Register at www.californialectures.org or (916) 737-1300.

Reichl is a former restaurant critic for the New York Times and Los Angeles Times and the author of several books. She is a four-time James Beard Award winner.

The Citizen Hotel reception will feature Bombay Sapphire martinis and California wines, with "garlic surprises and seasonal dishes." It is co-sponsored by Grange restaurant and the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op.

Call The Bee's Al Pierleoni, (916) 321-1128.

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.

Back in January, after pondering some dietary issues, I penned a Food & Wine story called, "Should You Get Rid of the Gluten?" Judging by the amount of calls and e-mails I received, this form of digestive distress very much resonated with readers around Sacramento. For part of the story, we included a list of local eateries with extensive gluten-free menu items. One of those listed was P.F. Chang's China Bistro, which listed such dishes as chicken lettuce wraps and Chang's lemon scallops on its gluten-free menu.

P.F. Chang's recently expanded its gluten-free menu to 28 items, and now includes beef dishes, to boot.

"More and more of our guests are asking for gluten free options and we're proud to offer them a greater variety of P.F. Chang's classics," said Gregg Piazzi, director of culinary training for P.F. Chang's China Bistro, in a statement.

Here's the full menu of P.F. Chang's gluten-free intems, with prices included. Thanks, and wishing good digestion to all ...

Entrées:

GF Shrimp with Lobster Sauce - $12.95
GF Moo Goo Gai Pan -$13.25
GF Ginger Chicken With Broccoli - $12.75
GF Philip's Better Lemon Chicken - $12.95
GF Chang's Spicy Chicken - $12.95
GF Chang's Lemon Scallops - $14.95
GF Salmon Steamed With Ginger - $17.95
GF Cantonese Shrimp or Scallops - $14.95
GF Mongolian Beef - $14.95
GF Beef with Broccoli - $11.95
GF Beef a La Sichuan - $13.95
GF Pepper Steak - $13.25
GF Hong Kong Beef with Snow Peas - $10.25
GF Dali Chicken - $12.95

Starter:

GF Chang's Chicken Lettuce Wraps - $7.95

Soup:

GF Egg Drop Soup Cup - $2.95/Bowl - $5.95

Noodles:

GF Singapore Street Noodles - $9.95

Rice:

GF P.F. Chang's Fried Rice - $7.95/Combo - $9.95

Vegetarian:

GF Buddha's Feast - $7.50

Sides:

GF Spinach Stir-Fried with Garlic
GF Garlic Snap Peas
GF Shanghai Cucumbers (Small: $2.95/Large: $4.95)

Dessert:

GF Flourless Chocolate Dome - $5.95

Lunch Bowls:

GF Buddha's Feast - $7.25
GF Shrimp with Lobster Sauce - $8.95
GF Moo Goo Gai Pan - $8.95
GF Beef with Broccoli - $8.95
GF Pepper Steak - $8.95

Let's say you're taking a trip to San Francisco but still have a thirst for home. Well hello, it'll be your lucky day on March 20, as two dozen El Dorado County wineries will show their stuff at Postrio in San Francisco (545 Post St., San Francisco; 415-776-7825). Some 100 wines will be for the tasting, along with food and live jazz grooves for $38 a head. Participating wineries include:

Auriga Wine Cellars
Boeger Winery
Girard Vineyards
Holly's Hill Vineyards
Lava Cap Winery
Miraflores Winery
Narrowgate Vineyards
Perry Creek Vineyards
... and many more.

The tasting runs from 2 p.m. - 5 p.m. For more information: www.vinunderground.com

The wait is almost over to see the rebirth of an upscale Sacramento restaurant that's being turned into an urban eats spot.

Cafeteria 15L, formerly Mason's, will hold its grand opening on April 6, with proceeds from the event benefiting a Hope Productions Foundation, a local nonprofit that provides fundraising and marketing resources for youth and children's charities.

The downtown restaurant is transforming itself due to the economy's toll on fine dining restaurants.

As Bee columnist Bob Shallit reported in January, the decor, menu and pricing all will shift to encompass the restaurant's "urban casual" feel.

The new menu will include dishes like buttermilk-battered fried chicken, meatloaf and sausage-filled corn dogs, Shallit wrote.

The Cafeteria 15L reception will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. and includes live music by "Utz! & the Shuttlecocks," hosted food and a no-host bar.

Tickets are $45 in advance and $55 at the door. For tickets, go to Hope Productions' Web site or call (916) 782-4673.

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

Skinny Cow, a line of low-fat ice cream sandwiches and bars by Dreyers Grand Ice Cream, has launched two new flavors of its truffle bars and sent The Bee some to try out.

It took about 1 minute to empty both boxes.

The new flavors include white mint and caramel, both of which are drizzled with chocolate.

I thought the white mint was light and refreshing, like the low-calorie love child of an Andes Mint and a Peppermint Patty.

Others, however, weren't fans.

Let's say you're observing Lent, but have a hankering for a hot dog. Well, observant Christians, you know that eating meat is a big no-no on Fridays through Lent. So what to do if you want to say, "TGIF," by hitting up a Wienerschnitzel?

This veritable hot dog emporium has an answer for this Lent quandary. Wienerschnitzel recently added a fish focused "Un-DER the Sea Trio" to its fast-food menu. You might have to save the chili dog for another day, but here's what you can have at Wienerschnitzel that won't prompt a trip to the confession booth: the Sea Dog, Fish Wrap and Fish n' Chips.

Holy mackerel!

According to a press release from Wienerschnitzel's hot doggin' headquarters, here's what you can expect:

"Each of the three new fish items features flaky, white Alaskan Pollock. The Sea Dog includes an Alaskan Pollock fish fillet, crunchy lettuce and a zing of tartar sauce, served on a 6" bun. The Fish Wrap consists of an Alaskan Pollock fillet topped with a unique combination of salsa and mayonnaise and wrapped in a steamed flour tortilla. The Fish N' Chips includes two perfectly deep-fried fish fillets laid atop a generous portion of Wienerschnitzel's famous hot, crispy French fries."

See you at church ... and the drive-thru window!

Back in January, I took a look back at the memorable wines of 2009 in my first "Wine Buzz" column of the year. One of the bottles singled out was the Holly's Hill Vineyards 2006 El Dorado Patriarche, a wonderful Rhone-style blend of mourvedre and syrah that shined wowed us its juicy cherry fruit. Such Rhone-style wines just seem to shine in El Dorado County, and Holly's Hill Vineyards is an especially consistent producer.

Here's a chance to sample the latest Holly's Hill wines in tandem with some tasty food. Gonul's J Street Cafe (3839 J St., Sacramento; 916-457-1155) is hosting "A Taste of the Rhone Valley" winemakers dinner on March 23, fetauring the wines of Holly's Hill. Though we'd love another taste of the 2006 El Dorado Patriarche, the latest vintage of this wine will be served, along with others that will be paired over four courses plus dessert.

The dinner starts at 6:30 p.m. and costs $49.50 per person. Here's the menu:

Sauteed prawns & scallops, with a spicy mango sauce
Holly's Hill 2009 Viognier

Stuffed Durham Ranch chicken, with apricots, dates, preserved lemon, golden raisins, shallots, goat cheese and cream cheese
Holly's Hill 2008 Grenache

Bonless short rib, with red wine and dark chocolate sauce
Holly's Hill 2007 Patriarche

Filet mignon roast, with a three-pepper glace
Holly's Hill 2006 Syrah

Apple crisp
2008 Late Harvest Roussanne

A rich book on chocolate co-authored by two local professors is among finalists for an International Association of Culinary Professionals award.

"Chocolate: History, Culture and Heritage" by UC Davis Professor Emeritus Louis Grivetti and Howard-Yana Shapiro, global director of plant science and external research at Mars, Inc. and an adjunct professor at UC Davis, is a scholarly work that considers the history of chocolate by theme and topic throughout the centuries. Chapters explore topic such as chocolate and religion, medicinal chocolate and chocolate preparation in early North America.

The book is one of three finalists in the IACP's "culinary history" category, the group announced Thursday. The cookbook awards are "considered the gold standard for culinary publishing," according to an IACP news release. More than 500 entries were submitted this year, making it one of the most competitive ever.

Dust off your "Dance Dance Revolution" skills and work off those buffalo wings. Dave & Busters is coming to the Fountains in Roseville, with an expected opening date in early May. For those not in the know, Dave & Busters is like Chuck E. Cheese for adults - but minus the robotic puppets and playscapes that are like petri dishes of the latest cold bugs. Dave & Busters features interactive games, an old-school arcade (anyone up for two player on Galaga?) and lots of games to test your athletic skills after downing pints of beer. The menu features plenty of gut busting fare, including burgers, steaks and fried shrimp platters.

Dave & Busters will be the latest addition to "restaurant row" at the Fountains in Roseville. Current eateries include: California Pizza Kitchen, McCormick & Schmick's, The Counter, Tres Agaves, Boudin, Noodles and Sake House.

While Dave & Busters prepares to open, look for a "dining after dark" special at the Fountains on Sunday through Thursday evenings until March 31. Stop by one of the "restaurant row" eateries after 8 p.m. and you'll get a 20 percent discount.

Good deal ... but really, who's up for a Galaga challenge?

Sacramento sure loves its suds. That's the final verdict as Sacramento Beer Week wrapped up on Sunday, after seven days, 300 events around the region, and who knows how many hangovers. The mood was festive throughout this first-ever beer celebration, with opportunities to try some fine local brews and beers from parts beyond. A crowd of 400 packed the Colonial Theatre last Monday for Sacramento Beer Week's "Inaugural Gala," and the beer loving masses seemed to be everywhere. Anyone get a table at Rubicon Brewing Co. over the weekend? If so, consider yourself one of the lucky ones.

"Rubicon was packed for three days straight," says Dan Scott, Sacramento Beer Week's executive director. "(Rubicon owner Glynn Phillips) said two of them were the busiest days he's ever had. There were just really great stories about attendance. On a rainy Monday night, the Golden Bear went through 200 pints of Guinness. Streets of London ran out by 4 p.m. of the Sierra Nevada Beer they were serving. A bunch of events at the Shack and Pangaea Cafe were just wall to wall."

So it's no surprise to report that Sacramento Beer Week will be back next year.

"Oh yeah, we'll be back," says Scott. "Our intention was to start small, but there was such great participation from local business owners that it just took off. People went to bars they didn't know existed, and tried beers they hadn't heard of. That was the point of entire week: to get people out to try new things, and enjoy it enough to do it again."

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.

Sacramento Beer Week continues to chug along, with sold-out beer dinners at Mulvaney's B&L and a whole lot of suds sipping around the Sacramento area. The "Inaugural Gala" held on Monday night at the Colonial Theatre drew some 400 beer fans, who sampled from the likes of Rubicon, River City Brewing Company, Lagunitas Brewing Company out of Petaluma and more.

One bit of scoop we got during that beer-riffic event: Sacramento's Odonata Brewing Company is seeking a tasting room and brewery in the midtown area. That was the word from Peter Hoey, the company's founder and former brewmaster of Sacramento Brewing Company, who currently crafts his beers at Sudwerk in Davis. But, Hoey says that opening a midtown tasting room is tricky because of laws the prohibit single bottle sales in that area. He's still working these issues out, and we'll keep you posted when we hear more.

Red tape aside, plenty of great Sacramento Beer Week deals are for the taking. The event runs through Sunday, and here are some ways to enjoy this celebration on a budget:

Tonight

- $2 pints of Sudwerk and local music at The Townhouse Lounge (1517 21st St.). Tunes by Justin Farren, Blvd. Park and more. 7 p.m. - midnight. No cover charge.

- $2.50 house beers at "A Fermentation of Verse," featuring suds and poetry at River City Brewing Company (545 Downtown Plaza, Ste. 1115, Sacramento). 7 p.m.

- Pitcher of California microbrew and a dozen wings for $15 at Extreme Pizza (1140 Exposition Blvd., Sacramento)

Through Sunday:

- "Old School Happy Hour" with $1 beers from Miller High Life, Olympia, Mickey's Big Mouth and more at Monkey Bar (2730 Capitol Ave., Sacramento). 3 p.m. - 7 p.m.

- $2 off any beer and appetizer combo at Old Soul at the Weatherstone (812 21st St., Sacramento)

- 22 oz Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and Glissade Golden Bock for $4.99 at Logan's Roadhouse (3698 North Freeway Blvd., Sacramento).

For a full line-up of events and beer specials:www.sacramentobeerweek.com.

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.

Turns out you don't have to be in Whistler to enjoy the pairing of gourmet dining and skiing.

Just head to Tahoe, where the Tahoe Cross Country Ski Area will be hosting its Gourmet Ski Tour Fundraiser from 1 to 3 p.m. March 14.

The on-snow gourmet tasting event is a chance for skiers and snowshoers to try out the ski area's gentlest trails and sample seafood, soup, breads, hors d'oeuvres and desserts from more than 15 of Tahoe's top restaurants, according to a news release.

The event concludes with margaritas and live music by Jo Mama on the Tahoe Cross Country lodge sundeck.

The fundraiser benefits the Tahoe Cross Country Ski Education Association, a non-profit group that helping young skier programs and school ski teams.

Tickets are $30 for adults and children 13 and older, which includes a half-day trail pass from 12:30 to 5 p.m. Children 12 and under are free.

Season passholders can purchase event tickets for $25.

For tickets and information, call (530) 583-5475.

The only female owner and operator of a Tequila distillery will lead a tequila tasting tonight at Tres Agaves Mexican Kitchen & Tequila Lounge in Roseville.

Carmen Villareal's Pueblo Viejo distillery produces hand-crafted tequilas, some of which are crafted especially for a woman's palate, said Heather Atherton, a spokeswoman for Tres Agaves.

Among the tequilas included in the tasting are Pueblo Viejo's Carmesi and San Matias Gran Reserva varieties. A bottle signing will also be part of the event.

Tequila Pueblo Viejo and all of the San Matias Tequila labels are being featured as Tres Agaves' distillery of the month, meaning bottles are 10 percent off this month at the store.

The tequila tasting and bottle signing will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. today at Tres Agaves, located at the Fountains at Roseville at the corner of Roseville Parkway and Galleria Boulevard in Roseville.

For more information about Tres Agaves, follow this link to its Web site.

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.

To the best of my knowledge, this is not a national holiday. There are no particular religious affiliations involved. No greeting cards, no candy, no fireworks, no special furniture and mattress sales. You don't even have to take off work, though it might help if you want the full experience of, yes, Sacramento Beer Week, which is this coming week.

The week of festivities features a slew of events, including Draught Beer Seminar & Luncheon at Lounge on 20, a California Beer Dinner at Mulvaney's, a Cider Pairing at Magpie and Tacos and Beer at Rubicon.

There are also plenty of Pint Nights and beers specials to commemorate Beer Week. There's so much going on that you really need to check the Web site for all the details.

Also read:
• Three beers from Sacramento brewers and suggested food pairings
• Brewers, chefs tap Beer Week

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.

In recent years, with the growth of new restaurants in town and the explosion of bike riding as a form of transportation around midtown and downtown, food crawls (and pub crawls) have become a great and growing tradition.

Gather lots of folks, travel from restaurant to restaurant on foot or by bike, have fun, eat well, meet new people and, better still, raise money for a good cause.

The latest food crawl should be really good. It will be Sunday Feb. 28 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Called the For Ben Food Crawl, proceeds will benefit 10-year-old Ben Fagan, who survived a brain tumor two years ago and is now trying to win the fight against a new cancer gripping his spine.

Here is a message from the Web site promoting the pub crawl: "It is our chance to purchase a ticket in support of Ben's challenge and have the opportunity to explore over 20 of Sacramento's restaurants wearing a "For Ben" T-shirt while believing, hoping, praying, and loving Ben.

See the list of restaurants at the For Ben Web site.

Tickets are $35 and may be purchased at Asha Yoga (1050 20th St., Sacramento), Bikram Yoga (9384 Elk Grove Florin Rd., Elk Grove), Horizon Community Church (446 Fairway Dr., Galt), and Starbucks at Laguna Blvd. and I-5 (2300 Longport Ct., Elk Grove).

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.

This just in: Robert Lind, former sous chef at Mason's Restaurant, is heading about two miles south to lead Taylor's Kitchen starting Tuesday.

Lind brings a "tremendous amount of food knowledge and creativity" to the restaurant, which is committed to delivering an innovative menu made from locally grown and produced foods, Taylor's owner Danny Johnson wrote in an e-mail to The Bee.

"This change will insure Taylor's Kitchen is in step with the long standing tradition of freshness and quality brought forth by Taylor's Market," he said.

Taylor's previous chef, Jenevie Wiles, is leaving to pursue other endeavors.

Lind's start date also means he'll be at the helm when the restaurant hosts its 2nd annual Mardi Gras Celebration Tuesday.

Three seatings - 5, 6:30 and 8 p.m. - are available for the three-course, prix fixe dinner. The $25 per person meal includes crabcakes with Creole aiolo, chicken and andouille jambalaya and bananas foster. Cajun music and beads will be on hand; dancing is optional.

For reservations call (916) 443-5154.

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.

That's right, a hot stack of pancakes is yours for free on Feb. 23 at all IHOP restaurants. It's IHOP's way of celebrating "National Pancake Day" - and can we lobby to get the day off for this? - and this freebie will run from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

IHOP is also asking for a little something in return. Though the pancake stack is free, diners are asked to leave a donation for the Children's Miracle Network hospitals. In Sacramento's case, the beneficiary of these donations will be the UC Davis Children's Hospital.

Last year, this National Pancake Day fundraiser reaped $1.5 million for children's charities, and IHOP served more than 2.5 million free flapjacks. So, enjoy your free stack and show a little kindness in return. Cool?

A box of chocolates is a welcome Valentine's Day gift, but an afternoon filled with chocolate? Now THAT's a fun way to celebrate.

Old Town Auburn will be host to the fifth annual Taste of Chocolate from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday, according to an e-mail from event organizer Linda Robinson.

The event also includes entertainment by the "String A Longs" and the Sugar Plump Fairies, she wrote.

For $20, you'll get 10 tastes of chocolates at stores and restaurants. Some venues will be pairing the chocolates with dessert wines. Tickets can be purchased at Sun River Clothing Company, 1585 Lincoln Way, Auburn.

The event is a fundraiser for the Old Town Business Association and the American Association of University Women, which are its sponsors.

For more information, go to the business association's Web site or call (530) 888-1585.

What's the hottest Facebook fan club for local foodies these days? It's a page with a tongue-and-cheek title that honors one of Sacramento's favorite grocers and gourmands: "Darrell Corti will always know more than you about Food and Wine."

The fan club has grown from just a couple dozen members to nearly 300 in just about two weeks. The group was created by Gretchen Allen-Wilcox, a former Corti Brothers wine merchant who now lives in Portland. She recently recruited Rick Mindermann, store director for Corti Brothers, to serve as a page administor.

Fire up your computer (or Facebook app for your iPhone or other mobile device) and check out the foodie fun. See pictures of the oldest wine Corti's owned: a bottle of Madeira from 1740 that was opened and shared in 2008. Read anecdotes from local food and wine folk about their memories of Darrell over the years, including getting pronunciations corrected and conversations about Kobe beef.

Corti himself has seen the page, but was away at VINO 2010 in New York City and couldn't be reached for comment on this Facebook tribute. (Darrell Corti also travels more than you when it comes to food and wine). Mindermann says the page makes Corti feel a little uncomfortable, but he's humbled by the tribute and amount of interest.

"He's very low-key and keeps everything close to his chest," says Mindermann. "For me, the page is partly a thank you from people and it also gives readers a better understanding about who he is and what he does. I think in six months we could be at more than 1,000 followers."

So, what are you waiting for? Stop playing Farmville already and become a fan yourself.

Fans of El Novillero, the popular Mexican restaurant on Franklin Blvd., have always been stuck if they've wanted to eat there on a Sunday. For 30 years, family tradition has held that the restaurant stay closed on Sundays. But that's about to change, for the first time in three decades.

El Novillero will open its doors this Sunday, as a kind of Valentine's Day gift. So, if your sweetie is craving some family-style Mexican food, drop by El Novillero (4216 Franklin Blvd., Sacramento) from 2 p.m. - 9 p.m. on Sunday.

"We just decided we can't miss this opportunity to serve and be there for our loyal customers," said Joe Davalos Jr., El Novillero's owner, in a press release.

Enjoy this Mexican dining on a Sunday while you can. After Valentine's Day, the restaurant will go back to honoring its family tradition, with a big "closed" sign in the window to wind down the weekend.

For more information: (916) 456-4287

Are you ready for some Super Bowl? Yours truly will be parked on the couch this Sunday and rooting for the New Orleans Saints (Who dat! Who dat!), and doing my best not to fall into a food coma before halftime. That would be a 35-yard penalty for unnecessary lameness ... but it'll be tough with all the food going around.

Last week, we printed the results of our beer and buffalo wing tasting. That's as super a food/wine pairing as you'll find for the Super Bowl, but here's another food favored by the football fans and armchair jocks out there: pizza!

But, better plan on ordering this pizza early. A press release from the Pizza Hut folks came our way, and their pizza overlords report that they expect to sell 1.7 million pizzas on Super Bowl Sunday. Holy pepperoni, that's enough to cover more than 45 football fields.

So, huddle up and get ready to place those orders. Some pizza chains even have online ordering options, such as www.pizzahut.com and www.dominos.com. And for the tech-savvy pizza lovers out there, you can even order from Pizza Hut's iPhone app.

Bring on the Big Game and pass the red pepper flakes ... hike!

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.

Roseville residents with a hankering for Japanese food and the ultra lounge experience have a new option. Sake House, in the Fountains shopping center, (1017 Galleria Blvd. #160, Roseville) served its first meals at lunchtime today. Sake House is the lastest venture from restaurateur Randy Paragary, who partnered with local nightclub maven Bob Simpson for the lounge element of Sake House. Billy Ngo of midtown's Kru restaurant helped conceive the menu, which includes:

Poke Trio - salmon with ponzu, ginger, sesame oil, kaiware / tuna with soy, chili oil, masago, green onions / tako with wakame, ponzu, chili oil, and shallots



Angie Baby Roll - soy wrap, cucumber, avocado and masago; topped with yellow fin tuna, albacore tuna, sautéed mushrooms and scallions



The Inferno Roll - spicy tuna, cucumber, sprouts and jalapeño; topped with yellow fin tuna and jalapeño-tobiko chili sauce



Grilled Rack of Lamb - rosemary-balsamic teriyaki sauce

And if you aren't stuffed with sushi, you can get your groove on starting at 10 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday nights. The cover charge is $20 - about as high as you'll find in the area - but the cost comes down depending on your age. Ages 30+ get $5 off, 35+ get $10 off and ages 40+ are free. When it comes to age, there's no shame in this ultra lounge game.

Update: Cover charge for the lounge is also waived for diners.

For more info: www.sakehouseroseville.com

Stemmers, crushers, corks, tractors, glassware, bottling lines ... the Sacramento Convention Center's main exhibit hall is like the Willy Wonka factory of wine. Some 600 exhibitors are showing off their wares at the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium, the largest wine and grape trade show in the western hemisphere. The floor seems a little less packed than usual at this moment, but that may be because a tasting of Bordeaux blends is going on next door at the Hyatt Regency.

And now this: attendance figures were just released, and the final head count is 11,700 for Unified 2010. That's a drop of 200 from last year, when a record-setting 11,900 attended Unified 2009.

Still, we're wondering if Unified has outgrown the Sacramento Convention Center. With floor space maxed out, and some exhibitors wishing they had room for their booths, it would seem so. Some 170 exhibitors were also placed on a waiting list for this year.

But where would Unified go? Organizers say San Francisco would be too costly and Reno is too dicey because of weather. So it's Sacramento for now, and for at least the next two years.

And now, it's back for another spin at the trade show ... Zorks and cooperage, here I come. And cheers to Unified 2010...

More than 11,000 attendees are expected for the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium, which kicked off this morning and runs through Friday at the Sacramento Convention Center and Hyatt Regency. But as the domestic wine industry descends on Sacramento for exhibits in the latest wine making technology and panel discussions, the buzz around town was that 2010 would mark Unified's last year in Sacramento. Rumor had it that Unified would move to a more cost-effective venue in San Francisco.

That rumor has turned out to be false. According to a spokesperson for Unified, not only will Unified stay in Sacramento, but they've already booked the Sacramento Convention Center for the next two years.

That's welcome news for downtown restaurateurs and other businesses, which see a significant spike in business during Unified week. According to the Sacramento Convention and Visitors Bureau, Unified generates $2.2 million in economic impact for Sacramento through restaurant bookings, hotel rooms and other local business activity. 2,000 hotel rooms are also reserved annually during the Unified convention.

"It's one of the largest groups we host in town," said Mike Testa, spokesman for the Sacramento Convention and Visitors Bureau. "It's a win-win from a business and partnering standpoint."

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!

OK, this is hardly the most scientific poll we've come across, but a survey at www.worstpizza.com shows that 63 percent of couples are staying home for Valentine's Day. Say what you will about this poll, which was conducted online and surveyed some 3,000 folks. But these findings pose an interesting question: Do you plan to take your sweetie our for Valentine's Day, or will you just make it a Blockbuster sort of night with an extra dash of romance?

Many local restaurants are planning special Valentine's Day menus, but they often don't come cheap. So, maybe you'd rather leave the Valentine's Day dining for the romance rookies out there, and protect your wallet from V-Day price gouging and valet parking.

So, what are your plans for Valentine's Day dining? Leave a comment, and don't let cupid hit you on the way out.

Taylor's Kitchen is sending a hefty contribution to Doctors Without Borders thanks to the wildly successful Haitian Relief Dinner held Sunday.

The dinner raised more than $7,000 for the medical humanitarian organization, said Danny Johnson, owner of the restaurant and Taylor's Market.

"We were pretty stunned with the response," he said.

The fundraiser's success has Johnson thinking of making charitable dinners a yearly event.

"If there's not a humanitarian crisis, then we could donate the funds to a local charity," Johnson said.

Speaking of fundraisers, another event this weekend is hoped to raise money for Haiti earthquake relief.

This time, it's sandwiches in the suburbs.

The El Dorado Hills Chamber of Commerce, Lakehills Covenant Church and Subway are holding a fundraiser to benefit the American Red Cross Haiti Relief Fund from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. The event will be held at the Subway in the Town Center, 2023 Vine St., Suite 104, El Dorado Hills.

Volunteers will be donating their time and sandwich-making skills that day, when 100 percent of the sales will go directly to the Red Cross' relief effort, according to a news release from the chamber of commerce.

They came. They drank. They judged.

And in the end, the winner of the California Office of Traffic Safety's Mocktail Recipe Contest today was Kimberly Beck of Modesto for her "Green Meenie Martini."

"The judges loved both entries, and the voting was close, but in the end the creative ingredients and unique refreshing hot summer taste won them over," Chris Cochran, the department's spokesman, wrote in an e-mail to The Bee.

For more information about the contest see my previous blog post.

Downtown lunch diners with a hunger for Thai food have been surprised by the abrupt closure of Amarin Thai Cuisine on 12th and I streets. Acknowledged as Sacramento's first Thai restaurant, Amarin opened in 1983 and known for its broad menu and brisk lunch service. But, the scene was one of confusion today as would-be lunch diners arrived at Amarin, only to find the restaurant closed.

"I was going to take two students to lunch there, and it was going to be a real treat," said Judie Panneton, who works nearby Amarin at the State Water Resources Control Board. "We saw a printed sign in the window that said something about the restaurant being closed and thanking everyone for their many years of (patronage). People were standing around the front. It's definitely taken people by surprise."

Attempts to reach the owners of Amarin have so far been unsuccessful. We'll fill you in with more news as it comes our way.

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.

Some of you may remember the heartwarming and palate scorching story of Diego Bartolome. He's the 10-year-old from rural El Dorado County who started a salsa business to help with his family finances, especially after his mom lost her job. He sells "Diego's Awesome Salsa" each Sunday in El Dorado County, and had raked in $1,000 from his business as of December.

I got an e-mail from Diego's mom, Paula, who said Diego's moved his salsa sales to a new location: Chunks of Heaven Cookie Company on Black Oak Mine Rd . in Garden Valley (530-344-8058).

And there's even some bigger news for the salsa boy. Diego's Awesome Salsa has a tentative date for Feb. 13 to be carried at Mar-Val Grocery in Georgetown (6049 Front St., Georgetown). There's also a buzz going that his salsa is set for even bigger market shelves, but we can't disclose that one yet. Let's just say there's been some talk with a store that emphasizes co-operation with local growers.

Stay tuned for more on this salsa story ...

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.

I understand there are still a few $35 tickets left for what promises to be an enlightening, enjoyable and, if the host's pizza is involved, delicious event at Hot Italian. It's called "Sustainable Sacramento: Eat, Learn and Celebrate" and it's sponsored by Pesticide Watch and Slow Food Sacramento.

If you care about what you eat and where your food comes from, these are two groups you might get to know a little better. For more on the event this Thursday, click here or at the Slow Food Sacramento web site.

Hot Italian is at the corner of 16th and Q.

Every four weeks, I am trying to do a compilation review of dining bargains. This is instead of a review of a single place. My latest such review takes a look at everything from the breakfast sandwich to the long-running dinner for two at Danielle's Creperie.

If you know of other great bargains out there, please let me know. In the coming months, I will be looking at dessert places, the best hamburgers, great soups and various other ways to save money when you go out.

I read Bob Shallit to keep up with what is happening with local business and real estate, espeically the openings and closings of restaurants. Bob has another item today on the momentum for creating a bar on the top two floors of the very stylish Elks Building on J Street.

That area could use some more positive energy, and the bar could be magnificent. Sounds like they are moving in the right direction by knocking down all of the interior walls and clearing the way for 360-degree views. I suppose some of that view will include the unused, ugly acreage that is the railyard. But that site could someday be a coveted view in its own right. I wonder who the players are for the Elks bar -- a couple of restaurant/bar people and a developer.

January is generally a pretty slow month in the restaurant business. People are recovering from the holiday rush. They're making New Year's resolutions that have something to do with eating less -- not more. And if they're like me, they're letting their livers recover after drinking their neighbor's Aquavit!

But the news is good about Dine Downtown, the promotion that is coming to a close this weekend. Restaurants are happy. Customers are happy. And the downtown streets are hopping. The idea was for restaurants to pool their resources and offer a multi-course set price meal.

Here's what we just received from Downtown Sacramento Partnership:

"We've seen the levels of business almost double what we usually expect this time of year," said Brent Larkin, director of food and beverage for Grange at The Citizen. "Considering these economic times, people are surprisingly coming out in droves. We hope many of our guests are
using this promotion to visit our restaurant for the first time and, in turn, become future
patrons."

Participating restaurants include 3 Fires Lounge & Restaurant at The Marriott, 4th Street Grille, 58 Degrees and Holding Co., Biba Restaurant, Bistro 33, Brew It Up!, The Broiler, Chops Steak, Seafood & Bar, Cosmo Café, Cyprus Grille at The Holiday Inn, Dawson's at The Hyatt, de Vere's Irish Pub, Ella Dining Room & Bar, Esquire Grill, Fat City Bar & Café, The Firehouse Restaurant, Frank Fat's, Grange Restaurant at The Citizen, Il Fornaio, L Wine Lounge & Urban Kitchen, Mason's New American, McCormick & Schmick's, The Melting Pot, Michelangelo's, Mikuni Midtown, Morgan's at The Sheraton, Mulvaney's B&L, Pilothouse at The Delta King, Rio City Café, River City Brewing Company, Sapporo Grill, Sofia on 11th, Spataro and Ten 22.

Dine Downtown Restaurant Week continues through Sunday, but the turnout so far has some restaurateurs licking their chops. The event is aimed at drawing diners downtown, with 36 restaurants offering three-course meals for $30. Participating restaurants include many of downtown's top dining destinations, including Biba Restaurant, Mulvaney's B&L, and The Firehouse.

"We've seen the levels of business almost double what we usually expect this time of year," said Brent Larkin, director of food and beverage for Grange at The Citizen, in a statement released by the Downtown Sacramento Partnership. "Considering these economic times, people are surprisingly coming out in droves. We hope many of our guests are using this promotion to visit our restaurant for the first time and, in turn, become future patrons."

We'll keep tabs on the final results once "Dine Downtown" wraps over the weekend. Meanwhile, you can find a full list of participating restaurants here.

A few weeks back, I wrote a review of a new breakfast place called Orphan. Though the employees were pleasant enough and the service was decent, my thoughts overall were rather unkind. Not only was the food disappointing and exceptionally bland, but the conduct of Orphan owner Christopher Pendarvis seemed bizarre.

As readers know by now, I overheard -- scratch that, I couldn't help but hear -- Pendarvis interviewing a job candidate at a table in the middle of the restaurant. Not only was the interview location poor judgment, since I really don't feel like hearing where a 20-year-old sees himself in five years while I'm trying to eat French toast -- but the questions were ridiculous. The topper: "Are you having sex with your girlfriend?"

The city of West Sacramento has plenty going for it these days: a minor league baseball stadium, an IKEA and such food spots as Club Pheasant (don't forget the fried ravioli) and the deep-fried nirvana known as Whitey's Jolly Kone. West Sacramento's burrito population is now about to rise with the opening of a Chipotle Mexican Grill on Jan. 22. The Chiptole is located at IKEA Court, near the I-80 freeway. And we can't think of a better way to fuel up before assembling an IKEA shelving unit than with one of those Chipotle burritos that's the size of a small cat.

Look for some pre-opening festivities on Jan. 21. This Chipotle will host a fundraiser from 5 p.m. - 8 p.m that day., and all proceeds will benefit Hope Productions Foundation, an organization that provides resources for local childrens charities. Enjoy filling that belly with burritos for a good cause.

For more information: www.chipotle.com

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.

Some extra special sipping is in store for winners of a contest, courtesy of SacWineRegion.com and El Dorado Wineries' "Bring Out the Barrel."

So, here's the deal: Surf over to this contest entry page to enter the drawing. Prizes include private tastings, an invitation to a winery barbecue and other goodies at three El Dorado wineries during "Bring Out the Barrel" weekend on Jan. 30 - 31. The drawing ends at noon on Jan. 27, so get to it and good luck.