Food

Farmers' Market Politics - Controversy in Santa Monica, CA

The first of the area’s restaurants to be featured on the Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” is on the schedule. Chaps owner Celeste Shaw confirmed the Latah Creek eatery will be among three restaurants featured on the show scheduled to air Nov. 1 at 10 p.m.

Homemaker extraordinaire Dorothy Dean was never one to rest on her laurels. The women who worked for the Dorothy Dean homemakers service not only published the leaflets that many still use, they also maintained a hotline for homemakers who needed help with recipes or other kitchen problems. The women in the department also produced a long-lived “Ask Dorothy Dean” column in the newspaper, hosted demonstrations, tested and updated recipes and held an annual recipe contest.

Here’s what some longtime fans have to say: ‘My cookbook is well worn with multiple spills and dog-eared pages – evidence of many years of use and good eating.” – Charlene Janson, Spokane

Many of the people who called, wrote or e-mailed about Dorothy Dean said she seemed like a trusted friend, mother or grandmother. The recipe leaflets and phone line gave them a much-needed connection for confidence in the kitchen. We also heard from the children of some of the real women who served as the head of the Dorothy Dean department. Here’s what they said:

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With apple season in full swing, it’s time to get a bunch and work them into savory dishes. Some apples, such as tart varieties like Granny Smith and Empire, keep their shape better when cooked. Red and golden delicious apples tend to soften too much but can still be used.

Apple Festival - Weekends through Oct. 31. Visit www.greenbluffgrowers.com for map of growers. Green Bluff. The New Kid on the Block - A dinner show presented by Northwoods Performing Arts. A comedic play written by Pat Cook. Suitable for all ages. Tickets available at Seebers Drugstore in Newport, Wash., or by calling (208) 448-1294. Menu includes: Friday and Saturday, beef stroganoff; Oct. 15-16 and Oct. 22-23, garlic-lemon chicken. Dinner at 6 p.m., show at 7:30. The Circle Moon Theater, Highway 211 off Highway 2, Newport. $20/dinner and show; $12/adults, $10/children and seniors for show only.

Tuesdays Cheney Farmers Market – 3-7 p.m., First Street and College Avenue, Cheney. (509) 235-7320

Thank you, thank you and thank you. Lovers of Dorothy Dean’s Homemaker’s Service flooded my e-mail, voice mail and mailbox with notes, photos and favorite recipes after an item in last week’s Fresh Sheet asking readers to share their recollections. It was wonderful to hear stories about how many of those cookbooks are still in use and the family memories that have been made along with the recipes inside.

For most people, the only time lasagna lands on the weeknight table is when they prepare it ahead during the weekend. Or when it came out of a box. Even the no-boil noodles usually are too much trouble for Monday-through-Friday cooking. That’s why I like to use prepared polenta (the sort sold in shelf-stable tubes). Using polenta instead of noodles not only is faster and easier, it also produces a heartier meal.

They may look weird or scary, but don’t be afraid. Winter squash – those hard-shelled varieties showing up in stores and farmers markets – are chock-full of vitamins, nutrients and flavor. Why are they called “winter” when they grow in summer? Because these squash (unlike their thin-skinned cousins) can keep for weeks, even months – without refrigeration.

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