Food

If dreading the dinner drill is a daily affair, here’s the antidote: “The Big Cook.” Canadian authors Lorelei Thomas, Deanna Siemens and Joanne Smith are introducing their cookbook at 10 Costco stores in North America, starting Saturday with the two warehouses in Spokane.

Women’s and Children’s Free Restaurant - Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 4:15-5:45 p.m. and Fridays, 12:30-2:30 p.m. with take-out from 1-3 p.m. St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 1620 N. Monroe St. (509) 324-1995. Wine and Cheese at the Market - Presented by Rocket Market. Friday, Winterbeerfest, enjoy 10 beers and food, $16 plus tax. Class requires pre-registration and payment in advance. 7 p.m., 726 E. 43rd Ave. (509) 343-2253.

Not Your Average Cider...

No meat, please

When the doors of Angus Meats and Delicatessen first opened in 1972, George Stachecki told the Spokane Chronicle that his new business would “do just about anything to satisfy a customer.” He was thinking about custom-cutting steaks and offering different varieties of meats. He certainly wasn’t anticipating that more than 36 years later, his son, Tom, would be racing thousands of dollars worth of beef tenderloin to a customer after a mistake sent seared roasts into the trash.

Women’s and Children’s Free Restaurant - Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 4:15-5:45 p.m. and Fridays, 12:30-2:30 p.m. with takeout from 1-3 p.m. St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 1620 N. Monroe St. (509) 324-1995 Wine and Cheese at the Market - Presented by Rocket Market. January events include: Friday, Washington Cabernet Sauvignon, enjoy eight wines from the market’s favorite small producers, cheese and La Brea bread, $25 plus tax; Jan. 16, Winterbeerfest, enjoy 10 beers and food, $16 plus tax. All classes require pre-registration and payment in advance. 7 p.m., 726 E. 43rd Ave. (509) 343-2253

Sorry, Pizza Hut. No one on The Spokesman-Review’s volunteer food panel was fooled by the Tuscani Pastas. No one asked whether they were from a high-end Italian restaurant. No one asked for a second helping.

The Quillisascut Farm School of the Domestic Arts and Lovitt Restaurant will serve five courses of local, seasonal food at a dinner Jan. 25. The chefs and farmers are collaborating to make a meal from the new cookbook, “Chefs on the Farm: Recipes and Inspiration from the Quillisascut Farm School of the Domestic Arts.”

Thinking about how to fill up while on a diet? Think about soup. Soup as a main course is an excellent way to feel satisfied by eating low-calorie vegetables and liquid. And this is a good strategy for consuming fewer calories without feeling deprived.

Take a break from shoveling and enjoy

Women’s and Children’s Free Restaurant - Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 4:15-5:45 p.m. and Fridays, 12:30-2:30 p.m. with take-out from 1-3 p.m. St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 1620 N. Monroe St. (509) 324-1995. New Year’s Eve Dance - Dance to live music performed by Touch of Class and enjoy a hot breakfast buffet and champagne toast at midnight. Reservations are required. Today. 8 p.m., Southside Senior Center, 3151 E. 27th Ave. $25. (509) 535-0803.

Earlier this month, Phyllis Manderscheid of Spokane wrote looking for a recipe she clipped from The Spokesman-Review a few years ago. She had great success with Melt in Your Mouth Pumpkin Bread but had misplaced the recipe. Could we help?

Need an appetizer in a hurry or an outstanding dessert for a dinner party? One ingredient that adds flavor and richness to many recipes is sour cream. It’s usually suitable for everyone’s tastes because it’s available in regular, light or fat-free varieties.

What a year for Washington wines! Looking over the Top 100 lists that come out in December, it’s hard to find any region in the world that has fared better – when you factor in size, quality and price parameters – than Washington.

Women’s and Children’s Free Restaurant - Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 4:15-5:45 p.m. and Fridays, 12:30-2:30 p.m. with take-out from 1-3 p.m. St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 1620 N. Monroe St. (509) 324-1995. Tasteful Thursdays - Hosted by the Moscow Food Co-op. Held every Thursday in December. Enjoy live music while sampling the co-op’s wine and beer, fruits, veggies, entrees, baked goods and more. Runs through Saturday. 5-7 p.m., Moscow Food Co-op Cafe, 121 E. Fifth St., Moscow, Idaho. (208) 882-8537.

Ready to get wild in the new year? Tickets to the 10th annual Wild Game Feast are on sale through the North Idaho College Alumni Association.