Food

- Foods that score
- Here's a game plan for your Super Bowl party
- By Bernie Betit/Freedom News Service
- So you've been roped into hosting a Super Bowl party. No worries. The big game is usually secondary to the commercials and the pounds of food we'll consume — almost 15,000 tons of chips, 4,000 tons of popcorn and 12 million pounds of avocado... Full story

- Punt that cheese ball
- Top chefs add razzle-dazzle to your Super Bowl party game plan
- By Heidi Stevens/McClatchy-Tribune News Service
- What if you threw a cocktail party and a Super Bowl broke out?
Sure, your sound system will be belting out play-by-play commentary rather than lilting jazz. And, yes, your guests will eschew such topics as how to cure climate change in favor of... Full story

- Uncorked: Think pink for Valentine's Day
- By Bill Daley/McClatchy-Tribune News Service
- Sparkling wine is an essential pour on Valentine's Day, especially when there are expectations of a sensual, one-on-one dinner. Heighten the sense of the moment by pouring a rose sparkling wine. You'll get extra bang for your buck, thanks to the... Full story

- Neighbor's Favorite: Chicken Parmesan Romano
- Dennis Hauck shares his easy recipe for Italian culinary delight
- By John Hollis/Appeal-Democrat
- "A couple of years ago, I was thinking of making chicken Parmesan, but when I was in the grocery store, I saw the processed chicken patties and knew they wouldn't work. That was the night Chicken Parmesan Romano was born," Yuba-Sutter native Dennis... Full story

- Uncorked: Bonny Doon founder is a punster d'vine
- By Bill Daley/McClatchy-Tribune News Service
- Randall Grahm is the legendary founder of California's Bonny Doon Vineyard, noted for creating delicious Rhone-style wines. He is an innovator not only in the vineyard, where he fearlessly experiments with different grape varieties, but also in the... Full story

- Can you win over a picky eater?
- A new approach to food and cooking could be the answer
- By Erika Chavez/Freedom News Service
- She wasn't always a picky eater.
As a baby, my 4-year-old daughter, Maya, loved peas and sweet potatoes and savory rice dishes and almost any fruit we put in front of her.
But, in retrospect, the signs were there. Avocado was a no-go, and she... Full story

- Uncorked: Great merlots originate from micro-climates
- By Bill Daley/McClatchy-Tribune News Service
- Telling Mike Janik that his merlot reminds you of cabernet sauvignon won't exactly break the Washington state winemaker's heart. For Janik, who produces wine under his eponymous label and for Novelty Hill, believes what sets the merlots of the... Full story

- Neighbor's Favorite: Tricolor Pepper and Gorgonzola Bruschetta
- For Sharen Cornils, cooking is all about the love
- By John Hollis/Appeal-Democrat
- For some people, cooking is a chore; for others, it's a profession; and for others, it's a way to show they care.
For Sharen Cornils, it's all about the love, because, "Italians cook to show they love you."
On the day I went to her home, Sharen... Full story

- Uncorked: Pinot noir smackdown: Oregon vs. California
- By Bill Daley/McClatchy-Tribune News Service
- Oregonians famously don't want you to move there, but they don't mind a visit — unless you're Californian. Then don't bother, please, and thank you. Regional dislikes are nothing new: Connecticut people loathe New Yorkers (especially those... Full story

- Words to take to heart
- By Cathy Thomas/Freedom News Service
- The monthly meeting of The Bad Girls Book Club turned angry.
After discussing the pros and cons of the book, one member responded to an innocent question about her recent trip to Ireland.
She said the vacation had been wonderful until she phoned... Full story