Food for Thought: Be a judge or cook at Dutch oven contest

If you're in Hermiston on Sept. 19, stop in at the Chuckwagon Cafe and wish the owners -- mother-daughter team Dorothy Beason and Cathy Stolz -- a happy birthday.

No, they're not turning a year older, the cafe is. That's the date of the 39th anniversary of the cafe's opening, and instead of cake, they're celebrating with a Dutch Oven Cook-Off.

The fun begins when the contestants light their briquettes at 8 a.m. Everyone's welcome to compete, and there's no need to register ahead. Just show up at the cafe with your Dutch oven, charcoal, ingredients, recipes and an umbrella or tarp for shade. The address is 81027 Highway 395, about two miles north of town.

There are three categories: Main dish, dessert and cook's choice (side dish, bread or rolls.) The entry fee is $10 per cook.

The ladies are hoping for a good turnout because the only judges this year are the people who purchase a tasting plate for $3 and mosey down Cook's Row sampling as they go. Judging begins at noon.

Winner of the People's Choice award will receive $100, and second place is a $50 gift certificate from the Chuckwagon Cafe.

The Boy Scouts will be baking up Dutch oven cobblers for sale, and a concession stand will have beverages and other foods for purchase.

There will be live music by Those Fabulous Fiddlers beginning at 10:30 a.m. An auction to benefit the Scouts and Umatilla High School clubs starts later in the day.

For more information, call the cafe, afternoons and evenings, at 541-567-6329.

Stompin' good fun

GRANDVIEW -- Are you ready to stomp? Applications are being accepted now for stomping teams for the Great Grandview Grape Stomp on Sept. 12. Contestants will hop into wooden wine barrels and stomp furiously, using bare feet to turn 30 pounds of fresh grapes into juice.

The number of teams is limited so early registration is recommended. Forms are available online at www .grandview.wa.us/WebPage/InformationalPages/Registration09.pdf.

The Grape Stomp begins at 1 p.m. at the Grandview campus of Yakima Valley Community College, 500 W. Main St.

There will be activities for the whole family, including arts and crafts vendors, food vendors and a jumping castle for the kids. Music will be provided by Private Reserve, a local jazz group.

For more information, contact Elizabeth Alba at 509-643-1142 or ealba2217@yahoo.com.

New read

The book: Modern Indian Cooking by Hari Nayak and Vikas Khanna.

Cost: $30

Best for: Recipes reflecting traditional Indian cuisine simplified for modern living and using ingredients that are readily available in the United States.

Get more: Read more book reviews and literature news in Sunday's Desert Living.

*Loretto J. Hulse: 582-1513; lhulse@tricityherald.com. To receive a recipe via e-mail each Tuesday register at tricityherald.com and click on newsletters. If you already are registered, click on edit account and newsletters to select Recipe of the Week. This exclusive recipe does not appear in the newspaper.