Head for the Yakima Valley on Sept. 24-25, as wineries celebrate the harvest during the 25th annual Catch the Crush event.

All will be offering discounts and give participants a chance to sample newly released and reserve wines. Several also will organize special wine maker's dinners.

This time of year is a hectic one for the wineries as they're picking and crushing this year's crop, said Barbara Glover of Wine Yakima Valley, the group representing the Yakima Valley wineries.

"But they still welcome visitors," she said.

Buy a premier pass wristband and you'll be invited on special tours, for extra wine sampling and, in many cases, to have the tasting fees waived. Most wineries will refund any fees with a purchase.

Passes are available online at wineyakimavalley.org. Click on "events." Cost is $30 in advance -- pre-sales end Sept. 21 -- or $35 at the door. Passes are nonrefundable.

Be sure to take a glass along or buy one at your first stop.

In addition to wine tasting, several wineries have invited caterers and restaurants on site to sell tasty tidbits. A few are even offering full meals for a price.

Two wineries are holding grape stomps, Claar Cellars in Zillah and Oakwood Cellars in Benton City.

For a full list of the wineries and Catch the Crush events go to wineyakimavalley.org.

Keep it fresh

Here are some tips from the Dairy Farmers of Washington on storing milk products:

-- Store fresh milk in the refrigerator, which is typically set at 38 to 40 degrees. Keep milk in the closed container in which it is sold to prevent absorption of other flavors.

-- No matter what the "sell by" date says, if milk has an off-odor or taste, it is best to discard it.

-- Do not leave milk sitting on the counter for more than a few minutes and never return unused milk to the original container.

-- Freezing milk is not recommended, as it causes undesirable changes in milk's texture and appearance.

-- In the case of buttermilk, separation normally occurs as it sits, so shake well before using.

New read

The book: Saveur: The New Comfort Food by James Oseland.

Cost: $20

Best for: More than 100 recipes that are all pretty easy to make, don't require a crazy quilt of ingredients, or multiple trips to multiple markets. You're creating very direct, immediately satisfying food that's easy on the palate and doesn't require great leaps of imagination to figure out.