SPOKANE -- Arbor and Barrister are two Spokane wineries that were founded in different centuries but that have their tasting rooms close together.

Spooky pumpkins, funny pumpkins, painted pumpkins and carved -- they're all welcome at the 13th annual Pumpkin Contest at the Pasco Farmers Market on Oct. 25.

Lemon grass, red curry and Thai basil were exotic ingredients in 1983, almost impossible to find anywhere let alone in the Tri-Cities.

Weekly recipes for October 8, 2008

Richland High School grads, if you're heading for Atlanta drop by Table 1280 Restaurant and Tapas Lounge and say hello to Chad Guay, a former Richland High School student.

I jumped at the opportunity Monday to quiz sommeliers from New York and Houston on how they would sell a Washington wine when approaching dinner guests.

Weekly recipes for October 1, 2008

Judges sifted through nearly 700 recipes submitted in the "Flayvors of Washington" recipe contest held earlier this year and announced the winner at the end of August. It's Chicken Curry Burger with crispy Prosciutto and Warm Apple Chutney, submitted by Teresa Ralston of New Albany, Ohio.

Is your lunch green? No, I'm not talking about salads or even fuzzy mold. Instead the question of the day is: How trashy are your totable meals?

Prosser's new Vintner's Village is a must-stop for folks who like wine.

Arts in brief for Friday, January 9.

Weekly recipes for September 24, 2008

Columbia Valley wineries are celebrating the 2008 grape harvest with wine tasting, food sampling, tours, art displays, live music and grape stomping.

Does one of Chukar Cherries' products add pizzazz to one of your favorite dishes? If so, don that apron and enter the Chukar Cherries 20th Anniversary Best Cherry Recipe Contest.

If you enjoy fine wines and delicious foods there are four events coming up at the end of September you'll enjoy.

Catch the Crush is a great time to visit Mid-Columbia wineries, especially Badger Mountain/Powers and Gordon Brothers.

In Provence, every grandmother worth her Dutch oven has a ratatouille recipe that family members swear is unsurpassed. But in the U.S., this divine stew of late summer and early fall vegetables too often is a victim of kitchen sink syndrome, resulting in a sloppy hodgepodge of ingredients lacking focus and definition.

WENATCHEE -- There's more than apples and cherries growing on the hills surrounding Wenatchee. Wine grapes are gaining in popularity too.

GRANGER -- The sixth annual Washington State Menudo Festival will be held Sept. 14 in Granger.

The 24th annual Pasco Fiery Foods Festival on Saturday and Sunday features two food contests plus delicious farm fresh produce, herbs, specialty foods and crafts.

Cañon De Sol and Gamache can be described in sports parlance as no longer rookies.

If you like bourbon you have the U.S. Senate's blessing to enjoy it to the fullest this month -- in moderation.

If you swore off tomatoes during the recent salmonella outbreak, there's good news. No, it's not the Food and Drug Administration's assurance that tomatoes are safe.

Whether you want to learn how to turn summer's bounty of fresh produce into zesty salsas, sample artisan cheese or cook Italian, there's a class for that in the coming weeks.

Weekly recipes for September 3, 2008

Few desserts showcase the fresh fruits of summer better than a tart. They're as easy as pie to make but combine the sweetness and crunch of a cookie with the richness of a custard and the juicy deliciousness of fresh fruits and berries.

And the winner is -- you get to decide.

PULLMAN -- Heading for a WSU Cougars football game this season? Forget dining on hot dogs and popcorn. Washington State University has announced a delicious lineup for the 2008 Feast of the Arts Dinners on Friday evenings prior to home games.

WALLA WALLA -- Seven Hills and Ash Hollow wineries were nearly 14 years apart in their creation but only a couple of blocks apart in their locations.

SEATTLE -- See, hear and taste how Oktoberfest is celebrated in Washington at the Washington Beer Commission's Oktoberfest 2008. The event will be Sept. 12-13 under a tent in the parking lot of the Pyramid Alehouse, 1201 First Ave. S., Seattle.

Weekly recipes for August 27, 2008

Learn a new skill, or refine your knowledge of wine pouring, tasting and handling by taking a Wine Tasting Room Attendant course at Columbia Basin College.

It doesn't matter if you've been making jellies for decades like Ruth Preston, 79, of Kennewick, or just pulled your first jars of apricot jam from the water bath canner.

Want a recipe for peach salsa that's safe to can? Need to have your canner's pressure gauge tested for accuracy? Wondering if grandma's pickling procedures need updating?

We're enjoying the first field-ripened tomatoes of the season -- thick-sliced tomatoes sandwiched between toasted bread, pasta tossed with fresh chopped tomatoes, olive oil and parmesan, stuffed tomatoes, salsas, soups and salads. Delish.

When I was a young lad with light brown hair, I looked forward to a cherry coke and gooey chocolate cake on my birthday

Stomp some grapes, raise money for a couple of good causes, celebrate heirloom tomatoes, observe your wedding anniversary and enjoy discounts on wines in the next few weeks.

Weekly recipes for August 20, 2008

Loretto J. Hulse Herald staff writer

"I'm worried about the article you published in the food section last week," said a woman's voice on my office voice mail.

Is there a prize-winning chicken dish hiding in your recipe collection? If it's one that you've created you could be $50,000 richer next year.

SEATTLE -- What has Washington State University done for you lately? Chances are there's produce, wine, even cheese in your fridge, pantry or wine cellar that wouldn't be there without research done at the university.

PULLMAN -- Lentils have been around since forever, though the festival that celebrates all things lentil turns 20 this year.

Wineries and tasting rooms are scarce in the old west towns of Eastern Oregon, but they are there nevertheless.

Weekly recipes for August 13, 2008

Chicago's famous for deep dish pizza, and New York City made it popular by the slice.

Are Hermiston's famous watermelons sweeter for the wait this year?

Just when inflation has about emptied our wallets, a bit of relief is in sight.

Columbia Crest Vineyards in Paterson is offering a tour of the vineyard and winery plus a formal wine tasting from 10 a.m. to noon Sunday.

PORTLAND -- Oregon farm and ranch families are invited to send their favorite recipes to the Oregon Agricultural Education Foundation in Portland for possible inclusion in a cookbook to be published next spring.