Food for Thought: Order your Girl Scout cookies now | Tri-City Herald

It's cookie time.

Girl Scouts soon will be appearing in front of stores, folding tables piled high with boxes of sweet treats -- Thin Mints, Samoas, Trefoils, Do-si-does, Tagalongs and Savannah Smiles.

But if you can't wait, call 800-827-9478. That's the number for the main Girl Scout office in Eastern Washington, and they will be happy to put you in touch with a Mid-Columbia Girl Scout to take your order.

The Girl Scouts will accept orders through Saturday for delivery in mid-March. Each box costs $4. The boxes range in weight from six to nine ounces.

For more information on the cookies, including an ingredient list, go to www.gsewni.org.

Help end hunger

Contribute to Second Harvest Tri-Cities by Taking a Bite Out of Hunger on March 6.

The fundraiser, which will feature foods from 25 restaurants, beer from four breweries and vintages from several wineries, runs from 5 to 9 p.m. at Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick.

There also will be live and silent auctions.

Tickets are $50 per person and includes all your food and drinks.

Tickets are only sold in advance. They're available at the Second Harvest office, 5825 Burlington Drive, Pasco, or by calling 585-3924.

Lose the salt

Here's a tip from the American Heart Association: Instead of using prepared seasoning mixes which are full of salt, use herbs and spices, fresh if you can. Lemon juice, citrus zest and hot chilies will punch up flavor without sodium.

Uncommon gifts

If someone you know is a mustard lover, consider giving them a gift of their favorite condiment monthly or quarterly. The National Mustard Museum in Middleton, Wis., will wrap up three unusual mustards and ship them for prices ranging from $250 for a year's supply to $90 for a quarterly shipment.

The museum also has books, T-shirts and other mustardly gift baskets to choose from.

Check them out at http://mustardmuseum.com.

New read

The book: The Italian Baker, Revised by Carol Field.

Cost: $35

Best for: Field spent more than two years traversing Italy to capture the regional and local specialties, adapting them through rigorous testing in her own kitchen. Her book covers the entire range of Italian baking, from breadsticks and cornetti to focaccia, tarts, cakes, and pastries. There is even a chapter on using leftover bread--with recipes ranging from hearty Tuscan bread soup to a cinnamon and lemon-scented bread pudding.

*Loretto J. Hulse: lhulse@tricityherald.com. To receive a recipe via email 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.