Financial times are tough, but lobster is newly affordable!

If you consider lobster out of your financial reach normally, you'll be surprised and delighted to find that the financial crisis has hit shellfish. According to this article in the New York Times, lobster is as much as $4 less expensive than this time last year at markets in New York City.

Apparently, while less-well-funded fish have had problems, lobster fisheries have become quite successful and sustainable over the years, meaning that there's just as much if not more product available. People aren't willing to pay what they used to for lobster right now, and they don't have to.

Perhaps this is your chance to dive into this elite culinary world for the first time! Start here to figure out what to do with lobster (from killing to grilling), and enjoy your luxurious dinner!

Thanks to the huge role the media plays in our daily lives, pregnant women now have way more to worry about than even ten years ago. Getting pregnant means you are suddenly victim to tons of fear-inducing claims and studies, each new one seeming to contract the last. Exercise! Don't over-burden yourself! Eat chocolate! Go easy on the fat!

And now, claims that a little bit of caffeine probably won't hurt you are challenged by a recent study in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology that suggests that women who consume more than 200 mg of caffeine (one small cup of coffee) a day are at a greater risk for miscarrying.

In the study, documented in a NY Times article, 1,063 pregnant women were interviewed about their caffeine intake. Out of the total, 172 women had previously miscarried. The rate of miscarriages was higher in those who consumed 200 mg or more per day (24.5% out of 164) compared to those who drank no caffeine during their pregnancy (12.5% out of 264 women).

But of course, miscarriage occurs for reasons other than caffeine, some which can't be explained away through a study. But I'd love to hear from women who were once or are currently pregnant (or their significant others) to get their take on this news. Do reports like this make you nervous? Do you drink caffeine now? If so, would this study make you think twice? Or do you eschew science in place of good ol' common sense?

To me, summer is not complete without tons of freshly picked cherries. Now don't get me wrong, I don't live anywhere near where I can actually pick them myself, but luckily there always seems to be a large number of cherry trucks lurking around the parking lots of my local malls which I visit often, if not obsessively. This week, the New York Times Dining Section covers a couple of different ways to make the most of these tantalizing bites, whether you are using the fresh and sweet kind, or the sour variety. Find out how to make your own Maraschinos (sooo much better than the store-bought ones) or whip up a batch of Spiced Brandied Cherries.

News flash: It is hot outside. Really, who wants to cook for an hour or more? If you are crunched for time this summer but still want to eat tasty, home-cooked food, The Minimalist Mark Bittman lists 101 (yes, 101) fast meal ideas in this column very appropriately titled Summer Express.

Sweet or savory? Everyone seems to have a preference, but it doesn't necessarily have to be one or the other as Frank Bruni reveals after visiting P*ong, a New York restaurant where you will find delectable sweet treats rubbing elbows as though they belong on the same plate with some of your favorite savory flavors.

Still looking for more recipes? Choose from Yogurt Rice (Thayir Choru), or Torchio Pasta served with Oyster Mushrooms, Braised Chicken and San Marzano Tomatoes.

Finally, saddle up to the side of the (health)bar and order an organic cocktail. Mixologists everywhere are jumping on the antioxidant/vitamin-rich bandwagon and are incorporating healthful ingredients into their various libations. Thought drinks were expensive before? I can only imagine how much these will set you back.

Could you imagine waking up at dawn each morning to knead and shape dough, letting it rise for a few hours, then take it to a centrally located oven where it is baked alongside everyone else's? This is the norm for many families in places like Morocco, though with modernization the tradition is beginning to fade.

In Pixar's latest film Ratatouille, Remy the Rat learned his culinary skills from the best of the best - Thomas Keller, owner of French Laundry in Yountville, California.

Is your organic food really all organic? The Department of Agriculture is preparing to approve a list of non-organic ingredients that could make the cut in food stamped with their organic seal

Eric Asimov takes a look at the delights of Beaujolais in 'The Pour'

Frank Bruni asks some of the more prominent names in the food industry which meals or moments in their pasts were "pinnacles of carnivorous gluttony." Yes, pig snout made the list.

This week's recipes:

Lamb Schnitzels With Mint-Horseradish Pesto, Confit Byaldi, Lamb and Bulgur Kibbe With Garlic Yogurt Sauce, Chicken With Couscous, Moroccan Anise-Flavored Bread (Khubz), Tagine of Fish, Pea and Crab Salad

Dairy and meat products have small amounts of naturally occurring trans fats in them, but they are exempt from the federal laws that require trans fats to be identified on nutrition labels because those laws are aimed at artificially produced trans fats. Some companies, like Starbucks, want to be able to assure their customers that their products are entirely trans fat free and have required their bakers to switch from butter to trans-free margarine and palm oil. The bakers aren't happy about this, but consumers shouldn't notice a difference in flavor because of careful testing.

New York may be far from Texas and the Carolinas, but you can find some great barbecue in the city. This is good news for the millions of barbecue lovers who don't have too much of a problem finding excellent smoked meats, tender and slow cooked chickens, and piles of pulled pork.

Chodorow isn't the only one upset about his restaurants' reviews. Other restaurants have been known to sue critics for simply giving their opinion on their food.

Frank Bruni eats at Sfoglia and gives it 2 stars.

The TurboChef is one impressive - and expensive - oven.

Mark Bittman, the minimalist, makes a thai-inspired Winter Squash in Coconut Milk.

Harold McGee, the curious cook, makes fried fish with vodka and beer batter.

In Kim Severson's mind, her grandmother's "red sauce" recipe, a marinara sauce that stuck with her family through all of her many childhood moves, originated in her grandmother's Italian hometown, where there would undoubtedly be a "single iconic red sauce." After traveling to Italy and tracking down her nearest relatives in that town, she discovered that there was no such sauce because there was no one way to make sauce taste "right" - there was just good sauce.

Frozen yogurt is one of the hottest cold foods around, thanks to a growing interest in yogurt products from consumers and the desire for tasty, lower fat snacks. While some consumer still like the flavor and texture of low fat ice cream, more are drawn to the hint of tartness found in good-quality fro yo. Competition among shop owners is tough, especially for those looking to enter in to the higher end part of the market that Pinkberry (rapidly expanding in LA and NY despite lots of recent criticism) has a large chunk of.

A tribute to the artist/foodie/chef Gordon Matta-Clark will open tomorrow at the Whitney Museum of American Art.

Lamb stew is hearty, but surprisingly bright and sweet, thanks to the addition of apricots, which are complemented by olives and buttered almonds.

Frank Bruni dines at Momofuku Ssam Bar and gives it two stars.

Mark Bittman, the minimalist, makes Babbo's Maple Crema, Vanilla Pudding and Indian Cornmeal Pudding.

Red velvet cake is, for some reason, often considered to be a retro, trashy sort of cake in spite of the fact that it is wildly popular at bakeries these days. The best cakes have a moist and tender crumb, as well as a hint of cocoa. The color can range from Marilyn red to deep mahogany and is typically made with food coloring, although those chefs who are overly concerned with making everything over-the-top natural use beets to color theirs. If the whole cake is just too much for you, you can always try red velvet cupcakes or sandwich cookies.

Beta cook disorder is a condition that arises in chefs when their partner is too dominant in the kitchen, constantly second guessing everything they do and ordering them around. Power struggles, it seems, come out in the kitchen more often than anywhere else, but by consciously working together - with an open dialog - mini dictatorships can be avoided and you'll have just enough hands stirring the pot.

Paul Bocuse, one of the greatest French chefs there is, just celebrated his 80th birthday with a huge, three-day party and a list of A-list chefs both as guests and in the kitchen.

Winter comfort food is even better it you can get it done quickly with no loss of flavor, like Baked Beans with Bacon in 2 hours, instead of 10.

Frank Bruni dines at Pera Mediterranean Brasserie and Dennis Foy, giving each one star.

Mark Bittman, the minimalist, makes stuffed chicken thighs.

The best cocktail city in the world right now is London, according to Audrey Saunders, the owner of New York's Pegu Club. The drinks are fantastic and innovative and the bartenders making them can be more of a draw than the chefs in the restaurant's kitchen. The hottest London bartender is Dick Bradsell, owner of Dick's Bar and MatchBar, as well as several other cocktail spots, none of which will put style over substance, preferring to up the ante in both departments.

Anyone who grew up on a farm that raised chickens has probably come across unlaid eggs inside a older hen when it was slaughtered. Chef Dan Barber, of Blue Hill, has recently started harvesting such eggs and adding them to his menu. Naming them "immature," as opposed to "embryonic" on the menus has helped sales, but the strong flavor isn't for everyone.

In Korea, dining trends come and go within days, but fried chicken is one that has been around for 20 years and seems to have been perfected in that time.

The curious cook tried to make his own homemade rice wines, trying to avoid the off "mousy" flavor that can sometimes arise.

Get in on a staff party for the employees of the Spotted Pig.

Frank Bruni eats at Kobe Club and gives it zero stars.

Mark Bittman, the minimalist, makes mackerel.

Frank Bruni has some very astute observations about the way that restaurants present themselves these days. Chefs are artists and the meal is art. While once a diner could still eat what they wanted, when they wanted to, those decisions are now given to the restaurant and to the chef, each of which has a vision (usually of an expensive tasting menu) and vanity to preserve.

Even with advertising deals, cookbooks and tv shows, chefs are still making most of their money at their restaurants. And it's not as much as you might think, at least not until the chefs have already hit the big time in terms of popularity.

Issa Moskowitz, of the PPK, talks about being vegan, being punk and then shares some recipes: Devil's Food Cupcakes with Fluffy White Filling and Chocolate Icing, Spicy Peanut Stew with Ginger and Tomato and Butternut Squash Rice Paper Rolls.

Winter is a good time for smoking - smoking meats, that is.

Americanized haggis leaves out the offal (most of it, anyway) and is much more popular with consumers as a result.

Frank Bruni dines at The Waverly Inn and Garden and gives it one star.

Mark Bittman, the minimalist, makes Farfalle with Gorgonzola, Arugula and Cherry Tomatoes.

Greenwashing is the term that is applied when mass market products (junk food, mostly) are made over with some organic ingredients, giving consumers the idea that they are buying something good/good for them. There are several ways to identify their packaging. Look for: farms and fields, possibly dotted with giant vegetables and a cute tractor, diversity if any people are pictured, animals with "special skills or great emotional range" (sunglasses, saxophones etc.), family photographs for a family-owned company and have a cause of some kind. Toss in some subdued coloring and you have a greenwashed product that is sure to fly off the shelves.

What music, if any, should be played in a restaurant's dining room? Some restaurateurs go it alone, but as the complaints start to pile in, many turn to the pros for assistance. Professionals can fit the music to the restaurant, the staff, the food and the time of day to try to create the ultimate dining experience for their guests.

The caviar ban is lifted and exports from caviar-producing countries can begin again.

Absinthe is a spirit flavored with wormwood and a variety of other herbs and spices. Thujone, a chemical in wormwood, gives the spirit an "evergreen aroma" and causes it to become milky when diluted. It is legal throughout Europe (dispite a lack of regulation as to what precisely should go into it), but not in the US.

For the ultimate dining experience, some recommend dining off the menu, rather than from it. Often, it is the regulars who find out about the availability of such dishes, but usually they are available for anyone who orders them.

Greek food is inventive and, at the moment, very popular. Try dishes like Slow-Cooked Beef With Cracked Wheat , Timbale of Skate , and Tomato Sushi at home.

Mark Bittman, the minimalist, makes pork tenderloin.

Frank Bruni eats at Mai House and gives it two stars.

Half of the sugar grown in the US comes from Louisiana, so it only makes sense that cooks down there know how to make good use of cane syrup and molasses in addition to regular sugar. The sugar alternatives are especially popular around the holidays, when there are so many sweet treats to be had, including Louisiana Gingerbread (Stage Planks or Mule Bellies) , Cane Syrup Popcorn Balls , and Cane Syrup Cake (Gâteau de Sirop) . (Incidentally, I didn't know that cane syrup over thickly buttered white bread is called a diaper sandwich. But the name would probably stop me from trying it.)

One of the world's largest groups of Hasidic Jews originated Hungary, so it isn't surprising to learn that there is a lot of traditional Hungarian-Jewish food that is popular around the holidays. Dishes like Cheese Danish Pastries (Delkelekh), Hungarian Stuffed-Under-the-Skin Chicken and Hungarian Eggs with Tomatoes, Peppers and Onions (Letcho) are especially popular and making them means not only getting good food, but spending time with family.

The "truffle truck" is the name that chefs have affectionately given to John Magazino's truck, which he uses to deliver truffles, caviar and other ultra-high end foods to the best restaurants in New York.

Au Pied de Cochon - The Album is a cookbook from Marting Picard and the staff at Au Pied de Cochon, full of crazy illustrations and some very high-quality recipes for those who take their pork seriously.

High-end magazines targeted at the customers of high end restaurants claim to be about "lifestyle," but they're really just full of ads.

Frank Bruni dines at Cafe Cluny and gives it 1 star.

Mark Bittman, the minimalist, offers a very quick primer on sugar.

In New York, more restaurants are staying open, or opening up, to cater to the late-late crowd that come out to eat in what some consider to be the wee hours of the morning. Some do it because they like to stay up late. Others do it because you have a "built in clientele" of people who are up and have few options of where to go.

The first, the biggest, and perhaps the best, artisan goat cheese maker in the US has recently been sold to a French company. The company specializes in developing and continuing small artisan lines, and plans to continue Laurel Chenel's work. She plans to continue to raise goats and, even once in a while, take some time off.

There are so many conflicting studies about the health benefits and/or risks or eating fish, it's hard to know what to eat. Most still agree that some fish will have health benefits, as long as you avoid kinds known to be high in mercury.

Want to make some really good Finnish meatballs?

Julia Moskin eats at the Morgan Dining Room and gives it 2 stars.

Mark Bittman, the minimalist, cooks a few quail dishes.

It's tradition for Syrian/Sephardic Jewish families to come together and cook - a lot - during the celebration of Sukkot at the beginning of October. Many dishes are passed from mother to daughter and have been for years, perhaps centuries. "You want to make it perfect, just like your grandmother did."

Time and time again, Prof. Brian Wansink has proved that people have very little concept of how much they're actually eating. He uses experiments that test whether people use outside cues, as opposed to a feeling of fullness, to determine how much to eat. He works with food companies (unpaid) to help them reduce their portion sizes and promote healthier snacking in more reasonable amounts.

Clinton seems to be set on his mission to help kids eat healthier.

Yuzu can really brighten up fish and other dishes. Try it instead of lime if you find it at your local market.

Julia Moskin eats at NoLIta and gives it 1 star.

Caviar is growing in popularity, and to try to meet the demand, more farmers are turning to farmed caviar. Some predict that its production will double - from 64 tons to 125 tons - in the next 4 years. Of course, the Caspian Sea produced 125 tons last year, before a firm limit was placed on wild caviar to protect the existence of the sturgeons. Want to get in on what may be a new caviar trend? Here are some caviar tasting notes and where to get farmed caviar.

Mr Paul Newman, of "Newman's Own" products, has a restaurant called the Dressing Room: A Homegrown Restaurant. They serve more than just salads

Alex Witchell's drink of choice seems to be bourbon and soda and she discovers that sometimes bartenders underpour, and sometimes male bartenders at even fancy restaurants make weaker drinks for women than for men.

It sounds like spinach and other produce may be subjected to a new set of standards, both for production and packaging, as a result of the fact that the recent E-Coli outbreak has drawn attention to some issues in the industry.

Ducasse is closing Essex House in January in favor of a partnership with St Regis Hotels and Resorts.

A brief lesson on tasting chilis, how to do it and how to appreciate their diverse flavors.

Frank Bruni dines at Da Silvano and gives it one star.

Mark Bittman, the minimalist, makes cornbread.

The New York Times Dining section, which we cover, in brief, here every week, has been in a bit of a slump lately. The precise reasons for this are probably known only to their staff, but the general consensus is that the formerly popular food section is barely worth reading far too often. But loyal readers may be able to look forward to a turnaround of the section's content, since they have just replaced current editor Kathleen McElroy with food writer Pete Wells.

Pete Wells is a columnist for Food and Wine Magazine and is well known to food bloggers for some rather unkind things me said about them earlier this year, though Food & Wine now has a food blogwatch on their own site. Aside from his little gaffe there, Wells is an excellent writer with plenty to offer to the Dining section. Hopefully the content will step up and give readers the stimulating read that the are looking for, rather than yet another article about how wonderful Greenmarket is.