Though some Jewish food mavens may beg to differ, we think few dishes are as associated with the children of Israel as gefilte fish. While not as easy-to-love as blintzes, as versatile as horseradish or as soothing as chicken soup, the ubiquitous balls of ground fish make a fine appetizer for almost any holiday meal.

Gefilte fish, which takes its name from gefüllte, the German word for "stuffed," was traditionally made using finely ground pike or carp mixed with eggs, onion, flour, seasonings and either matzoh meal or challah bread. It was then packed into the skin of a deboned fish, poached with onions and carrots, chilled and sliced. Today gefilte fish is typically formed into patties and served cold. It is often preserved in a jellied fish broth and commonly accompanied by horseradish and a slice of carrot.

While gefilte fish isn't one of the symbolic foods on the Passover Seder Plate, it is a traditional part of the meal in many households. Part of its popularity lies in the cultural significance underlying its preparation: Since one can buy it deboned, it doesn't require work at the table, which means that it can be eaten during the Sabbath when work is forbidden. Another benefit is that fish is parve, so kosher consumers can eat it on the same plate with either meat or dairy foods.

Another reason for the aqueous critter's lingering popularity lies in its economy. Originally developed in Europe's Ashkenazi Jewish community, gefilte fish balls incorporated cereals and fillers to stretch the fish itself. The fish was class-free -- accessible enough for the poorest member of a community, yet glitzy enough for the most wealthy.

Today gefilte fish continues to be a popular and enduring cultural motif. On one end of the spectrum, enterprising chefs like Wolfgang Puck are finding ways to make it more exciting; on the other, a strong market for the traditional ground fish and stuffing survives. Brett Werner, manager of Miami Beach's popular Roasters' n Toasters deli, estimates that his store has sold approximately 200 quarter-pound pieces of the fish for this year's Passover already!

How do you feel about gefilte fish?

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For over ten years now, Wolfgang Puck has been serving the stars at the Governor's Ball - also known as the official "after party" for the Academy Awards, where all the nominees congregate to look glamorous, talk to the press and eat dinner. Not all of the secrets of the Oscar ceremony itself, like what the stage is going to look like, are revealed ahead of time and the menu for the Ball was clearly a bit hush-hush to start. Fortunately, little by little, information leaked out.

The Ball is not going to be a sit-down affair, but an elegant/casual cocktail-type of party, an the overriding theme this year will be "Oscar goes organic." The food, in addition to being organic and/or humanely raised will be small or bite-sized, and will include favorites (and Puck standbys) like sushi, grilled Kobe beef, Spicy Tuna Tartare in a Sesame Miso Cone, Smoked Salmon Oscars with French Farm-Raised Osetra Caviar and Roasted Pumpkin Squash Ravioli with White Truffles. And, of course, there will be plenty of champagne and chocolate Oscar statuettes to go around.

I was first introduced to Chinese Chicken Salad when I moved to LA after college. I don't remember which one was first, but I thought California Chicken Cafe, Feast from the East, and Chin Chin were absolutely brilliant with their renditions of this salad that has absolutely no roots Chinese cuisine. I am going to guess that it should be attributed to the Asian Fusion cuisine of Wolfgang Puck at his restaurant Chinois on Main some time in the early '80s, but I could be wrong.

There are lots of variations of the salad, and pretty much as long as it has chicken and some other ingredient that suggests "Asian," it can be called Chinese Chicken Salad. The base is usually shredded iceberg lettuce and/or Napa cabbage, and then includes but is not limited to: julienned carrots, scallions, either almonds or cashews, snow pea pods, mandarin oranges, and fried noodles or wonton strips. I have even seen recipes that use instant ramen noodles. The dressing is invariably some version of a sesame ginger vinaigrette.

Here are eight Chinese Chicken Salad recipes from around the food blogosphere to inspire you:

1. Passionate Nonchalance makes a dressing using peanut butter
2. My Sister's Kitchen is one that uses ramen noodles
3. The Survival Gourmet fixes one up at the request of his wife
4. Nosh Thoughts steers clear of the can and uses real oranges
5. The Scent of Green Bananas adds the scent of cilantro
6. Elise's Simply Recipes has two recipes: one from Martha and a second one
7. Kady is Gourmetish, making up the salad but using a great bottled dressing
8. 'Ono Kine Grindz makes Chinese Chicken Salad to use his slivered scallions

NBC's Celebrity Cooking Showdown premiered last night after weeks of less-than-optimistic reviews. The show, in case you missed it, is Dancing with the Stars meets Iron Chef America. A celebrity, of whom the most famous is Tom Arnold, is paired with a real chef, either Cat Cora, Wolfgang Puck or  Govind Armstrong. The chef must attempt to train the celebrity to cook in a mini "boot camp", after which the celebrity and chef will face off Iron Chef-style against another team. Confused?

Last night's premier episode featured the following teams: Cindy Margolis and Wolfgang Puck, Tony Gonzalez and Cat Cora, Alison Sweeney and Govind Armstrong. When the show began, the celebs came out. Cindy was almost not wearing a shirt, Tony was twice as tall as Cat and Cat's hair was styled professionally, like it never is on Iron Chef America. Alison was wearing a short dress, but seemed to have more culinary prowess than the others based on her cooking-lesson clip.

{spoilers ahead}

The James Beard Foundation has just announced their nominees for the 2006 James Beard Foundation Awards. The awards are the most prestigious in the industry and honor the top culinary professionals in every category, from journalists to cookbooks to chefs. There are 62 awards in all this year. Nominees include:

Best General Cookbooks

• Cooking School Secrets for Real World Cooks by Linda Carucci; The Cook's Book by Jill Norman; The Instant Cook by Donna Hay

Internet writing on Restaurant, Food, Beverage or Nutrition

• "Reserve Wines Score, by at What Price?"; "Down with Gloves: Why Chefs Shouldn't Have to Wear Them"; "Star Wars: Did Michelin Lower the Bar for New York?"

Best Internet Website for Food

• AliceFeiring.com; Epicurious.com; LeitesCulinaria.com