@kittenwithawhip Sometimes the answer is just "Go here: http://bit.ly/bhf92" Not all recipes need be tweetable.

• A review of cookbooks for kids: the good, the bad and the downright ridiculous
• How can bubble tea get any better? When it's spiked.
• Indulge in the farmers markets of San Fran
• Bittman shows us how to stuff a chicken breast
• Drool over these ultra-modern kitchens
• Attention foodies: ave you seen this website?

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.

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

A business called PrimeTime Tables operates in New York City by getting primo reservations are restaurants and, effectively, scalping them to customers who want them. Restaurateurs call the service "disingenuous and parasitic," noting that it undermines the relationship between restaurant and diner because unlike any other concierge, PTT charges users for their tables. Most are trying to figure out how the service gets their reservations in the first place.

At Yale, students take lessons in dining hall cooking, where they turn simple ingredients from the condiment bar into gourmet treats the likes of which the cafeteria staff isn't going to offer on their own. And they do it in the microwave.

Mark Bittman, the minimalist, talks about broilers - a.k.a. upside down grills - and how to get the most out of yours. He recommends preheating the oven before turning on the broiler and using an ovenproof skillet for cooking, rather than a broiler pan. Recipes include Hard-Shell Clams With Parsley Pesto, Broiled Steak With Pineapple and Onion Salsa and Tortilla Soup.

Frank Bruni analyzes Top Chef and while he mentions Marcel's haircut and Ilan's cutthroat tactics, he spends more time talking about what makes the show work.

It's lemon season and there are many things to make: Spaghetti al Limone, Chicken Breasts with Fennel and Lemon and Lemon Confit Shortbread Tart.

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.

The politics of food was at the forefront, making people aware of issues like obesity and food safety, as well as introducing (or reintroducing) consumers to the idea that their food comes from farmers and fields, not faceless factories. Organics exploded in popularity and so did animal activism issues, like the ban on foie gras in Chicago. Speaking of bans, the trans fat ban in NYC has sparked nation-wide interest and prompted many politicians to suggest similar legislation.

Home cooking was also hugely popular this year, as evidenced by the growing popularity of food blogs, the fact that most of the popular food programs on TV use words like "home-style," "country" and "everyday," and that the top ten bestselling cookbooks "have a decidedly nonprofessional focus" designed to appeal to home cooks, not would-be chefs.

Frank Bruni's dream dinner takes place at a number of restaurants because he "didn't have the perfect meal in 2006," so he has imagined a restaurant crawl to take him around the city fro course to course.

Eric Asimov names key wine trends, like the growth of Spanish wineries, the popularity of Pinot Noir and the fact that you'll always remember the good, not the bad, in the long run.

Mark Bittman, the minimalist, recommends his rich and cheesy Welsh Rarebit as a perfect late-night snack on a night of overindulgence (in drinks, not food).

If a cocktail sounds really strange, you might want to take a chance, trust the bartender and give it a try before dismissing it out of hand. You might be surprised.

Whiskey is growing in popularity, so you might want to know what kinds of nibbles go well with it.

Long-aged tequilas are in higher demand, too - and they're not meant for making margaritas.

A specialty tonic water can really improve the quality of a drink, adding a subtly sweet flavor to take the edge off.

Tailgaters like to bring out the blenders and serve mixed drinks before the big game.

Drinking during pregnancy - not to mention a number of other food-related pleasures - is definitely frowned upon by others in the US, although not necessarily by doctors or people elsewhere in the world. It seems that there are risks associated with heavy drinking, but to be on the safe side in all situations, there is no standard for "heavy drinking" and is just considered to be a big no-no.

Big beers, usually produced by small brewers, are beers that have an alcohol content of more than 7% - far stronger than the average of 3-5% that is a common standard in most places. Fans feel that a lot more goes into making them than other beers and revere them almost as much as a fine wine.

Frank Bruni dines at Spicy & Tasty and gives it two stars.

Mark Bittman, the minimalist, makes party food: Polpetti, Grilled Chicken Wings, Gougères and Asian Corn Fritters.

Mark Bittman,the minimalist, talks about stuffing versus dressing for a Thanksgiving dinner. Dressing is what Southerners call the bread-based mixture when it is baked outside of the turkey. Dressing can be veg-friendly, gets crisper at the edges for a lovely textural addition, is easy to make and there are no cooking temperature/bacteria problems to worry about, as there are when the stuffing is in the bird. Bittman uses a James Beard recipe, and there is a video how-to here.

One of the Times' writers tests a whole variety of different fats in pie crusts. She liked various animal fats. She doesn't say what her baking background is, but Rose Levy Berenbaum (author of the Pie and Pastry Bible) recommends a combination of mostly butter with a bit of shortening, much like this recipe.

Using colorful vegetables to dress up the Thanksgiving table is a great idea, as the soft textures and bland colors of mashed potatoes, gravy and turkey are uninteresting, to say the least. Try Stir-Fried Cabbage With Cumin Seeds , Hashed Brussels Sprouts With Lemon Zest , Wilted Chard With Pickled Red Onions and String Beans With Ginger and Garlic .

Have you tried Fragrant pears? They're one of the most recently exported fruits from China to the US and really make other Asian pears pale in comparison. They are small and oval, with long stems and light green or yellow skin that will sometimes have a red blush. "The flesh is extraordinarily tender, crisp and juicy.... the flavor is delicate."

Add corn to Thanksgiving dinner. Did you know that corn in mashed potatoes can give it a rich, creamy taste that will fool people into thinking that you've used a ton of butter and cream, but without the fat?

Frank Bruni dines at The Lonesome Dove Western Bistro and gives it a "satisfactory" rating.

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.

New York supermarkets are grimy and disappointing after a summer of farmer's markets, but you can find some foods that aren't completely worthless: Steel cut Irish oatmeal, Cabot sharp cheddar cheese, Progresso Lentil Soup, Walker's Shortbread, Total Greek Yogurt. Unfortunately, Moskin doesn't share which market she went to, so it may be hard to find all of her picks at home without searching a few places. While you're shopping, you might want to pick up some basics for your pantry, too.

Supermarkets are making changes to hold on to customers that are increasingly shopping elsewhere. They are increasing prepared and specialty food selections, adding new services, offering high-tech gadgets to aid consumers, and vastly increasing the quality and selection of their produce.

The secret to a good basic salad is more oil, less vinegar and lots of salt. If you don't want something quite so basic, try Dandelion, Bacon and Egg Salad, Apple Cranberry and Goat Cheese Salad or Chicken and Parsnip Salad.

Couscous was developed in the middle ages and is still made in much the same way as it was, not to mention that it is a staple of many diets

Tis the season for making soup with dumplings, preferably ones that use Matzoh.

Fran Bruni dines at Freemans and gives it a "satisfactory".

Mark Bittman, the minimalist, makes Mongolian stir-fried lamb.

Fairground food competitions are time-honored traditions and exhibitions of home cooking at its finest, but the competitions are being revamped as modern tastes and trends show up to cook. Barbecue is a staple, as are pies, but biscotti and bagels are making an appearance. To increase their popularity even further, some fairs are opening men-only divisions and hosting "Iron-Chef"-style events. They may not be your grandmother's cooking competitions, but they're just as enjoyable.

Chef Zak Pelaccio mixes market-fresh fruits and veggies with offal, combining the peasant food movement of Mario Batali with the local and seasonal produce trend at 5 Ninth and Fatty Crab in NYC.

The NY Times examines the site chow.com and if its chowhound connection will be able to help it plant roots in the foodie community.

Here's the Times' take on ice cream machines (and here's ours).

Frank Bruni dines at Mercer Kitchen, giving it one star.

Mark Bittman, the minimalist, makes a tasty sounding mexican un-pizza, called a tlayuda.

The New York Times dining section hit the road this week, though they didn't stray too far from their home base. Out on the west coast, a road trip tends to involve at least several hundred miles and more than a day of driving - not a mere two hours. A trek from New York to New Jersey or Connecticut just doesn't have the same impact (nor does Long Island), but at least they tracked down some good eats:

• Clam chowder from the Jersey shore
• Organic produce in Litchfield County, Connecticut.
• Wineries and new restaurants on the North Fork of Long Island

More parents are turning to custom-made and/or organic baby food over the jarred varieties that grace store shelves, even if they have to get it FedExed to them while traveling.

Discovering the taste of tomatoes at a tasting designed to pinpoint their unique flavors, much like a wine tasting.

Frank Bruni ate at Blue Hill and gave it 3 stars.

Mark Bittman, the minimalist, makes grilled tuna burgers.

In Sunday's New York Times Magazine, there was an interesting article by Mark Bittman about the franchising of great chefs. The article covers how world renowned chefs, including Alain Ducasse, Joël Robuchon and Daniel Boulud, are expanding into restaurateurism, trading on their name and the cooking that is represented by that name.

It is not that there is anything wrong with the branding that the chefs are doing because it is financially a good move for them and, in some cases, good for diners who have world-class cuisine more readily accessible. For the chefs, opportunities like these are outstanding.