"chablis" news and stories

• New Jersey suburbanites are starting to ditch the perfect lawn in favor of sustainable food gardens.
• And the kids are right there with them, complete with eco-friendly lunchboxes.
• Chablis has gotten a bad rap. The Louis Michel Chablis may help change all that.
• Wondering who won the Pillsbury Bakeoff? Turns out she's from New Jersey.

Chardonnay is a very versatile grape, growing well in regions ranging from warmer climates, like those of Australia, to the cooler Russian River Valley in Sonoma. Chardonnay is believed to trace back to the Burgundy region of France, where it remains the dominant white-wine grape, and the second most widely planted grape in the country.

Relatively easy to grow and a top pick for many palates, Chardonnay can be laced with tropical-fruit notes (as with New World Chardonnay) or minerals (more so with Chablis), depending on where it's grown. Even within the state of California are varied tastes, from Sonoma in the North to the Santa Rita Hills area along the Central Coast.

Here are five Chardonnays I've recently sipped and enjoyed. And at a price point of under $12, they keep in line with any New Year's resolutions to save money.

• Sweet! Licking the good stuff off of the mixing paddle now has gourmet approval. David Burke's new restaurant, Fishtail, offers diners batter-smeared paddles alongside their "can o' cake."
• Mark Bittman teaches you how to freeze things properly -- think beans, fish, herbs and fruit.
• Check out Tom Colicchio's pad and read about his practices and peeves.
• Meet the Burger of the Month club, and see which Big Apple eateries make their Top 10.
• The Derby might be over, but any day can be a Bobby Flay's Blackberry-Bourbon Juleps Day.
• Chablis: For an truly remarkable bottle, it's all about 2007.
• The Curious Cook explores the perfect cooking time for asparagus.
• Vodka: The marketing, the scorn, and those who defend it.
• Frank Bruni pens an appreciation of Chicago's L2O.

The Japanese domestic goddess, Harumi Kurihara - sometimes known as "the most famous housewife in Japan" -  introduces New York to Japanese home cooking with a live demo and the release of her new book.

Manufacturers try to stuff more whole grains into foods to keep up with the FDA's new guidelines, which will restrict opaque descriptions like "good source of whole grains."

Minimalist Mark Bittman tackles artichokes, with three very easy recipes to kick start the spring season.

Balducci's new store at Eighth Ave and 14th Street has hired Zahidul Hakim as their new head cheese-monger. Hakim grew up with his mother making homemade yogurts and cheese in Bangladesh, where his love of cheese was born. Stop in for a taste of you're in the neighborhood.

Speaking of tastings, take a lesson on how to taste the subtle flavors in Chablis.

Frank Brunei reviews Jean Georges and the $25 and under review makes a stop at Thomas Keller's NY Bouchon Bakery.