• A brief background on bloodsuckers, plus "a bloody fete Dracula would thirst for" -- creative fanger foods, pun intended.
• When left home alone with the task of feeding trick-or-treaters, one columnist came to discover the marvelous match of red wine and chocolate.
• Bacon banter has finally leveled out a bit, but isn't going anywhere anytime soon. However, a recent local event preceding April's Baconfest Chicago wowed porcine appreciators, with dishes like the pumpkin-bacon-waffle with pomegranate-glazed pork belly.
• More than "junk food with a European pedigree," Nutella is a "vaguely wholesome" snack with an interesting background -- and can be made at home from scratch.
• The Festival of Wood- and Barrel-Aged Beer takes place November 7, and pays tribute to a worthy beer trend on the rise.
• A gallery of ten "superfoods" we should be consuming more of, from avocados and beets to chia seeds and dandelion greens.
• Recipes: Comforting Chicken Pot Pie with Drop Biscuits ("the gustatory equivalent of curling up with your favorite blanket"); the luscious Vanilla Ice Cream with Bourbon Walnuts and Caramel; Slow-Cooked Pulled Pork and Spicy Slaw "warms up a Halloween party;" Sheila Lukins' Banana Cake.

A lot has been said over the past few years about "superfoods" -- certain foods that reportedly contribute greatly toward your overall health. Now, Dr. Perricone, an M.D. probably best known for his guest appearances on such television shows as 'Oprah,' the 'Today Show' and 'Larry King Live,' has weighed in with his top 10 choices. I found it interesting because even though there are some standards there, his list does include a few items that I haven't necessarily seen referred to as "superfoods" before.

Though each food has different possible benefits, it is believed that consuming these may help to regulate metabolism and burn body fat, lower cholesterol, prevent cancer, protect against heart disease and act as an aid to your digestive health. As always though, check that with your own doctor first. Perricone actually calls Wild Alaskan Salmon the "King of Superfoods" (which I suppose makes this a top 11 list instead), followed by the following 10:

• Açai Berry -- A high energy berry from the Amazon
• The Allium Family -- Garlic, onions, shallots, leeks and chives
• Barley
• Green foods including blue green algae, barley grass and wheat grass
• Buckwheat seed -- More protein than rice or wheat
• Beans and lentils -- High in fiber
• Hot peppers -- Anti-inflammatory analgesic
• Nuts and seeds
• Sprouts
• Yogurt or kefir

Mariah Carey recently announced that, three days a week, she only eats purple foods. She claims that purple foods prevent her from getting wrinkles and switched to the regime after "hearing the food is high in vitamins and anti-oxidants." So, what does she eat on those days? Grapes, plums and beetroot are specifically mentioned, but other purple foods include purple potatoes, red onions, radishes (since they're counting beetroot), kale, cauliflower, eggplants and various berries, too.

Granted, we know that berries are superfoods, but this all sounds more than a little crazy. I wonder if she's including purple cocktails in her diet, too....

A recent MSNBC story by dietitian Karen Collins explains why berries have recently been given 'superfood' status. Collins outlines berries' richness in antioxidants like vitamin C--a cup of strawberries has at least a whole RDA. She also touches on other cancer-inhibiting phytochemicals such as the anthocyanins found in red berries and pterostilbine, found in blueberries. The latter is similar to the often-hyped phytochemical found in grapes and red wine. Like and level-headed dietitian, Collins is quick to stress the importance of eating not just lots of berries, but a wide variety of fruits, vegetables and grains, all of which can provide phytochemicals that may work together to your benefit.

It might sound odd, drinking camel milk or making cheese from it, but really it is no different from using cows, sheep or goats. It is just that camels are, well, odd.

But according to the BBC camel milk is to be the next big thing (and who would have guessed that in their interviews?)  and it is all down to the United Nations who are calling for the milk, rich in vitamins B and C to be sold in the West. The milk also holds 10 times more iron than cow's milk and is slightly saltier too. It is widely consummed across the Arab world.

When top retailers such as Harrods and Fortnum & Mason express an interest, perhaps to cater for the large number of top spending Arabs customers in their stores rather than the likes of you and me, then it could have a niche to fill.

A couple of problems though, before camels milk makes it mainstream. Firstly the main producers are nomadic and second that the milk has so far not proved to be compatible with the UHT (Ultra High Temperature) treatment needed to make it long-lasting.