TUSCAN SNAPPER

½ cup chopped tomato

6 pitted black olives

1 tbsp. freshly chopped parsley

2 tsp. olive oil

¾ lb. snapper fillets

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Chop tomato, olives and parsley together. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil. Place the snapper fillets in the skillet to brown for 2 minutes. Turn and sprinkle cooked side with salt and pepper to taste.

Spoon tomato mixture over snapper. Cover with a lid and cook 4 minutes or until the flesh is opaque, not translucent.

Makes 2 servings.

Note: Sole, halibut, cod, mahi mahi or other firm white fish can be used. Increase the cooking time to 10 minutes for fish that is 1-inch thick.

­— Linda Gassenheimer,

McClatchy-Tribune News Service

The question I get asked most frequently is “How did you get interested in food?”

It has been a lifelong love affair to be sure. My mother would tell you I was a good eater from the day I was born.

I can’t think of any memory from my childhood that didn’t involve food. Most days, I can’t remember what I wore to work the day before. But when it comes to food, even the small details are still there on recall.

Once, when I was 4 years old, my parents had to take my older sister to the doctor for a checkup. My dad dropped off my mom and sister, and decided to take me to a local doughnut shop to wait for them.

I didn’t get out much at 4, and this was my first trip to an actual doughnut shop. My dad, on the other hand, was an expert at coffee and doughnuts.

We sat on leather stools at the counter, and the waitress made me a cup of hot chocolate with a swirl of whipped cream on top, not the usual marshmallows like we had at home. It was fancy and unusual and so special.

The cases were behind the counter, and there seemed to be trays and trays of doughnut varieties I had never seen before. (Like I said, I didn’t get out much at 4.)

That’s when I saw it sitting there, like Mount Vesuvius rising high above the doughnut case.

It was called The Honeymoon.

It was a round, raised doughnut, covered in chocolate frosting. On top was piped a swirl of cream so tall it looked like a snow-covered mountain. On top of this mountain of cream sat a maraschino cherry.

It was breathtaking.

It was the Miss America of doughnuts.

If my mother were there, I knew there would have been no Honeymoon for me. I would have been lucky to get a plain cake or glazed doughnut.

But this was my dad’s watch, and my heart’s desire was about to be fulfilled.

I pointed to the Honeymoon, the waitress smiled at my selection, put it on a plate and placed it on the counter next to my hot chocolate.

I was in heaven.

The fact that I can recall the details of this foray into sugar, circa 1967, should tell you how much food has been a primary focus in my life.

Once, when I friend suggested she might write a book called Men I Have Loved, I countered with my own title, Sandwiches I Have Eaten. There were more of them, I explained, and many were far more interesting than men I had dated.

My transition from eater to cook was only natural. I was about 8 when I wanted to learn how to scramble eggs, because they were my favorite and I felt it would be good to be able to make them anytime I wanted them.

Cookbooks followed. First, the junior variety, then I started reading my mother’s.

By the time I was a teenager, I began baking cookies in earnest. We always had plenty of Christmas cookies at home, but they were always about the same three or four varieties — chocolate chip, date and nut bars, pizzelles, molasses cookies. It was nothing too exotic.

I still remember my mom teaching me how to cream butter and sugar until it was “light and fluffy.” How could butter and sugar be fluffy? Eventually I learned. In fact, I still maintain the reason so many cookies don’t turn out as good as they could is because folks don’t take the time to reach that “fluffy” stage with the creaming.

When I was in college, my Christmas break began at Thanksgiving and lasted until New Year’s. I baked continuously for six weeks, trying out lots of recipes.

I would start in the evening after dinner and bake until the wee hours of the morning, turning out tray after tray while watching the late shows. We would have dozens of different kinds of cookies, most of which were gratefully consumed by my brother and his friends who filled the house at holidays.

I still like baking in the evening, after the supper dishes are put away and my kitchen is quiet and calm. This will be my baking week. I no longer bake dozens of different kinds. The list has been pared down to just a few favorites: Seven-layer bars for my husband, pecan tarts for my father-in-law, pizzelles for my dad, and if I’m feeling especially generous, almond strips for my older brother. For me, I’ll make butter balls.

No matter what you call them — snowballs, wedding cakes, tea cakes — these simple balls of butter, flour, sugar, nuts and vanilla will always be my favorite for their simplicity and buttery goodness.

I roll them in confectioners’ sugar while they’re still warm to give them a base coat, then roll them again once they’ve cooled. Before serving, I’ll sprinkle even more sugar on top to give them the appearance of a snow-covered mountain.

Which reminds me of a doughnut I had once, when I was 4 years old …

Until next week, have fun in the kitchen, baking and creating your own lasting food memories.

And have a very merry Christmas.

Lisa Abraham can be reached at 330-996-3737 or at labraham@thebeaconjournal.com. Find me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter @akronfoodie or visit my blog at www.ohio.com/blogs/lisa.

A year ago, we sat down to taste Infinium, a holiday brew from Samuel Adams. This year, we blind-tasted a pair of popular local seasonal offerings — Great Lakes Brewing Co.’s Christmas Ale and Thirsty Dog’s 12 Dogs of Christmas.

Both bottles were wrapped and labeled No. 1 and No. 2, and poured by an impartial observer.

Rick Armon: No. 1 is darker, and I am getting more spices in the aroma.

Marc Bona: I get no aroma out of No. 2.

R.A.: No. 2 aroma is very weak.

(Both taste.)

M.B.: I get a bit of nutmeg and cinnamon out of No. 1. And No. 2 is lighter in color. I will venture an early guess …

R.A.: … No. 2 is Thirsty Dog.

M.B.: And No. 1 is Great Lakes.

R.A.: No. 1 is obviously heavier on the spices, whether it’s nutmeg or honey or cinnamon or a combination of all three. No. 2 is just more subtle.

M.B.: No. 1 is more of a spice bomb to me.

R.A.: Right. I am getting more of an alcohol warming from No. 1. … I don’t like one more predominantly over the other. It depends on your mood, holiday spicy vs. subtle.

M.B.: They’re similar, but for No. 1 it’s like someone opened a spice rack and dumped it in. I agree with you though: Both are good. If I can put my taster’s hat on for a second, I’ll say No. 1 has a dryness on the finish. What do you think?

R.A.: Oh yeah, definitely.

M.B.: No. 2 is nice. Like you said, it depends on your mood.

R.A.: If you like traditional holiday spices up front you’re going to be into No. 1.

M.B.: And if you want your spices restrained, No. 2 is your ale. … OK, moment of truth.

(The tasting assistant pulls off the blinds, revealing No. 1 to be Thirsty Dog and No. 2 to be Great Lakes.)

R.A.: What the $#&!

M.B.: Holy $#&!

(Silence follows as the two stare in disbelief.)

R.A.: It just goes to show we’re both stupid. … I am shocked.

M.B.: “Shocked” doesn’t scratch the surface.

R.A.: I always thought Great Lakes was more pronounced with holiday spices.

M.B.: Exactly.

R.A.: When it comes down to it, people should go out and sample all the Christmas beers they can get their hands on.

M.B.: It’s the best time of the year for beer drinkers.

R.A.: Well, we learned a valuable holiday lesson today. We need to drink more Christmas beers.

Rick Armon can be reached at 330-996-3569 or armon@thebeaconjournal.com. Read his blog at www.ohio.com/blogs/the-beer-blog. Marc Bona is an assistant entertainment editor at the Plain Dealer. He writes the Crack One Open column and can be reached at mbona@plaind.com.

This is the time of year when we’re all in party mode.

Dips, spreads, and finger foods of all varieties (otherwise known as appetizers) will be filling tables from offices to church basements and every place in between.

We all have our favorites, and this year, our Beacon Journal family decided to share some of ours with you. We’ve been eating them for years at office parties and each other’s houses.

There are old family recipes, like home and garden writer Mary Beth Breckenridge’s family cheese spread that makes an appearance every Christmas.

The recipe for Derb’s Cheese Spread was handed down from Mary Beth’s husband Tom’s great-uncle, Durward Lipp, who lived in East Palestine. Uncle Derb passed away in the 1980s, but he made his pimento cheese spread with a sweet homemade mayonnaise for decades prior.

The recipe was preserved by his daughter Dinah Sitler, and Mary Beth adopted the tradition of making it too, a task that became much easier after she got a grater attachment for her stand mixer. The recipe calls for finely grating or grinding two pounds of sharp cheddar cheese.

One year, she earned bonus points when she made the spread and shipped it packed in dry ice to her in-laws in Florida.

No one in the family is really sure where the recipe came from, but it wouldn’t be a Breckenridge family Christmas without it.

“I first had it at family gatherings when we were, probably dating, and people talked about it all the time,” she said, “It has a sweet and savory quality to it.”

Mary Beth is also responsible for a recipe that all of us are making now for kalamata caviar, a simple spread made by pulsing kalamata olives, feta cheese, pecans, garlic and just a touch of oil in the food processor.

The resulting purple spread looks a lot like caviar, with a robust taste that will keep folks coming back. Remember to buy extra crackers or french bread for this one.

Mary Beth found the recipe online while searching for something new to take to a party. It’s found its way into all of our recipe boxes now. At every gathering, someone is sure to bring it and it’s well on its way to becoming a staple, much the way crab meltaways have become in features editor Lynne Sherwin’s family.

Lynne’s mother, Sue Sherwin, got the recipe from a co-worker at the high school where she worked in Erie, Pa., and has been making them for more than a dozen years.

Sue retired in the spring after serving for 25 years as choir director at her church in Erie. After the Christmas Eve service, family, friends and choir members always head back to the Sherwin home for a party, where the crab meltways have become a tradition.

These are easy to put together because they use English muffin halves as their base. Because they need to be frozen before being broiled, they are the perfect make-ahead: simply pop them into the broiler for a few minutes before serving.

As Lynne likes to say, “It’s crab, cheese and butter, what’s not to love?”

There’s always a lot of love for assistant features editor Yuvonne Bruce Webb’s deviled eggs.

What is it about deviled eggs? They seem so old-fashioned, but put a plate of them down at a party and they disappear in minutes.

As Yuvonne explains it, her large family (she’s one of eight children and there are 23 grandkids) doesn’t waste a lot of time on tiny foods — they all bring family-sized covered dishes and casseroles.

But if she does have to bring an appetizer, her deviled eggs are usually what she takes. The secret to their tasty filling, she says, is using both dill and sweet pickle relish.

For pop culture writer Rich Heldenfels, the holidays are made more festive with a bowl of his wife Connie’s sugared nuts, which she’s been making since 1972.

The recipe was handed down from her grandmother to her mother to her, and it’s a tradition heartily enjoyed by her husband.

Sweet and crunchy with a wonderful vanilla flavor, these nuts are the perfect party munch. Just be careful, they seem innocent enough, but they are very addictive. Before you know it, that bowl will be gone.

Lastly, there are my polenta pizza appetizers. I love polenta (cornmeal mush) and was looking for a way to serve it at a Christmas party I was having about 15 years ago. I knew that serving it soft was impractical for a crowd, so I figured I’d try to serve it firm with the same tomato sauce topping that I would use if serving it soft.

I cooked it from scratch and poured it into a rimmed baking sheet. Once firm, I cut it into small squares, turning it from main dish into appetizer.

More often, however, I simply purchase a 2-pound block of polenta at the grocery store to save time making these mini pizza appetizers.

The great thing about these squares is that they can be topped with anything — just like a regular pizza.

I make some with chopped tomatoes, herbs and cheese, while others may get pepperoni or crumbled sausage. Olives, chopped chicken, broccoli, spinach, and any kind of cheese work great on these.

When a friend who is a vegetarian came to the party and raved about how nice it was to have something meatless other than cheese or veggie sticks, I knew I had hit upon a appetizer that would please everyone — it’s even gluten-free.

In fact, other than the crab meltaways, all of these party foods are gluten-free.

So from our home here at the Beacon Journal to yours, here are recipes for some great party food for the holidays and all year long.

DERB’S CHEESE SPREAD

2 (4-oz.) jars pimentos

2 lbs. sharp cheddar cheese

½ cup cooking oil

½ cup cider vinegar, or ¼ cup each water and wine vinegar

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. garlic powder

2 tsp. dry mustard

1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk (such as Eagle brand)

In a food grinder, grind pimentos and cheese separately; or grate the cheese finely on a grater or in a food processor and chop the pimentos separately in a food processor. Let cheese stand at room temperature.

Mix together oil, vinegar, salt, garlic powder and mustard; beat well. Add condensed milk and beat until the mixture is the consistency of homemade mayonnaise. (It won’t be as thick as prepared mayonnaise, but should be as thick as cake batter or better.)

Remove about ⅓ of the mixture from the bowl. At slow speed, gradually add cheese and, if necessary, more of the oil mixture to reach desired consistency. Stir in pimentos.

Place in airtight containers and refrigerate a few days to age.

Note: You will have oil mixture left over. You can keep it in the refrigerator a few days in case you want to make another, smaller batch.

Makes about 2½ pounds of spread.

— Durward Lipp/

Mary Beth Breckenridge

CRAB MELTAWAYS

6 English muffins, split

2 (6 oz.) cans crab meat

½ cup butter, softened

1½ (5 oz.) jars Old English cheese spread

½ tsp. seasoned salt

½ tsp. garlic salt

2 tbsp. mayonnaise

6 English muffins, split

Drain crab meat well. Combine crab, butter, cheese, mayonnaise and seasoning and mix well.

Spread crab mixture on top of 12 muffin halves.

Place in freezer and freeze for at least 30 minutes. (These can be prepared ahead of time to this point and kept frozen for up to two weeks.)

When ready to serve, place muffins on baking sheets and place in broiler. Broil until topping is hot, puffed, bubbly and golden brown.

Cut each muffin half into quarters and serve.

Makes 48 appetizer pieces.

— Sue Sherwin/

Lynne Sherwin

DEVILED EGGS

1 dozen large eggs, hard-cooked

2 tbsp. mayonnaise

2 tbsp. Miracle Whip salad dressing

2 tsp. yellow mustard

2 tsp. dill pickle relish

1 tsp. sweet pickle relish

1 tsp. sugar

Salt and pepper, to taste

Paprika, for dusting

Remove eggs from their shells and slice in half lengthwise. Remove yolks and place in a small bowl. Place whites on a separate plate.

Mash yolks with a potato masher or fork. Add mayonnaise, salad dressing, mustard, relish, sugar, salt and pepper and mix well until creamy.

Spoon yolk mixture back into cooked egg whites. (If you are feeling particularly ambitious, use a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip to pipe filling back into the eggs.)

Garnish with a dusting of paprika.

Makes 24 deviled eggs.

— Yuvonne Bruce Webb

KALAMATA CAVIAR

8 oz. pitted kalamata olives

1 (4 oz.) container feta cheese crumbles

½ cup pecans

2 cloves fresh garlic (more or less to taste)

2 tbsp. olive oil

Combine all ingredients in a food processor, pulsing until smooth.

Makes about 2 cups.

— Adapted from online sources

SUGARED NUTS

1½ cups sugar

¼ cup light Karo syrup

½ cup water

½ tsp. vanilla

3 cups walnuts

Combine sugar, Karo syrup and water and cook over medium heat until mixture reaches soft ball stage.

Add vanilla and nuts. Stir until creamy. Pour out onto waxed paper and separate nuts with a fork. Cool completely. Store in airtight jars or containers.

Makes about 3 cups.

— Connie Heldenfels/

Rich Heldenfels

POLENTA PIZZAS

1 (32 oz.) block polenta (cornmeal mush)

Olive oil, for brushing

Chopped tomatoes

Freshly chopped herbs, such as basil

Coarsely grated Parmesan cheese

Pizza sauce

Pepperoni slices

Shredded mozzarella cheese

Cut polenta block in half, and slice each half into 12 squares, about ⅝-inch thick. (Or slice into circles if tube-shaped.)

Spray a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

Place polenta squares on tray. Brush tops lightly with olive oil. Place in oven and bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes or until tops of squares begin to look blistered and squares are beginning to get browned at the edges.

Remove from oven. Top the squares with pizza toppings of your choice, such as fresh tomatoes, herbs and grated Parmesan; or pizza sauce, shredded mozzarella and pepperoni slices. (Topping choices are limitless, and can include any kind of cheeses, meats or vegetables.)

Place prepared pizzas in broiler until toppings are hot, and cheese is melted and bubbly.

Makes 24 squares.

— Lisa Abraham

Lisa Abraham can be reached at 330-996-3737 or at labraham@thebeaconjournal.com. Find me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter @akronfoodie or visit my blog at www.ohio.com/blogs/lisa.

Q.: At Christmas I have a brunch for approximately 15 people. I would like to serve eggs Benedict. How can I make about 10 eggs ahead of time and keep them warm so they will be ready to assemble in the completed dish?

— M.A., Norton

A.: Poached eggs are always a little difficult, because timing is everything to get the centers just how you want them, not too hard, not too runny.

I would suggest that making the eggs be the very last thing you do. Have water simmering, eggs broken into individual cups, English muffins toasted and on a platter keeping warm in the oven, with the ham or Canadian bacon already in place. Have your Hollandaise sauce already made, so all that’s left to do is to poach the eggs, put them on the muffins, sauce them and head to the table.

If you make poached eggs in advance and keep them warm, the eggs will continue cooking, so that two hours later, you’ll be serving the equivalent of hard-cooked eggs, or worse overcooked eggs, not poached.

Here is a method for poaching eggs in advance from the Joy of Cooking: Poach the eggs and then plunge them into a bowl of cold water to stop their cooking. Store in the refrigerator up to 24 hours in a bowl of ice cold water. To reheat the eggs, place them in warm — not boiling — water.

This won’t keep you from having to reheat the eggs before serving, and I can’t guarantee they will be the exact consistency that you desire, particularly if you like your poached eggs on the softer side.

Got a food question? Lisa Abraham has the answer. Call 330-996-3737; email her at labraham@thebeaconjournal.com with “Ask Lisa” in the subject line; or write to her at 44 E. Exchange St., P.O. Box 640, Akron, OH 44309-0640. Please include your name (initials will be printed on request), hometown and phone number.

Great Lakes Christmas Ale

Brewer: Cleveland’s Great Lakes Brewing Co., Cleveland.

Alcohol: 7.5 percent.

International Bitterness Units: 30.

Price: $12 for a six-pack of 12-ounce bottles.

History: Brewer started making this ale in 1992.

Did you know?: Christmas Ale accounts for 20 percent of the brewer’s sales, yet it is available only about eight weeks a year.

Serving temperature: 55 degrees.

Info: www.greatlakesbrewing.com.

12 Dogs of Christmas

Brewer: Akron’s Thirsty Dog Brewing Co.

Alcohol: 8.3 percent.

International Bitterness Units: 21.5.

Price: $11 for a six-pack of 12-ounce bottles.

History: Brewer started making this ale in 2007.

Did you know?: The first year, five batches were made, owner John Najeway said. This year, 400 were produced. (A batch is about 18 barrels.)

Serving temperature: 43-49 degrees.

Info: http://thirstydog.com.

For people suffering from lactose or gluten sensitivity, holiday mealtimes can be a hassle. Here are some tips and tricks to hosting an allergy-free holiday.

• Check to make sure that the turkey or ham is gluten free, as certain brands are processed with gluten or glazed with a flour-based sauce.

• Thicken gravy with cornstarch.

• Certain aged cheeses are lactose free, as the aging process strips the cheese of lactose. Stick to Parmesan, Swiss and sharp cheddar rather than fresh cheeses, like cream cheese, or soft cheeses, such as Brie.

• Rather than putting out crackers and dips for appetizers, use tortilla chips and salsa. Just make sure to check that any salsas or dips are gluten- and lactose-free as well.

• Purchase a gluten-free pie shell to make dessert.

— Emma Kantrowitz

McClatchy-Tribune

Fix It & Freeze It, Heat It & Eat It (Oxmoor House, $19.95), from the people who produce Southern Living magazine, is for the harried: the workaholic who can’t find time to cook, the working parent trying to get dinner on the table quickly, the cook who wants to take better advantage of a freezer.

The book offers many strategies for dinner success. There are recipes for main courses whose leftovers can be turned into a different meal. There are make-ahead dishes that simply need to be pulled from the freezer. There are easy recipes to feed a crowd, to feed hungry children and an entire chapter of do-ahead desserts for the hostess who doesn’t want to be caught off-guard.

— News & Observer 
(Raleigh, N.C.)

According to Greek mythology, ambrosia was food or drink for the gods. Upon eating or drinking it, they were given eternal youth and life. In the traditional culinary world, ambrosia usually means a fruit salad with a creamy base and lots of marshmallows.

I’m not sure how the Greeks’ ambrosia is similar to the salad we’re familiar with today. The culinary genius who came up with the original recipe probably just meant that it was fit for the gods in taste and texture. And while the sticky, sweet concoction that was on my holiday dinner table appealed to me as a kid, it’s not as pleasing to my adult palate. Yet ambrosia seems to have its place among holiday fare.

This Cranberry Ambrosia recipe is in honor of past ambrosias, but it has a modern, mature flavor. It is perfect to pair with any type of roasted meat or vegetable combination, as it stands completely on its own. The leftovers (if you are that lucky) make a luscious side for sandwiches at lunch the next day.

I don’t claim my salad has any special fountain of youth qualities, but at only 140 calories per serving, it is a healthful choice among the high-calorie alternatives this time of year. Happy holidays!

Cranberry Ambrosia

1 can (14 oz.) whole berry cranberry sauce

3 clementine tangerines, peeled and sectioned (see note)

1 Honeycrisp apple, seeded and diced (see note)

⅓ cup crushed pineapple with natural juice

⅓ cup chopped pecans

Combine all ingredients in a serving bowl. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Makes 8 servings.

Notes: Any tangerine or orange may be used. Any sweet, crisp apple variety may be used.

Each serving has about 140 calories, 3 grams fat (none saturated), no cholesterol, 0.7 grams protein, 25 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams dietary fiber, 8 milligrams sodium.

Alicia Ross is the co-author of three cookbooks. Contact her c/o Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106, email tellus@kitchenscoop.com, or visit http://kitchenscoop.com.

Michaels craft store, Cuyahoga Falls, 330-929-2012.

Wilton cake-decorating classes, $22.50 each; call for times.

Today’s Kitchen Store, Wooster, 330-601-1331, www.todayskitchenstore.com.

Italian Sauces, with Fran Grande Fuller, 6-7:30 p.m. Jan. 7. $25.

Look for a Zoup! Fresh Soup Co. franchise to open in Copley Township in January.

The franchise is owned by Maureen Harris, who also owns the Zoup! at 4898 Portage St. NW in Jackson Township, which opened last January. The new restaurant will be located in Montrose Centre, 3900 Medina Road, Suite W.

Zoup! offers 12 soups daily, rotating from a selection of hundreds of varieties. The choices include daily low-fat, vegetarian, dairy-free and gluten-free offerings.

Each order is served with a hunk of freshly baked bread. The menu also includes salads and sandwiches.

Zoup! has more than 40 locations in nine states, including six Cleveland-area locations.

Visit www.zoup.com for more information.

Speaking of soup …

Congratulations to Mogadore resident Christina Sommers, the winner in a national winter/holiday recipe contest sponsored by CFChef, a nutritional support website for people living with cystic fibrosis and their families.

Sommers won with her recipe for Yummy Baked Potato Soup, which will appear in the CFChef Online Cookbook, at www.Chef4CF.com.

Entries were evaluated by registered dietitian Suzanne Michel, who determined the top recipes based on nutritional value, flavor appeal, creativity and the story behind the recipe.

Sommers suffers from cystic fibrosis and has spent many years trying to create the perfect pot of potato soup. Cystic fibrosis is an inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system of about 30,000 children and adults in the United States.

Here is the link to her recipe: www.chef4cf.com/recipes/dinner.html?recipe_id=81

New chef at Green eatery

The 356th Fighter Group, 4919 Mount Pleasant Road, Green, has a new chef.

Walter J. Halchak III has been in the kitchen for a few months, and has spent his time revamping the menu and creating a list of daily chef specials.

New items include raspberry barbecued salmon over smoked Gouda risotto, Asiago and Irish cheddar crusted tilapia with Dublin potato cakes and a horseradish veloute, seafood lasagna with béchamel and freshly grated Romano cheese, and Maytag blue cheese and caramelized onion filet mignon with a red onion rosemary cabernet sauce.

Halchak also has been offering a weekly bread pudding special.

Brunch at Copley Hudson’s

Hudson’s restaurant in Copley Township is now serving weekend brunch from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

The menu includes omelets, eggs Benedict, hash, biscuits and gravy, buttermilk hotcakes, toasted almond French toast and loco moco, a Hawaiian dish served Akron style with a fried egg, steak burger and rice topped with sausage gravy.

All items are under $10. Hudson’s is at 3900 Medina Road. For more information, visit www.hudsonsrestaurant.com or phone 330-666-7777.

Gingerbread finalist

Congrats to Cuyahoga Falls dentist John Learner, who was one of three finalists in a gingerbread house contest on NBC’s Today show, which aired Tuesday.

Learner’s creation was a Victorian brick house, decorated with hard-to-find candies, including Fruit Stripe Gum, white candy canes, and blue and white Starlight mints.

He wasn’t the winner, but his house was spectacular, and you can see it at http://holiday
blog.today.com/.

Cookie recipe correction

In the Dec. 12 food section, there was an error in the type layout in a recipe for snowflake cookies in the Kitchen Scoop column.

The third and fourth lines of the ingredients should be read together, as follows: “½ cup plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter.”

Lisa Abraham can be reached at 330-996-3737 or at labraham@thebeaconjournal.com. Find me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter @akronfoodie or visit my blog at www.ohio.com/blogs/lisa.

People Helping People is a list of charitable causes in our area that need donations or volunteers. The Beacon Journal has not investigated these causes, so donors should verify their worthiness and the tax-deductibility of contributions. A link to a form for submitting requests to People Helping People can be found at www.ohio.com/charity, along with tips on researching charities and a list of causes already published.

Questions about submitting information? Call Mary Beth Breckenridge, 330-996-3756.

True North Ministry, 3465 S. Arlington Road, E-174, Akron, OH 44312-5272, provides Christ-centered programming to more than 2,200 imprisoned youths annually, primarily in Summit County. It holds Bible studies and other programs in the detention facilities and at the ministry’s farmlike headquarters in Green.

Monetary donations are needed year-round to further the programs and improve the facilities, where youths can learn life skills such as machine repair and maintenance, carpentry, gardening and landscaping, and animal husbandry.

Details on volunteering and special program needs are at www.truenorthministry.org.

For information, contact Patty Dietz at 330-896-2700 or Patty@TrueNorthMinistry.org.

Akron Summit Community Action Inc., 670 W. Exchange St., Akron, OH 44302, provides a range of programs aimed at reducing poverty and promoting self-sufficiency. It is part of Bridges Out of Poverty Summit County, a collaborative initiative to change local conditions and opportunities so people can move out of poverty.

The agency needs donations of nonperishable food that can be used to make dinner to serve 60 people. Food donations are needed throughout the year. To donate, contact Megan Scheck at 330-940-1105.

In addition, the agency is seeking volunteers to serve in its Guiding Coalition. Coalition members help recruit volunteers, raise money, plan meetings and educational sessions, or create job and education opportunities for low-income people. To volunteer for the Guiding Coalition, contact Hannah Nitz at 330-434-3250.

People Helping People is a list of charitable causes in our area that need donations or volunteers. The Beacon Journal has not investigated these causes, so donors should verify their worthiness and the tax-deductibility of contributions. A link to a form for submitting requests to People Helping People can be found at www.ohio.com/charity, along with tips on researching charities and a list of causes already published.

Questions about submitting information? Call Mary Beth Breckenridge, 330-996-3756.

Soups On, 2220 Second St., Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44221, provides warm meals to those in need, including a short chapel service for those who request it; mentors other area churches willing to start meal programs; and provides deliveries from area stores to charities.

The organization seeks the following:

• Adult volunteers to help serve meals.

• An adult to serve as a substitute driver, picking up and delivering food to area charities on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday mornings. The volunteer must have a van, SUV or covered pickup truck.

• High school students who wish to do community service.

• Area stores interested in becoming partners with the program.

For information, email Wes Lacy at stjohns-soupson@sbcglobal.net or visit www.stjohnscf.com.

Hattie Larlham’s Constant Companions, 1402 Boettler Road, Suite A, Uniontown, OH 44685, teaches people with disabilities how to nurture domestic animals in an effort to improve the participants’ physical and emotional health and improve their quality of life.

The program is seeking volunteers and donations of animal supplies such as cat food, cat treats, cat litter, cat toys, cat trees, rabbit and guinea pig food, hay and tropical fish food; cleaning supplies such as paper towels, hand soap, dish soap, hand sanitizer, Clorox wipes, facial tissues and window cleaner; craft supplies such as markers, crayons, paper, coloring books, glue and beads; children’s books and movies; and holiday decorations.

Donations may be dropped off between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. weekdays.

For information, contact Stacy Timm at 330-899-9067 or stacy.timm@hattielarlham.org, or visit www.hattielarlham.org/v/constant-companions.asp.

Everyone from T-ball players to budding young soccer stars soon would need clearance from a doctor or other medical expert before returning to play if they show signs of a concussion.

Gov. John R. Kasich on Thursday signed the state’s new youth concussion rules — House Bill 143 — into law after passage by legislators earlier this month.

The rules, which go into effect in 90 days, apply to all youth athletes statewide.

The law also requires youth coaches, officials and referees to complete free, basic online training about concussions. In addition, the Ohio Department of Health will develop a fact sheet about signs and symptoms of head injuries to distribute to parents.

The law’s enactment is a step in the right direction to raise awareness statewide about the importance of recognizing and properly treating concussions in young athletes, said Dr. Edward Benzel, chair of the Cleveland Clinic’s Department of Neurological Surgery.

Benzel is part of a pediatric mild trauma brain injury guideline workgroup established this summer by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to develop diagnosis and management guidelines for concussions and other mild traumatic brain injuries.

“The heightened awareness ... will allow us to improve every year in making sports safer for our kids,” he said.

Ohio was among only a handful of states without back-to-play rules to protect youth athletes from concussion complications.

The plan for youth sports in Ohio closely mirrors rules the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) enacted in 2010.

Under those standards, athletes can’t return to play after a suspected concussion without a release from a doctor or athletic trainer. Those rules, however, do not cover youth sports or activities not sanctioned by the OHSAA, such as high school lacrosse.

Athletes age 14 or younger are at even greater risk because their brains still are developing and they don’t have the same muscle strength as older athletes, according to Dr. Joseph Congeni, medical director of the Sports Medicine Center at Akron Children’s Hospital.

Congeni was among the proponents who previously testified before lawmakers in favor of the measure.

In an email, Congeni said the law’s passage “is a very important step in protecting the safety of young athletes.”

“Brain injuries or concussions that occur in sport are known as ‘the invisible injury’ or the ‘silent epidemic’ because they are not always obvious like other sports injuries,” he wrote. “For that reason, the fact that many medical disciplines around Ohio such as physicians, athletic trainers, physical therapists and chiropractors have come together to help craft and support this bill is important.

“The legislators have also come to understand the importance of this legislation, and they, too, have worked with a sense of urgency to make it a reality,” Congeni said.

“There is much more to do in 2013 and beyond, but the spirit of cooperation and collaboration in making this bill a reality is very heartening.”

Cheryl Powell can be reached at 330-996-3902 or cpowell@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow Powell on Twitter at twitter.com/abjcherylpowell.

Back in April, Revere High School graduate Derf Backderf told me how proud he was of My Friend Dahmer, his stirring, 200-plus-page graphic novel about his young acquaintance with monster-in-the-making Jeffrey Dahmer. After years of reworking and republishing versions of the story, Backderf said, “it’s everything I hoped it would be. The important thing is I was able to do the book that I wanted to do.”

But he is far from alone in his zeal for the book, which has been making a number of best lists for 2012, including both the Village Voice’s best comics and graphic novels of the year and — even more impressive — Time magazine’s list of the best nonfiction books.

My Friend Dahmer sits among such Time favorites as a history of the Iron Curtain, a recent biography of Julia Child and the fourth volume of Robert Caro’s epic biography of Lyndon Johnson. The magazine called My Friend Dahmer “a shockingly recognizable, almost tragic portrait of the future serial killer as an alienated kid in a toxic family.”

“The critical acclaim has been all I hoped it would be,” Backderf, a former Beacon Journal artist, said via Facebook message. “Can’t say I’m surprised, and I don’t mean to sound egotistical. I knew it was a great story, and my earlier self-published stories also got acclaim, so I knew this final incarnation, which was SO much better, would be a critical hit. The book is already in its third printing, just nine months after release, so that’s nice, too. And French and German versions are on the way in 2013. The former gets me a free trip to France!

“It’s been the best year of my career, to be sure,” he said. “It’s a nice payoff after slogging away for so long, doing what I do and sticking stubbornly (some would say foolishly) to my own artistic vision. To paraphrase Elvis Costello: I’m an overnight sensation after working for 20 years!”

And now what?

“Next up is a collection of short stories that I’m throwing together, one that combines the frequent ‘true stories’ I do in my comic strip with longer unpublished pieces. Then I’ll pick my next ‘big’ project, and start the long, slow process of making a book. I’m hoping some writing gigs come my way from comic book publishers, too. We’ll see.”

•

Christmas Story Honored. Every year the Library of Congress adds 25 movies to its National Film Registry, and the latest list includes A Christmas Story, the Cleveland-connected screen tale based on the writings of Jean Shepherd.

The registry consists of movies considered culturally, historically or aesthetically significant; the goal is “to ensure that the film is preserved for future generations, either through the Library’s motion picture preservation program or through collaborative ventures with other archives, motion picture studios and independent filmmakers.”

Of A Christmas Story, the registry announcement said, “Detail after nostalgic detail rings true with period flavor. Dozens of small but expertly realized moments reflect an astute understanding of human nature.”

It is also one of a handful of Christmas movies among the hundreds in the registry, along with It’s a Wonderful Life, the original Miracle on 34th Street, Meet Me in St. Louis and the short film Peege.

You can see a detailed list of registry films through 2011 at www.loc.gov/film/registry_titles.php. I have the 2012 list — which also includes Anatomy of a Murder, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Dirty Harry, A League of Their Own, The Matrix and the documentary The Times of Harvey Milk — at the HeldenFiles Online, www.ohio.com/blogs/heldenfiles.

TBS, by the way, will have its annual “24 Hours of A Christmas Story” beginning at 8 p.m. Monday. The movie is also on DVD and Blu-ray.

•

Moved On. Veteran local radio man Trapper Jack Elliot bid farewell to morning-show listeners on WDOK (102.1-FM) this week, saying both he and fellow WDOK-er Jim McIntyre had not had their contracts renewed. Elliot had been at the station 17 years, McIntyre 18. (Co-host Jen Toohey remains, though it’s not clear who will join her. Elliot pleaded with listeners not to give her a hard time.) Elliot said he and McIntyre were given the bad news on Nov. 15, but no reason for it.

Although WDOK let Elliot say goodbye on the air, it shut the door behind him pretty quickly. A post on the station’s website about his farewell Wednesday was scrubbed before noon that day, and an audio link with his farewell had been shut down by the end of the day.

Rich Heldenfels writes about popular culture for the Beacon Journal and Ohio.com, including in the HeldenFiles Online blog, www.ohio.com/blogs/heldenfiles. He is also on Facebook and Twitter. You can contact him at 330-996-3582 or rheldenfels@thebeaconjournal.com.

Q: On Thanksgiving, dinner rolls with buttered tops were put into a myrtlewood bowl that I love. Since the bowl isn’t lacquered, I now have butter remnants all over the bowl. I tried using cornstarch to absorb the residue, but no luck. Any hope for my much-loved bowl?

– Jan Wenrick, Stow

A: Sandy Bolton of Myrtlewood Factory Showroom in North Bend, Ore., said the usual care of myrtlewood involves rubbing it with oil, so re-oiling your bowl might even out the spots. She recommended washing the bowl first with mild soap and water, and then rubbing it with a bit of mineral oil.

If that doesn’t work, she recommended lightly sanding the bowl with fine-grit sandpaper and then re-oiling it.

Have a question about home maintenance, decorating or gardening? Akron Beacon Journal home writer Mary Beth Breckenridge will find answers for the queries that are chosen to appear in the paper. To submit a question, call her at 330-996-3756, or send email to mbrecken@thebeaconjournal.com. Be sure to include your full name, your town and your phone number or email address.

You know you love singing in the shower. But why stop when the water does?

Kohler’s new Moxie shower head has an integrated Bluetooth speaker that syncs with a Bluetooth-enabled smartphone or MP3 player to stream your favorite tunes. The speaker is removable, so you can move it around the house or recharge the battery.

The shower head is available with a spray of either 2 or 2½ grams per minute, in either a white or polished chrome finish.

It has a suggested retail price of $199 and is available from home centers and other retailers that sell Kohler products. You can find a store near you at www.us.kohler.com.

— Mary Beth Breckenridge

So you want to give your favorite family feline a “Meowy Christmas?” How about a Cat DJ Scratching Deck that looks like an old-time record turntable? You can have one cool cat for only $35.

What about a toy pack for your cuddly canine’s Christmas stocking? Personalized, of course, for his breed and size.

Both gift items are available for your pets at www.wag.com.

Too late to get delivery by Christmas? Au contraire, according to the website. You can have anything you want — for a price.

I’ve heard that 58 percent of owners insist on including their pets in their annual family photo holiday cards.

“It’s indisputable that pets are part of the family. In fact, according to a survey we conducted in July 2010, more than 98% of pet parents consider their pets to be part of their family. Our pets give us unconditional love, so it seems only right for us to give them something in return, especially at the holidays,” said Natasha Ashton, co-founder and co-CEO of Petplan Pet Insurance

While the National Retail Federation is reporting consumers will spend conservatively this holiday season, more than 90 percent of pet parents plan to spend the same or more on their pets than they did last year.

These findings were the result of a national online survey of more than 4,400 U.S. pet owners conducted by Petplan.

Almost 78 percent of owners plan to give their pets a holiday present ranging from essentials such as beds, chew toys and treats to extravagant items such as pedicures and designer clothing.

More than 83 percent plan to spend more than $15 on a gift for their pets, and 30 percent will spend more than $50. Seventy-five percent of the lucky animals will get presents from family and friends other than their pet parents.

Pet stores are stocked with the most amazing toys, treats and holiday pet apparel to help you celebrate the season. And, believe it or not, about 35 percent of owners will buy and dress pets in festive red and green outfits.

Almost everywhere children go to visit Santa and get a photo taken with him, there is also a sitting for portraits of him with the family pet on his lap.

“From holiday cards to gifts — both to and from our four-legged family — to the simple satisfaction of curling up with our favorite four-legged friends on Christmas morning, our four-legged family members are just as important as our children, parents, siblings and beyond,” said Ashton.

As soon as my two dogs hear the first jingle of the bells on their Christmas stockings, they begin to watch the fireplace mantle for goodies to magically appear.

My pets are among the 36.7 of U.S. pets that are adept at ripping off the wrappings on their gifts. And just as children are apt to do, they dive in for the next gift as soon as they have the last one unwrapped.

Because they require lots of exercise and walk an average of two hours a day, my short-haired dogs will get new fleece coats along with an assortment of stocking stuffers this year.

Call me and my husband crazy, but our dogs get so excited at Christmas (and it’s so much fun to watch), my husband and his friend make an annual event of Christmas shopping for their pets each year. We generally spend about $75 on each of them.

My newsroom friends whose spending habits for their pets are more in-line with the survey results, will spend between $30-$50 for things such as dog beds (however, one will be made of a special “memory foam”), a new kitty climbing tree tower, laser pointers, toys and treats.

Here’s hoping Santa fills your pets’ stockings with catnip and doggy treats.

Other pets in the news:

 Polar Bear Days — Throughout January, whenever the day’s predicted high temperature is 32 degrees or below, admission to Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, 3900 Wildlife Way, Cleveland will be cut in half to $4.25, $2.75 for children ages 2-11. Heated winter transportation is available throughout the park for free.

 Guiding Eyes for the Blind — The internationally accredited guide dog school that provides greater independence for people with limited sight is accepting area volunteers who want to help raise puppies used in the program. Orientation classes will begin Jan. 5 in Broadway Heights followed by classes on Jan. 12, 19 and 25. With specialized training from Guiding Eyes, volunteers will play an instrumental role in raising a puppy to work as a future guide. All training, support, and veterinary expenses are paid for by Guiding Eyes. Reserve a place in the class by completing the application at www.guidingeyes.org or calling Teresa Camloh at 440-382-9848.

Kathy Antoniotti writes about pets for the Akron Beacon Journal. She is unable to help locate, place or provide medical attention for an individual animal. If you have an idea or question about pets, write her at the Beacon Journal, P.O. Box 640, Akron, OH 44309-0640; call 330-996-3565; or send an email to kantoniotti@thebeaconjournal.com.

When in doubt about what to take to a hostess or give as a last-minute gift for someone special, select a plant that can be enjoyed indoors.

Houseplants — let’s change their nickname to indoor plants — are affordable, caring ways to show your appreciation for anyone of any age — even school-age kids.

Just like a garden outdoors, plants indoors can help children learn responsibility because they can monitor the plant’s water, light and fertilizer needs. They can research the plant, discuss its progress with you and even use it for show-and-tell times at school. Before giving any child a plant, learn about its safety for nontoxic properties.

Indoor plants offer many other benefits, too — they cheer the elderly, help clean household air and improve mental health, according to research and experts. Fruit-producing miniature lemons and oranges add to the fun.

Five plant gift ideas

Norfolk Island Pine. This open-branched evergreen fits into small spaces — on top of desks, counters and tables. It likes bright light near a window, but not direct sun or hot heat, or its needles quickly drop. Keep the soil moist but don’t let it dry out or stand in water. It’s perfect for miniature embellishments.

Cast Iron Plant. This plant is as rugged as its name because it needs virtually nothing to thrive. Its foot-long, upright dark-green leaves are narrow and nice — they just need dusting occasionally with a clean, damp cloth. Place it near bright light, not full sun, and don’t water it very often. To add color for gift-giving any time of the year, place some fresh-cut florist flowers in water tubes and insert them among the plant’s foliage.

African violet. These grandmotherly flowers are returning as favored plants for indoor miniature/fairy gardens. These violets like bright, filtered sun, nothing hot and direct. Give them moist, not wet, soil; feed with a special African violet fertilizer.

Combo planters. Using a basket, china bowl, small metal tub or whatever container strikes your fancy, tuck a few small pots of greenhouse-grown plants — miniature ivy, creeping fig, ferns, mini orchids — and group them in the container. Tuck packing straw, moss or shredded paper round them. Your recipient can enjoy them on a windowsill or permanently plant them as a terrarium or dish garden to enjoy for months to come.

Water misers. Succulents and bromeliads are ideal indoor plants for anyone who has difficulty keeping plants alive. Watering plants too much is as bad as watering them too little. Over watering is the common cause of plant death indoors and outdoors.

Most of us pull out the stops only when we’re entertaining a crowd. Moll Anderson thinks that same kind of attention should be lavished on that one special person.

She’s encouraging readers to do just that with her new book, Seductive Tables for Two: Tablescapes, Picnics, & Recipes That Inspire Romance.

Anderson, an interior designer and familiar TV presence, makes a case for using a table for two to set the table for romance. She shares her vision for 16 intimate encounters, from a sunrise breakfast to a nightcap in front of the fire.

She includes decorative details, recipes and helpful information such as ideas for themes and guidance on choosing colors.

Seductive Tables for Two is published by Moll Anderson Productions and sells for $19.95 in softcover.

— Mary Beth Breckenridge