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.

The Peter Maurin Center, 1096 S. Main St., Akron, is a drop-in center where disadvantaged people can stop for coffee, food and someone to listen to their concerns, all at no charge. When available, toiletries are offered to visitors.

The center is seeking donations of cash; one- and two-person tents; sleeping bags; gently used winter coats, hats, gloves, scarves and heavy socks; taxable grocery-store items, such as toilet paper and paper towels; cleaning supplies; and food-storage items, such as sandwich bags and plastic wrap.

It is also asking for volunteers. Younger volunteers must be at least middle-school age and accompanied by an adult.

For information, visit the center during open hours (noon to 3 p.m. Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays), or contact David Churbock at 330-328-3199 or Dchurbock8@aol.com.

Standing Rock Cultural Arts, 257 N. Water St., Kent, OH 44240, builds community through the arts by offering opportunities for children and adults to explore creative pursuits and bring their work to the public.

The organization is seeking donations of money to pay its operating expenses and a new computer with video-editing software, such as Premiere or Final Cut. It also needs volunteers for these duties:

• Working in the gallery.

• Assisting with marketing and publicity.

• Serving as art assistants for New World Children’s Theatre.

• Fundraising.

• Recruiting sponsors for its International Short Film Festival, to be held Jan. 26 at the Kent Stage.

• Grant writing.

• Helping at events.

For information, call Jeff Ingram at 330-673-4970, email info@standingrock.net or visit www.standingrock.net.

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.

Fathers and Sons of Northeast Ohio, 19 N. High St., Akron, OH 44308, provides fatherhood education classes to help facilitate reunification of fathers with their minor children; provides mentoring, spiritual support and grief recovery assistance for men who have criminal backgrounds or drug or alcohol abuse; and operates a veterans sober house.

The organization is seeking donations of money, gift cards, Metro bus passes and a passenger vehicle, van or work truck.

For information, contact Stephen E. Rozsa at 330-622-1131 or steve.fsneo@gmail.com, or visit http://fathersandsonsneo.org.

Park Little Shepherd Preschool, 2308 24th St. SW, Akron, OH 44314, makes low- or no-cost preschool available to children and provides families with support and encouragement in a Christian environment.

The preschool is seeking monetary donations to keep its Subsidized Sliding Scale Tuition Assistance Program available to as many families as possible. It is also seeking donations of craft materials, used ink cartridges, Acme Community Cash Back receipts, Labels for Education, old cellphones and Box Tops for Education.

For information, call 330-745-8950 or email parkls@sbcglobal.net.

Super Heroes to Kids in Ohio dress as superheroes to visit children at area hospitals. The group is seeking volunteers.

Information is on its Facebook page, or contact Brian Chulik at 440-242-1002 or bestpersonaltraining@yahoo.com.

Every kid in Ellet knew who lived in that house.

No bigger than a shed, a brightly decorated cottage stands tall in the memories of Akron baby boomers.

Visiting the Santa Claus house at Eastgate Plaza was a beloved Christmas ritual during the 1950s and 1960s.

Beneath glowing lights, sparkling garlands and wafting carols, Ellet children braved the cold and lined up on the sidewalk to see Santa at the Canton Road shopping center.

Kriss Kringle sat on a carved throne inside the wooden house, which was assembled every year on a platform in the front parking lot outside Woolworth and Gray Drug.

In 1952, Akron developer Francis E. Rottmayer opened Eastgate, the first such plaza in Summit County and one of the earliest in Ohio. The $2 million center’s early tenants included J.C. Penney, W.E. Wright, Acme, Kroger, Shulan’s Jewelers, Carter Shoe Co., Rosen’s Bake Shop, Moore Auto, Evans Savings, Tip-Top Laundry and Eastgate Bowling.

Many Ellet natives might be surprised to learn that Rottmayer (1904-1989), an expert carpenter, personally designed and built the Santa Claus house, along with Santa’s chair and sleigh.

The red, white and green cottage featured curtained windows, little flower boxes, toy-lined shelves, scrollwork and carved railings with a Christmas tree motif.

Stored in the Eastgate basement during the offseason, the structure was easy to take apart and put together.

Rottmayer, a native of Germany, took a special joy in entertaining children during Christmas at the plaza.

“He always made a big production of Santa coming,” recalled Rottmayer’s daughter Susan Suthers, a Medina resident. “It was really crowded. Kids were all over the place.”

One year, Santa arrived triumphantly by helicopter. Another year, he climbed down a ladder from atop the plaza.

“They had jingling on the roof and then they had reindeer,” Suthers said. “You could see a little bit of a sleigh hanging over.”

When the big man in the red suit and black boots finally set foot on the ground, Suthers was just as amazed as everyone else in the crowd.

“I don’t know how he got up there,” she said. “My dad didn’t tell me. I believed in Santa at the time.”

Lasting memories

Robert Gulledge, 62, of Goodyear Heights, who grew up on Hawk Avenue in Ellet, remembers the excitement of going to Eastgate when he was a pupil at Windemere Elementary School.

“Around Thanksgiving, workers would close off several parking spaces in the front row of the shopping center and build the house,” recalled Gulledge, a 1968 Ellet High School graduate.

“Kids would wait in long lines to visit with Santa, while their parents could shop at Woolworth’s or J.C. Penney’s for gifts. The Santa house at Eastgate Plaza provided the children of the Ellet community with lasting memories of Christmas and their visit with Santa.”

When it was cold and snowy, youngsters wore coats, hats, boots, gloves, mittens and earmuffs while waiting to ascend the ramp, follow the railing and enter the house.

Elf assistants ushered in children to sit on Santa’s lap, tell him what they wanted for Christmas and have their photographs taken — if their parents wanted to buy pictures.

Kids could also do a little window shopping before or after the visit. The Woolworth’s downstairs store, which opened in 1957, was a popular stop for children at Eastgate.

“The toys were right downstairs in the basement,” Gulledge said.

West Akron resident Steve Pryseski, 53, a language arts teacher and yearbook adviser at Ellet High School, grew up on Stevenson Avenue about four blocks from Eastgate. He could walk to the shopping center with his sister Joyce and brother David.

“I do remember it was completely, completely decked out with strings of lights all the way across the plaza,” said Pryseski, a 1977 Ellet graduate. “That little house always seemed to stick up. It was one of those things you could see as you arrived.”

The interior of the house, painted in gaudy colors, became a little cramped when more than one sibling got in the picture.

There was no guarantee that children would get what they requested for Christmas, but candy canes were a consolation prize at the exit.

“There was always a little token gift bag of candy, a tiny little thing, after you visited Santa,” Pryseski said.

Repeat visits

The Rev. David Weyrick, 57, pastor at Stow Presbyterian Church, grew up on Yerrick Road in Ellet and has vivid memories of visiting Eastgate at Christmas when he was a pupil at Hatton Elementary.

“What was really cool about the Eastgate Santa was you got to see him more than once,” Weyrick said. “So you could wait in line a second time if you forgot something. Or your mother could say, ‘No, you’ve already seen him once.’ ”

In downtown Akron, children enjoyed the comfort of waiting indoors to visit Santa at O’Neil’s or Polsky’s department stores. But isn’t the North Pole supposed to be cold?

“An outside Santa Claus, now that was the real thing,” Weyrick joked, adding “Tough Ellet kids!”

When children arrived at the wood throne, “it was like you were seeing the king or something,” he said.

It’s funny what sticks in the mind of a 5-year-old boy.

Weyrick distinctly recalls looking up at Santa and noticing that his facial hair wasn’t completely white.

“I still remember the top of the mustache area being this brownish-orangish color, and thinking that was sort of strange,” he said. “Then I realized years later that was probably nicotine or cigar smoke.”

After a couple of decades of Christmases, Rottmayer retired the Santa Claus house at Eastgate. He moved the wood to his Medina home, reassembled it next to a pond and used it as a changing booth for swimmers.

“That’s why I remember the details of it,” Suthers said.

The holiday house no longer exists, but Suthers’ brother has incorporated some of the carved railings into his shed, preserving the last relics of a beloved Ellet building that used to be magical at Christmas.

Thousands of baby boomers met Santa Claus for the first time at Eastgate Plaza.

“That’s where I went each year,” Suthers said. “A lot of my friends say they remember when they were kids they were there to see Santa.”

Beacon Journal copy editor Mark J. Price is the author of The Rest Is History: True Tales From Akron’s Vibrant Past, a book from the University of Akron Press. He can be reached at 330-996-3850 or mjprice@thebeaconjournal.com.

People Helping People is a list of charitable causes in our area that need donations or volunteers. The list ends New Year’s Day, but the charities’ needs do not. Please consider supporting the causes of your choice throughout the year.

Information about People Helping People and a list of causes already published can be found at www.ohio.com/charity.

Akron Children’s Hospital’s Reach Out and Read Program is collecting new books for children ages 6 months to 5 years at Barnes and Noble, 4015 Medina Road in the Montrose area of Bath Township.

Books are distributed to the hospital’s pediatrics primary care offices and Locust Pediatric Group to give to children during well-child visits. As part of the program, pediatricians and nurses encourage parents to read to children regularly to boost speech and language skills and help prepare the children for school.

For information, contact Karen Carbaugh at 330-543-8068 or kcarbaugh@chmca.org.

Projectcomfort77@sbcglobal.net, 767 Killian Road, Akron, OH 44319, supplies Summit County sheriff’s cruisers with fleece blankets to wrap around children who are in harm’s way. It also makes sets of blankets, scarves and mittens for terminally ill children who ride the Polar Express and children on the train whose parents are deployed overseas with the military.

The group is seeking donations of fleece or money to buy it. For details on donating, email projectcomfort77@sbcglobal.net or call Janey Shively at 330-644-9655.

Lift Up Ministries, 1041 Frederick Blvd., Suite B, Akron, OH 44320-2609, helps build and repair handicap ramps and does small repairs for elderly, low-income and physically disabled people. It also help churches, ministries and nonprofit organizations.

The organization is seeking donations of money, building materials and building tools. For information, contact the Rev. Mark R. Williamson Sr. at 330-671-4121 or LUM@liftupministries.org.

Lift Up Ministries’ website is www.liftupministries.org.

A benevolent fund has been set up at FirstMerit bank for the Davies family. To make a donation, contact any FirstMerit Bank and give the name “4 Davies Babies.”

For more information about the family and their journey, visit the “4DaviesBabies” page on Facebook.

After three long years, two miscarriages and many prayers, Tiffany and Matt Davies are counting their blessings this Christmas.

All four of them.

The couple from Green recently became first-time parents by welcoming quadruplets into their family.

The four babies — Addison Pamela, Brady Jay, Riley Patricia and Parker James — are spending their first holiday growing bigger and stronger at Akron Children’s Hospital after arriving nine weeks early.

“It’s the best gift we could get,” the proud new mom said.

The journey to parenthood was far from smooth for the Davies, both graduates of Green High School.

The couple started dating during her senior year and married four years later in 2006. Within several years, they decided to start a family, without any success.

Five rounds of an oral medication to stimulate ovulation didn’t result in pregnancy. And when she did get pregnant after taking fertility shots, the pregnancy ended in her second miscarriage.

None of the visits to a fertility specialist or the thousands of dollars’ worth of fertility medications were covered by the couple’s health insurance.

But they weren’t ready to give up their dreams of parenthood.

After another round of shots this May, a pregnancy test confirmed she was pregnant again.

Her doctor had warned the couple there was a one in four chance of conceiving multiples with the ovulation-stimulating shots. But the Davies weren’t fazed, thinking they might have twins or maybe triplets.

Matt worried when he saw the look on the doctor’s face during the first ultrasound five weeks into Tiffany’s pregnancy.

Had they lost another baby?

“I warned you there was a chance of multiples … ” the doctor began.

The ultrasound showed not one but five sacs, meaning the possibility of as many as five fetuses. At the time, only one heartbeat was visible.

A follow-up ultrasound a week later confirmed four heartbeats.

After years of trying for a baby, Tiffany and Matt were expecting quadruplets.

“It was a bit overwhelming,” she said.

“I’m still shocked,” he added with a laugh.

Doctors immediately began talking to the couple about selective reduction to give their babies the best chance to survive. Her physicians were concerned whether the petite, 4-foot-11 mom-to-be could carry four babies without risking her own health.

Despite their reservations, the couple reluctantly scheduled a surgery to remove the two weakest fetuses before the end of the first trimester. They had two weeks to think about their decision.

“It was honestly the worst two weeks of my life,” Matt said. “We cried. We couldn’t sleep.”

A few days before the procedure was scheduled, they called it off.

“We just couldn’t do it,” she said. “We decided we would rather put it in God’s hands.”

Feeling relieved and at peace with their choice, the couple started planning — and praying daily — for their expanding family.

“You’ve got to have a lot of faith through all this,” she said.

An ultrasound showed they were expecting two boys and two girls. Each baby would have a grandparent’s first name as his or her middle name.

Tiffany traded her Nissan Sentra for a minivan that could accommodate four car seats. “She always swore she would never drive a minivan,” Matt joked.

In September, Tiffany was placed on bed rest.

She took an extended leave from her job as a programmer at Diebold, while Matt continued his job with his family’s business, Integrity Homes Inc.

By mid-November, Tiffany was admitted to Akron General, where she and the babies could be monitored. When it became clear about a month later that the babies weren’t growing any more, her high-risk obstetrician, Dr. John W. Stewart Jr., scheduled their arrival via cesarean section at 31 weeks gestation.

“I was hoping to get a little more time, but they pretty much stopped growing,” Stewart said. “If they can’t get what they need on the inside, then they need to come out.”

Three minutes shy of noon, the babies were born within the same minute on 12-12-12.

One by one, staff rushed the newborns from the operating room into an adjoining infant stabilization room. Each was greeted by a dedicated team consisting of a nurse practitioner, a respiratory therapist, two registered nurses and another nurse to record vital signs and other information.

“These babies are doing real well,” Akron Children’s Hospital neonatologist Dr. Alison Protain commented minutes after their births. “They’re small but spunky.”

The babies initially were known by the letters A through D based on their birth order. Tiny-but-feisty Addison earned the letter A by arriving first with a loud cry, weighing 2 pounds, 5 ounces.

Baby B, Brady, was the smallest but healthiest of his siblings at 2 pounds, 4 ounces.

Three-pound Baby C, Riley, quickly made her presence known by kicking off her plastic covers in the isolette.

And Baby D, Parker, was the biggest of the bunch at 3 pounds, 1 ounce.

“We’re shocked at how well they’re doing,” Tiffany said.

The Davies are getting support from family, friends and members of their church, RiverTree Christian Church in Jackson Township. The community also has rallied behind them, with churches they don’t even attend donating diapers and strangers giving to the 4 Davies Babies benevolent fund at FirstMerit Bank.

As they celebrate Christmas today, the Davies are looking forward to future holidays at home with their four unexpected, but treasured additions.

“It was never in the plans,” Tiffany said, “but now that they’re here, we’re thrilled.”

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

Q.: By mistake, I bought self-rising flour instead of all-purpose flour. Would there be any big difference if I use the self-rising as I normally would use the all-purpose?

— Leslie Coddington, Akron

A.: Self-rising flour already has baking powder and salt in it. However, because the amounts in the flour can vary from brand to brand, I can’t guarantee that everything will work perfectly in any given recipe.

Since baking is an exact science, I wouldn’t recommend it.

Also, some brands of self-rising flour are made with cake flour, a lower-protein flour than all-purpose, so again, your results could be off depending on your recipe. It might be fine for cookies, but not for breads.

More often bakers are looking to make self-rising flour out of all-purpose, which is an easier conversion. Simply mix 1½ teaspoons of baking powder and ½ teaspoon of salt into 1 cup of all-purpose flour to substitute for a cup of self-rising flour.

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.

Fishers Foods, North Canton, 440-729-1110, www.lpscinc.com.

Pastry in a Pinch, with Chef Stefanie Paganini, 6 p.m. Jan. 10. $45.

Chocolate Fix, with Chef Stefanie Paganini, 6 p.m. Jan. 15. $45.

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.

Biscuits and Scones, with Jennifer McMullen, 10-11:30 a.m. Jan. 12. $24.

Western Reserve School of Cooking, Hudson, 330-650-1665, www.wrsoc.com.

Better Fast Food: Focus on the Wok, Large Skillet and Pressure Cooker, with Betty Shewmon, 1:30-4:30 p.m. Jan. 13. $75.

Ricotta’s versatility is vastly underappreciated. It is a soft, granular cheese with a texture somewhere between yogurt and cottage cheese. The taste is mild, milky, salty and slightly acidic.

And that acid is key; it makes the proteins heat resistant. In other words, the cheese doesn’t melt. This is why ricotta is such a fine choice for lasagna, stuffed shells, ravioli and cheesecake. What else can you do with it?

• It pairs wonderfully with that other Italian import — pizza. Top a red or white pizza with mounds of ricotta and bake as you normally would.

• Fill overturned portobello mushroom caps with ricotta mixed with chopped fresh herbs and garlic, then grill over medium heat until the bottoms are browned and the cheese is hot.

• Spike ricotta with honey and cinnamon, then layer in wide glasses with fresh berries for a parfait.

• Cut slits into boneless, skinless chicken breasts, then spoon herbed ricotta into the center. Dredge the stuffed chicken breasts through egg, flour and panko breadcrumbs, then bake.

— J.M. Hirsch

Associated Press

LITCHFIELD, Minn.: Dozens of Minnesota Scandinavians and the people who love them flock to the VFW Club in Litch­field every Thursday from November through January, where a $20 bill will get you a big steaming hunk of the frequently mocked fish dish known as lutefisk. It comes with meatballs, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and lefse, a potato flatbread.

“Butter helps it slide down your throat,” said Dennis Voss, the husband of a Norwegian-American, revealing his survival secret for stomaching the gelatinous blob as they dined with friends on lutefisk amid a bustling lunchtime crowd.

America’s rising foodie culture has inspired a new generation of chefs and adventurous eaters who have mined ethnic and antiquated food traditions to create gourmet delicacies. Even Scandinavian cuisine, not usually considered the most savory, is sharing the spotlight. It’s winning plaudits at restaurants from Minneapolis’s nationally recognized Bachelor Farmer to Copenhagen’s world-renowned Noma, where globe-trotting diners wait months for reservations.

But lutefisk, a dried white cod reconstituted in caustic chemicals, is one heritage dish that has remained stubbornly unimproved. Yet it lives on in places where people of Scandinavian descent are numerous.

A list of churches, Scandinavian cultural gatherings, restaurants and clubs that serve lutefisk runs to 22 pages on one website dedicated to the dish, showcasing sites in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, the Dakotas, Montana, Washington as well as snowbird outposts like Arizona and Florida.

Every year come the holidays, a loyal legion shows up to partake. While their ancestors needed hardy food that wouldn’t spoil, lutefisk fanciers agree the reason to eat it now is less obvious — or entirely lost on most people.

“You have to try it at least three times,” says Voss, 79.

Tradition — and even the ridicule lutefisk widely evokes — provide much of the answer.

The heart of lutefisk country is west of Minneapolis, where eastern river valleys flatten into western prairies that were heavily settled by Scandinavian immigrants in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Further west from Litchfield, a sign in the tiny town of Madison welcomes visitors to “Lutefisk Capital U.S.A.”

The VFW’s lutefisk special comes in “Ole” (large) and “Lena” (small) portions. The fish resembles a quivering hunk of white Jell-O, and is served with an equally snow-white cream sauce and a small cup of melted butter, which really does help. The demographic is noticeable: “You got to have white hair to eat it,” Voss said.

Chris Dorff, president of Olsen Fish Company in Minneapolis, a major supplier of lutefisk, said he’s read histories that trace the dish to the time of the Vikings.

The unusual process of drying and later re-hydrating it was born of necessity in a part of the world where long winters required creativity in food storage and preparation.

“It wasn’t about enjoying food, like the Italians,” said Dorff, whose company still buys all its dried ling cod for lutefisk from Norway. “It was about sustenance.”

The tenacious blandness has provided fodder for everyone from amateur humorists like Jim Nord Harris, the Minneapolis-area retiree who runs the LutfiskLoversLifeline.com web site, to Minnesota’s homegrown satirist Garrison Keillor.

Harris, whose mother was Swedish, uses that country’s spelling; Norwegians add the “e.” Most pronounce it LOOT-uh-fisk.

“Ole and Lars were talking,” Harris said, mining his arsenal of lutefisk jokes. “Ole says to Lars, I’ve got these skunks living under my porch. So Lars says, just throw some lutefisk under there. A week later Lars asks Ole, did you get rid of them skunks? And Ole says I sure did, but now I’ve got Swedes living under there.”

“If you overcook it, even by a minute or two, it’s going to take on a kind of unappealing jelly consistency,” Dorff said.

Dorff said his lutefisk sales drop about 5 percent every year, but he has no plans to stop making it. They still sell about half a million pounds a year, he said.

A recent visitor asked Dorff if he really likes lutefisk. There was a very long pause.

“Yeah, I do,” Dorff said. “It’s just one of those things. I’d prefer a piece of halibut or some crab legs. But I like it. It’s got butter on it. Butter is good.”

Food writing is coming full circle: Bloggers who first disdained the print world are now getting cookbooks published. Good for them.

When the cooking blogs first took off, Deb Perelman’s Smitten Kitchen quickly became a favorite, for her friendly writing and her obsession with testing recipes until she decided on the very best one. The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook (Knopf, $35) has the same homey, simple recipes and writing as the blog, and photography that has the rich look of old paintings.

All in a handy form that you can keep on a bookshelf.

— The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.)

Pork tenderloin is practically a universal favorite. And for time-starved cooks, tenderloin has the added bonus of being super-easy and almost foolproof for delicious results.

Today’s recipe for Herb Roasted Pork Tenderloin is wonderful with roasted or mashed potatoes and steamed green beans or a simple salad. But it also is special enough to stand as the star among a table laden with treats for a small to medium gathering.

I love to serve a platter of thinly sliced Herb Roasted Pork Tenderloin along with an array of cheeses, fruits, nuts, vegetables, crackers and bread. That is the perfect party menu and creates the ambiance of casual elegance (although it’s often called “Mom’s grazing menu” around my house). Everything can be prepared ahead, so when your guests arrive, the nibbling can begin.

Enjoy!

Herb Roasted

Pork Tenderloin

1 lb. pork tenderloin

3 tsp. vegetable oil

½ cup chopped fresh herbs (rosemary, basil, thyme, Italian parsley, sage, or any combination of two or more)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Trim the silver skin and any excess fat from the tenderloin.

Heat the oil in a 10-inch or larger skillet over medium-high. While oil is heating, roll the pork in the chopped mixed herbs, pressing them into the pork with your fingers.

Sear the pork in the hot oil on all three sides, turning equally, about 45 seconds to a minute on each side.

Transfer to a roasting pan and roast for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the thickest portion reaches 160 degrees.

Remove to a platter and thinly slice. May be served hot or at room temperature.

Makes four appetizer servings, easily doubled or tripled.

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.

For a spur of the moment semi-fancy meal, you can’t beat scallops.

Scallops are ideal to have tucked away in your freezer because they defrost and cook quickly. When planning a meal with scallops, figure two to three of the larger sea scallops (about 2 inches in diameter) per serving with a side dish.

Buy fresh, dry-packed sea scallops if you can; these are not treated or soaked in a solution. If they were not previously frozen, you can freeze them. When buying them from the fish counter, give them a sniff. Fresh scallops should smell sweet, not fishy.

Also, check the color. Scallops should be creamy light beige or off-white. If they’re stark white, chances are they were treated with sodium tripolyphosphate, which is added to increase their weight and extend their shelf life. The preservative also makes them absorb moisture and, during cooking, that absorbed water releases and almost steams the scallops, preventing them from getting that really nice sear. If the scallops have been soaked, pat them dry with several paper towels.

If you buy frozen scallops, the label should indicate whether they’ve been treated. If they haven’t, they should be labeled “dry.”

Today’s recipe pairs pan-seared scallops with a slightly tangy, ruby red grapefruit juice-based sauce. If the sauce is too tangy for your taste, balance it out with a small amount of brown sugar. Here are some other flavor suggestions for scallops.

Basic

Sear scallops in a mix of hot oil and butter. Depending on their size, figure 2 to 4 minutes on each side. Don’t crowd them in the pan; sear in batches if needed. When you turn them over and cook on the second side, spoon the butter oil in the pan over the scallops. Cooked this way, scallops will be sweet and fork tender. But be careful not to overcook them, or they will be tough and chewy. Deglaze the pan with white wine and pour over the scallops.

Gremolata

Mix together ½ cup finely chopped fresh parsley, 1 clove garlic, finely minced, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest, salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Sear scallops in butter oil and then remove from the skillet. Add the parsley mixture to the pan and saute about 1 to 2 minutes. Serve scallops topped with gremolata.

Balsamic glazed

Sear scallops as above. Remove them from the skillet and add ½ cup white wine or fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar to pan. Cook over medium heat until just slightly thick, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes. Pour over the scallops.

Bacon-wrapped

Pre-cook bacon until almost done, but not crisp. Season scallops well on each side with salt and pepper. In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon canola oil. Wrap a half slice of bacon around each scallop and secure with a wooden pick. Add scallops to the skillet and cook 2-4 minutes on each side.

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH 
SHALLOTS & GRAPEFRUIT SAUCE

6 tablespoons olive oil, divided

½ cup finely diced shallots (2 to 3 large)

½ cup 100 percent ruby red grapefruit juice

¼ cup white wine vinegar

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1¾ pounds large sea scallops

¼ teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning

2 tablespoons thinly sliced chives

1 tablespoon freshly chopped tarragon, optional

In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots; saute, stirring constantly until the shallots are golden, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the grapefruit juice and vinegar. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste; set aside.

Pat the scallops dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt, pepper and Old Bay Seasoning.

In a 12-inch heavy-duty nonstick skillet, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary, add the scallops (don’t crowd them in the pan) and cover with a splatter screen if you have one, and cook until they are golden brown on both sides and almost firm to the touch, 2 to 4 minutes per side.

Add the shallot sauce to the scallops and cook until the sauce is just heated through.

Serve immediately, sprinkled with the chives and, if using, the tarragon.

Serves 4. Preparation time: 10 minutes

Total time: 25 minutes

You can substitute tangerine or clementine juice for the grapefruit juice.

— Adapted from Fine Cooking magazine, January 2008 issue. Tested by Susan M. Selasky for the Free Press Test Kitchen.

The Countryside Conservancy in Peninsula is launching Countryside Food Swaps.

Food swaps are a new trend in which producers of locally made and locally grown foods meet to trade items and network.

The format of the swaps is similar to a silent auction, in which participants display their items while browsing and sampling others, and offering trades.

Those taking part can accept or pass on any offer. Swappers often leave with a variety of goods for their pantries.

Countryside Food Swaps will be the third Tuesday of each month, at 6 p.m., beginning Jan. 15. Locations will vary from month to month. The first swap will be at the Uncorked Wine Bar, 22 N. High St., downtown.

There is no cost for participating, but registration is required.

The conservancy is hosting the swaps as part of a larger initiative to encourage the development of a community of engaged eaters and food producers.

For more information about the swaps, contact Erin Molnar at emolnar@cvcountryside.org.

Another Countryside event

The Countryside Conservancy will be sponsoring its first monthly mixer at 7 p.m. Jan. 7, at Crave, 57 E. Market St., downtown Akron.

The mixers are a chance for local food enthusiasts to get together to network and share ideas. They will be held on the first Monday night of every month at 7 p.m. at Crave.

They are free to the public. Light hors d’oeuvres will be provided. Participants also may order from the dinner menu or bar at their own expense.

Todaro’s selling gourmet

Todaro’s Party Center has begun an online Italian gourmet store, Todaro’s Imported Foods.

All the products are imported from Italy, including a variety of olive oils, cured meats, pasta, olives and other speciality products.

Customers can have their orders shipped or can pick them up at Todaro’s, 1820 Akron-Peninsula Road, Akron.

Visit www.italianfoodmarket.us to shop and also check out the food blog, where you’ll find information on Italian cooking and recipes.

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.

FILLET OF BEEF WITH COGNAC MUSTARD SAUCE

2 (6-oz.) beef tenderloin steaks, about ¾ to 1 inch thick

Olive oil spray

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp. cognac

½ cup fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

2 tbsp. heavy cream

Spray both sides of the beef tenderloin steaks with olive oil spray. Heat a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and spray with olive oil spray. Brown steaks 4 minutes. If steaks brown too quickly, turn the heat down to medium. Turn and salt and pepper the cooked sides. Brown the second side 4 minutes. A meat thermometer should read 145 degrees for medium rare.

Remove steaks to a plate. Add the cognac to the skillet and deglaze the pan by scraping up the brown bits, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken broth. Raise the heat to high and reduce the liquid by half, about 2 minutes. Add the mustard and blend into the sauce with a whisk. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and stir in the cream. Serve the steak with the sauce spooned over the top.

Makes two servings.

— Linda Gassenheimer

McClatchy-Tribune News Service

Frank Costanza was right after all. Seinfeld fans will recall the 1996 episode when the crusty Costanza, played by Jerry Stiller, pointed to the bird on his plate and asked, “What is this thing anyway?” Told it’s a “Cornish game hen” by his son’s snooty prospective in-laws, he replied, “What is that? Like a little chicken?”

“It’s not a little chicken. Little chicken. Ha. Ha. It’s a game bird, Dad,” interjected his clearly mortified son, George, portrayed by Jason Alexander. As you might guess, the sitcom dinner went rapidly downhill from there.

But a Cornish hen really is a little chicken. The U.S. Department of Agriculture currently defines it as “a young immature chicken (usually 5 to 6 weeks of age), weighing not more than 2 pounds ready-to-cook weight, which was prepared from a Cornish chicken or the progeny of a Cornish chicken crossed with another breed of chicken.” Though called a hen, the bird can be male or female.

Alphonsine “Therese” Makowsky is credited with originally breeding the Cornish hen at a farm in Pomfret, Conn., that she owned with her husband, the artist Jacques Makowsky.

Her 2005 obituary in the San Francisco Chronicle — she was living in Danville, Calif., at the time of her death at age 92 — noted the couple had been raising and selling African guinea hens until a 1949 fire destroyed their stock. In response, the obit reported, she came up with the idea of “cross-breeding the Cornish game cocks with various chicken and game birds, including a White Plymouth Rock hen,” to create the Cornish hen. It quickly supplanted the couple’s African guinea hens in popularity, the Chronicle noted.

Cornish hens proved so chic that Victor Borge, the musical comedian, began breeding them at his home in Southbury, Conn., according to a 1958 story in the Hartford Courant. The writer of a 1960 New York Times article, “Yankee hen is a hit abroad; Even a Frenchman finds Connecticut bird a treat,” marveled at how far the little birds had flown in just 11 years, from a Connecticut farm to being “served in elegant establishments around the world.”

Cornish hens deliciously prove the adage: Good things do come in small packages. Savvy hosts can capitalize on that to easily create a special party meal or New Year’s Eve dinner.

The diminutive hen is so distinctive in size that many people might mistake them for game birds instead of ordinary chickens. And they look so darn posh preening on the plate, guests will feel rather spoiled when you serve them.

“They’re an impressive kind of entertaining dish,” said Nathalie Dupree, the Charleston, S.C.-based cookbook author and television cooking show host. “They look a little uptown even though they are just chicken.”

Dupree is a big fan of the birds. They remind her of what chickens used to look like during her childhood before the age of supersized everything.

“I’d rather cook two Cornish hens than one humongous chicken,” she said.

Size matters also to Robb Walsh, author of Texas Eats: The New Lone Star Heritage Cookbook (Ten Speed Press, $45). The Houston writer developed a recipe using Cornish hens in place of German spring chickens because he misses having the variety of size options with poultry that French and German consumers enjoy.

“Cornish hens are a reminder of when we had a choice,” he said.

He recommends serving this dish, based on a German recipe, with sweet-and-sour sauerkraut, making it a natural for New Year’s dinner.

Being so small, the birds cook fast. Dupree says she throws a bird in the oven and gives it a quick glaze of marmalade or pepper jelly right before the finish. She doesn’t stuff the cavity, but she does like to put some seasoned ricotta cheese under the skin, a trick inspired by the late Richard Olney, a food writer, cook and editor.

A whole hen is too much of a serving for Dupree, but she doesn’t want to risk the embarrassment of skimpy portions for guests. Her solution?

“I roast an extra hen for every few people,” she writes in her latest book, Mastering the Art of Southern Cooking (Gibbs Smith, $45), co-authored with Cynthia Graubart, “and then cut the extras in quarters, available for second (or third!) helpings.”

CORNISH HENS GLAZED WITH

HONEY AND WRAPPED IN BACON

4 Cornish hens

2 onions, coarsely chopped

2 tbsp. honey

12 slices bacon or pancetta

6 leeks, trimmed, chopped into 2-inch pieces

1 tbsp. olive oil

½ tsp. salt

Freshly ground pepper

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Stuff the hens with onions. Brush all over with honey; cover the breast of each with 3 slices bacon or pancetta. Settle into a roasting pan.

Toss the leeks with the oil; add to the pan, tucking them in around the birds. Season with the salt and pepper to taste. Roast, 45-60 minutes. If the bacon begins to blacken, cover hens with foil.

Remove the birds from the pan; keep warm. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the leeks to a serving dish; keep warm. Tilt the pan to one side; skim away any fat. Pour a little hot water into the roasting pan; set over high heat. Heat to a boil, scraping up any crispy bits from the bottom of the pan; simmer for a few minutes. Pour the pan sauce into a gravy boat or pitcher; serve with the hens and the leeks.

Makes 6 servings.

— Cooking Season by Season (DK Publishing, $35).

GRILLED CORNISH HENS,

GERMAN-STYLE

3 Cornish hens, split

½ tsp. each: salt, pepper

Glaze:

¼ cup coarse-grain German mustard

2 tbsp. German riesling

1 tbsp. honey

½ tsp. freshly ground pepper

Pinch each: ground mace, ground cloves

Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for indirect-heat grilling over medium heat. Meanwhile, carefully remove as much skin as possible from the hens. Season hens with salt and pepper.

Combine the glaze ingredients in a bowl; mix thoroughly.

Cook the hen halves, bone side down, directly over the fire until lightly browned. Move them to the cooler part of the grill grate; cover. Cook, turning at midpoint, 20-25 minutes. Prick a thigh with a fork to check for doneness. If the juices run clear, move the hen halves back over the fire; brush them on both sides with the glaze. Finish them, turning often, until nicely browned on both sides.

The hens can also be cooked in a grill pan, or in the oven at 350 degrees.

Makes 6 servings.

— Texas Eats: The New

Lone Star Heritage

Cookbook, Robb Walsh

ROASTED CORNISH GAME HENS

4 to 6 tbsp. oil

1 cup fresh lemon juice

3 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary

4 to 6 Rock Cornish game hens (1 to 2 lbs. each), split

¼ cup breadcrumbs

16 ounces ricotta cheese

¼ cup grated lemon zest, no white attached

8 cloves garlic, chopped

¾ tsp. salt

Freshly ground pepper

3 to 5 cups chicken stock or broth

Mix the oil, lemon juice and half the rosemary. Place the hens in a shallow dish, skin side down; pour the mixture over. Marinate, refrigerated, overnight.

Toss together the breadcrumbs, ricotta, lemon zest, remaining rosemary and garlic. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Remove hens from marinade, reserving marinade. Gently slide fingers under the skin of each hen to release the skin from the surface. Spread the mixture evenly underneath the skins. Season the hens’ surfaces with remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Move the hens to a rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with some of the lemon marinade; refrigerate, uncovered, to dry the skin, 1 hour.

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Distribute the hens skin side up, without overlapping, in a baking pan. Roast, 1 hour. Turn birds as needed to brown all over. The hens are cooked when the thickest part of the meat registers 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. Remove from pan; degrease the juices.

To make a sauce, add the stock to the pan. Heat to a boil, stirring the sides and bottom of the pan. Boil until reduced to ½ cup per bird, about 20 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Moisten the birds; pass the remaining sauce.

Makes 6 servings.

— Mastering the Art of Southern Cooking, Nathalie

Dupree and Cynthia Graubart

Though black-eyed peas have been around forever, they generally don’t get a lot of attention. But I think you really ought to give them a second look.

These peas — which really are a bean — originated in Africa and found their way to ancient India and Asia thousands of years ago. As early as the 5th century people were eating them for good luck on New Year’s Eve. But they didn’t make their way to America until the 18th century, a product of the slave trade.

It was during the Civil War that black-eyed peas became a staple of the Southern diet, as well as a token of good luck in the new year in that part of the country. The story goes that as the Union army stormed through the South appropriating crops and livestock as provisions, they turned up their collective nose at black-eyed peas. The troops in blue considered them mere “field peas,” fit for livestock, not people.

In this way, black-eyed peas, paired up with greens, became a dietary staple of the surviving Confederates.

This was, in fact, a stroke of singular good luck. Black-eyed peas are super-nutritious — high in potassium, iron and fiber, and a terrific source of protein. Pair them with greens and you’re looking at an incredibly healthy dish. On New Year’s Eve in the American South, each of those ingredients takes on symbolic value: the peas are coins, the greens are bills. Put some corn bread on the side, and you’ve got gold, too.

This recipe is a mash-up not only of a traditional favorite from the American South, but also of one from the Middle East. I’m talking about falafel.

Typically, the dish is based on ground chickpeas (or sometimes fava beans), combined with tahini (sesame seed paste), and served with a garlicky lemon sauce. Jam these delicious little deep-fried nuggets into a pita with some shredded lettuce and heaven is just a bite away.

My falafel are not deep-fried, but you’re not going to miss it. I create the crust we crave by coating the falafel with panko bread crumbs, then sauteing them. And I don’t puree all of the peas. I hold some back, then add them to the batter for texture later. I made each falafel “mini” for entertaining purposes, then top them with a light, spicy garlic mayo instead of the usual tahini sauce. The finishing touch is chopped scallions, my nod to the greens part of the original good luck dish.

And, naturally enough, I believe that no matter how or where you celebrate the new year, this tasty little hybrid will contribute not only to your good luck, but your good health and happiness, too.

BLACK-EYED PEA FALAFEL

WITH SPICY AIOLI SAUCE

4 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

½ cup finely chopped yellow onion (1 small onion)

1½ tsp. minced garlic, divided

¾ tsp. ground cumin

½ tsp. ground coriander

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

15½-oz. can black-eyed peas

1 large egg

2 tbsp. well-stirred tahini

¼ tsp. kosher salt

½ cup low-fat mayonnaise

1 tsp. lemon juice

¼ to ½ tsp. hot sauce, or to taste

¾ cup panko bread crumbs

Chopped scallions, to garnish

In a medium skillet over medium, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the onion, reduce the heat to moderately low, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until it has softened. Add 1 teaspoon of the garlic, the cumin, coriander and the cayenne. Cook for 1 minute, then transfer to a medium bowl.

Drain and rinse the black-eyed peas. Pulse them in the food processor fitted with the chopping blade just until they are coarsely chopped. Remove ½ cup of the chopped black-eyed peas and add to the onion mixture.

To the remaining black-eyed peas in the processor, add the egg, tahini and salt. Process until very finely ground, then stir them into the onion mixture. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the spicy aioli: In a small bowl stir together the mayonnaise, remaining ½ teaspoon of garlic and the hot sauce. Set aside.

Once the black-eyed pea mixture has chilled, shape it into 18 patties (the mixture will be loose). Spread out the panko in a pie plate lined with waxed paper or parchment paper, then one at a time dip the patties into it to coat on all sides, lifting the paper on both sides to move them around. Shake off any excess.

In a large nonstick skillet over medium, heat 2 tablespoons of the remaining oil until hot. Working in batches, add the falafel patties and cook until crisp and golden on one side. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and turn the patties; cook for 3 minutes, or until crisp and golden.

To serve, arrange the falafel patties on a platter and top each with aioli and a sprinkle of scallions.

Makes six servings (18 falafel).

We’re at the end of another food year, filled with openings, closings, recalls, rising prices and most of all, weather.

In fact, the weather and its harsh effects on our food supply has to be the top food story of 2012.

The drought that stretched through the Midwest and South resulted in major losses of corn and soybean crops, chief sources of animal feed, which will translate to higher meat prices for the foreseeable future.

The weather also stressed fruit and vegetable crops both locally and nationally. Trouble for apples began with the unseasonably warm winter, which caused trees to blossom early. The frost that followed destroyed many blossoms, which meant no apples for many growers across the state. The summer’s drought, extreme heat, and storms contributed to the problems.

Ohio’s apple production was down more than 40 percent over last year, which was still better than New York, which was estimated at 50 percent, and Michigan, where the crop was a 90 percent loss.

Locally, the warm winter meant that everything was earlier than usual. We were eating Akron-grown sweet corn in June, and the berry crop, normally burgeoning in July, was over by the Fourth of July.

Among the national food stories that came home to Akron was the outrage over a chemically treated beef product that came to be known as “pink slime.” After a social media protest that shut down the main national manufacturer of the beef product, local grocery stores, including Giant Eagle and Acme Fresh Market vowed not to sell it. Other stores, including Buehler’s, spoke out to inform customers that they never had sold it.

There was another national recall of salmonella-tainted peanut butter that had local Heinen’s stores, as well as national chains Target and Trader Joe’s, pulling products from their shelves. The outbreak sickened at least 41 people in 20 states, although no cases were reported locally.

Most recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration used its new expanded authority to suspend the registration of the supplier, Sunland Inc. of Portales, N.M., meaning it can no longer sell its products in the U.S.

In November, many were shocked when the bankrupt Hostess Brands Inc., maker of Twinkies and Wonder Bread, was granted permission by a judge to close its plants and liquidate after a labor dispute and strike by some 18,000 workers. Look for the iconic brands to be picked up by another company in the new year.

On the good news side, public schools began following stricter national guidelines for serving healthy meals to students, and Akron Public Schools received recognition for not only meeting the new federal standards, but also the stricter standards set by the Cleveland Clinic’s Eat Right at School program, which calls for less salt and more fiber than the federal guidelines.

In August, local residents joined in the national celebration of Julia Child’s 100th birthday, cooking her recipes and eating at restaurants where menus were created in her honor.

Lawson’s came back to U.S. soil. OK, it’s in Hawaii, and they aren’t selling the chip dip and chipped chopped ham, but it’s a start.

The number of local farmers markets continued to grow, and Kent’s Haymakers Market celebrated its 20th anniversary and its role as an early leader in the eat-locally movement.

In the Akron area, there was the usual mix of restaurants opening and closing and some significant anniversaries.

Cleveland chef Dante Boccuzzi opened dba (Dante Boccuzzi Akron) on Furnace Street in Akron, where Chrissie Hynde’s VegiTerranean used to be; Wally Waffle found a new home on West Market Street in Highland Square; and the Diamond Deli opened a second location in Cuyahoga Falls.

Chef Shawn Monday opened 3 Palms Pizzeria in Hudson, and El Rancho Mexican restaurant set up shop where Yocono’s used to be in Wallhaven.

Putting out the closed signs were Sugo Modern Italian Bistro in Cuyahoga Falls, the Firehouse Grill & Pub on Manchester Road, the Creperie in downtown Akron and Metro Burger in Highland Square. The Sandwich Board in Wallhaven closed and reopened within a few months.

Finally, some local icons found big reasons to celebrate.

Ray’s Place in Kent celebrated 75 years, Rocco’s Pizza in Cuyahoga Falls marked its 50th anniversary, and the Iacomini family, which operates Papa Joe’s in the Merriman Valley, marked 80 years running local restaurants and serving up Italian food.

Here’s hoping there’s a lot more food news to celebrate in 2013, and happy new year.

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.

Summit County’s largest employer is continuing its search for a bigger partner.

Summa Health System announced this year that it was seeking a larger, “like-minded” nonprofit health system to become its minority owner.

When the search was publicly confirmed by Summa officials in July, they said the health system could pick a potential partner or opt to go it alone by as soon as the end of this year.

Summa spokesman Mike Bernstein recently said the process of reviewing the health system’s options is “proceeding as planned.”

“We hope to have additional information to share in the near future, but there’s nothing new to report at this time,” he said. “We’re prepared to take the amount of time necessary to ensure the best decision for the organization and the community.”

Although Summa is financially strong, with revenue exceeding expenses in recent years, the health system is trying to be “proactive rather than reactive” in a changing health-care environment, President and Chief Executive Thomas J. Strauss previously said.

“We can survive and we can thrive on our own,” he said. “But if we’re going to be transformational, maybe it’s the right time to explore a partnership.”

Summa officials have repeatedly declined to identify any of the suitors. They also will not say whether Summa is narrowing its focus to the region or state or broadening its options nationwide.

Summa is Summit County’s largest employer, with about 8,100 people in its fully owned entities: Akron City, St. Thomas, Barberton and Wadsworth-Rittman hospitals, SummaCare insurance, a physician group and other businesses. Summa’s total employment is more than 11,000 if partially owned and affiliated ventures are included.

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

People Helping People is a list of charitable causes in our area that need donations or volunteers. The list ends New Year’s Day, but the charities’ needs do not. Please consider supporting the causes of your choice throughout the year.

Information about People Helping People and a list of causes already published can be found at www.ohio.com/charity.

Mobile Meals Inc., 1063 S. Broadway, Akron, OH 44311, provides hot and frozen meals, supplements and nutrition education to individuals of all ages who are at nutritional risk.

The organization seeks monetary donations in any amount. Donors are encouraged to participate in its Adopt-A-Senior program by giving these suggested amounts: $750 to provide meals for a senior for one year, $375 to provide meals for six months, $185 to provide meals for three months or $60 to provide meals for one month.

Contributions may be made by mail or at www.mobilemealsinc.org.

Mobile Meals also needs volunteers to deliver meals from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. weekdays and 8:30 to 11 a.m. Saturdays. Meals are picked up at a number of convenient locations, and each volunteer delivers to 10 to 15 households.

For information, contact Phil Marcin at 330-376-7717 or pmarcin@mobilemealsinc.org.

Interfaith Caregivers Program, 50 N. Prospect St., Akron, OH 44304, brings together volunteers of many faiths to help people with long-term health needs maintain their independence.

It is seeking volunteers to provide services primarily to homebound elderly people. Those services may include shopping for groceries, providing rides to medical appointments, doing light housework, running errands and providing companionship through visits or phone calls, as well as providing respite care for the primary caregivers.

Volunteers will receive training and can volunteer as their schedules permit.

In addition, the program needs monetary donations and volunteers to assist with administrative duties and fundraising. Checks made payable to Interfaith Caregivers may be mailed, and donations can also be made online at www.fiaakron.org.

For information, call Sandy Alexander at 330-922-1900 or email fiaakron@fiaakron.org.