Posted by Sheryl Kirby in news and media, what's cooking on August 1, 2007 at 7:57 pm

In these stinking hot first days of August, who feels like cooking? Or eating for that matter? The small plates craze - especially when the dishes are cold or room temperature - is perfect for weather like this. At the Toronto Star, Eric Vellend discusses tapas, how to do them authentically, and better yet, how to do them at home. The piece is accompanied by a selection of recipes.

Also in the Star, Linda Barnard visits Dun Huang, a Cantonese restaurant in Richmond Hill, Jean LaMantia compares iced coffee drinks, Gordon Stimmell looks at some old and new world wines, and Francine Kopun looks at how personal chefs might just be worth the cost to busy families.

At the Globe and Mail, chef David Lee sings the praises of wild blueberries and how well they hold up in the freezer. If Chef Lee ever finds himself in Halifax, I suggest he look up my Mom who would be more than happy to hand him a Tupperware juice jug and send him back into the woods for hours of back-breaking labour under the beating August sun with orders to stay in the woods until said juice jug is filled - and don't forget to keep an eye out for bears. Then we'll see how much he likes wild blueberries. But yes... they are delicious and freeze really well.

Also in the Globe, Ian Brown looks at how foodies are flocking to NASCAR, and Beppi Crosariol explores the world of kamut and how pasta-makers in Italy are going crazy for it. Crosariol also enjoys some cold dry sherry.

Rita DeMontis of the Toronto Sun looks at the Purple Sweetie sweet potato and the two gentlemen who run the importing company that brings the sweetie and other tropical fruits into Canada. DeMontis also looks at this weekend's Caribana festival and the variety of foods that will be available. Elizabeth Baird previews various food events such as the World's Longest BBQ.