FEATURES

The Gift of good deeds
Spotlighting some worthy local causes
In the wake of the news coming out of New Orleans in September, one could only hope that those images of hungry and thirsty, exhausted and ill, very young and frail elderly, homeless and heartsick Americans would remain in people's minds as the year turned toward winter and residents of every state experienced those same conditions.
BY JOHNETTE RODRIGUEZ

The Season's Seasonings
The Taste Of Tradition.
As the American food landscape has shifted from year to year, cooks and diners alike have become interested in trying out new dishes, and they become particularly adventurous during the holidays. As "new American cooking" has come to the fore, with its emphasis on fresh ingredients, unusual or little-known veggies and herbs have been discovered at local farmers' markets and coops. And, as low-fat and low-carb concerns have drifted down from specialty diets to grocery shelves, home bakers have begun to experiment with whole grain flours and less-refined sweeteners.
BY JOHNETTE RODRIGUEZ

Better to give
Ten books that will set you apart come gift-giving time
The gift book is an odd beast. No one is supposed to go into a bookstore and buy a $75 book for themselves. No. Books like that are created to be the safe bet when buying someone a present.

Inspect a gadget
Plug in, turn on, press play - for less than 300 bucks
Each year, the mainstream media proclaims the holiday season "The Year of the Gadget." As the mainstream media's b.s. detector, we are here to tell you that this is the first bona fide Year of the Gadget.
BY RYAN STEWART

Toy glory
Be the cool aunt or the deranged uncle this holiday season
Let the other folk in your family buy the iDog or the RoboRaptor. You're going to get gifts the kids will actually remember - for better or worse.
BY BILL JENSEN