The aroma of the Lucas Roasting Company micro-roastery in Broadway hits you like a Monday morning, as the orange walls glow behind the 150-pound sacks of whole coffee beans from across the globe.

Debbie Dunn-Frederick, a registered dietician, had never tried the 100-calorie snack packs featured near storefront counters.

By Skyline staff 

It\'s Christmas Eve and all thoughts are on Santa and his sleigh full of gifts. Fight boredom by staying busy with our suggestions for some fun-filled hours and Santa will be here in no time!

Happy Birthday, Jesus!

Fruit Kabobs

From Stephanie Diehl

Large pineapple

Small skewers (50 [6-inch] bamboo skewers)

Assorted fresh fruit (grapes, strawberries, star fruit and honeydew)

On Thanksgiving at Bridgewater Retirement Community, more than 200 independent living residents eat from a traditional buffet.

Tofu - just the thought of it can make some people\'s lips curl in distaste. But this versatile soy product can assume the flavor of just about any seasoning, making it a perfect addition to just about any dish.

Move over meat, there\'s a new kid in town and he\'s popping up all over downtown menus.

When customers at Dave\'s Taverna in Harrisonburg see that cinnamon is one of the main ingredients in the restaurant\'s \"pastitsio,\" a Greek-style lasagna, their reaction is almost always the same.

For 13-year-old 4-H member Jared Diehl, part of the fun of participating in the baking contests at the Rockingham County Fair is the spirit of competition.

Although Rosalba Alvardo has been serving traditional Peruvian food to Harrisonburg residents for almost two years, she still isn\'t sure they fully understand it.

When nights get crisp and leaves start to turn and it\'s time for Bergton\'s Martin Luther Lutheran Church to boil up a batch of apple butter, a church member calls Showalter\'s Orchard in Timberville to request Rome Beauty apples.

At the beginning of the school year, every new experience is preceded by a question. Do I try out for football or run cross country? Carry a tote bag or a backpack? Take notes with mechanical pencils or old-school No. 2's? Pay for hot lunch or brown-bag it?

Denyelle “Dede” Stroup can laugh now when she tells how her line of homemade pepper jellies and butters earned the name “Hell’s Kitchen.” But, she wasn’t laughing 15 or so years ago when she came up with a moniker for her burgeoning business.

When Howie Armstrong thinks about SPAM, he remembers his grandmother.

"It was something that Grandma fixed for lunch," he said. "She would just warm it in a skillet and have hot sandwiches with cheese, and it was good."

When Kathy Branner’s five children were growing up, planning meals that each would like was a challenge.

“You just keep looking to see what you can fix that they’ll like,” said Branner, 62.

For Jerry Will, most summer evenings boil down to this: hamburgers on the grill.

The tricky thing, when it comes to discussing fruits and vegetables, is that they're sort of like apples and oranges. Hard to compare.

The prime of the season is sometime about now, around the last week of April through the first week of May, when the nights stay relatively warm and the days don't get too hot.

Forget going green. Go orange. Or yellow. Oranges and grapefruits have more uses than you think. Yes, there's the sweet fruit underneath the peels. But don't toss the peels - eat them! Before you even think "gross," think "candied peels."

These are the in-between days of salad. It's too cold for fresh fruit and crisp lettuce. Yet, our winter comfort foods may be taking a toll on our waistlines. After all, it's been a long winter. If you are looking for a compromise, try a warm salad.

The main thing with an egg ... you can't rush [it]," says Mark Cubbage, standing in front of the sizzling grill at the L&S Diner. Too hot, too rushed and it gets too brown. A good egg has a little bit of brown, but just a little.

Fervet olla, vivit amicitia! That's an old Latin proverb meaning, "The man who gives good dinners has plenty of friends." It's true for some local restaurateurs, particularly those who came from other countries and knew few people initially.

It could be a new boy/girlfriend coming home for the first time or doctor's orders to watch the saturated fats, all amounting to quite a holiday season challenge: how to accommodate a vegetarian at the dinner table?

If there's one thing that defines a Shenandoah Valley celebration, it's food. Whether it's holiday office parties, church homecomings, birthday bashes or wedding receptions, chances are the events will feature tables laden with homemade goodies.

For even the most seasoned chefs, cooking Thanksgiving dinner for the family can be an intimidating proposition. But for Shari Mast, who will be making her debut as holiday chef for her extended family this year, it isn't all that scary - partially thanks to her slow cookers.

A cookbook that's not about cooking? It's not to say that Steve Wingfield's latest foray into the world of publishing doesn't have some great recipes. It's just that he wants you to think about food in a different way - as a communal experience between people.

Friday is Halloween. What costume will your food wear?

Though Elaine Warfel Stauffer, the woman behind Warfels Sweet Shoppe, is known for her creativity with confections, she didn't consider adding caramel apples to her repertoire until prompted by a customer about four years ago.

It's not yet 6 a.m., but Lois Wenger greets everyone with a smile. "What do you think?" she asks, sweeping dough-covered hands to take in the cozy confines of the Chicken Shack kitchen.

Friday nights in Timberville, a group of men assembles in Bev Arehart's garage to sit, sip and fib.

As September wanes and temperatures gradually drop, Harrisonburg bartenders are beginning to shift their drink menus from the fruity, icy concoctions of summer to the more tangy and warm drinks of autumn.

Squash is a traditional autumn vegetable, a staple on many dinner tables and restaurant menus once the leaves begin to turn and the air gets chilly.

When Andrea Early of Harrisonburg packs her child's lunch for preschool, she pours juice from a pitcher into a portable bottle. She packs a sandwich in a plastic container. She scoops applesauce into a smaller container.

Like the taste of wood-fired oven pizza?

So does Tassie Pippert. She likes it so much that 10 years ago she tried making it at home. Lacking a wood-fired oven was no problem. She used her outdoor grill.

There's so much more to topping popcorn than a little salt. Even butter by itself is boring. And adding plain old Parmesan cheese? Please.

Editor's Note: This is the second in an occasional series about the city's chefs. 

The blueberries are in. Blueberries are now in season here in the Valley. Depending on the weather, they will be for the next four weeks or so, says Sam Johnson of Keezletown.

WineStyles, a wine specialty shop on U.S. 33 East, will kick off its first “WineMaker Series” tasting June 27 with a visit from Italian winemaker Jorge Simonassi.

Past perpetually grabbed cereal boxes, peanut butter jars and chip bags lays a goldmine of forgotten goods. Columns of cans, cake mixes and sauce jars line the backs of countless pantry walls, destined to never see the light of day - yet they still dent your wallet.

Tart or sweet, alone or loaded with extras, people definitely have their preferences on how to make lemonade. But, there's one fact everyone can agree on: there's no substitute for fresh lemons.

Renee Canell used to drink the same kinds of wine all the time.

For instance, when her son told her Australian wines were good, she started drinking only Australian wines.

According to Shields Hood, this region of the country "is a Mecca for wine geeks ... it's one of the places outside of Napa Valley where you come to hone your skills," he said.

Finally, the Burg can satisfy its injera craving. After closing nearly a year ago, Blue Nile Ethiopian Cuisine has opened its new doors.

You don't know who's coming, what you'll be eating or if there will even be any food left when you get there. It's exactly as the members of the Harrisonburg Supper Club planned it.

Editor's Note: This is the first in an occasional series about the city's chefs. 

What happens when a botanist turns to cooking?

Tapas, small plates of food in bite-sized portions, are a culinary trend to fit any appetite.

For Nhat Nguyen's stomach, some days during Lent are more difficult than others. In particular, last March's spring break trip to Germany comes to mind.

If you have an afternoon with the kids, why not spent it making hard candy? With a little patience, supervision and creativity, you’ll have a fun group activity with a tasty outcome.

The transition is so fresh, even the employees are still getting used to it.

TIMBERVILLE - An elderly man living alone sits down to a dinner of pot roast with roasted garlic mashed potatoes. On a Tuesday night, a working mother serves lasa...

Of course, there are the truckers. But, she's also got her dance crew, her bowling alley crew, her newspaper crew and her girlfriend crew - that would be the drag queens. "Oh, they love me. They all love me...

Stuffed teddy bears are a soft and huggable reminder of a shared love. A large heart-shaped box of chocolates is a sweet gift. And what's more romantic than getting long-stemmed red roses on Valentine's Day?...

The cabbage surpasses all other vegetables. If, at a banquet, you wish to dine a lot and enjoy your dinner, then eat as much cabbage as you wish, seasoned with vinegar, before dinner, and likewise after...

If you resolved to be healthier in the New Year, don't worry about making time for the gym. All you have to do is eat Indian food. "We don't go on the treadmill, we just sweat it out here,&...

Tassie Pippert loves to roast vegetables.

"I serve them all the time," says P...

When it comes to what's going to be popular in the food industry in 2008, restaurateurs, chefs and grocers say this year will be all about the consumer taking control.

First, you plan.

That's the advice Debra Bontz has for all cooks heading into the holidays.

Versatile Butter Cookies

1½ cups sugar

It seems we really can't blame that old witch for getting so mad at Hansel and Gretel. Turns out, gingerbread houses can be really hard to make.

Take the time to try a few traditional holiday favorites this year, and make some new memories to treasure. Recipes provided by Diane Fink of Broadway.

There’s a reason why the foods we eat during the holidays are called comfort foods, says Janet Gloeckner, director of the Didactic Program in Dietetics at James Madison University. In an e-mail, she refers to “Food and Culture” by Kittler and Sucher to explain the appeal o...

Ahh, Thanksgiving. Turkey, dressing and …  what else?

Thanksgiving Day dinner has as many variations as there are families in the United States.

For ...

In most cases, going out to eat does not involve bringing a star-shaped clock, piggybank, deer head or vintage poster with you. But, if you’re going to the Artful Dodger, Bar-B-Q Ranch, Blue Stone Inn or Little Grill Collective, you just might bring one along.

Dave Miller was working at Jess’s Lunch in 1983 when he discovered Greek foods. Owner Gus Floros’s grandmother made food for the restaurant staff often, says Miller.

“I fell in love with the food,” says Miller. “I was passionate about...

Dinner guests at Esther H. Shank’s house often think they’re in for a fine dining experience.

“When people come here for dinner they expect a super-duper meal,” Shank says. “But I’m not a gourmet cook, I’m more into good old farm cook...

They’re named Howden, Cinderella and Jarrahdale, but you can call them Jack. With a few creative cuts, these pumpkins turn in to excellent jack-o’-lanterns.

Among 24 other varieties at Va...

Just beyond the aisles full of every kind of artificial flower imaginable, there is a small workspace notable for the faint scent of melted glue wafting through the air. Standing inside, Margaret Bolton, floral design specialist for Michael’s craft store, assembles her fif...

Eva Heatwole, 43, fondly recalls the fudge her grandmother used to make. A sweet confection, the fudge included a star ingredient: black walnuts. Heatwole, also remembers — less fondly — helping to harvest the walnuts, which included removing the outer hull to get to the t...

Nuts are a flavorful and simple addition to a variety of dishes. Here are a few recipes from all recipes.com that include traditional dishes to new ways to enjoy the taste and healthiness of nuts.

Coconut Pumpkin Nut Bread

For women like Jennifer Pence, the easier the recipe, the better.

Between teaching sixth grade special-education by day, pursuing a master’s degree and attending meetings at night, there’s not much time for complicated cooking, she sa...

Anna Reedy of Broadway has made pies for nearly 60 years. Her pies were so good, in fact, that, 25 years ago, civic organizations in Broadway and Timberville began ordering Reedy’s fruit and meringue pies for bake sale fundraisers. She’d often bake 20, 40 or more pies per ...

Even the guests from Baltimore had never heard of using crab shells to make bisque.

Frank Witt has been in the catering and restaurant business for nearly 20 years, yet, he admits he has no idea why people seem to love dipping sauces.

His family chose this week to visit grandma Laura Shockey of Dayton so t...

\"Althou...

It is, however, a special formula. This elixir — peanut oil, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice and an assort...

Anyone ...

When Donah Sandridge of Harrisonburg is on the go, needs to cool down or wants a quick pick-me-up, she often turns to her freezer for relief. There, she finds the frozen berries, melons, and other fruits she’ll use to create a creamy, tasty smoothie. A cup of yogurt, a s...

Still, when someone bites into Ruby Tuesday’s Colossal Burger they might not know what they’re getting, says Jayne Hurley, a registered dietician who works for the Center for Science in the Public Interest in Wa...

\"I think eggs are the most versatile food on earth,\" says Debra Bontz, instructor of restaurant caree...

The resulting tea is light and refres...

Every meal starts with a green salad. But don’t picture a cereal-bowl size salad. This is an extra large green salad with romaine lettuce, red cabbage, cucumbers, peppers, grape tomatoes, snap peas, c...

When Walter and Helen Southerly get the urge for an evening snack during the summer, they need look no further than their garden to ease their hunger. The Southerlys toast several slices of bread, slather them with butter, then add the crowning ingre...

Most folks w...

Sue Gibson eats a lot of yogurt. Sometimes, she and her husband spoon it out of a cup. Other times it’s plopped on the plate beside a salad.

Occasionally, she’ll turn it into tzatziki, the cool cucumber sauce that tops gyros.

Like a lot of people, the Rev. Phil Kniss loves a good cup of coffee.

Unlike many others, Kniss is willing to go through some trouble to get tasty java.

In Ethiopia, coffee is life.

“You make it three times a day, no matter what, and more if you have guests, said Mickey Arefaine manager of Blue Nile Ethipian restaurant. “It’s a major part of any social interaction.”

\"Don’t over-mix. [It] makes the crust tough. Some people use a little vine...

Dandelions are the bane of the dedicated homeowner. Those cheerfully yellow blossoms, anchored by deep-reaching taproots, have the ability to blanket an entire yard. Weeks later, a downy-soft invasion blows on the breeze, carrying the pesky weeds to other unsuspecting lawns.

Intrigued by the idea of picking your own wild greens? Before you head outdoors, heed these words of wisdom:

He sends someone to fetch a special hoe from the back of his truck — a friend fashioned this tool for him for just this task...

Ramp...

Butter a 1½-quart casserole and put i...

The weekend before Easter is a special time for Susan Harrison and members of the Mayland Christian Church in Broadway.

To honor the memory of Bob Pastorio, Massanutten Technical Center is starting a Bob Pastorio Culinary Arts Scholarship.

Pastorio, of Swoope, was known locally as a WSVA radio personality, food writer and restaurateur. He died April 1.

It’s hard to argue with his claim about your grandma’s favorite beverage: In the past 18 months, Harrisonburg has gotten two...

Editor’s Note: This is part one of a two-part series on situations that can affect diet. The first features life stages (e.g., marriage, having children, retirement, etc.), and the second features life changes (e.g., moving, new job, loss, and injury). <...

\"The Troubles\" as the guerilla war between Catholics...

Seventh-day Adventists not only encourage their members to eat ...

People in Northern Europe, S...

Oats: “A grain, which in England is generally given to horses, but in Scotland supports the people.”

(Dr. Samuel Johnson’s Dictionary, 1755).

Horses eat oats dry, plain and whole.

Valentine’s Day is the day designed to create lovely memories for the year to come. Call it the New Year of Love if you will. Ringing it in with your sweetheart can be as simple or elaborate as you prefer, but remember, the more thought you put in, t...

They get movies. Movies that make them laugh. Flicks that make them cry. Films that send shivers down their spines when shadows glid...

The dainty desserts are easy to make, don’t need to be cut and don’t dry out as fast as a regular cake, says bakery employee Christy Shank, making them very baker...

That’s shorthand for \"monosodium glutamate,\" though \"maligned somewhat gratuitously\...

Helping Jonathan make the transition is his mother, Rachel LaPorta of Harrisonburg...

Seriously, not anot...

Ahhh. The delicately sweet crisp of sugar cookies embellished with piped frosting. The comforting, earthy-tartness of cran...

Lamb.

It sounds impressive and alien — like something to be eaten by

For years, Susan Shifflett kept a large lazy Susan on her counter, crowded with jars of spices. As she cooked, she was always trying different spices. Sometimes she like...

If y...

Didot, who owns A Bowl Of Good...

Wearing a floral-print kimono, Mangiliman, 18, of Harrisonburg, described the touches that make Japan...

When he introduces himself to vi...

During t...

There’s one thing, though, t...

Now, the grass lot they park in is packed with grills, coolers, la...

Back will be serving up her corn cakes for the second year at the International Festival, to be held from noon to 6 p.m. ...

Storeowner Chris Stover understands. When the air cools in preparat...

Children are able quite young to master simple tasks of cooking, such as measuring and mixing, says ...

Melton, owner of Jim Melton’s Jerky Shopp...

When Dan Dreelin tells people he’s a leader with Boy Scout Troop 28 in Penn Laird they often ask what he eats on monthly campouts. S’mor...

F...

When family comes to visit each summer, Ernie Gearing does not stress over a complicated meal preparation. The Rockingham County resident simply heads south of Harrisonburg on U.S. 11, where several wooden flatbed wagons full of sweet corn await. Choosing with care, he p...

Wel...

It’s so American that in the early 20th century, immigrants entering Ellis Island in New Yo...

Ryan’s Fruit Market in Timberville offers locally grown peache...

What spice you choose to use or leave out of your cooking can have a great impact on those who eat – a...

The egg salad was yummy and creamy; it hit the spot on a hot summer’s afternoon. The burger you ate tasted just fine after the hours you spent tossing horseshoes and practicing your strokes in the swimming hole. That slice of banana cream pie put a sweet ending on a perf...

Summertime gadgets are everywhere. There are hotdog rollers, smoothie makers, ice cream makers, icy pop makers and grilling skillets, just to name a few. The best gadgets are inexpensive, useful and durable. These seasonal items create special treats, which make summer m...

The woman was older, and very Southern; \"she had the hat, the accent, everything,\" Furrow recalled. She wanted to order a cake for a bachelor...

Water Street Café opens for breakfast at 5:30 a.m. But long before that...

Whether you go for instant gratification or practice infinite self-restraint, you can find satisfaction in the palate-pleasing strawberry. The tasty red berry can do double duty, starring in a fresh shortcake dessert with tonight’s supper or adding springtime delight to ...

Dark green lettuces are bursting with vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and fiber, says Janet Gloeckner, associate professor of n...

\"Nine times out of 10 they mess it up, and sometimes ...

Carefully carrying her specialty Hummingbird Cake — a fruity confection flavored with the summery ingredients of pineapple, bananas and pecans, and covered with cream cheese icing, Hodges was also carryi...

It is a holiday s...

\"I always say if the colonel knew my recipe he’d be a g...

So far, Khochareun has picked up som...

1 cup...

And the enjoyment simply c...

Rick Dove was new to the food business, trying to cook for his first customers...

Wayne Armstrong of Grott...

As the story goes, the Japanese steakhouse tradition began in Manhattan in the 1970s when a chef began cooking in front of customers...

"You don’t have...

Simmons, of Verona, buys the sweet mandarin-grapefruit ...

Colorful heart-shaped boxes of candy and vases filled with red roses. Jewelry store deals and romantic dining. Expectant smiles and fluttering eyelashes.

It must be Valentine’s Day.

Since the cooks slather it in sauce anyway, you’d think they...

A week witho...

"The bagel [is] an unsweetened doughnut with rigor mortis."
— Beatrice and Ira Fre...

Like most people she knows, Shari Mast is a busy person. As a wife, mother to four children and a part-time physical therapist, Mast knows how easy it would be to rely on fast-food takeout for a family meal.

"It’s probably fiction," she said. "But eight...

"People eat it...