Fresh

I'm confused about choosing a color to paint my kitchen. I've heard that green is the color of the year. And then I hear about gray being the new neutral. What are the best colors to paint the kitchen? A kitchen should be an inviting gathering space, so warmer or brighter tones are ideal, such as deep ivories, rich coppers, luscious reds, golden yellows and yellow-greens. Be sure to take countertops, appliances and floors into consideration when selecting your color. You'll want something that complements these accents and flows naturally into the surrounding rooms of your home.

When the storm of administration scandals first hit President Barack Obama, he offered a good impersonation of Claude Raines in "Casablanca," expressing shock that gambling was going on in Rick's saloon. His verbal outrage at the snooping of the IRS and his Justice Department was intense, but not very reassuring. That's why the next day he announced the dismissal of the acting IRS director as a quick response to the disclosure of the tax agency's intrusion, which was reminiscent of the Watergate era. But on Thursday, Mr. Obama declined to apologize for his administration's reactions to the Benghazi terrorist attacks and for the secret scrutinizing of Associated Press reporters' phone calls.

For those who fear food poisoning: Someday, packages of frozen food may carry little gauges that certify the food inside is still fresh, just as battery packages carry indicators that show the batteries are fully charged.Scientists at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, N.M., have developed a package indicator that changes color when a package of food defrosts during shipment and then is refrozen. This provides a warning to consumers that the food may not taste fresh when prepared or might even harbor disease.

In the first week of her reporting internship for a horse-racing newspaper, Gabby Gaudet nervously approached one of the most celebrated figures in the sport. "Can you tell me how you first got involved in the game?" she asked Kelly Breen, who trained the winner of the 2011 Belmont Stakes. "Terrible question. Get back to me when you think of a better one," he replied.  She flinched but thought fast. "How about if I ride your horse?" she asked. He said yes, they fell to talking, and the story she wrote ran above the fold in The Saratoga Special.

Boston. -- The fog had fallen over the Labor Day coast like a curtain officially bringing down the summer season. We followed it south, bumper to bumper, riding from vacation to home, passing through tollgates that marked time off from time on.By the next morning, the curtain had lifted in one horizontal line onto a new scene and season. The country sounds of gulls and foghorns had been replaced by the urban sounds of cars, radios and alarms.To someone who will forever regard the first day of school as the real first day of the real new year, the city seemed momentarily in sync.

Remember when mozzarella meant a brownish-yellow cheese that was low-moisture rubbery? A firm, cut-it-with-a-sharp-blade lasagna ingredient? Thanks to cheese pioneers such as Paula Lambert, now fresh mozzarella cozies up next to cheddar and Jack in the marketplace. Its soft texture and bedsheet-white appearance have become commonplace, sold refrigerated floating in whey-and-water baths in small plastic tubs. Twisted into braids, balls or knots, fresh mozzarella has musical, polysyllabic names like bocconcini, ovolini and ciliegini.

Among the attractions at the Shoppes at Shipley's Grant are a Starbucks, a Cold Stone Creamery and a Coal Fire pizza restaurant. Coal Fire is not a part of a chain - at least not yet - but I think most visitors would assume it is. It has the rosy suburban looks, streamlined menu and commitment to quality ingredients that customers have come to expect from fast-casual chains. Coal Fire is a project of the folks behind Nottingham's tavern, and they have obviously worked hard to develop this concept.

More than 100 people showed up for the recent opening of the newest summer Farmers' Market in Anne Arundel County. It is open for business in Edgewater from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursdays through Sept. 28. Previously in downtown Annapolis on Calvert Street, the fresh produce market relocated to Main Street in South River Colony. "That move was at the request of the vendors," said Lisa Barge, the agricultural, marketing and development manager at the Anne Arundel Economic Development Corp.

I remember, as a child, sitting on our kitchen counter top and watching Grandma Gambino create her homemade breads, sauces, pastas and homemade pizzas. The aroma would linger in our home. Her marinara sauce was heaven. Italian heaven. She would always start with the freshest, most ripe tomatoes. I can still see her squeezing the tomato seeds out by hand. She would add to the tomatoes a little fresh basil, onion, olive oil, oregano, garlic and her secret - a little fresh pureed carrot juice for sweetness.

Face facts: Nothing beats fresh fruit as a healthy dessert. It's ++ low in calories and sodium, high in fiber and vitamins, has no cholesterol and is naturally sweet.A perfectly ripe fruit can taste as delicious -- well, almost as delicious -- as a rich chocolate-filled, butter-laden flaky pastry. The trouble is that fruit rarely seems special or festive. Yet no rule requires fresh fruit to be dull. A little imagination and ingenuity transform fruits to treats.Simplest is sliced fresh fruit artfully arranged on a beautiful platter.

The dogwood trees are beginning to bloom, the air is warm and free of humidity, and residents everywhere are breaking out their long-dormant shorts and sandals. It's spring and the start of picnic season. From state and county parks to amphitheaters and nature centers, the county is filled with scenic places to enjoy an open-air meal that combines food and friends with nature. To help narrow your search, we've listed nine of the county's best picnic areas. Some are well-known spots while others might surprise you. So what are you waiting for?

The menu at Bel Air's Pairings Bistro changes throughout the year, evolving to highlight the best products from each season. This spring, Chef/owner Jon Kohler is serving small, succulent spring chickens, roasted and served with fresh peas and local mushrooms. Pairings Bistro 2105 Laurel Bush Road | Suite 108 | Bel Air, MD 21015 410-569-5006 | pairingsbistro.com Roast Poussin with Wild Mushrooms and Spring Pea Ragout Serves 6 Poussins: 6 poussins (spring chickens, preferably from KCC Natural Farms in Forest Hill)

Annapolis is swimming in wine bars these days. The choices include the deeply cool Red Red Wine on Main Street, Justin Moore's food-forward Vin 909 over in Eastport and the accessibly cozy Grapes Wine Bar on Forest Drive. Crush Kitchen and Winehouse got there first, though, back in 2010, when it opened on West Street as Crush Winehouse. Crush is a big, inviting space, loud and lively, with a smartly arranged layout of banquettes, four-tops and high tables.

- Arriving at the site of the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament, Maryland swingman Dez Wells began thinking about the most memorable players - Juan Dixon, Jay Williams, Shane Battier - he had watched in the tournament as a young fan who was more than a little star struck. Years ago, Wells sent a letter to Williams, the former Duke star who was the tournament's most valuable player in 2000. Asked what the letter said, Wells, who is from Raleigh, N.C., replied with a sheepish smile: "I wish I could be like you. " That's the thing about the ACC tournament - its tradition has a way of energizing players, particularly the younger ones.

Surprise turned into joy as Baltimore Catholics celebrated the election of the first Latin American and first Jesuit pope, saying it offered an often-hidebound church a chance for rejuvenation. "One time, John Paul the Great called America, meaning North, Central and South America, the continent of hope," said Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori. "I can only imagine the hopes and the joy that is welling up in the hearts of Hispanic Catholics here in the archdiocese and all over the country.

Willow manages to be a lot of things all at once. The Fells Point restaurant, opened in July by the team behind RYE and Stuggy's, shares its name with the graceful weeping willow tree. With gray walls, hanging lanterns and gauzy curtains, Willow's interior is in sync with the moody look of its namesake. The space - like the staff - is casual but stylish. Willow's menu, on the other hand, is full of fresh takes on Tex-Mex and bar-friendly pizzas and burgers. Flavors occasionally veer into sophisticated territory, but overall, the food is straightforward, fun and approachable.

When other people say things you agree with, they are brilliant. That is how I felt about Molly O'Neill recently after spending time with the New York Times food writer and author of "A Well-Seasoned Appetite" (Viking, $26).We agreed the way to live a happy life is to buy fresh food, cook it with care, and eat it in a pleasant setting surrounded by friends or family. The dictum may sound simple, but putting it into practice often requires effort.Beeping frozen chicken dinners in a microwave oven is, for example, easier than taking the time to prepare a supper of lime-marinated chicken served on top of fresh, creamed corn.

FRESH PRODUCE is one of the glorious benefits of summer and can be found at Sykesville Farmers' Market, which began operating two weeks ago.The market is held in the parking lot of Baldwin's Station Restaurant in downtown Sykesville, off Route 32. Fresh strawberries, peas, perennial flowers and seeds, honey, and other early spring crops can be found at the market. Garden statuary and decorative stone products also are available.Seven local vendors offer produce and products, and the number is expected to grow as more farmers and growers bring fresh-picked crops to the market.

We knew these were coming, but they managed to open without our noticing. We need some new scouts. Stone Mill Bakery opened a second cafe a few months ago in the Stevenson Village Shopping Center. It operates much like the one in Green Spring Station , except there's no dinner service and none planned for now. Ordering is done at a counter, but the food is delivered to the table. The cafe is open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. And last month, Greg Nalley opened his second Nalley Fresh location on Schilling Circle in Hunt Valley.

Lawyers for the man convicted of killing Phylicia Barnes are again seeking to undermine the credibility of a small-time criminal who provided key state testimony in his trial, citing a letter from Montgomery County prosecutors detailing James McCray's removal as a witness in a separate murder case. The information, sent to Baltimore prosecutors on the day after Michael Maurice Johnson was found guilty of killing the visiting North Carolina teen, contains statements that the defense says shows McCray — whom they described at trial as a "jailhouse snitch" — is not reliable.