Mixture

Last fall I led a group of good friends on a weeklong wine-and-food tour through Burgundy. During our short stay in this eastern area of France, we visited wineries during the day and dined in restaurants in the evening. It had been a long time since I had traveled in this region, and I had forgotten just how delicious Burgundian food is. Night after night, the chefs amazed my companions and me with their incredible creations. Such dishes as a terrine of foie gras and smoked duck breast served in one restaurant and a savory gateau of guinea fowl and fresh artichokes offered in another were true works of art, but were too complex to reproduce in my home kitchen.

In a career spanning more than half a century, New York architect Hugh Hardy says he has never worked on an arts-related project like the one his office is designing in Maryland: Harford County's $60 million Center for the Arts. What sets it apart, Hardy said, is the bucolic setting and the mixture of cultural spaces and other facilities that will be under one roof. It's not just an arts center, he says. "It's a community center. It will always have a foundation in the arts. But it's a true community center.

Light snow was expected to begin falling by 8 a.m. today around the Baltimore metropolitan area, changing to a mixture of sleet and freezing rain by midmorning and making for hazardous travel conditions throughout the region during the evening commute. The National Weather Service has issued a 24-hour winter weather advisory beginning today at 7 a.m. for the city and Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Harford and Howard counties and an ice storm warning for northern Baltimore, Carroll and Frederick counties.

Mr. Ray Nilsson died in an upstairs bedroom in my house early Monday morning around 2:35 a.m., which was nothing he or I contemplated back when I married his daughter, but life takes us down some mighty interesting roads. If he'd had his choice, he probably would've died in the woods around his log cabin in northern Wisconsin, ax in hand, splitting wood — a big whump in the chest and the sky spins and you fall off the planet — or in his library, reading American history and listening to Schubert, or maybe in Sweden, walking around and listening to the beautiful language of his mother and, Whump, get run over by a Volvo.

I am planning to reseed my front lawn in September. Should I use one type of grass seed, or would it be better to use a seed mixture? Some argue that planting one variety of seed produces a more consistent lawn with good even color and uniform growth. While this is true, the uniformity can create some other problems. For example, if the variety you plant is susceptible to a particular disease or insect pest, the entire lawn can be damaged or killed when it is attacked. On the other hand, if you plant a mixture of three or more grasses, a few of them will likely be resistant to the disease or insect and will survive any attack.

The cheese souffle was created in France in the late 1800s, before people became aware of the health risks of a fat-rich diet.A classic cheese souffle is made with a trio of fattening ingredients -- eggs, butter and cheese -- which make up 68 percent of the calories in the dish. There are few ingredients, other than a splash of milk and a few tablespoons of flour, to cut the proportion of fat. A single serving has more than 18 grams of fat and 246 calories.However, with a little tweaking, even souffle can be made lighter.

Diane Van Bleikom of Johnstown, Pa., requested a recipe for a Spinning Bowl Salad. "It was a featured item at the Twentieth Century Restaurant in Youngstown, Ohio, which closed about 10 years ago," she wrote. "I'm hoping someone has the recipe, which was fabulous." From Audrey Feldkamp of Marengo, Ill., came the recipe and a touch of its history. Feldkamp wrote, "Actually, this recipe was a longtime trademark of the Blackhawk restaurant in Chicago, and they still make it today at their restaurant in Wheeling, Ill. It has a long speech that goes with it about the number of ingredients ... [and]

Marie Disney of Baltimore wrote: "I'm sad that I didn't pay attention when my mother was making her recipe for rice custard pudding. She made it on top of the stove. ... My family wants me to make it but I cannot find a recipe which does not call for baking it. Would someone please help?" Her answer came from Dianne Bucolo of Ellicott City. "I am responding to the request for a rice custard pudding cooked on top of the stove. The recipe that follows is one that I have been making for many years.

Teen-agers in Baltimore County are being warned by police and Students Against Drunk Driving about a powerful drug that is a mixture of the volatile hallucinogens LSD and PCP.Police have also asked teen-agers to help them track down the distributor of the lethal mixture.Five students in the county were hospitalized in February and another two in March, according to Michael Gimbel, coordinator of the county Office of Substance Abuse. Two of the students remain hospitalized at the Sheppard and Enoch Pratt Hospital.

Grilled Duck Breasts With Cassis Glaze Over Carrot Salad Serves 4 -- Total time: about 40 minutes 2 skinless duck breast halves 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon fruit vinegar or red-wine vinegar 1 teaspoon each: dried thyme leaves, salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil 1/2 red onion, minced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup chicken broth 1/4 cup cassis (black-currant liqueur) or currant preserves 1 bag (8 ounces) shredded carrots 1/4 cup currants Place duck breasts in shallow bowl.

Colonial Players is a rarity among local nonprofit community theaters: financially secure and supported by a large subscriber base. This all-volunteer company has fewer expenses than other local performing groups and can afford to venture into bold new directions. For its 61st season, Colonial Players mixes classic plays with cutting-edge theater. The first step in embarking on a new season is selecting the plays. Aware that "not all shows will please everybody," CP president Carol Youmans said, "we try to create a slate that is important to actors and directors."

As spring approaches, I thought we'd do a fun consult with the folks at McCormick & Co. on things you didn't know you could do with food coloring. Here are a few things kids ages 7-12 might enjoy creating. (McCormick, of course, recommends using McCormick Assorted Food Color): * Funny Putty. Start with a cup of white glue in a plastic container. Add 1 cup liquid starch a little at a time, stirring constantly, along with any color of the food coloring, until the mixture is rubbery. Store in an airtight container.

Thai green curry with chicken offers an appealing mixture of sweet and hot flavors. The curry paste has peppery, often fiery, notes, and a coconut milk sauce adds a gratifying creamy richness. The slices of chicken tossed with few bamboo shoots, some basil, a handful of sliced carrots, and maybe some eggplant and peas, give you a pleasing, potent dish served over rice. Among the thicket of Thai restaurants in Baltimore, I found three winning examples. Thai Restaurant Address --3316 Greenmount Ave. Phone --410-889-6002 Hours --Lunch: 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; Dinner: 5 p.m.-10 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 5 p.m.-10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 5 p.m.-10 p.m. Sunday An artful, if mild, mixture of chicken and vegetables, including eggplant, for $13.75.

Ingredients: CAKE: one 12-ounce can evaporated milk 1 1/4 cups whole milk, plus more if needed 2 boxes Duncan Hines butter-cake mix 2 sticks butter 8 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla ICING: 2 sticks butter two 12-ounce cans evaporated milk 8 heaping tablespoons unsweetened cocoa 2 pounds confectioners' sugar Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix evaporated milk and enough whole milk to make 2 3/4 cups. Place cake mixes, butter, eggs, vanilla and half of the milk mixture in a large mixing bowl.

A bona fide chocoholic, I adore Valentine's Day, when I can indulge in my favorite ingredient without guilt. When February rolls around, I start thinking about what chocolate confection to prepare. This year, I have decided to make one of those luscious dark-chocolate flourless cakes. I recently spotted a recipe in a French cookbook for one that had a slightly different twist. What caught my attention was the fact that the sugar was first caramelized, then diced butter and chopped chocolate were stirred into the hot liquid until they melted.

What's the difference between butterscotch and caramel? Before I answer, let's pause and say it together: "Mmmmm. Butterscotch." You just don't see enough butterscotch these days. So what's the difference? Technically, caramel is granulated sugar that has been melted and heated until it is brown but not burned, ranging from 320 to 350 degrees. You can add water to make it thinner, and you can add cream or milk to make soft caramel. (Add them carefully, though - hot sugar sputters like sugar lava.

Addie Little of Baltimore requested help in finding a recipe for Jamaican Rum Cake. Melva Kardos of Red River, N.M., submitted a recipe from Gourmet magazine. Jamaican Rum Cake Makes 2 cakes (see Laura Reiley's comments) 1 pound raisins, minced 1 pound pitted prunes, minced 1 pound dried currants, minced 1 pound glace (candied) cherries, minced 6 ounces glace (candied) lemon peel, minced 6 ounces glace (candied) orange peel, minced 1 bottle (750 milliliters) Manischewitz Concord Grape wine 1 bottle (750 milliliters)

As spring approaches, I thought we'd do a fun consult with the folks at McCormick & Co. on things you didn't know you could do with food coloring. Here are a few things kids ages 7-12 might enjoy creating. (McCormick, of course, recommends using McCormick Assorted Food Color): * Funny Putty. Start with a cup of white glue in a plastic container. Add 1 cup liquid starch a little at a time, stirring constantly, along with any color of the food coloring, until the mixture is rubbery. Store in an airtight container.

For Cincinnati, 2006 was a very bad year - a record 83 homicides vaulted the Ohio city into eighth place among America's most murderous cities. But instead of despairing, police and residents collaborated on a campaign to stem the rising violence with a combination of basic police work and innovative efforts to promote civil behavior. By this weekend, Cincinnati (population 330,000) was finishing 2007 with just 63 slayings so far.

Katherine Kruckel of Salisbury, N.C., was looking for a recipe that she was given years ago for a faux fruitcake made with gumdrops in place of the traditional candied fruit. Kruckel says that "it was a fruitcake recipe for those who hate fruitcake." Doretha Barnes of Glen Burnie sent in her recipe for Gumdrop Cake, which she thought might be close to what Kruckel wanted. I think it's a nice twist on the old-fashioned favorite - and great for anyone who has an aversion to the real thing.