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The St. James luxury condominium homes and Baltimore-area celebrities joined forces recently to share summer entertaining secrets while raising money for charity. "A Perfect Setting" which takes place throughout the St. James decorated models, located at 3704 N. Charles St., runs through June 10.The event, open to the public and free of charge, features seasonal tabletops and patio set-ups designed by local celebrities. The St. James will make a donation to the charity of each participating celebrity's choice, such as Animal Rescue, The Baltimore School for the Arts and House of Ruth-Baltimore Inc. For more information call 467-3704.

It's soft-shell crab season in Maryland. Benjamin Erjavec, executive chef of the Oceanaire Seafood Room in Harbor East, has this simple way to dress them up. CORNMEAL-CRUSTED MARYLAND SOFT-SHELL CRABS WITH TARRAGON BEURRE BLANC Serves 6 as an appetizer or 3 as a main course 6 soft-shell crabs, cleaned 2 cups buttermilk 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns 1 bay leaf 1 tablespoon chopped garlic 1/2 cup white wine 1/4 cup heavy cream 1/2 pound...

It's that blessed time of year when dinner is simple and fun - when every night can be a cookout. But let's face it. An endless rotation of plain grilled chicken, fish and meat gets a bit boring. That's why we created an array of marinades guaranteed to keep your summer sizzling with flavor. With a little time - and virtually no effort - you can have chicken imbued with orange and thyme, shrimp with pineapple and chipotle peppers, or eggplant redolent of miso and ginger. To get started, here are marinades to suit any mood, suggestions for how to use each one and a chart of marinating and grilling times.

Kids and cooking go together like Christmas and mistletoe.Here's a recipe that kids can help make, but be warned that it is not edible (but it's fun to make). Yes, the amount of cinnamon in the recipe is correct; some supermarkets and food co-ops sell cinnamon in bulk.Scented cinnamon ornaments1 4-ounce can (approximately 1 cup) cinnamon1 tablespoon cloves1 tablespoon nutmeg3/4 cup applesauce2 tablespoons white glueRibbonCombine the cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Add applesauce and glue; stir to combine.

Mildred E. Rickel of Bridgeville, Pa., requested a recipe for a salmon spread. She wrote: "Years ago, there was a salmon-spread recipe going around and I had a copper fish mold for it and I still do, but I no longer have the recipe. I would appreciate your help." Her response came from Jesse L. Ault of Gibson Island, who called her recipe Festive Salmon Spread. Festive Salmon Spread Makes 2 1/2 cups one 1-pound can salmon 1 tablespoon chopped capers 2 tablespoons bottled horseradish 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley 1/2 cup mayonnaise salt and pepper to taste Carefully remove any bits of bone from salmon and flake it into a big bowl.

Author David "Mas" Masumoto, a short, square 52-year-old with a quick smile and work-hardened hands, is probably the most famous fruit farmer in America. His peaches, which are almost entirely sold to restaurants and a few select markets, are featured by name on some of the finest menus in the country -- Chez Panisse in Berkeley, Calif., the French Laundry in Napa Valley, Calif., and Per Se in Manhattan. The peaches, grown in California's Central Valley, have been selected for the "Ark of Taste" of fruits and vegetables recognized by the international organization Slow Food.

Now that we've had a stretch of sizzling weather, it's time to sizzle some shrimp -- or, as we say in Baltimore, "shrimps" -- on the grill. Even though you can cook them in almost any season, I prefer to wait until it is "barefoot weather" to start grilling my "shrimps." That is because I associate grilled shrimp with spending a week at the beach; a stretch of time when footwear and most outwear is minimal. I won't be bound for the beach for several weeks, but the recent stretch of hot weather got me thinking about the ocean, kicking off my shoes and grilling some shrimps.

Making egg rolls from scratch is what Marlene Bauer of Brandon, S.D., wants to do. Carolyn E. Katkus of Crystal Lake, Ill., responded to her request with a recipe and two variations.Katkus wrote, "Several years ago I took private cooking lessons from a lady who was taught at the Shanghai Culinary Institute. I have enclosed the recipes she gave us and had us make. I suggest you purchase the wrappers. The better ones are the Philippine ones, which are much thinner. My husband and I make big lots of egg rolls, partially cook them, and freeze them in small units, usually four.

Sweet 50Fifty years ago World War II was raging in Europe, and back home in Baltimore, rationing kept items such as butter and sugar short supply. But that didn't stop John E. Hergenroeder from opening a bakery on Belair Road and serving up cakes and turnovers to a public hungry for a small, sweet respite. He milled his own powdered sugar from granulated sugar and worked color into the margarine to make it look more like butter.This week Hergenroeder's Woodlea Bakery is celebrating its 50th anniversary at that location with drawings, price rollbacks and a reprise of some of those items that '40s-era customers craved -- "Victory" layer cakes made with brown sugar (white sugar was rationed)

Would you really want to ring in the new year with drinks and a crockpot of cocktail wieners, simmering in a weird concoction of mustard and grape jelly that was supposed to imitate barbecued sausages?No way.Much has changed since the olden days. Today's party fare reflects current eating and cooking styles; the setting is less rigid and the options more diverse as ethnic influences have expanded our culinary options. Bite-size tastes have become the party nibbles of choice, and who doesn't love to nosh on an assortment of delicious goodies?