More than 250 domestic and international wines will be available to taste at the Cleveland Wine Festival that runs June 26th & 27th downtown. Live music will be featured and cooking demos will take place during the event as well. Here is the information from their website:

Voinovich Bicentennial Park
800 E. 9th St, Cleveland, OH 44114
Dates/Times

June 26 & 27, 2009

Friday, June 26
4:00PM to 10:00PM
Ticket sales end at 8:30PM, alcohol sampling and
sales end at 9:30PM

Saturday, June 27
1:00PM to 8:00PM
Ticket sales end at 6:30PM, alcohol sampling and
sales end at 7:30PM

Flowers are always the number gift for moms on Mothers Day but if you are looking to stay traditional while also being unique there is an alternative this year - cookies you can eat.Cookies by Design will get you ready for May 10th will their assortment of brightly colored, tulip-shaped cookies which will be displayed in a vase (that will hopefully still be in place by the time you get to visit).

"We've taken flowers to a new level," explains Gwen Willhit who founded Cookies by Design in the press release announcing the cool product . She continues, "Each edible floral arrangement, made of freshly baked cookies, is hand-crafted by our cookie decorators. Once Mom finishes enjoying the beauty of her flowers, she can then enjoy the taste of these delicious sugar cookies."

While I will probably stick with traditional gift of flowers, I have to admit that these look rather neat. If they are as tasty as they look, it will be a sure winner if you plunk down the bouquets that start at less than $15.

While many local restaurants are struggling to stay afloat in this sluggish economy, Cleveland's own "Iron Chef" winner Michael Symon, is making plans to open two new restaurants in Northeast Ohio. The new restaurants will be located in the suburbs of Cleveland, and will feature menus that are different from those at his existing restaurants, Lola and Lolita.

Bar Symon will open in June in Avon Lake where the old Swingos Grand Tavern once was. It described as a casual and comfortable tavern, and will feature rotisserie items ranging from $9 to $18. The drink menu will feature 100 beers from around the world, 40 of them artisinal brews available on tap, and a wine list of about 25 bottles.

On the east side, Symon plans to open up The B Spot in Woodmere, a former Cold Stone Creamery location. Here Symon says that the emphasis will be on simple foods, and that the menu will include "maybe 10 burgers plus fries, milkshakes, a couple of salads and around 20 beers on tap."

This fall you'll also be able to pick up the chef's first cookbook - "Symon Says: Live to Cook" - which he co-authored with Michael Ruhlman of Cleveland Heights.

You can still get your nachos, but now you'll have healthier options too.

Eating at the ballpark used to mean hot dogs, hamburgers, greasy fries, and nachos loaded with cheese. Now, with more consumers concerned and conscious of the foods that they are eating, there has been an increased demand for a healthier ballpark menu. Recognizing this, the Cleveland Indians teamed up with the Cleveland Clinic to create a new, healthier menu of choices for those heading down to Progressive Field this season.

Under the new Go! Foods program, Progressive Field will begin serving foods that have zero grams of trans fat; less than four grams per serving of saturated fat, added sugars or syrups; 100% whole grains; and 600 milligrams or less of sodium.

Before you say "yuck", we've been assured that the foods actually taste good, despite missing all those staples of delicious, not-good-for-you dishes. The Cleveland Clinic has tested the food for taste, so we're pretty confident that you won't be eating snacks that taste like cardboard if you venture to try one of the new healthy food options.

A new study out of Australian has found that a small portion of mushrooms every day may slash the risk of breast cancer by two-thirds. Researchers found that women who at about 1/3 of an ounce of fresh mushrooms daily were 64 percent less likely to develop a fatal tumor.

Dried mushrooms were found to have a slightly less protective effect, and reduced risk by around half.

Researchers at the University of Western Australia in Perth came to these conclusions after analyzing the eating habits of more than 2,000 women in China. Half of them suffered from breast cancer. They concluded that “Higher intake of mushrooms decreased cancer risk in both pre- and post-menopausal Chinese women.”

Some evidence suggests that mushrooms behave in a similar way to breast cancer drugs which are called aromatase inhibitors and block the body's production of oestogen, a cancer-feeding hormone.

Another recent study also showed that mushrooms may help significantly with weight loss. Researchers found that trading meat for fungus in four meals a week as a part of a balanced diet saw people shed an average of 12.7lbs. in just five weeks.

Valentine's Day is just a few short days away, which means it's time to start thinking about what you're going to make your sweetheart for dinner. Chef Andrew Schloss, author of more than 14 cookbooks, has been kind enough to share with us his top choices and recipes for a delicious romantic dinner.

Entrees

* Pan-Grilled Rosemary Lamb Chops
* Beef Burgundy
* Chicken Risotto with Basil and Parmesan
* Tuscan-Style Pasta with Cannellini *
* Broiled Salmon with Olive Tomato Vinaigrette

Appetizers, Sides and Salads

* Watercress-Citrus Salad with Grilled Figs *

* Bowtie Salad Primavera with Fresh Basil and Toasted Pine Nuts
* Vegetable Pilaf
* Escarole Salad with Roasted Tomatoes and Warm White Bean Vinaigrette
* Savory Potatoes
* Mixed Endive Salad with Vanilla-Pear Vinaigrette and Toasted Walnuts

Desserts

* Red Satin Cake with Peaches and Raspberries *
* Vanilla Ice Cream with Peaches and Gingered Cherry Sauce
* Raspberry-Peach Melba
* Pear And Ginger Crisp

Drinks

* Ginger-Pear Martini *
* Grapefruit-Lime Daiquiri
* Pomegranate Sherbet Shake (non-alcoholic) *

(see recipes below)

If you're looking for the perfect dessert or appetizer to make for your sweetie this Valentine's Day, consider this recipe for Coeur a La Creme with fresh raspberry compliments of the Black Sheep Inn of Western New York. One of the Inn's signature dishes, Coeur a La Creme is delicious and easy to make.

Ingredients-
Coeur a la creme:

4 ounces cream cheese, softened or mascarpone cheese
1/3 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar, or to taste
1/8 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Pinch salt

Topping:

1/3 cup frozen raspberries, thawed
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Special equipment: 2 (1/3 cup) ceramic coeur a la creme molds and cheesecloth
1/3 cup sour cream or whole milk cream on top yogurt
1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar, or to taste
1/8 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, with a bit of the rind grated in
Pinch sea salt

Topping:
1/3 cup fresh or frozen raspberries, thawed (other berries are a delicious change if you prefer
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Special equipment: 2 (1/3 cup) ceramic Coeur a la creme molds and cheesecloth

Directions:

If you're amongst the many people who'd like to avoid heading out to a restaurant this year to celebrate Valentine's Day, and cooking just isn't your thing, we've got the perfect solution for you. Introducing Chef Eric Wells, a personal chef, caterer, and culinary instructor from the Cleveland area specializing in preparing intimate dinners for two.

So instead of eating out or struggling through preparing a meal of your own, Chef Wells can prepare for you a romantic, 4-course meal in the comfort of your own home. He provides everything for the perfect meal, complete with the freshest and most flavorful ingredients to designer china, a linen tablecloth and napkins, fresh flowers and candles. Chef Wells also uses his own restaurant quality cookware to ensure flawless food preparation, and even cleans the kitchen after the event.

Think service such as this will cost you a fortune? Not so. Chef Eric Wells' prices are pretty reasonable, costing just $175 to $200 per couple, depending on the menu you choose.

For more information, pricing, and menu options, visit Eric's website at www.SkyeLaraes.com.

Survey shows 81% of adults would prefer a home cooked meal to dining out.

If you've thought about staying in with your signifcant other this Valentine's Day, you're not alone. A recent study of married adults in the U.S. by Harris Interactive and Whole Foods Market found that 81 percent would prefer a nice dinner at home over going out to eat on February 14.

The survey showed that of those who prefered to stay at home, many shared both romantic and frugal reasons. 64 percent agreed that dinner at home is more intimate or special, and 73 percent agreed that dinner at home prepared by a significant other is more personal, thoughtful or caring. Half cited financial reasons, such as the state of the economy and the increased expense of eating out.

Making a meal at home, in most cases, costs at least half the amount you'd spend dining out at a restaurant.

Cleveland Independents, a group of 80 local independent restaurants, is launching a new campaign in an effort to support the local economy. The "Oh, Honey" campaign launches on February 14 - Valentine's Day - and promotes the use of local honey.

Member restaurants will each create dishes that use honey as an ingredient, allowing them to show off their own unique interpretations of how honey can be creatively used in their recipes.

Newly elected Cleveland Independents President and chef/owner of Fire Food & Drink Douglas Katz says:

“Unlike chain restaurants, independent restaurants are encouraged to promote their creativity. They may alter their menus on a whim, if they see fit, something that is impossible for a chain restaurant to accomplish. We believe that our food-driven campaigns are a great way for customers to experience the difference. Our involvement with local purveyor Ohio Honey reinforces the importance of buying local from a fresh ingredient standpoint and also helps support the northeast Ohio economy."

For a complete listing of member restaurants and more information about Cleveland Independents, visit www.clevelandindependents.com.