We don't want to sound naive or anything but can you believe things are still a complete frickin' mess down in the gulf region and hurricane seasons starts for serious next month? I mean, people are probably still up in trees and shit. It isn't right.

Luckily, while we've been working on our tan other people have been working on more important things. Our inbox contains an email from one of our readers who's is rightfully proud of something her mother and aunts cooked (groan!) up: a cookbook of Indian and Cajun recipes called "Saffron to Sassafras". The proceeds are going to the Baton Rouge Capital Area Battered Women's Program and other charities for women and children in Louisiana. These organizations had it hard before, it must be much more difficult now to compete with so many other worthwhile causes in raising funds. You can order the book online via their website and the magic of PayPal. Their recipe for Chennai Chicken is making our stomachs growl. Mmmm, coriander.

If your mom does something awesome to help other people let us know and we'll give you the same treatment. Moms rule, hurricanes drool!