Food Section Round Up

We gobble the various food sections up each Wednesday. These are our favorite tidbits from today's offerings:

SF Chronicle Stanford alum and local food writer Janet Fletcher gives three quickie menus--that’s 90 minutes if you have sharp knives and decent kitchen skills--to entertain during the holidays. We may try out Linda Furiya’s Five-Spice Persimmon Cake for a holiday party we’re attending this Sunday. It sounds sweet with a little spice and will feed sixteen people.Sad pizza news: Nicky’s Pizzeria Rustica is closing. No more square shaped Tuscan style pizza for Russian swillers. (SFist Ced was so there on October 12th of this year.)

Contra Costa ( CoCo ) Times Prime Rib 101 shows the differing cheffie opinions on how to prep and cook one of our fave types of red meat. We agree with the author and favor a garlic/herb rub that seems to guarantee delish results. Wine lovers, time to sign up for a wine club.

Oakland Tribune Books that Cook including ones inspiring tomes by Georgeann Brennan (SF Chronicle writer), Michael Mina, and Cindy Pawlcyn. Pinot Noir meets trout and golden chanterelles. New York Times Bay Area local Harold McGee’s Curious Cook column discusses the molecular biology of smell, with Stanford and UC Davis mentions. Collect this: Berkeley’s Ten Speed Press has a 2007 Chez Panisse 35th Anniversary Engagement Calendar, with menu and poster artwork by David Lance Goines. A steal at $16.95.