Inquirer - Dianna Marder http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/dianna_marder RSS Feed for Inq Col Dianna Marder en-us Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:01:00 GMT London theater celebrity checks out Walnut's staging of "The Mousetrap" http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/dianna_marder/20120207_London_theater_celebrity_checks_out_Walnut_s_staging_of__quot_The_Mousetrap_quot_.html Theater people want every performance to be memorable for each new audience. But the pressure really mounts when a theater celebrity is in the audience, as was the case Sunday when Sir Stephen Waley-Cohen flew in from London to see the Walnut Street Theatre's production of The Mousetrap. Bargain bites of a neighborhood http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/dianna_marder/20120202_Bargain_bites_of_a_neighborhood.html Three dishes at each of three restaurants in three hours for $39? That's Dishcrawl. An import from the West Coast, Dishcrawl invites the hungry hip to come out as singles or in couples for an evening getting to know one another and one of their neighborhoods through that powerful communications tool we call food. His food product took off, with help http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/dianna_marder/20120126_His_food_product_took_off__with_help.html Reuben Canada offers perhaps the best local example of what can happen when a new food product scores big. Canada, 34, was mixing drinks for friends in 2009 when he stumbled upon a blend of ginger and green tea that tasted good warm or cold, with or without alcohol added. Cooks' complaint http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/dianna_marder/20120126_Cooks__complaint.html Sandy Taylor's friends rave about her sticky buns. "They tell me they're so good you should sell these," says Taylor, 60, a retired lab technician who lives in West Philadelphia. Cookbook author Nina Simonds' taste for Chinese food dates to childhood http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/dianna_marder/20120119_For_cookbook_author_Nina_Simonds__taste_for_Chinese_food_dates_to_childhood.html Instead of bedtime stories, cookbook author Nina Simonds heard tales of the delicious meals her father ate on the road. Fresh produce is still in season for Winter Harvest's shoppers http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/dianna_marder/20120105_Xyxk_xkykx_kyxky_xkkx_xky_xkx_kyxk_kxykkxyk_xkykx_kxy_kxyk.html Sure, the weather outside may be frightful and most of the farmer's markets are shuttered for the season. But for intrepid farmers, and shoppers who like to buy local, the growing season goes on. Rush Hour Gourmet: Green Tea Noodles http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/dianna_marder/20120105_Rush_Hour_Gourmet.html In Southeast Asia, where her mother's side of the family ran a cooking school, Grace O cooked and baked professionally. Now in California, O, the daughter of a physician, operates skilled nursing facilities and continues her culinary passions. Small wonder her new cookbook focuses on food's naturally occurring nutrients. Area winter farmer's markets http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/dianna_marder/20120105_Area_outdoor_farmer_s_markets.html 'Here is of list of some of the outdoor farmer's markets in the area that will operate in somewhat sheltered locations this winter: ‘Intentional scarcity’ and other get-’em-while-they’re-hot trends http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/dianna_marder/20111229_food_trends.html We hear frequently from readers who arrive at Federal Donuts, on Second Street in Pennsport, just as the shop runs out of its celebrated fried chicken. Farm-to-table, with a stop in the freezer http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/dianna_marder/20111229_Farm-to-table__with_a_stop_in_the_freezer.html We've seen farm-to-family, farm-to-school, even farm-to-office programs. Now it's time for farm-to-freezer. Winter Sun Farm Greater Philadelphia (wintersunfarmsgp.com) is the region's first farm-to-freezer Community Supported Agriculture program. Launched by Adam and Sara Gordon of Doylestown, the December-through-April CSA offers once-a-month pick-up at locati