Grapes

At one time, Thompsons were the No. 1 table grape, raisin grape and wine grape in California. In a way, that very ubiquity became the Thompson's downfall. After so long at the top of the heap, they became generic. In some cases, that was justified: A Thompson Seedless picked green is about as innocuous as a grape can be. But given a chance to ripen, a Thompson can become a pretty danged good piece of fruit. Choose them when they're really ripe and you'll be surprised at how floral and sophisticated their flavor can be. How to choose: Thompsons don't start to get really delicious until the color turns golden, almost amber.

Patelin is evidently French slang for "country neighborhood. " It's also the name Tablas Creek Vineyard in Paso Robles gave to their newish line of Rhone style whites and reds sourced from their own and neighbors' grapes. Many of them have planted cuttings from Tablas Creek, which came originally from the famed Châteauneuf-du-Pape estate Château de Beaucastel. By blending their own grapes with their neighbors, Tablas Creek can produce this terrific Rhone-style white at a great price for the quality.

For dinner tonight, look no further than our Culinary SOS from a couple of weeks ago , requested by Lynne Lipcon of Wayland, Mass.: "There are plenty of good reasons why President and   Mrs. Obama chose to return to Sweet Life Café in Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard this summer. In my opinion, the best reason would be to delight in a bowl of white gazpacho with steamed clams, grapes, almonds and smoked paprika oil. I have never had anything like it, but it is an experience I would love to re-create at home.

This week's Culinary SOS request comes from Lynne Lipcon in Wayland, Mass.: There are plenty of good reasons why President and Mrs. Obama chose to return to Sweet Life Cafe in Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard this summer. In my opinion, the best reason would be to delight in a bowl of white gazpacho with steamed clams, grapes, almonds and smoked paprika oil. I have never had anything like it, but it is an experience I would love to re-create at home. Can you pry the recipe from them?

Dear SOS: There are plenty of good reasons why President andMrs. Obama chose to return to Sweet Life Café in Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard this summer. In my opinion, the best reason would be to delight in a bowl of white gazpacho with steamed clams, grapes, almonds and smoked paprika oil. I have never had anything like it, but it is an experience I would love to re-create at home. Can you pry the recipe from them? Thanks. Lynne Lipcon Wayland, Mass. Dear Lynne: Puréed cucumbers and grapes form the base of this wonderfully fresh, bright soup, with yogurt and sour cream adding tangy richness, fresh lemon, a nice touch of garlic, sherry vinegar and a dash of hot sauce rounding out the harmony.

Harry Nicholas, who celebrates his 90th birthday Saturday, drives round-trip twice a week from southeast of Fresno to Los Angeles area farmers markets, where he is likely the oldest farmer to participate actively. As if that weren't enough, he's got the goofiest, most lovable grin in the markets, he's a snazzy dresser (partial to bolo ties and purple pimp hats) and he grows extraordinary produce. Some of his crops, such as Armenian cucumber, pomegranate and quince, might reflect the influence of his father, Joseph, who emigrated from Lebanon, worked drilling wells and in 1918 bought a ranch in Orange Cove, where he planted a vineyard.

Journeying through life is a messy business.  Finding one's authentic place is even messier, if not downright impossible. Life's disorderliness was both a theatrical device and a philosophical theme for New York-based choreographer Faye Driscoll in her latest dance-theater piece, “You're Me.” Driscoll, who grew up in Venice, and Jesse Zaritt, her collaborator and fellow performer, were presented Thursday and Friday by UCLA's Department of...

Arsenic levels in some commercial fruit juices may be higher than expected, finds a study from Consumer Reports. The discovery comes just months after television host Dr. Mehmet Oz proclaimed results from his own investigation showed that arsenic levels in apple juice were unhealthful. The Food and Drug Administration claimed Oz's statistics were faulty and said juice was safe to drink. Apple juice contains a certain amount of organic arsenic, and what Oz found, they said, represented the total amount of arsenic and wasn't an accurate reading.

Writer-director Alexandre Rockwell, maker of humane comedies like Sundance prize-winner "In the Soup," was one of the early leading lights of the American independent filmmaking scene, but he has long struggled to maintain his footing as a filmmaker. With "Pete Smalls Is Dead," he is still stumbling. A former screenwriter (Peter Dinklage) has his dog taken by loan sharks, and he returns to Los Angeles for the promise of quick money to help an old friend (Mark Boone Jr.) bury someone they both once knew.