Ravioli

Sonora, Calif., the county seat of Tuolumne County, has a charming downtown full of antiques shops, clothing boutiques and restaurants. Start the weekend by heading to the Sonora Farmers Market on Saturday morning. The market, at Theall and Stewart streets, sells not only fresh fruits and veggies, but also pastries, crepes and locally roasted coffee. The bed Gunn House Hotel (286 S. Washington St.; [209] 532-3421, http://www.gunnhousehotel.com , rooms from $84 to $125 a night)

  50 minutes, plus relaxing time for the dough. Serves 6 1 1/2 cups flour 2 eggs, plus more if needed 12 ounces fresh goat cheese 5 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano 1 egg yolk 6 tablespoons minced chives 3 tablespoons chopped parsley Salt to taste 1 beaten egg white 1. In a food processor, mix the flour and 2 eggs until it just comes together to form a rough dough. If that doesn't happen, add a little more beaten egg, a teaspoon or so at a time.

In Italy, part of a trattoria's charm is eating outdoors on the sidewalk. Pulcinella Trattoria, located on a drab commercial stretch of Ventura Boulevard, does have a handful of patio tables facing the street, but you probably won't want to sit there until spring. That's owner Pietro Forte in the rimless glasses and starched kitchen whites stopping by your table for an assessment of his work. Chances are you won't have much to complain about. Forte's cooking isn't exactly brilliant, but it is flavorful and abundant.

  2 hours. Serves 6 2 cups chicken broth 2 cups water 2 cloves garlic, sliced 1 1/2 to 2 ounces rinds from Parmigiano-Reggiano Herb trimmings Salt 2 dozen asparagus tips 1/2 pound sugar snap peas Goat cheese ravioli or fresh pasta squares 2 tablespoons chopped chives 1 ounce freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano 1. In a soup pot, simmer the chicken broth, water, garlic, Parmesan rinds and herb...

With a gentle tang similar to yogurt and a texture something like a cross between sour cream and soft ricotta, quark cheese can be used in a variety of recipes, whether you're thinking sweet or savory: • Use it as you would yogurt, stirring in some granola and fresh fruit for an easy, on-the-go breakfast. • Spread it over toast or bagels or in between sandwich layers for a little extra tang and richness. • Dollop it over potatoes or rich pasta dishes, even ragus.

I was relieved to find in "The Birth of a Restaurant" (by Karen Stabiner, Feb. 14) an explanation for my disappointing meal at Trattoria Angeli. I ordered the ravioli special entree and received 10 small, thin ravioli. Thinking this must have been an appetizer portion, I sent it back only to be told this was indeed an entree. But now, from reading this article, I understand their position: They need to gross $1.8 million annually to break even. Yes, the ravioli was delicious, but I'll be returning to the original Angeli where the food isn't compromised by an extravagant investment, and the diner doesn't go home hungry.

In Yuma, Ariz., we discovered a delicious find: curried mussels with lobster ravioli, pistachio-crusted salmon, rack of lamb, even mustard-crusted tofu with spinach ravioli. So many enticing choices. Open Mondays-Fridays for lunch, every day for dinner. River City Grill, 600 W. 3rd St.; (928) 782-7988, http://www.rivercitygrillyuma.com Entrees $14-$26. Wena and Dave Dows Culver City

My kids won't eat goat cheese quesadillas. They see sliced tomatoes and say "yuck." But they will eat my cheese tortellini, which are super-fast to put together. I put a pot of water on to boil, then add cheese tortellini or cheese ravioli purchased from the grocery store. They boil for 7 minutes. Meanwhile, I saute some sliced mushrooms--these are optional if you're really in a hurry. Then I top the pasta with my favorite pre-made ragu sauce and add the mushrooms on top.

Hitler was definitely not a vegetarian! In our book, "Clues About Jews for People Who Aren't," we debunk this myth promoted by the Nazi propaganda machine to convince world opinion that Hitler was a vegetarian. The Fuehrer's close associate, Albert Speer, has written that his leader had a weakness for meat-filled ravioli and sausages from butcher shops in Munich. Even when Hitler was treating his stomach ulcers with diet, he partook of the extensive flesh foods he provided his generals at dinner, according to the London-based Jewish Vegetarian Society.

Over on Third Street, the people who run Zucchero have solved the problem of distinguishing their restaurant from all the other Italian places by emphasizing a regional cuisine that has yet to really be discovered here: Sardinian food. The name (it means "sugar") and the blaring orange exterior would lead you to believe that Zucchero is yet another loud pizza and pasta cafe.

Sonora, Calif., the county seat of Tuolumne County, has a charming downtown full of antiques shops, clothing boutiques and restaurants. Start the weekend by heading to the Sonora Farmers Market on Saturday morning. The market, at Theall and Stewart streets, sells not only fresh fruits and veggies, but also pastries, crepes and locally roasted coffee. The bed Gunn House Hotel (286 S. Washington St.; [209] 532-3421, http://www.gunnhousehotel.com , rooms from $84 to $125 a night)

With a gentle tang similar to yogurt and a texture something like a cross between sour cream and soft ricotta, quark cheese can be used in a variety of recipes, whether you're thinking sweet or savory: • Use it as you would yogurt, stirring in some granola and fresh fruit for an easy, on-the-go breakfast. • Spread it over toast or bagels or in between sandwich layers for a little extra tang and richness. • Dollop it over potatoes or rich pasta dishes, even ragus.

In Yuma, Ariz., we discovered a delicious find: curried mussels with lobster ravioli, pistachio-crusted salmon, rack of lamb, even mustard-crusted tofu with spinach ravioli. So many enticing choices. Open Mondays-Fridays for lunch, every day for dinner. River City Grill, 600 W. 3rd St.; (928) 782-7988, http://www.rivercitygrillyuma.com Entrees $14-$26. Wena and Dave Dows Culver City

  SATURDAY Picture your food Love photographing your food, but feel self-conscious doing so? Check out the "photo-tasting" session at Checkers Downtown. Guests will enjoy chef Todd Allison's new winter menu while attending a workshop on how to best photograph at a restaurant. Checkers Downtown, 535 S. Grand Ave., L.A. 12:30 to 3 p.m. $45. (213) 624-0000. phototasting.eventbrite.com How edible is your garden? Silver Lake Farms is offering gardening workshops in a two-part series called "Creating an Edible Garden in Los Angeles."

Page Moll Chef at the Beachcomber Cafe at Malibu Pier -- At work, Moll whips up decadent dishes such as braised short ribs with Gorgonzola ravioli and s'mores with marshmallows and chocolate. "Unfortunately, in this business, fat is flavor," he says. But with a discipline level many monks would envy, Moll rarely indulges in his own food. "I don't get off work and get drunk, I never eat late at night when I get home -- and no dessert!" he says.

When she's not posing for Sports Illustrated covers or walking the runway for Victoria's Secret, model Marisa Miller can be found hanging 10 at a local beach. The 29-year-old Santa Cruz native used the bluffs of her hometown's shoreline as inspiration for her recent shoe collaboration with Vans, and she continues to be a spokeswoman for the Surfrider Foundation. Miller lives in Calabasas with her husband, Griffin Guess.

When she's not posing for Sports Illustrated covers or walking the runway for Victoria's Secret, model Marisa Miller can be found hanging 10 at a local beach. The 29-year-old Santa Cruz native used the bluffs of her hometown's shoreline as inspiration for her recent shoe collaboration with Vans, and she continues to be a spokeswoman for the Surfrider Foundation. Miller lives in Calabasas with her husband, Griffin Guess.

Boy Food Hall of Fame Musso & Frank Taylor's Tracton's The Chronicle (Pasadena location) Chasen's Nickodell Lawry's Pacific Dining Car Apple Pan New Inductees: The Grill Ruth's Chris Steak House Boy Food in Toy Food Clothing West Beach Cafe: Close your eyes. Eat the burger. 72 Market Street: Reach out and touch the meatloaf. City: Boyfood for the 21st Century. Columbia Bar & Grill: Hockney on the wall. Chili on the table. Morton's: You won't get a good table. You will get a good steak.

As chef Gusteau in Pixar's "Ratatouille" says, "Anyone can cook!" And no one agrees with that more than 26-year-old Samantha Saffir. Two years ago, Saffir began specializing in teaching children how to cook when she learned how fascinated kids were by TV cooking shows. "It's incredible -- even 4-year-olds are able to rattle off the names of their favorite celebrity chefs," says the Santa Monica-based Saffir. "Kids are now begging to be taught how to cook."

A few years back, I went to Mexico City to learn to cook at the apron strings of my step-grandmother, Josefina Figueras viuda de (widow of) Carreno. Josefina is one of those women -- you'll find them anywhere in the world where home cooking has not been superseded by "home meal replacement" -- who shuffles into the kitchen at dawn and stays there until well after she's served her family dinner.