To commemorate their 30th anniversary, the Cheesecake Factory will be lowering the price of cheesecake. When the first Factory opened in Beverly Hills in 1978, a piece of cheesecake was only $1.50. Tomorrow, (which also happens to be National Cheesecake Day) the restaurant chain will offer cheesecake at its original ($1.50) price!

In addition to serving the cheap cheesecake, the Cheesecake Factory is introducing a special, limited-edition flavor, the 30th Anniversary Chocolate Cake Cheesecake. A portion of the sales of each anniversary slice will be donated to America's Second Harvest.

If you can't make it to a Cheesecake Factory tomorrow, no worries, the "sweet initiative" celebration — additional promotions have yet to be announced — will continue throughout the year.

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Whether it's the overdone combination of gorgonzola and greens or the excessively fruity vinaigrette, I don't usually spring for spinach salads. However, when I saw Le Etiana's recipe, I was suddenly interested. Her dressing contains poppyseeds, which add extra texture. The cheese is a grated, mild Swiss, not the crumbled blue cheese I'm so tired of seeing in my salads. The candied walnuts add a subtle hint of roasted sweetness. Thanks to her appetizing recipe (and photo!) I think I'm ready to give spinach salads another chance. To see how she whipped up this healthy creation and check out the pictures of the beautiful table she served the salad on, read more

Pickling has been a craft for the past 5,000 years, but its biggest moment may be right now.

With supermarket prices on the rise, the home consumer products industry has seen a spike in canning and pickling at home. The Martha Stewart Show recently featured Momofuku minimogul David Chang giving a pickling demonstration. Prominent restaurants chefs from Los Angeles to New Orleans have been showcasing house-made pickles in menu items.

Even I jumped on the bandwagon, extolling the virtues of rapid preserving in a three-hour pickling recipe. Quick pickles are especially appealing, as they don't require any special canning equipment and the techniques can be used on everything from grapes to watermelon rinds. Because pickles are one of my favorite foods, I'm excited to try all the new ideas I've been reading about. What about you? Have you caught on to the pickling bug?

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Whenever I seek a break from sipping everyday wines, I turn to sake. The Japanese beverage has a completely different flavor, but is equally refined and extensive in selection.

My favorite way to serve sake is with a coordinating set. The flasks and matching cups make it virtually impossible for guests to refuse a taste. I love this wooden set because of its elegant silhouette and subtle texture. To see more options check out the collection below!

Last week we introduced you to the gastrosexual, a macho man who enjoys spending time in the kitchen, and today I bring you the predicament of the male vegetarian. While masculinity is often associated with meat-eating, a recent Guardian article by vegetarian Barbara Ellen argues that being a male vegetarian requires more manliness than being a carnivore:

In this hostile, ultra-macho, morally arid climate, to stand up and be counted as a male vegetarian must require cojones of immense size, much bigger balls, in fact, than your average carnivorous wimp, who just goes along with the crowd. So pity him no longer, for it could be that the male vegetarian is suddenly looking kind of sexy again.

I think she makes a good point and it's interesting to note that a man's masculinity goes hand in hand with his eating habits. What do you think about the topic? Are male vegetarians more or less macho than their meat-eating counterparts?

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When planning a picnic, select dishes that taste better the next day. Look for recipes that are served cold or at room temperature, and that need time for the flavors to mix. For an afternoon at Waterworld USA, offer guests a delicious roasted shrimp and orzo salad. Flavored with scallions and fresh parsley, this salad is light but filling. A pressed sandwich stuffed with Italian ingredients like pesto and mozzarella is rustic and scrumptious. For a decadent treat, give each guest a take-out container full of homemade potato chips. To look at these picnic-perfect recipes, read more

• Find out how panko is different from regular breadcrumbs. — Chow
• Five tips for easy al fresco entertaining. — GlamDish
• Mississippi is the nation's fattest state. — Slashfood
• Love to bake and live at a high altitude? Check out Pie in the Sky: Successful Baking at High Altitudes. — Baking Bites
• Popeyes is getting a brand makeover. — Serious Eats
• Creative recommendations for feeding Brad and Angelina's growing family. — Food and Wine
• How not to do a cooking segment on TV. — The Epi-Log
• Meet dashi, an essential staple of Japanese kitchens. — The Kitchn

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Brighten up your weeknight with this fresh, flavorful take on a seafood salad. Seared scallops are served on top of a bed of peppery arugula and creamy avocado.

The dressing is made with pomegranate molasses, but if you can't find it at your specialty market, honey makes a lovely substitute. This restaurant-quality meal is ready in a matter of minutes, so get the recipe now: read more