Tonight marks the beginning of Slow Food Nation '08, the highly anticipated celebration promoting sustainably grown food. The first-ever Slow Food festival to be held in the United States, the event has been declared "the largest celebration of American food in history" by chef Alice Waters.

I'll be present, along with the other 50,000 people expected to attend, and I can't wait to share my experiences at the taste pavilions with you. I'll also give you the update on what I've learned at the event's panels and lectures. Be sure to check back for my coverage of this groundbreaking event. And if you're in town, maybe I'll see you there!

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The other day, I cohosted a barbecue so, of course, I served a signature cocktail. As an added challenge, the barbecue was actually a baby shower, and the guest of honor was pregnant. So I searched for a recipe that would be just as refreshing without booze as with it.

I dug this recipe out of my recipe file, ripped out of InStyle magazine years ago and just waiting for its moment. It's great for big groups since it can be made in large batches, and I like that it uses vodka instead of the usual rum, since I have a lot of friends who find rum off-putting. It's very tart and sufficiently sweet, and without the vodka, it's just a minty homemade lemonade. To get the recipe, read more

Grilled kabobs are ideal for a family of picky eaters. Arrange an assortment of ingredients and invite everyone to make a skewer to his or her liking. The vegetarian can avoid meat, and the mushroom-hater will gladly load his skewer with onions and roasted red peppers. This recipe calls for a mild, firm fish, so choose your favorite, be it halibut, salmon, or swordfish. To look at this crowd-pleasing recipe, read more

I'm hosting my birthday party at a chic city bar, but I'll be bringing my own decorations to create a unifying theme for the bash. I'll use pink accessories to go with the invitations, including pink votive holders, flamingo toothpicks for the finger food, pink lilies, and handmade pink pom poms hung from the ceiling.

On the tables, I'll lay out placemats and pretty matchbooks for the guests to take home as favors. These curved saucer martini glasses will be perfect for both the featured cocktail and a champagne toast. And of course, I can't forget an elegant dessert dish for the yummy chocolate cake.

To promote the start of college football season and the inaugural Chick-fil-A College Kickoff game, Chick-fil-A is giving away its new and improved (that is, larger) Chick-n-Strips for free on Labor Day, Sept.1.

The catch? While you don't have to get decked out in a cow suit, the deal only stands for customers who show up wearing football team attire. Wear any football team logo and get one free order of Chick-n-Strips (three count) anytime from 10:30 a.m. to close at participating locations.

Have you tasted the chicken from this cult favorite? Will you be trying to score some free chicken strips?

• Black, white, and yellow makes for a sophisticated party motif. — Simply Stated
• The top 10 ways to chop onions without crying.— The Epi-Log
• Get a virtual taste of Starbucks mocha dark chocolate. — Baking Bites
• Free ice cream! 90210 helps you cool off. — Serious Eats
• Lucid absinthe is a tasty way to get acquainted with the green fairy. — Chow
• Interesting tip! Use a serrated knife to slice tomatoes. — The Kitchn
• Krispy Kreme cheeseburgers surface at the Google cafeteria. — Slashfood
• Plan a patriotic beach party for Labor Day. — Hostess With the Mostess
• In case you missed it, Top Chef's Marcel arrested on suspicion of DUI. — TMZ

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Last week when I was opening a bottle of wine, my corkscrew broke! It was a cheap wine opener, but nonetheless, I was disappointed. Before I can enjoy another bottle of wine, I'll need a way to pop the cork. So I asked you to help me find a new wine opener.

You looked for any type — simple, complex, or gadget-like — of corkscrew. You bookmarked your discoveries in the Yum Market on TeamSugar with the keyword tag, wine opener.

I've heard good things about the Rabbit Wine Opener ($50) bookmarked by Jspeed, and the price isn't bad for something so lovely. Check out the rest of the selections below.

Interested in bookmarking? Read GeekSugar's explanation of this feature to learn how to participate.