If you were stoked to hear about the release of The Ramen Girl, wait until you hear about the next big foodie flick. Oh, wait — you may have already seen it. Twentieth Century Fox is creating a Japanese version of Sideways, the Oscar-nominated comedy about four friends road-tripping through California wine country that became a runaway hit in 2005.

Given wine's increasing popularity in Japan, Fuji TV, one of Japan's biggest film producers, thought the movie would be an ideal candidate for a remake. But for its new film, tentatively also called Sideways, the company made changes to the storyline.Rather than drinking their way through Santa Barbara wine country, the group meanders through Napa Valley, a wine region that is better-known among the Japanese. The movie's two main male characters — named Michio and Daisuke, not Miles and Jack — drive up to Napa Valley from Los Angeles. “You can’t do a road trip in California without going over the Golden Gate Bridge,” said the director of the remake, Cellin Gluck.

At first, Napa Valley vintners were not too enthusiastic about the film, given that the original's Merlot-bashing lines led to a plummet in sales of the varietal. However, the new feature doesn't knock varietals of any kind and successfully managed to shoot at local restaurants, as well as winemakers such as Frog's Leap, Beringer, and Chandon.

I'd never have guessed that the Japanese would remake a movie like Sideways, with its focus on a specialized West Coast winemaking region, but I can see how the comedy has universal appeal. Do you like the concept, or should Fox have simply dubbed the original?

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You can't go wrong with a cheesy baked appetizer dish. They must be prepared in advance, are easy to make, vegetarian friendly, and crowd pleasing. What's not to like about melted cheese?? While baked feta with marinara is one of my favorites, I recently experimented with a ricotta slather. According to the Best Casserole Cookbook Ever, a slather is "something you spread generously on crisp croutons or toasted slices of French bread." This recipes highlights the pure creaminess of ricotta cheese and is studded with garlic, cracked black pepper, and fresh chopped herbs. Although it's incredibly simple and uncomplicated to make, don't be afraid to serve this to guests — it's elegant and delicious. Leftovers make a scrumptious sauce when tossed with cooked pasta. Whether you make your own ricotta or not, you'll need the recipe so read more

Passover revolves around a traditional ceremony at a dining table, so take the time to set the table a couple of days before the dinner party. Cover the table with a printed satin gray tablecloth. Place a plate in front of each seat and top it with a gray napkin (preferably one that matches the tablecloth) rolled into a silver napkin ring. Use your best flatware and properly set the silverware with the forks on the left of the plate and the knife to the right of the plate. A spoon is necessary for enjoying the matzo ball soup — it goes on the outside of the knives. White wine and red wine glasses belong on the upper right side of the plate. For an intimate glowing atmosphere, light low candles. Fill a silver vase with flowing white flowers and make the Seder plate the centerpiece and focal point.

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The other day DearSugar dragged me to the kitchen and asked me to inspect her sliced deli turkey. It had been sitting in the fridge for more than a couple of days and she wasn't sure if the turkey was still edible or not. I explained that there are several ways to tell when cold cuts have gone bad:

• Start by looking at the sell by date. All lunch meats (whether they are prepackaged or fresh cut from the deli) have a sell by date. It's best to consume the meat within seven to 10 days after the sell by date.
• Generally speaking, once it's been opened, eat within three to five days.
• If the meat is extremely slimy with a film on the outside, throw it away.
• Any odd or off smells of vinegar, ammonia, or yeast mean it's time to throw the turkey, pastrami, or ham out.
• This goes without saying, but if there's any mold or growths on the meat or package, dispose of it immediately.