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By now, if you've failed to make a Valentine's Day dinner reservation, you're most likely out of luck (and in trouble). It's time to execute Plan B--cook at home. Why not make tongue?

Dear BA Foodist: How does a mixologist differ from a good old-fashioned bartender?

Dear BA Foodist: Cilantro is everywhere, and I hate it. Is there another herb I can use in its place?

Dear BA Foodist: Whenever I go out for sushi, I feel self-conscious. Is it okay to use your hands? Is dipping the sushi in soy sauce frowned upon? How do I use wasabi?

I dig wings as much as the next person, but I'm not the kind of guy that plans a dinner around a plate of butter-and-hot-sauce-bathed, deep-fried chicken parts. Or at least I didn't think I was—until I tried this recipe.

Along with the other guests at Peacock's inaugural dinner in Washington DC, I recieved a copy of the cookbook last week. When the chef announced that it contained the recipe for the banana pudding he had just served us for dessert, everyone suddenly became more protective of their copy.

With a few notable exceptions, Washington DC is not a great city for fine dining. But that all changed last week—along with more than a million people that flocked to our Nation's capitol to witness history, so too came some of the country's greatest chefs.

Dear BA Foodist: I remember when beef short ribs used to be a good deal at restaurants and in supermarkets. But now they seem to cost as much as a good steak. What's a cheapskate carnivore to do?

Dear BA Foodist: What was the best restaurant dish you ate in 2008?

Dear BA Foodist: I love to cook and have all the classic cookbooks, from Mastering the Art of French Cooking to The Silver Palate Cookbook to The Zuni Cafe Cookbook. What cookbook do you consider the best?

In his cookbook The Glory of Southern Cooking, James Villas writes, "As far I'm concerned, Southern cookery is right there on the same level with French cuisine bourgeoise and Italian cucina casereccia--the sacred traditions, the incredible variety of regional dishes, the prevalence of fresh local ingredients, the distinctive cooking techniques, everything." As a native Southerner, I couldn't agree more.

'm not one for clip shows--those episodes of television shows consisting of past scenes neatly packaged as flashbacks. Seinfeld did one, and so did Cheers, The A-Team, and even, Pee-wee's Playhouse (after all, one can never get too much of Laurence Fishburne as Cowboy Curtis).

There are over 7500 apple varieties worldwide (2500 of which are grown in the US). But after a trip to the supermarket, you'd think there were a lot fewer. Why, for so long, have a few varieties--Granny Smith, Red and Golden Delicious, and McIntosh--dominated the apple market?