Olive Oil

For grilled pizza, go lighter with the toppings and keep them on the delicate, if not dressy, side. In addition to familiar flavorings such as kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, extra-virgin olive oil and crushed red pepper flakes, here are ingredients you should have on hand, and a few of my favorite combinations. -- Tony Rosenfeld · CHEESES: thinly sliced fresh mozzarella; grated fontina, mozzarella, smoked Gouda or cheddar cheese; crumbled feta, blue cheese or goat cheese; shavings of Parmigiano-Reggiano or pecorino Romano.

The Greek salad is a pretty simple affair that represents Mediterranean cuisine at its best. Healthful, refreshing and balanced, every bite of what the Greeks call "horiatiki salata" invites a sensation — be it the saltiness of the olives and feta cheese, the sweetness and acid of the tomatoes, the bite of the onions, the richness of olive oil or the herbaceousness of Greek oregano. Add to that the vibrancy of the ingredients' colors, the contrasting textures and the fact that the salad requires so little to put together, and the sum total is unfettered satisfaction.

The trouble with spring is that we get eager to grill, but we can't always count on the weather to cooperate. Admittedly, I am a fair weather griller. I know some people who gleefully brave blizzards for the joy of putting meat to searing grate. I simply am not so hardy a man. A bit of a chill or dampness in in the air is enough to scuttle my grill plans and send me back indoors. Of course, that can make planning a challenge. Coming up with a whole new menu just because I don't want to get wet doesn't quite work for my life.

Finding the ancient origin of a popular food is always intriguing, especially if it leads to a new adventure in the kitchen. Take ordinary lettuce. The oldest lettuce type is the upright, long-leaved Romaine, its ancestor on full display in Egyptian bas-reliefs from the third millennium B.C. The French name Romaine, a reference to its presence in papal gardens, merely points to a step along the journey to modern times. Its other common name, cos lettuce, links it to the Greek Island of Kos. But that, too, was a way station, according to William Woys Weaver in "100 Vegetables and Where They Came From.

When my palate is needy, there's a pesto I love to make: a rough-textured, smoky-tasting blend of toasted pumpkin seed, garlic, olive oil and cayenne pepper. It's drier than traditional herb pestos, yet it holds a moist crumb. Its irregularity — creamy and a little grainy, in a good way — is something I find thoroughly addictive. But the mixture is dry enough that labeling it as a pesto seems a little misleading, unless you're already familiar with the etymology. Pesto translates, more or less, into "pounded," from the Italian pestare, "to pound," and it calls to mind the traditional means of making that fragrant Ligurian sauce of basil, garlic, pine nuts and olive oil: a mortar and pestle, which, incidentally, shares the same linguistic roots.

INSTANT HORS D'OEUVRES: Influenced by the Egyptian-inspired blend of ground nuts and spices known as dukkah, Gary & Kit's Napa Valley Dukkah Spice Blends can be combined with olive oil for quick dips or sprinkled over roasted vegetables or salads. They come in three flavors: classic hazelnut; toasted sesame and pistachio; and savory coconut. Packets (2.5 ounces) are $7. (Olive oil sold separately.) They are available at Cleo's Fine Oils and Vinegar, 1915 Towne Centre Blvd., Annapolis, or order online at www.cliffamilywinery.com .

The "Mediterranean diet," featuring vegetables, fruits, fish, nuts and olive oil but almost no red meat or sweets, slightly reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. Most of the effect was seen in a reduction in strokes. That is the conclusion of a five-year diet experiment conducted in Spain, the results of which were revealed Monday at a meeting in California. While the benefit was small, this route to better health was without risk or side effects — and included wine. "Usually doctors tell you not to do pleasant things," said Miguel Angel Martinez-Gonzalez, a physician at the University of Navarre who headed the study . "But this is very tasty and easy to follow.

Gourmet coffee roaster Joel Finkelstein has long coveted a stall at the Dupont Circle farmers market, where face time with affluent food lovers could boost his sales and raise the visibility of Qualia, his cafe in Petworth. But Finkelstein and the rest of his coffee-roasting ilk are banned from participating in the renowned Sunday market and nine others operated by FreshFarm Markets . The nonprofit group allows only vendors who sell products from what they grow or raise on local farms and facilities.

Dear Dr. Fox: My 2-year-old Yorkshire terrier, Rondo, has a large bald hot spot on the upper thigh of his right hind leg. I took him to a veterinarian when the spot was small. She said it came from hormones in a vaccination that was too strong for him. She prescribed Animax ointment nystatin-neomycin. I used the entire tube, to no avail.The spot is getting larger and has a bumpy feeling. What do you suggest to make it heal? Although it does not seem to bother Rondo, it is unsightly for such a little dog. C.R.W., the District DF: If this is indeed the spot where your little dog was vaccinated with a relatively huge shot for his size, then you could have a serious problem developing, especially because it is getting larger and has a "bumpy feeling.

AFGHANISTAN Legislators block law on women's rights Conservative religious lawmakers in Afghanistan on Saturday blocked legislation aimed at strengthening provisions for women's freedoms, arguing that parts of it violate Islamic principles and encourage disobedience. Khalil Ahmad Shaheedzada, a conservative lawmaker for Herat province, said the legislation was withdrawn shortly after being introduced in parliament because of an uproar by religious parties. "Whatever is against Islamic law, we don't even need to speak about it," Shaheedzada said.