Olive Oil

As a substitute teacher in Prince George's County, Kim Carrington, 44, has stepped up to the head of a lot of different classes, from kindergarten to high school French. But it was the food and nutrition class she taught at Surrattsville High in Clinton that came to mind when she got an e-mail one day about grants available from a nonprofit organization called Youth Service America. This is a subject dear to Carrington's heart. "I taught my kids to cook, and most of them love cooking," she said.

This time of year, we're filled with the best of intentions. Not only will daily exercise become part of our routine, but we'll love it. We'll be kinder to our co-workers. We'll never yell at children, especially our own. The garden will be mulched seasonally and weeded weekly. Of course, we'll eat better. I won't try to guide your gardening, parenting, work or exercise routine, but I can certainly help with that eat-better resolution by sharing my favorite tips for cooking lighter.

Diane Gross didn't know what kind of veggie sandwich she wanted to sell when she opened Cork Market last month. But she was very clear about what she didn't want: "something tasteless. " Tasteless was the main characteristic of most vegetable sandwiches Gross had eaten. They're an afterthought, she said: "They just throw a bunch of stuff on bread and call it a veggie option. " Gross charged Cork Market chef Kristin Hutter with the task of making one so good that "someone who is not a vegetarian will eat a veggie sandwich.

The Heloise Spaghetti Sauce Dear Heloise: I'm writing to request a copy of the RECIPE that was called "Heloise's Mother's Spaghetti Sauce. " This appeared in our local newspaper, and I can't find my copy now when I need it. This is one of the best recipes you have ever published! -- Julie, Holmdel, N.J. Thanks, Julie -- I love this one, too. Here is a reprint for you and other readers who might want to give it a try: HELOISE'S ORIGINAL ITALIAN SPAGHETTI SAUCE 1/4 cup olive oil 1/2 cup butter 1 cup finely chopped onions 1 pound ground beef 4 strips finely chopped bacon 4 cloves garlic, chopped fine 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley 1 bay leaf, chopped fine 1 tablespoon salt Black pepper, freshly ground to taste 1 teaspoon crushed dry red pepper 2 ounces red wine 2 15-ounce cans whole tomatoes or tomato sauce 1 small can tomato paste 1 cup water 1 finely chopped carrot Heat olive oil over low heat in a pot large enough to hold all ingredients.

For centuries, olive harvesting here has been a mostly local industry. Farmers, their relatives and neighbors beat the trees with sticks or strip the olives from branches by hand, then cart them to a local press and sell or trade the oil in nearby markets. Harvest workers keep a share of the crop for their labor, and olive press owners keep a share of the oil -- a testament to the small-scale, bartered nature of the undertaking. That model can help sustain a household, but in a new factory on the outskirts of this northern West Bank village, an effort is underway to reshape the olive industry so it can help sustain a wider Palestinian economy.

Dear Dr. Fox: We adopted two kittens from a shelter. The female, a silver tabby look-alike named Tinker Bell, is very skittish. Since we adopted the kittens, Tinker Bell has had ear mites in one ear. Our veterinarian provided two types of treatment. One was called Tresaderm, with 7.5 milliliters applied once a day for two weeks. The other (I don't have the name) was applied with a syringelike applicator every two weeks for two months. Neither has had any effect on the ear mites.

Sahara Lebanese Market & Cafe 46950 Community Plaza, Sterling 703-421-8252 ** (out of four stars) Sound Check: 69 decibels (Conversation is easy.) Successful restaurateurs and translators share this much in common, says Nasser Abousamak: They're both good listeners, and they both sweat the small stuff. Abousamak, 49, knows from serving food and relaying foreign messages. For much of his life, which began in Egypt and brought him to New Jersey as a teen, the Palestinian American worked in hotels and restaurants, even aboard cruise ships.

The 32 courses I ate on my elBulli visit included five things new to the menu this year: 1. "Cane: mojito -- caipirinha" (new): Sugar-cane wands infused with rum and cachaça, garnished with mint and lime zest. A chewable cocktail. 2. "Coniferous" (new): The tender tips of pine tree boughs, dipped in rosemary honey, then Maldon salt, served with a yogurt cocktail made with pine-infused gin. Like a walk in the forest, nibbling as you go. 3. "Passion orchid": A passion fruit-yogurt crisp served with saffron powder, hazelnut praline and hyssop blossom.

I love throwing dinner parties, but they can get expensive -- or not. Christina Davidson and a small group of friends in D.C. have dubbed themselves "frugalicious foodies" because they manage to throw dinner parties on a shoestring. Her parties have become so popular that she started a blog called Feedthemasses.org, a guide to inexpensive dinners. Here's the secret: They don't have recipes. They have principles. Here are a few of them: Stock your kitchen. Keep basic supplies around: Olive oil, vegetable oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, soy sauce, honey, flour, brown sugar, corn starch, baking soda and powder, and yeast.

Your mother is not the only one who'd like to make your food healthier. Members of the Maryland General Assembly are considering measures aimed at improving food safety and reducing obesity rates. One proposal heard by a House committee yesterday would follow Montgomery County's lead and ban cholesterol-raising trans fatty acids at restaurants throughout the state. Another measure would require fast-food restaurants and other chain restaurants to conspicuously post calorie counts on their menus, as is now required in New York City.