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News of the Food Short Stack By Gretchen Giles To those who depend on its medicinal qualities, it will come as no surprise that the sativa in the name Cannabis sativa means "useful" in Latin. But those who are more used to ingesting marijuana as smoke may be charmed to learn that it's also the key ingredient in any number of yummy, yummy foods. The Cannabis eBook, available only by Internet download, promises that one can "pass the taste" when eating heartily from da pot. While hemp-based cheese is not a new foodstuff, the notion of cooking with something that grandma used to make rope from back in the old country may perhaps have lesser appeal to finer palates. For our part, we're too cheap to find out. But for a mere $4.99 submitted through PayPal, you can be the first to whip up a herbaceous salad, boil down a bowl of pasta greens or chill the leaves in many miraculous desserts. While it may fill you up, the question remains: Will it get you high? Check out www.cannabisfood.com to discover many truths. . . . Oh my, it's pie! The Gravenstein Apple Fair, held this year Aug. 13-14, features music, crafts, the pleasures of bees and all manner of other delights intended to heighten the fun of spending a hot August afternoon wandering among hay bales. But this sweetest little fair gets serious when it comes to that part always touted as easy but which nonetheless requires the preparation of crust. Apple-pie makers of all ages are entreated to submit their best efforts (competition fees are a mere $2 per pie, and an unlimited number may be entered) in the fair's 20th annual pie-off. The contest is slated for Saturday, Aug. 13, and pies should be cooling on the competition shelf between 10am and 11am that morning. For more slices of the core matter, call 707.823.3032 or e-mail [email protected]. . . . No matter how long we live here in wine country, we're still awed by tasters able to climb into their cars and careen among some 30 wineries within the space of just four hours. Which is why we better understand gathering the goodness of some 15 wineries around the terrace of just one winery. This year, the Davis Bynum gardens play host to the Russian River Wine Road's "Road Trip" benefit for the Redwood Empire Food Bank. Slated for the hot summer afternoon of Saturday, Aug. 13, the Road Trip features a live band, vineyard tours, a silent auction, and food and drink, yes ma'am, all in one spot. In the last year, the Russian River Wine Road organization has been proud to donate over $3,000 to the food bank as well as over 1,000 pounds of foodstuffs, all from its regular events. $35-$50. For details, go to www.wineroad.com or call 7007.433.4335. . . . [ North Bay | Metroactive Central | Archives ]