A Time and a Place for Thanks and Giving

November is our traditional time for giving thanks and sharing food with people that are close to us. But, for some people this is a luxury that is beyond their reach and means.

Many non-profit groups have been organized to help those who are less fortunate. Here on the San Francisco Peninsula, we have the Second Harvest Food Bank which is the primary source of donated, surplus, and purchased food for non-profit agencies in Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties.

Second Harvest operates direct service programs for seniors, families with children, and individuals, including: monthly food assistance to low-income families with children, weekly food assistance to low-income seniors, weekly food assistance to low-income Food Bank volunteers and the delivery of fresh fruits and vegetables to low-income households with limited access to community markets.

There are many ways that you can help, from volunteering your time, to organizing a drive, or by simply donating food or money. As we give thanks to those close to us, we hope you might consider others in this time of giving.

Let's Talk Turkey - The Good and Bad of it

Thanksgiving is in a few weeks and that means one thing (for us poultry eaters) -- our traditional turkey meal. There are certainly many recipes and traditions out there. However, if you watch the Food Network from time to time, you may have come across this funny and knowledgeable cook Alton Brown. He's a cross between your big brother and a nerdy scientist who happens to really know how to cook food.

If you're happy with your approach, great. But, odds are you'll likely see something from Alton that might help you with your turkey. There are two videos here. First is traditional turkey which is cooked in an oven. The second one is for those of us who elect to deep-fry out turkeys.



Some of us have deep fried our turkeys and it can taste great. But, whether you realize it or not, it can be very dangerous. Alton goes through some of those precautions here in a very humorous and enlightening way.



No matter which way you go, we of course hope that your turkey turns out as planned, but really hope that you keep safe in the process.

San Mateo Harvest Festival - Nov 12-14th

This festival is the largest arts and crafts show on the West Coast, showcasing over 24,000 handmade arts and crafts.

Unlike many shows, each vendor must go through a jury process to be chosen as a participating artist, guaranteeing a mix of high quality products. They'll be grab bag prizes and a raffle for a grand prize piece of original art.

The San Mateo Harvest Festival has selected the Peninsula Youth Ballet as the official charity of the show. The Peninsula Youth Ballet (PYB) will receive half of the proceeds from shopping bag sales and all of the donations from the parcel and bag check. The PYB will also perform a sneak peek of their acclaimed rendition of the classic "Nutcracker".

The San Mateo Harvest Festival Original Art and Craft Show takes place at the San Mateo County Event Center, 1346 Saratoga Ave in San Mateo. Hours of the show are as follows: Friday: 10 am - 6pm, Saturday: 10 am - 6pm, Sunday: 10 am - 5pm.

Adults: $9, Seniors (62+): $7, Youth (13-17): $4, Kids 12 and Under: Free. For tickets and additional information, please call 415-447-3205, or visit http://www.harvestfestival.com/