Both Orage Quarles, The N&O's publisher, and Steve Ford, the recently retired editorial page editor, were guests on "The State of Things" yesterday. The WUNC 91.5 program is hosted by Frank Stasio and "devoted to bringing the issues, personalities, and places of North Carolina to our listeners."

You'll find some interesting tidbits, no doubt, by listening to the interviews here.

Here's how the station's website introduced the segments:

For nearly a quarter century, Steve Ford edited the editorial page at The News & Observer of Raleigh. During that time, he wrote about disgraced politicians, fights over student assignment and a wide array of other issues facing the state and Triangle. Ford retired earlier this month, and today he joins host Frank Stasio to look back at his career and the changing nature of editorial pages.

Today, The News & Observer of Raleigh is putting in place an online paywall — a subscription fee for people who want to read more than 15 articles a month on the paper's website. Host Frank Stasio talks about the changes and the evolving economies of the newspaper business with N&O publisher Orage Quarles, III.

Here are a few more food items that may work as stocking stuffers or hostess gifts this holiday season:

La Farm bakery in Cary is selling stollen (pictured at left) and a Linzer challah bread. Baker Lionel Vatinet makes the stollen with a brioche-like dough filled with rum-soaked orange zest, raisins and nuts. After baking, the bread is rolled in sugar. A large loaf costs $15.99. A small costs $8.99. Vatinet's Linzer challah is his take on an Entenmann's cake -- a challah dough filled with a cream cheese-based custard and fresh raspberries. It sells for $7.89.

The special breads are available every day at the bakery in Cary or at the bakery's stand at the state Farmer's Market in Raleigh from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday-Monday. Local Whole Foods stores also are carrying these breads and can place orders for customers. Special orders for the holiday must be placed by Friday either through Whole Foods , by calling the bakery at 919-657-0657 or online at lafarmbakery.com. Orders also can be delivered to the state farmers market.

La Farm also sells the traditional Buche de Noel cake (pictured at right) for $36.99 in three flavors: Belgian chocolate, vanilla buttercream with a raspberry coulis and hazelnut praline. It is only available at the Cary store and pre-order is necessary before Friday.

Raleigh-based coffee roaster Larry's Beans is now selling a cold brew coffee concentrate. It can be used to make iced coffee, hot coffee and cocktails. A three pack of 16-ounce bottles costs $32.50 online at LarrysBeans.com. A single bottle sells for $11.49 at these stores: Taylor's gas station and wine shop and Harmony Farms in North Raleigh, The Meat House in Cary and Tyler's Bottle Shop in downtown Raleigh.

I also wanted to mention Mrs. Hanes' Hand-made Moravian Cookies. This Clemmons, N.C.-company makes 10 million cookies by hand each year. A one-pound tin costs $20.30. Order online at hanescookies.com.

Go HERE to read the list Greg Cox compiled a list for those who are looking to dine out on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.

The massive chain stores aren't the only ones getting into the business of gift card promotions for the holidays.

Several small chains, local franchise owners and mom-and-pops are offering gift card deals this year. So if you like to keep your shopping dollars more local, one of these deals might be for you:

A sampling of letters about the deal between the state and the City of Raleigh to allow the lease of the Dix land for a city park. Read the story here if you missed it.

In this space between now and Christmas, I’ll be featuring local food artisans whose products may make good holiday presents or hostess gifts.

Michelle Stees, 48, of Raleigh, has had a side business as a baker for many years. The latest incarnation of that business is Monster Cookies & Cakes.

In my humble opinion, the cookies are really the thing to buy. They are enormous and could feed four people. Being bigger, they succeed where other cookies fail: they are crunchy on the outside and soft and chewy inside.

Stees offers 13 flavors including sugar, lemon, coconut, sweet tea, ginger spice, three nut butter, mint chocolate, chocolate orange, mocha, chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, happy trails and a monster bar, a signature seven-layer cookie.

The cookies cost $4 each, three for $10 or $36 for a dozen. She offers free delivery in Raleigh. Delivery is available elsewhere in the Triangle for a fee.

Stees also sells at the Midtown Raleigh Farmers Market on Saturday mornings. To order, call 919-673-6018 or go to monstercookiesandcakes.com.

Photo by staff photographer Juli Leonard.
 

Joel Ibarra, the original owner of the El Rodeo Mexican restaurant chain throughout the Triangle, has opened his first restaurant in Durham: Baja Shack at the Northgate Mall.

Baja Shack will serve its specialty fish tacos with beer-battered white fish and customized toppings. The food court restaurant also will offer burritos, tacos, fajitas, chimichangas and quesadillas. To drink, they will offer agua frescas and bottled Jarritos sodas.

The Ibarra family owns the Chile Bomba on Hillsborough Street across from N.C. State University; Jibarra, a fine dining Mexican restaurant in downtown Raleigh; and the La Rancherita casual Mexican restaurants in Morrisville, Apex and Raleigh.

The Baja Shack is located next to Jake's Wayback Burgers in the food court at the mall, 1058 W. Club Blvd, Durham.

The annual Good Food Awards honoring artisan food and beverage producers has named a handful of North Carolina companies among its finalists:

• Alamance County's Blessed Earth Farm won in the preserves category with its Summer Squash Curry Relish and Chapel Hill's Farmer's Daughter Brand won for its Rosey Strawberry Rhubarb Preserves.
• In the beer contest, Fullsteam Brewery in Durham won for its First Frost brew.
• In the confections category, Raleigh's Escazú Artisan Chocolates won with its Dark Chocolate Basil Ganache and Asheville's Looking Glass Creamery won for its Caramelita.

To see a complete list, go HERE.

The winners will be announced Jan. 8.

Guasaca, a new fast-casual South American restaurant, is slated to open Monday in the Marketplace at Lake Boone Trail.

The dining experience is similar to Chipotle, Moe's or Qdoba Mexican Grill, says owner Heli Mendez, but the food is different.

Guasaca offers arepas, which are thick round corn cakes similar to pita pockets that customers can choose to fill with a combination of meats, vegetables and sauces. The  menu offers 24 ingredients to choose from including pork, shredded beef, grilled steak, tilapia, avocado chicken salad, black beans, plantains,  coleslaw, black-eyed peas and more. You can choose the combination or pick from a selection of signature arepas. Or you can enjoy the combination in a bowl with lettuce or white and brown rice. They also offer vegan and vegetarian options. (A menu is attached below.)

Mendez says all their food is made fresh daily from scratch. They don't use any processed food or pre-made ingredients. Prices range from $3.90 for a single grilled chicken arepas to about $9 for two arepas or a bowl plus a drink. The restaurant will be open from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. every day. It is located at 4025 Lake Boone Trail, Suite 107, next door to Bottle Revolution, a craft beer store.

Mendez, 37, is an economist and former grocery store owner from Venezuela who came to the United States 11 years ago. He runs the business with Orlando Escobar, who spent the last 10 years managing fast casual restaurants, and Jose Alvarez, a chef for 25 years in Venezuela.

Here is the restaurant's website: http://guasaca.com/

Documents:

Ruckus Pizza, Pasta and Spirits is hosting a "Raising a Ruckus" fundraising campaign to help 18 local families in need this holiday season.

Patrons at all three Ruckus locations can pick an ornament request from the in-store angel trees or donate money to help make the holidays special for these families. The restaurant owners and staff hope to raise about $40,000 in cash and gifts as a result of this fundraising effort, which is being co-sponsored by Championship Martial Arts, next door to the Ruckus location in Cary.

Donations and unwrapped gifts will be accepted from now until Dec. 20 at these locations: in Raleigh at 2233-112 Avent Ferry Rd. in the Mission Valley Shopping Center; in Cary at 8111-208 Tryon Woods Dr. in Tryon Village; and in Morrisville at 1101 Market Center Dr. in Park West. Call 919-851-3999 or visit ruckuspizza.com for more information.