Eric Bridenstine, 26, of Raleigh is the new Roast Grill record holder having eating 19 hot dogs in 53 minutes this afternoon. Asked how he was feeling, he said, "I've felt better."

so those chosen should get a phone call or e-mail this afternoon.

I'm running a story next week announcing the panelists. Based on the tons of wonderful entries, I could staff a kitchen panel for 10 years on six month rotations. 

This is a fascinating essay from a Missouri farmer making a counterpoint to The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan. The title clearly states its point: The Omnivore's Delusion: Against the Agri-Intellectuals.

Here is an excerpt: "Except that some of the largest farms in the country are organic—and are giant organizations dependent upon lots of hired stoop labor doing the most backbreaking of tasks in order to save the sensitive conscience of my fellow passenger the merest whiff of pesticide contamination. They do not spend much time talking about that at the Whole Foods store."

At 5 p.m. Sunday, the Angus Barn is hosting a themed-tasting entitled "Tasting Sauvignon Blancs From Around The World." 

Sommelier Henk Schuitemaker will teach you how to distinguish the differences of Sauvignon Blancs from around the world and identify its various flavors just like the pros do.

Seating is limited so reservations are required. The cost is $50 per person.

Please contact Kelly Joslin at kelly.joslin [at] angusbarn.com or Kecia Bobbitt at kecia.bobbitt [at] angusbarn.com or call 787-3505 to reserve your spot. 

Each Friday, I offer a recipe that takes a bit more time and is more suited to the weekend when we all have more time. I decided to offer this recipe for Classic Diner-Style Chocolate Pie. This recipe comes from "Baked: New Frontiers in Baking," by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. They own a bakery/coffee house in Brooklyn. The entire cookbook is full of Weekend Warrior recipes. In fact, I had a hard time recently finding a recipe that could be done in just an hour or two. I made this pie to impress my father-in-law last year. He's the type of man whose first question during a phone conversation is 'What did you eat?'

The other night, we celebrated a friend's recent nuptials in Finland with a girls' dinner of pizza and cupcakes. The hostess ordered two dozen cupcakes from The Cupcake Bar, an online cupcake delivery business without a storefront yet.

Remember to dine out Saturday to help the family whose 6-year-old daughter was killed last week after being run over by an elderly motorist.

Hillsborough Wine Company is featuring a wine and pastry tasting from 1 p.m.-5 p.m. tomorrow.

The pastries are made by French baker Eric Valour, owner of Valour’s Patisserie in downtown Hillsborough. The wine store is located at 118 South Churton St.

For more information, call 732-4343.

Watts Grocery owner/chef Amy Tornquist will be at the Durham Farmers' Market from 10 a.m. to  noon Saturday serving up Zuke's country sausage with okra and lady pea salad.

Tornquist will be at the Carrboro Farmers' Market at Sept. 19 so mark your calendars if you are a fan.

Reminder: Today is the deadline for 518 West's recipe contest. You could win a $100 gift card.