Small bites: Wooden spoons - and oars

NEW YORK - If you'd like to take cooking classes on vacation but don't want to spend all your time in a kitchen, Outside magazine is recommending four resorts where wooden spoons and wooden oars are both on the menu.

At the Palms Cliff House Inn on Hawaii's Big Island, learn Pacific Rim cooking, then paddle Hilo Bay in a double-hulled canoe.

At Comida de Campos, in Embudo, N.M., you can harvest ingredients for green chili stew and salsa fresca, then explore 700-year-old pueblos in Bandelier National Monument.

At the Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., grillmeister Steven Raichlen runs BBQ-U, three-day workshops on smoking and grilling. The Allegheny Mountains and whitewater rafting await those who need a little fresh air.

Erna's Elderberry House in Oakhurst, Calif., is just 20 minutes from the south gate of Yosemite, so when you're done whipping up lemon grass risotto, you can head for the hills.

For details, check out the September issue of Outside magazine.

How to save money at the meat counter

NEW YORK - The typical family spends roughly 14.4 percent of each food dollar on meat, according to the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. This is a significant amount of your weekly food budget, and the September issue of Family Circle magazine offers some tips and tricks on buying, storing and cooking meat.

Among them:

-- When shopping for beef, check the color of the fat. It should be almost white. The meat itself should be pink, not red, with little flecks of white, known as marbling.

-- There are eight different USDA quality grades for beef. However, we usually see only the top three in retail stores: Prime, Choice and Select. Prime has the most marbling. Choice has more marbling than Select, but less than Prime. Select, with the least amount of marbling, is leaner than the others but not as tender or flavorful.

-- Steer clear of the eye of the round steak. Even though it may look enticing in the meat case, it's not very tender or flavorful. If you do buy it, braise it for best results. Also avoid the bottom round. It lacks flavor and tends to get stringy when cooked too long. Again, braising is the preferred cooking method for this cut of meat.

-- Ground chuck costs less per pound than ground sirloin, but decide what you're making before you choose one over the other. If you'll be using the meat in tacos or meatballs, buy the leaner, more expensive ground sirloin since there will be less shrinkage. If you're making burgers, ground chuck is juicier, thanks to the higher fat content.

-- When cooking burgers, flip them over gently and don't press down on the meat since this causes the juices to run out into the pan.

-- No matter which cut of meat you buy, pay attention to the cooking time. Steaks should be cooked either to medium-rare (145 F) or medium (160 F). To determine doneness, insert an instant-read food thermometer horizontally into the meat, from the side into the center.

Wine tips for cheese

Eating outside can be an unforgettable dining experience, and there's nothing more pleasing than nibbling on delicious food and wine in the warm summer sun.

Planning the perfect picnic can be simple when you know what to pack, and cheese is one easily portable item. To make planning easier, master sommelier Andrea Immer offers tips for choosing compatible cheese and wine - here are some suggestions.

-- Manchego. This marvelous Spanish cheese is semi-firm to hard, with a rich, creamy color, and its taste ranges from mild to sharp, depending on how long it is aged. This popular cheese can now be found in many food markets. Immer recommends serving Manchego cheese slices or wedges as tapas or snacks with olives, and pairing the cheese with a red zinfandel.

-- Brie. A prized and celebrated French cheese, this soft creamy cheese is the perfect addition to any picnic. To enjoy its rich and distinctive taste to the fullest, Immer suggests pairing Brie with Granny Smith apples and an off-dry Riesling.

-- Gouda. This yellow Dutch cheese has a mild, nutlike flavor that can make your mouth water. With its creamy texture, Gouda goes well with toasted almonds and a cabernet wine.

(Source: Andrea Immer in collaboration with Target Stores)