Homemade goodies a satisfying gift

There is something satisfying about making a gift of food. If you have time to bake and make the cookies everyone salivates for, great. However there are also wonderful recipes for snack mixes, granola, or spiced nuts that can be made in bulk in very little time. If you don't have time to cook, but still want to give something with a personal touch, you can hunt, gather, and pack to create a thoughtful gift.

Craft stores are loaded with packaging possibilities and glitter and glitz galore; there is something for every financial and time budget. Make the gift actually do double duty and last beyond the pleasure of the season. Containers can be anything from inexpensive Ball jars, French glass jelly jars, dishtowels, sand pails, coffee mugs, colorful plastic pencil boxes - all for just a few dollars apiece. Even festive, new dish towels can make great wrappers. Who needs paper? Troll through the cabinets. Remember those chartreuse linen napkins that've never been used? Now's the time to unearth them and wrap them around something.

High-quality cellophane bags, available at party and paper goods stores, are pretty and don't require any taping or tying. French ribbons with wire along each edge make bow-making a snap. Add a sprig of shiny stars cut from one of those $2 garlands and your gift sparkles.

No time to cook? Think outside the box. Put together a ''Snack
Attack Pack.'' This is an assembly project. Think in multiples. Hit
places like Costco, BJ's Wholesale Club, and Dollar shops.
Purchase fancy fruity water and individually wrapped foods that
come several to a box. Little by little, collect a cache of goods to be
distributed among the containers later. You'll end up with jars full of
a mixture of various candies, or wrapped cookies and crackers. A
glossy bag, lined with tissue paper, makes it a present.

So turn up the holiday music and get busy!


Homemade granola
Makes 8-10 cups

4 cups rolled oats
1 cup pecans, almonds, walnuts, or a combination
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup pumpkin seeds
1 cup sunflower seeds
11/2 cups dried fruits such as raisins, cherries, cranberries,
apricots, and figs
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, mix the oats, nuts, seeds, and coconut.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the oil, molasses, honey, vanilla,
cinnamon, and salt. Mix well with a wire whisk.
4. Pour oil mixture over dry ingredients and mix until they're well
coated.
5. Spread granola on a cookie sheet. Cook for 45 minutes, stirring
twice, at 15-minute intervals.
6. Remove from cookie sheet while still very warm and place in a
large bowl.
7. When mixture is cool, add dried fruit.


Picante spice mix
Makes approximately 3 cups

1 cup dried chives
1 cup dried parsley
1/2 cup dried red pepper flakes (or less)
1/2 cup dried onion flakes
1/2 cup minced dried garlic
1/2 cup dried oregano

1. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients well. (Caution: This mix is
spicy. Be careful when handling the red pepper flakes. In this
quantity, you can feel it when you inhale, so stand back from the
bowl.)
2. Buy glass jars for packaging the spice mix (kitchen ware shops
have great choices for just a couple of dollars) or use small
cellophane bags. Attach the following recipe ideas printed on a
card:

Pasta Picante

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a pan. Add 1-2 teaspoons of picante
spice mix. Toss with your favorite pasta or cooked vegetables.

Dip for Bread

Heat 4 tablespoon of oil in a pan. Add 1-2 teaspoons of picante
spice mix. Place in bowl and serve with fresh French or Italian
bread.

Dip for Vegetables

Make yogurt cheese by draining 1 cup of plain yogurt in a yogurt
filter (or a sieve fitted with a paper coffee filter). After several
hours, mix drained yogurt with 1-2 teaspoons of picante spice mix.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Use as dip for fresh vegetables.

Japan's lunchbox fare pleases eye, palate

FUKUOKA, Japan - ''Tadaima!'' (I'm home!) Yuriko and Satoshi
Kawasaki cry as they remove their shoes and tumble into their
house after a hard day at kindergarten. ''Okaerinasai!'' (Welcome home!)
replies 40-year old Misako Kawasaki. She empties their school bags and
brings their Ultraman and Hello Kitty lunch boxes into the kitchen.

Early that morning, Misako Kawasaki spent almost an hour
preparing their lunches. Having spent more than five years living in
Boston, she knows how crazy this must sound to Americans. ''I
could never give them a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a piece of
fruit, carrot sticks, cookie, and a juice pack in a paper bag,'' she
says. ''The teacher and other mothers would consider me lazy.''

Instead, four times a week (''every day would be too much'') she
crafts exquisite, colorful lunches arranged artfully in cute little
lunchboxes. She turns tomatoes into tulips, hard-cooked eggs into
chicks, and rice into soccer balls, complete with roasted seaweed
cut into little hexagons.

A colorful, enticing meal is important in Japanese families. The
Japanese learn early on to ''eat with their eyes,'' Kawasaki says. A
elaborately crafted lunchbox or a multi-course dinner may not be a
sure sign of a mother's or wife's love, but it is seen as an indication
of her efforts, to be recognized by others as well as her family.

She's not alone: There are endless books and magazines exhorting
her and other Japanese moms to make these lunchtime treats for
their children. And close to half a supermarket aisle can be devoted
to supplies for the project. Choices, of course, get increasingly
sophisticated as the diner ages - and that includes husbands as well
as adult children living at home.

To that end, this mom spears glazed meatballs with ''Hello Kitty''
picks for the lunchbox, and cuts strawberries into the shape of a
fan. Her idea of a peanut butter sandwich would be to carve it into
the shape of a teddy bear.

At times these lunchtime art projects spill over into competition
among mothers and kids. And there is always some mild complaining.
''I am so tired of this I can't think about it anymore,'' says Eiko
Takahata. Her third child, Yoshi, is a middle school student who
prefers his mother's cooking even though lunch is provided at
school. Although Takahata no longer makes cute lunches, she still
applies many of the same aesthetics.

She opens the freezer and pulls out a package of frozen
Japanese-style vegetables - six individual portions in little foil cups.
With homemade rice, a pork cutlet, and pickles, she has nothing to
be ashamed of. By the time Yoshi eats lunch, the vegetables have
thawed, and who would know they weren't mom-made? In fact,
that's what the package says.

Prepared foods are everyone's secret: Tiger shrimp ($6 for four
servings), seasoned mini-hamburgers on buns ($5 for four),
seaweed salad ($2.30), and cheese croquettes ($4 for six) are not
cheap, but not prohibitive for middle-class families, especially
considering that women are working now, and after-school activities
are time-consuming.

Families may have only one meal a week together. There are
''kaginoko'' (latch-key kids), and some fathers so caught up with
working late and dining with colleagues that they're referred to as
''Sunday friends.''

In Japan, the best extensive displays of packaged foods are in the
lower two levels of the department store. These food halls are
bustling with shoppers and concessionaires hustling for the
consumer's attention.

''Come on, ma'am,'' says a gravelly-voiced vendor with a cloth band
tied over his brow. ''You couldn't make it any better! Don't you need
a break?'' The housewife joshes with him: ''Sure I can, but today I'm
doing you a favor!'' She tucks eight shrimp dumplings in her cloth
shopping bag.

Like many moms, this consumer probably goes food shopping on
her bike. She also takes food home to refrigerators with less than
half the capacity of a typical American refrigerator and limited
cabinet space. But the appliances will be the latest models.

And if lunch sounds elaborate, you should see what the Kawasaki
twins had for dinner on a recent weeknight: simmered vegetables
steeped in a traditional sauce; grilled mackerel; deep-fried ginger
chicken; spinach with a sesame-seed dressing; vinegared cucumber
and crab salad; a light broth with slivers of wild mushroom; crunchy
pickles; steamed white rice. Carrots were cut into cherry blossoms
and shreds of scallions were tied into knots. A simple plate of
steamed green beans with wisps of shredded ginger and a
sprinkling of black and white sesame seeds finished the meal.

And there were no other moms around to see what she had made.

KABOCHA NO NIMONO
(Japanese-style squash)

In this simple dish, acorn squash is simmered in dashi, a fish stock
made from dried bonito, available in Asian markets. Serves 4.

1 small acorn squash
1 cup dashi or water
2 to 3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon sake
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Pinch of salt

1. Halve the squash, remove the seeds, and cut the flesh into 2-inch
pieces. Peel off some strips of skin so the squash looks striped.
2. In a large saucepan, combine the dashi or water, 2 tablespoons
of the sugar, and the sake. Add the squash; bring the mixture to a
boil.
3. Lower the heat and simmer the squash for 10 minutes, or until it
is tender and the liquid is almost entirely absorbed.
4. Add the soy sauce and salt and taste for seasoning. Add the
remaining 1 tablespoon sugar, if you like. Let the squash cool.
Serve at room temperature.

Adapted from ''Japanese Family-Style Recipes''

In Italy, fine dining is done at home

You would think a trip to Italy for a food lover would send her
scrambling for guides to the endless trattorias, ristorantes, and
osterias. When cooking is your passion, however, what can be
better than staying in a house with a kitchen? My family recently
took a house in the small town of Magliano in the Maremma in
southwest Tuscany. Here, with the sea on one side and the
ochre-colored hills on the other, we had a daily choice of fresh fish
or the regional specialty, wild boar. A large picnic table with a grand
view from a tiled terrace became the setting for all meals.

There is a certain excitement when the familiar suddenly isn't and
the hunt for food yields such a delicious bounty. Trips to the outdoor
markets for fresh produce and herbs, shopping in neighborhood
groceries, learning how to match a pasta shape to a sauce,
discovering the local wines, cheeses, olive oil, and vinegars at a
farmers' cooperative were each an adventure.

Armed with very little Italian and a large vocabulary of gestures, I
managed to make it home with the ingredients for lots of interesting
meals. Shopping etiquette was a challenge. You have to weigh and
label your own produce, something I learned one day at the grocery
as the line was growing behind me, and the check-out clerk was
loudly repeating instructions to me in Italian. Some kindly person
took my hand, brought me and my vegetables back to a scale, and
showed me what to do. When I returned, red-faced and grateful,
someone else had put through my groceries and bagged them. All I
needed to do was pay.

An invitation from Andrea Aparo, an old friend, for dinner at his
home was a wonderful window on how the freshest ingredients
prepared simply can marry the informal to the elegant. Simmering
on the stove was his basic, spicy, tomato sauce, soon to host a
handful of fresh prawns and mussels. The smell of rosemary
followed his friend Sylvana's focaccia straight from the oven.

A large pot of heavily salted water was put to boil for the pasta.
Measuring pasta is not left to chance, even in Italy. Italians always
weigh their pasta before cooking it; scales are standard equipment.
Their rule of thumb is 100 grams, about 4 ounces, of dried pasta
per person. Andrea lifts a strand of pasta from the pot. It hangs
over the end of his wooden spoon and forms a ''C.'' Still minutes
from being done, he drains the pasta and reserves about a cup of
the cooking liquid. The pasta goes back into the pot on medium heat
as small amounts of cooking liquid are poured over it. He gently
tosses the pasta until all the liquid is absorbed and the pasta is
gleaming.

''Perfetto,'' he proclaims.

When asked for her focaccia recipe, Sylvana offered to
demonstrate. She piled flour (again measured by weight) onto a
wooden board, dissolved yeast in warm water, and poured olive oil.
She dipped her hand into a glass jar to sprinkle an aromatic
homemade mixture of sea salt, chopped fresh rosemary, and sage.
Questioned on proportions, Sylvana shrugged.

''As you like it,'' she said.

Using only her left hand to mix, fold, and knead, in minutes the
dough was left to rest and rise. A half-hour later, it was stretched
onto a cookie sheet, dimpled, and seasoned again with the salt
mixture for a second rising, then put into the oven.

The local, regional red wine - Morellino di Scansano - was poured
into pitchers. After marinating a whole fish for half an hour in lemon juice and olive oil,
Andrea cut rosemary from bushes surrounding his patio, and lay the
sprigs inside the splayed fish. Italian meals are generally served one
course following the other. Just as we finished the pasta, the fish
was taken from the grill. A simple salad of greens, and fresh figs for
dessert, concluded the dinner.

Antipasto

Serves 8

16 slices of prosciutto (less than half a pound)
1/4 pound Italian salami
2 cans artichoke hearts in water
1 can white beans
1 can tuna in olive oil, drained
1 cup mixed Italian olives
1/2 cup fennel, shaved with a vegetable peeler
1 small jar roasted red peppers, cut into thick strips
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup Italian parsley, chopped
1 clove minced garlic
salt and pepper
extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar

1. Drain the artichoke hearts, cut into quarters, and place in a bowl.
Drizzle with a little olive oil. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup parsley, salt, and
pepper.
2. Drain beans. In a bowl, toss the beans with olive oil, remaining
1/4 cup parsley, minced garlic, salt, and pepper.
3. On a large plate, arrange the above ingredients in separate
sections.
4. Sprinkle on the fennel.
5. Drizzle olive oil over entire surface.
6. Serve with olive oil and balsamic vinegar on the side. This is the
dressing.


Andrea Aparo's Fresh Tomato Sauce
Makes about 5 cups

4 pounds Italian plum tomatoes or two 26-ounce cartons of
Parmalat chopped tomatoes
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 dried red peppers or 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon tomato paste (the Italian tomato paste in a tube is
very convenient)
1/2 cup fresh basil
a dash of sugar if the tomatoes have too much acid

1. Wash the tomatoes, and cut off and discard a small bit of each
end.
2. Cut each tomato into about 4 chunks directly into the pot, so as
not to lose any juice
3. Turn the heat to high and bring the tomatoes to just under a boil.
4. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and stir.
5. Put the garlic through a garlic press, or chop it finely, and add to
the tomatoes.
6. Add salt, pepper, crumbled dried peppers, and the tomato paste.
7. Cook sauce on a low flame for 10 minutes.

Focaccia with Rosemary and Sage

3 cups flour
2 teaspoons fast-acting yeast
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 cup warm water
2 teaspoons Sylvana's sea salt mixture (see accompanying recipe)
or 2 teaspoons kosher salt
additional sea salt mixture for sprinkling

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees and turn off.
2. Place flour in the bowl of food processor fitted with metal blade.
3. Add the salt mixture, yeast, and sugar. Process briefly.
4. Through the feed tube, pour in the hot water and olive oil.
5. You will have a sticky dough. Place about 1/4 cup of flour on a
surface. Add the dough and begin to knead until it is smooth and no
longer sticky.
6. Oil a bowl and place dough in the bowl. Cover with a clean dish
towel and place in the warmed oven for 45 minutes.
7. Remove dough from the oven and punch down. Lightly grease a
jelly roll pan, or cookie sheet with sides, with olive oil. Place the
dough on the cookie sheet and begin to gently push it into a
rectangle. Carefully stretch the dough to fit the pan. Do not force it.
If it doesn't go to the corners don't worry.
8. Cover the dough with the towel and set back in the oven for
another 30 minutes.
9. Remove the pan and heat the oven to 400 degrees.
10. Drizzle olive oil on the dough and sprinkle on sea salt mixture to
cover the surface.
11. With the tips of your fingers, gently press ''dimples'' into the
entire surface of the focaccia.
12. Bake for about 20 minutes, until golden.

Sylvana's Rosemary and Sage Sea Salt

3/4 cup sea salt (not coarse)
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
1/2 cup loosely packed sage

1. Wash herbs and dry thoroughly between paper towels.
2. Put sea salt in a bowl.
3. Remove rosemary leaves from 3 sprigs. Finely chop rosemary
leaves and sage. Add to salt and mix well.
4. Store mixture in a glass or plastic container. Bury one whole
rosemary sprig in the salt mixture.
5. Use to season meat, poultry, fish, and focaccia.

Fresh Ricotta Cheese and Pears
Serves 8

2 cups fresh ricotta cheese
4 pears
sugar

1. Place 1/4 cup of ricotta cheese on each plate.
2. Cut pears into slices and arrange next to cheese.
3. Sprinkle sugar over all and serve.

Japan, being in hot water takes on a whole new meaning

NAGANO, Japan - Bathing in Japan is not just about getting clean. It is as
much about transmitting culture as it is about relaxation. Children may bathe
with their parents until they are 7 or 8 years old. Friends will make an outing to a hot spring for a day of soaking and lounging, scrubbing themselves until their skins glow. At public baths, women soap up the cloths and wash each others' backs and grandchildren do the same for their grandparents.

There is a sense of modesty and privacy even in communal bathing. A
washcloth placed just so, the dip of a shoulder, a body lowered beneath the
surface, a mother turning her child's face back to their own washing. Not
everyone is built like Ichiro or Miss Japan either. Scars, abnormalities, and the
effects of gravity and time are taken in stride. Indeed, they are a natural part of life.

Living in Japan over many years, my husband and I have enjoyed both public baths
sento) and hot springs (onsen). Thus, it seemed fitting to celebrate our 30th
wedding anniversary in hot water. We chose Iwanoyu Onsen in Nagano.
We boarded the Shinkansen bullet train at Tokyo Station with comfortable velour
seats and large windows. Mount Fuji comes into view, majestic and snow-capped.
Rice paddies abut concrete apartment houses, and eventually give way to the red,
gray, and blue tiled roofs of rural Japan.

Snacking on our eki-ben (the ubiquitous railway boxed lunch), we arrive at Nagano
station one hour and 19 minutes later. A 20-minute ($60) cab ride leaves us at the
entrance to Iwanoyu. There hangs a vertical wooden sign with the philosophy of the inn, ''a place with treasured spaces and a relaxed atmosphere evokes your childhood home.''

A long bamboo fence lashed with deep brown twine frames the entrance. Pass
through the sectioned curtain and step onto a bridge over a rushing stream. Enter
the foyer and women clad in deep blue kimonos welcome you with gracious bows
and greetings in the most formal Japanese manner. We are ushered into a sitting
area that opens onto a garden with a pond. Green tea and a single Japanese sweet on earthenware are served to refresh us from the journey. This signals that the food at Iwanoyu will be as memorable as the waters.

Our senses are piqued: sandalwood incense tickles our noses, sweet red bean
paste plays on our tongues, the sound of cicadas buzzes in our ears, elegant carp
swim before our eyes. Soon our bodies will be immersed in the velvety waters of Iwanoyu.

Built in 1959 and later refurbished, Iwanoyu combines early-20th-century Art
Nouveau appointments and traditional Japanese design. We pass verandas
suspended over bamboo groves furnished with comfortable chairs just right for an
afternoon's respite. We remove our shoes upon entering our room and will not put
them on again until leaving the inn.

The large, sunny tatami-mat room has a low wooden table, a television, and a
formal tokonoma shelf where a flower arrangement and hanging scroll stand.
Adjoining the room is an alcove with love seats and sliding windows overlooking
the forest.

Our hostess showed us the yukata (cotton kimono), haori (short house jacket), tabi (socks), and zori (woven slippers) - all the clothing we would need for our stay and
worn everywhere. The staff lays out beautiful Japanese bedding (futon) on the
tatami each night. The pillows are filled with buckwheat kernels and the quilts are
sumptuous.

Iwanoyu's natural spring is in a cave. Men and women use separate entrances to
airy bathing rooms where they wash separately. They place their yukata in baskets
and pick up small rectangular towels for scrubbing and larger wrap-around towels
for use later in co-ed baths in the cave.

In this bathing area, steam is rising from a large pool situated next to sliding doors
that open onto a little garden with a ston de lantern and a bamboo waterspout. A
bank of low spigots lines two walls. On a cedar stool, bucket in hand, you set to
the business of washing yourself. The cool of the air meets the heat of the pool, and the mist floats around you.

Once cleansed, you slip into the clear water for an initial soak. Warmed and ready,
you wrap yourself in a towel and enter the cave to the co-ed area. The lighting is
low and the atmosphere warm. You step over a stone bank into a thigh-deep
underground field of lukewarm water.

Friends and perfect strangers glide together through a labyrinth of natural stone walls and man-made structures. One hand on the top of the towel, the other
holding the wall, you steady yourself and find a spot to submerge and sit - on a
rock or under a waterfall. We found a secluded waterfall that produced a relaxing
cascade, massaging head and shoulders. The water moved over our bodies at the whim of an unseen source deep in the mountain.

The moderate temperature and mineral composition of the water allow you to sit
for hours without shriveling. The innkeepers explain that the water is good for the
skin, and helps relieve arthritis and high blood pressure.

We return to the separate dressing areas. Dry, squeaky clean, and very relaxed,
we meet in the outdoor corridor and enjoy a cup of tea on a wooden bench.

Iwanoyu is known as much for its food as for its baths. The chef and his
apprentices combine textures and flavors with creative subtlety. Local mountain
greens and river fish are used profusely. As food in Japan is served in small
amounts with multiple dishes, an eight-course meal does not overwhelm. A
personalized handwritten menu (in Japanese on delicate paper) was presented with
each meal.

Among the most memorable dishes were the young river trout, roasted on
applewood spears and served on stalks of bamboo leaves. Tender beef was
served on a stone so hot to be still searing it. Seasoned young bamboo shoots and fiddleheads were served in a hollow bamboo stalk. Plum wine sorbet prepared us for lacy tempura vegetables served on Japanese paper. Three plump grapes and a thin slice of translucent watermelon accompanied a swoosh of green tea ice cream
for dessert. Each course was a delight.

We were served at a low table in a private tatami dining room where a lantern, its
light diffused, hung outside the open window. The day's soak, some sake, and an
exquisite meal all melted together.

Breakfast was just as delicious and beautiful. We chose between Japanese and
Western-style meals. The Japanese breakfast included miso soup, roasted fish,
salad, hot buckwheat cereal, and pickles. Breakfast and dinner are included in the
price of your stay. Alcohol is extra.

If you don't speak Japanese, don't worry; the Iwanoyu staff knows some English
and wants you to feel welcome. When we booked the reservation, my husband
was asked his height so that an appropriate-sized kimono and futon could be
provided.

At approximately $200 per person per night plus a service charge and tax,
Iwanoyu is not inexpensive. But it is no more than the cost of dinner alone at a
fashionable Tokyo restaurant. There are no hidden costs and tips are not
customary in Japan.

Disneyesque spa park

HAKONE, Japan - Is nothing sacred? Even a deep tradition like attending hot springs resorts is fair game in the quest to grab the attention, changing tastes, and yen of the Japanese seeking leisure.

Self-described as a Mediterranean-style spa theme park, Yunessun, associated with Kowakien Hotel in Hakone, a White Mountains-like area in the shadow of Mount Fuji, provides a different experience from the hot springs in Nagano. It is not necessary to stay at the hotel to attend the spa, and is an easy day trip from Tokyo. Here you enjoy natural hot springs in a variety of Disneyesque spaces - Turkish palaces, water slides, Roman spas, as well as sake, coffee, and green tea baths. Bathing suits are required in these areas. There are also traditional Japanese outdoor baths (rotemburo), enjoyed in the buff and segregated by sex. Weather is never a factor.

From Shinjuku Station my Japanese friends and I took the red and white Romance train - more expensive than local rail - to Hakone Yumoto. The train has large picture windows and speeds through suburbs into the countryside. Once again, Fuji's silhouette is in full view. In one hour and 20 minutes we arrived at the station. From the station, either take a bus, which stops at Kawakien, or a taxi for under $25.

Helpful sales clerks explain your options in this multiplex-like compound. Bathing suits, loungewear, and towels are all part of the deluxe package. My friends and I chose the traditional bath. Ticket prices vary depending upon your choice.

We received bar-coded wristbands upon entering. As at any tourist attraction, we had to go through a huge gift shop before getting to the main area. It was raining but my friends said, ''Debbie-san, that is part of the experience. It makes it more beautiful.'' And so it did. We stow our clothes and, wearing only our wristbands, we carry a strategically placed 1-by-2-foot towel into the baths. Floor-to-ceiling glass doors open to the garden, with its many outdoor baths.

Amidst groups of chattering women, we spend time having a wash and then head outside to the cool air, where steam rises above the water. Mountains with low-lying clouds are visible in the distance. The paths lead to stone pools of natural spring-fed water - cool, hot, very hot, and super-hot.

Lowering ourselves into the heat until the water hit our chins, we were embraced by water above and below. Meticulously groomed pine boughs formed a multi-tiered backdrop, as if painted on a golden Japanese screen. Bathers turn to each other to murmur ''Doesn't this feel wonderful?'' What an understatement! Pains, stress, anger - whatever ails one - seep out of the body.

You rise when your temperature does, and dip into one of the cooler pools. Rain slinks down a roof downspout, and you watch drops join the pool around you.

Back in the locker room, you don Yunessun's version of Iwanoyu's cotton kimono, a lime green tie-dye lounging pajama issued at the door. Same concept, with an updated look.

Two electric paws knead the knots out of you in the over-sized massage chair. Masseuses are also available.

At first my friends were skeptical, thinking we were in for a tacky time - Hakone can be very commercial - but they ended up being impressed. Young couples, extended families, groups of twentysomethings, and gaggles of seniors all were thoroughly enjoying themselves.

IF YOU GO

How to get there

Most major carriers have a daily flight to Japan, with one stop, out of Logan
Airport. Airfares checked with Travelocity.com and several airlines range from
$950-$1,230 round trip. Prices are lower in off-season, mid-January through
March.

With a bilingual Japanese staff, Boston International Travel specializes in trips to
Japan. It can arrange international interior travel and hotel reservations. It quotes
fares as low as $600 round trip, depending on season and availability.
617-713-0070

There are many ways to travel from Narita International Airport to downtown
Tokyo. The least expensive is Friendly Airport Limousine, a bus stopping at
downtown hotels for about $28. You can then take a taxi to your final destination.

Iwanoyu
026 245 2453; fax 026 248 0047
Susaka City,Nagano, Japan

From Tokyo Station take the Shinkansen (Bullet Train) to Nagano Station.
Round-trip reserved seat is about $150. Purchase tickets at the station or Japan
Travel Bureau outlet near any big hotel. Staff often speak English. The ''Green Car''
is more expensive; larger seats with more leg room, but unnecessary.

There is a bus from Nagano station that stops in front of Iwanoyu. We took a taxi
for about $56. One night's stay including breakfast and dinner ranges from
$180-$330, plus service and tax, per night, per person. Prices are lower for children.

Yunessun
Kowakien Hotel
Hakone, Japan
0460 (2) 4111

Deluxe package $38 adults, $19 children. Theme park baths $32 adults, $16
children. Outdoor bath $17 adults, $8 children.

From Shinjuku Station take the Romance Car on the Odakyu-line to Hakone
Yumoto. Reserved seats about $50 round trip. Taxi from station to Kowakien, $25.

Note: Train and subway travel in Japan is wonderful. Tokyo's massive subway
system is clean, punctual, and you can get yourself anywhere. This multi-tentacled
system can be confusing, even for the Japanese. But people who don't speak
Japanese do fine. The subway maps are available in English. Station personnel
often know some English, and there is almost always some one willing to help a
lost-looking foreigner and even escort you to the appropriate platform.

Satisfy sweet tooth with juicy watermelon

This is high season for the most refreshing fruit ever cultivated: watermelon. According to the National Watermelon Promotion Board, cultivation probably started about 5,000 years ago in Egypt. A member of the squash family, watermelon is said to have come to the United States through Africa during the slave trade in the mid-1600s. Florida, California, and Texas are the leading states in watermelon production, and there are hundreds of varieties. Internationally, China is the major grower, followed by Turkey and Iran.

Watermelon, as you may have surmised, is 90 percent water and contains the largest amount of lycopene of any fresh fruit or vegetable. Lycopene gives the red color to fruits, like tomatoes, grapefruits, and guavas, and indicates a great source of Vitamins A and C. Two cups of watermelon have only 80 calories, 25 percent of the recommended daily allowance of Vitamin C, 20 percent of the recommended daily intake of Vitamin A, and more than a cup of water. That's not bad for quenching your thirst, satisfying your sweet tooth, and meeting a few dietary needs at the same time.

Tony Casieri, produce manager at Wilson Farms in Lexington for 17 years, says the best way to tell if a watermelon is good is to ''cut it open and look for that dark red color.''

''The sweetest watermelons are small to medium, between 5 and 12 pounds,'' he says. ''You know the world is shrinking and fruits and vegetables are available year round, but July and August are definitely associated with watermelon season, especially on the East Coast. They are awesome now.''

Scott Wilson, fourth generation at Wilson's, likes to tap on the watermelon: ''If you get that nice hollow sound, you can be pretty sure it's ripe.'' He says his tapping technique is not 100 percent accurate, but he seems to have a good track record, as he is the buyer for the melons. ''We are getting the Banner brand out of Texas right now,'' says Wilson.

If you don't trust your sense of sound (and you can't smell a watermelon for ripeness the way you can a cantaloupe), look on the bottom of the melon for a light yellow patch. This is where the melonsits on the ground, and it's a good indicator of ripeness. Unlike many other fruits, watermelon does not continue to ripen after it's been picked. In the off-season, Wilson's gets watermelons from Mexico and Central America.

Sales of seedless watermelons far surpass sales of the seeded variety. Says Casieri, ''I sell four or five seedless to one with seeds.'' A search in several markets for a watermelon with seeds yielded not a single one.

Some readers may remember those seed-spitting contests they had as kids, sitting on the stoop on a steaming day. While watermelon juice dripped down your neck, the pits lined up inside your mouth while your tongue formed a funnel and readied to launch them farther than anyone else could. One can't do that with those pale white, flimsy seeds. ''A few old timers feel the seeded melonstaste better, but that is not really the case,'' says Wilson. ''There are a lot of other factors.''

Watermelon is grown in many countries around the world, and is highly prized in some. In Japan, for example, watermelon is not considered picnic fare. Instead, it is given often as a gift, a very expensive gift. The suika, watermelon in Japanese, is presented cradled among shreds of shimmery cellophane in a box, or incased in protective netting and then beautifully wrapped. The recipient knows this melon costs a bundle, anywhere from $30 to $100. When served, it is often a single small slice on a chilled plate to be eaten with a fork - not exactly a chin-dripping encounter.

All parts of the watermelon are edible. Watermelon pickles are made from the rind, and seeds can be baked and salted. The Mexicans also drink watermelon juice, calling it aguas frescas. It's watermelon pulp blended and mixed with cold water and ice cubes. Some even salt their watermelon and say that it enhances the flavor. Casieri and Wilson's favorite way to eat watermelon? ''A big huge slice,'' they both say.

There are many ways to enjoy this beautiful and thirst-quenching fruit. Let children scoop out little rounds with a melon baller. Place some ice cubes in individual bowls, top with melon balls and a spritz of lime juice, refrigerate for 15 minutes before serving, and garnish with a sprig of mint.

Also try this watermelon sorbet. It's quick and easy and can be made with or without an ice cream maker.

Watermelon sorbet

3 cups watermelon, seedless or seeded
one-third cup superfine sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice

1. Mix all the ingredients in a food processor or blender.
2. Place mixture in an ice cream maker and process according to instructions until it holds together.
Remove sorbet to a container and place in the freezer.
3. Eat within a few days.
4. To make granita (a crushed ice dessert): Take the above mixture from the processor or blender and place in a shallow, rectangular glass dish and place dish in the freezer. Every 30 minutes, rake a fork through the mixture to break up the ice. It should become a slush-like consistency after 2 hours that is ready to enjoy.


Watermelon rind pickles

4 cups watermelon rind
1/4 cup salt
1 1/4 cups cider vinegar
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
1 stick cinnamon

1. Peel the green skin from the rind, remove any pink pulp from the rind, and cut rind into 2-inch by 1-inch strips. Place strips in a pot.
2. Pour boiling water over the rinds to cover and simmer for about 5 minutes. Drain and cool.
3. Mix salt with 2 cups cold water. Place the rinds in a bowl and cover with the salted water. Let stand at room temperature for 4 hours.
4. Drain and rinse in cold water several times.
5. Mix vinegar, sugar, and half a cup of water in pot. Simmer until sugar dissolves.
6. Tie the cloves and cinnamon stick in a piece of cheesecloth and place it in the pot with the rinds.
Simmer until the rinds are soft and somewhat translucent. Discard spice bag.
7. Let rinds cool in the liquid before putting it all in a glass jar. Keep chilled in refrigerator.

Adapted from Fanny Farmer Cookbook

On hot day, cold noodle dish goes down easy

It's really summer now - too hot to eat, too hot to cook.
You need something easy to make and digest.
It should be appetizing, cooling, and nutritious.

In many Asian countries, noodles are considered a snack food
or a light meal. In summer, they are served cold, often with a tangy
dressing.

In Japan, noodles are a noisy food. Enter a noodle a shop, and you
hear no one talking. Instead, you are greeted by the loud
rhythmic slurping of noodles being sucked down. Silence while
eating noodles in Japan is definitely not cool. The louder the better.
It signals kudos to the chef.

Asian noodle restaurants are often devoted to a
particular type of noodle, like Ramen (Chinese noodle
soup) or Soba (buckwheat noodles). Soup stocks and
noodle dough recipes are closely guarded secrets. If you
want to see a very funny movie about eating noodles
Japanese style, rent ''Tampopo'' (Dandelion), directed by
Juzo Itami. Your next bowl of noodles will never be the
same.

To Americans, pasta means a white, flour-based noodle,
but there are myriad noodles to choose from that can
make a meal interesting. You don't have to go to an
Asian restaurant to enjoy the more exotic noodle dishes,
either; the noodles are available at Asian grocers and
even local supermarkets. Top them with cold, left-over
meat or poultry, shrimp, eggs, or vegetables with a light
dressing and you have a one-dish, nutritionally balanced
meal.

Chinese egg noodles can be eaten cold or hot. Fresh
noodles come in 1- or 2-pound nests, and are found in
the refrigerator section in Asian groceries. Buy more
than you need and freeze some for future use. Cook
briefly, drain, and cool with cold water to make a cold
noodle dish. Drizzle on some sesame oil to keep the
noodles from clumping as they wait to be dressed.
These noodles can also be found in dried form; they look
like compressed rectangles. They will need to be
reconstituted with water. Follow the directions on the
package (presumably in English).

A large variety of cellophane noodles are imported from
many Asian and South Asian countries. All are dried and
must be soaked in hot water, and, in some cases,
cooked briefly in boiling water until they become
transparent. Once softened and drained, they are ready
for use in any number of dishes. Cellophane noodles are
made from a variety of starches like rice flour, alimentary
paste, and yam root. (Technically, some are not called
noodles, but filaments.) Never mind what they are made
of, they provide a great background for toppings, and
absorb a tangy dressing to produce a truly refreshing
experience.

The grand champion of noodles, though, is soba. Made
from a combination of wheat and buckwheat flour, soba
is light brown, has a subtle, sweet, and nutty flavor, and
is very nutritious. High in fiber, protein, and vitamins B
and P, soba is also known to help lower cholesterol and
blood pressure and helps the liver process alcohol. This
last fact is one reason that soba is such a popular
late-night snack in Japan after an evening of drinking with
friends.

It is amazing that soba isn't more popular in the United
States yet. Fresh soba noodles are a rare treat here, but
are found dried in all Asian markets, Trader Joe's, and
Bread and Circus. Traditionally, they are packaged with
multiple single-serving bundles. The noodles are
wrapped with a paper band that is removed before
cooking. The dried noodles are dropped into boiling
water and cooked for 5-7 minutes. Drain, then rinse if
serving cold. A chewy texture (al dente) is best.

Kyoko Wada and her daughter, Akiko, moved to
Massachusetts from Japan several years ago.

''Japan is so hot in the summer, you usually don't feel like
eating,'' says Kyoko.

''I don't have an appetite,'' echoes Akiko, ''but I like to
eat cold noodles in the summer. They look really good
and feel so cool when they go down your throat.''

Kyoko serves the noodles on glass plates or in glass
bowls with ice cubes.

''The appearance is very important and I choose cool
color plates like blue and green to serve food on,'' she
says. She reminds us of the Japanese saying that we
eat with our eyes.

The accompanying recipes use three kinds of noodles.
Served on a large platter, the noodles will look
spectacular on a picnic buffet table. For a family meal,
make individual servings. Experiment on a few sultry
summer days; slurping is not required. Still, what a great
excuse to make noise!

Yard sale cycle can spin out of control

What do a bread machine, electric wok, heart-shaped waffle maker, Tater Twister, and avocado-green fondue pot have in common?

They all seemed like a good idea at the time! A wedding present? Spur-of-the-moment buy? Mother's Day (Father's Day) present? What was your excuse? Whatever the reason, these contraptions that ended up hidden in the back of a cabinet often show up in your spring yard sale. Just as often, they're at the new owner's yard sale, with the same dust and neon-colored price tag, the following spring.

Spring cleaning vows, ultimatums from a significant other, or resolutions to get rid of clutter are made in the depths of February. The result is old clothes, games, aging sports equipment, baby strollers, dishes, and kitchen appliances regurgitated onto sidewalks and driveways for the world to see - and, we hope, purchase.

Like moths to a flame, cruising cars slow to a crawl as signs scream ''GIANT MULTI-FAMILY YARD SALE'' at every other street corner. Who can resist the possibility of a great find? I spot one. Not quite sure what it is from the curb, I park. Aha. another must-have, a Tater Twister. The little dot says $2. I'm not even going to try to bargain.

''How do you use this?''
Blank stare.
''Got the instruction booklet?''
Laughter.
Can't be that hard to figure out. Somehow or other you stick in a potato and this lethally sharp disc turns something whole (hopefully not your fingers) into curlicues.
''Why did you originally purchase this,'' I ask?
''Seemed like a good idea at the time. I thought they would look nice on a plate,'' says the seller.
The Tater Twister joins the growing mound of items in the car.

What am I going to say to my husband? ''Part of the research, hon.'' He's an academic. He'll understand.

The research continues at the home of Ginny Tavilla of Lexington. ''Downsizing after 35 years,'' says her sign. ''At last year's yard sale, I had a bread machine,'' she recalled. ''I tried using it five times and gave up. I also had an electric griddle. You need another house for all this. One of my daughters worked for a home shopping network and she would give me all these gifts. Guess what?'' Tavilla's arm makes a sweeping arc over the tables piled with unopened boxes.

Onward. The Lexington High Lacrosse Team's yard sale looks promising. Ooh, a never-been-used, three-tiered, Oster electric steamer. Now that is intriguing. Again, there are no instructions, but the pictures of various foods and a timer on the front make this a no-brainer.

''We think this might have been a wedding gift for the history teacher,'' says the coach's wife. ''I have one. It cooks a whole meal without using any pots. Chicken breasts on the bottom, potatoes in the middle, and broccoli on top.''

Now I have one, too, for six bucks! I ask, ''What's this tong-like tool with a cupped slotted basket used for? It's the third time it's turned up at a yard sale today.'' The lacrosse moms all gather. We examine and guess, but no one knows. For 25 cents and a good cause, I'll figure it out later. The very next day in the mail, a catalog with kitchen gadgets appears. There it is on page 20: ''The Perfect Slicer! For the right slice every time!'' Pictures show perfect rounds of tomatoes and onions. I was meant to have this.

Lexingtonian Dick Howe is selling his home, and among the many items in his driveway are a Nordic Track and a little wok. ''Those two things are prime examples of good intentions gone awry,'' says Howe. Asked if he ever used the wok, Howe pauses, pulls in his breath, and says, ''You know, I'm not sure.''

The mega yard sale at Roxbury Latin School in West Roxbury is a bonanza. Tables of popcorn makers, pressure cookers, food choppers, two bread machines, an original fondue pot, sandwich maker, waffle irons, woks, coffee makers, a brand new giant food chopper, a clay garlic baker, stacks of dishes - whoopee! Fifty-five dollars later, I have a Breadman Plus, heart waffle iron, electric wok, the garlic baker, a sandwich maker, a Le Creuset pot, and a real 1970s avocado-green fondue set. Such a deal.

Somewhere along the line I also acquire a brand-new, in-the-box, Blooming Onion cutter with its bright red ''As Seen On TV'' label beckoning to me along with other necessities like a spaghetti measure, toast rack, and wire cheese slicer.

The mumbled promise to my husband not to keep anything (my toes were crossed) was slipping away. Images of freshly baked pumpernickel bread made with my Breadman Plus, served with tomatoes cut using my Perfect Slicer, with a side of curly Cajun potatoes from the Tater Twister, an appetizer of a deep-fried blooming onion, and for dessert, symmetrical orange sections executed with my As-Seen-On-TV Citrus Express, were dancing in my head. What a feast. This would wow him and weaken his resolve.

Everything actually works, which is a bad thing because I don't want to give up anything. Oh, all right, I can live without the toast rack and the Citrus Express. The serrated blade nearly sliced open my palm anyway.

So, hang in and wait for the appliance du jour to be next year's nifty yard sale find. Ice cream makers are big this year.

Note: Don't be dissuaded from buying an appliance because there is no instruction booklet. I went online to the Breadman Company, got their customer service number, called, and they sent along a copy of the Owners Manual and Recipe booklet for free.

Smooth and sweet, pudding's a treat

Mmmmm, pudding. Creamy, sweet, and smooth. Soothing, simple, and easy to digest. No wonder pudding is often a child's first dessert, or a sweet offering when we're ill. Often it's the first thing a child learns to cook.

Puddings are soft desserts usually boiled, baked, or steamed. They are often made with milk, a thickener, egg, tapioca or cornstarch, and flavorings like vanilla, chocolate, and butterscotch. Rice, corn, and coconut are a few of the ingredients added to enhance the simple and make it sublime.

Dessert pudding can come from a box, or a plastic container in the refrigerator section of the market. However, like most things, when deconstructed to its ingredient list of sugar, cornstarch, and flavorings, it really is quite easy to make from scratch and is just a matter of using correct proportions. Homemade also can be more healthy.

Like many dishes that use heat and a thickener, this pot has to be watched. Thirty seconds and 5 degrees can make the difference between a creamy concoction or something resembling cement. Pudding thickens as it cools, so be careful not to overcook.

Rice pudding, which can send one swooning back to childhood, is little more than rice, milk, and sometimes eggs. Do you like yours with or without raisins? Soft or really firm? Most cultures have their own dessert pudding, with the same tug of nostalgia. Raj Verma, 27, comes from the Punjab region in northern India. He serves kheer, the aromatic Indian rice pudding, at his restaurant, Bollywood, on Massachusetts Avenue in East Lexington. It is the most popular dessert on the menu and Verma gives everyone a taste even if they don't order it. Basmati rice, whole milk, cardamom, and a dash of rose water makes this pudding delightfully different.

''We had a few cows on our land and we would get the milk fresh, warm, and thicker than what you have here,'' Verma recalled. ''Kheer was served very cold to give us some relief from the heat of the day as well as the heat of the food. When we had scratchy throats or colds, my mom served this to us.''

Mention tapioca (from the root of the cassava plant) and some people will search for Fido, ready to slip him a bowl of those translucent ''fish eyes'' under the table. Tapioca can be the base for desserts, a thickener for pies. Like tofu, it absorbs the flavors it is mixed with. Also like tofu, you have to be a fan of the slippery consistency. Elsa Tian emigrated from Indonesia 36 years ago and remembers tapioca puddings made with coconut milk.

''We had the tapioca pudding at tea time served at room temperature,'' she said. ''They used to soak the tapioca pearls overnight to soften before cooking.'' Tian still makes the dessert, but finds the quick-cooking tapioca in the box perfectly acceptable.

Stores that carry Asian foods often carry the tapioca pearls in bags. About half the recipes researched recently called for soaking the pearls overnight. The soaked tapioca is then cooked in water until translucent and takes much less time to get to this stage.

Pudding as a snack adds some calcium to your diet. Served in a footed cup, it is an easy but elegant finish to a dinner party, or a cooling end to a spicy meal. It's made all the more special with a garnish of whipped cream, chocolate shavings, or a sprinkling of pistachios. Serve with a crispy wafer-like cookie and dessert is done.

Old-fashioned chocolate pudding

These recipes use whole milk as it gives a richer flavor. You can substitute low fat milk

2 cups whole milk or 1 cup milk and 1 cup half and half
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Mix cornstarch, sugar, cocoa and salt together in a bowl.
2. Pour milk into a pot over medium heat. Add cocoa mixture and stir constantly until bubbles appear around the edge.
3. Lower heat to a simmer and stir pudding until thick. Add vanilla.
4. Pour into four dishes. Chill and serve with whipped cream and chocolate shavings or jimmies.

For butterscotch pudding, omit chocolate and substitute brown sugar for white sugar. Add 2 tablespoons butter and the vanilla after pot has been removed from heat.

For vanilla: Omit chocolate and add vanilla after pot has been removed from heat.

Kheer: Indian rice pudding

1 cup basmati rice
2 cups water
8 cups milk (whole milk gives creamiest results)
1/2 cup heavy cream
2-3 green cardamom pods, seeds only
3/4 cup sugar
chopped pistachios for garnish
a few drops rose water (optional)

1. Cook rice in water until done.
2. Heat milk until it boils. Turn to medium heat.
3. Break open green cardamom pods and remove the seeds.
4. Add cooked rice, cream, sugar, and cardamom seeds to hot milk.
5. Continue cooking and stirring until the mixture thickens to the consistency of thick soup, about 5-8 minutes.
6. Serve in individual bowls. Garnish with chopped, unsalted, green pistachios. A drop or two of rosewater is traditional and adds fragrance and flavor.

Adapted from Raj Verma's Bollywood Cafe recipe


Indonesian mango strawberry tapioca pearl dessert

1/3 cup pureed mango
1/3 cup pureed strawberry
3 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
1/3 cup sugar
21/2 cups water (or 1 cup milk and 11/2 cups coconut milk)

1. Place tapioca, water, and sugar in a pot and let stand for 5 minutes.
2. Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a full boil. Remove from heat.
3. Divide into two mixing bowls. Let cool for 10 minutes.
4. Add the strawberry puree to one bowl and the mango puree to the other. Mix well.
5. Put a layer of mango tapioca in each of four bowls. Top with a layer of strawberry tapioca.
6. Serve with a dollop of coconut cream (the coconut cream is the thick layer on top of the coconut milk when you open the can).

Adapted from Martin Yan's Asia, Rainbow Tapioca

Tembleque: Puerto Rican coconut pudding

1 cup milk
1 cup half and half
2 cups sweetened coconut shreds
1-11/2 cups coconut milk
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

1. Heat milk and half and half until bubbles just begin to form. Remove from heat.
2. Add coconut and let sit for 15 minutes.
3. Place milk and coconut mixture in blender or food processor and pulse for 30 seconds.
4. Place a strainer over a bowl and pour mixture into the strainer. Press on remaining coconut to release as much liquid as possible.
5. Measure strained liquid into a pot; add coconut milk and heat on medium.
6. Dissolve the cornstarch in one-third cup milk and whisk into hot mixture.
7. Add salt and stir until mixture thickens. Lower heat and stir an additional five minutes. Turn off heat and add cinnamon if desired.
8. Divide among four bowls and garnish with toasted coconut (made by placing three tablespoons shredded coconut in a dry frying pan and heating just until coconut turns brown.)

Adapted from ''How to Cook Everything''
by Mark Bittman

There'll always be room for gelatin

Admit it. You miss those old Jello-O salads. Remember the desserts? Mini-marshmallows, Cool Whip, nuts, and pineapple suspended in luminescent layers of primary colors like prehistoric species in amber. Open the fridge and the multi-layered form comes to life when the reverberation of the door sends it quivering. Cherry-flavored Jell-0 with banana slices. Tuna aspics on the buffet tables of the '50s. Molded gelatin salads of every conceivable variation at potlucks.

Making gelatin used to be a complicated and lengthy process. In the 1850s, Peter Cooper, benefactor of The Cooper Union, New York's famous art, engineering, and architecture school, patented the first gelatin dessert. In 1897, the Jell-O brand was introduced by Pearl Wait as a fruit-flavored version, sporting strawberry, orange, lemon, and raspberry flavors. Charles Knox developed granulated unflavored gelatin around 1900.

Gelled desserts and aspics rapidly became popular among housewives when electric refrigerators swept into American households. Using gelatin was considered economical and healthy. It performed culinary gymnastics as a food extender and by morphing from salad to dessert in a single bound. It was the perfect segue from labor-intensive layer cakes to quick and easy desserts.

In the 1950s, Jell-O added new flavors; grape, black cherry, and black raspberry, and fruity gelatin went from being a food stretcher to an elegant addition to a party or church supper. Holiday dinners featured at least one Jell-O salad with alternating pastel and translucent layers. Every cookbook from a church or synagogue or school has pages devoted to dishes with names like Merry Cherry Salad and Rainbow Delight.

Roger Petersen, political science professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, recalls his parents reminiscing about Jell-O after the death of his grandmother. Petersen grew up in rural Iowa, where most farms used electricity only for lighting homes. ''Richer farmsteads could afford refrigeration as well, and would serve Jell-O as a treat,'' he recalls. ''Being able to serve Jell-O was a status symbol. The only way to have a gelatin dessert before that was to leave it out on the porch during the winter.'' A personal favorite from his mother's church cookbook is Seafoam Salad, made with lime Jell-O, canned pears, cream cheese, and Dream Whip.

As is true of sausage, one may not want to know how gelatin is made. A call to the Jell-O consumer service line run by Kraft Foods confirmed that. The representative said Jell-O brand gelatin was made not from the hooves and horns of animals but from their hides. Then he said something about collagen, acid, and percentages, which is when the ''need to know'' factor shut down and ignorance seemed a better option. Peterson said Sioux City, Iowa, one of America's meatpacking centers, also had one of the largest gelatin factories.

If you are a vegetarian, neither Knox gelatin nor packaged gelatin desserts should be on your list. There is a product called Agar made solely from seaweed, which has the properties necessary to congeal, is unflavored, and does not smell fishy. Hain makes a SuperFruits Dessert Mix that is vegetarian, Kosher, made with natural flavors and natural color, and tastes good. Bread and Circus carries both.

Any liquid, such as juice, or semi-solid can be made to set. One packet, or 1 tablespoon, of gelatin solidifies two cups of liquid or semi-solids. If you plan to add pieces of fruit or nuts, cut the liquid by one quarter. Sour cream and cream cheese are popular additions and take the place of some liquid. If you are looking to lower fat content, substitute yogurt cheese. You won't be able to tell the difference.

When using a mold, it's important to moisten with water or a nonstick spray before adding the gelatin mixture. A quick dip in a bowl of warm water and a prayer might help before flipping it onto a platter. Moisten the plate before unmolding, as you might miss the center and then could slide the gelatin into perfect position.

Today, Valentine's Day, try this adaptation of the classic French cheese dessert coeur a la creme (heart of cream). This version uses unflavored gelatin and is lower in fat and lighter than the original, which calls for heavy cream, sour cream, and cream cheese. It is traditionally made in a special ceramic heart mold and wrapped in cheesecloth to allow the whey to drain. You can use any mold for this one. Served with a strawberry sauce made from frozen berries, this is elegant, healthy, easy, and you won't be eating your heart out over this delicious treat.

Coeur a la Creme

1/3 cup cold water
1 1/2 packets unflavored gelatin
2-3 tablespoons boiling water
8 ounces farmers cheese (try Friends brand in the dairy section)
1 cup light cream cheese
1 cup nonfat yogurt cheese
1/2 cup light cream
1/2 cup sugar
several whole strawberries

1. Place 1/3 cup cold water in a small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin on the water, and let sit five minutes. Add 2-3 tablespoons of boiling water to mixture, and mix until gelatin is completely dissolved.
2. Place farmer's cheese, light cream cheese, yogurt cheese, and light cream in a
mixing bowl. Beat on low for 1 minute.
3. Add sugar and beat again until smooth.
4. Stir in gelatin mixture. Pour into a heart-shaped mold, and chill until set, about 3
hours. Unmold on platter, and decorate with whole strawberries.
5. To Serve: Cut heart into sections and spoon strawberry sauce over the dessert.

NOTE: Making your own yogurt cheese is easy. Inexpensive, reusable strainers are available in kitchen stores, such as the package of two for $3.59 at Kitchen etc. You also can use strong paper coffee filters. Place 11/2 cups yogurt in the strainer set over a container with enough space on the bottom to allow the liquid to drain. Place in fridge for 5 hours, or overnight. The liquid whey will drain and leave a thick yogurt cheese, thus reducing the volume. It is a great base for spreads and dips. Yogurt cheese also is available in most Middle Eastern grocery stores.

Strawberry Sauce

1 10 oz. package frozen strawberries (or raspberries)
1/4-1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons kirsch or maraschino liqueur, optional

Place all sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor, and mix until blended. Chill until ready to serve.

Spicy tomato aspic

Serve with seeded crackers or French bread, cucumbers, fresh basil, and light
mayonnaise on a bed of lettuce. This is a refreshing and low-calorie salad or spread.

1 cup water
2 packets gelatin
3 cups Bloody Mary cocktail mix or V-8
2 tablespoons lemon juice

1. In a bowl, sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup of cold water.
2. In a small pot, heat tomato juice and the remaining 1/2 cup water.
3. Add the softened gelatin, and stir until completely dissolved.
4. Remove from heat, and stir in the lemon juice.
5. Pour into prepared mold. Chill until set.


Creamy Orangesicles
(Reprinted with permission from the National Dairy Council)
This recipe also makes delightful smoothies. Place two frozen servings in the blender with a half-cup of lowfat milk. Try making it using other fruit-flavored gelatin.

1 package orange gelatin powder
3/4 cup lowfat milk
1 eight-ounce container vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup boiling water

1. Place gelatin mix in a medium-size bowl. Add boiling water. Stir until gelatin mix is
completely dissolved.
2. After mixture cools slightly, add milk and yogurt. Stir until all ingredients are
blended.
3. Spoon into freezer-pop molds or 5-ounce paper cups. If using paper cups, cover
with foil and insert a wooden pop stick. Freeze for several hours until firm.

Lemon and Lime Gelatin Dessert

You can't compare the pure taste of this fruit dessert with the artificially flavored.
Any juice can be made into a gelatin dessert.

1 packet unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup sugar
11/2 cups boiling water
1/4 cup cold water
Juice from 1 lemon and 1 lime

1. In a bowl, sprinkle gelatin on 1/4 cup cold water.
2. Add boiling water, and mix until dissolved.
3. Add lemon and lime juices and sugar. Mix until liquid is clear.
4. Pour into 4 serving cups. Decorate each with a slice of lemon and lime, and a
sliver of skin from each.
5. Chill until set, about 4 hours.

Making sushi can be fun and easy

Making sushi at home may seem fussy and complicated, but it need not be. It needs virtually no cooking, is inherently low in fat and nutritious, and can involve the guests in preparation. A temaki zushi(hand-rolled sushi) party is fun and an authentic way to eat sushi at home. When the Japanese are not eating sushi at restaurants or ordering in gorgeous, costly platters of nigiri-zushi(nuggets of vinegared rice topped with slabs of sashimi-raw fish), they serve temaki zushi to friends and family.

Sushi is not raw fish. It is the sweet and vinegary rice that forms the base for raw or cooked fish, vegetables, and a variety of toppings. A dollop of sushi rice is placed atop a rectangle of yaki nori(roasted seaweed). Then one chooses from a kaleidoscope of foods and places them on the rice. The seaweed and rice combination is then rolled, cone-like, and lightly dipped in soy sauce. The crunch of the seaweed, the complimentary sweet and briny flavors, and the eye-watering heat of wasabi (horseradish mustard paste) create a most satisfying combination.

Excellent ingredients are important, as they will be standing on their own merits. There is maguro(raw tuna), tobiko(flying fish eggs), scallops, and flounder. If you don't like raw fish, use smoked salmon, or cooked crabmeat and shrimp. Cucumber strips, radish sprouts, watercress, shiso leaves (a plant in the mint family), avocados, steamed asparagus, sweet shitake mushrooms, and omelet strips provide balance and texture. Cutting things into similar sizes and grouping them on a large platter makes a beautiful presentation. Condiments are soy sauce, wasabi, and gari shoga(vinegared ginger slices).

Raw fish must be bought at reputable places; there are no bargains. Be prepared to pay $15-$20 per pound for tuna. Sliced thin and as part of a large array of food, a half-pound goes a long way. The storage, cutting, and handling of the fish is important. Don't be intimidated; just be vigilant. You do not need to buy the pre-cut and very expensive sashimi slices if you stick to simpler fish choices. A good scrub in soapy hot water of your knives and cutting boards before and after using is crucial.

Rice remains the most important ingredient. There is no substitute for short-grain, Japanese rice. It's ''sticky'' characteristic gives it the distinctive quality necessary in making sushi. Many brands are available, even at local supermarkets. Mamiko Maki of Winchester, who is Japanese, recommends using Tamaki brand and says Nishiki is passable. The Japanese know rice and make very clear distinctions among the brands. Mamiko uses Kagayaki (available in Japanese markets), which she considers ''good quality and reasonably priced.''

The only cooking you have to do is making the rice. A rice cooker is convenient, but a heavy-bottomed pot with a good fitting lid will do. The preparation of short-grain rice is different from that of long-grain rice. Short-grain rice must be washed and soaked before cooking, and the water must be cold when the rice begins to cook. After cooking, a mixture of rice wine vinegar, sugar, and salt is stirred into the steaming rice, coating the grains until shiny. There is a bottled version of this seasoning, and it is good enough, even for the most particular Japanese cooks.

Once considered exotic ingredients, most of the makings of a sushi party now can be found in any supermarket with a reasonable international or Asian section. For the really authentic, however, try an Asian or Japanese specialty market. It will be one-stop shopping (except for maybe the fish), and you are more likely to find the freshest of everything due to the high turnover.

Where to find fresh ingredients for sushi:

The following stores carry fresh fish and other good sushi ingredients.

Fish Sea to You 212 Northern Avenue Fish Pier Boston 617-350-0130

New Deal 622 Cambridge Street Cambridge 617-876-8227 Fresh Pond Seafood 355 Fresh Pond Parkway Cambridge 617-497 - 9821

Japanese Specialty Markets These stores can be pricey but will have everything you are looking for (Some have fish available).

Yoshinoya's 36 Prospect Street (Central Square) Cambridge 617-491-8221

Kotobukiya 1815 Massachusetts Ave. (Porter Square) Cambridge 617-354-6914

Pan Asian

Reliable Market 85 Union Square Somerville 617-623-9620

China Merchandise 120 Cambridge St. Burlington 781-229-6886


Te Maki Sushi Party for 8
Arrange all ingredients on one or two platters


Sushi Rice - makes 7 cups cooked rice
Double to make sure you have enough.
(When preparing Japanese rice add 1 ¼ cups water for each cup of uncooked rice.)

2 ½ cups short grain rice
2 ¾ cup water

Seasonings
5 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon salt

*You can use prepared sushi - su seasoned vinegar - check the package
for proportions.

Make the rice no more than 2 hours before you plan to use it


1. Place rice in a bowl or pot and wash by stirring and draining three or four times until the water becomes almost clear.
2. Let the rice soak in 2¾ cups rice for 20 minutes. The rice will turn white and plump up the grains.
3. If using a rice cooker start cooking. If using a pot, cook the rice over medium heat until the water starts to boil. Then turn the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes. Turn the heat off and let the rice steam for 10 minutes. The pot should be covered during the entire process. Total time about 30 minutes.
4. Remove the rice to a large bowl and with slashing movements toss and lift the rice. Do not mash and mix it.
5. Combine the seasonings for the rice. Make sure sugar and salt is dissolved.
6. Sprinkle the seasoning mixture onto the rice as you toss the rice, coating all the grains until shiny. With a newspaper or magazine, fan the rice to cool it down as you mix it. It does help to have someone else do this while you are tossing the rice.
7. Place in a shallow serving bowl. Cover the rice with a clean damp dishtowel to keep from drying out. Never refrigerate sushi rice.

Seasoned Shitake Mushrooms

6-8 dried shitake mushrooms - soaked in water (reserve the soaking liquid) until soft, rinsed, and sliced into strips.

½ cup mushroom liquid
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon mirin (sweet rice wine) you can add another teaspoon of sugar if not available

1. Cook the mushrooms in a saucepan with the mushroom liquid, soy sauce, sugar and mirin until the mushrooms have absorbed all the liquid, about 5 minutes. Stir occasionally. Do not walk away from this pot.


Assorted Fillings

½ pound fresh tuna - sliced ¼ by 2- 3 inch
½ fresh crabmeat
½ pound cooked shrimp sliced down the center
4 ounces tobiko - flying fish eggs or salmon roe
½ pound smoked salmon
½ pound scallops - sliced horizontally in thirds - with lemon juice
2 avocadoes - peeled and cut into 8 long sections
2 English cucumbers (no peeling necessary) seeded and cut into ¼ by 3
inch strips
1 bunch watercress, washed and dried
radish sprouts, rinsed and dried
(2 packages shiso leaves - 8 to a package)
seasoned shitake mushrooms
Steamed asparagus spears, lightly salted

20 sheets nori - roasted seaweed sheets, cut in half
Soy sauce
Gari shoga pickled ginger slices
Wasabi - Japanese horseradish paste - it comes in tubes all prepared in the refrigerator section or as a powder in a small can. If you buy the powder - you will need to mix a few teaspoons of the powder with a little water.

Set a plate, disposable wooden chopsticks, and a small dish for soy sauce and wasabi for each person.

To make a roll:

1. Take a rectangle sheet of nori rough side up, and spread a small amount of rice on the left side of the nori. Flatten rice and spread a little wasabi on the rice.
2. Lay the fillings of your choice on the diagonal. Fold the lower left corner of the seaweed over the filling and continue to roll into a cone.
3. Dip into soy sauce.

Ginger acts as a palate cleanser.