Brie

Any way you spell it, he still wants to be veep. Would-be vice president Sen. Lloyd Bentsen of Texas is not exactly a household word here yet. Lapel buttons touting the new Democratic team - on sale at a pricey $5 each - spelled it BentSON, not BentSEN. Also on sale, a Dukakis-Glenn button from a vendor who banked on the Ohio senator, and lost. Security could hardly have been tighter at the Marriott Marquis Hotel, the glitzy convention home for Jesse Jackson and his closest friends.

It could happen. Onion dip, cheese balls and baked Brie might just go the way of the dodo bird. It could happen, that is, once cooks take a look at the newly published Hors d'oeuvres (OK Publishing Inc., $19.95) by chef Eric Treuille and caterer Victoria Blashford-Snell, both of London. A second glance should send cooks scurrying for the cumin and coriander, shrimp and chicken wings, skewers, phyllo and tortillas - whatever's on hand to begin the magic. The only remaining problem: Which recipe to go for first?

Tucked away down a narrow Old City alley, the garden patio behind Wedge + Fig is one of the loveliest local pocket hideaways in which to while away the last warm days over panini and salad. Formerly a cheese shop (and a bakery before that), this light-bite boutique from one-time sailmakers Kirk Nelson and Lisa Ruff features the culinary talents of Rebecca Torpie, the former chef-owner of Flying Monkey. There are baked goods reminiscent of her cupcake days (lemon bars, macaroons)

Here are four mouth-watering ways to get your holiday guests in a dining mood: CHUTNEY DIP 1 cup light or cholesterol-free mayonnaise 1/4 cup mango chutney or other chutney 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger 1 teaspoon grated lime or lemon peel Combine the mayonnaise, chutney, ginger and lime or lemon peel. Cover and chill. Serve with cooked shrimp, sliced cucumbers, chicken nuggets or cut vegetables. Makes 10 servings. Per tablespoon: 97 calories, 8 grams fat, 5.9 grams carbohydrate, 142 grams sodium.

The most frightened people in history Without a war on their own territory for a century and a half, Americans love to scare themselves. The books of Stephen King . . . enjoy a tremendous popularity. . . .Unpasteurized cheeses with mold - Camembert and Brie - are absolutely forbidden . . . Meryl Streep, the world-renowned biochemist who does some acting on the side, warned on television against serving apples and apple juice to children. Jacek Kalabinsky Polityka (Warsaw), Nov. 1, 1997

It was late on a perfect summer afternoon. Coventry Forge Inn wasn't due to open its doors for another half hour but, in an effort to second-guess rush-hour traffic, I had managed to be unfashionably early for a 5:30 reservation made in a dinner partner's name. The Inn's front door was locked. I heard the swish, swish of a broom and walked around back to where a woman was energetically dispatching a few blades of newly clipped grass from the paving. The woman was patronne June Callahan and I managed, quite easily, to convince her that I was harmless and might be permitted to dawdle at the Inn's tiny bar. In a nearby dining room, a vacuum cleaner was buzzing away.

Walking into the new Academia del Caffe just south of City Hall is like stepping from Philly into a slice of Milano. From the sleek, bi-level balcony design to the Hausbrandt coffee that anchors this rapidly expanding coffee chain, everything was done to recreate a Northern Italian feeling. The paninis are no exception. This Tirolese, a pressed sandwich of smoky speck ham, Brie and mushrooms, was almost perfect (save for a squirt too much mayo.) But there's a glass case bursting with more than 20 varieties that co-owner Massimo Taurisano says have been selling at a pace of about 500 sandwiches a day. That's a lotta panini for South Penn Square!

In their final months at the William Penn Inn, where they worked to save for their big debut, it must have been a challenge for Joe and Amy McAtee to imagine the flight of modern fancy that would become Honey. The William Penn, in Gwynedd, is as classic as it gets - an enormous 1714 inn where the service is stodgy black-tie and the culinary high points (veal Oscar and snapper soup) are fossils from the Prime Rib-a-zoic era. The McAtees are grateful to the William Penn for the work, and respectful of its tradition.

It's been nearly 11 years since the 94th Aero Squadron landed in Northeast Philadelphia. In the beginning, just trying to get into this aviation-themed restaurant was a mission impossible. The wait for a table could be two to three hours. Those days have faded into the past like echos of distant cannon fire. But the 94th Aero Squadron is still unique, its colorful World War I motif a quiet and interesting caricature of another time. For those not familiar with the 94th, it is a re-creation of what a French farmhouse might have looked like after a squadron of American aviators had gotten hold of it. The entranceway is filled with small sandbags similar to those that lined the trenches, and there are enough other artifacts to give the place a studiolike authenticity.

A 14th death in the Philadelphia area since December has been attributed to the sometimes-fatal disease listeriosis, an epidemiologist with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control said yesterday. Dr. Benjamin Schwartz said, however, that he thought it was "unlikely" that the local outbreak would cause any more deaths. "Virtually every" hospital in the area already has been canvassed, he said. Schwartz said the 14th death occurred in February but was diagnosed as listeriosis yesterday.

It's a beet, minus the root. Chard is a relative of the beet, but puts its energy into producing tender leaves and crunchy stalks instead of its root. Generally, any flavor that works well with spinach will partner with chard: butter, lemon, cream, garlic, shallots and vinaigrette. Try it in this easy quiche. Rainbow Chard, Bacon and Brie Quiche Makes 6 servings 1 prepared uncooked pie crust 8 ounces bacon, cut into small chunks 1 small yellow onion, diced 6 cups chopped rainbow chard (about ?

Tucked away down a narrow Old City alley, the garden patio behind Wedge + Fig is one of the loveliest local pocket hideaways in which to while away the last warm days over panini and salad. Formerly a cheese shop (and a bakery before that), this light-bite boutique from one-time sailmakers Kirk Nelson and Lisa Ruff features the culinary talents of Rebecca Torpie, the former chef-owner of Flying Monkey. There are baked goods reminiscent of her cupcake days (lemon bars, macaroons)

For a peppery bite in your food, it's time to turn to arugula. This leafy green takes on a more spicy character in the summer heat. And arugula's firm leaves make it suitable for dishes ranging from salads to stir-fries. Here's a quick guide to buying, storing and eating it: When shopping for arugula, look for firm, crisp leaves. "When you take a leaf and bend it, it will crack," says farmer Lou Pasquale of Il Giardino Organico of Fresno, Calif. When Pasquale is harvesting arugula for farmers markets, he also looks for a deep green color and a nice scent.

Nicholas J. Cassidy and Hector Torres have gone for romance - twinkling candles, subdued lighting, dark wooden furnishings - at Sauté , their new BYOB in Queen Village (775 S. Front St., 215-271-9300). The mellow vibe is far from what they were feeling during eight months of intense construction at what was La Creole. For starters, they had to correct the only route in and out of the basement, which was through a trapdoor behind the bar. Torres, who opened Roy's and worked in the front of the house at SoleFood at the Loews, runs the dining room.

Walking into the new Academia del Caffe just south of City Hall is like stepping from Philly into a slice of Milano. From the sleek, bi-level balcony design to the Hausbrandt coffee that anchors this rapidly expanding coffee chain, everything was done to recreate a Northern Italian feeling. The paninis are no exception. This Tirolese, a pressed sandwich of smoky speck ham, Brie and mushrooms, was almost perfect (save for a squirt too much mayo.) But there's a glass case bursting with more than 20 varieties that co-owner Massimo Taurisano says have been selling at a pace of about 500 sandwiches a day. That's a lotta panini for South Penn Square!

Q: I'm planning to make Brie en Croute for a party next month. I remember that 30-plus years ago, this was a very popular dish at parties! Can you please send me a recipe using a whole wheel of Brie? Thank you for your time. - Kim P. A: You know what's scary? I could have been the cook at one of those parties 30 years ago! It's not that Brie en Croute is back in - it was never really out and seems as popular as ever. And why not? Although there are many variations for baked Brie, they all combine a delicious, flaky crust with a creamy, melted, oozing cheese.

In their final months at the William Penn Inn, where they worked to save for their big debut, it must have been a challenge for Joe and Amy McAtee to imagine the flight of modern fancy that would become Honey. The William Penn, in Gwynedd, is as classic as it gets - an enormous 1714 inn where the service is stodgy black-tie and the culinary high points (veal Oscar and snapper soup) are fossils from the Prime Rib-a-zoic era. The McAtees are grateful to the William Penn for the work, and respectful of its tradition.

The holidays are over, the decorations have been taken down, and it's a brand-new year. You are no doubt ready for a little rest and relaxation. While it hasn't been a freezing winter so far, that doesn't mean you shouldn't be looking for a place to get in out of the cold. The frigid temps are just around the corner, so now is a great time to scout out a new watering hole. These pubs could be homey extensions of your living room - the bartenders are expecting their regulars, the fireplaces are burning bright, and the kitchens are brimming with comfort foods.

Chances are, if a restaurant is described as an old landmark and has "country inn" in its name, you've entered prime-rib and baked-potato country. It's the kind of place where the clientele doesn't look for any culinary adventures, nor does the menu force the issue. Enter the Waterwheel Restaurant & Country Inn, a comfortable, low-key kind of place housed in a Bucks County grist mill that dates to 1714. Thanks to the careful management of its new owners, Kenny Hicklin and his wife, Mickey, the place is a classic example of how an old institution can spring to life after a long, languorous interval.

The Germans call it kase, the Spanish, queso, the French, fromage. Here in the states, one would simply "say cheese. " Augustin Cuberro can't help but do it when he thinks about his job as maitre de fromage - "cheesemonger" - at Le Bec-Fin. Cuberro, a 31-year-old native of Barcelona, Spain, buys, maintains and displays the cheeses for guests of the high-profile restaurant owned by Chef Georges Perrier. Handling a $4,800 monthly budget, Cuberro makes bi-weekly trips to cheese suppliers - mainly, Downtown Cheese Shop at the Reading Terminal - to stock what many critics call one of the finest cheese carts in the United States.