Cream Cheese

Fall table grapes are abundant in local stores now, and it's hard to resist buying a bunch. These days, any flame-colored grapes that make it past afternoon snack time at my house go into a dessert that's cool to look at and cooling to eat: a tangy ice or a grape tart. A long-ago issue of Sunset magazine inspired my idea for a lightened grape tart. A cook had mounded the crimson-hued grapes in a golden tart shell, topping them with a layer of creamy filling, then glazing with homemade port wine jelly.

WOW! YOU GUYS must think you're really cool, thinking, "Oh, we dissed one of the greatest cities in America - plus the team that's gonna whup us in the NFC championship match next week!" Derek Cliffe, St. Louis I'm having trouble believing Don Russell's article was actually printed in your paper. The article "The Philadelphia Hater's Guide" would need to contain only one entry - that your paper printed such a piece of trash. Neil Hunt, St. Louis In the words of Don Russell: "Reddi-Whip was invented here.

The holiday season is a time for entertaining and an opportunity to share some of our best dishes with family and friends. Among the most popular appetizers are dips that are easy to assemble and can be made in advance. These frequently include a creamy dip to go with crunchy chips. Traditionally made with rich, heart-heavy ingredients - sour cream, mayonnaise, grated cheese, and/or cream cheese - such dishes would be considered far too high in fat and cholesterol for today's health-conscious cook.

In our family, Father's Day has always been eggs and onions, bagels and cream cheese - dear old Mom slaving in the kitchen, and disgruntled children bickering over setting tables and doing dishes - for as far back as I can remember. That's why this Sunday I'm boycotting brunches at 11. I'm waking up at the crack of dawn and surprising Dad with a trip out of the house to greet the sunrise. Of course, this will take a little coaxing - that's where the enticing aroma of freshly baked cinnamon rolls and steaming hot coffee come in. And a witty word or two that "sleeping in on Father's Day" is definitely passe.

Rich and creamy puddings provide the busy cook with quick and easy make-ahead desserts. Unfortunately, milk, cream and eggs are the traditional ingredients, and the source of the excessive fat, calories, and cholesterol found in this seemingly modest treat. There also are people who are unable to digest lactose, making it necessary to avoid desserts with milk. Natural alternative ingredients do a wonderful job of reducing and eliminating problematic components. My puddings rarely exceed 1 gram of fat and contain no cholesterol, yet still offer the richness, texture, and mouthfeel associated with creamy puddings and pie fillings.

When you run a specialty-food store whose loyal fans include Martha Stewart, you're no doubt doing a lot of the right things. And when enthusiastic customers try to extract your cooking secrets, a cookbook is the natural next step. "People had been asking me to do a cookbook. My only fear was that the recipes would appear too simple," Ina Garten said when she was in town recently. Garten is the author of The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook (Clarkson Potter, $32.50), which takes its name from the East Hampton, N.Y., specialty shop she opened about 20 years ago. Over that period of time, Garten, who had been a budget analyst in the White House, went from a 400-square-foot shop to one with 3,000 square feet and a cooking, baking and service staff of 40. Garten believes that simple food is the key to today's cooking lifestyle, and she has reflected that concept in her book.

The view from the Chart House, the popular food marina permanently moored down along the Delaware River, is one of the city's finest. Particularly if you get to slip in and dock by the huge, panoramic windows. Boats - from craft so small they seem overpowered by the rippling tidal surge, to massive seagoing vessels - share the riverscape with passenger jets, helicopters, and even a seagull or two. To its credit, over a steady course of nearly 15 years, the Chart House has gained a reputation as a reliably consistent eatery.

It is not true that Michael Barkann takes his lunch intravenously, the Daily News has learned exclusively. The rumor may have started because Barkann is like sawdust at the circus that is Comcast Sports Network. He's everywhere. "Let's see," Barkann said, spreading a thick square of cream cheese on half of his onion bagel. "Out of the 24 hours, I'm on, uh, 15. " It only seems like 15. Barkann hosts the 90-minute Daily News Live show five nights a week. Hosts "Spotlite" five nights a week.

Served from his restaurant kitchen, Rittenhouse Hotel chef Jim Coleman suggested, this dish might be called a Napoleon of Roasted Peanuts, Pureed Grapes and Marshmallow Mousse. But served up by five contest finalists, ages 7 to 10, at Haddonfield Gourmet, the recipes Coleman was judging were, plainly speaking, Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches. The contest earlier this month challenged youngsters, ages 5 to 11, to submit an original, "ultimate" PB&J recipe. The five were culled from more than 100 entries, some as unusual as PB&J on a bagel with salsa and goldfish snack crackers.

Cheesecake is a triumph of flavor and texture. No wonder it's one of America's favorite holiday desserts. Its just-right creaminess caresses the tongue, creating a luxurious silk scarf of richness on the palate. The cream cheese, sugar, eggs and vanilla balance in perfect harmony. By the wedge or by the sliver, cheesecake is not-too-sweet, not-too-tart dessert perfection. But the taste is only part of the appeal. At holiday time, I'm looking for easy-to-prepare desserts that can be made in advance and frozen.