Chew On This: Food News You Can Use

Cider Glaze

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup confectioner's sugar, sifted

1 tablespoon cider

¼ teaspoon lemon juice

To make the cookies: Cream together butter and sugars until fluffy. Beat in apple butter and egg yolk. In a separate bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients to creamed and stir just until ingredients are well blended; do not over mix. Chill dough for 3-4 hours before rolling.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough out on a lightly-floured counter to ¼-inch thickness and cut with a cookie cutter. Transfer cookies to cookie sheets that have been lined with parchment paper or silicone liners. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly colored. Let cookies cool slightly on cookie sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the cider glaze: Melt the butter. Add confectioner's sugar, cider and lemon juice. Stir until smooth, adding more cider if necessary to make the glaze thick but spreadable. Add food coloring if desired.

To decorate cookies: Spoon a generous tablespoonful of glaze onto each cookie. Use a metal spatula to gently push and spread the glaze just up to the edges of the cookie. Hold the cookie level and gently shake it back and forth a few times to help distribute the glaze. Makes 18 cookies.

Note from the kitchen: Do not substitute applesauce for apple butter, it's too runny.

Season's finale

This delicious summer is coming to an end with the final Farm Fresh Dinner Club that offers a four-course meal, featuring a grass-fed pork loin entree, taking place at 7 p.m. Saturday at Retro Café, 801 W. Buffalo St., New Buffalo. Cost is $50 per person/all inclusive. To reserve a place at the table, call 269-469-1800. Space is limited and by reservation only.

Beer tasting Oct. 2

The fourth annual Lions & Tigers Beer Tasting and Hog Roast to benefit more than 80 exotic animals living at Black Pine Animal Sanctuary in Albion will take place Oct. 2 (rain or shine). Live music by Cheyenne, a silent auction, and sanctuary tours will also be offered. Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the gate. Visit blackpineanimalspark.com or call 260-636-7383 to learn more. Must be 21 years of age or older with valid photo identification to enter.

September special

A lot of our readers look forward to learning what the monthly special will be at Breadsmith, 2022 South Bend Ave., South Bend. Before the month slips away, check out the Honey Oat Bran, priced at $2.50 a loaf on Tuesdays. This soft bread with a crusty exterior has a light honey flavor that makes it great for toasting and sandwiches. To learn more, call 574-273-9130.

Funds to Fernwood

Bentwood Tavern, Marina Grand Resort, 600 W. Water St., New Buffalo, will host a Give-Back Dinnerfrom 5 to 10 p.m. Tuesday. Fifty percent will be donated to Fernwood Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve. For reservations, call 269-469-1699 or visit bentwoodtavern.com.

Mom's helper

Sara Lee Deli and celebrity chef Alex Guarnaschelli are sponsoring the "What's Your Lunchtime Challenge?" contest. Win a day with the chef and receive her culinary tutelage by submitting an essay describing your lunchtime challenge along with a photo of your child/ children. Visit facebook.com/ saraleedeli to learn more.

Good-Buy

Guggisberg Deutsch Käse Haus of Middlebury was recently awarded first place for its Colby brand at the World Dairy Expo's cheese competition in Madison, Wis. Guggisberg also took second place for its Swiss cheese block. The German cheese house is located at 11275 W. 250 North, Middlebury. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays (until 5:30 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays) and closed on Sundays. Call 574-825-9511 to learn more.