BLUE OR BLEU? How do you spell “blue?” Foodies spell it the French way, “bleu”, as in cheese, and the more pungent the better. On the other hand, our friends at Asta Wine Café and Art Gallery (335 Main Street, Huntington 631-271-2345, www.asta1.com) have us spelling it with a “c” – as in Cabrales, an artisanal cheese made in rural Spain that, in our minds, combines the best of two worlds… it’s strong in flavor, like Roquefort, with a creamy texture like Gorgonzola’s. One of more than two dozen cheeses on the menu at Asta, try it with some crusty bread and apple slices, or as a salad topper, and tell them the Foodies sent you.

CHEF OF THE YEAR: Named “Chef of the Year” by the Maitres Cuisiniers de France, Chef/owner Guy Reuge of Mirabelle (404 North Country Rd., St. James, 631-584-5999) has created a special early-bird prix fixe menu to commemorate this prestigious honor. Available every Saturday from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., this three-course prix fixe, which includes a glass of wine, is $48 per person, plus tax and gratuity.  A sample menu – Starters: Butternut squash soup with pumpkin seed pesto or Romaine and frisee salad, smoked salmon, croutons, gingered cranberry vinaigrette; Second Course: Roasted Chatham cod, mijotee of pearl onions with acorn squash and apricot vinegar, celery root gratin, apricot marmalade, or seared breast of farm-raised chicken, roasted onion custard, carrot banana puree, citrus poppy seed sauce; Third Course: Pistachio souffle, rum cream or apple galette with cranberry sauce, black pepper ice cream or Caramelized banana tart with white chocolate sauce; It’s worth the trip.

MEET ME AT STARBUCKS: Starbucks just rolled out their new summer beverages, including the refreshing and lower calorie Orange Crème Frappuccino Light. It’s reminiscent of summer days, the ice cream man and those beloved Creamsicles that we as kids chased after. (BTW - National Creamsicle Day is August 14.) The Iced Orange Mocha is a delectable combination of oranges and sweet chocolate that will cool you off on a hot day, but can also be ordered hot. We’ll see you at Main and Wall Streets the next hot afternoon.

FOODIE PATRIOTISM: While doing some research we came upon some unknown holidays. Never one to begrudge a national holiday, we found out a little too late that last Friday, May 11, Want Day! Luckily, the entire month of May is National Barbeque Month and National Hamburger Month, as well as National Salad Month. Start making your reservations now because May 24 is National Escargot Day.

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