MASON CITY — The women of North Iowa were treated to a day centered around their interests, needs and concerns on Saturday.The second annual WOW Women’s Expo was held at Southbridge Mall in downtown Mason City.Mother and daughter Pat and Dixie Fullerton, both of Mason City, wandered around the more than 45 exhibitors and then sat down to enjoy a cooking and wine demonstration by Arlin Beemer of Chandlers and Bruce Long of Hy-Vee Wine and Spirits."I’d like to learn how to cook because as a food inspector I hate to cook," Dixie Fullerton said.Fullerton said she has known Beemer for many years.She has been a food inspector for 16 years.Beemer prepared chicken, beef and pork dishes. Long suggested wine which would go well with each dish."He’s very good at what he does. He’s a very good cook," Fullerton said.Marion Helgeson of Kensett was in the front row at the cooking demonstration."I got some ideas to do things differently.

Prepare small-plate menu for a big splash

Looking to make a big impression this Valentine's Day? Take a cue from the restaurant scene and start small. Small plates, that is. For more than a decade, chefs have been wowing diners with small plate offerings - one- or two-bite portions of often intensely flavored foods. The idea is grounded in Mediterranean and Asian culinary traditions, such as mezze and izakaya, and caught on as a way of letting people share and explore more of a restaurant's menu without needing to commit to entire entrees. .

Talking tuna and why sushi's not always a healthy choice

Scary lab tests showing high levels of mercury in a lot of the tuna that gets sliced into sushi in restaurants all over town makes you wonder about the safety of seafood. For help in deciding which fish to eat and which to toss back, take a look at the Environmental Defense Fund's easy to read Seafood Selector. Visit www.environmentaldefense.org.

One interesting point: not all tuna's laced with high mercury levels. Albacore tuna from the U.S. and British Columbia is one of the safer ones, though even it contains moderate levels of mercury. Kids over six and grownups can safely eat it four times a month, but kids under six should only eat it three times per month. Bluefin tuna, due to high levels of both mercury and PCBs, should not be eaten at all. Bigeye and yellowfin (also called ahi) frequently show up in sushi and are high in mercury.

Immigrant businesses tapping local market

PITTSFIELD — With 23 years of work behind him at the popular Manhattan Pizza restaurant in Great Barrington, Brazil native Hamilton Pereira has made two big moves in recent months.

Last July, he became an American citizen. In September, he opened a second Manhattan Pizza, in the Elm Street Plaza. This one is Manhattan Pizza and Brazilian Grill.

As a citizen, now, he can vote. As a citizen, he also can apply for a beer and wine license for his new restaurant, but those wheels are turning slowly at City Hall, he said. Until then, his restaurant patrons are welcome to bring their own libations.

Pereira, who still owns the Great Barrington restaurant with his former wife, also is turning out pizza, grinders, salads, traditional Italian entrées at both restaurants, with the added twist of Brazilian fare in the Pittsfield location.

Mark Morris's 'Dido': Invigorated Virgil

It might sound like the dry stuff of your Western civilization class, but this piece is as full of juice as a ripe plum. It fairly bursts with wit, genuine feeling and kinetic zing because Morris created it as a showcase for himself: He originally danced the roles of Dido and the Sorceress. This was back in 1989, when, after a string of successes here had given it an international profile, Morris's troupe was busy being the national dance company of Belgium.

I saw Morris in the dual turn here back in 1992: A tall, commanding but exquisitely sensitive dancer, he was superb then as the two women, proud and earthy and warmhearted as the queen, grandiose yet deeply human as the Sorceress. How could another dancer take on that mantle? Wonderfully well, it turns out. At Friday's performance, Amber Darragh presented the two like facets of a single soul.

Obama's Winning Streak Continues

Texas and Ohio both vote in primaries on March 4 that the former first lady's campaign has billed as the start of her political comeback. Including Obama's win in Wisconsin, she has lost nine contests in a row and hasn't been victorious since Super Tuesday on Feb. 5.

.

Ray Stein's Mailbox: 2008 looks promising for OSU, unless desire to ...

Mr. Stein: Having only three seniors in our football starting lineup should mean next year we can look forward to another run at a national title. Or does it? Is there another team in the country that has as many juniors leave year after year as Ohio State? Why does this happen? One reason surely is the amount of talent.

If nothing else, it makes me wonder how Tressel and his staff are able to build such a great team year after year. Ron Zook has done an admirable job at Illinois, but after the talent we have lost the last two years and the superlative job Tressel has done, he gets my vote for coach of the year.