Also this issue:

Who's Cooking?
A guide to the tastiest prospects in this year’s edition of The Book and the Cook.
-Maxine Keyser

March 13-19, 2003

food

offthemenu

by Brian White

Traditionally the American kitchen has been seen as a woman's domain, unless that kitchen happens to be in a restaurant. This will be one of the issues tackled by Stella Notte chef-owner Aliza Green at the "Women in Cooking Tea Party," one of this year's The Book and the Cook events. Speaking along with Green will be Feast Your Eyes Caterers owner Lynn Buono and Philadelphia Daily News food editor April Adamson.

The panel will speak about the historical and contemporary impact of women on professional cooking; then they'll lead a bus trip to the University of Pennsylvania to view the Esther B. Aresty Collection in the Culinary Arts, a large exhibit of cookbooks and other culinary books, some over 500 years old.

Green, a 25-year veteran of the Philadelphia restaurant industry, says that working in restaurant kitchens can be a trying experience for women. The long hours and lack of health benefits make it difficult for women with families to succeed.

"[Women] have endurance, a feel for ingredients and good palates," Green says. "They have a lot of talent. The restaurant business is crying that there aren't enough people to work [while] women make up half the population."

Women in Cooking Tea Party, Sat., March 15, noon-2:30 p.m., $25, Independence Visitor Center, Sixth and Market sts., 215-925-6101, ext. 6121.

Life List: This year's Dining Out for Life takes place March 13. Restaurants like the ones on the Center City lists below are donating a third of the cost of food purchased that day to Philly-area HIV and AIDS service organizations. (Some are only participating for dinner or other meals; check www.diningoutforlife.com for details, and for a list of all 201 participating restaurants.)

Center City East: Blue Angel, 706 Chestnut, 215-925-6889; Bump, 1234 Locust, 215-732-1800; Caribou Café, 1126 Walnut, 215-625-9535; Cherry Street Chinese Vegetarian, 1010 Cherry, 215-923-3663; Islas at Where Else Café, 301 S. 11th, 215-733-0482; Jones, 700 Chestnut, 215-223-5663; La Boheme, 246 S. 11th, 215-351-9901; Mixto, 1141 Pine, 215-592-0363; More Than Just Ice Cream, 1119 Locust, 215-574-0586; Morimoto, 723 Chestnut, 215-413-9070; Sal’s on 12th, 200 S. 12th, 215-731-9930; Singapore Kosher Vegetarian, 1006 Race, 215-922-3288; Sotto Varalli, 231 S. Broad, 215-546-6800; Taco House, 1218 Pine, 215-735-1880; Tavern on Camac, 243 S. Camac, 215-545-0900; Upstares at Varalli, 1345 Locust, 215-546-4200; Valanni, 1229 Spruce, 215-790-9494; Venture Inn, 255 S. Camac, 215-545-8731; Westbury, 261 S. 13th, 215-546-5170; Woody’s Bar & Restaurant, 202 S. 13th, 215-545-1893.

Center City West: Alma de Cuba, 1623 Walnut, 215-988-1799; Astral Plane, 1708 Lombard, 215-546-6230; Audrey Claire, 276 S. 20th, 215-731-1222; Avenue B, 260 S. Broad, 215-790-0705; Bella, 2000 Lombard, 215-985-3222; Bistro St. Tropez, 2400 Market, 215-569-9269; Bleu, 227 S. 18th, 215-545-0342; Café Habana, 102 S. 21st, 215-561-2822; Cibucan Restaurant, 2025 Sansom, 215-231-9895; Ernesto’s 1521 Café Gallery, 1521 Spruce, 215-546-1521; Friday, Saturday, Sunday, 261 S. 21st, 215-546-4232; L2, 2201 South, 215-732-7878; Loie, 128 S. 19th, 215-568-0808; My Thai, 2200 South, 215-985-1878; Opus 251, 251 S. 18th, 215-735-6787; Passero’s Gourmet Coffee Co., 1401 Locust, 215-546-2515; Prime Rib, 1701 Locust, 215-772-1701; Rouge, 205 S. 18th, 215-732-6622; Sansom Street Oyster House, 1516 Sansom, 215-567-7683; Sawan’s Mediterranean Bistro, 116 S. 18th, 215-568-3050; Seafood Unlimited, 270 S. 20th, 215-732-3663; Striped Bass, 1500 Walnut, 215-732-4444; Swann Lounge at Four Seasons, 1 Logan Sq., 215-963-1500; Twenty Manning, 261 S. 20th, 215-731-0900.