Food news from around Puget Sound

All hail

the farmers

Meet local farmers, taste local food, gather cooking tips, harvest crops, loll in hayrides, press cider, pick pumpkins and more (all for free!) on the 10th annual King County Harvest Celebration Farm Tour, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Saturday.

Nearly 30 farms around the region and on Vashon Island are participating this year, including Ames Creek, Barnplace, Jubilee, Moonshadow Alpaca Ranch, Rockridge Orchards and Cidery, Blue Dog, GreenMan, Plum Forest and Dougherty.

Snag a tour guide at www.king.wsu.edu/foodandfarms/HarvestCelebration.html or at libraries, farmers markets and community centers.

Fine-tune

those flavors

The latest installment of the Cooks & Books visiting chefs series brings James Beard Award-winning authors Karen Page and Andrew Dornenberg, authors of "The Flavor Bible: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity," to The Corson Building in Seattle's Georgetown neighborhood Sunday.

Each $125-per-person ticket includes a multicourse meal created by Corson chefs Matthew Dillon and Emily Crawford, wine and a signed copy of the book (plus tax and tip). Seatings are available at 6 and 8:30 p.m. Make reservations at 206-762-3330 or visit www.thecorsonbuilding.com.

Other morsels

Quell that hunger: Seattle's University District food bank holds its annual Take a Bite Out of Hunger auction and dinner at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 18 at St. Demetrios Hall. Visit www.udistrictfoodbank.org/events.php for details or to buy tickets.

Kudos: Bon Appétit magazine has named Seattle restaurateur Tom Douglas culinary entrepreneur of the year for his booming restaurant contributions (Dahlia Lounge, Etta's Serious Pie, Palace Kitchen, Lola and Dahlia Bakery) and his expanding repertoire of products (including his own signature kitchens and a custom housewares line, Tom Douglas by Pinzon for Amazon).

Pick a peck: Billy Allstot's farm in Tonasket is roasting sweet and hot peppers on site at the University District, West Seattle, Columbia City and Lake City farmers markets.

They grow up so fast: Artemis (757 Bellevue Ave. E., Seattle, 206-860-2752) celebrates its first birthday this month with a new chef. Zachary Millican hails from the Culinary Institute of America and was most recently executive sous chef at Cascadia.

Chowder fanatics: Ivar's 70th-anniversary clam-chowder-for-70-cents-a-cup promotion last week was too good for travelers to pass up. The Sea-Tac Airport Ivar's location doled out more than 2,100 cups (that's up from about 200 on a typical day), says head clam Bob Donegan.

Where the free food is: Seattle cooking school Culinary Communion invites Beacon Hill residents and businesses to a community barbecue 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday. On the menu? Wood-fired pizzas and discussion of upcoming projects, including a wine shop and $10 community bread classes. Visit www.culinarycommunion.com for details.

A new local cookbook: The Kubota Garden Foundation has compiled more than 200 recipes from members, family and friends to create "A Cook's Tour of Kubota Garden." Proceeds will help extend the garden's ornamental entry wall. Call Jean Hobart at 425-271-0371 to order.

Got food news? Send it to kgaudette@seattletimes.com

Karen Gaudette, Seattle Times staff reporter