Serve the Sauce Hot

Ah, gravy: the cream and quintessence of the dish . . . and around this time of year, salvation if your turkey is the tiniest bit dry. But cold gravy is awful. At last somebody has come up with a server that keeps gravy or any other sauce warm with a thermal glass liner. It’s not as pretty as your grandmother’s china gravy boat, but it’s made of dishwasher-safe ABS plastic and has a thoughtful screw top.

Thermal Gravy Server, $14.99 plus $3 shipping and handling from Metro Marketing, (800) 367-0845.

Great Grater

The usual ginger grater works perfectly well, but this bowl-shaped model is better; you get the ginger and all the ginger juices too.

Ginger grater, $9 at most Williams-Sonoma stores.

Cajun Readin’

Louisiana has the richest and most distinctive food heritage in the country, but it’s a laid-back sort of place. It took until now for some New Orleans foodies to start a magazine about the subject, and it’s a charmingly unpretentious one, full of affection for all things Louisianian.

The first issue of Louisiana Cookin’ has a story about the making of Tabasco sauce (complete with a photo of aging Tabasco pepper mash in a barrel), how to cook alligator (hey, it’s heart-healthy), New Acadian recipes from the wave-making restaurant Le Rosier (crawfish spring rolls, pecan beignets, tequila lime pie) and personal reminiscences of the New Iberia Sugar Cane Festival.

Louisiana Cookin’ Magazine, charter one-year (six-issue) subscription $10; 129 S. Cortez St., New Orleans, LA 70119; (504) 482-3914.

We’re Selling Dreams Here

Packaging is important--we know that in L.A. And so does Hollywood Blonde, an ale with a silky smooth blond on the label (hold on--we meant the beer’s maltiness is silky smooth). It’s light, hoppy and, ooh, bubbly!

Meanwhile, He-Brew Beer is heavy on shtick: It’s “the Chosen Beer” boasts the label, and in fine print, “Exile never tasted so good.” But Shmaltz Enterprises insists that it’s a serious beer. It’s a strongly malty brew, bottled for Shmaltz by the respected Anderson Valley Brewing Co.

Furthermore, He-Brew is certified kosher, and 10% of the profits go to charity.

Hollywood Blonde Ale is available at markets including Bristol Farms and Wild Oats; call (818) 718-BREW for outlets. He-Brew Beer is available at Wally’s Liquor in Westwood and other liquor stores and markets in the Westside and San Fernando Valley, or call Shmaltz Brewing Co. at (415) 648-HEBREW.