The leaves have turned from bright, shining green to golden yellow and red. The sun hides just above the horizon when it escapes the perpetual blanket of Northwest mist. It must be the holiday season again!

This time of year, holiday merchandise begins creeping into stores and we get excited about decorating, opening gifts, being with family, and feeling comfort in tradition. For some of us, however, the holidays bring stress.

My first suggestion to potential catering clients is to think beyond the usual, perhaps by cuisine, and begin to do your research. Serve food from India or Northern China. The Internet is a tremendous resource for viewing menu ideas.

Brown, who was born in the United Kingdom and spent time in Italy as a child, has lived in the Seattle area for 15 years.

Fall brings new possibilities to the grilling scene. While summer menus may have included hamburgers and hot dogs, the incoming season offers its own mouthwatering options.

As the calendar turns to September, we begin to say farewell to summer and welcome fall. For me, fall officially begins with the start of football season. Football is woven into the fabric of America as much as baseball, apple pie, and the latest cellular phone.

Salmon are known as the king of fish, and are found in many places around the world. While there may be disagreements over the merits of Atlantic salmon versus Pacific salmon, and farmed versus wild, there is no contention about the flavor of this great fish, which can be prepared with virtually no limits to methods.

Two years ago I hesitated to go to a Thai restaurant because I was not sure how, or what, to order. That was a mistake.

When my niece Noel was learning to cook, she told me she wanted to roast a duck. “Is it complicated Aunt Lynnie?” she asked. I told Noel that roasting a duck takes time and can be complicated, but when the process is broken down into three easy steps, it’s not too hard!

As a young family with two growing boys, my wife Lenore and I are no strangers to dining on a budget. Even when we have to cut corners, we have determined that fun and quality dining fare should never be a sacrifice. Therefore, we had to find a way to enjoy the finer things in life without over indulging, and more importantly, over spending. The solution is one of mankind’s greatest inventions—Happy Hour.