Local briefs

More than 1,000 cooks around the country are participating in the first ever public recipe tested cookbook.

Collectors Press has embarked on a landmark new cookbook called "The Good Home Cookbook: More than 1000 Classic American Recipes," and they want feedback from home cooks, students, and food lovers across the country.

Participants will be asked to test specific recipes from the book, offer comments, questions, and evaluation. Their feedback will be incorporated in the finished book, and all participants will be eligible for discounts and prize drawings.

Compiling classic family recipes from shelves of well-worn cookbooks and pamphlets, The Good Home Cookbook is a collection of the favorite foods that became American standards during the postwar era. A collectible cookbook for a new generation of cooks, traditional recipes for everything from weeknight dinners to holiday spreads are included.

Details:

• To be a tester, send an e-mail to: recipetester@collectorspress.com

• Participants will be contacted shortly afterward with details.

Carson City

Sign up now for youth acting classes

Get in the Act winter acting classes are being offered Jan. 11 to April 5 for ages 3-5 at 3:30-4:30 p.m. and ages 6-12 4:30-5:30 p.m. at the Brewery Arts Center, 449 W. King St.

Children are introduced to the world of the performing arts through dance, acting and singing while encouraging young performers to develop their kills in imagination, vocabulary, teamwork and coordination. The class culminates with a performance of "Wizard of Oz."

Tuition is $134 for 12 weeks. To register call Diane Handzel, (775) 588-8614.

Hospice topic of AARP meeting at senior center

Carson City AARP Chapter 723 will meet at 1:30 p.m. Jan. 25 at the Carson City Senior Citizens Center, 911 Beverly Drive.

Terri Lightfoot, VistaCare director of professional relations is the guest speaker. Her topic will be "Understanding Hospice," a subject misunderstood by many.

Guests are welcome. Light snacks and conversation will be available after the meeting. For information, call 267-1715.

Three on dean's list at culinary school

The following Johnson & Wales University students from Carson City have been named to the Dean's List for the 2005 fall term ending in November:

Megan Anderson and Jeremiah Schenzel, both of whom are pursuing an associate degree in culinary arts from the College of Culinary Arts at the Providence Campus and Amanda Beer, who is pursuing an associate degree in baking and pastry arts from the College of Culinary Arts at the Denver Campus. To receive Dean's List commendation, students must earn a cumulative grade point average of 3.40 or above.

Johnson & Wales is a private, nonprofit, accredited institution offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs in business, food service, education, hospitality and technology.

Carson students graduates KSU

Jamie Elizabeth Sylva of Carson City graduated from Kansas State University this fall with a bachelor of science degree.

Pesis named to dean's list at Pacific Lutheran

Rachel Pesis of Carson City has been named to the Dean's list for Spring 2005 at Pacific Lutheran University.

To be named to the Dean's List, a student must obtain a grade point average of at least 3.5. Dean's List standing becomes part of a student's official transcript and is a distinguishing factor for students going on to graduate or professional school.

Reno

Crash course in Italian in time for Olympics

The International Center is offering an Italian Conversation Course from Jan. 2-Feb. 1, for individuals who need to learn Italian quickly for their planned trip to the 2006 Olympics. The course will be held Mondays and Wednesdays for two hours each from 6-8 p.m. The course will be taught by an experienced linguist and will be held at 821 N. Center St., Reno. Cost for the course is $140 including all materials.

To register, call Dr. Carina Black, 784-7515 or nnic@unr.edu. Additional information can be found at www.nnic.org.