Sold on Be Local
If you’re still on the fence about buying a Be Local coupon book, your decision just got a little easier. That’s because, just like the Iron Horse a few weeks back, the 2012 Be Local books have sold out, mere weeks after hitting the streets

“I wasn’t surprised, the way things have been going this year,” said Juliet Whitfield, project manager for Local First, which has put out the book for four years. “There’s been a lot of hype this year.”

Four-thousand of the books were printed this year, the same as last. However, this year’s book was 20 pages larger than last year’s, chock full of 260 coupons from 195 local businesses, proving too good of a deal to pass up.

“Last year, we sold out the end of April, this year we’re pretty much sold out. A few books remain here and there, but not many,” said LeeAnn Vallejos, Local First’s managing director.

Whitfield said the book has been a big hit for holiday gift giving, with Mercy Medical Center ordering one for all employees.

As for hopes for a Christmas miracle, Whitfield quickly laid those to rest. “People are clamoring for them. We looked into ordering more, but it just wasn’t feasible.”

Season’s eatings
If the thought of making appetizers for holiday cocktail parties induces panic attacks, hyperventilate not. The very funny ladies at marthaunplugged.com (“when good things go very bad”) bring us a sure crowd pleaser, “Uncle Al’s Fancy Nuts,” noting that  “the party doesn’t truly get going until somebody’s uncle has too much egg nog and brings out his fancy nuts.
Uncle Al’s Fancy Nuts
½ cup sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
1 T. orange juice
¼ tsp nutmeg
1 egg white
¼ tsp cardamom
2 cups walnut or pecan halves
Preheat oven to 250 F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly grease. In a medium bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamon. In another bowl, combine egg white and orange juice; beat slightly. Dip nuts in egg-white mixture, then in sugar mixture. Place on prepared sheet; do not let them touch. Bake 1 hour. For a spicier version, try Uncle Pepe’s Zesty Nuts: substitute 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, leave out cardamom and nutmeg.

If you’re giving them as a hostess gift, the ladies recommend packaging them in a handcrafted nut-sac.