What's cooking this week? 

SAKE AND SUSHI SOCIAL AT RA SUSHI NOVEMBER 1 IS HANDS-ON FUN

Sitting and staring at each other is kind of boring when you could be actively rolling sushi and tossing back sake at RA Sushi's monthly Sake and Sushi Social. The first one is coming up this Tuesday, November 1 at 6 p.m. Participants in the interactive evening will roll up their sleeves and learn about sushi rolling and sake pairing while enjoying a selection of RA Sushi's fresh sushi, appetizers and fine sakes. 

The cost of $35 per person or $60 per couple includes the lesson and a four-course sushi sampling with sake pairings. Space is limited so anchor your spot now by calling 404-267-0114.

RA Sushi:  1080 Peachtree Street at 1010 Midtown; 404-267-0114.

SEE BRIZA CHEF JANINE FALVO ON "TOP CHEF: TEXAS" THEN JOIN HER AT BRIZA FOR GLORIA FERRER WINE DINNER

She's hopeful! Briza Executive Chef Janine Falvo is one of 29 chefs competing on the new season of Bravo's "Top Chef: Texas." That's a record number of chefs -- double the usual number -- and only 16 will progress to cook their way across the Lone Star State in Austin, Dallas and San Antonio. Tune in for the season premiere at 10 p.m. on Wednesday, November 2.  

Back on Falvo's home turf, Briza is the site of a Gloria Ferrer Wine Dinner at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 3. Falvo has a seven-course meal in the works, and Eva Bertran, executive vice president of Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards, will take care of the wine pairings and discussions. One of the evening's courses features the dish that Falvo creates on the "Top Chef" Season 9 premiere. Located in California's Sonoma Carneros region, Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards follows centuries-old sustainable practices to produce exquisite sparkling and estate varietal wines. $75 per person (plus tax and gratuity). For reservations, please call 678-412-2334.  

Briza: 866 West Peachtree Street, NW, adjacent to the Atlanta Renaissance Midtown Hotel; 678-412-2400.

BE ONE OF 20 AT RAY'S ON THE RIVER'S INTIMATE SHAFER WINE DINNER ON NOVEMBER 3

"Intimate" means there are seats for only 20 guests at the Shafer Vineyards Wine Dinner hosted by Ray's on the River on Thursday, November 3 from 7 - 10 p.m. Quality Wine & Spirits' Master Sommelier Michael McNeill will be pairing these Napa Valley wines with the four-course menu. Sneak peek:  poached sturgeon with tomato shellfish broth served with Red Shoulder Ranch Chardonnay; rosemary-roasted veal tenderloin with sautéed cherries, farro and raspberry-red wine reduction paired with Napa Valley Merlot; duo of lamb (Moroccan-braised shank and grilled loin) served with One Point Five Cabernet and Hillside Select; and ending with a cheese and chocolate course paired with Relentless Syrah. $95 per person (including tax and gratuity). Reserve your seat today by calling 770-955-1187.  

DREW BELLINE OF NO. 246 WORKS WITH SEQUATCHIE COVE FARM GROUND LAMB AT MORNINGSIDE FARMERS MARKET  

Drew Belline, executive chef at No. 246 in Decatur, welcomes Sequatchie Cove Farm, a Morningside Farmers Market product newbie, this Saturday, November 5. Belline will be working with ground lamb from the Sequatchie, Tenn. farm at his 9:30 a.m. demo. Sequatchie Cove Farm is about 35 miles northwest of Chattanooga. Livestock, including Katahdin lamb, root and roam stress-free on grassy pastures. Belline? He roots and roams local markets and farms for inspiration and local ingredients! Morningside Farmers Market, located at 1393 N. Highland Avenue, is open Saturdays 8 - 11 a.m.

CADILLAC CULINARY CHALLENGE STEERS LUXURY EXPERIENCE INTO LENOX SQUARE NOVEMBER 5-6

Cadillac and its culinary partners invite you and your friends to take part in the Cadillac Culinary Challenge this Saturday and Sunday, November 5-6 at Lenox Square. First, brake for a friendly competition between chefs Marcus Samuelsson of Red Rooster Harlem and Kenneth Bills of Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar. 

Fuel up with fine cuisine and check out the best of Cadillac. You'll be revved up to test drive a Cadillac and compare it to challengers from BMW, Lexus and Mercedes. Test drives run the entire program time, and culinary demonstrations take place at 11:30 a.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. 

Seating is limited and is on a first-come, first-served basis. Register for this free event at www.cadillacchallenge.com.

LAST WEEK TO SINK YOUR TEETH INTO AQUA BLUE CHOP MONTH SPECIALS

Drool over Aqua blue's complete Chop menu, then hurry to Roswell to bite into these hearty dishes before the limited-time-only menu is, uh, chopped. Monday, November 7 is the last day to devour Chop menu specials including the Aqua blue "Chop" salad ($9) and St. Louis-style hoisin rib chop with jicama and apple slaw ($12); bone-in spicy Guinness-marinated chicken ($19); Caribbean-spiced pork chop with Maker's Mark glaze, black currants and pineapple ($26); and Australian lamb chop with pistachio, horseradish crust, Madeira demi and mint ($30). Chop month sippers include the "AB" classic martini with Gorgonzola-stuffed olives ($8); the "AB" Manhattan Chop made with High West Double Rye Whiskey, Cocchi Vermouth di Torino, orange flower water and orange bitters ($10); 2008 Benziger Sangiacomo Vineyard Carneros Chardonnay ($8.50); and 2008 Trapiche Broquel Malbec ($10).

NOVEMBER IS THE "RIPE" TIME TO TOSS BACK A "PERFECT PEAR" COCKTAIL AT RA SUSHI

North Georgia apples fall close to trees. In Midtown, "The Perfect Pears" fall into RA Sushi's cocktail glasses. The Pear Martini and Asian Pear Smash are two seasonal cocktails, $8 each, that both begin with the crisp pear taste of Absolut Pears vodka and pear nectar. 

For kicks, the Pear Martini shakes in St. Germain elderflower liqueur, fresh lemon juice and a splash of Prosecco. The Asian Pear Smash muddles in falernum for spice, shiso leaf and fresh lemon juice and splashes in some nose-tickling soda. Try one or both of these "Perfect Pairs" before the last pear falls... November 30 to be exact.

THE OVEN'S HOT AND SO IS THE NEW FALL MENU AT DOUBLE ZERO NAPOLETANA

At Double Zero Napoletana, authentic Neapolitan pizza is always piping hot as it's pulled from the 1000 degree oven. The Sandy Springs restaurant's toasty fall menu has new Italian dishes to satisfy cool weather cravings. Antipasti and sfizi (small plates) of crispy pork belly in sweet potato-pumpkin risotto, grilled octopus, lamb polpettine meatballs and pesce di ferrara (wood oven-fired oysters) are wonderful starters to share ($8-$13). Pasta dishes such as rabbit ragu ($21), lobster pappardelle (Mkt.) and short rib crespelle ($17) take advantage of seasonal offerings. Secondi tantalizes with maiale alla Sorrentina, a cassoulet of pancetta-wrapped pork tenderloin, white beans and caramelized fennel; veal osso bucco; grilled eight-ounce beef filetto; and poletto, a grilled half spring chicken roulade ($18-$33). Maiale pizza is topped with braised Nueske's bacon, seasonal mushrooms, goat cheese, arugula, garlic, fig-onion agrodolce, olive oil and vanilla salt ($21). Salads, carni, formaggi and sweets round out the meal. Find the ideal beverage mate, be it cocktail, wine or beer, on Double Zero's extensive list. Open for dinner nightly.

FIG-URATIVELY SPEAKING, NIX THE NEWTONS AND REALLY FOCUS ON FIGS DURING NATIONAL FIG WEEK  

What do you do when life gives you figs? We know two chefs who raise this fabulous fruit to its fullest potential, especially during National Fig Week, November 1-7. Amanee Neirouz, pastry chef at Tristan in Charleston, S.C., loves to bite into fresh, perfectly ripe figs. Her ideal fall comfort sandwich starts with thick slices of homemade fig- and walnut-studded brioche, toasted and topped with roasted turkey, soft bijou goat cheese, buttery Bibb lettuce and some crispy pancetta. If the grill's going, she'll stuff fresh figs with cured meat and chèvre and char them over glowing coals.

Executive Chef Chad Clevenger of Fifth Group Restaurants' soon-to-open Alma Cocina in Atlanta is fascinated by the versatility of fresh and dried figs, one of the less common fruits out there. He'll use sugar-incased figs in his Latin-inspired candied fig salad, along with arugula, pickled red onion, toasted pine nuts, queso de manchego and tomato seed vinaigrette. His brined and smoked bobwhite quail and sweet potato tamale wear sides of fig-honey-toasted pepita seed salsa and fig mole. What about you? Go figure.

FORD FRY SHARES A SINFULLY GOOD DEVILED EGG RECIPE FOR NATIONAL DEVILED EGG DAY, NOVEMBER 2  

Halloween treats were egg-ceptionally good this past weekend. National Deviled Egg Day, November 2, will be devilishly divine when you boil a dozen eggs and one lobster to whip up JCT. Kitchen and Bar Owner/Executive Chef Ford Fry's lobster deviled eggs!  

Maine Lobster Deviled Eggs

Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette

Makes 24 deviled eggs

Ingredients:

Eggs:

12 Eggs

1 cup mayonnaise

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

6 cornichon pickles (chopped fine)

1 tbsp. minced chives

¼ lemon (juice of)

Dash of Tabasco

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Lobster:

1 live Maine lobster

2 tsp. minced fresh garlic (Not that jar stuff!)

1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt to taste

Vinaigrette:

1 Meyer lemon (zests and juice of)

3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp. finely chopped Italian parsley

Kosher salt to taste

Method:

Place eggs in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil. Just as it boils, turn the heat off and let them sit for exactly 10 minutes. Immediately strain and cover with ice water to chill. Peel eggs, split in half and separate the yolks from the whites. Finely mash the yolks and mix in the remaining ingredients from the "egg" portion of the recipe. Place the yolk mixture into a piping bag with a nickel-sized round tip and chill until ready to assemble.

For the lobster, place a pot of water on to boil. Drop live lobster in for two minutes. Remove from water and cover with ice water. Once chilled, remove the meat and mince. Reserve until ready to assemble.

Prepare the vinaigrette by whisking together the juice, zests, olive oil, parsley, and salt to taste. (add the parsley just before assembling so that it does not turn brown.)

GUYS GO FOR CUPCAKES? YEP, REVEALS YELPER!

Yelper Michael B. is not even into the whole cupcake phenomenon, yet he's smitten by the cupcakes at Smallcakes in Buckhead. You know we like food so we're certainly not going to argue with that.   

Best cupcakes in ATL. No argument can be had here. I'm not even a big cupcake guy, but I have to say, these cupcakes are OUTSTANDING!  

Perfectly moist and just sweet enough... I love the Red Velvet and Lemon, but there are a bunch of different flavors. All are made FRESH daily.

Seriously this place is money. If you like cupcakes or sweets in general you have to try this place!

Smallcakes:  2955 Peachtree Road; 404-846-9960.

EAT IT AND TWEEP:  THE DIVINE MISS MOMMY TWEETS ON KIDS, TRAVEL, DEALS AND MORE

Wife and mom of three, Stacie H. Connerty is a food truck stalker. She also likes toy trucks and has a truckload of tweets (@StacieinAtlanta) and lengthier posts on her The Divine Miss Mommy blog. She writes about her kids, and her "Wordless Wednesday" will brighten your day. Cruise with this lifestyle and travel blogger -- her posts drive home some money-saving deals.