Do you love the city and the people and businesses that make it hum? Business Publication Corp. Inc.'s magazine and custom publication division is seeking an account executive with proven success to continue growing dsm, ia and other products serving our cultural communities. If you're interested in working for an innovative, fast-paced and well-respected company, reach out to Kris Maggard at krismaggard@bpcdm.com.

By Belle Du Chene

For the 2014-15 season, Repertory Theater of Iowa (RTI) is moving into its new home at the Des Moines Social Club's Kum & Go Theater and staging four plays. Tickets are now on sale here and include flex passes that allow you to use purchased tickets anytime you want. This year's lineup includes "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" Sept. 12-18; "A Christmas Carol," Dec. 12-21; "The Diary of Anne Frank," April 10-26, 2015; and "Much Ado About Nothing," June 11-14 at Salisbury House & Gardens. Learn more at rtiowa.com.

We sat down with Richard Maynard, RTI's executive director, for a little Q&A.

Of all the classic characters you've encountered throughout your career, which one do you relate to the most and why?
The classic character I've enjoyed playing the most is Big Daddy in Tennessee Williams' "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof."  Not that I can relate to him. He's a misogynist. In real life, I'd get as far away as possible from this guy. But he's also a very rich, complex man.

What is your favorite memory from your time spent at the Repertory Theater?
I can't think of one special moment. Seeing this company of players grow over the past six years into such a solid acting company has been a real joy.

What aspect of the upcoming season excites you the most and why?
Probably our first play, "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" This is a mountain of a play. I'm very excited to see us climb that mountain. Des Moines will not get another chance to see this drama so fully realized.

At this year's Iowa State Fair, while my colleagues in the local food media found themselves judging the "Pork & Corn" and "Pie & Storytelling" competitions, I sat on the panel for--wait for it--the Soy Salad Dressing Competition, sponsored by the Soy Foods Council and the Iowa Restaurant Association.

Actually, it was a lot more fun, and infinitely more tasty, than it sounded. The object was to use silken tofu in a salad dressing, and all four professional chefs called on the product to make rich, creamy and creative dressings.

As Robert Sanda, the first-place winner of the competition, pointed out, "I like the way the silken tofu takes on the flavors of what you put into it, while adding a nice toasty-buttery-nutty taste of its own. It also added heartiness to the dressing."

Plus, as healthy eaters have long known, tofu also adds protein to the diet, without bringing in the high saturated fats often found in animal proteins.

Sanda is the chef and owner of Tally's Restaurant Bar & Catering in Beaverdale. His creation, Tally's Walnut-Silken Tofu Vinaigrette, made use of the silken tofu in two ways: He sautéed some to add "cracklings"--fried crispy bits--to the salad itself, while also using the tofu to enrich and flavor the dressing. Find his winning recipe on the dsm website here.

Tally's Restaurant Bar & Catering is at 2712 Beaver Ave.; phone 279-2067.

We are halfway through Restaurant Week 2014 (Aug. 15-24), and it's going strong; the 32 participating restaurants are offering diners two lunches or one dinner for $25. Menus are posted here. And here are some other ways to get the best information and enjoy the rest of the week:  

• Like Des Moines Restaurant Week on Facebook.

• Share photos and feedback to the
  Catch Des Moines Facebook page.

• On Twitter, follow #dsmrestaurantweek
  for real-time updates.

• Show off your inner foodie by taking a photo and tagging both @dsmrestaurantweek and @CatchDesMoines on Instagram.

• Download the free Restaurant Week app on your iPhone or iPad.

• Click here to see a video on what Robert Sanda, owner and chef at Tally's Restaurant Bar & Catering, is cooking up and here to learn what chef Donald Garrett is featuring on his menu at Two Rivers Grille in the West Des Moines Marriott.