Table talk

Dining Diversity 2009 is a new event offering dinner specials through Nov. 1 at Pago, 878 S. 900 East; Wild Grape, 481 E. South Temple; Al Forno's, 239 S. 500 East; Sage's, 473 E. 300 South; Meditrina, 1394 S. West Temple and Caffe Niche, 779 E. 300 South. The restaurants are offering a special fixed-price dinner for either $20 or $30, similar to Salt Lake City's Downtown Dine O'Round.

The event was organized in response to the Downtown Alliance's decision to limit Dine O'Round participation to restaurants within the Salt Lake Central Business Improvement District. Restaurants outside of those boundaries decided to organize their own event (www.diningdiversity.com).

The Chipotle Mexican Grill chain is offering free burritos for those willing to dress up like a burrito on Halloween. During the annual "Boo-rito" promotion, those who dress up as a burrito or other menu item on Oct. 31, and visit any Chipotle location from 6 p.m. to closing, will receive a free burrito (Chipotle.com).

Hoochie-Que, a Park City barbecue team, competed in the annual Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational BBQ Oct. 24 in Lynchburg, Tenn. Michael and Venssa Knight, both dentists, were one of 63 teams in the contest.

The winner, the I Que team of Hopkinton, Mass., took home a $5,000 grand prize. To qualify for an invitation, teams must win a previous sanctioned barbecue competition.

Beehive Cheese Company of Uintah took a bronze medal in the smoked cheddar category of the 21st Annual World Cheese Awards, announced Oct. 7 by the United Kingdom's Guild of Fine Food.

The cheese, Promontory Smoked with Walnut Shells and Apples, is made with whole Jersey cow milk from the local Wadeland Dairy. The smoke is from English walnut shells harvested from a local farm, and sweet red apples (www.beehivecheese.com).

Z'Tejas at the Gateway is now providing vegetarian and gluten-free menu items for with dietary needs, as well as a menu in Braille to better serve the visually impaired. (801-456-0450 or www.ztejas.com).

Ronald McDonald House Charities has teamed up with Dillard's to offer an edition of the Southern Living Christmas Cookbook. The hardbound, 288-page cookbook sells for $10 at Dillard's, with 100 percent of the proceeds benefitting Ronald McDonald House Charities.

King's English Bookshop, 1511 S. 1500 East, is hosting a book signing for "The Pioneer Woman Cooks," (Harpercollins) by Ree Drummond, Nov. 4, 7 p.m.

The book traces Drummond's transition from city life to ranch wife, with recipes and excerpts from her blog, Confessions of a Pioneer Woman. (801- 484-9100 or www.kingsenglish.com).