Food Stuff

There’s no taste of the Deep South quite like a good pecan pie, with its gooey-sweet insides balanced by a buttery crust and the slight astringency of the toasted nuts—plus a good hit of bourbon. Pecan pie’s links to the hurricane-battered region might make the dessert seem metaphorically bittersweet these days, but Ettore’s Restaurant and European Bakery is putting the sugar back in with a program called “Giving Back Some Southern Hospitality.” Through the end of this month, the bakery is selling its excellent pecan pies for $16 and donating all the profits and then some (about $10 per pie) to the Red Cross for hurricane relief. Although Ettore’s normally sells pies only during the holiday season, the sweet treats have been selling fast since the program began. As of last week, Ettore’s had sold 150 already and was having a hard time keeping them in stock, so call ahead to order. 2376 Fair Oaks Boulevard, (916) 482-0708; or 510 Natoma Station Drive in Folsom, (916) 985-3920; www.ettores.com.