• High costs and fear of ostentation will point many to sparkling wine instead of Champagne this season. [NYT]
• Breaking news: Celebrity chefs rarely cook in their own restaurants. [Forbes]
• Copia, the Napa culinary institute backed by winemaker Robert Mondavi, has filed for bankruptcy and is closed. [NYT]
• Keep your fingers out of the Christmas pie — what’s sitting out on the counter could be a breeding ground for food-borne illness. [NYDN]
