If it's the dead of winter, it must be time for the Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest to start accepting entries. The deadline for this year's event is 11:59 a.m. (Twin Cities time) April 18. As always, you can submit as many recipes as you like. But as the food landscape changes, the Doughboy's people suggest reviewing the entry info carefully. For example, you are ineligible if you are a paid food blogger or someone who creates recipes for pay, and you need to be at least 18 years old as of Jan. 6. One hundred finalists will compete for the grand prize during the finals on March 25-27, 2012, in Orlando. Details, entry forms: www.pillsbury.com/bakeoff.

A sweet day at the co-op If it's the dead of winter, chocolate is essential. How convenient that the Chocolate Tasting and Gift Fair is this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Mississippi Market, 622 Selby Av. in St. Paul. Chocolatier B.T. McElrath will be sampling his valentine selection of sweets, and River Chocolate will have its seductively flavored chocolate sauces on hand. While nursing a sugar high, browse for gifts by vendors such as UtileMud (local handmade pottery), Alsadu World Gifts (featuring Pashmina scarves), Galen Labs (local skin and body care) and Honeyglow candles (all-beeswax candles).

Cakes, naturallyNaturally Nora, whose cake, brownie and frosting mixes have no artificial ingredients, flavors, preservatives or hydrogenated oils, now is in Super Target stores. Founder Nora Schultz of New Jersey works on the premise that less is best: Nora's cake mix has eight ingredients while more mainstream mixes may have close to 20. The mixes also are sold at Whole Foods and Cub stores. For more info, visit www.naturallynora.com.

Palm fruit oil pros, cons It's tricky being a consumer these days. Case in point: We've been pitched about the benefits of Malaysian red palm oil, now available at Whole Foods under the Carotino brand. Several research studies in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition refer to health benefits such as it being a rich source of a form of vitamin E, which may lessen the damage from stroke and heart disease, and aid the body's immune system. Yet harvesting palm fruit oil has come under fire from environmental groups concerned about the Malaysian and Sumatran rain forests. Malaysia currently is busy "engaging the United States and the European Union in efforts to stem opposition of palm oil from various pressure groups," according to an article this month in the International Herald Tribune. Better growing practices are being studied, however, as the desire for healthier oils grows among consumers.

KIM ODE