Hi boys and girls, ladies and gents. I would like to pass along the following food news:

* The Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center will celebrate Earth Hour on Saturday, March 26 between 8:30 and 9:30 p.m. by turning off all of the lights. That means dinner and drinks at the Regency Room or the Pine Room Pub will be by candle light. Sounds romantic – check it out.

* The Food Channel (Foodchannel.com) has created a new online store where you can buy a lot of the products and gadgets you see on their shows. Even if you do not get The Food Channel, it is a fun site to peruse. I see “I [heart] the Gulf” t-shirts, with two shrimp forming the heart, and proceeds going to Gulf Coast fishermen. I also see gourmet foods, cookware, wines and more.

* Tabasco is finally joining other makers of Buffalo sauce. What took them so long? Anyway, Tabasco Buffalo Style Hot Sauce should soon be hitting shelves at a store near you, if it has not already. It will retail for $2.65-$3.99 per 5-ounce bottle. Do you think they’ll be able to take on the competition? I dunno, I sure do love my Frank’s Red Hot!