Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

I received an amazing response from readers about my quest to re-create my grandmother's Porcupine cake. Between the half-dozen phone calls and two dozen e-mail messages, I have received various German recipes that people think might have been the basis for my grandmother's cake and lots of guidance on cutting cake layers. It makes me want to get right back into the kitchen to test new recipes and improve my pathetic layer cake cutting skills.

While I received several requests for the recipe, I chose not to publish what I have so far because I don't know if it is correct. I'm going to have to wait until my father or my aunt tastes my creation or my aunt finds a recipe. I do have good news: My aunt is coming to visit this weekend, and a cousin is searching through another aunt's recipe collection for the Porcupine cake. The search continues.

If you missed the story, go to www.newsobserver.com/2810/story/1063563.html

In response to my story, Raleigh lawyer Hugh Stevens shared his family's quest for his mother's coconut cake recipe. It is delightful: http://hughstevens.blogspot.com/2007/04/grandma-stevens-coconut-cake.html

Spotlight on local food

Nancy Pekar, the mother of the family we're following for a year in their efforts to eat local, will speak Sunday at Community Church of Chapel Hill, an Unitarian Universalist fellowship. The event, part of church members' effort to reduce their carbon footprint, will start at 6:30 p.m. Also on the bill is Natalie Sadler, a member of the board of directors for the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association. The church is at 106 Purefoy Road, Chapel Hill. Details: Laura Gilliom at (919) 419-9682.

Dining out for good causes

By dining at The George on Glenwood on Monday nights, you can help local charities. Ten percent of all Monday night sales will benefit these nonprofits on upcoming Mondays:

May 19, Ashley's Angel Fund, a nonprofit that provides financial assistance for veterinary care to North Carolina dog owners whose pets are facing a life-threatening condition.

June 2, N.C. Conservation Network, a statewide network of environmental groups.

June 9, SAFE Haven for Cats, a no-kill shelter for stray and abandoned cats and kittens in North Raleigh.

For more information, visit www.thegeorgeonglenwood.com or (919) 828-9082.

Get free coffee

Free iced coffee is being served Thursday at local Dunkin' Donuts stores.

From 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., customers can get a free 16-ounce cup of iced coffee. Dunkin' Donuts is promoting its new flavor, Berry Berry Iced Coffee, a blueberry and raspberry-flavored iced coffee drink.

Find Dunkin' Donuts locations at www.dunkindonuts.com.

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