We’ve been mentioning over the last few weeks a benefit for cheesemaker and Epicurean Connection owner Sheana Davis, which happens Sunday, Oct. 13 from 1 to 4p.m. at the Maysonnave House, 291 First St. in Sonoma. The lineup, not surprisingly for such a high profile foodie, is stellar, and includes food from Wild Thyme Catering, Depot Hotel, Uncommon Brewers, Eric Ross Winery, and of course plenty of cheese from her friends.

Donations for the silent auction and raffle are from Treme writer and cookbook author Lolis Eric Elie, Bob Kantor of Memphis Minnie’s, and local restaurants Crisp, Hot Box, the Red Grape and Davis’ friends at the French Laundry.

The fundraising goal is $45,000 to help Davis get critical treatments and pay off bills for multiple surgeries that have left her struggling. Tickets for the event are $50 per person at the door. To make a donation online, go to sheanadavisfund.com.

Leave it to the Internet to come up with the wackiest food combinations that, well, actually usually taste pretty good. Case in point: The SpaghettiO cupcake with Velveeta buttercream frosting.

Now, like you my first reaction was, “Nasty!” But  think about it: Tomato soup cake is a classic. Cream cheese frosting, another classic. Now just up the salt quotient by like a thousand. Add some noodles for structure, and you’ve got something pretty okay.

BiteClub’s ready to haul these puppies out for Halloween, because Snickers Minis and Dum-Dums are so ten years ago. And really, what’s more fun that horrifying small children with a good food prank? (In the spirit of fun, of course. And mostly my own children, who are my culinary lab rats anyway.)

The test batch turned out pretty tasty, and children, co-workers and unsuspecting radio hosts all agreed they tasted pretty good, if a bit curious.

The looks on their faces when I revealed the “secret” ingredients, however? Priceless.

Wanna make a batch? They’re ridiculously easy. Check out the recipe here.

You may have seen it skewered on the Colbert Report, and for good reason. Gourmet grocer Dean and Deluca is now selling “individually carved” ice cubes called “Glace Luxury Ice.” For $75 (pause there and take it in) you get 10 cubes that “ensure flawless quality and zero-taste profile.” Um, it’s ice. Oh, and P.S.: it requires next day shipping to ensure freshness. So that’ll cost you a little extra.

The former Syrah Bistro has closed.

Owner Josh Silvers says that they’ve had a great run at the City 205 building, but after several format changes (to upscale dining as Petite Syrah, then a casual breakfast and lunch cafe, Three Squares), it was time to close.

Silvers and his wife, Regina, have bittersweet feelings about the closure of their longtime home, but both are excited to have a little more time at home. “Don’t be sad, it is a good thing — I get my husband back,” said Regina.

Still craving Silvers’ great Sonoma County cooking? Jackson’s Bar and Oven (135 Fourth St., Santa Rosa) is still in full swing.

We’d be amiss not to mention the winner of Top Chef Masters, Chef Douglas Keane formerly of Cyrus. The toque won a total of $120,000 for Sonoma County’s Green Dog Rescue with his complex and clever dishes including a deconstructed nacho with shrimp, powdered nacho chips and salsa consomme, soba wrapped ocean trout with ginger dashi and groats, duck breast with sake-roasted daikon, tamarind, golden pea sprouts and dates and black sesame panna cotta, shattered miso custard and green tea matcha for dessert.

Keane is currently running Healdsburg Bar and Grill and will soon open DK Wings at the Graton Resort and Casino featuring gourmet chicken wings, fried chicken and a pickle bar featuring Keane’s own fermented recipes.

Quivira Vineyards in Dry Creek Valley has had an ambitious Biodynamic/organic farm program for the last five years that includes not just their vineyards but an extensive produce garden with 120 raised produce beds, a dozen heirloom chicken breeds, honey bees and roaming farm animals.

They also grow a lot of figs – which serve as the inspiration for an exciting new event. This fall, Quivira is hosting its first Figs & Pigs Fest on October 19. It’s a harvest celebration of sorts that focuses on three of Quivira’s favorite items: wine, figs and pork.

From 12:00pm-4:00pm, the Figs & Pigs Fest offers guests a variety of fig and bacon dishes (and much more) at the Fig Buffet, tours of the estate with tutored tastings beneath the 135-year-old fig tree in the middle of their vineyard, a Grape Stomp Competition (harvest will be in full swing) and plenty of quality time with Quivira’s heirloom breed chickens, Ruby the pig and other farm animals.

Quivira specializes in Zinfandel, Rhone varieties and Sauvignon Blanc, including the signature ‘Fig Tree’ Sauvignon Blanc from the Fig Tree vineyard on the property.

For more information on Quivira and the event, visit www.quivirawine.com

From the wires: After 23 years in business, and more than a decade of making wine, we’re incredibly excited to say that we broke ground for our very own winery building on Tuesday!

This is a huge step for us, on many levels, but the most important is that it gives us complete control over our winemaking for the very first time. We finally have the combination of fruit, facility, and people that we’ve long been seeking. Like us, it’s not big (our long-term goal is just 3,000 cases per year) or fancy — but it is perfect.

So, by the way, is the 2013 growing season. Details below, along with a special offer to help you enjoy the bounty of the harvest no matter where you are!