Gourmet Gala will be an entertaining evening of sights, sounds and flavor this year. I've always enjoyed this affair, making me regret having other plans Nov. 7. It's on this night that some of Chattanooga's top chefs present some of their best creations.

This year, guests will sample dishes from:

* Bald Headed Bistro and chef Bick Johnson.

* Niko's Southside and chef/owner Nick Kyriakadis.

* EZ Bistro and Bar and chef/owner Erik Niel.

* Modern Dave's Cafe and chef/owner David James.

* Porter's Steakhouse and chef John Palacio.

* Public House and chef Michael Locascio.

* Terra Nostra Tapas and Wine and chef/owner Gema Ormaza.

* Bluewater Grille and chef Scott Eiselstein.

There will be a full bar, and an auction and dancing will follow dinner prepared by Chattanooga Convention Center's new chef, Keith Quatrano. Events start at 6 p.m.

This is a major fundraiser for the March of Dimes, and I was quite impressed to find that Volkswagen is an underwriter of the event. How special it is to see the company's commitment to our city. The event supports the organization's mission to prevent birth defects and reduce the rate of premature births.

Tickets to Gourmet Gala are $500 per couple. It's one of the few black-tie affairs still in existence and an opportunity to put on the Ritz.

For tickets, call 267-7172 or e-mail tmurphy@marchofdimes.com.

The Cake Doctor, a.k.a. Anne Byrn, is back with a new cookbook, "The Cake Mix Doctor Returns" (Workman Publishing, $15.95). You'll love Ms. Byrn's clever way of creating extraordinary flavors from an ordinary, $1 box of cake mix.

She's scheduled to be in Chattanooga on Nov. 14 to sign copies of the cookbook, which contains 160 all-new recipes. The event starts at 3 p.m. at Barnes & Noble inside Hamilton Place mall.

Here's one recipe that caught my eye.

Butter Pecan Cake With Caramel Pecan Frosting

Cake:

1 1/2 cups pecan halves

1 package (18 ounces) butter pecan cake mix with pudding

1 cup sour cream

2/3 cup water

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Pinch of cinnamon (optional)

3 large eggs

Frosting:

5 tablespoons butter

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1/3 cup milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar, sifted

Cake: Place a rack in the center of the oven and heat oven to 350 F. Place the pecans in a baking pan and toast them in the oven while it heats until they are deep brown in color and aromatic, 10-12 minutes.

Lightly mist 2 (9-inch) cake pans with vegetable oil spray, then dust them with flour. Shake out the excess flour and set the pans aside. Remove the toasted pecans from the oven and let them cool. Leave the oven on.

Place cake mix, sour cream, water, oil, 2 teaspoons vanilla, cinnamon (if using) and eggs in a large mixing bowl and beat with electric mixer on low speed until the ingredients are moistened, about 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl if necessary. Increase mixture speed to medium and beat till batter is thick and smooth, 1 1/2 minutes longer, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.

Chop the toasted pecans into 1/4-inch pieces, measure 1 cup, then fold them into the batter. Set the remaining 1/2 cup pecans aside for the frosting. Divide the cake batter evenly between the two prepared pans, smoothing the tops with the rubber spatula.

Bake the cakes until they are light brown and the tops spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 30-35 minutes. Transfer the cake pans to wire racks, and let the cake layers cool for 5 minutes. Run a sharp knife around the edge of each cake layer and give the pans a good shake to loosen the cakes. Invert each layer into a wire rack, then invert it again onto another rack so that the cakes are right side up. Let the layers cool completely, 20 minutes longer.

When the cakes have cooled, make the frosting. Place the butter and brown sugar in a heavy, medium-size saucepan over low heat and stir till the butter melts and mixture bubbles, 1-2 minutes. Add the milk and 1 teaspoon of vanilla, and stir until mixture just comes to a simmer. Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the confectioners sugar until smooth. Stir in reserved 1/2 cup pecans. You'll need to use the frosting at once.

To assemble the cake: Transfer one layer, right side up, to a cake plate and ladle on about 1 cup of frosting, spreading it to the edge with a thin metal spatula. Place the second layer, right side up, on top of the first and pour the remaining frosting over the top so that it runs down the side. Using the spatula, smooth the top and side of the cake, completely covering it with frosting. The frosting will set as it cools. Slice the cake and serve.

Note: Store cake in a cake saver or loosely covered with plastic wrap up to three days at room temperature. Freeze, wrapped tightly in foil, up to three months. Let thaw overnight on counter before serving.