The New York Times has some good reading in the dining section today:

• Bottoms up! A quick history of Jerry Thomas, innovating showman bartender of the 1800s.
• Chefs on their favorite H'ween candy: What they're giving out, what they hoped for as kids, what fantasy treat they'd make.
• New Orleans chef John Besh profiled: A great backgrounder if you only know him from Next Iron Chef. Seems like a good guy.
• The Pour explores Portuguese Douro reds: What port would taste like if not fortified and left sweet.
• Make Roasted Marrow Bones à la Fergus Henderson: Mark "Minimalist" Bittman tells you how.
• Wegman's sets farmed shrimp standards: It will be the first supermarket chain to adopt environmental and health standards.