Yikes! We had a lovely, warm spring, and now we don’t. While you ponder the cruel trick that nature is playing on Washington this week, some recommended reading from Food:

■ The world of restaurant reservations is changing, with some places turning to selling tickets, charging more for in-demand times or awarding tables to the highest bidder. Maura Judkis has the story.

■ Marcy Goldman was just about to learn how a Montreal bakery made a sought-after treat — and then the offer of a kitchen visit was withdrawn. But with a few tips and some experimentation, she has re-created Cheskie's Cinnamon Babka — and now you can, too.

■ Is it okay to make cocktails using tap water? Funky ice cubes and an international water competition led Spirits columnist M. Carrie Allan to the answer.

■ The squeaky, non-melting cheese called halloumi is a cinch to make at home, if you follow DIY columnist Cathy Barrow's directions.

More Chat Leftovers: Don't throw out olive brine; calibrating your oven

And there's ever so much more to recommend. But time marches on, and we must start thinking about today's Free Range chat. Got questions, comments, ideas? Just want to lurk? Join us at noon for an hour of great conversation and company. Marcy Goldman and Cathy Barrow will be on hand. And don't forget: You can beat the crowd by submitting your question before the chat begins.

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First, a leftover question from last week’s chat:

I have two unopened bottles of champagne, leftovers from New Year’s Eve, in my refrigerator. Can I take them out and let them come back to room temperature, to be used sometime in the future? I was hoping to reclaim the fridge space, but I don’t want to ruin two bottles of champagne.

Go ahead and take them out. The stories you mayhave heard about champagnes “ruined” by re-chilling are mere myth. When your bottles are finally called back into service and re-chilled, they’ll be just fine, assuming you haven’t stored them in your hot car in the meantime.

On the Wine Spectator website, Dr. Vinny confirms that re-chilling is not a problem, and he offers a tip for getting maximum bubbles in the process: Chill the bottle slowly, which produces small, gentle bubbles. If you try to chill it rapidly and then open it, he cautions, you'll get "a gushing fountain of big, aggressive bubbles." As entertaining as that sounds, it's not a good champagne experience.

Now: How soon do you have to press it back into service? Wineturtle.com says you can keep a vintage champagne (look for a year on the label) for five to 10 years from purchase, and a non-vintage champagne for three to four years from purchase.

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