Eats Beat

* The nonprofit Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine has issued its list of the Five Worst Cookbooks of 2012, and probably the only surprise is that Paula Deen isn't on it. Chosen for their unhealthy recipes (1,386 calories in a sandwich! mo

Published Dec. 19, 2012, 10:00 p.m. ET

Rachael Ray's My Year in Meals

The Unofficial Downton Abbey Cookbook

Fifty Shades of Chicken

Emeril's Kicked-Up Sandwiches

and

Southern Living: The Official SEC Tailgating Cookbook

. "Downton Abbey" cooking's unhealthy? Does Mrs. Patmore know about this?

* Assuming we're all around this weekend, The Lite Choice (2nd & South) is handing out free Hot Choco-lite Saturday and Sunday to celebrate the fact that Friday (Dec. 21), was the end of an ancient Mayan calendar cycle but not the end of the world.

* Fork: etc. gourmet shop offers soups, salads and sandwiches for quick lunching. Next door at the shop's fine-dining counterpart Fork (306 Market St., 215-625-9425, forkrestaurant.com), chef Eli Kulp offers a more leisurely option, a two-course prix fixe lunch for $25 a person, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Wednesday through Friday.

* Looking for an alternative to Chinese food next week? Kosher restaurant Citron and Rose (370 Montgomery Ave., 610-664-4919, citronandrose.com) will be serving Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, 5:30-10 p.m.

* Also open Dec. 24-25 are Munish Narula's gourmet Indian restaurant Tashan Modern Kitchen Restaurant Lounge (777 S. Broad St., 267-687-2170, www.mytashan.com), and six Indian takeout Tiffin locations (215-922-1297, tiffin.com).

* Celebrate the Creole "Reveillon" Christmas tradition at Becks Cajun Cafes (Reading Terminal Market and 30th Street Station, beckscajuncafe.com) through Dec. 30. Chef/owner Bill Beck is serving up Sweet Potato and Brie Bisque; Turkey, Oyster and Andouille Gumbo, and Bananas Foster.