Fresh & amp;amp; Tasty

CASUAL Wrap Artists & r & & r & & lt;span class= "dropcap " & W & lt;/span & hile Americans can't claim to have invented the sandwich, they've surely embraced its versatile format. Open-faced, battered and fried, nestled in a bun, stuffed into pita pockets or peeping from between two slices of bread, the sandwich comes in all forms. In Sandpoint, THAT'S A WRAP adds its twist with a restaurant inspired in part by the owners' Mediterranean heritage.





The Opa! Greek features gyro meat and chicken, feta cheese, Kalamata olives, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, peppers and house-made tzatziki sauce. Like most of their sandwiches, it's available in a pita ($6) or wrap ($7) -- with wrap choices of white, wheat, salsa or spinach.





Another inspiration for owners Terra Fortyune-Blair, Velvet (Terra's daughter) and Timothy Gould is a love of movies, hence the catchy menu titles. Catch the Hawaii 5-0: chicken, ham, melted cheese, teriyaki, sesame ginger and pineapple. The Field of Dreams is a bountiful trip through the garden, while the Orient Express stars crab or grilled chicken topped with snow peas, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, mung beans, onions, romaine, almonds, pineapple, mandarin oranges and chow mein noodles.





Six salads share top billing: traditional Greek, Premiere (turkey, ham, roast beef, chicken), chicken Caesar, Mediterranean, garden and the Wally Apple. This last salad combines caramelized walnuts, green apples, bleu cheese, greens and a choice of turkey, beef or chicken with balsamic dressing. Tangy! Order a sidekick portion ($5) or larger superhero ($6), with 10 choices of dressings.





Before moving to the Cedar Street Bridge late last year, That's A Wrap operated out of a small building behind Sandpoint's Events Center.





"We have lived in Sandpoint for the past 14 years," explains Fortyune-Blair. "Coming from a large European heritage, we were raised singing, laughing and cooking creatively in the kitchen."





Their new location retains that homey feel with informal seating areas, casually mismatched chairs and tables covered with tablecloths, wine bottles with fresh flowers or even a chess set should you feel inclined to play.





That's a Wrap delivers ($10 minimum) and will also make orders to go.





-- CARRIE SCOZZARO





That's A Wrap, 334 First Ave. (Cedar Street Bridge), Sandpoint, Idaho, is open Mon-Thu 10 am-6 pm, and Sat 10 am-8 pm. Hours may be expanded during summer. Call (208) 265-1500.





EVENTS Pucker Up


& lt;span class= "dropcap " & S & lt;/span & pitting a cherry pit more than 43 feet is by no means an easy task. If, however, you want to break the Green Bluff Cherry Pit Spit record you'll have to find a way.





Thursday night, Green Bluff's CHERRY FESTIVAL will kick off with the annual Cherry Pickers Trot. The four-mile fun run is now in its 30th year. But if eating -- not running -- is more your thing, there is still plenty to do. The volunteer fire department will be grilling hamburgers and there will be more cherry-based food products than there are stars in the sky. The Pit Spit competition begins at 5:30 pm and live music will be playing throughout the evening. At 6:30 pm all kids 5 years old and younger can compete in the "Tot Trot" race. All participants will receive a ribbon and bag full of cherries. The actual Cherry Pickers Trot begins at 7 pm.





The Cherry Festival doesn't end with the Trot however. Over the weekend many farms at Green Bluff will be open to the public for all things cherry. The Walters Fruit Ranch, located on Day-Mt. Spokane Rd., will have some of the more lively activities. The ranch has a full restaurant that will feature cherry milk shakes, cherry jam, cherry ice cream and, of course, cherry pies. The "Fruit Loop" tractor will take people out to the orchard to pick both cherries and strawberries -- which are still in season, thanks to the late winter and cool, wet spring.





Jason Morrell, part owner of the Walters Fruit Ranch, says those who come out to pick the fruit themselves spend roughly three times less money and get a higher quality product than they would at a regular grocery store. Morrell also says in addition to picking and eating, kids will have a great time on the "Wiggle Worm" ride (an antique tractor pulling six seating carts), playing in a giant box filled with three tons of sweet peas, listening to live music, taking a pony ride or petting goats and rabbits.





High Country Orchards says they'll have cherry picking and any kind of food they can think of that might possibly involve cherries. (Expect lots of smoothies.) Other growers, including Hidden Acres, Cherry Hill and Hanson's Orchard, will also have cherry picking and cherry treats.





-ROBBY DOUTHITT





The Green Bluff Cherry Festival begins Thursday, July 17, 5-9 pm, with the Cherry Pickers Trot and Pit Spit, then continues Saturday and Sunday, July 19-20, 8 am-5 pm. Many growers will continue picking throughout the month. Visit www.greenbluffgrowers.com.