LET ME BEGIN oday’s column with both a thank you and an apology. And we’ll start with the apology, so I can get it out of the way and stop kicking myself in the head.

In a recent review of Sugar’s Ribs in St. Elmo, I failed to mention that there was another good barbecue eatery in the area, Purple Daisy Picnic Cafe. I ate there when it first opened a couple of years ago, but completely forgot about it. Shame on me. I take full responsibility for saying Sugar’s was the only barbecue joint in St. Elmo. Mea culpa.

I will testify to the fact that the Purple Daisy has very good barbecue and also an incredible ribbon sandwich, which I would find perfect for this time of year. It’s a three-layer affair of pimento cheese, chicken salad and a cucumber/cream cheese spread. Delicious. Purple Daisy is at 4001 St. Elmo Ave. Thanks to all you readers who clarified my error.

NOW, FOR THE thanks. A couple of weeks ago, I was lamenting the fact that there are no German restaurants in Chattanooga. Apparently, I’m not the only one.

We’re all hoping that the opening of the Volkswagen plant will lure some to town. In fact, Harald Gross of LaFayette, Ga., who grew up in Germany and had a restaurant there, wants to open one near Hamilton Place. All he needs, he said, is a sponsor and a location. Can you help? I’ll pass any information on to him.

Until a German eatery comes to Chattanooga, here are some suggestions from readers:

* The Gasthaus German Restaurant, 1401 Hillsboro Blvd., Manchester, Tenn. Recommended by Susan Staley, Carol VandenBosch and Tom Piazza, who said the food is delicious and worth the drive to Coffee County. It’s a plain-looking place, but the cuisine is prepared by a couple from Bavaria who know what they’re doing when it comes to making memorable German cuisine.

* Restaurant Linderhof, 11831 Kingston Pike, Knoxville. Recommended by Kimberly Hooper and Autumn Hughes, who both said the food is made from scratch, so be prepared to wait. “Expect to spend two hours or more from the time you order until you pay,” Ms. Hughes said. She particularly likes two dishes: the grilled Wurstteller, a variety of grilled sausages served with horseradish and German mustard, and the Paprika Chicken.

* Ralph Thompson recommends the Ol’ Heidelberg Cafe at 6125 University Drive NW in Huntsville, Ala. “Excellent food, great atmosphere. It will remind you of the German restaurants you would find in the North or Midwest,” he said.

* Jim Wolfe of Guild, Tenn., recommends Gerst Haus at 301 Woodland St. in Nashville. The menu offers an extensive list of German specialties.

* Joy E. knows of no German restaurant in town but says if you have a strong hankering for German food, give SwissAm Fine Catering a call. Chefs Paul and Erika Kummer are natives of Switzerland and Germany and “can whip up anything German your heart desires,” she said. “And I can guarantee it will be delish. They don’t get to do a whole lot of German entrees for the public but would love the opportunity, I’m sure. Everything they make is done with the best attention to detail.”

* Tom and Charlotte Yalden of Flintstone, Ga., once enjoyed Erika’s in Memphis. However, Randy Miller wrote to say that, unfortunately, Erika’s is now closed. Nice to know that we have several that are closer to home. Sounds like all of us who crave German cuisine need to make a road trip.

READING THROUGH a few vegetable recipes recently, it occurred to me that there were none that could be served as a main entree. And that got me to thinking about all the basil I have in my garden. One of my favorite entrees to prepare when I want to go meatless is basil-stuffed pasta shells, a simple dish that, when served with sliced tomatoes and crusty French bread, makes a terrific summer meal. Here’s the recipe.

Basil-Stuffed Shells

2 eggs, beaten well (or equivalent egg substitute)

2 cups ricotta cheese

2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup finely chopped fresh basil leaves

1 loaded teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

20 large pasta shells

Tomato sauce (bottled or homemade)

Mix the beaten eggs with the ricotta, Parmesan and basil. Add seasonings and adjust to taste. Cook large pasta shells in 6 quarts boiling water till just tender. Do not overcook. Drain and rinse in cold water. Stuff each shell with about 3 tablespoons of filling and place in a casserole dish. Top with tomato sauce (your own recipe or store-bought), and add some finely chopped basil). Bake at 375 F for about 25 minutes. Top should be bubbly.

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