Fixit: Greetings from the White House

Q How do I get a birthday greeting from President Obama for my mother's 90th birthday in March?

A You can fax your request to 1-202-456-2461 with the following information:

• Your mother's name.

• Address.

• The date of her birthday, and how old she'll be.

Try to send your request at least six weeks before the event.

White House greetings typically are sent for milestone birthdays, anniversaries, and for congratulations on a marriage, birth, becoming an Eagle Scout, a bar mitzvah, baptism, etc.

Venison jerky? Q Can venison be turned into jerky? How?

A Yes, but be aware that E. coli could be a problem in homemade jerky.

Drying will definitely knock back the E. coli pathogen, but research shows that the pathogen can survive in very little moisture. If the meat is completely dry, it will be safe. But jerky is seldom totally dry.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that when making jerky, venison (and beef) should be cooked to 160 degrees and then dried at lower temperatures. For more information, go to: www.fsis.usda.gov/oa/pubs/jerky.htm.

A variety of recipes for venison jerky are available online at sites such as www.cooks.com.

A I'm not aware of any, and neither is Ruth Kildow, the seniors ombudsman for Minneapolis. She writes, "I wish there was a company bonded and insured to do this."

Readers, if you know of such a service, perhaps affiliated with a religion or charity, I'll publish it.