There are so many wonderful food festivals all across the country, but one I'd really love to go to is to the National Lentil Festival.

The 21st annual legume-athon takes over Pullman, Wash. -- the heart of lentil-growing country -- Aug. 21-22, with a lentil pancake breakfast, a Lentil Lane food court of lentil dishes, and the Legendary Lentil Cook-Off. You can enter your recipe (categories are main dishes, breads, salads, desserts, soups, side dishes, and appetizers) but entries must be postmarked by July 3.

"Last year we had recipes from 37 states, and this year we are trying to get one from all 50," says Mary MacDonald of the Pullman Chamber of Commerce. She's a sixth-generation farmer "on the Palouse," as she puts it, the region of Washington and Idaho that is the source of nearly 40 percent of all U.S.-grown lentils and dried peas (it used to be 98 percent).

The top six recipes will be tasted and judged by 400 festival-goers. The chamber publishes collections of the recipes that are entered; 2009 booklets will be for sale at and through the festival. The handsome 2008 edition already is available for $4 plus $1.25 shipping. The festival also sells the USA Dry Pea & Lentil Council's "Pea and Lentil Cookbook" for $25. The Lentil of the Month Club -- cool! -- costs $75.

Check it all out at lentilfest.com.

-- Bob Batz Jr.