Dear Sun Spots: I hope you can help me. I recently purchased some whoopie pies from Sam’s with peanut butter filling. They were very good. I’d love the recipe if Sam’s wouldn’t mind sharing it.

Also, I would like to know how to make Coolattas like Dunkin’ Donuts. Are there any products out there to make these at home, like the caramel and hazelnut? Thanks. – A Sun Spots fan, Lewiston.

Answer: In addition to responses from readers, Sun Spots spoke with Sam’s general manager Mike Marchus, who says staff were curious if their manager would give up the recipe: Marchus’ response was if we can locate the Colonel Sanders’ chicken recipe they’ll be willing to share theirs! In other words, no. Perhaps you and other readers can try the following recipe for Stef’s whoopie pies with peanut butter frosting printed from www.Allrecipes.com and help ease your disappointment: Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour, ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, ½ cup hot water, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 cup white sugar, 1 cup butter, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon butter, 1¾ cups confectioner’s sugar, ¼ cup peanut butter, ½ cup milk. Method: Cream together 1 cup of the butter or margarine and the egg. Add 1 cup white sugar, vanilla and hot water. Stir in the flour, cocoa and baking soda and mix well. Drop from a teaspoon onto cookie sheets and bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 12 minutes. Sandwich cookies together with peanut butter frosting. To make peanut butter frosting, blend 1 tablespoon butter and peanut butter. Stir in confectioner’s sugar and add enough milk to make frosting soft enough to spread. Spread between the flat sides of two cookies and sandwich together.

Sun Spots was not able to locate the drink recipes you were seeking, however, perhaps you might like to check for these syrups in your local grocery store or coffee shop. You might want to note that there are also many low-fat versions out there also for those who’d rather not expend the 400 or so calories these drinks appear to entail.

In addition, you may also like to try the almond coffee cream recipe found online at www.all4coffee.com: Ingredients: 2 teaspoons finely ground coffee, ¼ cup skim milk, 2 egg whites ½ teaspoon salt, low-calorie sugar substitute (equal to ¼ cup sugar), 1/8 teaspoon almond extract, ¼ cup finely chopped almonds, 4 ounces non dairy whipped topping, thawed. Method: Dissolve finely ground coffee in milk. Beat egg whites with salt until foamy. Gradually beat in sugar substitute until mixture forms stiff, shiny peaks. Blend in coffee/milk mixture, almond extract and chopped almonds. Fold in dietetic whipped topping. Spoon into individual parfait glasses; garnish with additional chopped almonds if desired. Freeze until firm. Serves 6.

Dear Sun Spots: On Channel 8, they advertise the use of Doppler radar for weather forecasting. What is “Doppler” radar? – J.S. Wilton.

Answer: Most if not all stations use Doppler radar. Doppler radar is named after Christian Andreas Doppler, an Austrian physicist who first described in 1842 how the observed frequency of light and sound waves was affected by the relative motion of the source and the detector. It became known as the Doppler effect.

This is most often demonstrated by the change in the sound wave of a passing train. The sound of the train whistle will become “higher” in pitch as it approaches and “lower” in pitch as it moves away. This is explained as follows: the number of sound waves reaching the ear in a given amount of time (or frequency) determines the tone, or pitch perceived. The tone remains the same as long as you are not moving. As the train moves closer to you, the number of sound waves reaching your ear in a given amount of time increases. Thus, the pitch increases.

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