RODNEY STRONG WINE DINNER: 6:30 p.m. today, Saint Larry's Restaurant, 34980 U.S. 19 N, Palm Harbor. Chef Bill Schrems' creations paired with Rodney Strong wines; $75, inclusive. Limited seating, call (727) 786-0077.

BACCHUS IN BLACK TIE VII: 6 p.m. reception, 7:30 p.m. dinner, Thur., Renaissance Vinoy Resort, 501 Fifth Ave. NE, St. Petersburg. Starting with Champagne and antipasti reception, dinner features the flavors of regional Italian wines and cuisine created by area chefs; benefits educational programs at Ruth Eckerd Hall. Tickets: $175. Call (727) 712-2760.

VIVA SPRING!: beginning at 6 p.m. Thur., Viva La Frida Cafe and Galeria, 5901 N Florida Ave., Tampa. Four-course spring menu, followed by dessert and live art performance: $29.99 plus tax and gratuity. Call (813) 231-9199 to reserve.

PREVIEW TASTE OF THE BEST: Special menu wine dinners preview the annual Best of Tampa Bay benefit: today at Six Tables, 4267 Henderson Blvd.; Thur. at Centre Club, 123 West Shore Blvd. Both dinners at 7 p.m., $95 per dinner, inclusive. Proceeds benefit the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center. Call (813) 222-1037 to reserve.

CREAM OF THE CROP: 7-11 p.m. Sat., Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, 1010 N MacInnes Place, Tampa. Best of Tampa Bay offers food from more than 50 area restaurants, such as 42nd St. Bistro, Los Papagallos, Samba Room, Roy's and Armani's, with wines, beers, specialty coffees and entertainment, to benefit the center's research and education programs: $50, $60 day of event. Call (813) 229-7827 or Ticketmaster.

PIZZAS FOR A CAUSE: Have a pizza and make a wish come true: California Pizza Kitchen at International Plaza, at 2223 N WestShore Blvd, Tampa is donating 100% of pizza sales Tues., 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The foundation grants the wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses; (813) 353-8155.

SPA CUISINE: 1 p.m. May 4, Safety Harbor Resort & Spa, 105 N Bayshore Drive, Safety Harbor. Sample a signature dish from the menu prepared by Chef Tom Huling at this month's meeting of the Tampa Bay Culinary Club. Cost: $10. Call Jeanne at (727) 789-2605 to RSVP (required).

ICING ON THE WEDDING CAKE: 1-4 p.m. May 5, Florida Botanical Gardens, 12175 125th St. N, Largo. Planning a wedding? Soon-to-be brides and grooms can get help from the experts in planning receptions and food choices, along with everything else needed to make the day special; $5. Call (727) 582-2200

Wine and beer tastings/classes

SPANISH RENAISSANCE: 6 p.m. today, J.D. Ford Fine Wines, 1925 S Osprey Ave., Sarasota. Explore the new age of winemaking in Spain at tasting seminar; $25. Call (941) 362-9463.

ALEXANDER VALLEY TO ARGENTINA: 5:30-8:30 p.m. Thur., Dylons, 136 Fifth Ave. N, St. Petersburg. Wine tasting features Clos Du Bois' Alexander Valley series, Bodega Norton from Argentina and Buena Vista wines; free: (727) 898-5575.

CHAMPAGNE SHOWDOWN: 7 p.m. aperitif, 7:30 p.m. tasting, Fri., Vintage Wine Cellars, 3629 Henderson Blvd., Tampa. Samples from Veuve Cliquot, Tattinger and Etoile, to Louis Roederer, Argyle and Moet & Chandon; $20. Call (813) 879-2931.

SOUTH AMERICAN WINES: 6:30 p.m. Fri., Uncorked Fine Wines and Accessories, 2706 Fourth St. N, St. Petersburg. The proceeds of this tasting of wines from Argentina and Chile benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation; $10, includes souvenir glass. Call (727) 892-9463.

ITALIAN WINES: 6 p.m. Fri., Clubhouse at Aston Gardens at Tampa Bay, 12951 W Linebaugh Ave., Tampa. "Wine Professor" returns from Italy with a sampling of the varieties produced in wine-growing regions: $10. Call (813) 818-9463.

MONDAVI GOES GLOBAL: 6:30 p.m. Fri., Aprons Cooking School at Publix Supermarket Shoppes of Citrus Park, 7835 Gunn Highway, Tampa. Try high-end Mondavi "global luxury" varieties, including Napa Valley Reserve Fume Blanc, plus wines from Byron, Arrowood along with food accompaniments; $35. Call (813) 926-4465 to register.

PATRON'S CHOICE: 7:30 p.m. Sat., A Taste For Wine, 241 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. Share and share alike as you choose wine for tasting, then sample other patrons' choices, savoring several bottles for the price of one. Cost varies with wine selection. Call (727) 895-1623.

BORDEAUX GRAND TASTING: 3-6 p.m. Sun., B-21 Wine Co., 43380 U.S. 19 N, Tarpon Springs. Event combines tasting of up to 75 premium Bordeaux wines with seminars on the variety; $25. Call (727) 937.5049, ext. 210, or register online at www.b-21.com.

A TASTE OF FLORIDA WINES: Florida Estates Winery features tasting of its Chateau Soliel wines; also sample other Florida-produced varieties. Winery is located on 3,600-acre working cattle ranch, four miles west of I-75 on S.R. 52 near Land O Lakes. Tastings from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Sat., 1-5 p.m. Sun. Cost: $3.50. Call (813) 996-2113.

SEGHESIO SAMPLING: 6 p.m. May 3, The Grapevine at Westchase, 12125 W Linebaugh Ave., Tampa. Featured wine is 1998 Seghesio "Omaggio," a blend of sangiovese, barbera, cabernet and merlo; $4 tasting. Call (813) 818-9463 to reserve.

WORLD WINGS WINE TASTING: 7-9 p.m. May 3, Vintage Wine Cellars, 3629 Henderson Blvd., Tampa. Tampa Bay Chapter of Pan Am World Wing International's wine, cheese and hors d'oeuvres tasting benefits the Centre for Women; $15 donation. To reserve, call Camille, (813) 681-9217 or Mary Ellen, (727) 867-3108

Cooking classes

FRESH FRENCH FLAVORS: 6:30 p.m. Thur., Aprons Cooking School at Publix Supermarket Shoppes of Citrus Park, 7835 Gunn Highway, Tampa. Chef Michel Denis shows how to use fresh Florida ingredients to create uncomplicated French dishes; $30. Call (813) 926-4465.

LUNCH WITH CLASS: Learn to be a gracious luncheon host, make tomato bisque, chicken "presents" and lemon torte, noon-2 p.m. Thur., $35; at Margaret Ann's Catering, 5625 Fourth St. N, St. Petersburg. Call (727) 525-3983 to reserve.

VEGETARIAN JAPANESE: 6-8 p.m. Tue., Nature's Food Patch, 1225 Cleveland St., Clearwater. Learn to make a Japanese breakfast menu of Akadashi (red miso soup), Japanese omelet, radish with sweet vinegar, wakame and chives, seaweed with carrot and fried bean curd; free. Call (727) 443-6703.

FAST N' HEALTHY: 6:30-8 p.m. Tue., A Passion for Food, 6837 Fourth St. N, St. Petersburg. Learn to make good-for-you dishes that don't take long to prepare; $25. Call (727) 522-2882, RSVP required.

COUPLES AND KIDS: La Maison Gourmet, 471 Main St., Dunedin, teaches couples how to cook seafood en papillote, seared duck breast with ginger fig sauce and chocolate profiteroles with espresso cream; 6:30-9 p.m. Fri.; $49.50 per person; while kids can learn to make desserts such as cherry cobbler, apple-almond puff pastry pinwheels, sweet potato flan in hands-on class; 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Sat.; $30. Call (727) 736-3070.

PROTEIN-PACKED VEGGIES: 7 p.m. May 1, 10 a.m. May 2, Nature's Harvest Market, 1021 N MacDill Ave., Tampa. Chef Debby DeGraaff uses T.V.P., or texturized vegetable protein in vegetarian dishes; free. Call (813) 873-7428.

-- Send news of coming events at least two weeks in advance of the publication date to Food File, the Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731.

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