Food file

By PEGGY ANDERS, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published November 13, 2002

Special events and food tastings

TAMPA BAY VEGETARIANS: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sat., Pavilion 6 at Lake Seminole Park, 10015 Park Blvd., Seminole. Picnic of Cuban food ($9) prepared by chef Chachi Paez of Vejutopia. Call (727) 392-0268 to RSVP by Thur.

TEA IN THE GARDEN: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat., noon-4 p.m. Sun., Davis and Daughters Tea Cottage, 530 Alt. 19 N, Palm Harbor. Opening of tea garden with scones and finger sandwiches, more than 40 loose-leaf teas; $14.95. Call (727) 785-7790 to RSVP.

MAGGIANO'S AND MERLOT: 7 p.m. Tues., Maggiano's Little Italy, 203 WestShore Plaza, Tampa. Franciscan Estates wines, from sauvignon blanc to merlot and cabernet pair with courses by chef Darrell Brown. $75. Call (813) 288-9000 to RSVP.

PROFUSION WINE DINNER: 7 p.m. Nov. 20, Profusion, 2223 N West Shore Blvd., International Plaza, Tampa. Wine dinner pairs Banfi wines from Itlay with five-course menu; $65, plus tax and gratuity; (813) 353-8400 to RSVP.

Wine and beer tastings/classes

OYSTERCATCHERS TASTING: 5:30-6:30 today, Oystercatchers Restaurant at Hyatt Westshore, 6200 Courtney Campbell Parkway, Tampa. St. Francis' chardonnay and merlot from Sonoma among wines tasted, $10, tasting fee waived with each dinner entree purchased. Call (813) 207-6815.

GUESS THAT GRAPE: 7-9 p.m. Fri., Vintage Wine Cellars, 3629 Henderson Blvd., Tampa. Take the "Guess the Grape" challenge and guess which of 10 wines are being poured, picks include Laboure Roi 2000 pouilly fuisse, David Bruce zinfandel, $10. (813) 879-2931.

AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND: 6:30 p.m. Mon., Bern's Fine Wine and Spirits, 2008 W Morrison Ave., Tampa. Focus of wine class is on wines from Australia and New Zealand; $25. RSVP (required): (813) 250-9463.

BEAUJOLAIS TASTES: This year's Beaujolais nouveau release is heralded by tastings at A Taste For Wine, 241 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, 6-8 p.m. Nov. 21, $10, (727) 895-1623. Join a Tampa Bay Wine Brat event at Vintage Wine Cellars, 3629 Henderson Blvd., Tampa, 7-9 p.m. Nov. 21, $10; or Vintage's own tasting with 10 varieties, 7-9 p.m. Nov. 22, $10, (813) 879-2931 to RSVP either Vintage tasting; and a tasting at J.D. Ford Fine Wines, 1925 S Osprey Ave., Sarasota, 5-7 p.m. Nov. 21, $5, (941) 362-9463.

SIP AND SMOKE: 5-8 p.m. Nov. 21, 688 Fine Wine & Spirits, 14590 Walsingham Road, Largo. Sample wines from California, ports from Australia, plus Bucanero cigars; free. Call (727) 596-8902.

Cooking classes

LA MAISON LESSONS: La Maison Gourmet, 471 Main St., Dunedin gears up for the holidays with class on entertaining with wine, 7-9 p.m. today, $35; dim sum class makes delectable Asian appetizers, 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Sat., $35; or make Thanksgiving pies such as chocolate espresso fudge pie and sweet potato pecan pie, 6:30-9 p.m. Nov. 20, $39.50 (includes light meal). Call (727) 736-3070 to reserve any class.

SALT ROCK CHEF: 6:30 p.m. Thur., Apron's Cooking School, Publix Supermarket Shoppes of Citrus Park, 7835 Gunn Highway, Tampa. Chef Tom Pritchard of Salt Rock Grill and Island Way Grill makes seafood favorites from the menus; $50. Call (813) 926-4465.

VINOY'S HOLIDAY CUISINE: 2-4 p.m. Sat. at Marchand's Bar & Grill at Renaissance Vinoy Resort, 501 Fifth Ave. NE, downtown St. Petersburg. Chef John Pivar's holiday cuisine class; $25. Call (727) 894-1000, ext. 501 (concierge) to reserve.

HOLIDAY CHOCOLATES: 6 p.m. Tues., Apron's Cooking School, Publix Supermarket Shoppes of Citrus Park, 7835 Gunn Highway, Tampa. Michelle Palisi of Chocolates by Michelle teaches calss; $30. Limited class size, call (813) 926-4465 to reserve.

GREAT GYOZAS: Nature's Food Patch, 1225 Cleveland St., Clearwater. Class on simple Japanese cuisine, with gyoza (Japanese dumplings), miso soup and cucumber and seaweed salad, 6-8 p.m. Mon.; free. Call (727) 443-6703.

HOMECOOKED THANKSGIVING: 7 p.m. Nov. 20, 10 a.m. Nov. 21, Nature's Harvest Market, 1021 N MacDill Ave., Tampa. Free vegetarian feast for Thanksgiving; (813) 873-7428.

Contests

BEST CHEF BATTLE: 7-9 p.m. Tues., La Maison Gourmet, 471 Main St., Dunedin. Chefs Michael Webb of Kelly's For Just About Anything in Dunedin and Chris Fernandez of Red Mesa in St. Petersburg square off in culinary competition, each preparing a meal from surprise ingredients while spectators sample appetizers then vote for their favorite creations: $50 per person (includes meal). Call (727) 736-3070.

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

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