Food file

Special events and food tastings

ALLURING ALSACE WINES: 7 p.m. today, Profusion, 2223 N West Shore Blvd. at International Plaza, Tampa. Dinner pairs wines from France's Dopff & Irion Winery with five-course menu. $65, plus tax and gratuity. RSVP: (813) 353-8400.

CAKEBREAD CELEBRATION: 6 p.m. reception, dinner follows, Thur., Island Way Grill, 20 Island Way, Clearwater Beach. Island Way chefs and winemaker Bruce Cakebread celebrate Cakebread Cellars 30th anniversary with menu and wine pairing: crab cake with grilled arugula, lamb with oyster and shiitake risotto, warm chocolate torte and more: $155, plus tax and gratuity; portion of proceeds benefits Abilities Foundation. Call (727) 461-6617.

BAYFRONT ON VINE: 7-10 p.m. Sat., Bayfront Medical Plaza, 603 Seventh St. S, St. Petersburg. Fine wines, martini bar, samplings from area restaurants; $75 per person, or $125 includes private reception (6-7 p.m.), benefits Bayfront Health Foundation. Call (727) 893-6148.

FLORIDA BEERFEST: 3-7 p.m. Sat., North Plaza area at Centro Ybor, 1600 E Eighth Ave., Ybor City. Annual Florida Brewers Guild Beerfest with sampling of more than 100 beers from brew pubs and microbreweries around the state. Also international beers, homebrew demonstrations, live music. $17 advance, $22 day of event (includes commemorative tasting glass for first 400 people). Call (727) 797-6905.

KEEN ON KUMQUATS: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Jan. 25, along Meridian Avenue, Dade City. Kumquat chips, chutney, pie, kumquat and rum ice cream at annual Kumquat Festival; plus farmers market, cooking contest, crafts, music, food booths. Free admission; call (352) 567-3769.

Wine and beer tastings/classes

ARMANI'S TASTING: 5:30-6:30 p.m. today, Armani's (atop Hyatt Regency Westshore), 6200 Courtney Campbell Parkway, Tampa. Taste Kunde sauvignon blanc, Trinchero's "Chicken Ranch" merlot, Geyser Peak cabernet sauvignon reserve; $10; stay for dinner and tasting fee is waived. Call (813) 207-6800.

ART AND WINE: J.D. Ford and Ringling School of Art pair art and wine in "Faith Ringgold -- Retrospect," an African-American tribute, with wines from diverse origins, 6-7:30 p.m. Thur., Selby Gallery, 2700 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; $25. Call (941) 359-7652.

WINES FOR A CAUSE: 5-7:30 p.m. Sat., Cove Cay Country Club, 2612 Cove Cay Drive, Clearwater. Sip wines from Dry Creek Vineyards, La Crema, Robert Pepi, and help Barbara Frye in the TransEurope Footrace challenge from Lisbon to Moscow to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society; $25. RSVP: (727) 392-6369 or (727) 667-5966.

PHILIP STALEY WINES: 6:30 p.m. Fri., Uncorked Fine Wines and Accessories, 2706 Fourth St. N, St. Petersburg. Sample a selection of wines from Sonoma's award-winning Philip Staley winery; portion of proceeds benefits All Star Baseball Camp; $10. (727) 892-9463.

BREWS FROM BELGIUM: 7-9 p.m. Fri., Vintage Wine Cellars, 3629 Henderson Blvd., Tampa. Try Belgian beers Delirium Tremens and Duvel Belgian ales, Ottakringer Austrian Pils and other brews from around the world. $10. Reservations: (813) 879-2931.

WINE AND FRESH MARKET: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sat., Florida Estates Winery, 4 miles west of I-75 on SR 52 near Land O'Lakes. Sample the winery's 11 varieties, plus food samples, fresh market with breads, cheeses, produce and more. Also, homemade crafts and music. Free event. Call (813) 996-2113.

Cooking classes

WINTER BRUNCH: 7 p.m. today, 10 a.m. Thur., Nature's Harvest Market, 1021 N MacDill Ave., Tampa. Make a winter brunch in free vegetarian class. Call (813) 873-7428.

GUILIANO'S CLASSIC ITALIAN CUISINE: 6:30 p.m. today and Jan. 29, Casa Italia, 2080 Constitution Blvd., Sarasota. Cookbook author Guiliano Hazan shares cooking tips as he prepares a four-course Italian meal for sampling: $70, includes wine tasting, hors d'oeuvres, printed recipes. Reserve: (941) 924-1179.

SONOMA FAVORITES, SANTA FE TASTES: Apron's Cooking School, Publix Supermarket at Shoppes of Citrus Park, 7835 Gunn Highway, Tampa. Arrowood wines are paired with wine country dishes from Sonoma, 6:30 p.m. Fri., $40; or make Santa Fe cuisine dishes such as grilled duck breast on roasted poblano sweet potato hash cactus, tortilla crusted black bean cakes, churros, 6:30 p.m. Sat., $35. RSVP: (813) 926-4465.

ART OF OVEN ROASTING: 7 p.m. Jan. 22, 10 a.m. Jan. 23, Nature's Harvest Market, 1021 N MacDill Ave., Tampa. Debby DeGraaff teaches the art of roasting in free vegetarian class. Call (813) 873-7428.

BRUNCH BASICS: 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Sat., La Maison Gourmet, 471 Main St., Dunedin. Salmon and chevre angel hair timbales, barbecued chicken salad croissants, macadamia nut crepes at brunch class with some hands-on work; $35. Call (727) 736-3070.

-- 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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