CAFE LARGO WINE PAIRING: 6:30-7:45 p.m. tasting, dinner follows, today, Cafe Largo, 12551 Indian Rocks Road, Largo. Chef Dominique pairs wines from the Loire Valley, Cotes du Rhone and other French regions with hors d'oeuvres, followed by four-course wine dinner that includes salmon en papillotte with beurre blanc and braised short ribs with pearl onions and red wine sauce; approx. $28.75, plus tax and gratuity. RSVP: (727) 596-6282.

LAURENT-PERRIER LUXURY: 7 p.m. Thur., Roy's, 4342 W Boy Scout Blvd., Tampa. Crab and cippolini ravioli, grilled lobster and mandarin orange inside-out roll, Asian duck breast roulade and sweet potato pave, meringue baskets with lemon curd paired with Champagnes from Laurent-Perrier; $75. RSVP: (813) 873-7697.

SEA GRAPES: 7-10 p.m. Sat., Florida Aquarium, 701 Channelside Drive, Tampa. Food and wines to sample at fundraiser to benefit the aquarium's education and veterinary programs; $55. Call (813) 273-4568 for tickets.

RENAISSANCE FARE: Renaissance Festival, Saturday and Sunday through April 13, also April 4 and 11, 400 Central Park Drive, Largo. Join the queen at high tea, with scones and finger sandwiches (RSVP at Special Events table), $9.95; sip wines at free tasting April 4-6; quaff beers at free ale tasting 1 and 3 p.m. Sat.-Sun. Festival admission, $14.95. (727) 586-5423, toll-free 1-800-779-4910 or www.renaissancefest.com.

MONDAVI WINERY DINNER: 6:30 p.m. April 3, Fleming Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar, 4322 Boy Scout Blvd., Tampa. Grilled scallops in citrus butter, seared lamb loin with grilled mushrooms, filet with haricots verts, key lime cheesecake, paired with Robert Mondavi varietals that include sauvignon blanc, pinot noir; $70. Call (813) 874-9463.

PINOT, POPCORN AND FILM: 6:30-9:30 p.m. wine tasting, 7:30, 8:45 p.m. film seatings, April 4, Channelside IMAX, 615 Channelside Drive, Tampa. See Siegfried & Roy: The Magic Box 3D at wine tasting and movie viewing event to benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital; $10, includes wine tasting, popcorn and soda, movie. Reserve: toll-free 1-800-648-8905 or (727) 822-4199.

OMELETTE BENEFIT: Annual UPARC benefit with evening gala, 6:30 p.m. April 4, $200; and le petit de'jeuner breakfast with chef Rudy Stanish's renowned omelettes 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. (benefit plant sale 2:30-4 p.m.) April 5, $80; both events at Harbor Bluffs residence. Call (727) 797-8712.

TAMPA BAY CULINARY CLUB: 11 a.m. April 5, Buca di Beppo, 11511 N Dale Mabry, Tampa. Tom Grimmond, executive chef, prepares sampling of signature restaurant dish at meeting of the Tampa Bay Culinary Club; $10. RSVP (required): Call Jeanne at (727) 789-2605

Wine and beer tastings/classes

RIESLING TO MERLOT: 5:30-6:30 p.m. today, Armani's at Hyatt Regency Westshore, 6200 Courtney Campbell Parkway, Tampa. Taste Snoqualmi riesling, Villa Mt. Eden Grand Reserve pinot noir, more, $10; stay for dinner and tasting fee is waived. Call (813) 207-6800.

AMAZING GRAPES: 7 p.m. Fri., Vintage Wine Cellars, 3629 Henderson Blvd., Tampa. Sample out-of-the-ordinary wines from gamay, grenache, mourvedre, malbec, viognier grapes; $10. RSVP: (813) 879-2931.

PURELY PINOT WINES: 6:30 p.m. Fri., Uncorked Fine Wines and Accessories, 2706 Fourth St. N, St. Petersburg. Taste pinot wines, including pinot grigio, pinot blanc, pinot noir; $10, plus souvenir glass; portion of proceeds benefit Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. (727) 892-9463.

PATRON'S CHOICE: 7:30 p.m. Sat., A Taste for Wine, 241 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. You choose the wines to sample and share in everyone's selections; cost varies with wines chosen. RSVP: (727) 895-1623.

CHARDONNAY TO CABERNET: 5:30-8 p.m. Tue., Mystic Fish, 3253 Tampa Road, Palm Harbor. Complimentary tasting of Dr. Loosen riesling, Rothbury cabernet, Hess chardonnay. (727) 771-1800.

Cooking classes

LEAN LENTILS: 7 p.m. today, 10 a.m. Thur., Nature's Harvest Market, 1021 N MacDill Ave., Tampa. Free vegetarian class shows how to use lentils in healthful dishes. (813) 873-7428.

EASY EASTER DINNER: 7-9 p.m. Fri., La Maison Gourmet, 471 Main St., Dunedin. Learn to put together an Easter dinner with ease; menu includes roquefort, walnut and Belgian endive salad; roast lamb with potato, onion and tomato gratin; wine braised fennel; creme brulee; $35. RSVP: (727) 736-3070.

TASTE OF BILTMORE: 6:30 p.m. Sat., Apron's Cooking School, Shoppes of Citrus Park, 7835 Gunn Highway, Tampa, welcomes Martha Vining of Biltmore Estate Winery as she pairs grilled tenderloin in cabernet sauce, blue cheese and vegetable chopped salad, and chocolate balloons with caramelized oranges with Biltmore varieties such as cabernet, riesling; $40. RSVP: (813) 926-4465.

FANCY PASTRY: 1-3:30 p.m. Tues., Ladyfingers Fine Pastries and More, 3347 Tampa Road, Palm Harbor. Learn the art of elegant pastry decoration from pastry chef Daniel Delort and chef Gui Alinatin hands-on workshop; $35; take pastry creations home. RSVP: (727) 789-8986.

LUSCIOUS LASAGNA: 7 p.m. April 2, 10 a.m. April 3, Nature's Harvest Market, 1021 N MacDill Ave., Tampa. Debby DeGraaff shows how to make vegetarian lasagna in free class. (813) 873-7428.

GUMPASTE LILIES: 7-9 p.m. beginning April 3, Honey Bee Shop, 11144 N 30th St., Tampa. Four-week cake decorating class makes gumpaste lily flowers; $35. Preregistration required: (813) 971-7599.

CARIBBEAN NIGHT: 6:30 p.m. April 4, Museum of Science and Industry, 4801 E Fowler Ave., Tampa. "Science of Cooking" class with chef Paul McMorris takes participants on a Caribbean taste tour; $40, $35 MOSI members. RSVP: (813) 987-6000.

Worth sending for

VEGAN PASSOVER RECIPES: Forty-eight-page Vegan Passover Recipes offers an array of vegan-friendly Passover dishes, including savory sweet potato soup, winter squash with apricot stuffing, carrot pancakes, zucchini-potato kugel, plus microwave and make-ahead dishes and how to convert non-Passover dessert recipes by using potato starch and matzah cake meal. To order, send $6 (check or money order) to Vegetarian Resource Group, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203, or visit www.vrg.org.

-- 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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