Food file

Special events and food tastings

SAKE AND CHAMPAGNE: 7 p.m. Thur., Profusion, Bay Street at International Plaza, Tampa. Benefit wine dinner pairs Momokawa Japanese sake and Mumm Cordon Rouge champagnes with dinner to benefit Children's Heart Foundation; $75, plus tax and gratuity. Limited seating. RSVP: (813) 353-8400.

TAMPA BAY CULINARY CLUB: Noon Sat., Olivia's Restaurant, 487 Main St., Dunedin. Chef Oscar Lacasses prepares a signature dish at this month's meeting of the Tampa Bay Culinary Club; $10. RSVP required. Call Jeanne at (727) 789-2605.

LOLONIS BISTRO DINNER: 6:30 p.m. Tue., O Bistro, 66661 Cental Ave., St. Pete Beach. Chef Tyson Grant's dinner pairs with Lolonis wines, made with organically grown grapes; $75, plus tax and gratuity, portion of proceeds benefits the Abilities Foundation. Call (727) 381-1212 to reserve.

TAMPA BAY VEGETARIANS: 7 p.m. Tue., Mirage Restaurant, 2284 Gulf-to-Bay Blvd., Clearwater. Monthly meeting features Greek dishes and talk on detoxification; $14, plus additional $2 for nonmembers, includes tax and gratuity. RSVP to (727) 392-0268 by 5 p.m. Fri.

RETRO BARBECUE: 6:30 p.m. Oct. 29, SideBern's, 1002 S Howard Ave., Tampa. Chef Jeannie Pierola recreates retro-styled barbecue on the patio, paired with Sinskey wines; $85.01 per person, tax and gratuity extra. Limited seating. Call (813) 258-2233 to reserve.

CAFE LARGO CELEBRATION: 7 p.m. Oct. 30, Cafe Largo, 12551 Indian Rocks Road, Largo; 17th anniversary celebration dinner that includes scallops and shrimp en coquille, veal en croute with port sauce, autumn mesclun salad, Swiss chocolate souffle, each course paired with wines; $65, tax and gratuity extra. RSVP: (727) 596-6282.

EPCOT FOOD AND WINE: Through Nov. 16, at Epcot's World Showcase at Walt Disney World, exit I-4 at Exit 64, west of Orlando. Daily wine tastings, seminars and culinary demonstrations, wine dinners. Epcot admission required. Call (407) 824-4321.

STONE CRAB, SEAFOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL: Oct. 30-Nov. 2, Colony Beach & Tennis Resort, 1620 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key. Chef demonstrations, food and wine tastings, gala dinner; single event prices vary. Call toll-free 1-800-426-5669 or visit www.colonybeachresort.com and click on Special Events.

TEA IN THE AFTERNOON: Renaissance Vinoy Resort, 501 Fifth Ave. NE, St. Petersburg. Afternoon tea 2:30-4:30 p.m. Tue.-Sat. in Terrace Room; Queen Victoria tea for adults, with prix fixe menu, pates, tea sandwiches, scones, double cream, chef's pastries, split of champagne, $24; or Toddle Tea for kids, $9. Reservations recommended. Call concierge at (727) 824-8005 or (727) 894-1000, ext. 511.

Wine and beer

ARMANI'S AUSTRALIAN TASTING: 5:30-6:30 p.m. today, Armani's (at Hyatt Regency Westshore), 6200 Courtney Campbell Parkway, Tampa. Lindeman's reserve chardonnay, Wynn's Connawarra Riesling, Rosemount shiraz, Penfold's Bin No. 2 shiraz mourvedre; $10, stay for dinner and tasting fee is waived. Call (813) 207-6800; RSVP required.

CALIFORNIA WINE FESTIVAL: 6-9 p.m. Fri., Vintage Wine Cellars, 3629 Henderson Blvd., Tampa. Celebration of California's newest bottlings and releases from Napa, Sonoma, Santa Barbara counties and more; more than 30 wines that include Zaca Mesa, Iron Horse, Beaulieu Vineyards; $15, includes coupon for wine purchase. Call (813) 879-2931 to reserve.

WHAT'S IN A NAME: 5:30-7:30 p.m. Fri., Got Wine and Cigars, 1006 Broadway, Dunedin. Big Mamma's red wine and other wines with interesting names are featured, with hors d'oeuvres, at free tasting. Call (727) 736-4077.

BIG REDS, BRIGHT WHITE WINES: 6:30 p.m. Fri., Uncorked Fine Wines and Accessories, 2706 Fourth St. N, St. Petersburg. Tasting offers Zinfandel, syrah, sangiovese, balanced with light, bright white wines that include pinot grigio, sauvignon blanc, Riesling; $10, includes souvenir glass; (727) 892-9463.

WINE AND FRESH MARKET: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sat., Florida Estates Winery, 4 miles west of I-75 on S.R. 52 near Land O' Lakes. Sample the winery's offerings, browse the fresh market; food samples; free admission; (813) 996-2113.

SHOWSTOPPERS!: 6 p.m. Sat., A Taste for Wine, 241 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. Wines from five holiday wine shows. $18. Call (727) 895-1623.

MONDAVI'S PINOT NOIRS: 6:30 p.m. Sat., Apron's Cooking School, 7835 Gunn Highway, Tampa. Pinor noir wines from Robert Mondavi, paired with Rand Packer's (executive chef/partner at Roy's) Pacific menu; $50. Call (813) 926-4465 to RSVP.

HEAVENLY WINES II: 7-9:30 p.m. Sat., Church of the Holy Spirit, 601 Phillippe Parkway, Safety Harbor. Caribbean-themed wine tasting with world varieties, presented by Ed's Fine Wines, plus hors d'oeuvres, steel drum music; $15. Call (727) 796-4220.

HAUNTINGLY GOOD WINES: 7-9 p.m. Fri.-Sat., Florida Orange Groves and Winery, 1500 Pasadena Ave. S, Pasadena. Wine tasting features pineapple sunset and mango wine, plus samplings of the winery's 27 other citrus and fruit varieties, hors d'oeuvres, winery tour; $10. For reservations, call (727) 347-4025.

AUSTRALIAN AND RHONE WINES: 3-6 p.m. Sun., B-21 Fine Wines and Spirits, 43380 U.S. Highway 19 N, Tarpon Springs. Winemakers Marcel and Philippe Guigal present Rhone Valley wines from France; Australian winemakers have wines made with the latest technology at tasting; $20 before Fri., $25 Sat.-Sun. if available. Call 727 937-5049, ext. 210, or visit www.b-21.com click on "Tastings."

KENDALL-JACKSON WINES: 6-8 p.m. Mon., Bon Appetit Restaurant, 150 Marina Plaza, Dunedin. Kendall-Jackson, hors d'oeuvres from Bon Appetit's chefs and art exhibit by Susan Rolling Gehring; $25 advance, $30 at door. To RSVP, call (727) 733-2151.

GREAT AUSTRALIAN REDS: 6:30-8 p.m. Mon., Bern's Fine Wine and Spirits, 2008 W Morrison Ave., Tampa. David Black contrasts flavor profiles of Australia's red wines, such as shiraz, cabernet sauvignon and merlot, in wine class; $30. RSVP required. Call (813) 250-9463.

WORLDLY SAUVIGNON BLANCS: 5:30-8 p.m. Tue., Mystic Fish, 3253 Tampa Road, Palm Harbor. Zunio from Napa Valley, Revelry from South Africa, Omaka Springs from New Zealand among wines at complimentary wine tasting; Call (727) 771-1800.

SPAIN FLIGHT (PART II): 6 p.m. Tue., A Taste for Wine, 241 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. New wines from cutting-edge Spanish winemakers. $15. Call (727) 895-1623.

ALL SAINTS DAY WINE SAMPLING: 7-9 p.m. Oct. 31, Vintage Wine Cellars, 3629 Henderson Blvd., Tampa. Sample 10 wines at Halloween tasting, including Saint Supery, Chateau St. Jean, Saint Julian, more; $10. Call (813) 879-2931 to reserve.

Cooking classes

PUMPKIN MAGIC: 6:30 p.m. today, Nature's Food Patch, 1225 Cleveland St., Clearwater. Kerrie and Bobbie Broe show how to make magic with pumpkins; menu includes pumpkin soup with rosemary and leeks, spicy pumpkin dressing, crunchy pumpkin pudding dessert; free. Call (727) 443-6703.

COOKING WITH CHEF FRED: 7 p.m. today, Drew Coffee Shop, 1907 Drew St., Clearwater. Chef Fred shows class how to make mini meatballs in red herb and garlic sauce, chicken breast stuffed with sundried tomato, mozzarella and herbs, fresh fruit and pistachio and almond pie, more, in this month's cooking class; guests may bring wine or beverage; $24.99, includes dinner. Call (727) 441-2572.

WINTER SQUASH: 7-8 p.m. today, 10-11 a.m. Thur., Nature's Harvest Market, 1021 N MacDill Ave., Tampa. Make vegetarian dishes using winter squash; free. Call (813) 873-7428.

THIS CAN'T BE TOFU!: 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thur., Sugar Free Desserts, 2660 Bayshore Blvd., Dunedin. Learn to make healthful and delicious treats using tofu; $45. Call (727) 738-9525.

OYSTERCATCHERS CLASS: Noon Sat., Oystercatchers Restaurant, Hyatt Westshore, 6200 Courtney Campbell Parkway, Tampa. Make menu favorites with chef Thomas McKinney; includes three-course meal with champagne, beverages; $50. RSVP required: (813) 207-6815.

ART OF THE HOLIDAY MEAL: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sun., La Maison Gourmet, 471 Main St., Dunedin. Prepare for flawless holiday entertaining with this daylong workshop; $125. Call (727) 736-3070 to reserve.

APRON'S CLASSES: Apron's Cooking School, Publix Supermarket at Shoppes of Citrus Park, 7835 Gunn Highway, Tampa, offers: Pumpkin Carving and Halloween Treats, 10 a.m. Sat., or 6 p.m. Oct. 30, $35 for family (up to four participants); Breadmaking, 6 p.m. Mon., $30; Tamales and Rellenos class, 6:30 p.m. Tue., $35. Call (813) 926-4465 to RSVP.

PIZZA AND BREADS: 6:15-7:30 p.m. Tue., Outdoor Kitchen Store, 3925 W Kennedy Blvd., Tampa. Make pizzas, breads on grill, including: barbecue chicken pizza, lamb flatbread with cucumber yogurt, apple-cobbler pizza; $30. Call (813) 875-3447.

HORS D'OEUVRES: 6-9:30 p.m. Oct. 29, Tampa Bay Cooking Academy, 700 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. How to prepare and stage a buffet with hors d'oeuvres and canapes at home; $38.50 includes recipes, five-course meal. Call 727 898-2665 or www.thetampabaycookingacademy.com

FINE ART OF FLAMBEING: Noon Oct. 30, Bon Appetit Restaurant, 150 Marina Plaza, Dunedin. Crepes Suzette demonstration followed by three-course lunch; $12 inclusive. RSVP required; call (727) 733-2151.

GIFTS FROM THE KITCHEN: 10-11 a.m. Nov. 1, Florida Botanical Gardens, 12175 125th St. N, Largo. Kids learn to make food gifts from the kitchen; $3. Registration required before Oct. 29; call (727) 582-2220.

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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