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Special events and food tastings
SCREEN SAVOUR: WINE AND FILM: 7 p.m. Thursday, Madstone Theaters, 1609 W Swann Ave., Tampa. Red wine and film noir featuring the French film Le Cercle Rouge; selection of red wines includes Ceretto 1998 Monsordo Piedmont and Graffigna Don Santiago 2000 Malbec Tulum Valley. $20. (813) 258-2507.
GREAT CHEFS: 6-9:30 p.m. Saturday at Pinellas Point home of Jodi and Grady Pridgen. Sixth Annual Great Chefs of Tampa Bay features chefs from local restaurants preparing hors d'oeuvres for sampling. Tour of home and silent auction. $125; benefit for Family Resources. Anyone interested in attending should call 727 550-4016 or log on to www.family-resources.org
ST. PATRICK'S DAY DINNER DANCE: 5-9 p.m. March 17, Bon Appetit Restaurant, 150 Marina Plaza, Dunedin. Shamrock salad, corned beef brisket, grilled North Atlantic Salmon, parsley potatoes, braised cabbage and bread pudding with Irish whiskey sauce. $29.50 plus tax and gratuity. RSVP: (727) 733-2151.
ROBERT MONDAVI WINERY LUNCHEON: Noon, March 18, Bon Appetit Restaurant, 150 Marina Plaza, Dunedin. Robert Mondavi winery chef Michael Chipchase demonstrates sweet onion and goat cheese tartlets, tuna tartare and roasted shiitake crostini. Luncheon menu pairs Mondavi wines with pan-seared sea scallops, duck leg confit with cabernet reduction and dessert of vanilla bean custard. $25. Reservations required: (727) 733-2151.
ROBERT MONDAVI DINNER: 6:30 p.m. March 18, Bon Appetit Restaurant, 150 Marina Plaza, Dunedin. Robert Mondavi winery chef Michael Chipchase pairs wines with dinner including roasted New York strip loin with cabernet shallot butter. $100. Reservations: (727) 733-2151.
BEST OF TAMPA BAY: 7-11 p.m. March 20, Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, 1010 N MacInnes Place, Tampa. Restaurants, caterers and vendors offer entree samplings, desserts, specialty coffees, fine wines and imported beers. Advance tickets $60, available through Ticketmaster or TBPAC ticket office (813) 229-7827; outside of the immediate bay area: toll-free 1-800-955-1045; $70 at the door. Benefits Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center's foundation.
ABILITIES WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL: VIP reception 6-7 p.m., followed by Grand Tasting 7-9:30 p.m. March 27, Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg. Annual event with food from local restaurants and wine from around the world; also silent auction and entertainment. $150 in advance for VIP tickets, $175 at the door, includes entry to Grand Tasting; $65 for Grand Tasting, $75 at the door. For advance tickets, call 727 538-7370, ext. 345, or go to www.abilitiesfoundation.com Free parking.
TAMPA BAY CULINARY CLUB: noon March 20, Viva la Frida Cafe & Gallery, 5901 N Florida Ave., Tampa. Tampa Bay Culinary Club members meet for a demonstration and sampling of restaurant menu favorites. $10. RSVP required: (727) 789-2605.
IRISH HIGH TEA: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. March 17, Davis and Daughters Tea Cottage, 530 Alt. U.S. 19 N, Palm Harbor. St. Patrick's Day tea includes Irish cream tea, potato soup, savory scones, shepherd's pie and Bailey's Irish Cream cake. $16.95. RSVP: (727) 785-7790.
Wine and beer tastings/classes
VIVA ARGENTINA!: 5:30-7:30 p.m. Friday, Got Wine and Cigars, 662 Main St., Dunedin. Try Santa Julia malbec and white Torrontes, malbec/syrah/merlot blend or a sweet late harvest Santa Julia Tardio. Live entertainment and hors d'oeuvres. Free. (727) 736-4077.
VARIETY OF TASTES: 5 p.m. Thursday, American Spirits, 280 Third St. S, St. Petersburg. Featuring Andrew Murray syrah, Macon Villages vielles vignes and La Storia zinfandel. Also, 5 p.m. Friday with Avalon cabernet, Mark West pinot noir, Rock Rabbit syrah and Steven Kent chardonnay. Free. (727) 895-8700.
BRAZEN BLENDS: 7 p.m. Fri., Vintage Wine Cellars, 3629 Henderson Blvd., Tampa. Ten blends are highlighted, including Stump Jump 2001 d'Arenberg, Graves 1996 Chateau de Ferrande, Evolution NV Sokol Blosser and Frontier Red Fess Parker. $10. Limited seating. (813) 879-2931.
CELEBRATION OF IRISH: 6:30 p.m. Fri., Uncorked Fine Wines and Accessories, 2706 Fourth St. N, St. Petersburg. Wines with Irish connections. $10. Suncoast Center for Community Mental Health benefit. (727) 892-9463.
Cooking classes
SUGAR-FREE CLASSES: Sugar Free Desserts, 2660 Bayshore Blvd., Dunedin. New Healthy Lifestyle cooking class, sugar-free and gluten-free, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thur., $39. Low-Carbohydrate Cooking, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Sat., $39. Gluten-Free Baking Class, gluten-free and sugar-free cookies and brownies, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Tue., $45. Traditional Thai Cooking, 6:30-8:30 p.m. March 18, $45. RSVP: (727) 738-9525.
LA MAISON CLASSES: La Maison Gourmet, 471 Main St., Dunedin. New course with chef Kathy Reddy, Art and Science of Baking, pies and tarts, 9 a.m.-noon Saturday, $50. Best Chef of Tampa Bay Contest, quarterfinal round, two chefs compete using surprise ingredients, 7-9:30 p.m. Tuesday, $50, portion of proceeds goes to Homeless Emergency Project. St. Patrick's Day Party, some hands-on, 7-10 p.m. Wednesday, $39.50. RSVP: (727) 736-3070.
APRON'S CLASSES: Apron's Cooking School, Publix Supermarket at Shoppes of Citrus Park, 7835 Gunn Highway, Tampa. Stuffed Pasta, hands-on class with chef Frank Pulgiano, 6:30 p.m. Thursday, $40. Raclette hands-on class with Frank Pulgiano, 6:30 p.m. Fri., $40. Bistro Chicken, culinary professional and food writer Mary Evans demonstrates a menu inspired by north Africa, 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, $35. Cooking for the Week, hands-on class with Frank Pulgiano, 4 p.m. March 21, $60. Kids classes: Spring Break Mini Camp, three-day session, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. March 22-24, ages 8-12, $110. "Puttin' on the Green for St. Patrick's Day," 6 p.m. Monday, ages 8-12, $25. Teen topics: Teens' Thai, 11 a.m. Sat., limited to students ages 12-16, $25. RSVP: (813) 926-4465.
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.