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Food File

Special events and food tastings

TAMPA BAY CULINARY CLUB: 1 p.m. Sat., Thai Thani (formerly Forbidden City), 25778 U.S. 19 N, Clearwater. Demonstration of Thai cuisine by executive chef Pek and sampling of menu favorites; $10. RSVP required; call (727) 789-2605.

FARMER'S MARKET: 8 a.m.-noon Sat. and June 19, at the Gazebo at John Wilson Park, 401 Main St., Safety Harbor. Fresh produce, gourmet foods and cheeses, refreshments. Call (727) 726-2890.

TEA WITH TEDDY AND BARBIE: Davis and Daughters Tea Cottage, 530 Alt. 19 N, Palm Harbor. Teddy Bear Tea, 3:30 p.m. Saturday; bring your favorite teddy bear to tea with sandwiches, scones, desserts, and show and tell, $11.95 children, $15.95 adults; or Barbie Tea, five-course menu and Barbie story, 3:30 p.m. June 19, $11.95 children, $15.95 adults. To RSVP either event, call (727) 785-7790.

FOND OF BOND, JAMES BOND: 6 p.m. June 19, Belleview Biltmore, 25 Belleview Blvd., Clearwater. "Evening With James Bond" dinner and auction benefit. Menu: filet mignon, crab-stuffed shrimp, wild rice; plus live entertainment, live and silent auction; $100 per person, benefits the American Liver Foundation. Call (813) 248-3337.

AUSTRALIAN WINES: 6-8:30 p.m. Fri., International Cellars Wine Boutique, 11655 Countryway Blvd. at Racetrack Road, Tampa. Red and white wines from Australia's Margaret Valley and beyond, compared and contrasted with domestic favorites; free. Call (813) 855-8099.

VENERABLE VINTAGES: 6:30 p.m. Fri., Uncorked Fine Wines and Accessories, 2706 Fourth St. N, St. Petersburg. Taste wines from the DeBortoli Family Vineyards of Australia; $10. Proceeds benefit ASAP (for the homeless). Call (727) 892-9463.

EVERYTHING ITALIAN: 5-7 p.m. Fri., Italian American Connection, 7500 Ulmerton Road in Rosetree Plaza, Largo. Sample pinot grigio from Friuli, Spadina and Donna Fugatta from Sicily, Marco Negri moscato d'asti from Piedmonte, all paired with hors d'oeuvres; $10. Call 727 535-6220 or visit www.theitalianamericanconnection.com

LOW-CARB WINE: 6:30-8:30 p.m. Fri., Got Wine, 662 Main St., Dunedin. Sample California merlot with 1.9 grams of carbohydrates, plus wines from around the world that include a crisp Donna Christina pinot grigio from Italy, Clancy shiraz blend from Australia and more, paired with hors d'oeuvres; free. Call (727) 736-4077.

ITALIAN SAMPLING: 6:30-8:30 p.m. Fri., Mazzaro Coffee & Italian Market, 2909 22nd Ave. N, St. Petersburg. Chianti classico reserva, Centine, Brunello do Montalcino, among wines from Banfi, one of Italy's top producers, paired with an array of Mazzaro hors d'oeuvres; $15, tickets limited. Call (727) 321-2400.

SUMMER BUBBLIES: 6 p.m. Sat., A Taste for Wine, 241 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. Tame the summer heat with sampling of affordable champagnes and sparkling wines from California and France's Alsace, Loire; $15. Call (727) 895-1623 to RSVP (required).

OCEANS OF FLAVOR: 6:30 p.m. Sat., Apron's Cooking School, Publix Supermarket at Shoppes of Citrus Park, 7835 Gunn Highway, Tampa. Robert Mondavi tasting series pairs island-style seafood dishes, including chipotle scallops with jicama peach salad, Key West shrimp and sea bass ceviche, with varieties of Robert Mondavi wines; $50. Call (813) 926-4465 to RSVP.

FLAVORS OF GERMANY: 6:30-8:30 p.m. June 18, Got Wine, 662 Main St., Dunedin. Try an array of sweet and dry German wines, including riesling and pinot noir from the Black Forest area and a variety of German beers, among them Diebels Alt, Koestritzer Black Beer, all paired with hors d'oeuvres at free tasting. Call (727) 736-4077.

TASTING AND A SHOW: 6:30 p.m. June 18, Maestro's & Shimberg Playhouse, Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, 1010 N MacInnes Place, Tampa. Indulge in "Evil Twin" tasting of pinot noir vs. chardonnay, zinfandel vs. sauvignon blanc and more, paired with hors d'oeuvres, then enjoy private showing of Mineola Twins and post-show party at this month's Tampa Bay Uncorked event; $30, advance sales only. Visit www.tampabayuncorked.org for tickets and more information.

WINES FOR DAD: 1:30-3:30 p.m. June 19-20, Florida Orange Groves Inc. and Winery, 1500 Pasadena Ave. S, Pasadena. Winery salutes the "Great American Father" with tasting of "Best of Show" wines from Florida State Fair competitions from 2002-2004, paired with hors d'oeuvres and tours of the winery. Free admission. Call (727) 347-4025.

PERFECT PICNICS: 7-8 p.m. today, 10-11 a.m. Thur., Nature's Harvest Market, 1021 N MacDill Ave., Tampa. Make memorable vegetarian picnic fare for summer outings in free class. Call (813) 873-7428.

CARIBBEAN CUISINE: 6:30-8 p.m. Mon., Saffron's Caribbean Cuisine, 1700 Park St. N, St. Petersburg. Chef Edyth James cooks tropical treats, shares her cooking secrets and shows participants how to capture the flavors of the islands in monthly cooking class: $25, includes dinner and beverage. Call: (727) 343-5410 to reserve.

LA MAISON CLASSES: La Maison Gourmet, 471 Main St., Dunedin. Gourmet Meals in 30 Minutes, with crab cakes in mustard cream sauce, 7-9:30 p.m. Tue., $35; Fancy Dinner Party hands-on class shows how to impress your guests with such dishes as walnut- and blue cheese-stuffed mushrooms, shrimp bisque, cappuccino flan, 6:30-9 p.m. June 16, $45; or learn to marinate, grill, saute and bake seafood en papillote and make sauces to accompany fish and shellfish in Mastering Seafood class, 6:30-9:30 p.m. June 17, $45. To RSVP classes, call (727) 736-3070.

FOOD PATCH CLASSES: Nature's Food Patch, 1225 Cleveland St., Clearwater. "Raw Foods Made Easy" class, with dishes that include Asian nori rolls, Thai salad, 7 p.m. Thur.; "Fast Food" cooking class shows how to make quick, healthful dishes such as couscous primavera, Tex-Mex quesadillas, no-bake fruit almond torte, 11 a.m. Sat.; Kerrie and Robert Broe's "Picnic Favorites" class makes vegetarian picnic fare that includes sweet-and-sour coleslaw, vegetable shish kebobs, 6:30-8:30 p.m. June 16. All classes free; call (727) 443-6703.

ISLAND WAY CHEF: Apron's Cooking School, Publix Supermarket at Shoppes of Citrus Park, 7835 Gunn Highway, Tampa. Sean Squires, chef of Island Way Grill in Clearwater, prepares crab and prawn lemon lo mein, macadamia phyllo tempura ice cream and other Pacific rim cuisine with an Asian flair, 6:30 p.m. June 17; $40. Call (813) 926-4465 to reserve.

- 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.