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Food file

Special events and food tastings

MARCELLA HAZAN: 6:30 p.m. Thur., Mise en Place, 442 W Kennedy Blvd., Tampa. Marcella Hazan signs copies of Marcella Says , plus chef Marty Blitz demonstrates Hazan-inspired dish; $49, or $69.95 per couple, includes glass of prosecco, signed book. Call (813) 254-5373 to reserve.

TASTE OF GULFPORT: Noon to 7 p.m. Sat., Beach Boulevard, from Shore Boulevard to 28th Street S, Gulfport. Stroll downtown Gulfport's waterfront area, sampling from more than 35 restaurants, entertainment. Free admission, nominal charge for food. Call (727) 344-3711.

STONE CRAB FEST: 6:30-9:30 p.m. Sat., at Tarpon Springs Yacht Club, 350 N Spring Blvd., Tarpon Springs. Stone crab season-opener to benefit Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art educational programs; $50, free for kids under 14, with hot dogs, hamburgers, art activities also available. Call (727) 712-5222.

JULIA CHILD TRIBUTE: 7-10 p.m. Sat., La Maison Gourmet, 471 Main St., Dunedin. Dinner party honors Julia Child with readings from her works, video and audio clips of her shows and menu of her favorite recipes including French onion soup, steak au poivre, pommes Anna. $55 each or $100 for two, plus beverages, tax and gratuity. RSVP, (727) 736-3070.

TEA IN THE GARDEN: Seatings at 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m. Sat., Davis and Daughters Tea Cottage, 530 Alt. 19 N, Palm Harbor. Tea celebrates autumn with five-course menu. $15.95. RSVP, (727) 785-7790.

TAMPA BAY VEGETARIANS: 7 p.m. Tue., Trang Viet Cuisine, 1624 E Fowler Ave., Tampa. All-vegan buffet with veggie stew, faux fish with tomato sauce, rice noodles with lemon grass and veggies, carrot cake, more; also speaker. $13.50, $11.50 members, includes tax and tip. RSVP by 5 p.m. Fri.; (727) 461-2636 or (813) 269-4665.

DINE AND SPEAK ITALIAN/SPANISH: Five-session conversational Italian class with three-course Italian dinner meets 6-7 p.m. Tuesdays, beginning Tue. at Castellano & Pizzo, 4200 S Henderson Blvd.; or 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursdays, beginning Nov. 4 at Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant, 15511 N Dale Mabry, Tampa. Also five-session Spanish class with three-course Spanish dinner meets 6-7 p.m. Thursdays, beginning Nov. 4 at Castellano & Pizzo. $185 per class, includes materials and meal. Space limited and RSVP required; 727 866-6892; or www.learnitalian.us

DINNERWARE AS ART: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 28, Being, BayWalk shopping complex, 115 Second Ave. N, downtown St. Petersburg. Glass artist Ann Morhauser of Santa Cruz, Calif., will give a presentation called the Harried Gourmet: Food Presentation in 10 Minutes Flat and display her dinner and serving pieces inspired by the ocean. A portion of sales will benefit the Arts Center. Call (727) 822-6252 for more information.

SEAFOOD AND WINE FEST: Fifteenth Annual Stone Crab, Seafood & Wine Festival at Colony Beach & Tennis Resort, 1620 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key, Oct. 28-31, with chef demonstrations and wine tastings 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 29-30 ($60), Tasting on the Beach 7-10 p.m. Oct. 29 ($150), gala winemaker dinner 7 p.m. Oct. 30 ($195), complete festival packages with lodging start at $1,825. Chefs include Alice Weingarten of Alice's Key West, wines include Fess Parker, Cosentino, Lolonis wineries. Call (941) 383-6464, ext. 2901.

BERN'S FRENCH WINE DINNER: 6:30 p.m. Nov. 1, Bern's Fine Wine & Spirits, 1002 S Howard Ave., Tampa. Six-course meal features several selections from Bern's cellared French wines; also reception and cheese and dessert course. $145, plus tax and gratuity. RSVP, (813) 253-3058.

BATTLE OF THE BAY: 6-9 p.m. Nov. 5, the Coliseum, 535 Fourth Ave. N, St. Petersburg. Annual culinary competition to benefit St. Petersburg Museum of History, with six chefs from O Bistro, Roy's and other bay area restaurants competing to create dishes from secret ingredients, food tastings from area restaurants, wine tastings, cooking demonstrations; $65, or $250 taster ticket includes sampling of competing chefs' creations, one-year museum membership. Call (727) 894-1052 for tickets.

CHILLIN' AT CHANNELSIDE: 6-8 p.m. Thur., Grille 29, 615 Channelside Drive, Tampa. Tampa Bay Uncorked Happy Hour gathering, with grilled goodies and wines from Geyser Peak, Estancia, Atlas Peak and more; $5 at door. Visit www.tampabayuncorked.org for more information.

HAUNTED WINERY TOUR: 7-9 p.m. Fri.-Sat., Florida Orange Groves Inc. and Winery, 1500 Pasadena Ave. S, Pasadena. Creep into the winery for tour and tasting of hauntingly good wines, featuring varieties selected for Epcot's Food & Wine Festival, paired with hors d'oeuvres using wines as ingredient; $10, includes souvenir glass. Must be over 21. Call (727) 347-4025 to reserve.

NEW WORLD WINES: 6:30 p.m. Fri., Uncorked Fine Wines and Accessories, 2706 Fourth St. N, St. Petersburg. Tasting on old world varietals in "New World" areas like South America, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand; $10, includes souvenir wine glass. Call (727) 892-9463.

GOT WINE TASTINGS: 6:30-8:30 p.m. Fri., Got Wine, 662 Main St., Dunedin. Tasting of wines from around the world includes Aveleda Vinho Verde, Firefly Chardonnay, Hahn Estate Syrah and Merlot, Pindar Sweet Scarlett and Dogajolo Sangiovese/Cabernet. Free. (727) 736-4077.

AUTUMN FAVORITES: 6-8:30 p.m. Fri., International Cellar Wine Boutique, 11655 Countryway Blvd., Tampa. Autumn wine sampling of wines from the Americas; free. Call (813) 855-8099 for more information.

WINE BASICS AND PAIRINGS: Tampa Wine Institute/West Palm Wines, 2009 N 22nd St. (22nd Street and Palm Avenue), Ybor City. Intro to Wine II class explores best wine-growing regions around the world, 5-7 p.m. Sat.. Also Food and Wine Pairing class teaches how to expertly match any dish with the perfect wine, 5-7 p.m. Oct. 30. Six to eight wines served at each tasting, plus foods to accompany; $30 per tasting. Seating limited; RSVP, (813) 241-8587.

CALIFORNIA WINE FESTIVAL: 6-9 p.m. Fri., Vintage Wine Cellars, 3629 Henderson Blvd., Tampa. 11th annual celebration of California's newest releases features tasting of more than 30 wines from Napa, Sonoma, Monterey and Santa Barbara counties, including selections from Beaulieu Vineyards, Rabbit Ridge, Wente, Ravenswood, others. $15, includes $5 coupon toward purchase. RSVP, (813) 879-2931.

BUBBLIES AND ALES: A Taste for Wine, 241 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. Tasting of affordable sparkling wines from around the world, 6 p.m. Sat., $15; or "Seasonal & Specialty Ales" tasting samples handcrafted and hearty beers of the season, anytime between 6-8 p.m. Tues., $15. To RSVP, call (727) 895-1623.

OKTOBEERFEST: Begins 5 p.m. Oct. 29 and noon Oct. 30, Dunedin Brewery, 937 Douglas Ave., Dunedin. Event features new Oktoberfest Ale and other brewery offerings, plus German bratwurst, knockwurst and sauerkraut; also stein-holding, brat- and pickle-eating contests, live entertainment. (727) 736-0606.

SIP AND SPEAK ITALIAN: Five-session class meets 6:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesdays, beginning Nov. 3 at the Italian-American Connection, 7500 Ulmerton Road in Rosetree Plaza, Largo. Enjoy a glass of fine Italian wine with bruschetta, while learning beginner's conversational Italian and about the culture of Italy. $165. Space limited and RSVP required; 727 866-6892; or www.learnitalian.us

FLORIDA ESTATES WINE CLASS/TASTING: 5:30-8 p.m. Sat., Florida Estates Winery, 25241 State Road 52, four miles west of Interstate 75, near Land O'Lakes (Pasco County). Class covers a brief history of wines, how to taste and rate them, grape varietals, wine glass styles and uses, plus sampling of wines with discussion. $20 advance, $25 door. RSVP, (813) 996-2113.

COOKING WITH CHEF FRED: 7 tonight, Drew Coffee Shop, 1907 Drew St., Clearwater. Chef Fred shows guests how to create Iranian chicken stuffed with raisins, pistachios, rice and mushrooms, Iranian salad and baklava in monthly cooking class; guests may bring wine; $24.99, includes dinner. Call (727) 441-2572 to RSVP.

HEALTHY TREATS, FOOD AS MEDICINE: Nature's Food Patch, 1225 Cleveland St., Clearwater. Healthy Halloween Treats class, 6:30 p.m. today; or Food As Medicine talk focuses on how foods can help in prevention and cure of diseases, 7 p.m. Oct. 27; both free. Call (727) 443-6703.

TASTE OF INDIA: 7-8 p.m. today, 10-11 a.m. Thur., Nature's Harvest Market, 1021 N MacDill Ave., Tampa. Debby DeGraaff presents Indian cuisine dishes in free vegetarian class. Call (813) 873-7428.

TROPICAL, HIGH TEA DESSERTS: Sugar Free Desserts, 2660 Bayshore Blvd., Dunedin. Tropical Fruit Dessert sugar-free class, with coconut lemon cream cake and key lime pudding, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thur., $45; High Tea Desserts makes sugar-free English scones and Scottish shortbread, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Tue., $45. RSVP, (727) 738-9525.

LA MAISON LESSONS: Whole Grains Baking, 6:30-9 p.m. Thur., $45. Cooking a Romantic Dinner for Two Together, 6:30-9 p.m. Fri., $45 person, $85 for two. Sunday Brunch Class, 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Sun., $29.50. Cocktail Party Planning and Cooking, 6:30-9 p.m. Wed., $45. Mastering Seafood, 6:30-9 p.m. Oct. 28, $45. La Maison Gourmet, 471 Main St., Dunedin. Space limited and RSVP required; (727) 736-3070.

PARTY APPETIZERS: 6-9 p.m. Thur., Cappuccinos Bakery Cafe, 733 Broadway, Dunedin. Women-only class makes hot and cold dinner party appetizers like cheese straws and choux pastries; $20, plus food costs, bring bottle of wine if desired. Call (727) 738-8009 to reserve, limited class size.

POMEGRANATE-GLAZED PEARS: 7-9 p.m. Tue. at Cappuccinos Bakery Cafe, 733 Broadway, Dunedin. This month's dessert class makes baked pears with pomegranate glaze; $15, plus food costs. Call (727) 738-8009 to reserve, limited class size.

AUTUMN'S ABUNDANCE: 7-8 p.m. Oct. 27, 10-11 a.m. Oct. 28, Nature's Harvest Market, 1021 N MacDill Ave., Tampa. Vegetarian class shows off fall vegetable dishes. Free. Call (813) 873-7428.

PUMPKINS AND GRUB: Apron's Cooking School, Publix Supermarket at Shoppes of Citrus Park, 7835 Gunn Highway, Tampa presents: Wizard's Potion and Grub class that conjures up chicken and bean chili in crusty bread cauldrons, chocolate spider clusters, more, 6:30 p.m. Oct. 27, $25; or get ready for Halloween trick-or-treaters with Pumpkin Carving class, 10 a.m. Oct. 30, 2 p.m. Oct. 31, $35 (up to four participants). Call (813) 926-4465 to reserve.

JOHN ASH: 6:30 p.m. Oct. 30, Apron's Cooking School, Publix Supermarket at Shoppes of Citrus Park, 7835 Gunn Highway, Tampa. One of the creators of California Wine Country cuisine, chef, author and restaurateur John Ash presents California cuisine and wine pairing; $75. Limited seating, 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.