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Food file

Special events and food tastings

DINNERWARE AS ART: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Thur., at Being, BayWalk, 115 Second Ave. N, downtown St. Petersburg. Ocean-inspired dinnerware is the focus of "Harried Gourmet: Food & Presentation in 10 Minutes Flat," a presentation by Santa Cruz, Calif., glass artist Ann Morhauser; wine and cheeses; free, portion of sales benefits Arts Center. Call (727) 822-6252.

DINNER WITH MARCELLA: 6:30 p.m. Fri., Sarasota University Club, Bank of America building, 1660 Main St., Sarasota. An evening with cookbook author Marcella Hazan and her husband, wine expert Victor Hazan; $175 per person, includes dinner and signed copy of her latest cookbook; benefits the Sarasota Opera. Call (941) 366-8450, ext. 1.

VIVA LA FRIDA FESTIVAL: Beginning at 6 p.m. Sat., Sun., Mon., Viva la Frida Cafe y Galeria, 5901 N Florida Ave., Tampa. Celebrate Los Dias de Los Muertos, the "Days of the Dead" with regional Mexican cuisine from Frida's Fiesta cookbook, costumes and entertainment; $10 cover, plus food costs. Call (813) 231-9199.

"YELLOWEEN": Beginning at 9 p.m. Sat., Mise en Place, 442 W Kennedy Blvd., Tampa. Dress in your best costume or not for Halloween-themed party presented by Veuve Clicquot in honor of their "yellow" label, with champagne toast, treats and bites to eat; $25. Call (813) 254-5373 to RSVP.

GREAT GUAVA CHALLENGE: 4 p.m. Sat., on Centro Ybor stage, Eighth Avenue between 15th and 17th streets, Ybor City. Submit your best guava recipe in Guavaween's "Guava Love It" cooking contest for chance at $500 first prize. Call 813 248-0721 or visit www.cc-events.org

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.-2 p.m. Fri.-Sat. ($60), Tasting on the Beach 7-10 p.m. Fri. ($150), gala winemaker dinner 7 p.m. Sat. ($195). Call (941) 383-6464, ext. 2901.

HALLOWEEN TEA: seatings at noon and 2:30 p.m. Sun., Davis and Daughters Tea Cottage, 530 Alt. U.S. 19 N, Palm Harbor. Halloween five-course tea includes pumpkin pie bisque, applewood bacon quiche, maple pecan scones; $15.95. To RSVP call (727) 785-7790.

BERN'S FRENCH WINE DINNER: 6:30 p.m. Mon., 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; chefs from O Bistro, Roy's and other bay area restaurants compete to create dishes from secret ingredients, food tastings from area restaurants, cooking demonstrations, wine tastings; $65, or $250 taster ticket includes sampling of competing chefs' creations and a one-year museum membership. Call (727) 894-1052 for tickets.

FISH HEAD BALL: 7-11 p.m. Nov. 6, The Regency, 3600 34th St. S, St. Petersburg. Annual Pier Aquarium event with food tastes from bay area restaurants, live entertainment; $40, benefits Aquarium's educational programs. Call (727) 895-7437.

OLD HYDE KITCHEN TOUR: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Nov. 6, residences in Old Hyde Park, Tampa. Tour kitchens of homes built from 1915-25: each home has tour guide. Refreshments for sale; $15 advance, $20 day of event along Morrison Avenue at Rome, Orleans and Newport avenues. Visit www.oldhydeparkfl.org for more information.

TAMPA BAY VEGETARIANS: 1-4 p.m. Nov. 7, on the Show Queen , Clearwater Beach Marina, 25 Causeway Blvd., Clearwater. Tropical-themed luncheon cruise for monthly meeting of Tampa Bay Vegetarians, vegetarian buffet, cash bar; $16, plus $2 for nonmembers, includes tax and tip; minimum age 14. Limited seating; must RSVP by Fri.; (727) 392-0268.

VIRGINIA VINTAGES: 6:30-8:30 p.m. Fri., Got Wine, 662 Main St., Dunedin. Wines from Virginia's Barboursville Vineyards, including chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon, plus Italian wines that include Torti pinot nero blanco, Frattina pinto grigio. Free. Call (727) 736-4077.

MASQUERADE TASTING: 6:30 p.m. Fri., Uncorked Fine Wines and Accessories, 2706 Fourth St. N, St. Petersburg. Masquerade Ball and "secret" wine tasting, with wine labels hidden; best costume wins bottle of wine; $10. Call (727) 892-9463.

VAMPIRE WINES: 6-8:30 p.m. Fri., International Cellar Wine Boutique, 11655 Countryway Blvd. at Racetrack Road, Tampa. Haunted Halloween sampling tastes Vampire red, white and others; free. Call (813) 855-8099.

OKTOBEERFEST: Begins 5 p.m. Fri. and noon Sat., 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.

WEST PALM PAIRINGS: Tampa Wine Institute/West Palm Wines, 2009 N 22nd St., Ybor City. Food and Wine Pairing class, 5-7 p.m. Sat.. 6-8 wines served, plus foods to accompany; $30. Seating limited; RSVP, (813) 241-8587.

HAUNTING REDS: 7-9 p.m. Fri., Vintage Wine Cellars, 3629 Henderson Blvd., Tampa. Samplings include Bird in the Hand cabernet/merlot, Fairview 2002 pinotage, Chateau Baret Graves rouge; $10. To RSVP, call (813) 879-2931.

EVENING OF ART & WINE: 6-9 p.m. Nov. 6, West Palm Wines, 2009 N 22nd St., Ybor City. Evening of Art & Wine featuring works of Ferdie Pacheco, Rafael Diaz and others, plus wine and food; portion of proceeds benefits the Mark Trauner Faculty Neuro Oncology Scholarship; $25. Call (813) 241-8587 for tickets.

Z-GRAPES TASTING: 7 p.m. premier tasting, 8 p.m. grand tasting Nov. 6, Salvador Dali Museum, 1000 Third St. S, St. Petersburg. Zodiac group wine tasting of 30 wines includes J. Lohr, Chateau la Baume, Palais Rohan, paired with hors d'oeuvres; benefits museum's educational programs; grand tasting, $35, $25 members, premier tasting $55, $45 members (includes grand tasting admission). Call (727) 823-3767, ext. 3024.

BROOKWOOD TASTING: 7-10 p.m. Nov. 6, the Pier, 800 Second Ave. N, downtown St. Petersburg. Wines paired with hors d'oeuvres; $75, benefits Brookwood group home for abused girls. Call (727) 822-4789, ext. 31.

AUTUMN'S ABUNDANCE: 7-8 p.m. today, 10-11 a.m. Thur., Nature's Harvest Market, 1021 N MacDill Ave., Tampa. Vegetarian class features fall vegetable dishes; free. Call (813) 873-7428.

SUGAR-FREE DESSERTS: Sugar-Free Desserts, 2660 Bayshore Blvd., Dunedin, offers sugar-free classes on brownies, coffeecake and more, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thur., $45; Splenda Cheesecake Baking, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Tues., $45; Peach Crumble and Mixed Berry Torte, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Nov. 4, $45. To RSVP: (727) 738-9525.

ALL ABOUT PROTEIN: 5:30 p.m. Mon., Integrity Organics, 243 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. Find out what role protein plays in nutrition and weight loss in organic cooking class; $15. Call (727) 824-0881.

SMALL PLATES, NEW THANKSGIVING: La Maison Gourmet, 471 Main St., Dunedin presents Small Plates class that creates appetizers such as chicken cheddar quesadillas, Baltimore crab cakes and Korean-style chicken wings, 7-9:30 p.m. Nov. 3, $35; or make new Thanksgiving dishes such as Sweet Potatoes With Candied Ginger, Oyster Rockefeller Soup, 6:30-9 p.m. Nov. 4, $45. Please call (727) 736-3070 to RSVP.

DINE AND SPEAK SPANISH: 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

THANKSGIVING TIPS: 9:30-11:30 a.m. Nov. 7, Williams-Sonoma, 8066 Citrus Park Towne Center, Tampa. Brining tips and techniques for preparing turkey, plus chestnut stuffing, pumpkin crackle custard recipes from chefs Jurgen Gross and Jim Snyder; $35. Call (813) 920-6939 to reserve.

HOLIDAY CLASSES: Margaret Ann's Catering, 5625 Fourth St. N, St. Petersburg. Holiday Brunch and Cocktail Buffet class with entertaining tips for no-fuss holiday parties, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Nov. 9 or 10; $35 for either day. Call (727) 525-3983 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.