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Food file

By PEGGY ANDERS
Published February 23, 2005

Special events and food tastings

"UNCORK A CURE': 6 p.m. Thur., Dew Cadillac/Hummer, 3333 Gandy Blvd., St. Petersburg. Sip on wines, ports and champagnes to benefit Cystic Fibrosis Foundation at Uncork a Cure wine tasting and dessert sampling; $50 general admission; $75 VIP admission includes additional wines, champagnes and desserts. Call (813) 249-2111.

CELEBRITY CHEF TOUR: 6:30 p.m. reception, 7:30 p.m. dinner Fri., ballroom at Renaissance Tampa Hotel International Plaza, 4200 Jim Walter Blvd., Tampa. Celebrity Chef Tour pairs chef Luke Palladino, chef-owner of Specchio, Ombra and Risi Bisi restaurants in Atlantic City, with executive chef Fabrizio Schenardi of the Renaissance Tampa Hotel's Pelagia Trattoria for five-course dinner; $150 per person, proceeds benefit the James Beard Foundation. Limited seating; call 813 313-3196 or visit www.celebritycheftour.com

FIESTA DAY: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat., Centennial Park, Eighth Avenue and 19th Street, plus events along Seventh Avenue, Ybor City. Celebration of Ybor City's Latin heritage with Flanfest contest from 11 a.m.-4 p.m, Fresh Market, complimentary Cuban bread, Spanish bean soup and cafe con leche beginning at noon, while supplies last, entertainment, arts and crafts, Parade of Flags; free admission. To enter Flanfest contest, call (813) 241-2442 by today; for information on other Fiesta Day events, call (813) 248-0721 or visit www.cc-events.org

CORK & CANVAS: Florida Orchestra benefit Sun. and Mon., at A La Carte Event Pavillion, 4050 Dana Shores Drive, Tampa. "Renaissance" seven-course wine dinner 5 p.m. Sun., with grilled red wine-marinated filet mignon, truffled parsnips, mushroom risotto, and "a study in chocolate and orange"; $350 a person; or three-course "Picasso" wine dinner at 6 p.m. Sun., with lobster nori roll, beef tenderloin and sugarcane grilled shrimp, triple-chocolate-truffle torte; $150 a person. Prices include admission to silent and live auction-wine tasting, 6 p.m. Mon., with fine art, plus vintage and fine wines, liqueurs; auction admission without dinners, $45. Call 727 916-0520 to RSVP or visit www.corkandcanvas.org

ABILITIES FESTIVAL: 6-9:30 p.m. VIP reception, 7-9:30 p.m. Grand Tasting, March 12, Tropicana Field, First Avenue and 16th Street S, St. Petersburg. Abilities Wine and Food Festival, with more than 400 wines from Napa and Sonoma to Argentina and New Zealand. Food from 40 restaurants, including Mystic Fish, Back Fin Blue, Cafe Ponte, The Palm, Cafe Alma, and silent auction of chef-prepared in-home dinners, fine wines, Harley-Davidson motorcycle and more; $150, or $175 at door for VIP tasting includes special menu and ultra-premium wines, or $75, or $85 at door for grand tasting; proceeds benefit the Abilities Foundation. Call (727) 538-7370, ext. 345, or visit www.abilitiesfoundation.com

ABC TASTING: 5:30-7:30 p.m. today, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits, 6943 W Hillsborough Ave., Tampa. More than 100 wines from around the world, plus liquors and beers, and tastes from area restaurants, hors d'oeuvres; $5 coupon toward wine purchase; $7. Call (813) 884-3792.

DOMESTIC, ECLECTIC AND BUBBLY: 7:30 p.m. Fri., Charlie's Wine Bar, 533 S Howard Ave., Tampa. Twenty-five champagne varieties, plus wines from Spain, Italy, Australia and California, such as Ed Meades pinot noir, Biltmore Estate pinot grigio, and domestic and European beers such as Belgium Delerium Noel Brown Ale; $15 advance, $20 at door. Call 813 250-1967 or visit www.charlieswine.com

VIRGINIAN VINTAGES: 6:30 p.m. Fri., Uncorked Fine Wines and Accessories, 2706 Fourth St. N, St. Petersburg. Domestic wines from the vineyards of Virginia; $10. Proceeds benefit Special Olympics of Pinellas County. Call (727) 892-9463.

SAVOR SOUTH AFRICA: 6:30-8:30 p.m. Fri., Got Wine, 662 Main St., Dunedin. Sample South African wines, including Robertson Winery syrah, cabernet and sauvignon blanc, False Bay pinotage, merlot and chardonnay; free, with hors d'oeuvres. Call (727) 736-4077.

SKATING BENEFIT: 7-9 p.m. Sat., Aston Gardens, 12951 Linebaugh Ave., Tampa. Wine sampling benefits the Tampa Bay Skating Club, with complimentary bottle of wine and hors d'oeuvres; $35 a couple. Call: 813 854-4019 or (813) 598-2345 or visit www.tbsc.net

NAPA VINTNERS, RESERVE FLIGHT: A Taste for Wine, 241 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, presents Napa vintner tasting of California's best picks, 6 p.m. Sat., $20; or Reserve Wine Flight tasting samples reserve varieties from around the world, any time between 6 and 8 p.m. Tue., $16. To RSVP tastings, call (727) 895-1623.

"RED CARPET REDS': Vintage Wine Cellars, 3629 Henderson Blvd., Tampa. Tasting of Chateauneuf-du-Pape 1996 Old Vines, Seghesio 2002 Old Vines zinfandel, Laughing Magpie d'Arenberg 2002 shiraz/viogier, 7 p.m. aperitif, 7:30 p.m. tasting on Fri., $20. Limited seatings; to RSVP, call (813) 879-2931.

STUDIES IN WHITE AND RED: Vintage Wine Cellars, 3629 Henderson Blvd., Tampa. "Blinded by the Whites" class, 6:30-9 p.m. today, $25; or red wine class explores cabernet, zinfandel and other red varieties, 6:30-9 p.m. March 2, $25. To RSVP, call (813) 879-2931.

NEW WINE STYLES: 5-7 p.m. Sat., Tampa Wine Institute, 2009 N 22nd St., Ybor City. Discover new styles of winemaking in New World tasting; 6-8 wines served, plus foods to accompany; $30. Seating limited; to RSVP, call (813) 241-8587.

BEST OF BURGUNDY: 7-9 p.m. March 10, West Palm Wines, 2009 N 22nd St., Ybor City. Some of the best wine producers in Burgundy are showcased in this tasting hosted by Clive Coates, including the five top wines of 1989 vintage from Domaine de la Romanee Conti, plus others like Clos de Tart, Dujac, Comte de Vogue, with champagne reception, pates and cheeses. Very limited seating, $1,000 a person. Call (813) 241-8587 to attend.

CONVERSATIONAL CUISINE: Learn to speak conversational Italian, plus enjoy dinner of antipasto, pasta and more at each class of five-week course that immerses students in the language, foods, culture and customs of Italy, 6-7 p.m. Wednesdays beginning today Feb. 23 through March 23 at Bellini Restaurant, 487 Main St., Dunedin. Or try beginner's Spanish class (with 3-course Spanish dinner), starts 6-7 p.m. Thur. (through March 24) at Castellano & Pizzo Italian Gourmet Foods, 4200 S Henderson Blvd., Tampa. Cost: $185 for each five-week course, includes meals and all materials. Limited enrollment, preregistration required; call (727) 866-6892 or visit www.learnitalian.us

TASTY TEX-MEX: 7-8 p.m. today, 10-11 a.m. Thur., Nature's Harvest Market, 1021 N MacDill Ave., Tampa. Class led by Debby DeGraaff explores vegetarian Tex-Mex dishes; free. Call (813) 873-7428.

STEAKS, HEART-HEALTHY AND PASTA SAUCES: La Maison Gourmet, 471 Main St., Dunedin. Kicked-Up Steakhouse class with grilled rib-eye steaks, crab-stuffed mushrooms, orange-chocolate tart, 6:30-9 p.m. Fri., $45 or two for $85; Heart-Healthy class encompasses low-calorie, low-carb, and low-fat cooking, with chicken Florentine soup, chayote salad, shrimp creole, portobello caps with melted goat cheese, 7-8:30 p.m. March 2, $25; Pasta Sauces hands-on class makes smoked mushroom and three-cheese stuffed shells with roasted tomato sauce, penne ala carbonara and more, 6:30-9 p.m. March 3, $39.50. Call (727) 736-3070 to RSVP.

EXTRAVAGANT CAKES: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sun., Let Them Eat Cake, 3805 S West Shore Blvd., Tampa. Let Them Eat Cake's pastry chefs Michael Ostrander, Michael Baugh and Mary Bowyer share their creative secrets in Extravagant Cakes and Cake Decorating class; $110 a person includes lunch and beverages. Minimum class-size requirement; call (813) 837-6888 to reserve.

SPRING HERBS: Apron's Cooking School, at Publix Supermarket at Shoppes of Citrus Park, 7835 Gunn Highway, Tampa. Hands-on class focuses on how herbs enhance recipes; menu includes grilled salmon with fresh tarragon bearnaise, herb-crusted pork tenderloin with roasted figs, cinnamon-basil ice cream, 6:30 p.m. March 3, $40. Call (813) 926-4465 to reserve.

ISLAND WAY CHEF: Apron's Cooking School at Shoppes of Citrus Park, 7835 Gunn Highway, Tampa. Sean Squires, executive chef of Island Way Grill in Clearwater, with favorites from the restaurant's tropical-themed menu, 6:30 p.m. Thur.; $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.

[Last modified February 22, 2005, 09:56:04]