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Food file

A look at what's happening around the area

By PEGGY ANDERS
Published May 18, 2005

Special events and food tastings

SEAFOOD ALASKA FESTIVAL: Eighth annual seafood festival starts today through May 31, with chefs' demonstrations of seafood specialties of the Northwest, 7 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays (free), Chefs Showcase Workshop 1-4 p.m. Sun. ($39.95), Northwest Excursion Wine Dinner 6:30 p.m. May 31 ($69.95), ice carving demonstrations, all at Fulton's Crab House, Downtown Disney at Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista. Proceeds benefit Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Call Seafood Festival Hotline, (407) 934-8424.

A TASTE OF FRANCE: 7 p.m. Fri., Bleu Acier Inc., Salon of New Perspectives, 109 W Columbus Drive at Tampa Street, Tampa. Enjoy a blend of French cuisine, with special foods from chef Gui, plus wines, a display of work by European and American artists and music; $35, $40 at door. Call 813 781-8738 or purchase tickets online at www.thedriftlounge.com

TAMPA BAY VEGETARIANS: 7 p.m. Tue., Bellini, 487 Main St., Dunedin. Tampa Bay Vegetarians invites guests to Italian cuisine dinner; choices include vegetarian lasagna, eggplant ravioli, eggplant parmigiana, tiramisu and more, plus after-dinner speaker Deborah Ray on "Food and Mood"; $13.50, plus $2 for nonmembers, includes tax and tip. RSVP required by Sat.; call (727) 461-2636 or (813) 269-4665.

SOUTH AFRICAN TASTES: 6:30 p.m. Fri., Uncorked Fine Wines and Accessories, 2706 Fourth St. N, St. Petersburg. Wines from South Africa are sampled in this week's tasting; $10, includes souvenir wine glass. Proceeds benefit A Blooming Place for Kids. Call (727) 892-9463.

GLOBAL TASTING: 6-8 p.m. Fri., American Spirits, 280 Third St. S, St. Petersburg. Taste 20 wines from around the world in free, informative sampling with hors d'oeuvres. Call (727) 895-8700.

ABC TASTING: 5:30-7:30 p.m. today, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits, 1603 Missouri Ave., Largo. More than 70 wines for sampling, both domestic and imported, spirits and cordials, along with cheeses and light snacks; $7, includes logo wine glass, coupon for wine purchase. Call (727) 581-4642.

ROBUST REDS: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sat., Mazzaro's Italian Market, 2909 22nd Ave. N, St. Petersburg. Meet Cantina Frentana winemakers from Abruzzo, Italy, and try their robust red wines, plus food samplings and live entertainment; free. Call (727) 321-2400.

ITALY TO AUSTRALIA: 6:30-8:30 p.m. Fri., Got Wine, 662 Main St., Dunedin. Italian and Australian wines are among those tasted, including Oxford Landing merlot, Colosi Sicilia red, Franciscan Oakville cabernet and more. Free. Call (727) 736-4077.

FRENCH, WORLD TASTINGS: Charlie's Wine Bar, 533 S Howard Ave., Tampa, presents Viva La France wine and cheese tasting, with Bordeaux, cotes du Rhone, Burgundy, paired with French cheeses that include Etorki, St. Albray, Doux de Montagne, 7:30 p.m. Fri., $12 advance, $15 at door; or world tasting samples 25 champagnes, sparkling wines, domestic and imported wines from Chile, California, Argentina, Germany and Australia, and European beers, 7:30 p.m. May 27, $15 advance, $20 at door. Call 813 250-1967 or visit www.charlieswine.com

VINTAGE TASTINGS: Vintage Wine Cellars, 3629 Henderson Blvd., Tampa, presents Kiwis and Kangaroos Australian tasting, 7-9 p.m. Fri., with wines that include Boots 2003 grenache, Amberly Estate 2003 shiraz, Ghost Gum 2003 chardonnay, $10; or on May 27, Divine Wines tasting, 7 p.m. aperitif, 7:30 p.m. tasting, samples Chateau Lafite-Rothschild 2002 pauillac, Louis Roederer Cristal 1996, Far Niente 2002 cabernet sauvignon; $75 a person. Call (813) 879-2931 to RSVP.

VERTICAL TASTING: 6 p.m. Sat., A Taste for Wine, 241 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. Vertical tasting samples three years of vintages of Alexander Valley Vineyards' Cyrus, plus light hors d'oeuvres; $25. To RSVP, call (727) 895-1623.

ITALIAN ANTIPASTI: 7-8 p.m. May 25, 10-11 a.m. May 26, Nature's Harvest Market, 1021 N MacDill Ave., Tampa. Chef Debby DeGraaff makes vegetarian versions of Italian antipasti; free. Call (813) 873-7428.

COOKING WITH CHEF FRED: 7:30 p.m. today, Drew Coffee Shop, 1907 Drew St., Clearwater. Chef Fred makes grouper Oscar, containing shrimp and asparagus in crabmeat garlic scampi sauce, plus peach melba and more; guests may bring wine or beverage; $29.99, includes dinner. Call (727) 441-2572.

GOOD FAT/BAD FAT: 7-8 p.m. today, 10-11 a.m. Thur., Nature's Harvest Market, 1021 N MacDill Ave., Tampa. Chef Debby DeGraaff teaches the differences between "good" fats and unhealthful "bad" fats in free vegetarian cooking class. Call (813) 873-7428.

FEUILLETAGE AND ICING SECRETS: Pastry chefs Michael Ostrander, Michael Baugh and Mary Bowyer of Let Them Eat Cake, 3805 S West Shore Blvd., Tampa, explain puff pastry secrets in Feuilletage class, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sun., $100; Perfect Iced Cake class shares icing secrets for a picture-perfect cake, 6-10 p.m. Tue., $60. Classes include supplies; RSVP required. Call (813) 837-6888.

COOKING FOR TWO: Cappuccinos Bakery Cafe, 733 Broadway, Dunedin, presents summer series class on Cooking for Two, with easy, healthful and economical meals, choice of 10 menus, beginning 5-7 p.m. Tuesdays starting Tue.; $175 series, or $45 per class, includes ingredients and a take-home meal for two each week. Call (727) 738-8009 to reserve.

HEART-HEALTHY, HOLIDAY FARE: La Maison Gourmet, 471 Main St., Dunedin, presents Heart-Healthy, Low Fat, Low Carb and Low Calorie class, with chicken Florentine soup, chayote salad, shrimp creole, portobello with melted goat cheese, 7-8:30 p.m. May 25, $25; Cooking with Herbs & Spices hands-on class makes Moroccan harissa-spiced chicken, tea smoked duck breasts, piri piri prawns, 6:30-9 p.m. May 26, $45; Great Holiday Foods class makes Memorial Day memorable with grilled pork with garlic and chipotle chimichurri, roasted corn risotto, white chocolate pot de creme, 6:30-9 p.m. May 27, $49.50 or $95 for two. Call (727) 736-3070 to RSVP.

SUMMER COOKING FOR KIDS: Chef Fred's Junior Cooking Classes present Summer Cooking School for ages 12 and older, 3-4:30 p.m. Thursdays beginning June 9 through July 28, Drew Coffee Shop, 1907 Drew St., Clearwater. Prepayment of $25 per class required. Call (727) 441-2572 to RSVP.

BEST CHEF SHOWDOWN: 6:30-9:30 p.m. Tue., La Maison Gourmet, 471 Main St., Dunedin. Chefs Jeffrey Hiott of Sheraton Sand Key Resort in Clearwater and Robert Masson of 717 South Howard in Tampa meet as finalists in culinary competition, each preparing meal from surprise ingredients. Spectators sample the creations and vote for their favorite; $50 per person (includes meal); portion of proceeds benefits Ruth Eckerd Hall Foundation. Call (727) 736-3070.

ICE CREAM BLOCK PARTY: Win an ice cream block party with all the fixings for 100 neighbors in Edy's Two Scoop Neighborhood Salute contest; entrants are asked to tell why their neighborhood deserves an ice cream block party in 350 words or less. Enter at www.icecream.com click on Florida by May 27; must be U.S. resident and at least 13 years old; 1,500 neighborhoods will be selected.

- 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 May 17, 2005, 09:41:05]