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Food File

Special events and food tastings

By PEGGY ANDERS
Published September 14, 2005

TAMPA BAY CULINARY CLUB: 12:30 p.m. Sat., Cafe Ponte, 13505 ICOT Blvd., Clearwater. Join Tampa Bay Culinary Club members for demonstration of signature dishes by chef/owner Chris Ponte at this month's meeting; $10. RSVP required by today; call (727) 789-2605.

SALSA FIESTA: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat.-Sun. Centennial Park, Ninth Avenue at 19th Street, Tampa. Salsa-eating contest, salsa sampling, People's Choice salsa-tasting competition 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sat. at Ybor City Fall Arts & Crafts Fiesta. Free admission, call (813) 248-0721 or visit www.cc-events.org

VINEYARD OF OZ: 5-6 p.m. champagne seminar, 6-7 p.m. premium tasting, 7-9 p.m. grand tasting, Sat., Tampa Theatre, 711 Franklin Street Mall, Tampa. Wizard of Oz-themed fund-raiser, tastes from restaurants including Capital Grille, SideBern's, Cafe Ponte, paired with premium wines. Tickets: $150, includes champagne seminar, premium tasting, gift bag, grand tasting with souvenir glass; or $80 ticket includes premium and grand tasting, gift bag and glass; $50 ticket includes grand tasting and souvenir wine glass. Call 813 894-8981 or visit www.tampatheatre.org

TASTE OF CLEARWATER: 5-8 p.m. Tue., at Harborview Center, 300 Cleveland St., downtown Clearwater. More than 40 restaurants, including Bascom's Chop House, Mama Fu's Asian House, Island Way Grill, Frenchy's, feature their most popular dishes, along with live jazz, food-themed prizes; $18 advance, $20 at door. Call (727) 461-0011.

BLUE HERON WINE DINNER: 6:30 p.m. Sept. 21, Blue Heron, 3285 Tampa Road, Palm Harbor. New Zealand's Kathy Lynskey boutique winery showcased, with sauvignon blanc, pinot noir, "Godfrey Reserve" chardonnay, more, paired with five-course tasting menu that includes New Zealand lamb noisettes with sage, root beer and rosemary gastrique, Booth Bay diver scallops with almond truffle butter, pan-seared duck breast with plum chili compote and chocolate-essence risotto; $60. To RSVP, call Erica at (727) 258-0093 or Blue Heron, (727) 789-5176.

COMMUNITY HARVEST: Dine at a Columbia restaurant in September and 5 percent of your check will be donated to the charity of your choice in eighth annual event. For more information, go to www.columbiarestaurant.com

WINE FOR PARC: Spoto's The Steak Joint, 4871 Park St. N, St. Petersburg, will donate 10 percent of bottled wine sales purchased on Tuesdays in September to PARC. To reserve, call (727) 545-9481.

WINES OF THE WORLD: 6-8 p.m. Fri., American Spirits, 280 Third St. S, St. Petersburg. Taste wines from around the world and vodka; light hors d'oeuvres, experts on hand to answer questions; free. Call (727) 895-8700.

VINTAGE TASTINGS: Vintage Wine Cellars, 3629 Henderson Blvd., Tampa, presents Matter of Taste blind tasting, with grapes from around the world - concealed, then revealed - including Campo Viejo rioja 1996 Gran Reserva tempranillo, Remoissenet Givry 2002 pinot noir and more, 7-9 p.m. Fri., $10; or Mambo Italiano celebrates the wine-growing regions of Italy; wines include Vietti Dolcetto d'Alba 2002, Teradola Taurasi Reserva 1998 and more, 7-9 p.m. Sept. 23, $10. Call (813) 879-2931 to RSVP.

LODI LABELS: 6:30 p.m. Fri., Uncorked Fine Wines and Accessories, 2706 Fourth St. N, St. Petersburg. Known for zinfandels, the Lodi area in California also produces cabernet and chardonnay wines, tasted this week; $10, includes souvenir wine glass. Proceeds benefit Suncoast Center for Community Mental Health. Call (727) 892-9463.

SUPER TUSCANS TO CLASSIC CHIANTIS: 7:30 p.m. Fri., Charlie's Wine Bar, 533 S Howard Ave., Tampa. "Mamma Mia" Italian wine and food tasting explores super Tuscans, barberas and Chianti classico, paired with Italian regional cuisine; $15 advance, $20 at door. Call 813 250-1967 or visit www.charlieswine.com

COUNTRY VINTNERS: 7-8:30 p.m. Fri., Got Wine, 662 Main St., Dunedin. Free sampling features "Country Vintner's" selections, with wines from Benjamin's Blend Margaret River sauvignon blanc in Australia, Robertson chardonnay from South Africa, Victoria Street syrah from California and more. Call (727) 736-4077.

Z-GRAPES: 7-8 p.m. "ZIP" Premium Tasting, 8-10 p.m. Grand Tasting, Fri., Salvador Sali Museum, 1000 Third St. S, St. Petersburg. Premium wines, hors d'oeuvres pair in Zodiac Group's annual Z-Grapes tasting, plus museum tours, live entertainment; $55 for ZIP and Grand Tasting, $35 for Grand Tasting only. For tickets, call 727 823-3767, ext. 3024, or visit www.salvadordalimuseum.org

PINOT IN PARADISE: Celebrate pinot noir with three Sarasota events: Winemaker Dinner with guest vintners from Willamette Valley's Oregon Rex Hill and New Zealand, Fred's Restaurant, 1917 S Osprey Ave., 7 p.m. Thur.; $75, plus tax and gratuity; Fridays tasting at JD Ford Fine Wines, 1924 S Osprey Ave., 5-7 p.m. Fri., free; and Pinot in Paradise at the Tasting Room with guest vintners (see above), over 40 pinot noir wines and pinot-friendly cuisine, also at 1917 S Osprey Ave., 4-8 p.m. Sat., $20 advance, $25 day of event. Call (941) 362-9463 to RSVP or visit www.epicureanlife.com

DRINKING UP HISTORY: 2-4:30 p.m. Sat., Florida Estates Winery, 25241 SR 52, four miles west of Interstate 75, near Land O'Lakes. Wine class details brief history of wine, grape varietals, cork evolution, how to taste and rate wines, wine glass styles and uses, oak aging and more, plus wine sampling; $20 advance, $25 at door, includes wine tasting, snacks, dessert and logo wine glass. Call (813) 996-2113.

BORDEAUX'S REDS: 6:30-8 p.m. Mon., Bern's Fine Wines & Spirits, 1002 S Howard Ave., Tampa. Bern's Fall Wine Class series kicks off with exploration of the red wines of the famed Bordeaux region of France, led by David Black; $50. RSVP required; call (813) 250-9463.

CLASSIC CHABLIS: Any time between 6-8 p.m. Tues., at A Taste for Wine, 241 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. Taste true chablis in a great vintage year, 2004, at this week's sampling; $16. Call (727) 895-1623.

WINE MINGLE: 9 p.m.-midnight Sept. 22, Cafe Alma, 260 First Ave. S, downtown St. Petersburg. Wine varieties from, sparkling bubblies to rich cabernets from Banfi, Veramonte, Joseph Drouhin and more, all paired with tasty bites that include crab cakes with passionfruit vinaigrette, marinated pork skewers with figs and apricots, in "After Dark Wine Mingle" event; benefits Abilities Foundation; $22 advance, $30 at door; call (727) 502-5002 to RSVP.

WINES OF SPAIN AND ITALY: 5-7 p.m. Sept. 24, Tampa Wine Institute (at West Palm Wines), 2009 N 22nd St., Ybor City. Drink your way through the hottest wine regions of Spain and Italy, with at least eight wines served, plus foods to accompany; $30. To RSVP, call (813) 241-8587.

COOKING WITH KIDS: 7-8 p.m. today, 10-11 a.m. Thur., Nature's Harvest Market, 1021 N. MacDill Ave., Tampa. Debby DeGraaff shows how parents and kids can enjoy making fun and healthful vegetarian dishes together; free. Call (813) 873-7428.

CONVERSATIONAL CUISINE: Learn beginner's conversational Italian, culture and customs; five-week course begins 6-8 p.m. today at Bellini Restaurant, 487 Main St., Dunedin; $225 per series, includes class materials, 5-CD lesson set, Italian dinner at each class. Five-week Spanish language, cuisine and culture class begins 6-7:30 p.m. Thur. at Castellano & Pizzo Italian Gourmet Foods, 4200 S Henderson Blvd., Tampa; or 6-7:30 p.m. Sept. 21 at La Maison Gourmet, 471 Main St., Dunedin. Cost: $210, includes class materials, Spanish cuisine dinner. Preregistration required; 727 866-6892, or www.LearnItalian.us

RAW FOODS MADE EASY: 11 a.m. Sat., Nature's Food Patch, 1225 Cleveland St., Clearwater. "Raw Living Foods Made Easy" demonstration shows how to make kale avocado salad and watermelon soup; free. Call (727) 443-6703.

LA MAISON LESSONS: La Maison Gourmet, 471 Main St., Dunedin presents: Parent & Child Cook Together class, with BLT salad, Cajun Oven Fried Chicken, Pecan Tassies, 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Sat., $60 for one parent and child; or make great-tasting poultry with Roasting Chickens class, plus mango chicken salad, pot pies, Chinese-style hoisin salad, 6:30-8 p.m. Sept. 21, $39.50; New Ways with Seafood makes Asian Shrimp over crispy noodles, coconut crusted shrimp with mango marmalade, salmon burgers with dill dressing, 6:30-9 p.m. Sept. 22, $45. Call (727) 736-3070 to RSVP.

DESSERTS AND PLANK COOKING: Apron's Cooking School at Publix Supermarket at Shoppes of Citrus Park, 7835 Gunn Highway, Tampa, presents pastry chef Matt Ripley of Tampa's Grille29 demonstrating such desserts as apple brioche bread pudding with brandy caramel sauce, bananas Foster napoleon with pistachio cream anglaise, lavender creme brulee, 6:30 p.m. Sept. 29, $40; or Party on a Plank class shows how to cook on wood planks, making brie with fig and plum chutney, chicken with leek and mushroom ragout, banana brulee with cinnamon ice cream, 6:30 p.m. Sept. 24, $35. Call 813 926-4465 or visit www.publix.com/aprons/schools to RSVP.

ALL ABOUT CHOCOLATE: Pastry chefs of Let Them Eat Cake, 3805 S West Shore Blvd., Tampa presents All About Chocolate hands-on class, with tips on working with different chocolates, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sun., $100. Classes include supplies; RSVP required, call (813) 837-6888 or (813) 546-1832.

ITALIAN SOUPS: 7-8 p.m. Sept. 21, 10-11 a.m. Sept. 22, Nature's Harvest Market, 1021 N MacDill Ave., Tampa. Vegetarian class led by chef Debby DeGraaff creates healthful favorite Italian soups; free. Call (813) 873-7428.

- Send news of coming events at least two weeks in advance of the publication date to Food File, St. Petersburg Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731.

[Last modified September 13, 2005, 09:02:05]