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Food

Food File

A look at what's happening around the area.

By PEGGY ANDERS
Published September 13, 2006

Special events

TAMPA BAY CULINARY CLUB: 3:30 p.m. Sat., La Maison Gourmet, 471 Main St., Dunedin. Tampa Bay Culinary Club members meet for demonstration and sampling of menu favorites with chef John Lewis; $10. Registration required by today. Call (727) 789-2605.

'I LIKE IT HOT' FEST: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat., 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sun., Minnreg Hall, 6340 126th Ave. N, Largo. Festival with fiery foods, sauces, salsas to sample, salsa and hot sauce competition, hot pepper-eating contest, pepper plants for kitchen garden; $3, kids under 12 free. Call (727) 423-8433 or visit ilikeithotfestival.com.

VEGETARIAN DINNERr: 5-7 p.m. Sat., China Buffet, 10704 U.S. 19 N, Port Richey. Pasco Vegetarian/Vegan Society welcomes guests to vegan buffet dinner; $7.50 plus gratuity and beverage. Reservations requested. Call (813) 365-0317.

GRAPE GATSBY: 6-7 p.m. premium tasting, 7-9 p.m. grand tasting, Sat., Tampa Theatre, 711 Franklin St., Tampa. Grape Gatsby annual movie-themed wine tasting benefit, silent auction, themed costumes; $85 for premium tasting (includes grand tasting), $95 day of event, $50 grand tasting, $60 day of event, benefits Tampa Theatre. Visit tampatheatre.org.

GREAT CATCH: 6:30 p.m. Sept. 20, Catch 23, 10103 Montague St., Westpark Village, Tampa. Catch 23 and the Grapevine present wine dinner with Hess, Groth, Iron Horse Vineyards wines; menu includes sea scallops with passion fruit vinaigrette, pistachio-crusted rack of lamb; $75. Call (813) 920-0045.

WINE MINGLE: 9 p.m.-midnight Sept. 21, Cafe Alma, 260 First Ave. S, St. Petersburg. Enjoy wines from California, Argentina, South Africa, France, Cafe Alma's appetizers, silent auction, at annual After-Dark Wine Mingle, to benefit Abilities Foundation; $30 advance, $40 at door. Call (727) 538-7370, ext. 349 or abilitiesfoundation.com.

COMMUNITY HARVEST HELP: Dine at the Columbia Restaurants - 2117 E Seventh Ave., Ybor City, (813) 248-4961; 800 Second Ave. NE, at the Pier in St. Petersburg, (727) 822-8000; or 1241 Gulf Blvd., Sand Key in Clearwater, (727) 596-8400 - this month and 5 percent of your bill will be donated to charitable organizations in annual Community Harvest benefit.

Wine tastings/classes

TOAST TO SUMMER's END: 6:30 p.m. today, Safety Harbor Resort & Spa, 105 N Bayshore Drive, Safety Harbor. Sampling of wines from around the world, plus appetizer assortment; $25, portion benefits Clearwater Marine Aquarium sea turtle rescue. Call (727) 724-7725, ext. 7825.

ABC TASTING: 5:30-7:30 p.m. today, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits, 14729 N Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa. More than 70 wines, plus hors d'oeuvres, cigars and whiskey; $10. Call (813) 264-1881.

JUST DESSERTS: 6:30-9 p.m. today, Vintage Wine Cellars, 3629 Henderson Blvd., Tampa. Wine class explores dessert wines; $25. Call (813) 879-2931 to register.

TASTE OF TUSCANY: 7-9 p.m. Thur., Bella Vino Wine Market, 100 Indian Rocks Road (next to E&E Stakeout Grill), Belleair Bluffs. Explore Tuscan wines, paired with hors d'oeuvres, Italian cheeses; $25, benefits Abilities Foundation. Call (727) 584-5552.

UNCORK A SAMPLING: Uncorked Fine Wines and Accessories, 2706 Fourth St. N, St. Petersburg:

* Cava, sherry and other wines from Spain are focus of sampling, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Fri., $10, benefits Children's AIDS Foundation.

* California vs. Italy comparison tasting compares grape varietals grown in both regions, including nebbiolo, aglianico, plus appetizers, 7-9 p.m. Sept. 23, $25, limited seating, advance registration required.

Call (727) 892-9463.

BLENDS HAVE MORE FUN: 7-9 p.m. Fri., Vintage Wine Cellars, 3629 Henderson Blvd., Tampa. Try wine blends including Caymus Conundrum, Stelzner Napa claret; $10. Call (813) 879-2931 to register.

WATER'S EDGE WINE TASTING: 3-10 p.m. Fri., Water's Edge Fine Dining, 6024 Cortez Blvd., Weeki Wachee. Guests can either try their hand at "Brown Bag" blind wine tasting or enjoy wines with purchased dinner; $20 tasting only, or $20 plus cost of dinner purchased, benefits ARC Nature Coast. Registration required. Call (352) 597-3545.

AUSTRALIAN pairings: 7:30 p.m. Fri., Charlie's Wine Bar, 533 S Howard Ave., Tampa. Try Australian and New Zealand shiraz, pinot noir/cabernet blend, cabernet and white wines paired with "shrimp on the barbie"; $15 advance, $20 at door. Call (813) 250-1967 or visit ww.charlieswine.com.

AUSTRIAN ALLURE: 6:30-8:30 p.m. Fri., Bern's Fine Wines & Spirits, 1002 S Howard Ave., Tampa. Austrian "Crush Hour" tasting with Gruner Vetliner, plus Kracher dessert wine producer, paired with cheeses; $25. Call (813) 250-9463 to register.

BEST BARGAINS 6-8 p.m. Fri., Pic Pac Fine Wine, 6609 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. Find a bargain in tasting of value-priced wines under $15; $5. Call (727) 347-0743.

GLOBAL SAMPLING: 6:30-8:30 p.m. Fri. Sept. 15, American Spirits, 280 Third St. S, St. Petersburg. Sampling of 15-20 wines from around the world, plus flavored vodkas; free. Call (727) 895-8700.

NAPA NOTABLES: 5-8 p.m. Fri. and 1-4 p.m. Sat., A&L Fine Wines, Palm Harbor Plaza, 35249 U.S. 19 N., Palm Harbor. Try red and white wines from California's Napa Valley; free. Call (727) 781-4760.

PASSION FOR PINOT, WORLD OF WINE WineStyles Belleair Bluffs, 2800 West Bay Drive, Belleair Bluffs.

* Sample pinot gris, pinot grigio and pinot noirs from around the world, 5-8 p.m. Fri.; free.

* Six-week intro course to world of wines, led by sommelier, begins 7-9 p.m. Tues. or 1-3 p.m. Sept. 23; $25. Registration required.

Call (727) 518-9463.

WINES OF WASHINGTON: 5-7 p.m. Sept. 21, Publix supermarket, 200 37th Ave. N, St. Petersburg. Sample wines from Washington state, along with food pairings; free. Call (727) 895-1670.

WINES FOR LATIN LOVERS 5-8 p.m. Sept. 21, Vino 100, 5056 Fourth St. N, St. Petersburg. Sample New World South American varieties from Chile, Argentina and Old World Spanish wines; free. Call (727) 522-8466.

BENEFIT TASSTING: 6-8 p.m. Sept. 22, 3613 S Beach Drive, Tampa. Fine Wine & Spirits Warehouse presents more than 60 wines, plus ham and cheeses; $15 per person or $25 per couple suggested donation, benefits Palma Ceia Presbyterian Church. Call (813) 837-8941.

GUESS THE GRAPE: 7-9 p.m. Sept. 22, the Wine Shop of St. Pete Beach, 5501 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete Beach. Try your hand in a blind tasting of wines, with 10 varieties from cabernet franc to sauvignon blanc; $10 each or $15 per couple. To register, call (727) 363-9463.

Cooking classes

EPICUREAN EPONYMS: 7 p.m. today, Tarpon Springs Library, 138 E Lemon St. Cookbook lovers invited to From the Cook's Shelf discussion group on "Epicurean Eponyms," explores the history and name origins of favorite recipes; bring favorite recipe and samples; free. Call (727) 943-4922.

GET TASTING, GET COOKIN': 6 p.m. today, Get Cookin' Now, at Icot Center, 13505 Icot Blvd., Suite 203, Clearwater. Sample red and white wines and assemble a family-style meal to cook at home from the "make and take" kitchen; $25, includes tasting, meal, bottle of wine. Call (727) 538-2665 to register.

CONVERSATIONAL CUISINE: Four-week class on Italian language, cuisine and culture begins 6-8 p.m. today, or 5:30-7:30 p.m. Sept. 29 both at Castellano & Pizzo Italian Gourmet Foods, 4200 S Henderson Blvd., Tampa, $195, includes materials and dinner at each class. Spanish five-week class on language and cuisine begins 6-7:30 p.m. Thur., at Castellano & Pizzo Italian Gourmet Foods, 4200 S Henderson Blvd., Tampa, $220, includes materials and dinner at each class. Registration required. Call (727) 866-6892 or go to www.LearnItalian.us.

THAI TASTES: noon-1 p.m. Thur., Clearwater Main Library, 100 N Osceola Ave. Chef Bill Mitchell of Apron's Cooking School demonstrates Thai cuisine dishes including sticky black rice pudding with mango; free. Call (727) 562-4970, ext. 5284.

LIVING FOODS, LUNCHES: Nature's Food Patch, 1225 Cleveland St., Clearwater.

* Tropical salsa and zucchini hummus among living foods recipes demonstrated, 11 a.m. Sat.; free.

* Make good-for-you back to school or back to work lunches, 6-8 p.m. Sept. 20; free.

Call (727) 443-6703.

ASIAN, ROY'S CUISINE: Apron's Cooking School at Publix supermarket at Shoppes of Citrus Park, 7835 Gunn Highway, Tampa. Call (813) 926-4465.

* Asian cuisine class includes Thai duck skewers with Asian pesto, coconut almond fried ice cream, 6:30 p.m. Tue.; $40.

* Roy's cuisine class makes Hawaiian fusion favorites, 6:30 p.m. Sept. 21; $40.

Contests

SUPERB SALSA: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sat., Centennial Park, 1801 Eighth Ave., Ybor City. Enter original salsa recipe made off-site in People's Choice Salsa Fest Tasting Competition at annual Arts & Crafts Fiesta for chance to vie for $100 first prize, gift basket goodies and more. Call (813) 248-0721 or visit www.cc-events.org (click on "Arts & Crafts").

BUSIEST DAD CONTEST: Let's Eat! Citrus Park, 11965 Sheldon Road, Tampa, offers busy dads a chance to win eight meals per month free for six months by registering for Sept. 23 "make and take" meal session. Deadline to register is Mon. Call (813) 792-2035 or visit www. letseatdinner.com.

PAIRING Submit an original recipe that pairs with refreshing, white albarino wine for chance to win case of mixed wines from Rias Baixas. Visit riasbaixaswines.com for rules; contest deadline is Sept. 30.

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

[Last modified September 13, 2006, 10:33:13]