CHAT WITH THE HAZANS: 7:15 p.m. Fri., Mote Marine Education Center, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota. Join Marcella Hazan, the "queen of Italian cooking"; Victor Hazan, expert on Italian wine; Giuliano Hazan, also an author and cooking school proprietor, and others in a "table talk" discussion on food and dining. Cookbooks available for purchase. $45. Call Casa Italia, (941) 924-1179, or Longboat Key Center for the Arts, (941) 383-2345.

HOT CUISINE: noon-4 p.m. Sat., Peppers on The Pier, first floor of The Pier, 800 Second Ave. NE, St. Petersburg. Grand reopening sampling of everything from pickled peppers to fiery condiments at newly revamped Peppers. (727) 898-7437

HAVE A HEART: 6 p.m. Sun., Trang Viet Cuisine Restaurant, 1524 E Fowler Ave., Tampa. Enjoy a vegan feast, cash bar, live music, guest speaker and silent auction at the Florida Voices for Animals "Have a Heart for Animals" dinner. $15 advance; $20 at door. Call Gael, (813) 969-3755, to reserve.

CAJUN COOKIN': 4-8 p.m. Sat., Cajun Cafe on the Bayou, 8101 Park Blvd., Pinellas Park. Louisiana backyard chefs make gumbo, jambalaya, fish court bouillon, gator sauce piquant to sample at this outdoor exhibition of Cajun cuisine. Tastes free; $8 cover charge after 7 p.m. for Porch Dogs. Call (727) 546-6732.

LUNCH BY THE BOOK: 12:30 p.m. Sun., Our Savior Lutheran Church, Wegner Hall, 301 58th St. S, St. Petersburg. Seventh annual Cookbook Taster Luncheon lets guests enjoy recipes taken from Valparaiso University Guild cookbooks. Donations for luncheon accepted. Proceeds benefit university scholarships. Reserve by today: (727) 822-2064 or (727) 725-4647.

ZAZARAC WINEMAKER'S DINNER: 6:30 p.m. Feb. 21, Zazarac, 3702 McKay Ave. (near the corner of Henderson Boulevard and Sterling Avenue), Tampa. Live jazz and Chalone wines are paired with such courses as smoked duck crepe with wild rice at winemaker dinner. $85. Call (813) 350-0481 to reserve.

O'GRADNEY'S WINE DINNER: 6:30 p.m. Feb. 21, O'Gradney's Bistro, 6661 Central Ave. St. Petersburg. Richard and Judith Crichton of Crichton Hall wines are on hand to offer their chardonnays, pinot noir and merlot with five-course dinner that includes grouper Basque. $50 plus tax and gratuity. RSVP required: (727) 381-1212.

VIRTUAL CHATEAU DINING: 6:30 p.m. Feb. 21, the Garden Restaurant, 217 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. Savor a four-course dinner of Provence-style cuisine and wines and listen as Mr. and Mrs. Alain Bonnichon share their experience restoring 800-year-old, 19,000-square-foot Chateau de Culan, the oldest inhabited castle in the world. $35, includes tax and gratuity. Limited seating. Call (727) 823-3008 to reserve.

DINING ON AIR: Like to have friends over to dine? WMNF-FM 88.5's annual fundraising event lets you provide the meal as simple or elaborate as you like. Invited friends and neighbors bring donations, and WMNF provides the dessert, coffee and music at three area locations on Feb. 24: Gulfport Casino, 5500 Shore Blvd. S, Gulfport; Phillippe Estate, 5500 Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; and Artists Unlimited, 223 N 12th St., Tampa. Hosts and guests asked to bring canned goods and household toiletries to donate to food bank. For information, call (813) 238-8001, ext. 43 or 29.

Tastings and classes

INTRO TO WINE II: 6-8 p.m. Thur., Wines by Morrell, 2009 N 22nd St. (corner of 22nd Street and Palm Avenue), Ybor City. Learn the basics of enjoying wines at this novice series class. $30. To RSVP, call (813) 241-8587.

RHONE VALLEY WINES: 6:30-8 p.m. Fri., Bern's Fine Wine and Spirits, 1002 S Howard Ave., Tampa. Informal tasting of six red and white wines from France's Rhone Valley. $15. Call (813) 250-9463 to reserve.

SPANISH WINES: 6-8 p.m. Fri., the Grapevine at Westchase, Westchase Square, 12125 W Linebaugh Ave. (east of Racetrack Road), Tampa. Wine Professor tasting class explores the wines of Spain. $10, includes $5 discount on wine purchase. Call (813) 818-9463 to reserve.

PIC PAC WINE TASTING: 5-7 p.m. Fri., Pic Pac Fine Wine and Spirits, 6609 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. Free weekly tasting. (727) 347-0743.

OREGON TRAIL: 7-9 p.m., Fri., Vintage Wine Cellars, 3629 Henderson Blvd., Tampa. Sampling of new Oregon wines includes Chateau Benoit 1998 white Riesling, Elk Grove 1998 pinot gris. $10. Call (813) 879-2931.

BELGIAN BEER NIGHT: 6-10 p.m. Fri., Grand Cru Wine Cellar, 11724 N Dale Mabry Highway (Main Street Shopping Center), Tampa. Tasting of more than 50 Belgian and Belgian-style beers. $10 advance; $15 at door. Sample the wine varieties from Dunnewood 6-9 p.m., also on Fri.. $12, includes $5 coupon toward wine purchase. Call (813) 269-8463.

CALIFORNIA'S OTHER REDS: 6:30-8 p.m. Mon., Bern's Fine Wine and Spirits, 1002 S Howard Ave., Tampa. Weekly wine class features merlots, zinfandels and petite syrahs from California. Reservations required: (813) 250-9463.

SOUTH AMERICAN REDS: 6:30 p.m. Feb. 21, J.D. Ford Fine Wines, 1925 S Osprey Ave., Sarasota. Wine class looks at red wines from Chile and Argentina. $20. To reserve, call (941) 362-9463.

ITALIAN SAMPLING: 3:30-6:30 p.m. Fri., Fancy's Specialty Market, 1003 Fourth St. N, St. Petersburg. Free sampling of wine varieties from Italy paired with hors d'oeuvres. (727) 894-5300.

Cooking classes

VALENTINE DINNER: 6:30-9 p.m.today, Home Gourmet Kitchen Emporium, 471 Main St., Dunedin. Valentine dinner class features seafood stuffed tenderloin. $45, includes glass of Champagne. Call (727) 736-6400.

HEART SMART DESSERTS: 7-8 p.m. today, 10-11 a.m. Thur., Nature's Harvest Market, 1021 N MacDill Ave., Tampa. Chef Debby DeGraaff shows class how to indulge in desserts that won't break a healthy diet. Free. Call (813) 873-7428.

FOODS OF SOUTHERN FRANCE: 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Sat., Home Gourmet Kitchen Emporium, 471 Main St., Dunedin. Explore French cuisine in this hands-on class. Menu includes chicken and garlic in rose wine. $35. Call (727) 736-6400.

ITALIAN CUISINE: 7-9:30 p.m. Feb. 21, Capa Italian Deli, 10839 Ulmerton Road (west of Seminole Boulevard), Largo. Hands-on Italian cooking class. $20 includes complete meal and recipes; wine extra. Call (727) 518-6222.

BASIC BROWN RICE: 7-8 p.m. Feb 21, 10-11 a.m. Feb. 22, Nature's Harvest Market, 1021 N MacDill Ave., Tampa. Learn how to use brown rice in class led by Chef Debby DeGraaff. Call (813) 873-7428.

COOKING FOR A HEALTHY HEART: 6:30 p.m. Feb. 21, Nature's Food Patch, 1225 Cleveland St., Clearwater. Free cooking class with menu of black bean chili over millet, tomato radish salsa and warm ginger drink. (727) 443-6703.

APPETIZERS: 7-8 p.m. Feb. 21-22, Fancy's Specialty Market, 1003 Fourth St. N, St. Petersburg. Chef Emil's cooking class learns to make appetizers. $10. Limited space. Call (727) 894-5300 to reserve.

Cooking demonstrations

HEART-HEALTHY COOKING: 5:30 p.m. Tues., the Heart and Vascular Institute of Florida, 603 Seventh St. S, Suite 480, St. Petersburg. Chef Jerry Boucher shares low-fat cooking techniques you can use at home while registered dieticians show how to make food choices to lower cholesterol and fight heart disease. Recipes provided. $15, includes dinner. Reservations required; limited seating. Call (727) 329-1615 to reserve.

Contests

PEOPLE'S CHOICE BEST CHEF OF TAMPA BAY: 7-9 p.m. Tues., Home Gourmet Kitchen Emporium., 471 Main St., Dunedin. Roger Lenzi of New City Diner, Tampa, and Bill Schrems of St. Larry's, Palm Harbor, create a menu from surprise ingredients. Try prepared appetizers from both chefs, then watch as they try to prepare a full meal for 17 people in 45 minutes or less, then vote for your favorite. $40, includes meal. Portion of proceeds benefits Hospice. Call (727) 736-6400.

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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.

Information from Times wires was used in this report.

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