Food File

By PEGGY ANDERS

© St. Petersburg Times, published April 4, 2001

Special events and food tastings

CAJUN CRAWFISH FESTIVAL: 7-11 p.m. Fri., 1-11 p.m. Sat., 1-8 p.m. Sun., on the waterfront behind Bayfront Center, 400 First St. S, St. Petersburg. Cajun food specialties plus live music. Bring lawn chairs; no coolers. $10 for one-day pass, $25 for three-day pass, kids 10 and under admitted free with an adult. Ticketmaster: (727) 898-2100 or (813) 287-8844. Visit http://www.stpete.org/bayfront.htm for information.

THESE KIDS REALLY COOK: 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Sat., Florida Aquarium, 701 Channelside Drive, Tampa. Fifteen kids ages 9-13 compete in the Publix/Pillsbury's Kid's Bake-Off, with winners advancing to the national Bake-Off in Orlando in June, where grand prize is $25,000. Call (813) 273-4000.

FESTA ITALIANA: 11:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Sun., Centennial Park, Eighth Avenue and 18th Street, Ybor City. Italian food, music, dancing highlight fourth annual festival. Participating restaurants include Alessi Bakery, Bernini of Ybor, Buca di Beppo, Primadonna. Grape stomping, wine press, cooking and baking demonstrations and Italian market. Free admission; charge for tastes. Call (813) 247-4731, ext. 628.

COOKS SIGN BOOKS: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sun., Ybor City Museum State Park, 1818 E Ninth Ave., Ybor City. Laura York and Clarita Garcia are on hand in museum garden to chat and sign copies of their cookbooks, York's Simple Strawberry Sensations and Garcia's Clarita's Cocina and Clarita's Cooking Light. Call (813) 247-1434.

IT'S IN THE GENES: 7 p.m. April 11, Clearwater Countryside Library, 2741 State Road 580, Clearwater. Dr. Neal Barnard, author of Turn Off the Fat Genes: The Revolutionary Guide to Taking Charge of the Genes That Control Your Weight, will discuss his latest research. Free. Call (727) 462-6800.

WINE DINNER: 6:30 p.m. April 17, Grill at Feather Sound, 2325 Ulmerton Road, Clearwater. Beaulieu Vineyards wines pair with courses from chef Tyson Grant that include salmon-mango tartare, juniper peppercorn duck breast. $90 plus tax and gratuity. Call (727) 571-3400 to reserve.

Wine and beer tastings/classes

SPANISH WINES: Wines by Morrell offers two classes on Spanish wines; Connoisseurs Series traces the history of wines from Spain, 6-8 p.m. Thur. ($50), and Novice Series tries varieties from Spain's newest wine-producing areas, 6-8 p.m. April 12 ($30). Wines by Morrell, 2009 N 22nd St., Ybor City. RSVP: (813) 241-8587.

WORK WEEK WINE DOWN: 6-9 p.m. Fri., Grand Cru Wine Cellar, 11724 N Dale Mabry Highway (Main Street Shopping Center), Tampa. Sampling of wines and beers accompanied by snacks. $12 (includes $5 coupon toward wine purchase). (813) 269-8463.

WINE AND BEER TASTING: 5:30-7:30 p.m. April 11, ABC Fine Wine and Spirits, 23399 U.S. 19 N, Clearwater. More than 70 wines and a dozen beers to try, plus gourmet treats and a glass to keep: $7 (includes $5 coupon toward wine purchase). Call (727) 797-1210.

Cooking classes

NO-FAIL KALE: 7-8 p.m. April 11, 10-11 a.m. April 12, Nature's Harvest Market, 1021 N MacDill Ave., Tampa. Free vegetarian cooking class with chef Debby DeGraaff shows off the veggie of the month, kale. Call (813) 873-7428.

INTERNATIONAL CUISINE: 7-9:30 p.m. Tuesdays beginning April 17, Azalea Adult Recreation Center, 1600 72nd St. N, St. Petersburg. Chef Diane VanEpps teaches students French, Mediterranean, Greek and southern Italian cuisines. Meal and recipes provided. $32 for 4 classes, $51.20 for non-residents. Food fee of $5.25 a class ($21) due prior to course. Limited class size; call (727) 893-7150.

Cooking demonstrations

SEAFOOD AND LOWFAT COOKING: Home Gourmet Kitchen Emporium, 471 Main St., Dunedin, offers two demonstration classes: ways to use seafood in dishes such as salmon in a crispy onion nest, 7-9 p.m. today; "Eat Yourself Healthy" class with shrimp in potato baskets, cumin seared duck breast, 7-9 p.m. April 11. $35 a class. Call (727) 736-6400.

Contests

WINNING WHEAT GERM: A main dish salad, meatless main dish or warm weather dessert recipe made with at least 1/2 cup of Kretschmer wheat germ and 12 or fewer ingredients could net the entrant $5,000 in the "Delicious & Easy" contest. Send entries to Kretschmer Wheat Germ Recipe Contest, P.O. Box 3305, Chicago IL 60654, or enter online at http://www.kretschmer.com by April 30 deadline.

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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