BACCHUS IN BLACK TIE IV: Regional cuisine and wines of Italy are celebrated with "Abbondanza" (hors d'oeuvres and tastings of Champagnes and wines) at 6 p.m. today, gala dinner prepared by chefs from Maritana Grille at the Don CeSar Resort, Marchand's Grill at the Vinoy and Sutherland Cafe in Palm Harbor, at 7:30 p.m. at Renaissance Vinoy Resort, 501 Fifth Ave. NE, St. Petersburg: $175. Call (727) 712-2760.

TASTE OF THE NATION: today, Tampa Marriott Waterside, 700 S Florida Ave., Tampa. Five-course wine-paired dinner from chefs of Roy's, SideBern's, Zazarac, other restaurants donating time and service at annual Share Our Strength's food and wine benefit; wine-tasting reception and silent auction at 6 p.m., live auction and dinner at 7 p.m. Benefit for Divine Providence Food Bank. Cost: $150. Call (813) 254-1190.

TASTEFUL TOMATOES: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat.-Sun., E.G. Simmons Park, 2901 19th Ave. NW, Ruskin. Ruskin Tomato Festival includes tomato cookoff and farmer's market. Admission: $2. Call (813) 671-7655 or (813) 645-3808.

FLEMING'S WINE DINNER: 6:30 p.m. Mon., Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar, 4322 Boy Scout Blvd., Tampa. Raymond Vineyards is the featured winery, paired with menu that includes tuna tartare, New York strip steak and caramel apple pie: $75. Call (813) 874-9463 to reserve.

ZAZ FEST: 6:30-9:30 p.m. May 9, Zazarac, 3702 W McKay Ave., Tampa. New Orleans cuisine, fine wines and live jazz, Zaz Fest wine dinner includes crawfish gratin with apple-smoked bacon, corn and sherry cream sauce; smoked quail salad and lamb chops with rosemary reduction. Paired with wines from Mendocino County in northern California. Cost: $70, plus tax and gratuity. Reserve by calling (813) 350-0481.

ABILITIES WINE TASTING: 7-9:30 p.m. May 12, Tropicana Field, First Avenue and 16th Street S, downtown St. Petersburg. Twelfth annual event featuring 150 California and international wines, food from 40 restaurants including Salt Rock Grill, Gratzzi, Perch, Mise en Place, 300-lot silent auction includes California wine vacation, Tampa Bay culinary tour, rare and unusual wines. Cost: $50 in advance, $60 at door, proceeds benefit Abilities of Florida. Call (727) 538-7370, ext. 345, or order online at: http://tampa.winebrats.org.

Wine and beer tastings/classes

ABC TASTINGS: Tastings of 70 wines and more than a dozen beers, keepsake glass, coupon included in $7 admission: 5:30-7:30 p.m. today, at ABC, 14248 U.S. 19 N, Hudson, (727) 869-3003; and 5:30-7:30 p.m. May 9 at ABC, 1603 N Missouri Ave., Largo, (727) 581-4642.

FRENCH WINE VALUES: 6-8 p.m. Fri., the Grapevine at Westchase, Westchase Square, 12125 W Linebaugh Ave., Tampa. Taste wines that won't break the bank from six regions of France: free. Call (813) 818-9463.

MUCH ADO ABOUT BREW: beginning at noon Sat., Dunedin Brewery, 937 Douglas Ave., Dunedin. Learn workings of craft brewery and sample beers on tap with tours every hour (last tour 4 p.m.). Learn to brew ales at home with homebrew demonstrations from Dunedin Brewer's Guild experts: free. Call (727) 736-0606.

PIC PAC WINE TASTING: 5-7 p.m. Fri., Pic Pac Fine Wine and Spirits, 6609 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. Pic Pac's free wine tasting in temperature-controlled wine room features different selection of wines each week: (727) 347-0743.

MICKEY'S TASTING: 5-7 p.m. Sun., Mickey's Snell Isle Market, 1337 Snell Isle Blvd., St. Petersburg. Sample summer wines and hors d'oeuvres: free. Call(727) 894-7751.

BONNY DOON: 6-9 p.m. May 11, Grand Cru Wine Cellar, 11724 N Dale Mabry Highway (Main Street Shopping Center), Tampa. Third annual tasting pairs Randall Grahm's Bonny Doon wines with accompaniments and sushi. Cost: $12 (includes $5 coupon toward wine purchase): (813) 269-8463.

Cooking classes

HEALTHY MEXICAN: 7-8 p.m. today, 10-11 a.m. Thur., Nature's Harvest Market, 1021 N MacDill Ave., Tampa. Vegetarian class celebrates Cinco de Mayo with Mexican dishes: free. Call (813) 873-7428.

TUSCAN FEAST: 7:30 p.m. Tues., Williams-Sonoma in Olde Hyde Park Village, 732 S Village Circle, Tampa. Isreal Diaz of the French Culinary Institute prepares a Tuscan-inspired feast: $35. Reservations required, call (813) 253-0743.

UPDATED COMFORT FOODS: 6:30-9 p.m. Thur., Home Gourmet Kitchen Emporium, 471 Main St., Dunedin. Get cozy with goat cheese and apple tartlets; pork chops with bleu cheese, port-soaked figs and caramelized onions; orange rosemary pound cake at hands-on class: $45. Call (727) 736-6400.

GREAT GINGER: 7-8 p.m. May 9, 10-11 a.m. May 10, Nature's Harvest Market, 1021 N MacDill Ave., Tampa. Vegetarian class uses ginger in a variety of dishes: free. Call (813) 873-7428.

STRAWBERRY SENSATIONS: 7-9 p.m. May 9, Home Gourmet Kitchen Emporium, 471 Main St., Dunedin. Laura York leads cooking class, making recipes from her book: Simple Strawberry Sensations, including Asian strawberry pasta salad: $45 (includes signed copy of book), $35 for class only. Call (727) 736-6400.

Fun stuff

COOKING UP GOOD MEMORIES: Create a family legacy cookbook filled with favorite recipes and photographs at two workshops: 2-4 p.m. May 12 at the Scrapbook Shoppe, 3838 W Neptune St., Tampa (register by Mon.); 2:30-4:30 p.m. May 17 at Jo-El's Delicatessen, 11727 N Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa (register by May 14). Cost: $45, call (813) 251-8187.

WAXING POETIC AT OVO CAFE: "Anthropologie at Ovo," a scavenger hunt of sorts at Ovo Cafes, has diners "searching" tableside for secret objects among clues described in poem stanzas for prizes, noon-3 p.m. May 11, Ovo Cafe at 515 Central Ave., St. Petersburg (727) 898-5515; noon-3 p.m. May 18, Ybor city location at 1907 E Seventh Ave., Tampa (813) 248-6979.

Contests

DREAMY NEW KITCHEN: Edy's asks entrants to dream up a new ice cream flavor that captures the nostalgia of old-fashioned homemade cookies and pies or fresh-churned ice cream in their "Traditions in the Kitchen" contest. Grand prize winner that comes up with the best new flavor wins $25,000 for a dream kitchen remodel. Send entries to: Traditions in the Kitchen Ice Cream Flavor Contest, P.O. Box 4110, Grand Rapids, MN 55730-4110 or online at: http://www.edys.com by May 15.

* * *

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 column.

Back to Taste

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright

Special Links

Recipes

From the Times Taste section

dish

You Asked For It

Food File

A gold star for green tea

Appetizers star in tasty Thai takeout

From the features wire
Paparazzi boo Pamela Anderson at Cannes

Maestro Thomas meets `Godfather of Soul'

No theft charges for Lindsay Lohan

Rapper Ludacris to make `Simpsons' cameo

Manson's failed marriage `destroyed' him