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By PEGGY ANDERS
© St. Petersburg Times, published May 9, 2001
Special events and food tastings
ZAZ FEST: 6:30-9:30 p.m. today, Zazarac, 3665 Henderson Blvd., Tampa. Zaz Fest wine dinner includes crawfish gratin; smoked quail salad and lamb chops with rosemary reduction. Italian grape varietal wines from Greg Graziano hail from Mendocino County, Calif. Cost: $70, plus tax and gratuity. Reserve by calling (813) 350-0481.
ABILITIES WINE TASTING: 7-9:30 p.m. Sat., Tropicana Field, First Avenue and 16th Street S, downtown St. Petersburg. Wines from California, Italy, France, Chile and other wine regions; dishes from 40 restaurants, including Travis Bistro, Salt Rock Grill, Mazzaro's andGratzzi, at Abilities' annual benefit with 300-lot silent auction that includes a California wine vacation, Tampa Bay culinary tour, rare and unusual wines. Cost: $50 in advance, $60 at door; VIP reception 6-7 p.m. (includes grand wine tasting), $125. Proceeds benefit Abilities of Florida. Call (727) 538-7370, ext. 345, or order online at http://tampa.winebrats.org.
"CORN-UTOPIA": 10 a.m.-8 p.m. May 19-20, off Highway 441, on Ponkan Road, Zellwood, northwest of Orlando. Zellwood's 28th Sweet Corn Festival. Live entertainment, midway, arts and crafts, plus locally grown corn available by the crate. Tickets: $11 advance, $14 at gate for adults; $4 advance, $5 at gate for kids ages 5-12; under 4 free; price includes meal of ham, potato salad, baked beans, roll and all the fresh Zellwood corn you can eat all day long. Call (407) 886-0014 or visit online at http://www.zellwoodsweetcornfest.org.
NORTH TO ALASKA: Fifth annual Seafood Alaska Festival begins Tue. at Fulton's Crab House, Downtown Disney, Lake Buena Vista. Events include chef's interactive demonstrations 8-10 p.m. every Wed., Thur. and Sat.; Chef's Showcase workshop 1-4 p.m. May 20; Sidewalk Seafood Fest 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m. May 26-28. Call hotline, (407) 934-8424; proceeds benefit Food Bank Kid's Cafe.
ABC TASTING: ABC Fine Wine and Spirits wine and beer tasting features 70 wines and more than a dozen different beers to try, plus a keepsake glass and a coupon included in $7 admission: 5:30-7:30 p.m. today, 1603 N Missouri Ave., Largo, (727) 581-4642.
BONNY DOON: 6-9 p.m. Fri., 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.
GREAT GINGER: 7-8 p.m. today, 10-11 a.m. Thur., 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. today, Home Gourmet Kitchen Emporium, 471 Main St., Dunedin. Laura York leads cooking class, making recipes from her book Simple Strawberry Sensations, including strawberry macadamia scones and strawberry sangria soup: $45 (includes signed copy of book), $35 for class only. Call (727) 736-6400.
WINE DINNER CLASS: 7-9 p.m. Fri., Home Gourmet Kitchen Emporium, 471 Main St., Dunedin. Winemaker Greg Graziano visits and pairs Italian wines with butternut gnocchi with hazelnut sauce, tenderloin of beef with Gorgonzola sauce, and vanilla cakes with berry flambe: $50 (includes wines). Call (727) 736-6400.
ASIAN FLAIR: 7:30 p.m. Tues., Williams-Sonoma in Olde Hyde Park Village, 732 S Village Circle, Tampa. Sushi on Seventh chef prepares menu with an Asian flair: $35. Reservations required, call (813) 253-0743.
QUICK QUINOA: 7-8 p.m. May 16, 10-11 a.m. May 17, Nature's Harvest Market, 1021 N MacDill Ave., Tampa. Chef Debby DeGraaff shows how to make easy vegetarian dishes using quinoa grain: free. Call (813) 873-7428.
ITALIAN CUISINE: 7-9:30 p.m. May 16, Capa Italian Deli, 10839 Ulmerton Road (west of Seminole Blvd.), Largo. Participation is a must in this hands-on Italian cooking class; $20 includes complete meal and recipes, wine extra. Call (727) 518-6222.
HOT OFF THE BARBIE: 11:30 a.m. May 16, Summerhouse Restaurant, 6101 Midnight Pass Road, Siesta Key. Grilling class with chef Paul Mattison. Includes lunch with the chef, wine and recipes. Limited class size, $40 inclusive. To register, call (941) 349-1100 and ask for Sally Barkley, or visit online at: http://www.internationalcookery.com.
COOKING UP GOOD MEMORIES: Create a family legacy cookbook filled with favorite recipes and photographs at workshop 2:30-4:30 p.m. May 17 at Jo-El's Delicatessen, 11727 N Dale Mabry, Tampa. Register by Mon. Cost: $45, call (813) 251-8187.
WAXING POETIC AT OVO CAFE: "Anthropologie at Ovo," a scavenger hunt of sorts at area Ovo Cafes, has diners "searching" tableside for objects among clues described in poem stanzas, noon-3 p.m. Fri., 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.
FIBER FACTS: For a free brochure, "The Facts on Fiber," detailing how to get more fiber into everyday diet, fiber benefits and a list of fiber-rich foods, call toll-free 1-800-843-8114, ext. 35, during business hours.
CHEF CHALLENGE: 7 p.m. Tue., Home Gourmet Kitchen Emporium, 471 Main St., Dunedin. Paul Kapsalis of Green Springs Cafe in Safety Harbor and Tyson Grant of O'Gradney's Bistro in St. Petersburg are the two finalists in the People's Choice Best Chef of Tampa Bay competition, where the two chefs have 45 minutes to prepare a complete meal for 18 people from surprise ingredients. Audience votes on best, most original creation. Cost: $50, portion of proceeds to benefit Hospice of Florida Suncoast. Limited seating, call (727) 736-6400.
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.