Food file

By PEGGY ANDERS

© St. Petersburg Times, published May 11, 2000

Notes from the food beat. . .

Food drive

"STAMP OUT HUNGER" FOOD DRIVE: Saturday, leave your donation of non-perishable food items by mailbox before regular mail delivery so letter carriers can pick up for charity. Sponsored by National Association of Letters Carriers in conjunction with U.S. Postal Service. For more information, visit http://www.nalc.org.

Special events and food tastings

VEGAN GALA: 5-7 p.m. Sat., Cafe at Nature's Food Patch, 1225 Cleveland St., Clearwater. All-you-can-eat vegan meal from soup and salad bar to dessert. Learn more about starting a vegetarian diet, how to stock a vegetarian kitchen and quick and easy tofu recipes from guest speaker. Vegan dietitian available to answer nutrition questions. $7.44. Call Florida Voices for Animals (813) 969-3755.

BON APPETIT WINE DINNER: 6:30 p.m. Wed., Bon Appetit Restaurant, 150 Marina Plaza, Dunedin. Wine-paired dinner with Ken Terrio of Clos du Bois introducing wine varieties. Guests enjoy a five-course dinner prepared by executive chef Stephen Farquhar. $65, includes tax and gratuity. Reservations required. Call (727) 733-2151.

ZELLWOOD SWEET CORN FESTIVAL: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. May 20-21, Ponkan Road off U.S. 441, Zellwood (northeast of Orlando). Annual festival with country music, arts and crafts, rides. All Zellwood-raised sweet corn you can eat is included in ticket price along with ham, potato salad, baked beans, roll and tea. $11 in advance, $14 at gate for adults; $4 advance, and $5 at gate for kids; 4 and under, free. Call (407) 886-0014 or access http://www.zellwoodsweetcornfest.org.

TASTE OF THE NATION TAMPA BAY: 6 p.m. reception, 7 p.m. dinner, May 25, Tampa Marriott Waterside, 700 S Florida Ave., ampa. Five-course dinner and wine pairing with guest chef Susan Goss of Zinfandel in Chicago. Benefits Divine Providence Food Bank, other local charities. $150. Call (813) 254-1190.

SEAFOOD ALASKA FESTIVAL: May 14-June 14, Fulton's Crab House, Downtown Disney/Pleasure Island, Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista. Fourth annual celebration of seafood with interactive chef's demonstrations. Proceeds benefit the Second Harvest Food Bank Kid's Cafe. For tickets or information, call (407) 934-8424.

THE ART OF THE CHEESE PLATE: 7-8:30 p.m. May 24, Grand Cru Wine Cellar, 11724 N Dale Mabry, Tampa. Cheese styles, textures, milk types and rind characteristics. Cheeses are paired with wines and beers, plus fruit and breads. Recipes provided. $10. To reserve, call (813) 269-8463.

Wine and beer tastings

AWESOME AUSSIES: 7-9 p.m. Fri., Vintage Wine Cellars, 3629 Henderson Blvd., Tampa. Sample 10 wines from Australia and New Zealand. $12. Call (813) 879-2931 to reserve.

GERMAN WINES: 6-8 p.m. Fri., the Grapevine at Westchase, Westchase Square, 12125 W Linebaugh Ave (east of Racetrack Road), Tampa. Explore German wines suitable for spring and summer. Course materials, cheeses to accompany wines included. $10, includes $5 discount on wine purchase. Call (813) 818-9463to reserve.

WORK WEEK WINE DOWN: 6-9 p.m. Fri., Grand Cru Wine Cellar, 11724 N Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa. Sampling of wines and beers accompanied by snacks. $10, includes $5 coupon toward wine purchase. Call (813) 269-8463 to reserve.

B21 SPRING TASTING: 1-5 p.m. May 21, B21 Wine Co., U.S. 19 N, 1 mile north ofTarpon Springs Road, west side of 19 at Beckett Way, Tarpon Springs. Tasting to kick off spring wine sale. Free. Call (888) 221-9463.

BLACKSTONE'S TAPAS CAFE TASTING: 6-8 p.m. Wed., Blackstone's Tapas Cafe, 301 Gulf Blvd., Indian Rocks Beach. Sample wines and appetizers. Call (727) 517-7778.

PEPE'S TASTINGS: 6-8 p.m. Wed., Pepe's Fine Dining and Tapas, 3665 Ulmerton Road, Clearwater. Four wine selections and appetizers. Free. Call (727) 573-3363.

Cooking classes

LIGHT AND EASY LASAGNA: 10-11 a.m. today, Nature's Harvest Market, 1021 N MacDill Ave., Tampa. Make simple, low-fat version in class with vegetarian chef Debby DeGraaff. Free. Call (813) 873-7428.

PARENT AND CHILD COOK: 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Sat., Home Gourmet Kitchen Emporium, 471 Main St., Dunedin. Hands-on cooking class for parents and kids. $45 for one parent and child. Call (727) 736-6400.

BEAUTIFUL BEETS: 7-8 p.m. Wed., 10-11 a.m. May 18, Nature's Harvest Market, 1021 N MacDill Ave., Tampa. Chef Debby DeGraaff's free vegetarian class teaches how to use nutrient-packedbeets in recipes. Free. Call (813) 873-7428.

SOUTHERN FRENCH COOKING: 11 a.m. May 20, Cafe l'Europe, 431 St. Armands Circle, Sarasota. Chef Jeff Trefry leads hands-on cooking class featuring the cuisine of Gascony, Languedoc, and other areas of southern France. $40, includes luncheon. Limited class size. Reservations required. Call (941) 388-4415, or register online at http://www.neweuropeancuisine.com.

Fun stuff

YBOR CITY FRESH MARKET: 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Sat., Centennial Park, Eighth Ave. and 18th St., Ybor City. Farmers market with fresh organic produce, baked goods, herbs. Call (813) 241-2442.

Food bytes

THE BEST OF CAJUN: Cajun food fans post favorite recipes and posted them on Cajun Food Lovers site at http://www.neworleansweb.org/recipes.html.

Contests

PORTOBELLO SANDWICH CLASSIC: Mushroom Council's "Create a Classic" contest asks mushroom lovers for their best sandwich recipe using 4 ounces of portobellos. $1,500, $1,000 and $500 prizes. For complete rules, mushroom recipes and tips, visit http://www.mushroomcouncil.com.

"RICE TO THE RESCUE" CONTEST: USA Rice Federation is looking for the most creative and easiest-to-make original rice recipe. First prize $5,000. for complete rules, visit http://www.ricecafe.com.

Food Talk

FOOD REGULATIONS SHORT COURSE: 8 a.m.-4 p.m. May 18, Columbia Restaurant, 2117 E Seventh Ave., Tampa. "Food Regulations in the New Millennium" is a short course intended for those in the food processing, retail foods and food service industry. Topics include biotechnology and genetically modified foods. Continental breakfast, lunch and course materials included in the cost: $50; $60 after Fri. For extra charge ($25 or $15 with early registration), dinner follows at 7 p.m. with speaker Elaine Turner on neutraceuticals. Call Dr. Ronald Schmidt, (352) 392-1991, or e-mail rschmidt@gnv.ifas.ufl.edu.

Table talk

Please 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.

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