Food file

By PEGGY ANDERS

© St. Petersburg Times, published June 15, 2000

Special events and food tastings

FLORIDA'S FINEST CHEFS SERIES:6:30 p.m. today, Michael's on East, 1212 East Ave. S in Midtown Plaza, Sarasota. Dinner and wine pairing series showcases guest chefs' talents. This month's Florida chef is Doug Shook of Louie's Backyard, a Key West landmark; $90. RSVP: (941) 365-0543, ext. 247.

CAFE L'EUROPE VINTNER DINNER:7 p.m. June 23, Cafe l'Europe, 431 St. Armands Circle, Sarasota. A Taste of Burgundy pairs wines from the region, including pinot noir and gamay, with four menu courses prepared by chef Jeff Trefry. $55 plus tax and gratuity. Reservations required. Call (941) 388-4415.

CULINARY CLUB MEETING:2 p.m. June 24, Thai Basil, 4445 East Bay Drive, Clearwater. Tampa Bay Culinary Club welcomes food enthusiasts to its June meeting and the Asian cuisine of Thai Basil Restaurant. $10, includes sampling of chef-prepared specialty. Reply required. Call Jamie at (813) 831-3342 by Wed.

Wine and beer tastings

INTERNATIONAL WINE TASTING: 5-8 p.m. Fri., Bluffs Shopping Center, corner Indian Rocks Road and West Bay Drive, Belleair Bluffs. Participating shops offer wines to sample from such countries as Spain, Italy and France. Benefits Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Tasting free, but donations can be made to the foundation. For more information, call (727) 585-8729.

"FATHER KNOWS BEST" SEMINAR: Aperitif 7 p.m., tasting 7:30 p.m. Fri., Vintage Wine Cellars, 3629 Henderson Blvd., Tampa. In honor of Father's Day, Bronson Mela, owners' father, hosts tasting of 10 of his favorites from areas such as Bordeaux, California, Spain and Italy. Try Caymus' 1998 Conundrum, a 1989 Marques de Caceras Rioja Gran Reserva or Folie a Deux 1997 Fiddleton Zinfandel. $20. Call (813) 879-2931 to reserve.

SUMMER WINES AND DESSERT: 1:30-5:30 p.m. Sat., Fancy's Specialty Market, 1003 Fourth St. N, St. Petersburg. Sample light, fruity summer wines, paired with refreshing desserts. Free. Call (727) 894-5300.

SPANISH WINES: 6:30-8:30 p.m., Mon., Bern's Fine Wine and Spirits, 1002 S Howard Ave., Tampa. Weekly summer wine seminar hosted by Ken Collura, Bern's head sommelier. This week, tasting and discussion focus on Spanish wines. $25 a class. To reserve, call (813) 250-9463.

CHAMPAGNE SAMPLING: 6:30-8 p.m. June 23, Vintage Wine Cellars, 3629 Henderson Blvd., Tampa. Talk champagne with host Camille Cox of Laurent-Perrier as you sample four varieties of the French-produced bubbly. Free but space is limited. Reservations required: (813) 879-2931.

WINES FROM DOWN UNDER: 5-7 p.m. June 23, Fancy's Specialty Market, 1003 Fourth St. N, St. Petersburg. Try a selection of wines from Australia paired with hors d'oeuvres. Free. Call (727) 894-5300.

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

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

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

Cooking classes

CLASSIC PASTRY METHODS: 6:30 p.m. today, Summerhouse Restaurant, 6101 Midnight Pass Road, Siesta Key. Summerhouse Cookery School's Cooking Fundamentals summer series features hands-on cooking with chef Paul Mattison. This month, Bakery Basics: Classic Pastry Methods. Limited class size. $95 includes wine. Call (941) 349-1100 or visit online at http://www.internationalcookery.com.

CUISINE OF SOUTHEASTERN FRANCE: 11 a.m. Sat., Cafe l'Europe, 431 St. Armands Circle, Sarasota. Ingredients from Provence, Dauphine and Savoie used in hands-on French cooking class with chef Jeff Trefry. Menu includes dauphinoise potatoes and sea bass with fennel and tomato. $40 includes luncheon. Limited class size. Reservations required. Call (941) 388-4415 or register online at http://www.neweuropeancuisine.com.

SUMMER FLORIDA GRILLING: 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Sat., Home Gourmet Kitchen Emporium, 471 Main St., Dunedin. Hands-on class inspired by Latin Floribbean cuisine uses grilling methods to create menu of grilled shrimp, chicken breasts and corn in salads, entree and side dishes. Dessert is coconut souffle with chocolate-tangerine sauce. $35. Call (727) 736-6400.

EUPHEMIA HAYE LESSON LUNCHEONS: 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Wed., Euphemia Haye Restaurant, 5540 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key. Chef Raymond Arpke hosts summer lunch lesson and prepares appetizer, entree and dessert. Luncheon and wine pairing after class. This month, cool summer menu includes Caesar salad, shrimp risotto and strawberry shortcakes and a selection of white merlot, pinot gris and muscato. $50. Limited seating. Prepaid reservations required. Call Karen: (941) 383-3633.

SHISH KEBABS VEGETARIAN-STYLE: 7-8 p.m. Wed., 10-11 a.m. June 22, Nature's Harvest Market, 1021 N MacDill Ave., Tampa. Vegetarian chef Debby DeGraaff shows how to make shish kebabs in this free class. Call (813) 873-7428.

ELEGANT DINNER CLASS: 6:30-9 p.m. June 22, Home Gourmet Kitchen Emporium, 471 Main St., Dunedin. Chef Dawn teaches participants how to create a gourmet dinner with such courses as grilled asparagus, beef tenderloin and chocolate risotto pudding in this hands-on class. $45. Call (727) 736-6400.

Food bytes

DREAM ON: At Edy's Dreamery Ice Cream site at http://www.edysdreamery.com, you can have your dreams analyzed by entering places, persons or objects dreamed about, take part in the Cool Scoops Auction through June 30 to win prizes or just check out Dreamery ice cream's cool flavors, such as Grandma's cookie jar, chocolate truffle explosion or cashew praline parfait.

Worth sending for

RED HOT RECIPES: Those who want to turn the heat up even higher this summer can send for Frank's Red Hot sauce's free Taste the Flavor recipe booklet. Recipes with sizzle include buffalo barbecue nuggets, country ribs and chicken kabobs with peanut dipping sauce. Send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to Frank's Red Hot Taste the Flavor, 411 Park St., Upper Montclair, NJ 07043.

Contests

SUMMER FOOD SAFETY CHALLENGE:Get tips on how to prevent foodborne illness and practice safe food handling this summer at Home Food Safety Web site, plus answer all 10 questions correctly and be eligible for grand prize drawing for $2,000 Weber grill. Visit http://www.homefoodsafety.org. by deadline of July 4. For more home food safety help, call the American Dietetic Association's Nutrition Hotline at (800) 366-1655 for recorded information or send self-addressed, stamped business-size envelope to American Dietetic Association, NCND-Home Food Safety Brochure, 216 W Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL 60606.

MAKE DINNER DIFFERENT: Got a tip on how to make a ho-hum dinner more exciting and fun? Enter it in the National Pork Producers Council's Make Dinner Different contest. Grand prize winner can choose from trip for two to San Francisco, New York or other cities or a year's worth of groceries. Submit your tip in 100 words or fewer along with name, address, phone to Make Dinner Different Contest, NPPC, P.O. Box 10383, Des Moines, IA 50306. E-mail entry to http://www.otherwhitemeat.com. Deadline is June 30.

Food talk

"EAT YOURSELF SLIM" SEMINAR AND TASTING: 7-8:30 p.m. Tues., Montignac Nutrition and Learning Center, 800 East Bay Drive, Royal Plaza Shopping Center, Largo. Dr. Christine Laramee and chef Guillaume Alinat share information on how to make healthful changes in eating habits at this free talk and tasting of imported gourmet foods and chocolates. Limited seating. Reply required: (727) 581-3434.

Table talk

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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