Food file

By Times staff

© St. Petersburg Times,
published July 25, 2001

Special events and food tastings

DINNER AND ALES: Fri.-Sat., Kelly's For Just About Anything, 319 Main St., Dunedin. Kelly's offers two evenings of four-course dinners paired with Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse, Dunedin Brewery Red Head Red, Wolavers Organic Ale. Menu includes coconut shrimp with banana dipping sauce, goat cheese and gnocchi salad, duck breast with bourbon cherry sauce, hazelnut cake with fudge frosting. $30 a dinner. Call (727) 736-5284 to reserve.

MANGO FESTIVAL: 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Tues., Golden Gate Community Center, 4701 Golden Gate Parkway, Naples. Taste a variety of mangoes and treats such as mango ice cream and dried mangos. Mango chutney contest. Books, fruit and trees for sale. Admission $5, under 12 free. Call (941) 263-0424.

TAPAS TASTE TOUR: 6 p.m. Mon., Blackstone's Tapas Cafe, 301 Gulf Blvd., Indian Rocks Beach. Take a taste tour of Spanish tapas creations from chef Randy Hull, including some of Blackstone's favorites, paired with wines from Jacob's Creek and Wyndham Estates Winery of Australia. $25, inclusive. Call (727) 517-7778.

ISLAND FEST: 7-10 p.m. Aug. 1, Native Seafood Restaurant, Shopper's Village, Isla Del Sol, Pinellas Bayway, St. Petersburg. Sample wines along with cuisine from the Pacific Rim, Latin America, the Caribbean and Florida at Island Wine and Food Fest. Benefits the Mahaffey Theater Foundation. $25 advance, $30 at door. Call (727) 866-8772Wine and beer tastings/classes

SHERRY AND TAPAS: 6:30 p.m. today, J.D. Ford Fine Wines, 1925 S Osprey Ave., Sarasota. Wine expert Graham Thomson selects sherries to go with tapas and other Spanish-style snacks created by chef Darwin Santa Maria at wine-tasting seminar. $35. To reserve, call (941) 362-9463.

LOW-COST TREASURES: 6-9 p.m. Fri., Grand Cru Wine Cellar, 11724 N Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa. This week's Work Week "Wine Down" presents wines for less than $15 a bottle. $12, includes $5 coupon toward wine purchase. (813) 269-8463.

HOT SPOTS, COOL WINES: 7-9 p.m. Fri., Vintage Wine Cellars, 3629 Henderson Blvd., Tampa. Try out new cool wines from hottest new wine regions, including Brancott sauvignon blanc, 1998 Ravenswood "Lodi" zinfandel and Henry Estate pinot noir: $10. Call (813) 879-2931.

SUMMER BURGUNDY: 6-8 p.m. Sat., A Taste For Wine, 241 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. Tasting of white Burgundies of Michel Voarick. $18. Call (727) 895-1623.

BIRD BENEFIT TASTING: 6-8 p.m. Sat., Purple Pelican Cafe, 14705 Gulf Blvd., Madeira Beach. Monthly sampling of wines and appetizers features a selection of reds and whites both domestic and imported. Portion of the proceeds benefits Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary. $10. Call (727) 394-0944 for more information.

CALIFORNIA CABERNETS: 6:30-8 p.m. Mon., Bern's Fine Wine and Spirits, 1002 S Howard Ave., Tampa. David Black leads wine class. $25. Call for reservations (required): (813) 250-9463.

Cooking classes

BEEFLESS BURGERS: 7-8 p.m. today, 10-11 a.m. Thur., Nature's Harvest Market, 1021 N MacDill Ave., Tampa. Make a better burger sans beef in this vegetarian cooking class. Free. Call (813) 873-7428.

FRENCH COUNTRY COOKING: 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Sat., La Maison Gourmet, 471 Main St., Dunedin. Tarragon roast chicken with Champagne sauce, roasted leeks, watercress and endive vinaigrette, pear tart are among items prepared by guest chef Kathy Reddy: $35. Call: (727) 736-3070.

EASY OUTDOOR ENTERTAINING: 6:30-8:30 p.m. Tues., Margaret Ann's Catering, 5625 Fourth St. N, St. Petersburg. Learn to prepare two do-ahead party menus, an alfresco dinner and a casual picnic with ribs and an Oreo pie dessert in hands-on class. $35. Limited class size. Call (727) 525-3983.

SALAD DAYS: 7-8 p.m. Aug.1, 10-11 a.m. Aug. 2, Nature's Harvest Market, 1021 N MacDill Ave., Tampa. Free class on how to create cool summer salads. Call (813) 873-7428.

Cooking demonstrations

SOUTHEAST ASIAN GRILLING: 7-9 p.m. today, La Maison Gourmet, 471 Main St., Dunedin. Vietnamese and other cuisines that use grilling are featured with menu of spring rolls with cilantro-lime dipping sauce, grilled lemongrass Vietnamese beef with peanut sauce, Yunnan (Chinese) potatoes, tapioca maize pudding with coconut cream. $35. Call (727) 736-3070.

Worth sending for

FUN WITH FOOD: Free color booklet from French's encourages kids to have fun with their food by making "funny face" sandwiches and snacks with interesting shapes and ingredients. Send a self-addressed, stamped 6- by 9-inch envelope to French's Fun Family Food, 411 Park St., Upper Montclair, NJ 07043.

Send news of coming events at least two weeks in advance of the publication date to Food File, the St. Petersburg Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731.

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