Food File

By PEGGY ANDERS

© St. Petersburg Times,
published August 15, 2001

Special events and food tastings

FROM EMU TO KANGAROO: 7 p.m. today, Cilantro Grille and Cantina, 3333 S West Shore Blvd., Tampa. Five-course dinner from down under pairs with some of Australia's best wine. Menu includes rattlesnake ravioli, chile rellenos-stuffed emu "meatloaf" and grilled kangaroo tenderloin medallions over potato souffle with green peppercorn demi-glace. $49.95 per person plus tax and gratuity. Call (813) 805-0250.

VEGETARIAN DINING: 7 p.m. Aug. 28, Ajanta Indian Cuisine, 5005 34th St. N. (inside Ramada Inn), St. Petersburg. The Tampa Bay Vegetarians welcome newcomers to their monthly dinner meetings. About $8.25 plus tax and tip. To reserve, call (727) 392-0268 or (727) 443-4589.

FEASTING FOR CHARITY: 5:30-9 p.m. Aug. 29, Tampa Convention Center, 333 S Franklin St., Tampa. Tickets available now for the 10th annual Gourmet Festival and Silent Auction, featuring culinary treats and beverages from more than 60 local vendors. Proceeds benefit the Center for Women. $40 advance, $50 day of event. Call (813) 251-8437, ext. 230.

Wine and beer tastings and classes

HELLO, DALI: 5:30-8 p.m. Thur., A Taste for Wine, 241 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. Take in fine art and fine wines from Spain at the Zodiac Group's wine tasting, accompanied by hors d'oeuvres. Landscapes from the Salvador Dali Museum. $10, members, $5. RSVP: (727) 823-3767.

A TASTE FOR WINE: Two samplings: an ultravalue flight of reasonable wines for casual times, 6-8 p.m. today, $10; and a showcase of Eric Solomon selections from Spain, 6 p.m. Sat., $18, both at A Taste for Wine, 241 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. Call (727) 895-1623.

IT'S IN THE BAG: 7-9 p.m. Fri., Vintage Wine Cellars, 3629 Henderson Blvd., Tampa. Guests try their hand at guessing "brown-bagged" wines in blind tasting. Labels include Edmeades 1998 pinot noir, Concannon 1998 petite sirah, Lolonis 1999 fume blanc. $10. Call (813) 879-2931 to reserve.

CALIFORNIA WINES: 5:30-7:30 p.m. Fri., Grillmarks New World Bistro and Bar, 607 Clearwater-Largo Road (six blocks north of West Bay Drive on Alt. U.S. 19), Largo. Sample the new wines on Grillmarks' wine list from California. Hors d'oeuvres. Free. Call (727) 584-6235.

WINE DOWN: 6-9 p.m. Fri., Grand Cru Wine Cellar, 11724 N Dale Mabry Highway (Main Street Shopping Center), Tampa. Unwind at this week's Work Week Wine Down. $12, includes $5 coupon. Call (813) 269-8463.

BREWERY TOURS: 1-4 p.m. Sat., Dunedin Brewery, 937 Douglas Ave., Dunedin. Sample fresh-brewed ales and handcrafted beers and watch the brewmasters in action. Free. Call (727) 736-0606.

FLAVORS OF FRANCE: 3 p.m. Sat., Wines by Morrell, 2009 N. 22nd St (corner of 22nd Street and Palm Avenue), Ybor City. Tampa Bay Culinary Club invites those interested to join their next meeting where French wines, cheese and pates will be sampled in a seated tasting. $10. Call Jeanne at (727) 789-2605 to reserve.

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

CALIFORNIA VS. FRANCE: 6:30-8 p.m. Mon., Bern's Fine Wine and Spirits, 1002 S Howard Ave., Tampa. Ken Collura leads wine class in a blind tasting of California vs. France's red Rhone varietals. $25. Call for reservations (required): (813) 250-9463.

Cooking classes

GREAT GRILLING: 7-8 p.m. today, 10-11 a.m. Thur., Nature's Harvest Market, 1021 N MacDill Ave., Tampa. Chef Debby DeGraaff shows how to grill vegetarian fare in free class. Call (813) 873-7428.

NO MERE SANDWICH: 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Sat., La Maison Gourmet, 471 Main St., Dunedin. Panini, the Italian pressed and grilled sandwich, is the star in this class. Menu includes grilled roast pork and portobello with roasted red pepper mayo panini, focaccia panini with eggplant, Fontina and tomato. $25. Call (727) 736-3070.

MEXICAN PARTY: 7-9:30 p.m. Aug. 22, La Maison Gourmet, 471 Main St., Dunedin. Listen to the mariachi music while chef John prepares goat cheese tostadas with fried herbs, beef tenderloin with mole sauce, poblano chiles stuffed with shrimp, apples and almonds and Mexican chocolate souffle with custard sauce. $39.50. Call (727) 736-3070.

SEEDS WITH PANACHE: 7-8 p.m. Aug. 22, 10-11 a.m. Aug. 23, Nature's Harvest Market, 1021 N MacDill Ave., Tampa. Add interest to vegetarian dishes by using sunflower seeds in free class with chef Debby DeGraaff. Call (813) 873-7428.

Cooking demonstrations

SUMMER SALSAS: 11:30 a.m. Aug. 22, Summerhouse Restaurant, 6101 Midnight Pass Road, Siesta Key. Make crisp, cool salsas for hot summer nights at Summerhouse International Cookery School. $40, includes lunch with the chef, wine and recipes. To register, call (941) 349-1100 and ask for Sally Barkley, or visit online at www.internationalcookery.com.

Contests

FUNNY FACE: Kids 17 and younger have until Sept. 1 to send in entries to French's "Make a Funny Face" contest to be eligible for grand prize of a family trip to Universal Studios in Orlando. Submit a photo of a funny food face creation, be it a sandwich, burger or hot dog, creatively garnished with French's mustard, along with name and address to French's "Make a Funny Food Face" Contest, P.O. Box 43701, Upper Montclair, NJ 07043.

Food talk

HEART SMART SHOPPING TOUR: Shoppers learn to make heart-savvy grocery choices in aisle-by-aisle tour of grocery store led by registered dietitians, 1-3 p.m. today, Publix, Northeast Shopping Center, 200 37th Ave. N., St. Petersburg. Coupons and healthy recipes included. $12. Reservations required. Call (727) 329-1615.

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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