Food file

By PEGGY ANDERS

© St. Petersburg Times, published October 18, 2000

Special events and food tastings

CULINARY CLUB: 11 a.m. Sat., Hella's Greek Restaurant, 785 Dodecanese Blvd., Tarpon Springs. Tampa Bay Culinary Club celebrates Mediterranean cuisine with a lunch meeting at Hella's Greek Restaurant. Club meets monthly at various restaurants. Cost: $10. RSVP: Jamie at (813) 831-3342.

NAPA VINTERS/ABILITIES BENEFIT: 7 p.m. Oct. 26, Raymond James Stadium, Tampa. Sip wines and meet winemakers of Atlas Peak Vineyards, Domaine Chandon, ZD Wines and more, with an array of more than 50 wineries, plus tastings from area restaurants. Benefits Abilities of Florida: $100 per person. Call: (727) 538-7370, ext.345 to reserve.

11TH STONE CRAB, SEAFOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL: Oct. 26-29, Colony Beach and Tennis Resort, 1620 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key. Celebrate the opening of stone crab season with culinary demonstrations (10 a.m. Oct. 27-28), "tastings on the beach" seafood and wine feast (Oct. 26 and 27), wine seminars and a six-course dinner (Oct. 28). Call: 941-383-6464 or (800) 282-1138 for specific event times, prices and reservations (events sell out quickly).

Wine and beer tastings

CALIFORNIA WINE FESTVAL: 6-9 p.m. Fri., Vintage Wine Cellars, 3629 Henderson Blvd., Tampa. New labels and recent releases from Zaca Mesa, Estancia, Bonny Doon, Matanzas Creek and more from vineyards in Santa Barbara, Sonoma, Monterey and Napa counties: $15, includes $5 coupon for wine purchase. Call (813) 879-2931 to reserve.

BANFI WINES: 6-9 p.m. Fri., Grand Cru Wine Cellar, 11724 N Dale Mabry Highway (Main Street Shopping Center), Tampa. Banfi wines from Italy, along with Italian cheeses at this wine tasting. Cost: $10 (includes $5 coupon toward wine purchase): (813) 269-8463.

SPANISH REDS: 6:30-8 p.m. Mon., SideBern's, 2208 W Morris Ave., Tampa. Red wines from Spain featured in this week's wine class with David Black: $25. To reserve, call: (813) 250-9463.

WASHINGTON STATE FLIGHT: 6-8 p.m. Tue., A Taste for Wine, 241 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. Tasting of syrahs, Bordeaux blends and cabernets from the northwest: $15. To reserve, call (727) 895-1623.

Cooking classes

WINTER SQUASH: 7-8 p.m. today, 10-11 a.m. Thur., Nature's Harvest Market, 1021 N MacDill Ave., Tampa. Vegetarian cuisine class with chef Debby DeGraaff shows how to use varieties of winter squash in healthy recipes. Free. Call: (813) 873-7428.

CAJUN AND CREOLE CUISINE: 10 a.m.-noon Sat., 5414 Town and Country Blvd., Tampa. Learn to prepare Creole crab cakes, shrimp and scallop jambalaya, and hot and spicy corn bread with chef Charles Knight at this Healthcraft cooking class: $49 per class, $189 for 5-course series. One guest per paid participant included in cost, along with recipes. Limited class size, call: (813) 885-5244, ext. 221.

MUSTARD-MINTED SALMON: 6 p.m. Tues., 10 a.m.-noon Oct. 25, Giancola's Market, 750 S Pinellas Ave., Tarpon Springs. Hands-on instruction on making salmon with mustard mint sauce: $25. Call: (727) 945-8338.

ERIC WEBBER'S TROPICAL CUISINE: 6:30-9 p.m. Tues., Home Gourmet Kitchen Emporium, 471 Main St., Dunedin. Chef Eric Webber creates conch fritters, jerked pork chops, sweet potato fries, fruit skewers with Curacao syrup and more in this hands-on class: $45. Call: (727) 736-6400.

ITALIAN CUISINE: 7-9:30 p.m. Oct. 25, Capa Italian Deli, 10839 Ulmerton Road, Largo. Hands-on Italian cooking class, $20 includes complete meal and recipes, wine extra. Call: (727) 518-6222.

Cooking demonstrations

HEART-HEALTHY COOKING: 5:30 p.m. Oct. 25, the Heart and Vascular Institute of Florida, 603 Seventh St. S, Suite 480, St. Petersburg. Chef Jerry Boucher prepares a heart-healthy meal and shares cooking techniques for low-fat recipes; program by registered dietitians on food choices. Cost: $15 (includes dinner), reservations required, limited seating. Call: (727) 329-1615 to reserve.

Fun stuff

KITCHEN DESIGN: 3-5 p.m. Sat., Home Gourmet Kitchen Emporium, 471 Main St., Dunedin. Free class with certified kitchen designers on creating a functional kitchen. Call: (727) 736-6400.

Worth sending for

SAVVY SNACKING: For free cheese recipes send a self-addressed, stamped No. 10 envelope to: Savvy Snacking with Cheese, ADA Recipe Leaflets, c/o Inland Marketing Services, P.O. Box 2322, La Crosse, Wis 54602-2322.

MAGNIFICENT MEATLOAF: Free brochure from Quaker Oats offers reinvented classics along with favorite comfort foods. Mini Meatball Dippers and Meatloaf Focaccia Sandwich are some of the recipes included, along with nutrition info, side dish suggestions and tips for preparing the perfect meatloaf. Send name and address to: Magnificent Meatloaf Brochure, P.O. Box 487, Chicago, Ill. 60690-0487.

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.

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • Tampa Bay Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright