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By PEGGY ANDERS
© St. Petersburg Times, published November 8, 2000
Special events and food tastings
CHILIBLAST 2000: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat., Lake Lily, U.S. 17-92 and S Maitland Ave., Maitland. Florida State Championship Chili Cook-Off winner represents the state in the national contest in Las Vegas for $25,000 grand prize, but chiliheads here can watch the competition to see who makes the best bowl of beanless chili. Festival also includes salsa competition, beer garden, entertainment and all-you-can-eat house chili ($5). Free admission. Proceeds benefit programs that help children with disabilities. Call (407) 852-3366.
A FRUITFUL BENEFIT: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat., Albritton's Grove Market, 5947 Clark Center Ave. (east of McIntosh, off I-75 Exit 37), Sarasota. Citrus-inspired creations from Sarasota chefs and cooking instruction, antique cars, kids' entertainment at grand opening to benefit United Cerebral Palsy: (941) 925-0013.
ZOOFARI: 7-11 p.m. Sat., Lowry Park Zoo, 1101 W Sligh Ave (Exit 31 off I-275), Tampa. Tastings from 80 Tampa Bay restaurants such as Buca di Beppo, Hops Brewery and Houlihan's; Art Safari silent auction, live music by Eddie Money. Tickets $70 advance, $80 day of event; call (813) 935-8552, ext. 275. Proceeds benefit conservation and education programs at the zoo.
TEA AND TASTES FOR YOU: Noon to 4 p.m. Sat., the courtyard at Northwood Plaza, McMullen-Booth and Enterprise roads, Clearwater. Beans About Cooking sponsors fine foods and coffee tasting and Winn-Dixie Marketplace will be tasting wines. From 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. author Elizabeth Knight (Tea With Friends) will lecture. Tickets are $7.50 and proceeds from the lecture and sales of Wedgwood china will go to the Safety Harbor Museum of Regional History. Call: (813) 726-1596.
BERN'S WINE DINNER: 6:30 p.m. Tues., Bern's Steak House, 1208 S Howard Ave. , Tampa. Rhone wines teamed up with the cuisine of executive chef Jeannie Pierola for a five-course feast. Wines include Condrieu (a white wine made from the Viognier grape), a Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Hermitage, Cote-Rotie and dessert wine: $95, all inclusive. Call (813) 251-2421 to reserve.
ST. LARRY'S WINE DINNER: 7 p.m. Thur., St. Larry's, Fountains Plaza, 34980 U.S. 19 N, Palm Harbor. Swanson wine and food pairings: $75 per person. Limited seating, call (727) 786-0077, or e-mail saintlarrys@aol.com to reserve.
COOKING FOR THE KIDS: 6:30 p.m. silent auction, 7:30 p.m. dinner, Nov. 15, Harborview Center, 300 Cleveland St., Clearwater. Help a Child Foundation benefit with tastings from restaurants such as Redwoods, Blackstone's Tapas Cafe, Blue Gardenia and St. Larry's: $50. Call: (727) 864-2684.
GOURMET CHEF'S AUCTION: 6-7:30 p.m. tasting and silent auction, 7:30 p.m. live auction, Nov. 16, Raymond James Stadium Club Level, east entrance, Gate B, off Himes Ave., Tampa. Food samples from more than 30 restaurants including Mise en Place Market and Bistro, Shula's Steakhouse, Columbia Restaurant. Wines include Chateau Lafite Rothschild 1950, 1955, Chateau Durfort-Vivens 1920 and a 1995 vintage Perrier-Jouet Champagne Belle Epoque Jeroboam in silent auction. Auction items include two Super Bowl XXXV tickets. Admission: $35. Event benefits March of Dimes. Call (813) 287-2600, ext. 28.
EPCOT INTERNATIONAL FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL: through Nov. 19, EPCOT at Walt Disney World Resort, Orlando. Wine seminars and 30 beers poured along with beer-brewing classes, all daily in the park. Winemaker dinners, grand tastings pair celebrity chefs' food creations and featured wineries (dinners and tastings: $75 and $60 respectively, plus EPCOT admission): (407) WDW-DINE.
PIC PAC WINE TASTING: 5-8 p.m. Fri., Pic Pac Fine Wine and Spirits, 6609 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. Tasting and grand reopening. Temperature-controlled wine room features 50 wines from around the world: (727) 347-0743. Free.
DESSERT WINES: 6:30-8 p.m. Mon., SideBern's, 2208 W Morris Ave., Tampa. Ken Collura, Bern's head sommelier leads this week's wine class on dessert wines: $25. To reserve, call (813) 250-9463.
COLORFUL CRANBERRIES: 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 use cranberries to accent holiday dishes. Call: (813) 873-7428.
HOLIDAY HEALTHCRAFT CLASS: 7-10 p.m. Thur., 5414 Town and Country Blvd., Tampa. Tomato bruschetta, orange barbecue duck and more at this Healthcraft cooking class: $49. One guest per paid participant included in cost, along with recipes. Call (813) 885-5244, ext. 221.
THANKSGIVING FOR COUPLES: 6:30-9 p.m. Fri.10, Home Gourmet Kitchen Emporium, 471 Main St., Dunedin. Menu: oyster and exotic mushroom feuilletee, roast duckling with port sauce, gingered carrots, parsnips and more. Cost: $40 per per person, includes glass of wine. Call (727) 736-6400.
HASSLE-FREE ENTERTAINING: Ideas for sweet potatoes including Sweet Pota-to Cornbread Stuffing, Herbed Sweet Potato Cheese Puff, Island Spiced Upside Down Sweet Potato Cake. Send self-addressed, business-sized envelope to: Hints for Hassle Free Entertaining, North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission, P.O. Box 575, Dept. HPK, Selma NC 27576, or visit online at http://www.ncsweetpotatoes.com.
PEOPLE'S CHOICE BEST CHEF OF TAMPA BAY: 7 p.m. Tues., Home Gourmet Kitchen Emporium, 471 Main St., Dunedin. Two chefs from bay area restaurants square off to create a winning dish. Watch as they prepare a full meal for 17 people in 45 minutes or less, then vote on your favorite: $40 per person (includes meal). Portion of proceeds benefits Hospice of Florida Suncoast. Call (727) 736-6400.
HEART-SMART SHOPPING TOUR: 1-3 p.m. today, Publix at Northeast Shopping Center, 200 37th Ave. N, St. Petersburg. Take an aisle-by-aisle tour with registered dietitians and learn to decipher food labels to make heart-healthy diet choices. Money-saving coupons and healthy recipes included: $12, reservations required. Call: (727) 329-1615.
TURKEY TALK-LINE: Butterball's turkey hotline offers advice. Call (800) 323-4848 through Dec. 22 for advice from experts, or visit online at http://www.butterball.com for 24-hour help, e-mail recipe newsletters and free turkey preparation video.
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.