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By PEGGY ANDERS
© St. Petersburg Times, published November 15, 2000
Special events and food tastings
COOKING FOR THE KIDS: 6:30 p.m. silent auction, 7:30 dinner today, Harborview Center, 300 Cleveland St., Clearwater. Help a Child Foundation benefit presents tasting from restaurants such 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 Thur., 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; bid on wines such as 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.
EMPTY BOWLS, FULL HEARTS: 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Thur., Lykes Gaslight Park, at 400 block of Franklin Street Mall, downtown Tampa. Choose from among painted clay bowls handmade by area elementary students for a simple lunch of soup, bread and an apple at the sixth annual Empty Bowls Thanksgiving Luncheon, and help the Divine Providence Food Bank feed those in need. Silent auction features bowls painted by local art teachers and celebrities. Cost: $10 donation. Call (813) 254-1190.
SOUTHERN LIVING COOKING SCHOOL: exhibits open at 8:30 a.m., show starts at 10; exhibits reopen at 5 p.m., evening show starts at 7 Thur., Manatee Civic Center, One Haben Blvd. (exit 43 off I-75), Palmetto. Learn to make kitchen-tested recipes at Southern Living Cooking School's 25th anniversary event, with culinary demonstrations, time-saving tips for busy cooks, home entertaining and decorating tips, more: $6 gen. admission, $10 reserved seating. Call (941) 748-0411, ext. 5323.
NOUVEAU BEAUJOLAIS MENUS: Thursday heralds the release of this year's Beaujolais nouveau, and special menus paired with the wine will be served in at least two area restaurants Thur.-Sat.: Cafe Largo, 12551 Indian Rocks Road, Largo (727) 596-6282, ($42.50, plus tax and tip), and Kelly's For Just About Anything, 319 Main St., Dunedin, (727) 736-5284, offering beef carpaccio, salmon baked in parchment and butternut squash bisque ($35).
CULINARY CLUB: Sat., La Maison Basque, 3621 W Waters Ave, Tampa. Tampa Bay Culinary Club meets at La Maison Basque, where the chef will demonstrate making of Spanish food. Cost: $10. Call Jamie at (813) 831-3342 to RSVP and for time.
HONEYMOON ISLAND SEAFOOD FEST: 5-10 p.m. Nov. 24, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Nov. 25, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Nov. 26, Honeymoon Island State Park (take Curlew Road east, follow signs for parking), Dunedin. Florida seafood dishes from area restaurants and other vendors, boat show, arts and crafts, live music. Free admission, $4 parking: (727) 733-3197 TAMPA BAY VEGETARIANS: 7 p.m. Nov. 28, Don Pablo's Mexican Kitchen, 8275 Tyrone Blvd., St. Petersburg. The Tampa Bay Vegetarians meet at Don Pablo's Mexican Kitchen. Vegan and ovo-lacto entrees available for $5.99-$7.19. To reserve, call (727) 392-0268.
EPCOT WRAPS UP FESTIVAL: through Sun., EPCOT at Walt Disney World Resort, leave I-4 at exit 25B, west of Orlando. Call (407) 939-3463 for more information on culinary demonstrations by Disney chefs, wine tastings and winemaker dinners.
FOR STONE CRAB LOVERS: through November, Fulton's Crab House, Downtown Disney, Lake Buena Vista. Chefs show off their expertise at Wine Dinner with Artisans and Estates wines, 6:30 p.m. Nov. 29 ($49.95 plus tax and tip) and demonstrations every Tue., Thur. and Fri., benefits Second Harvest Food Bank Kids Cafe. Call Stone Crab Festival hotline: (407) 934-8424.
NEW YORK WINE MERCHANT COMES TO FLORIDA: 3-6 p.m. Sat., Wines by Morrell, 2009 N 22nd St. (corner of 22nd Street and Palm Avenue), Ybor City. Sample among 10 wines priced under $20 from around the world at this tasting by New York-based wine merchant Wines of Morrell. Cost: $15. Call (813) 241-8587.
WINE FROM DOWN UNDER: 7-9 p.m. Fri., Tampa Museum of Art, 600 N Ashley Drive, downtown Tampa. Australian wine tasting hosted by the Avant Garde group and the Winebrats showcases local artists and wines from Australia. Cost: $20 in advance, $25 at door. Call (813) 274-8130.
HOLIDAY WINE TASTING: 7-10 p.m. Sat., Mickey's Snell Isle Market, 1337 Snell Isle Blvd., St. Petersburg. Selection of more than 30 wines, plus hot and cold hors d'oeuvres, and holiday favorites. Cost: $5, redeemable on wine purchase. Call (727) 894-7751.
NOUVEAU BEAUJOLAIS: 3:30-6:30 p.m. Sun., Fancy's Specialty Market, 1003 Fourth St. N, St. Petersburg. Sample this year's nouveau Beaujolais release, along with hors d'oeuvres at this free tasting: (727) 894-5300.
TENDER TURKEY, FLAVORFUL TRIMMINGS: The Montignac Culinary School, 800 East Bay Drive (between Highland and Missouri), Clearwater. Two Thanksgiving classes: Thursday's gives chef's tips on ensuring moist and tender turkeys, and Friday's class features low-fat vegetable side dishes with tips on organizing and preparing for the big day. Classes are 6:30-8 p.m. both days, $35 per class. Call (727) 581-3434.
BASIC COOKING SKILLS: Three-class series begins 6:30 p.m. Thur. at Home Gourmet Kitchen Emporium, 471 Main St., Dunedin. Designed for new home chefs, this series teaches basics like cutlery use, dry and moist heat cooking and more. Cost: $149, or $55 per class. Call (727) 736-6400.
HOLIDAY TAPAS: 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Sat., Home Gourmet Kitchen Emporium, 471 Main St., Dunedin. Spanish tapas, such as charred artichokes with lemon oil, walnut and tomato stuffed mushrooms, pine nut macaroons and more: $35. Call (727) 736-6400.
VEGETARIAN THANKSGIVING FEAST: 7-8 p.m. today, 10-11 a.m. Thur., Nature's Harvest Market, 1021 N MacDill Ave., Tampa. Chef Debby DeGraaff teaches vegetarian Thanksgiving class: (813) 873-7428.
BUILD THE BEST WHOVILLE: Nabisco challenges fans of Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas to build the best Whoville from Nabisco products such as Triscuits, Ritz crackers or Oreos for a chance at a $10,000 savings bond. Entrants should send in a photo or video of their edible architecture by Dec. 15 to: "Who Can Build the Best Whoville Edible Architecture Contest," P.O. Box 311, Parsippany, NJ 07054-0311, or visit http://www.nabiscoworld.com for more information.
OATMEAL FAVORITES: Submit your favorite oatmeal recipe in the category of everyday, lower-fat, or kid favorites in the "Bake It Better With Oats" contest and be eligible for the $10,000 grand prize. Send entries to: Quaker Oatmeal Recipe Contest, P.O. Box 3305, Chicago IL 60654. For complete rules, or to enter online, visit http//:www.quakeroatmeal.com. Deadline is Nov. 30.
HOLIDAY BAKELINE: Need a new dessert, cake or cookie recipe for the holidays? From 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily through Dec. 24, callers to Land O'Lakes' toll-free bakeline can get baking tips and holiday recipe leaflets: (800) 782-9606.
TURKEY TALK-LINE: Call Butterball's turkey hotline for advice on cooking a perfect turkey: (800) 323-4848. Experts staff phones through Dec. 22 to answer questions. Web site: 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. Information from Times wires was used in this column.