Cookbook benefits firefighters:The TerryFarrell Firefighters Fund California Firehouse Cookbook, withrecipes from California’s firefighter chefs, is now available atStater Bros. grocery stores. Jim Beam will donate $9.99 from thesale of each book to the Terry Farrell Firefighters Fund, whichhelps out local firefighters and their families. Go toterryfarrellfundca.org.
Peet’s open in Carmel Valley:To celebrate theopening of its Peet’s Coffee & Tea at the NY Garden Deli &Cafe in Carmel Valley, international coffee expert Larry Jones willbe visiting from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday. Free coffee and teasamples will be offered and Jones will talk about his experiencesas a fifth-generation Guatemalan coffee farmer, trader anddistributor. The NY Garden Deli is at the Hilton Garden Inn Hotel,3939 Ocean Bluff Ave., San Diego. Call 858-720-9500.
Sweet Lumpy’s moves:Temecula’s Sweet Lumpy’sBBQ has relocated in Old Town Temecula. Owner John Syroka said hemoved the business to a larger location on May 31 because he wantedto offer live music, special events and beer and wine service. Thenew location at 41915 Third St. can accommodate 150 people, and isnext door to a new 480-car parking garage for easier customeraccess. Call 951-694-4227.
Tango September hours:Escondido’s TangoRestaurant & Lounge will be closed Sunday and Monday and willreopen Tuesday for seven-days-a-week service. On Tuesday, therewill be $2 tacos, margaritas and Stone Brewery drafts until 6 p.m.Go to tangoongrand.com.
Bull Pen opens in Temecula:Bull Pen Burgers& Links opened June 15 at 41653 Margarita Road (the former homeof Allie’s Tapas au Vin), serving what operators call “good eats… cheap drinks.” The restaurant’s menu offers beef hot dogs,sausages (Cajun andouille, Polish, Italian and German) and widevariety of burgers (buffalo, kobe beef, alligator, turkey, ostrich,salmon and chicken, among others). There’s also pasta, salads,sandwiches and “mini” versions of many menu items, according tospokesman Steve Hamlin. The Bull Pen, which opens at 11 a.m. daily,has a full bar and pool tables, with live entertainmentWednesday-Saturday nights. Call 951-695-8620 or visitbullpenburgers.com.
More at Harney:Harney Sushi, with locations inOceanside and San Diego, introduces new executive chef AnthonySinsay. Sinsay has worked with Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group andthe Four Seasons hotels, as well as being a personal chef forcelebrities. He is rolling out new items for the “hot” menu such as”Virtually” Smoked Hamachi With Wasabi Yogurt Spuma; Miso BraisedPork Belly With Kimchee And Charred Long Beans; Dr Pepper SteakWith Shiitake Oatmeal And Blistered Shish*to Peppers; and BaconWrapped Salmon With Cauliflower Puree. The restaurant also has newsushi rolls. The Pirate Roll (spicy tuna topped with shrimp,avocado “swashbuckler sauce” and eel sauce) was created in honor ofthe hometown Oceanside High School mascot. Two others were theresult of a contest among Harney chefs: the Rastatori roll (shrimptempura, avocado, cucumber and cream cheese, topped with ahi poke)and the Mellow Yellow (spicy tuna and shrimp tempura inside, toppedwith yellowtail, avocado and “happy hamachi orange salsa”). Visitwww.harneysushi.com.
Kids eat free at IHOP:Through Sept. 13, IHOPrestaurants are offering a “Kids Eat Free” promotion. From 4 to 10p.m. daily, diners will receive one free Kid’s Meal with purchaseof each adult entree. Only children 12 and under are eligible;drinks not included. Visit ihop.com.
Anthology chef jazzes up menu:In keeping withTuesday night’s regular jazz program at Anthology supper club inSan Diego, chef Eric Bauer is now offering improvised menu optionson Tuesday nights. Some recent options (when the Anthology houseband performs) have been crispy chicken drumsticks flavored withlemon and thyme, macaroni and cheese mixed with braised porkshoulder, and a French toast dessert made with frosted flakescereal, fresh peaches and white chocolate. “Just like John Coltranemight improvise over a classic melody, it’s fun putting my own spinon classic comfort foods,” Bauer said. Bar snacks on Tuesdays startat $3 and entrees start at $12. The Tuesday night menus willcontinue through winter. Anthology is at 1337 India St. Visitanthologysd.com.
Coco’s celebrates National Peach Month:Coco’sRestaurant & Bakery chain is offering a variety of peach-filleddishes to honor Peach Month through Sept. 30. Seasonal dishesinclude peach pies, sundaes, cobblers, biscuits, pancakes, wafflesand salads. Visit cocosbakery.com.
New items at Sammy’s:Sammy’s Woodfired Pizzahas added several dishes: Roast Vegetable Antipasto, Vegetable AndNoodle Curry, Chicken And Roast Chile Tacos, Grilled Shrimp Tacosand Grilled Chicken And Hummus Wrap. Go to sammyspizza.com.
Murrieta cookbook author honored:Murrietaauthor Linda J. Amendt earned the Cordon d’Or Gold RibbonInternational Cookbook Academy Award for her book “175 Best Jams,Jellies, Marmalades & Other Soft Spreads.” The Cookbook AcademyAwards honor the best entries in categories from cookbooks, recipesand culinary literature for cooking schools. The awards werepresented recently at the Don Cesar Resort in St. Petersburg,Fla.
Time for pie: Marie Callender’s has introduced a trio ofsummer fruit pies for a limited time. Fresh Strawberry, Fresh Peachand Fresh Summer Berry pies are $13.99 each; go tomariecallenders.com.
Truluck’s introduces Date Night: Truluck’s restaurant inLa Jolla, which specializes in crab and seafood, is now offering”date night” dining, featuring soup or salad, any entree and ashared dessert, for $35 per person. Truluck’s is at the HyattAventine hotel, 8990 University Center Lane. Call858-453-2583.
Tour San Diego County wines:BorregoSprings-based California Overland is offering a wine-tasting tourof the county’s wines on a troop carrier. The tour includes a stopat Menghini Vineyard, where patrons will get a barbecue of tri-tipand salmon. The 5 1/2-hour tour is $90 per person and departs fromdowntown Julian, with stops for three to four wine tastings. Call760-767-1232 or go to californiaoverland.com.
Quarter Kitchen seasonal menu:Executive chefNathan Coulon of Quarter Kitchen at the Ivy Hotel in San Diego hasreleased a menu packed with local ingredients and flavors. Newitems include the Heirloom Tomato And Burrata Salad, Whole BlueShrimp And Yellow Tomato Gazpacho, and Pan-Seared Northern Halibut,and Macerated Grilled Peaches. Quarter Kitchen also has severalspecial offers. Dine and Dance takes place Thursday throughSaturday nights and features a $55 three-course prix fixe menu withfree entrance into Envy Nightclub. Guests can receive free valetparking with the purchase of an entree Sunday through Thursday; aFashionably Early Bird Menu is offered from 6 to 7 p.m. daily witha three-course prix-fixe menu at $30 a person; and bottles of wineare half-price from 6 to 7 p.m. Sunday through Thursday. Call619-814-2000 or go to quarterkitchen.com.
Carrow’s serves up BBQ:Carrow’s Restaurants inCalifornia and Nevada are serving up barbecue classics throughSeptember for $11.99, and guests can buy a beer and get anappetizer for $1. Summer BBQ items are BBQ Ribs & ChickenCombo, Mixed Grill BBQ Kabobs, BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich and Kickin’BBQ Pork Chop; eligible appetizers are Steak Cut Onion Rings,Golden Chicken Wings and Crispy Baked Calamari. Go tocarrows.com.
Local student wins challenge:Athena Gilson, aculinary student at The International Culinary School at The ArtInstitute of California, San Diego, recently came out at the headof Roy’s La Jolla’s “Aloha Kitchen Challenge.” Gilson cooked upPistachio Sanyo Crunch Tasmanian Steelhead, Red Quinoa FilledSquash Blossom, Heirloom Melon Nectar and Gooseberry Kalbi. Withthe competition victory, Gilson will complete an internship withthe chefs at Roy’s. Go to artinstitutes.edu.
Tango offers 567 Thursdays:Tango Restaurant& Lounge in Escondido has started a new menu called “567,”which offers $5, 6 picks, until 7 p.m. Thursdays. Small barbecueplates include beef, pork, chicken or fish covered in sauce;premium call co*cktails are also $5. Call 760-747-5000 or go towww.tangoongrand.com.
Suite & Tender offers free wine:The SanDiego steakhouse is now offering a free bottle of wine withpurchase of two dinner entrees Sundays through Thursdays, at 1047Fifth Ave. Diners must choose from a special wine list. Call619-515-3003.
Side Bar serves up food, music: Side Bar in theGaslamp Quarter features live music during its happy hour from 5 to9 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, when draft beers are $4, calls are$6 and wines are half off. There are more specials each night ofthe week (except Monday). On Friday, bluegrass funk group Fear Miawill perform, followed by acoustic singer/songwriter Allegra Barleyon Saturday. Menu items include appetizers, burgers, pizzas,salads, panini and desserts. Go to sidebarsd.com.
Court cafe at Balboa Park:Giuseppe Ciuffa,owner of Giuseppe Restaurants and Fine Catering, has opened theSDMA Sculpture Court Cafe in Balboa Park at the San Diego Museum ofModern Art. The European-style cafe features artisan pizzas,panini, cheese plates, beers, wines, espresso drinks and more.Specialties include the Giuseppe Special (grilled chicken, tricolorpeppers, caramelized onions and Swiss cheese on a baguette) andMexican Papaya and Shrimp Salad. The cafe is open from 11 a.m. to 8p.m. Tuesday through Sunday in summer, but will close at 4 aftersummer. Happy hour is from 3 to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.Call 619-702-6373 or go to www.giuseppecatering.com.
Water boutique opens:Numero Water Boutique hasopened a location in Little Italy with premium natural springwaters and a water tasting bar, mineral foot baths, foot massages,a tea lounge and classes. Go to www.numerowater.com.
MNF at Tango:Tango Restaurant & Lounge inEscondido invites customers to its lounge for Monday NightFootball, $3 certified Angus beef burgers and $3.50 cheeseburgers.A side of onion rings or fries is $2. Call 760-747-5000 or go totangoongrand.com.
Dining events
“The Art of Food and Wine” Dinner:The GrandDel Mar Resort in Carmel Valley will host a prix-fixe, five-coursewine dinner at 7 p.m. Thursday at its Addison Restaurant as part ofthe Beyond the Border International Contemporary Art Fair. FourWest Coast chefs will prepare a course paired with wine from theirregion. The chefs are Addison’s William Bradley, Angela Tamura ofZuZu in Napa, Javier Placensia of Romescos in Valle de Guadalupe,Baja Mexico, and Wolfgang Gussmack of 3 Square in Venice. Wineswill be selected by Grand Del Mar advanced sommelier JesseRodriguez and guest sommelier Chris Blanchard of Chappallet Wineryin Napa. Tickets are $200 and seating is limited. Register atbeyondtheborder-art.com.
Westgate wine journeys:The Westgate Hotel inSan Diego is holding monthly Wine Journeys in the Westgate Room,1005 Second Ave. On Friday and the first Friday of each month, athree-course “journey” dinner with wine pairing will be $49 perperson. Call 619-238-1818 or go to westgatehotel.com.
Farmers market expands:On Sunday, theFallbrook Town Center Certified Farmers Market will begin operatingon Sundays as well as its normal Fridays, occupying the Caffe Primoparking lot from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. More than 20 vendors will selllocal meats, vegetables, fruits, eggs, flowers and baked goods.Call 760-723-8384.
Experience Jsix:Jsix restaurant and ChefChristian Graves will begin offering the “Chef’s KitchenExperience” on select Sundays through December. The experienceincludes an outing to the Hillcrest Farmers Market to selectingredients that will then be prepared as part of a three-coursemeal. Transportation to the market and back, the three-course meal,wine or co*cktail pairing with each course and parking are includedfor $120 per person. Dates are Sunday, Oct. 4, Nov. 8 and Dec. 13(sessions begin at 10 a.m.). Call 619-531-8744; the restaurant isat 616 J St. in the Gaslamp Quarter. Go to jsixsandiego.com.
All-American festival:The Palomar CollegeFoundation and the Education for Heroes Fund Committee are teamingwith Joey’s Smokin’ BBQ to host an All-American Festival Sunday atthe restaurant. Proceeds will go to the Education for Heroes Fund,which provides scholarships for veterans. There will be a barbecueand chili competition, music, a Corvette and Harley Davidson show,and prizes. Call 760-744-1150, ext. 2733, or go towww.palomar.edu/foundation/heroesfund.
Lobster on the Green:The Rotary Club ofFallbrook hosts its annual “all-you-can-eat Maine lobster andsirloin steak” fundraiser at 5 p.m. Sept. 11 at Ingold Sports Park,2551 Olive Hill Road. Program includes dinner, silent and liveauction, live music and a 9/11 memorial ceremony. Early bird ticketpricing is $75 before July 31 and $80 afterward. Ticket sales closeSept. 3. Visit lobsteronthegreen.com or 760-510-0945.
Crab & Rib Fest ’09:Pacific Marine CreditUnion and Oceanside Rotary present the all-you-can-eat crab andribs dinner, with live music by the Oceanside Society Orchestra anda raffle and silent auction; 6 p.m. Sept. 11; Mission San Luis Rey,Oceanside; $40 in advance; $45 at door; $10, children ages 7 to 12;www.oceansidecarotary.org.
Zoofari fundraiser:Zoofari will holds itsthird annual Safari Soiree at 6 p.m. Sept. 12 at Thomas D.Mangeisen’s Images of Nature Gallery, 7916 Girard Ave., La Jolla.Enjoy co*cktails, wine tasting and hors d’oeuvres; see live animalsand more. Tickets are $95 in advance or $110, and proceeds benefitJaguar and Cotton Top Tamarin conservation, education programs forTitle I schools, Zoofari’s family of animal ambassadors and fieldbiologists. Call 760-630-9230 or go to www.zoofari.net.
Dine With the Chefs Cirque de Cuisine:A galafor Meals-on-Wheels Greater San Diego will be held from 4 to 8 p.m.Sept. 13 at the Hilton San Diego Resort Mission Bay, 1775 E.Mission Bay Drive, San Diego. Menu samplings will be offered byAthens Market, Bellagio Ristorante, Bully’s East, Fiesta de Reyes,Supreme Catering, dazzleM desserts, Lido’s Italian Foods and WildThyme Co. There will also be live music and live and silentauctions. Whimsical attire suggested. Tickets are $150. Call619-260-6110, ext. 4041, or go to www.meals-on-wheels.org.
Restaurant Week returns:San Diego RestaurantWeek returns Sept. 13-18, it will feature more than 180 restaurantsthat will offer $20, $30 and $40 three-course menus. Restaurantsinclude The Marine Room, The Shores Restaurant, Wild Note Cafe,Pacific Coast Grill, Zocalo, Vincent’s and more. This year, CarmelValley-based celebrity chef Sam “The Cooking Guy” Zien will providediners with video tips on the Restaurant Week Web site atwww.sandiegorestaurantweek.com.
Trattoria Acqua extends Restaurant Week menu:La Jolla’s Trattoria Acqua, a San Diego Restaurant Weekparticipant, will extend its $30 prix-fixe menu for the week ofSept. 20-26. Meal options include lobster ravioli, bacon-wrappedfilet mignon, lemon coconut cake and more. Go towww.trattoriaacqua.com.
Mount Palomar grape stomp:Temecula’s MountPalomar Winery will hold its annual harvest festival and grapestomp at 11:30 a.m. Sept. 13 at 33820 Rancho California Road. Therewill be grape stomping, food, wine, live music and more. Ten pairswill compete in the stomp, with prizes; also, prizes for bestcostume and best team name. Tickets are $40 per person or $75 percouple ($35 per person or $65 per couple for Wine Club members);there is no charge to cheer on the teams. Call 951-676-5047, ext.112, or go to www.mountpalomar.com.
Bernardo Winery grape stomp:Bernardo Winerywill hold its Grape Stomp & Italian Festa at 4 p.m. Sept. 13;tickets are $65 for one and $125 for a couple. The event includesdinner, wine tasting and a performance by Roman Holiday; call858-487-1866.
Westgate celebration dinner: Westgate Hotel in San Diegowill hold a Mexican Independence Day Celebration on its RivieraTerrace at 6 p.m. Sept. 15. There will be a champagne reception andMexican dinner buffet with live entertainment. Tickets are $49;call 800-522-1564 or go to westgatehotel.com.
Farmers, Foragers and Fishermen Dinner: Loews CoronadoBay Resort presents the latest in its seasonal dinner series thatallows guests to dine with those who produce, harvest and catch themeal’s ingredients. Kanaloa Seafood will host the next dinner from5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Sept. 16 at Loew’s Mistral. The cost is $48. Thenext event in December will feature hands-on foraging in theresort’s organic herb and vegetable garden. Call (619) 424-4000,ext. 4475.
Festival of Beer:The 15th annual San DiegoFestival of Beer will return at 6 p.m. Sept. 18 with 120 microbrewsfrom 60 breweries, live music, $5 parking, wine and food. Proceedsbenefit local cancer charities. Advance tickets are $25 and include10 beer tastings; additional tastings can be purchased inside. Goto www.sdbeerfest.org.
Callaway grape stomp:Callaway Winery inTemecula will hold its annual harvest festival and grape stomp at 4p.m. Sept. 19 at 32720 Rancho California Road. There will be livemusic, grape stomping, wine-related competitions, wine tasting anda gourmet buffet. Tickets are $65; go towww.callawaywinery.com.
Chili cook-off:Santa Ysabel Casino will holdits second annual Back Country Chili Cook-Off and HorseshoeTournament at 10 a.m. Sept. 19. Chili sampling tickets are $5, withproceeds going to the Ramona Senior Center. Chili cook-offregistration is $55 per entry or team; the winner of “Best BackCountry Chili” receives $1,000, second place gets $500 and thirdplace wins $200. Southern California tribal casinos will also becompeting against each other in the “Casino Category.” Call760-787-2203 or go to www.santaysabelcasino.com.
Taste of Escondido:Downtown Escondido willhold the Festival of Escondido, including A Taste of Escondido,from 1 to 5 p.m. Sept. 19 along Grand Avenue. Guests can enjoysamples from 15 participating restaurants and live music for $15.For $20, guests can also get access to the beer garden, whichincludes 10 beer or wine tastings. Go to downtownescondido.com.
Oak Mountain Winery grape stomp:Oak MountainWinery in Temecula will hold its annual grape stomp at 3 p.m. Sept.20 with wine, a barbecue, live entertainment and more. All stomperswill receive a bottle of grape-stomp wine. Tickets are $50; go tooakmountainwinery.com.
Dream Dinners packing event:Dream Dinners inPoway will host its next packing event Sept. 20 to assemble mealsto be shipped to Tanzania. Over the past two years, Dream Dinnersin Poway has hosted 15 such events, sending 1.2 million meals tothe country. Go to dreamsdinners.com.
Cold Stone fundraiser:Cold Stone Creamery,with multiple locations in Southern California, will host the”World’s Largest Ice Cream Social” from 5 to 8 p.m. Sept. 24 tobenefit Make-A-Wish Foundation. Customers can receive a 3-ounceserving of Jack’s Creation —- created by a 5-year-old Make-A-Wishchild —- in exchange for a donation. Jack’s Creation has sweetcream ice cream, brownie, sprinkles and fudge. See a list ofparticipating stores at www.coldstonecreamery.com.
Taste of Downtown:More than 50 restaurantswill participate in this San Diego tasting event from 5 to 9 p.m.Sept. 24. Restaurants in the Gaslamp Quarter, financial district,East Village and Little Italy will offer menu samplings. Ticketsare $35 in advance and $40 at the gate. For tickets, call619-233-5008 or visit www.dtsd.org.
“Taste of Opera” events:San Diego Opera isbringing back “Taste of Opera,” events that introduce the 2010season with dinners and events. Great News! Discount Cookware andCooking School and Chef Katherine Emmenegger will hold four cookingclasses themed for the four operas in 2010: “La Boheme” (French; 6p.m. Oct. 16), “Nabucco” (Israeli/Persian, 6 p.m. Nov. 13), “Romeoand Juliet” (romantic; 6 p.m. Dec. 11) and “La Traviata (champagne;6 p.m. Jan. 15). Classes are $59, and registration begins Sept. 1;call 888-GR8-CHEF or go to www.great-news.com. Also, a number ofrestaurants will hold “Entertaining Entrees to Opera” throughoutthe rest of the year. Call 619-533-7000 or go towww.sdopera.com/experience/tasteofopera (also has menus).Schedule:
— 6:30 p.m. Sept. 24: The University Club atop Symphony Towers;$60
— 6:30 p.m. Sept. 29: Bertrand at Mister A’s; $50
— 6:30 p.m. Oct. 28: Tapenade; $40
— 6:30 p.m. Dec. 2: Currant Brasserie; $30
Lima Bean weekend:The San Dieguito HeritageMuseum will hold the “Lima Bean Cook Off Weekend” on Sept. 25-27 atthe museum, 450 Quail Gardens Drive in Encinitas. Sept. 25 includesa talent show and tequila tasting; tickets to the show are $15. Thecookoff will be from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 26 with the cookoff, acraft fair, children’s activities, lima bean poker and bingo, beerand food; admission is free, but tasting tickets are $15. And from11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sept. 27, there will be a follies show andlunch for $25. Go to sdheritage.org or call 760-632-9711.
Taste at ArtSplash:ArtSplash in Carlsbad willhost Taste at ArtSplash at 2 p.m. Sept. 26 with food from CarlsbadGourmet/Isaac’s Catering, King’s Fish House, Mimi’s Cafe, Pat &Oscar’s, Pelly’s, Pollos Maria, Romano’s Macaroni Grill and more.ArtSplash takes place on Armada Drive between Cannon and PalomarAirport roads. Tickets are $20; go towww.carlsbadartsplash.org.
Wine and chocolate:Wilson Creek Winery willhost the 13th annual “A Day of Wine and Chocolate” benefiting theHospice of the Valley at 4 p.m. Sept. 27. The event featuresmusician Sligo Rags, chocolate, wines and more. Chocolate, cheeseand desserts will be provided by Xocai Healthy Chocolate, JodeesBakery Cakes, It’s a Deli, Trader Joe’s, Creekside Grill, TemeculaValley Cheese Co., Winchester Cheese and more. More than a dozenwineries will be pouring their wines, including Briar Rose,Callaway, Falkner, Wilson Creek and more; tickets are $50 inadvance and $60 at the door. Call 951-678-1456 or 951-200-7800.
Ponte grape stomp:The Temecula winery hostsits seventh annual Grape Stomping Festival from 4 to 9 p.m. Sept.27 at 35053 Rancho California Road. The event includes live music,dancing, a harvest buffet, wine samples, portrait photography,vineyard tours and grape stomping. Tickets are $95 for adults and$46 for children 12 and under. Call 951-694-8855.
Riverside Restaurant Week:Restaurants inRiverside will host the annual Restaurant Week, where dozens ofeateries will offer fixed-price, three-course lunch and dinnermenus Sept. 27 through Oct. 10. Lunches will be $20 and dinners$35. A gala fundraiser will launch the event at 5 p.m. Sept. 27 atthe Riverside Municipal Auditorium. Tickets are $50. For menus anddetails, visit finediningriverside.com.
South Coast grape stomp:South Coast Winery& Resort in Temecula will hold its Blessing of the Wine GrapeStomp & Harvest Celebration at 4 p.m. Sept. 27. There will be abarbecue, hand-crafted wines, hayrides, dancing and more. Ticketsare $55 for adults and $15 for children. Call 951-587-9463, ext.7210, or go to wineresort.com.
Culinary Cinema Series:The Oceanside Museum ofArt invites people to celebrate Jewish culture through food, filmand art at its next Culinary Cinema Series at 6 p.m. Oct. 1. Theevent, with the Holocaust exhibition “Fabric of Survival: The Artof Esther Nisenthal Krinitz,” will include a screening of “CrossingDelancey” and kosher-style cuisine. Tickets are $75 ($60 for museummembers); call 760-435-3721 (reservations required).
San Marcos restaurant week:Restaurant Weekreturns to the restaurants at Old California Restaurant Row fromOct. 1-11. Prix-fixe menus range from $10 to $30 and include anappetizer, entree and dessert, with up to three options for eachcourse. Participating are Acapulco Mexican Restaurant &Cantina, Bruno’s Italian Restaurant, Chin’s Grill, China Wokery,Cocina del Charro, 55 Yardline Grill & Sports Bar, Fish HouseVera Cruz, IHOP San Marcos, India Princess, Katsu Sushi &Teppan Grill, King & I Thai Restaurant, Market Street Cafe, OldCalifornia Coffee House & Eatery, Old California Mining Companyand San Marcos Brewery & Grill. Go to oldcalrestaurantrow.com.Restaurant Row is at 1020 San Marcos Blvd.
Fall barrel tasting:Four North County winerieswill hold a 2009 fall barrel tasting from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 3.The four wineries, in an alliance called Hidden Valley Wineries,are Belle Marie Winery, Bernardo Winery, Cordiano Winery and DeerPark Winery. Passports are $35 and allow holders to visit all fourwineries in any order they wish (three tastes at each stop). Go towww.bellemarie.com/news/index.htm.
Cooks Confab Whole Hog dinner:Cooks Confab, acollective of San Diego County executive chefs, will co-host “WholeHog,” an all-pork dining event, from 6 to 10 p.m. Oct. 4 at Kitchen1540 at the L’Auberge Del Mar resort, 1540 Camino Del Mar. Kitchen1540’s Paul McCabe will prepare pork dishes with chefs from A.R.Valentien, Nine-Ten, Cafe Chloe, Stingaree, Roseville, Waters FineCatering, and Farm House Cafe. Program includes an appetizerreception followed by a multicourse dinner. Cost is $90 (a portionof proceeds benefits Slow Food Urban San Diego). Reserve tocooksconfab.com.
Festa! planned for Oct. 11:Little Italy willhost the 15th Festa! from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 11 in the LittleItaly neighborhood, featuring Italian food, entertainment, art,sports and fun. Local restaurants will serve up everything frompizza to pasties to pastas to giant calamari. There will also be abeer and wine garden. Go to www.littleitalysd.com.
Chef showdown:Center for Community Solutionswill hold its fifth annual “Chef Showdown —- Taking a StandAgainst Domestic Violence” at 6 p.m. Oct. 22 at the NTC Promenadein Point Loma. The culinary showdown will include chefs from Avenue5, Cafe Japengo, Kitchen 1540, Truluck’s and ore. Guests can enjoyfood, beverages and live entertainment, as well as live and silentauctions. Competition judges are Brian Malarkey, Sam “The CookingGuy” Zien, Marine Room’s Bernard Guillas and Isabel’s Cantina’sIsabel Cruz. Tickets are $125; call 858-272-5777 or go towww.ccssd.org.
Celebrate the Craft at Torrey Pines:Artisansand gourmet chefs will return to The Lodge at Torrey Pines on Oct.31 and Nov. 1 for “Celebrate the Craft,” a showcase for regionallygrown ingredients, cooking and winemaking. Food and wine will bepaired with The Torrey Pines Plein Air Invitational. Featuredevents include a reception and art auction on Oct. 31 (dinner is$125) and a picnic on the Arroyo Terrace on Nov. 1 with foodstations ($65). Call 858-453-4420 or go tolodgetorreypines.com.
Monster Mash:Oceanside Museum of Art will holda Monster Mash at 6 p.m. Oct. 31 at the Oceanside Elks Lodge. Theevent includes The California Rockslyde Band, buffet dinner withwine, a costume contest (winner receives $100), auctions and more.Tickets are $85 ($75 for museum members); call 760-435-3720.
Wine and art walk:The La Jolla Gallery &Wine Walk will take place at 5 p.m. Nov. 5 and features more than25 La Jolla galleries, food from the village’s restaurants and winealong the way. More than 15 restaurants will offer samples. Ticketsare $30 in advance and $35 at the door, with proceeds benefitingPromote La Jolla. Call 619-233-5008 or go tolajollabythesea.com/gallery.
Beer Week:San Diego will hold its first BeerWeek from Nov. 6 to 15 to celebrate the local brewing scene andencourage people to drink local craft beer. For those 10 days, SanDiego bars, restaurants and hotels will host variety of events,including beer and cheese tastings, “Meet the Brewers” nights,classes and tours. The week will kick off with the San DiegoBrewer’s Guild’s Beer Festival with more than 80 San Diego-brewedbeers being poured. Go to sdbw.org.
Harvest Celebration:Temecula wineries willparticipate in the Harvest Celebration from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.Nov. 7 and 8 throughout Wine Country. A two-day ticket allowsguests to visit more than 20 wineries, which each offer food andbarrel/tank samples. Tickets are $79 before Oct. 5 and $89 after;go to temeculawines.org.
San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival:CookingLight magazine will sponsor the annual festival, scheduled for Nov.15-22 in San Diego. This year’s festival will feature wine-tastingseminars, cooking classes, reserve tastings, wine dinners, and theGrand Tasting Event, an all-day showcase of more than 800 wines, 70local restaurants and 30 gourmet foodmakers. Guest chefs this yearinclude Brian Malarkey, Bernard Guillas, Sam “The Cooking Guy”Zien, Alex Stratta, Billy Strynkowski and Paul Bartolotta, alongwith winemaker Peter Mondavi Jr. and master sommelier JosephSpellman. Tickets are on sale at 619-342-7337 orworldofwineevents.com.
Classes
Alchemy of the Hearth:Alchemy of the Hearthand the Poway Adult School are teaming to offer teen culinary andpatisserie cooking classes called “Teen Chefs in the Making” and”Teen Pastry Chefs in the Making.” Classes for ages 13 and up beginSept. 15 and will take place at 3 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays atRancho Bernardo High School. Call 858-668-4000 or go towww.powayadultschool.com or www.alchemyofthehearth.com.
— Sept. 15-Oct. 6 (four classes): Culinary Basics; $89
— Sept. 16 (one class): Baking Basics; $29
— Sept. 23-30 (two classes): Artisan Breads and Croissants;$59
— Oct. 7-14 (two classes): Pies, Tarts, Strudels; $55
— Oct. 13-Nov. 3 (three classes): Stocks, Soups, Sauces;$69
— Oct. 21 (one class): Cookies; $29
— Nov. 4-18 (two classes): Cakes, Frosting, Decor; $49
— Nov. 11-Dec. 1 (three classes): All About Beef, Pork,Poultry; $109
— Dec. 2-9 (two classes): Chocolate & Candy Making; $69
— Dec. 8 (one class): All About Breakfast & Lunch; $29
Behind the Scenes Catering & Events:Thecatering company teaches customers to prepare not-so-typical foodson the grill —- pizza, sliders, salad and pork loin —- in itskitchen at 9888 Waples St., San Diego. Call 858-638-1400 or go tobtscenes.com.
Cafe Merlot:The restaurant in the BernardoWinery holds wine and cooking classes at 13330 Paseo del VeranoNorte in Rancho Bernardo; $50 per person; call 858-592-7785.
Captain Cook’s children’s classes:CaptainCook’s Culinary Academy for Kids hosts children’s classes with anew organic menu each week: “Lil Explorers” (ages 4-7) from 3:30-5p.m. Tuesdays; “First Mates” (ages 7 to 13), 3:30-5 p.m. Mondays orWednesdays. Classes cost $40 or $100 for three. Captain Cook’s isat 6986 El Camino Real, Suite C. Call 760-431-2278 or go towww.captaincooksculinaryacademy.com.
Captain Cook’s adult classes:Captain Cook’sCulinary Academy for Kids is hosting adult classes at 7 p.m.Thursdays. All classes are $45 (or $120 for three). Captain Cook’sis at 6986 El Camino Real, Suite C, Carlsbad. Call 760-431-2278 orgo to www.captaincooksculinaryacademy.com.
Frugal eating class:OASIS will hold a FrugalEating Class at 1 p.m. Oct. 6 at the North County OASIS at theJoslyn Senior Center, 201 E. Park Ave. in Escondido. The class willgive participants menu ideas for under $5 each; no cookingdemonstration or food served. Class is $4, plus a processing feeand $2 materials fee. Call 760-839-6020 or go towww.oasisnet.org/escondido.
Grand Del Mar Culinary series:These monthlytwo-hour sessions take place year-round, conducted by the resort’schefs. Call 858-314-2000. The Grand Del Mar is at 5300 Grand DelMar Court. Classes are in the resort kitchen unless otherwisenoted. Upcoming:
— 6:30 p.m. Sept. 14: A is for Apples —- Apple Tart Tartin,Apple Cider and Apple Chutney; $95 (Addison)
— 6:30 p.m. Oct. 14: Wines for Fall Feasts —- Reds and whitesfor fall, and pairings such as Braised Short Ribs with Apple Pureeand Seared Scallops with Parsnip Puree; $75
— 6:30 p.m. Nov. 18: Traditional Thanksgiving Family Feast —-Recipes for Thanksgiving, including Roasted Turkey, CranberryStuffing and Potato Puree; $75
— 6:30 p.m. Dec. 2: A Baker’s Holiday —- Chocolate GanacheBuche de Noel, Pumpkin Creme Brulee, Painted Cookies and CitrusPanna Cotta; $65
Great News! Discount Cookware & CookingSchool:The San Diego school hosts cooking classes at 1788Garnet Ave. (in the Pacific Plaza at Garnet Avenue and JewellStreet); reserve to 858-270-1582, ext. 3, or go towww.great-news.com. Reserve early; classes fill quickly.
— 10:30 a.m. Thursday: Mediterranean Feast; $49
— 6 p.m. Thursday: Margaritaville; $59
— 6 p.m. Friday: Fondue and Hands-On Raclette Party withSwissmar; $49
— 11 a.m. Saturday: Holy Guacamole, It’s Kick Off Time!;$49
— 10:30 a.m. Tuesday: Vegetarian Feast; $49
— 6 p.m. Tuesday: Getting Started in the Kitchen —- MoistHeat Cooking I; $44
— 6 p.m. Wednesday: Hands-On Basic Sushi; $69
— 10:30 a.m. Sept. 10: Simple Fish Recipes; $49
— 6 p.m. Sept. 10: Classic Sauces With a Twist; $49
The Kitchen Witch: The Encinitas school hosts cookingclasses at 127 N. El Camino Real; call 760-942-3288 or go towww.kitchenwitchonline.com.
— 6 p.m. Wednesday: Five Ingredient Main Dishes;$59
— 6 p.m. Sept. 10: Sushi Four Ways; $69
— 6 p.m. Sept. 11: Special Dinner Party;$59
— 11 a.m. Sept. 12: Think Outside the Box;$34
— 6 p.m. Sept. 14: An Evening with Firefly;$59
— 6 p.m. Sept. 16: Fantastic Fish; $59
— 11 a.m. Sept. 17: From the Heart of Italy: TuscanWine Tasting; $59
— 6 p.m. Sept. 17: Rice and Beans, An InternationalSampler; $59
— 11 a.m. Sept. 19: Fish With a Conscience;$59
— 6 p.m. Sept. 21: Pacifica Classics; $59
— 6 p.m. Sept. 22: The Everyday Gourmet;$59
— 6 p.m. Sept. 23: Blue Cheese Specialties;$59
— 6 p.m. Sept. 24: Vietnamese Cuisine; $59
— 12 p.m. Sept. 25: Learn-A-Lunch, Italian Style;$34
— 6 p.m. Sept. 25: Wine Bar Wine Flight with MatchingTapas (Red Wines); $59
— 11 a.m. Sept. 26: Knife Skills; $49
— 6 p.m. Sept. 29: Restaurant Style Main Dishes MadeEasy; $59
— 11 a.m. Sept. 30: Fast Fish Entrees; $59
Macy’s School of Cooking: The school is in the Macy’sMission Valley Home Store, 1555 Camino de la Reina, San Diego. Call888-424-FOOD or go to macys.com/events and type 92108 in the ZIPcode field.
Quail Botanical Gardens:Chef ElizabethPodsiadlo, the “Opera Singing Chef,” holds cooking classes at QuailBotanical Gardens (different teacher as noted); classes are $25 formembers and $30 for nonmembers and include recipes and tastings.Call 760-436-3036, ext. 206, or go to qbgardens.org.
— 1:30 p.m. Sept. 5: Food and Wine Pairing
Ro Z’s Sweet Art Studio:Rosanne Zinniger’scake decorating shop and studio at 277 S. Rancho Santa Fe Road, SanMarcos, offers classes in cake decorating. Call 760-744-0447 orrozsweetartstudio.com. The studio is also offering summer culinaryadventures for kids on making favorite dishes with a healthy twist;cost is $200 for 15 hours of instruction from Rosanne. Call PalomarCollege for Kids at 760-744-1150, ext. 2702, for the camps.
San Diego Natural History Museum:The museumwill hold a series of lectures on sustainable food this fall.Lectures and kick-off party are $5. Go towww.sdnhm.org/sustainableplanet:
— 6:30 p.m. Sept. 22: Food for Thought —- Sustainable Planetkick-off party
— 6:30 p.m. Oct. 6: Growing a Social Movement to Change theFood System
— 6:30 p.m. Nov. 10: Cultivating Justice Through SustainableFood Systems
— 6:30 p.m. Dec. 1: Sustainable Agriculture: A NecessaryTradition
— 6:30 p.m. Jan. 12: Ecology of Soil: A Public HealthConcern
— 6:30 p.m. Feb. 2: Eating Greener: The Ecology of Food
— 6:30 p.m. March 2: Victory Gardens: Join the GardenRevolution
— 6:30 p.m. May 4: Developing Sustainable Foodsheds: The NextSteps in Eating Local
Tea service classes:Barbara Barker of MemoriesEnglish Tea Garden in Vista offers themed classes and afternoonteas in a private Vista garden. For directions, call 760-945-0476.Classes coming up:
— Noon Sept. 12: Lavender afternoon tea and the healing powerof crystals; $10
The Whole Journey:The Whole Journey, aholistic counseling and product awareness company, will offer freegrocery tours at Seaside Market at 2087 San Elijo Road,760-753-5445 in Cardiff, free health and nutrition seminars atWhole Foods at 8825 Villa La Jolla Drive in La Jolla 858-642-6700,and cooking classes at Sur La Table at 1915 Calle Barcelona inCarlsbad 760-635-1316. Call to reserve a space; go tothewholejourney.net.
Wine certification:The Wine Smarties willpresent internationally recognized WSET certification programsbeginning Sept. 14 at Tango Wine Company in Little Italy. Thesecond group of classes begin Oct. 3 at the UCSD Loft on campus.The courses are ideal for enthusiasts, professionals or thoselooking to enter the industry. Class is $675, and the optional examis $125. Call 619-955-8884 or go to winesmarties.com.
Winemaking seminar:Callaway Winery in Temeculawill hold its autumn winemaking seminar at 10 a.m. Sept. 26. Guestscan pick grapes in the vineyard and help with the crush process.Seminar is $75 (attend all four, which run through July, for $270);go to www.callawaywinery.com.
In the spirits
Acqua Al 2: The Gaslamp Quarter restaurant hosts winetastings during “Uncorked” the first Wednesday of every month at322 Fifth Ave. in San Diego. For $20, guests taste four wine/spiritselections paired with four appetizers. Reservations are required;call 619-230-0382 or go to acquaal2.com.
Carlsbad Wine Merchants: Hosts tastings at 5 p.m.Fridays and 4 to 7 p.m. Saturdays for a fee at 5814 Van Allen Way,Suite 155, Carlsbad. Call 888-750-WINE or visitwww.CarlsbadWineMerchants.com.
Decanter Wine Lounge & Restaurant:TheRancho Santa Fe restaurant and wine lounge hosts wine tastingclasses Wednesdays at 18025 Calle Ambiente (in the Cielo HillsideVillage). Tastings are $15; reservations are required. Call858-756-9333 or go to decanterwinelounge.com.
ENO-Versity at the Hotel Del:ENO, the wine,cheese and chocolate tasting room at the Hotel del Coronado, hasannounced its 2009 classes for ENO-Versity. Classes are $35 perperson and start at 4 p.m.; call 619-522-8546 or go tohoteldel.com. The Hotel Del is at 1500 Orange Ave. in Coronado.
— Sept. 12: Sparkling Wines
— Sept. 19: Ted’s Favorite Things
— Oct. 24: Taste of Spain
— Oct. 31: Halloween
Fifty Barrels Winery and Tasting Room:Hoststastings from 5 to 8 p.m. Fridays and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdaysat 3800 Oceanic Drive, Suite 106, Oceanside. Call 760-696-2998 orgo to carlsbadcoastal.com.
Harvest Ranch Market Del Mar:Wine tastingsfrom 5-7:30 p.m. plus appetizers for $10-$20. The store is at 1555Camino Del Mar, Suite 203, Del Mar. Call 858-847-0555.
Holiday Wine Cellar:Daily tastings from 5:30-7p.m. at 302 W. Mission Ave., Escondido. Wine Down Mondays featurefive wine tastes for $5 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Mondays, and “Hop Overthe Hump Wednesdays” are weekly beer-tasting events for $5. Call760-745-1200.
— 5:30 p.m. Tuesday: George Schneider & Sohn Brewery;$5
— 5:30 p.m. Nov. 14: 2007 Port wines from Fladgate Partnership;$20
The North County Wine Company:Tastings dailyat 1099 San Marcos Blvd., San Marcos, plus special events from 10a.m.-8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and noon-6 p.m. Sundays. Call760-744-2119 or visit www.NorthCountyWineCompany.com.
Stone Brewery:The popular Escondido brewery ishosting a series of pairings in the next few months at the breweryand gardens, 1999 Citracado Parkway in Escondido. Call 760-471-4999or go to www.stonebrew.com.
— 7 p.m. Sept. 15: Beer U: Lagers; $20
— 7 p.m. Sept. 17: Beer and cheese regional pairing; $30
T&H Prime Meats & Sausage:The shop nowoffers tastings from 10 San Diego wineries from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.Thursdays-Saturdays for $5, which includes four tastes and a SanDiego Vintners Association souvenir wine glass, at 735 E. MissionRoad, San Marcos. Call 760-471-9192.
Vine to Glass:The Oceanside wine bar holdstastings six days a week and has biweekly events for $10 to $15;small-production boutique wines are available by the glass orbottle. Beer tastings are $6; antipasto platters are $15. The baris open 2 to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday; 1 to 9 p.m.Thursday-Saturday; and 12 to 6 p.m. Sunday. Vine to Glass is at210-A N. Coast Highway in Oceanside; call 760-757-2254 or go tovinetoglass.com.
Vino100:Wine tasting events are offered at 5p.m. at 133 S. Las Posas Road in San Marcos. Call 760-591-9113 orgo to vino100sanmarcos.com.
Vinz Wine Bar:Full restaurant menu with widewine menu by the glass or bottle. Tastings are from $5-$10 from 5to 7 p.m. Tuesdays and 3 to 5 p.m. Saturdays, and come withcharcuterie and cheese. Live music on Saturdays. Vinz is at 201 E.Grand Ave., Escondido. Call 760-743-8466 or visitvinzwinebar.net.
The Wine Spot:Tastings from 2-8 p.m.Tuesdays-Thursdays; noon-9 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays; 1 to 6 p.m.Sundays at 2801 Roosevelt St., Carlsbad. Six tastings and anappetizer cost $20. House tastings any time are $15. Call760-434-9463 or visit the-wine-spot.com.
Wine Street Inc.:Weekly tastings from 3-7 p.m.Fridays, with appetizers. Wine Street is at 6986 El Camino Real,Suite D, Carlsbad. Call 760-431-8455 or visitwww.winestreet.com.
Wine Styles:The Encinitas wine store hoststastings from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesdays and 1-6 p.m. Saturdays.Cost is $15 or $10 for WineClub members and includes six to eightwines and snacks. The shop also hosts WineDown Fridays, whereguests enjoy wine and live music and can bring in food tosocialize. Call 760-633-0057.
Send information about local food products, food events orclasses to Food Editor Pam Kragen, North County Times, 207 E.Pennsylvania Ave., Escondido, CA 92025; fax to 760-745-3769, ore-mail to food@nctimes.com.
