Cardiff chef publishes cookbook: Gaetano Cicciotti, chef and owner of 7-year-old Cicciotti's Trattoria Italiana & Seafood in Cardiff, has published a cookbook of his signature recipes. "Cicciotti's Kitchen: Italian Family Favorites -- Quick, Easy and Delicious," a 96-page hardcover book published by Chefs Press, features more than 40 fast-prep recipes, many inspired by Cicciotti's childhood in Naples. Dishes include Spaghetti alla Carbonara, Trenette al Pesto con Pignoli, Asparagi alla Zingara and Farfalle alla Boscaiola. Cicciotti will host a book-signing at 5 p.m. Aug. 12 at his restaurant at 1933 San Elijo Ave. Reserve to 760-634-2335.

Tango closes Sundays: Tango Restaurant & Lounge in Escondido will be closed on Sundays through Aug. 30. The restaurant will be open for its regular hours Monday through Saturday. Call 760-747-5000 or go to tangoongrand.com.

Delaney's grand opening: Delaney's Hundred Mile Market, which gets its name because it allows only foods that are produced within 100 miles of Temecula, will have its official grand opening Saturday. Try food samples and talk to vendors about their products. Go to delaneysartisanfoodsmarket.com.

Wine certification: The Wine Smarties will present the first local internationally recognized wine certification program beginning Sept. 14 at The Holiday Inn Express on Murphy Canyon Road in San Diego. The courses are ideal for enthusiasts, professionals or those looking to enter the industry. A spirits program will also be offered; class is $675, and the optional exam is $125. Call 619-955-8884 or go to winesmarties.com.

The Shores celebrates summer: The Shores Restaurant in La Jolla is hosting Sangria Sundays on its oceanfront patio from 3 to 7 p.m., with live steel drums and red or white sangria for $7 a glass or $25 for a pitcher. The restaurant is at 8110 Camino del Oro; call 858-456-0600 or go to theshoresrestaurant.com.

Pat & Oscar's $5 menu: Pat & Oscar's restaurants are offering a "Five Big Choices, Five Little Bucks" menu for summer at all locations. For $5, customers get an individual gourmet pizza (including the BBQ Chicken and popular San Diego pizzas), and for $2 more, the meal becomes a combo with a 20-ounce drink and side dish. Go to patandoscars.com.

Tweet and save: Coupons.com recently launched a new Twitter feed to alert followers to new coupons. Follow the feed @coupons (twitter.com/coupons).

Wine, olive oil tasting in Temecula: Villa di Calabro has opened its doors in Old Town Temecula, offering wine and olive oil tastings from 1 to 7 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sundays at 41955 Main St. Olive oils and vinegars from Villa di Calabro Winery and Olive Oil Company and wines from Temecula Hills Winery will be offered.

Red Marlin happy hour: Red Marlin has an all-new happy hour from 3 to 5 p.m. daily, featuring $5 cocktails and wine, $3.50 domestic beers and 20 percent-off appetizers. Also, "Sip and Dip" menu items are 2-for-1 and include items such as Grilled Garlic Jumbo Shrimp, BBQ Spiced Chicken Wings, Roasted Garlic Aioli and Mango Chutney. Red Marlin is at 1441 Quivira Road in San Diego; call 619-221-4868 or go to redmarlinrestaurant.com.

Falkner scores at competition: Temecula's Falkner Winery recently won the "Best of California" award for its 2007 riesling at the California State Fair Competition. The winery also won the "Best of South Coast Appellation" award, a gold medal and a silver medal for the 2005 Meritage. Call 951-676-8231 or go to falknerwinery.com.

Sushi at Rockin' Baja: Rockin' Baja Coastal Cantina in Old Town has introduced Hot Roc Sushi from 5 to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 5 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday. The late-night happy hour includes cocktails, topless tacos, sushi and a fire pit. Call 619-260-0305 or go to rockinbaja.com.

Budget meal plan launches: FoodieView.com, a recipe search engine, has launched its free "Meal Plan-of-the-Week" feature, which helps guests plan low-cost meals in seven-day time periods. The feature has seven lunch and seven dinner recipes, which account for leftovers, and includes a shopping list. Go to foodieview.com/mealplan each Thursday for a new set of recipes.

Barona opens Italian restaurant: Barona Resort & Casino recently announced the opening of its newest restaurant, Italian Cucina, to be followed by the opening of Seafood Plaza. Italian Cucina menu items include classics and specialties such as Spaghetti With Homemade Sausage, Porcini Mushroom Risotto, Ricotta Gnocchi Ragu and Mediterranean Sea Bass With Basil-Parsley Butter. Menu items will be $4.50-$19.95; all entrees include all-you-can-eat Caesar salad. The interior of the cucina includes a 3,800-pound ceramic wood stove, a fountain and more to create the effect of an Italian piazza. Call 888-7-BARONA or go to barona.com.

Bring your own wine: From 5:30 to 10 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, Addison invites guests to bring their own wine to enjoy with dinner; the sommelier will not charge corkage fees. Addison is in the The Grand Del Mar, 5200 Grand Del Mar Way in San Diego. Call 858-314-1900 or go to addisondelmar.com.

French's cooking contest: French's Foods is holding a live national cook-off among contestants who submit a favorite family recipe that features at least one French's product. The grand prize is $25,000, and weekly prizes will be awarded to recipes based on votes online. Recipes are accepted through Oct. 31 at frenchsfoods.com and must be prepared and cooked in less than one hour, and can have no more than eight ingredients (salt, pepper and water are exceptions). After submissions are complete, the top 20 recipes will go online; the winner of that vote and four finalists chosen by French's will compete in the live cook-off next year. Go to frenchsfoods.com.

Suite & Tender offers lunch deal: The downtown San Diego steakhouse is now offering "Dine & Dash," a 30-minute express lunch deal from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Mondays-Fridays for $9. For full menu, visit www.suiteandtender.com or call 619-515-3003.

Half-price wine Wednesdays: Truluck's Steak, Seafood and Crab House in La Jolla is offering half-price wines by the bottle on Wednesdays at 8990 University Center Lane. The restaurant has more than 100 bottles by sample, glass and bottle. Happy hour is 5 to 7 p.m. daily with half-price appetizers, $1 off cocktails and live entertainment in the piano bar. Go to trulucks.com.

Wonder Bread is back: After disappearing from store shelves almost two years ago, Wonder and Home Pride breads are returning to Southern California in addition to Nature's Pride bread, which is sold in the area for the first time. Interstate Brands Corporation, the breads' baker, will donate 5,000 loaves to the San Diego Food Bank and Los Angeles Regional Food Bank to mark the reintroduction. Go to www.interstatebakeriescorp.com.

South Coast wins big: South Coast Winery Resort & Spa in Temecula was recently awarded "Golden State Winery of the Year" at the 2009 California State Fair Wine Competition, which it also won last year. So far this year, South Coast has won two Gold Sweepstakes medals, three Chairman's Award Double Gold Medals, 49 gold medals, 123 silver medals and more. Go to wineresort.com.

Eat at the ballpark: The San Diego Padres will hold "Breakfast at the Park" before the five remaining home games (Aug. 2 vs. Milwaukee; Aug. 9 vs. New York; Aug. 23 vs. St. Louis; Sept. 13 vs. Colorado; and Oct. 4 vs. San Francisco). The breakfast on the field at Petco Park begins at 10:30 a.m., and seating is first come, first served. Menu items will cost about $5 and include a breakfast bowl, bistro baguette, cinnamon rolls, fruit, muffins and more. A game ticket is required; go to padres.com.

P.F. Chang's kids menu: P.F. Chang's China Bistro is now offering a children's menu featuring Kids' Chicken, Kids' Lo Mein, Kids' Chicken Fried Rice and Baby Buddah's Feast, all of which come with games and puzzles. The restaurant chain is also introducing a Regional Classics Menu, with five entrees for $9.95: Hunan Pork, Mandarin Chicken, Hong Kong Beef with Snow Peas, Shanghai Shrimp with Garlic Sauce, and Canton Chicken & Mushrooms. Go to pfchangs.com.

Peet's comes to Del Mar: The NY Garden Deli and Cafe on the Hilton property in Del Mar is serving a full menu from Peet's Coffee & Tea, Inc., including deep-roasted coffees, iced coffees, espresso drinks and more. The deli is at 3939 Ocean Bluff Ave., San Diego; go to www.bistro39sandiego.com.

Recipe contest: Dream Dinners is holding its third annual Recipe Contest and is inviting contestants to enter through Aug. 28. Categories are London Broil, Chicken Breast, Pork Chops and Cod. There will be one winner in each category, and winning recipes will appear on the March menu. Go to dreamdinners.com and click on "Contests and Offers." Each winner receives $500 toward Dream Dinners meals.

BYOB to Friday's: This summer, TGI Friday's restaurants are inviting guests to BYOB (Bring Your Own Buddies), and each of your buddies gets $5 off an entree. Text BYOB13 to MYTGIF (698443) or go to fridays.com to print out a coupon.

New menu items at Sammy's: Sammy's Woodfired Pizza has added several items to its menu: Roast Vegetable Antipasto, Vegetable And Noodle Curry, Chicken And Roast Chile Tacos, Grilled Shrimp Tacos and Grilled Chicken And Hummus Wrap. Go to sammyspizza.com.

Time for pie: Marie Callender's has introduced a trio of summer fruit pies for a limited time. Fresh Strawberry, Fresh Peach and Fresh Summer Berry pies are $13.99 each; go to mariecallenders.com.

Summer savings: Thee Bungalow Restaurant in Ocean Beach is offering a Summer of 7s menu through Aug. 27. The seven dinners are offered seven nights a week at $17 and include a soup or salad. Also, wines are $7 per glass and $7 martinis are offered. Entrees include Pistachio-Crusted Ahi Salad, Traditional Crispy Sweetbreads, Grilled Prime Top Sirloin and Kalamata Olive & Crab Crusted Maine Diver Scallops. Thee Bungalow is at 4996 W. Point Loma Blvd.; call 619-224-2884.

Dining events

Taste of Fallbrook: Connections Fallbrook Networking's Hot Summer Nites series continues with a showcase of 14 Fallbrook restaurants from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday. An estimated 750 people are expected to attend the outdoor event in Fallbrook's Village Square and live blues music will be presented by Aunt Kizzy'z Boyz. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the gate. Call 760-505-5119 or visit connectionsfallbrook.com.

Barbecue cook-off in Vista: The Vista Village Business Association hosts its first Smokin Q Classic BBQ contest from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday in downtown Vista. Sanctioned by the Kansas City BBQ Society, the cooking contest will feature 25 to 30 teams competing for a top prize. Former San Diego Padres player Randy Jones will be the celebrity judge. For entry details, call 760-414-9391.

Vela continues Epicurean Explorations: Vela, the restaurant at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront hotel, continues its international dinner series program with a Spanish-themed, prix-fixe wine dinner Saturday through Aug. 7 at 1 Park Blvd., San Diego. The meal includes a gazpacho shooter, prawns with peppers, grilled pork loin with tomatoes, almonds and anchovies and Catalan flan, paired with Spanish wines. The meal is $50 with wine pairing, $39 without and $16 for wine only. Call (619) 564-3333.

The Shores tasting menus: The Shores Restaurant offers monthly wine-tasting menus, which include a three-course meal from 5 to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. The menu is $35 with wine and $25 without (regular menu also available). The Shores is at 8110 Camino del Oro in La Jolla; call 858-456-0600 or go to theshoresrestaurant.com. Featured item (complete menus are online) in July is Baja shrimp.

Wine and chocolate tasting: Isabella Valencia of Dallmann Confections will showcase five chocolates at a chocolate and wine tasting at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 7 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Del Mar. Tickets are $25 and include a $20 gift certificate to Serenity Spa and Salon. The chocolates will be dark chocolate truffles, Valencias, Jasmine Blossoms, Fleur de Dels and lavender-flavored chocolate; Bistro 39 Executive Chef Larry DiFolco will pour wines. Call 858-720-9500, or go to bistro39sandiego.com or dallmannconfections.com.

Experience Jsix: Jsix restaurant and Chef Christian Graves will begin offering the "Chef's Kitchen Experience" on select Sundays beginning Sunday. The experience includes an outing to the Hillcrest Farmers Market to select ingredients that will then be prepared as part of a three-course meal. Transportation to the market and back, the three-course meal, wine or cocktail pairing with each course and parking are included for $120 per person. Dates are Sunday, Sept. 6, Oct. 4, Nov. 8 and Dec. 13 (sessions begin at 10 a.m.). Call 619-531-8744; the restaurant is at 616 J St. in the Gaslamp Quarter. Go to jsixsandiego.com.

"Cooks Confab: Craft Beer" dinner: Cooks Confab, a collaboration of some of San Diego's top chefs, will present a craft beer dinner from 6 to 9 p.m. Aug. 9 at the rooftop Stingaree Restaurant and Nightclub, 454 Sixth Ave. in San Diego. Stingaree chef Antonio Friscia and chefs from several other local restaurants will prepare dishes paired with beers from Stone, Ale Smith and other regional breweries. Tickets are $90 ($5 will be donated to Slow Food Urban San Diego). Reserve to (619) 544-9500. For more on Cooks Confab, visit www.cooksconfab.com.

Wine & Dine fundraiser: Behind the Scenes Catering and Events is one of the sponsors at the City of Hope's Wine & Food Festival at 4 p.m. Aug. 9 at the Coronado Civic Center. The event features wine tasting, food from local eateries, a silent auction and music in support of City of Hope's cancer research and treatment institution. Call 858-452-6846 or go to cityofhope.org/regions/sandiego.

Be a Food Network star: The Food Network is holding tryouts for its 2010 season of "The Next Food Network Star" at 10 a.m. Aug. 10 at Saddle Ranch, 8371 W. Sunset Blvd. in West Hollywood. Go to foodnetwork.com.

Pechanga combines wine, golf: Pechanga Resort & Casino is hosting a series of events to introduce residents to Journey at Pechanga and promote local wineries with "Wine on the Range," which includes appetizers, live music, wine tasting and access to the Journey driving range. A different winery is featured at each event. The next "Wine on the Range" events are at 6 p.m. Aug. 12 and 26. Cost is $10. Rental clubs are free. Go to pechanga.com.

Pancake breakfast: Mission San Luis Rey will hold an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Aug. 23 in the mission's dining room. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children 10 and under and free for children 2 and under. Breakfast includes pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage, coffee and juice. Go to sanluisrey.org.

Taste of Mainstreet: Nearly three dozen downtown Encinitas restaurants, bars and businesses will offer tastings at the 20th annual event from 6 to 9 p.m. Aug. 27. Participants include Roxy, Vigilucci's, Darshan Bakery, St. Tropez, Q'ero, Raul's, Tastes, Ogata and many more. Tickets are $25 and can be ordered online at encinitas101.com.

Orfila Vineyards Grape Stomp: The Escondido winery hosts its annual crushing of the grapes from 4 to 8 p.m. Aug. 29 at 13455 San Pasqual Valley Road. Event includes grape stomp, buffet dinner, dancing to live music, hay rides, wine tasting and winery tours. Cost is $85 and always sells out all 400 tickets in advance. Reserve to 800-868-9463.

Sunset Wine Dinner: Falkner Winery will hold its new-release Sunset Wine Dinner at 6 p.m. Aug. 29 at its Temecula Wine Country location. The dinner will be held in the garden and features appetizers, salad, a seafood course, an entree, dessert and soon-to-be-released wines. Tickets are $99 for general admission, $89 for wine club members and guests, and $84 for VIP members. Each guest over 21 will also receive a signed bottle of a new wine. Call 951-676-8231, ext. 109, or e-mail wineclub@falknerwinery.com.

Lobster on the Green: The Rotary Club of Fallbrook hosts its annual "all-you-can-eat Maine lobster and sirloin steak" fundraiser at 5 p.m. Sept. 11 at Ingold Sports Park, 2551 Olive Hill Road. Program includes dinner, silent and live auction, live music and a 9/11 memorial ceremony. Early bird ticket pricing is $75 before July 31 and $80 afterward. Ticket sales close Sept. 3. Visit lobsteronthegreen.com or 760-510-0945.

"The Art of Food and Wine" Dinner: The Grand Del Mar Resort in Carmel Valley will host a prix-fixe, five-course wine dinner at 7 p.m. Sept. 3 at its Addison Restaurant as part of the Beyond the Border International Contemporary Art Fair. Four West Coast chefs from Baja to Napa will prepare a course paired with a wine from their region. The chefs are Addison's William Bradley, Angela Tamura of ZuZu in Napa, Javier Placensia of Romescos in Valle de Guadalupe, Baja Mexico, and Wolfgang Gussmack of 3 Square in Venice, Calif. Wines will be selected by Grand Del Mar advanced sommelier Jesse Rodriguez and guest sommelier Chris Blanchard of Chappallet Winery in Napa. Tickets are $200 and seating is limited. To register, visit beyondtheborder-art.com.

Restaurant Week returns: San Diego Restaurant Week returns Sept. 13-18, it will feature more than 180 restaurants that will offer $20, $30 and $40 three-course menus. Restaurants include The Marine Room, The Shores Restaurant, Wild Note Cafe, Pacific Coast Grill, Zocalo, Vincent's and more. Go to sandiegorestaurantweek.com.

Farmers, Foragers and Fishermen Dinner: Loews Coronado Bay Resort presents the latest in its seasonal dinner series that allows guests to dine with those who produce, harvest and catch the meal's ingredients. Kanaloa Seafood will host the next dinner from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Sept. 16 at Loew's Mistral. The cost is $48. The next event in December will feature hands-on foraging in the resort's organic herb and vegetable garden. Call (619) 424-4000, ext. 4475.

Taste of Downtown: More than 50 restaurants will participating in this downtown San Diego tastings 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. Tickets are $35 in advance and $40 at the gate. For tickets, call 619-233-5008 or visit www.dtsd.org.

Ponte grape stomp: The Temecula winery hosts its 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 in Riverside will host the annual Restaurant Week, where dozens of eateries will offer fixed-price, three-course lunch and dinner menus 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 at the Riverside Municipal Auditorium. Tickets are $50. For menus and details, visit finediningriverside.com.

Celebrate the Craft at Torrey Pines: Artisans and gourmet chefs will return to The Lodge at Torrey Pines on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 for "Celebrate the Craft," a showcase for regionally grown ingredients, cooking and winemaking. Food and wine will be paired with The Torrey Pines Plein Air Invitational. Featured events include a reception and art auction on Oct. 31 (dinner is $125) and a picnic on the Arroyo Terrace on Nov. 1 with food stations ($65). Call 858-453-4420 or go to lodgetorreypines.com.

San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival: Cooking Light magazine will sponsor the annual festival, scheduled for Nov. 18-22 in San Diego. This year's festival will feature wine-tasting seminars, cooking classes, reserve tastings and the Grand Tasting Event, an all-day showcase of more than 800 wines, 70 local restaurants and 30 gourmet foodmakers. Tickets are on sale at 619-342-7337 or worldofwineevents.com.

Classes

Behind the Scenes Catering & Events:The catering company teaches customers to prepare not-so-typical foods on the grill -- pizza, sliders, salad and pork loin -- in its kitchen at 9888 Waples St., San Diego. Call 858-638-1400 or go to btscenes.com.

Cafe Merlot: The restaurant in the Bernardo Winery holds wine and cooking classes at 13330 Paseo del Verano Norte in Rancho Bernardo; $50 per person; call 858-592-7785.

Captain Cook's children's classes: Captain Cook's Culinary Academy for Kids hosts children's classes with a new organic menu each week: "Lil Explorers" (ages 4-7) from 3:30-5 p.m. Tuesdays; "First Mates" (ages 7 to 13), 3:30-5 p.m. Mondays or Wednesdays. Classes cost $40 or $100 for three. Captain Cook's is at 6986 El Camino Real, Suite C. Call 760-431-2278 or go to www.captaincooksculinaryacademy.com.

Captain Cook's adult classes: Captain Cook's Culinary Academy for Kids is hosting adult classes at 7 p.m. Thursdays. All classes are $45 (or $120 for three). Captain Cook's is at 6986 El Camino Real, Suite C, Carlsbad. Call 760-431-2278 or go to www.captaincooksculinaryacademy.com.

Grand Del Mar Culinary series: These monthly two-hour sessions take place year-round, conducted by the resort's chefs. Call 858-314-2000. The Grand Del Mar is at 5300 Grand Del Mar Court. Classes are in the resort kitchen unless otherwise noted. Upcoming:

- 6:30 p.m. Aug. 12: Summer on Ice -- Lobster Cocktail, West Coast Oysters, Organic Shrimp, Dungeness Crab and Gazpacho; $75

- 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 whites for fall, and pairings such as Braised Short Ribs with Apple Puree and Seared Scallops with Parsnip Puree; $75

- 6:30 p.m. Nov. 18: Traditional Thanksgiving Family Feast -- Recipes for Thanksgiving, including Roasted Turkey, Cranberry Stuffing and Potato Puree; $75

- 6:30 p.m. Dec. 2: A Baker's Holiday -- Chocolate Ganache Buche de Noel, Pumpkin Creme Brulee, Painted Cookies and Citrus Panna Cotta; $65

Great News! Discount Cookware & Cooking School: The San Diego school hosts cooking classes at 1788 Garnet Ave. (in the Pacific Plaza at Garnet Avenue and Jewell Street); reserve to 858-270-1582, ext. 3, or go to www.great-news.com. Reserve early; classes fill quickly.

- 10:30 a.m. Thursday: Do-Ahead Fancy Schmancy Picnic; $49

- 6 p.m. Thursday: Hot Off the Grill -- Shellfish Showdown; $59

- 6 p.m. Friday: Beef and Big Bold Red Wines; $59

- 11 a.m. Saturday: Hands-On Cake Decorating; $59

- 9 a.m. Sunday: Nijiya Japanese Market Tour; $49

- 11 a.m. Sunday: Calling All Kids -- Good Morning, Sunshine!; $49 ($39 for children ages 7-14)

- 6 p.m. Monday: Filipino Party!; $49

- 11:30 a.m. Tuesday: Quick and Easy Lunch -- Mix It Up!; $29

- 6 p.m. Tuesday: Flavors from Around the World; $49

- 6 p.m. Wednesday: Fancy, Fun Barbeque with Rum Jumbies; $49

- 10:30 a.m. Aug. 6: Hands-On Basic Asian Flavors; $59

- 6 p.m. Aug. 6: Healthy and Delicious Vegetarian; $49

The Kitchen Witch: The Encinitas school hosts cooking classes at 127 N. El Camino Real; call 760-942-3288 or go to www.kitchenwitchonline.com.

- 6 p.m. Thursday: Spectacular Spain -- A Taste of Food and Wine; $59

- 11 a.m. Saturday: Cooking 101; $69

- 11 a.m. Monday-Aug 6: Kids Cooking Camp: Becoming the Next TV Chef Superstar; $99

- 6 p.m. Monday: An Evening with Firefly; $59

- 6 p.m. Tuesday: Summer Martinis and Backyard BBQ; $59

- 6 p.m. Wednesday: Fast and Fabulous Summer Chicken Breasts; $59

- 6 p.m. Aug: 6: Do Ahead Dinner Party; $59

- 6 p.m. Aug. 7: Wine Bar Wine Flight with Matching Tapas; $59

- 11 a.m. Aug. 8: Hawaiian Vacation; $34

- 11 a.m. Aug 11: Tomatoes: The Italian Way; $59

- 6 p.m. Aug. 11: Entertaining at Home -- Caribbean Style; $59

- 12 p.m. Aug. 12: Italian Tapas; $34

- 6 p.m. Aug. 12: Cool Summer Sauces for Grilled Entrees; $59

Macy's School of Cooking: The school is in the Macy's Mission Valley Home Store, 1555 Camino de la Reina, San Diego. Call 888-424-FOOD or go to macys.com/events and type 92108 in the ZIP code field:

- 11 a.m. Monday through Aug. 7: Macy's Teens in the Kitchen, with five local chefs; $210

Quail Botanical Gardens: Chef Elizabeth Podsiadlo, the "Opera Singing Chef," holds cooking classes at Quail Botanical Gardens (different teacher as noted); classes are $25 for members and $30 for nonmembers and include recipes and tastings. Call 760-436-3036, ext. 206, or go to qbgardens.org.

- 1:30 p.m. Saturday: Southwest Cooking and Grilling

- 1:30 p.m. Sept. 5: Food and Wine Pairing

Ro Z's Sweet Art Studio: Rosanne Zinniger's cake decorating shop and studio at 277 S. Rancho Santa Fe Road, San Marcos, offers classes in cake decorating. Call 760-744-0447 or rozsweetartstudio.com. The studio is also offering summer culinary adventures for kids on making favorite dishes with a healthy twist; cost is $200 for 15 hours of instruction from Rosanne. Call Palomar College for Kids at 760-744-1150, ext. 2702, for the camps.

Scripps nutrition workshop: Scripps Clinic Torrey Pines will hold a free workshop on nutrition for cancer patients, survivors and family at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 25. Guests will learn about nutrition in the treatment and recovery phase of cancer, myths and facts of supplements and more. Parking is $3; call 858-554-8533.

Tea service classes: Barbara Barker of Memories English Tea Garden in Vista will offer a classes in how to prepare and serve an afternoon lavender tea at noon Saturday. Lesson includes how to prepare lavender scones and devon creme, brew tea and afternoon tea; recipes included. Cost is $20. For directions, call (760) 945-0476. Other classes coming up:

- Aug. 8: Healing with herbs and afternoon tea; $20.

- Aug. 15: High tea; $20

The Whole Journey: The Whole Journey, a holistic counseling and product awareness company, will offer free grocery tours at Seaside Market at 2087 San Elijo Road (760-753-5445) in Cardiff, free health and nutrition seminars at Whole Foods at 8825 Villa La Jolla Drive in La Jolla (858-642-6700), and cooking classes at Sur La Table at 1915 Calle Barcelona in Carlsbad (760-635-1316). Call to reserve a space; go to thewholejourney.net.

In the spirits

Acqua Al 2: The Gaslamp Quarter restaurant hosts wine tastings during "Uncorked" the first Wednesday of every month at 322 Fifth Ave. in San Diego. For $20, guests taste four wine/spirit selections paired with four appetizers. Reservations are required; call 619-230-0382 or go to acquaal2.com. Upcoming:

- 6:30 p.m. Wednesday: Warm-weather reds, celebrating Ferragosto

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 visit www.CarlsbadWineMerchants.com.

Decanter Wine Lounge & Restaurant: The Rancho Santa Fe restaurant and wine lounge hosts wine tasting classes every Wednesday at 18025 Calle Ambiente (in the Cielo Hillside Village). Tastings are $15; reservations are required. Call 858-756-9333 or go to decanterwinelounge.com.

ENO-Versity at the Hotel Del: ENO, the wine, cheese and chocolate tasting room at the Hotel del Coronado, has announced its 2009 classes for ENO-Versity. Classes are $35 per person and start at 4 p.m.; call 619-522-8546 or go to hoteldel.com. The Hotel Del is at 1500 Orange Ave. in Coronado.

- Aug. 8: Four Vines

- Aug. 22: Peter Cargasacchi

- Sept. 12: Sparkling Wines

- Sept. 19: Ted's Favorite Things

- Oct. 24: Taste of Spain

- Oct. 31: Halloween

Fifty Barrels Winery and Tasting Room: Hosts tastings from 5 to 8 p.m. Fridays and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays at 3800 Oceanic Drive, Suite 106, Oceanside. Call 760-696-2998 or go to carlsbadcoastal.com.

Harvest Ranch Market Del Mar: Wine tastings from 5-7:30 p.m. plus appetizers for $10-$20. The store is at 1555 Camino Del Mar, Suite 203, Del Mar. Call 858-847-0555.

Holiday Wine Cellar: Daily tastings from 5:30-7 p.m. at 302 W. Mission Ave., Escondido. Wine Down Mondays feature five wine tastes for $5 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Mondays, and "Hop Over the Hump Wednesdays" are weekly beer-tasting events for $5. Call 760-745-1200.

- 5:30 p.m. Saturday: Aliane Thiebaut of Aliane Importers; $15

- 5:30 p.m. Monday: Passports to the Rhone Valley; $5

- 5:30 p.m. Aug. 8: Andrew Will vertical "retrospective" from Washington state; $15

- 5:30 p.m. Aug. 10: Pinot Noir on a Budget; $5

- 5:30 p.m. Aug. 14: Ryan Hill of Hill Family Estate; $15

- 5:30 p.m. Aug. 17: Megan's Uber Grab Bag Flight Night; $5

- 5:30 p.m. Aug. 21: Quintessa Barrel Sampling; $20

- 5:30 p.m. Aug. 24: Chardonnay; $5

- 5:30 p.m. Aug. 31: Roses for Summer; $5

- 5:30 p.m. Nov. 14: 2007 Port wines from Fladgate Partnership; $20

The North County Wine Company: Tastings daily at 1099 San Marcos Blvd., San Marcos, plus special events from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and noon-6 p.m. Sundays. Call 760-744-2119 or visit www.NorthCountyWineCompany.com.

Stone Brewery: The popular Escondido brewery is hosting a series of pairings in the next few months at the brewery and gardens, 1999 Citracado Parkway in Escondido. Call 760-471-4999 or go to www.stonebrew.com. Upcoming:

- 6 p.m. Monday: FRESH! Dinner (ingredients picked that day); $49

T&H Prime Meats & Sausage:The shop now offers tastings from 10 San Diego wineries from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays for $5, which includes four tastes and a San Diego Vintners Association souvenir wine glass, at 735 E. Mission Road, San Marcos. Call 760-471-9192.

Vine to Glass: The Oceanside wine bar holds tastings six days a week and has biweekly events for $10 to $15; small-production boutique wines are available by the glass or bottle. Beer tastings are $6; antipasto platters are $15. The bar is 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 at 210-A N. Coast Highway in Oceanside; call 760-757-2254 or go to vinetoglass.com.

Vino100: Wine tasting events are offered at 5 p.m. at 133 S. Las Posas Road in San Marcos. Call 760-591-9113 or go to vino100sanmarcos.com.

Vinz Wine Bar: Full restaurant menu with wide wine menu by the glass or bottle. Tastings are from $5-$10 from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesdays and 3 to 5 p.m. Saturdays, and come with charcuterie and cheese. Live music on Saturdays. Vinz is at 201 E. Grand Ave., Escondido. Call 760-743-8466 or visit vinzwinebar.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 an appetizer cost $20. House tastings any time are $15. Call 760-434-9463 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 visit www.winestreet.com.

Wine Styles: The Encinitas wine store hosts tastings 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 eight wines and snacks. The shop also hosts WineDown Fridays, where guests enjoy wine and live music and can bring in food to socialize. Call 760-633-0057.

Send information about local food products, food events or classes to Food Editor Pam Kragen, North County Times, 207 E. Pennsylvania Ave., Escondido, CA 92025; fax to 760-745-3769, or e-mail to food@nctimes.com.