Mission San Luis Rey celebrates the anniversary of its founding in 1798 with a wine and roses afternoon from 4:30-6 p.m. Wednesday. Sample the wines of the Mission San Luis Rey wine label in the award-winning rose garden, learn about the care and nurturing of roses and preview current rose varieties from guest speakers. The mission is at 4050 Mission Ave. in Oceanside. As part of the event, Executive Director Friar James Lockman, OFM, will lead his popular "Horticultural Tour" of the mission from 2-4 p.m. The tour includes areas not generally accessible to the public. Immediately afterward, tour participants may join the wine tasting. Cost is $7 for tour only; $5 for wine tasting only (four samples). Reserve to (760) 757-3651, Ext. 146.

New products

DRINK STICKS: Celestial Seasonings offers Go Stix, natural drink mixes to help kids drink more water. The powdered drink mixes - Wild Cherry, Triple Berry, Fruit Punch and Orange Citrus Punch - contain half the sugar of other leading children's drinks. Made with calcium and vitamin C, they are 60 calories per 8-fluid-ounce serving. Cost is $2.99 for a box of 8 packets. Visit www.celestialseasonings.com.

Good causes

VILLAGE FLAVORS: Tickets are still on sale for the Carlsbad Village Business Association's third restaurant tour, "Flavors of the Village," from 3-6 p.m. Sunday. Twenty restaurants will be offering samples from their menus. Also, several merchants will be extending their hours to coincide with the event, also offering dessert samples. Tickets are $25 and are available at the association's office, 2579 B State St., Carlsbad; several Carlsbad shops; and all of the participating restaurants. Tickets will also be on sale from 2-5 p.m. Saturday and at 1 p.m. Sunday at State Street and Grand Avenue. Call (760) 434-2553 or visit www.shopcarlsbadvillage.org.

Father's Day

These area restaurants are doing something special for Father's Day, June 17:

Ponte Winery, Temecula: BBQ & Blues Buffet from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Tickets are $70 adults, $35 for ages 12 and under. Prices for Ponte wine club members are $63 adults, $31.50 for kids. Buy tickets online at www.pontewinery.com/ or call the special events department at (951) 694-8855.

J. Taylor's at L'Auberge del Mar, Del Mar: A la carte brunch from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Reserve to (858) 793-6460.

Events

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: UC San Diego Extension hosts award-winning journalist Michael Pollan, author of "The Omnivore's Dilemma," from 7-8:30 p.m. Tuesday as part of UCSD's Revelle Forum at The Neurosciences Institute. Pollan's definitive account of the American way of eating takes us from Iowa cornfields to food-science laboratories, from feedlots to organic farms, always emphasizing our dynamic relationship with the plant and animal species we depend on. Admission is $35. Register to (858) 882-8000, or online at extension.ucsd.edu/revelleforum.

Classes

CAKE DECOR: Michael's Oceanside store offers a four-week Cake Decorating Course starting the week of July 9. Courses are $30 plus supplies, or buy the kit, get the course for free. Sign up in store only at 2649 Vista Way. Go online to view all classes at www.michaelsoceanside.4t.com. Questions? Call (760) 450-1650.

COOKING CLASSES: Chef Don Heiser of Firehouse Gourmet in Encinitas offers these classes. Register at (760) 943-1744, e-mail firehousegourmet@cox.net or visit www.firehousegourmet.com. Cost ranges from $45-$55. The schedule:

Saturday: Afternoon BBQ; June 30: Discovering Wine; July 7: Chef Don's Dinner; July 28: Summer Fun

ESCONDIDO TEACHES: Escondido Adult School offers these courses. Call (760) 739-7300 or visit www.escondidoadultschool-rop.org:

COOKING CLASSES: Alchemy of the Hearth offers these "hands-on" cooking classes held at Escondido Adult School's San Pasqual High School or Poway Adult School's Rancho Bernardo High School. Register to (760) 745-6553 or visit www.alchemyofthehearth.com:

Monday: Sauces

Wednesday: The Dinner Club

June 14: Cooking With Your Kids

HEALTHY COOKING: Donna Wolf, registered dietitian and gourmet cook, offers these healthy-cooking classes at a Poway residence. Classes are 6-8:30 p.m., for all ages and skill levels. Cost is $57 each or $150 for three. Register to (858) 335-2140 or online at www.healthydirectionspoway.com:

Tuesday: Healthy Pizza From Scratch

June 21: Flavor-filled, Substantial Vegetarian Dishes

KITCHEN WITCH: Kitchen Witch Gourmet Shop offers these classes and more at 127 N. El Camino Real, Suite D, Encinitas. Call (760) 942-3228 or visit www.kitchenwitchonline.com:

Saturday: Fresh Fish Workshop

Tuesday: East Meets West - Entertaining With Cocktails

Wednesday: Casual Entertaining Meals

June 14: Fun With thePanini Grill

June 15: Barbecue by the Bay

June 16: Just for Kids - Shrek Snacks

June 18: Gourmet Spa Cuisine With Cal-a-Vie Spa (guest chef)

June 19: Salad Suppers

CHOCOLATE CAMP: Chocolate expert Carole Bloom offers a Chocolate Camp from Aug. 7-8 in Carlsbad with two full days of classes, excursions, tastings and an all-chocolate dinner party. For details, visit www.carolebloom.com or call (760) 931-5920.

In the spirits

WINE COMPANY TASTINGS: The North County Wine Company hosts wine tastings daily at 1099 San Marcos Blvd., San Marcos, plus special events from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon-6 p.m. Sunday. Call (760) 744-2119 or visit www.NorthCountyWineCompany.com:

WEEKLY TASTING: Wine Street Inc. hosts tastings from 5:30-8 p.m. Fridays. Appetizers to match are served. Wine Street is at 6986 El Camino Real, Suite D, in Carlsbad. Call (760) 431-8455 or visit www.winestreet.com:

Friday: New releases, $20.

WINE TASTING: Carlsbad Wine Merchants hosts tastings at 6 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday for a small fee at 5814 Van Allen Way, Suite 155, Carlsbad. Call (888) 750-WINE or visit www.CarlsbadWineMerchants.com:

5-8 p.m. Friday: Launch of Carlsbad Red, $20 includes a plate of barbecue; 2-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, wine only, $10.

June 15-17: Big Cabs & Ports, in honor of Dad, $20.

June 21: All About "O" - tasting and glassware seminar using Riedel's stemless "O" glasses, featuring Raymond Reserve Wines, $30, includes a set of glasses to keep. Reserve please.

June 22-24: Wines of the Central Coast, $10

June 28: Sake & Asian Food Pairing, $30

June 29-July 1: Up and Comers, $20.

HOLIDAY TASTES: Holiday Wine Cellar hosts these tastings from 5:30-7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted at 302 W. Mission Ave., Escondido. Call (760) 745-1200:

Thursday: Syrah From Around the World, $12.

June 14: ABC - Anything but Chardonnay! $12.

June 21: Pinks Rule! A Rose Tasting, $15.

June 28: Taste of Pinot: Oregon and California, $20.

July 12: Sake Tasting With Sushi! $15.

July 19: Miner Family Vineyards Wine Tasting, $20.

July 21: French Wine 101 & Tasting With Jim Kern, $15.

WINE STYLES: Wine Styles in Encinitas hosts weekly tastings from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesdays and 1-6 p.m. Saturdays. Cost is $15, $10 for WineClub members and includes six to eight wines and snacks. The shop also hosts WineDown Fridays, where guests enjoy wine, live music and can bring in food to socialize. Call (760) 633-0057:

Saturday: Big and Bold

Wednesday and June 16: Silky and Sexy

June 20 and 23: Fruit Forward/Fruit Bombs

June 21: 'If You Insist' tasting, $35 (special event, R.S.V.P.)

June 27 and 30: Easy Going Mellows

HARVEST RANCH TASTES: Harvest Ranch Market Del Mar now offers 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.

Chain news

The Togo's chain has sacked its plastic forks and will now offer all its salads wrapped in whole grain tortillas. The Salad Wraps are Santa Fe Chicken Salad, Mediterranean Tuna Salad, Cobb Salad, Asian Chicken Salad, Roasted Chicken Caesar Salad, Taco Salad and Farmers Market Salad. … IHOP offers three Stuffed French Toast styles now through June 24: Cherry-Vanilla, Banana-Caramel and Original Stuffed French Toast. … Burger King offers new desserts for a limited time: Being offered now is the OreoÆ BK Sundae Shake, $1.99 or $2.39. On June 25, the ICEE Float is available for $1.59 or $1.79. Starting July 2 is the Butterfinger Pie, $1.49. … El Pollo Loco offers new Barbecue Chicken for a limited time, and two new entrees: BBQ Ranch Chicken Tostada Salad and BBQ Chicken Quesadilla.

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