Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009

Cooks' calendar

EVENTS

Meet the Vlasic Pickle stork and see if you have the loudest pickle crunch 12-5 p.m. Thursday and Friday at the State Fair. Look for the Vlasic Pickle booth, sample some pickles and win prizes.

Lake Carolina's 7th Annual Food and Wine Festival is scheduled for 4-8 p.m. Saturday. Restaurants from the Northeast Richland area will participate, and there will be live music and a silent auction featuring original artwork by South Carolina artists. Cost is $35 per person or $60 for a VIP ticket (includes admission to after party). Proceeds from the event will benefit Children's Charities of the Midlands. Information and tickets at lakecarolina.com.

The March of Dimes Signature Chefs Auction will be Nov. 8 at 6 p.m. Sample the best from the area's finest restaurants, bid on silent auction packages and enjoy a live auction of dining, travel and entertainment packages. Tickets are $150 per person, $1,500 for a corporate table of eight. For more information, contact Betsy Britt, (803) 252-5200 or marchofdimes.com/southcarolina.

Tickets for the 2010 World Beer Festival in Columbia go on sale Oct. 21. There will be two four-hour sessions on Jan. 16: noon-4 p.m. and 6-10 p.m. Standard admission to a single session is $40, which includes beer samples, live music, educational sessions by industry experts and a festival tasting glass. VIP tickets, which cost $75, add admission to a VIP suite with complimentary food, more select beers, a commemorative glass and separate entertainment. Tickets available at allaboutbeer.com/wbfcolumbia or at Green's Discount Beverage locations. A portion of the proceeds go to Columbia Opportunity Resource and the River Alliance.

Interested in the slow food movement? Check out Slow Food Columbia's website, slowfoodcolumbia.blogspot.com, for information, a listing of upcoming classes and events.

CONTESTS

Love grits? Adluh is seeking contestants for its 10th Annual Grits Cook-Off on Nov. 7. If you have an original recipe using Adluh stone-ground white or yellow grits, you can enter it starting at 8:30 a.m. at Sally's House on the Adluh campus, 804 Gervais St. Registration is $10; limited spaces available. Information: (803) 779-2460

Got the best chili in Columbia? Prove it! Enter Group Therapy's 23rd Annual Chili Cookoff for fame and glory and to benefit Columbia's Camp Kemo and The Hope Center of Charleston. Categories include home cooks, restaurants and bars, vegetarian, hottest, people's choice and best overall. There's no cost for entry. The cookoff is Saturday . Enter online at grouptherapybar.com/chili2009.

Win a year's worth of free groceries. Hungry Jack presents the "Use Up the Box" recipe and essay contest. Create and submit a photo and essay of an original or nontraditional recipe using Hungry Jack staples such as potatoes, pancakes or syrup. Three grand prize winners receive a year's worth of free groceries. Deadline: Nov. 9. Information: useupthebox.com

French's is looking for favorite family recipes that use at least one French's product. Grand prize: $25,000. Deadline: Oct. 31. For more information: frenchsfoods.com

Jif is looking for the Most Creative Peanut Butter Sandwich. Kids between the ages of 6 and 12 can enter for a chance at a $25,000 scholarship fund. Deadline: Nov. 13. Rules and information are at jif.com.

Hershey's is looking for the most passionate college football fan in the "I'm A Big Fan" promotion. Information and rules at hersheysbigfan.com.

The Grove Park Inn's 17th Annual National Gingerbread House Competition: Entries must be delivered Nov. 15 and 16 to The Grove Park Inn in Asheville. groveparkinn.com or (800) 413-5778

CLASSES

Williams-Sonoma at Columbiana Center is offering a basic fall baking techniques class, 1:30 p.m. Sunday. Classes are free. Call to reserve a seat. (803) 749-4442

Chef Francois Fisera hosts cooking classes at Fleur de Lys Home Culinary Institute, 3001 Millwood Ave. (803) 765-9999, fleur-de-lys.us. Friday, Bordeaux wines; Tuesday, bistro food; Oct. 22 and 23, halibut.

Upcoming classes at Let's Cook Culinary Studio: Tonight, cuisine from the Aegean Sea region of Turkey with Banu Varlik; Monday, Farmers Market with Matt Gillespie; every Thursday, Italian dinner night. All classes cost $30 and begin at 6:15 p.m. Let's Cook is at 1305 Assembly St. (803) 250-2569; letscookculinary.com

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