Austin Foodie Bits ~ Food and Wine Events for the Week of January 10

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Baby it’s cold outside! And, really, I’m perfectly alright with that. I’ve broken out the fuzzy sweaters, warm boots, and cream hot chocolate to see me through the new few days of the cold snap. Have you raided your sweater chest or rummaged for you winter gloves yet? You could also just skip the outside weather and try one of this week’s food and drink events that are held indoors where it’s warm and cozy. From a girl’s night out cooking class to beer school and even a movie screening, you’ll be able to warm your body and your foodie soul. And as I promised last week, the food and drink events are picking up steam again, so be sure to look forward to the next few weeks and mark your calendars accordingly.

Before I move onto the this week’s spotlight events, I’d like to remind everyone that Valentine’s Day is only five weeks away. While this may seem like forever when you’re planning a typical dinner reservation here in Austin, when it comes to the big V Day it might as well be tomorrow. Because Valentine’s Day is on a Monday this year, you can probably get away with a reservation on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, or Monday which increases your chances significantly of getting a great spot at a local favorite restaurant. Still, don’t save this reservation until the last minute. Just take the 15 minutes right now to make the easy reservation and you’ll be the romantic hero (or heroine).

In the Spotlight

From January 12 – 25 Central Market is once again celebrating Citrus Fest. In addition to bringing a wide variety of citrus to their stores (think blood oranges, pink lemons, and finger limes) they will be offering in-store tastings and demos as well as some citrus-focused cooking classes. Be sure to stop by either Austin location to taste new and interesting produce and learn how to use them in your kitchen.

The inaugural Sip and Savor Austin is a city-wide celebration of food and drink in Austin. From restaurants to personal chefs and dive bars, there’s something for everyone during this event. Some sites will offer special menus while others will have unique items or specials for this event. Because this event includes artisans and specialty purveyors, it has a much wider scope than Restaurant Week, making it a nice addition to our food scene. Be sure to get out between January 16 and January 30 to visit the participants in this new event.

From the creators of the first interactive cookbook and the Chefs Under Fire Series, the Wine Ride Competition will challenge local sommeliers to make their best pairings of Becky Wasserman Selection Wines with food items at local favorite spots like Antonellie’s Cheese Shop, FINO, and the Central Market Cooking School. Each sommelier will have a blogger and photographer along for the ride to chronicle their story as well as a team facilitweeter to share the action on Twitter. You can join the fun virtually on twitter by following the #wineride hashtag or you can be at Uchiko for the final event to watch the participants present their pairings and enjoy a tasting of the wines for yourself ($40/person + tax). Call 512.970.3456 to reserve your spot at the finish line.

Be Spontaneous – This Week’s Events

• January 11: Popeye’s Girl –An Olive Oil Cooking Class – One of my favorite cooking school instructors, Terry Conlan of the Lake Austin Spa, is set to teach you all about how to make the most of olive oil in your cooking. From crispy fried olives to spicy lamb and a lemon olive oil bunt cake, he’ll help you turn this healthy fat into an array of dishes. $60/person. Central Market Cooking School. 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm. Reserve online.
• January 12: Forks Over Knives Film Screening – Whole Foods is partnering with the Austin Film Festival to present a free screening of Forks Over Knives, a film that investigates the benefits of a whole foods plant-based diet. The film screening will be followed by a Q&A panel. Bob Bullock Museum. 7:30 pm. RSVP is required.
• January 13: Girl’s Night Out Champagne Cocktail Party – Gather your girlfriends and head on over to the Whole Foods Culinary Center for an evening of bubbles and nibbles where you’ll not only enjoy each other’s company but you’ll learn something along the way. Make blinis, yellow fin tuna on endive, vanilla bean pots de crème, and more as you celebrate the joy of good friends. $65/person. 6:30 pm – 9:30 pm. Reserve online.
• January 13: Wine Never Sounded so Good – Max’s Wine Dive is pairing music with their wine and food for a fun event in the Underground. Enjoy six different wines with a selection of cheeses as you enjoy the musical production by Robert Sanches. $20/person. 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm. E-mail wnssg@live.com to reserve.
• January 15: Beer School – The beer experts at North by Northwest are offering a series of Beer Education Classes designed to help you enjoy beer even more than you already do (or find an appreciation if that’s what your seeking). The first of these classes, Beer School, learn the ins and outs of the basics of beer as you sample beer and their ingredients as well as learn how beer as made. $35/person. 11:00 am. Call 512.467.6969 to reserve your spot.
• January 16: Sausage Making 101 – While Austin has so many great resources for fresh, local sausage you don’t necessarily need to know how to make your own, wouldn’t it be great to be able to say you know how? In this class the experts from Kocurek Family Artisanal Charcuterie will teach you the ins and outs of making Italian sausage, breakfast sausage, chicken sausage, and even frankfurters. $85/person. 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm. Reserve online.
• January 16: Austinville 78704 Grand Opening Celebration – A whole group of Austin favorites are joining forces in the 78704 to bring home-grown goodness to South Austin. Help Amy’s Ice Cream, Phil’s Ice House, and The Soup Peddler & Juicebox celebrate their joint openings. 10% of all the sales will go to Austin Pet’s Alive, and the whole family can join in the fun. 2901 S. Lamar, Austin, TX 78704. 10 am – 6:00 pm. Food prices vary by restaurant.

Plan Ahead – Events in the Next Three Weeks

• January 19: Lagunitas Beer Dinner, $55/person; 24 Diner, e-mail info@24diner.com for more information.
• January 19: Food Design Film Screening, $35/person; Alamo South Lamar, 7:00 pm.
• January 22: Petite Peche Argentinean Food Salon, $70/person; Church House Studios, 7:00 pm.
• January 26: Paggi House Zu Vodka Dinner, $75/person; 6:30 pm.
• January 27: Celebrate the Chinese New Year with Dim Sum, $65/person; Whole Foods Culinary Center, 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm.
• January 29: Entertain Like a Gentleman, $50/person; Central Market North Lamar, 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm.
• February 5: Valentine’s Cookie Decorating, $60/person; Central Market North Lamar, 10 am – 1:00 pm.