News

Put on your mussel shirt and pull out your mussel car: the 20th annual Penn Cove Mussel Festival is March 4 and 5. The bivalve mollusks will be featured in cooking demonstrations, chowder tastings, and eating contests. The event includes live music, boat tours of mussel farms, and a raffle. 10:30 a.m.–8 p.m. Sat., 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Sun. Coupeville Recreation Hall, 901 N.W. Alexander St., 360-678-1100, www.penncovemusselfestival.com. COUPEVILLE

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Advance registration or reservations are recommended for most of the following events. Prices exclusive of tax and gratuity unless otherwise noted.

On the Plate

Thursday, Feb. 23

Watch eco-film The Future of Food and chow on non-genetically-modified foods. This award-winning documentary examines the complex worldwide web of market and political forces that are changing what we eat. 7 p.m. Camp Long, 5200 35th Ave. S.W., www.nweec.org. WEST SEATTLE

Tuesday, Feb. 28

Sazerac is “stagin’ all things Cajun” for the restaurant’s ninth annual Fat Tuesday Fete. Come costumed or not, or even ready to bare: beads and feather boas will be handed out at the door. The cover price includes Southern-lovin’ appetizers (rock shrimp cakes, fried oyster po’ boys, gumbo, pizza) and live music from the File Gumbo Band. $25. 6 p.m.–2 a.m. Sazerac, 1101 Fourth Ave., 624-7755, www.sazeracrestaurant.com. DOWNTOWN

Friday, March 3

Celebrity can be bought: At Town Hall’s “Talk of the Town” fund-raising gala, 11 local notables will open their homes for an intimate dinner party. The evening kicks off with a cocktail reception at Town Hall, with all celebrity guests present. Then partygoers will depart to their chosen dinner party—early reservations get the best pick. Celebrity hosts include Congressman Jay Inslee,dramatic soprano Jane Eaglen, University of Washington President Mark Emmert, Nobel Laureate Lee Hartwell of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, and The Stranger‘s Dan Savage. $250. 5 p.m. 1119 Eighth Ave., 206-652-4255, www.townhallseattle.org. FIRST HILL

Saturday, March 4

Give someone a helping hand—literally—by bidding on glass art, vacations, desserts, and other unique items during the Prosthetics Outreach Foundation annual dinner and auction. $100. 5:30 p.m. Seattle Hilton, 1301 Sixth Ave., 206-726-1636, www.pofsea.org. DOWNTOWN

Monday, March 6

Girls night out! Five female winemakers (Holly Turner, Three Rivers Winery; Poppy Mantone, Syncline Wine Cellars; Katy Perry, Tildio Winery; Carolyn Lakewold, Donedei Winery; and Joy Anderson, Snoqualmie Winery) will mix and mingle at the third annual Women in Wine dinner at the Georgian—answering questions, perhaps, like: “What do female vintners bring to the mostly male-dominated scene?” The five-course dinner includes smoked salmon, seared scallop truffles, and roasted veal medallions. Proceeds benefit the local Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation affiliate. $150. 6 p.m. Fairmont Olympic Hotel, 411 University St., 206-287-4059. DOWNTOWN

The Grapevine

Thursday, Feb. 23

A group of local winemakers will honor Devin Derby, recently deceased winery manager and co-winemaker of Spring Valley Vineyard, at Waterfront Seafood Grill. Each wine served will be commingled with another to create a limited blend called the Devin Component (and also sampled individually beforehand). The five-course dinner prepared by executive chef Steve Cain includes French-fried crimini mushrooms (with Forgeron Merlot), smoky bacon corn pudding (with Reininger Merlot and Tamarack Syrah), and oven-roasted lamb sirloin (with K Vintners’ the Creator). $150. 6:30 p.m. 2801 Alaskan Way, Pier 70, 206-956-9171, www.waterfrontpier70.com. DOWNTOWN

Thursday, Feb. 23

Seven wines and one exotic lady: Sophia Bergquist, proprietor of Portugal’s Quinta de la Rosa winery, comes to Nell’s Restaurant to speak about three dry red table wines and four ports from the Douro region, which will accompany a dinner of ahi tuna, rosemary-crusted pork, and a poached pear tart. $75. 6:15 p.m. 6804 E. Green Lake Way N., 206-524-4044, www.nellsrestaurant.com. GREEN LAKE

Saturday, March 4

Admission to the Phinney Neighborhood Association‘s annual Wine Taste includes a choice of 10 tastes from a variety of wineries, hors d’oeuvres, and swinging jazz by the Watermelon Men. Participating wineries include Animale Wines, Two Mountain Winery, Duck Pond Cellars, and Windy Point Vineyards. Reserve tickets ahead of time. $25. 7:30–9:30 p.m. Phinney Neighborhood Center, 6532 Phinney Ave. N., 206-783-2244. PHINNEY RIDGE

Saturday, March 4

Tacoma’s Old Town Business District is sponsoring a celebration of the finer things in life: wine and jazz. The festival showcases 40 wines from Washington distributors and contemporary jazz artists such as Greta Matassa, Kareem Kandi, Deems Tsutakawa, and Hat Trick. Proceeds will support the creation of a permanent outdoor performance stage in Old Town Park. $25. 1–10 p.m. Historic Slavonian Hall, 2306 N. 30th St., Tacoma, www.oldtowntacoma.org/jazz. TACOMA

Sundays, March 5 & 12

Sommelier Arnie Millan will demystify Bordeaux in a series of two classes exploring this region’s history, geography, and (most importantly) wines. Participants will taste at least five wines per class. $49 per class/$95 for both. 4–6 p.m. Warwick Hotel, 401 Lenora St., 206-612-6547. DOWNTOWN

Monday, March 6

Noted wine columnist Richard Kinssies will hold a “fireside chat” in the Hotel Vintage Park’s lobby to taste and talk about Washington wines, which will be paired with an assortment of local cheeses. This is part of the hotel’s celebration of Taste Washington Wine Month: each night in March, a different state winery will host wine hour in the lobby. $15/free for hotel guests. 5–6 p.m. 1100 Fifth Ave., 206-624-8000, www.hotelvintagepark.com. DOWNTOWN

Back to School

Thursday, Feb. 23

Tween-agers can learn to make sweet rolls from scratch using natural sweeteners and flours at PCC Natural Market. From kneading to filling to rolling, kids ages 11 to 14 will enjoy all the phases of baking—especially the eating. $30/nonmembers. 10 a.m.–noon. Green Lake location, 7504 Aurora Ave. N., www.pccnaturalmarkets.com. GREEN LAKE. Also at the West Seattle location, 2749 California Ave. S.W., Sunday, Feb. 26, 1–3 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 25

Don’t aimlessly wander the stalls at Pike Place Market! Pick out fresh ingredients for a scrumptious recipe with chef Katie Coleman from Culinary Communion. After becoming sufficiently famished from the market walk, Coleman will prepare the recipe and serve dinner (wine included). $65. 9:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Pike Place Market, 206-774-5249, www.pikeplacemarket.org. DOWNTOWN

Sunday, Feb. 26

Thai-me for noodles! Chef Pranee Halvorsen (a Thai native) will demonstrate how Thais creatively employ vermicelli, egg, cellophane, and rice noodles in curry dishes, salads and desserts. Phad Thai is also on the menu, of course. $55. 5–8 p.m. Cook’s World, 2900 N.E. Blakeley St., 206-528-8192, www.cooksworld.net. UNIVERSITY DISTRICT

Friday, March 3

Yes, a pack of spaghetti costs only $1 at Safeway—but chef Katie Colman promises that fresh pasta tastes incredibly better and is quick to crank out. She’ll show how to make fettuccine, ravioli, and farfalle with a variety of doughs. $70. 6–9 p.m. Eastside Culinary Communion House, Snoqualmie, 206-284-8687, www.culinarycommunion.com. EASTSIDE

Tuesday, March 7

Happy birthday to the cocktail! Oliver’s Lounge and the Museum of the American Cocktail celebrate this decadent drink’s 200th birthday with a historical seminar exploring its origins and evolution. Participants will sample several cocktails that illustrate “all that the cocktail has to offer.” $45. 6:30–8 p.m. 405 Olive Way, museumoftheamericancocktail.org/seminars. DOWNTOWN