Below is a listing of classes and events that bolster your cuisine expertise and offer tasty experiences. If you have info you'd like to share with Planet readers, please write to Culinary Events, Weekly Planet, 1310 E. Ninth Ave., Tampa, FL 33603. Or e-mail [email protected].
Chef Antoine Louro, of Chateau France, a St. Petersburg French restaurant, takes his cooking class through specialties of his homeland. Lucky participants then get to eat what he has prepared in the form of a three-course gourmet lunch. The class takes place at the home of Linda Jantschek, of St. Petersburg. 11 a.m., Monday, Jan. 14. $40. Proceeds benefit the Stuart Society Affaires d'Art, a fund-raising arm of the Museum of Fine Arts in St. Pete. Call Carolyn Bond at 727-823-6140.
Roy's Redoubt Executive Chef and partner at Roy's of Tampa, Rand G. Packer, leads a cooking class featuring delectable samples, recipe booklets and lunch. 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Tuesday Jan. 15. $40. Roy's, 4342 W. Boy Scout Blvd., Tampa, 813-873-7697; fax, 813-870-0447. Class limited to 20 lucky people.
Herb & Spice Nite Class prepares butternut squash soup with curried horseradish cream; braised chicken breast with sloe gin and juniper; groiled vegetable and herb kebobs with green peppercorn sauce; glazed sweet potatoes with ginger and allspice, chocolate mint truffle phyllo bundles with poached oranges, spiced with anise and cinnamon. 7-9 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 16. $35. La Maison Gourmet, 471 Main St., Dunedin, 727-736-3070. www.lamaisongourmet.com.
Cajun Specialties It's time to start eating well with health in mind. Chefs will demonstrate how to modify recipes for trim fat, calories and some carbos, but retain the taste. Menu includes crabmeat, Avery tossed with aioli, sauteed shrimp, mushrooms and garlic with beurre blanc sauce, eggplant bayou teche over linguine with Parmesan cream sauce, and backwoods dark chocolate mousse with Chantilly cream. $25. Thursday, Jan. 17. La Maison Gourmet, 471 Main St., Dunedin, 727-736-3070. www.lamaisongourmet.com.
It's Clubby Chef Eric Webber, of Sutherland Cafe, is the featured guest at the Tampa Bay Culinary Club meeting next month. Chef Eric plans to demonstrate how to cook one appetizer, one entree and one dessert for the nonprofit club, whose members focus on cooking and learning. 2 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 19. $10. Sutherland Cafe, 1026 Florida Ave., Palm Harbor. Call Jeanne Hansen, 727-789-2605.
