EVENTS
Mel’s Bar and Grill
W|Hosts a four-course holiday wine dinner|235 Fillmore St., 303-333-3979
Melting Pot Wine Dinner
W|The Melting Pot Fondue Restaurant and Vintage Wine & Spirits host a dinner featuring five wines from the Montinore Estates, 6 p.m. |$38|719-520-5733
The Old Neighborhood Restaurant
TH|Hosts a wine dinner featuring California cabernet sauvignon, 7 p.m. |$80|7923 Allison Way, 303-425-1962 |ARVADA
Wine dinner
F|O’s Steak and Seafood hosts a seven-course gourmet dinner, 7 p.m.|$65|
The Westin Westminster, 303-410-5066|WESTMINSTER
BENEFITS
Taste of Thanksgiving
F|Whole Foods Market hosts its annual fundraiser benefiting Community Food Share, 5:30 p.m. |$12.75|Boulder Theater, 303-652-3663|BOULDER
Vail Valley Wine Auction
SA|Activities include a silent auction, champagne reception and dinner to benefit local charities|970-926-3002 or 970-331-5262|VAIL
Check Out Hunger
-DEC. 31|Shoppers are invited to donate to Food Bank of the Rockies’ Children Nutrition Network at Vitamin Cottage |various locations
CLASSES
The Seasoned Chef Cooking School
W|Thanksgiving class, 6:30-9 p.m. |$45 |999 Jasmine St., Suite 100, 303-377-3222, theseasonedchef.com
Cook Street School
TH-SA|Thanksgiving class, 6-9:30 p.m.|$79 |1937 Market St., 303-308-9300, cookstreet.com
City of Aurora
F|Tamales, 6:30-9:30 p.m.|$37 residents, $48 nonresidents |Expo Recreation Center, 10955 E. Exposition Ave., 303-326-8630, auroragov.org/recreation|AURORA
Cake crafts
SA|In-store candymaking demo, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. |Free|4105 S. Broadway, 303-761-1522, cakecrafts.net|ENGLEWOOD
Paragon Culinary School
SU|Holiday feast class, 12:30 p.m. |$65 |3125 Sinton Road, 866-FOOD-101|COLORADO SPRINGS
CONTESTS
Make a Masterpiece
-F|Decorate any Mrs. Smith’s pie for a chance to win an oven makeover. To an official entry, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Mrs. Smith’s “Make a Masterpiece” Contest Official Entry Form Request, P.O. Box 2127, Addison, TX 75001. Submit your photo and the entry form to the address above or online. Entry forms available at mrssmiths.com
Great American Cake-Off
-NOV. 26|The Whirlpool hosts a nationwide search for America’s Most Unique Cake and the stories that go with them. To enter, send cake recipe, photograph and the story that exemplifies the “unique cake” to Whirlpool Brand Great American Cake-Off Contest, 444 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 600, Chicago, IL 60611. Entries may be submitted at |whirlpool.com/uniquecake
Beerdrinker of the Year
-DEC. 31|Wynkoop Brewing Co. is searching for the most passionate, knowledgeable beer-lover in the U.S. Submit a “beer resume” detailing your beer-drinking philosophy and displaying your understanding of beer, its history and its importance to civilization. The winner gets free beer for life at the Wynkoop|wynkoop.com
In-Sink-Erator challenge
-DEC. 31|Write a creative essay (100-word maximum) describing how an instant hot water dispenser would help heat things up for a chance to win a $10,000 kitchen makeover. Visit the website for an entry form. Mail entries to In-Sink-Erator Kitchen Makeover, 733 N. Van Buren St., Milwaukee, WI 53202|insinkerator.com
National Culinary Challenge
-JAN. 9|High school seniors may enter an original dinner or dessert recipe for a chance to win a full scholarship to Johnson & Wales University and a private lesson with celebrity chef Tyler Florence |jwu.edu/culinary
AirBake Ultra Cookie Challenge
-JAN. 15|Parent-child baking teams are invited to enter their favorite “out-of-
the-box” cookie creation for a chance to win a kitchen makeover and college scholarship. Submit original recipes and entry forms to AirBake Ultra Cookie Challenge, care of M. Booth & Associates, 300 Park Ave. South, Floor 12, New York, NY 10010. Complete rules and entry forms available online|wearever.com
Best Teen Chef 2006
-FEB. 10|High school seniors are invited to enter the competition for a chance to win a full scholarship to The Art Institutes and a private lesson with celebrity chef Tyler Florence. Local competition at The Art Institute of Colorado on March 11 |artinstitutes.edu/btc
Mail calendar items at least 10 days in advance to Food Calendar, The Denver Post, 1560 Broadway, Denver, CO 80202; e-mail Living@denverpost.com.
