EVENTS
Lunch date with Santa
SA |Friar Tuck’s Restaurant hosts a buffet with Santa Claus, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. |$12.95, $4.95 children|Radisson North Denver Graystone Castle, 83 E. 120th Ave., 303-451-1002, ext. 145 |THORNTON
Holiday Prelude
SU|Colorado AIDS Project annual dinner honors Mayor John Hickenlooper, 6 p.m. Reservations required.|$125|Johnson & Wales, 7150 E. Montview Blvd., 303-837-0166, ext. 508, coloradoAIDSproject.org
Bourbon Dinner
TU|West End Tavern hosts a tasting and five-course dinner. |$65|303-444-3535, thewestendtavern.com
BENEFITS
Sports Equipment drive
-DEC. 16|Customers can drop off new or gently used sporting equipment at participating Jamba Juice stores for donation to a local Boys & Girls Club. |various locations
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
Tony’s Market
|Gifts from your holiday kitchen class, 7:15 p.m.|$45|7421 W. Bowles Ave., 720-377-3680|LITTLETON
Cake crafts
SA|Holiday cookie-decorating class, 1-4 p.m. |$30|4105 S. Broadway, 303-761-1522, cakecrafts.net|ENGLEWOOD
Cook Street School
SA-SU|Holiday gingerbread houses class for ages 8-13, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.| $89 |1937 Market St., 303-308-9300, cook street.com
Culinary School of the Rockies
SA-SU|Fancy holiday cookies class, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m.| $175|637 S. Broadway, Suite H, 303-494-7988, culinary schoolrockies.com|BOULDER
Saverino
SA|Cooking class features traditional candies and cookies of Italy.|$40 |2191 Arapahoe St., 303-308-0764
The Seasoned Chef Cooking School
SA|Parent-child holiday treats workshop 10 a.m.-1 p.m. |$45 |999 Jasmine St., Suite 100, 303-377-3222, theseasoned chef.com
City of Aurora
SU|Holiday food gifts, 1-3:30 p.m.|$35 residents, $46 nonresidents |Expo Recreation Center, 10955 E. Exposition Ave., 303-326-8630, auroragov.org/recreation|AURORA
City of Aurora
MO|Create a traditional northern Italian Christmas Eve dinner with fennel, oranges, risotto and cioppino, 6:30-9:30 p.m.|$37 residents, $48 nonresidents |Expo Recreation Center, 10955 E. Exposition Ave., 303-326-8630, auroragov.org/recreation|AURORA
Mise en Place Cooking School
SU|Holiday Cookie Exchange Party, 1-5 p.m.|$85|1801 Wynkoop St., Suite 175, 303-333-2378, miseenplaceschool.com
Paragon Culinary School
SU|”Small Production Grower’s Champagnes,” 12:30 p.m. |$65 | 3125 Sinton Road, 866-FOOD-101|COLORADO SPRINGS
Stir It Up Cooking School
SU|Beginning gingerbread decorating class, noon-3 p.m. |$30 residents, $38 non-residents|Boulder Recreation Center, 303-413-7270 stiritupcooking.com|BOULDER
CONTESTS
Honey of a BBQ
Tailgating Contest
-TH|Submit your favorite sauce, glaze or marinade recipe includes at least 1/3 cup 100 percent pure honey for a chance to win $1,000. Enter online at honey.com.
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 résumé” 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.
