Food Notes

Bake a pie, make a date at Friday’s auction
Charlottesville Food Not Bombs will offer its “pie-date auction’’ at 8 p.m. Friday at Ourspace.
The rules are simple: Bake a pie, and the highest bidder on the pie gets a date with the baker.
The auction is a benefit to raise money for Charlottesville Food Not Bombs and Southeast Climate Convergence.
Charlottesville Food Not Bombs is in its seventh year of serving free vegetarian meals, distributing groceries that otherwise would go to waste and opposing war and oppression. The local group serves food at 1 p.m. every Sunday in Tonsler Park, rain or shine, and everyone is welcome.
Food Not Bombs began in Boston in the 1980s with the goals of opposing nuclear weapons research and making sure people’s basic needs were met.
The Southeast Climate Convergence is an annual gathering that unites activists from the Southeast each summer for a week of workshops, skill sharing and direct action to target climate change. For information, call 960-2080.

Concert and wine tasting on tap in Nelson
DelFosse Vineyards and Winery in Faber will offer a wine tasting at 6 p.m. Saturday, followed at 7 p.m. by a concert by the Winds of Wintergreen.
Hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar will be available at 8:30 p.m.
The menu is by chef Genevieve DelFosse, and DelFosse Winery wines will be served.
The event is $40 per person, and reservations are required. For information, call 263-6100.

Autumn Hill holds its annual barrel tasting
Autumn Hill Vineyards will have its 15th annual Spring Barrel and Cheese Tasting Open House from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Activities will include cellar tours, wine discussions, barrel tasting of 2007 wines and a vertical Cabernet Franc tasting. Pairings of wines with a large assortment of international cheeses will give an idea of which cheeses go best with different wines. There will be no sweet wines.
Admission is $7 and includes a souvenir wine glass and unlimited cheese pairings. The event will continue rain or shine. Picnics are welcome, and no reservations are needed. For information, visit http://www.autumnhillwine.com or call 985-6100.

Cooking series wraps up tonight at Clifton
Clifton continues its weekly series of cooking demonstrations with executive chef Dean Maupin at 6:30 this evening with a study of fish cookery and techniques.
The class is free to everyone dining at the restaurant. For information or reservations, call 971-1800.

Lake Anna hosts benefit for Relay for Life
Lake Anna Winery in Spotsylvania will present “Farming for the Cure’’ from 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday.
There will be dinner by Carlos O’Kelly’s, music by Mike Wheelahan and a wine tasting.
Admission is $30 and the event benefits the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. Reservations are required. For reservations, call (540) 895-5085 or (540) 840-8441.

International Foods Festival is today at PVCC
Piedmont Virginia Community College will present its annual International Foods Festival from 11:30 this morning until 1 this afternoon in the Main Building.
International cuisine will be sold that’s provided by area restaurants and by foreign language classes and student clubs at Piedmont.
Participating restaurants include Sticks Kebob Shop, Bavarian Chef, Maharaja Fine Indian Cuisine, Korean House and Red Lantern. For details, call 961-5202.

Rappahannock Cellars will roll out the barrels
Rappahannock Cellars will have its Spring Barrel Tasting at 11:30 a.m. or 2:30 p.m. Saturday.
Wine maker Jason Burrus and vineyard manager Tom Kelly will lead an in-depth discussion on the 2008 wines.
The event is $30, $25 for club members. Reservations are required. For details, call (540) 635-9398.

It’s fashionable to luncheon in Rixeyville
The Ministers’ Wives and Ministers’ Widows of Wayland Blue Ridge and Vicinity will present a Luncheon/Fashion Show Extravaganza at noon Saturday at Wayland Blue Ridge Baptist Center in Rixeyville.
A $25 donation is requested. The fund raiser is to help give scholarships to graduating seniors. For tickets or information, call (540) 786-8736.

Whole Foods is gunning for a world record
Whole Foods Market will attempt to set a world record for cracking open wheels of two-year-aged parmigiana reggiano cheese, and the local store will participate from 3 to 4 p.m. Saturday.
Cheesemongers will demonstrate the art of breaking into the cheese using a traditional method that preserves its internal crystalline structure. There will be cheese samples, wine pairings and recipe ideas.
The chain is trying to set a world record by simultaneously cracking open 270 wheels of cheese. Call 973-4900.

Viticulturist conducts class on growing grapes
A Soil Preparation and Planting class will be presented at Piedmont Virginia Community College and White Hall Vineyards on Saturday.
Award-winning viticulturist Chris Hill is the instructor for a class on preparing soils for planting and growing wine grapes in Virginia.
Class begins at 9 a.m. Saturday in Room 835 in the technology wing of PVCC’s main building. Directions are at http://www.pvcc.edu. After the classroom session, the group will travel to White Hall Vineyards and actually plant some vines, so plan to dress accordingly for an afternoon in the vineyard.
The class is $99, and lunch is included. The course is required for a certificate in viticulture, and it is a must for anyone who wants to plant a backyard or commercial vineyard.
To register, e-mail or call 961-5354.

Earth Day events get under way on Saturday
Whole Foods Market will observe Earth Day with special events and giveaways starting at noon Saturday.
There will be a product swap, a recycled-art show and a hybrid car show. Whole Foods also will give away carabiners for use with reusable bags as long as supplies last. The event is free.  For details, visit http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com or call 973-4900.
From staff reports