Ann Arbor food & drink calendar for the week of Dec. 6-13

Saturday
19th Annual Cookie Walk. 9-11 a.m. (or until sold out) First United Methodist Church, 120 S. State St., Ann Arbor. Prepackaged or "select your own" homemade cookies for sale. Choose from an array of decorated sugar cookies, Russian tea cakes, chocolate crinkles, peanut blossoms and more. Proceeds benefit local, national and international missions. Free admission; free parking. 734-662-4536.

Gingerbread House Decorating Workshop . 2-3 p.m. Cranbrook Whole Foods, 990 W. Eisenhower Parkway, Ann Arbor, in the Lifestyle Center. For many, gingerbread houses epitomize family togetherness during the holidays. Continue the tradition this afternoon at Whole Foods Market. We’ll provide the frosted gingerbread house, candy and some help from our bakery pros, you bring the creativity! All ages are welcome. $19.99 per house (includes frosted gingerbread house and candy). Register at 734-997-7500.

Baking Pizzelles with the Kraft Family. 10 a.m.-noon. Downtown Home & Garden, 210 S. Ashley St., Ann Arbor. Barb Kraft shares her Mattimiro family recipe and demonstrates techniques for making these traditional Italian holiday waffle cookies. Free and open to the public. 734-662-8122.

Second Saturday Coffee Tasting. 11 a.m.-noon. Zingerman’s Coffee Co., 3723 Plaza Drive, Ann Arbor. One of Zingerman’s Coffee managing partners, Allen Leibowitz or Steve Mangigian, offers a free tour of the coffee company and talks about the intricate world of java. Free, but reservations are requested. 734-929-6060.

A Christmas Tea. Seatings at 1 and 4 p.m. Gordon Hall (Dexter Historical Society), 8341 Island Lake Road, Dexter. Join us for a holiday tea. An Old World Santa drawing will be held at 5 p.m. $20 for adults and $5 for children ages 4-14. 734-424-0369 or 734-395-5772.

Saturday Farmers Market. 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Ann Arbor Farmers Market, 315 Detroit St., Ann Arbor. Find local produce and food from some of your favorite farmers as well as educational food demos and more. Free admission. Visit www.a2gov.org/market for more information.

Sunday
Traditional Gingerbread House Classes. Noon-2 p.m. Ann Arbor Whole Foods, 3135 Washtenaw Ave., Ann Arbor. This class offers a great opportunity for parents, grandparents and kids to have fun together. Join our talented bakery team show you how to put an all-natural spin on a holiday favorite. Join this fun gingerbread house decorating class to inspire your creativity. This class will be held in the Cooking and Lifestyles Classroom. Fee: $19.99 for gingerbread house kit. 734-975-4500.

Monday
Upscale Celebration Cookies. 6-10 p.m. Ann Arbor Cooks, 5060 Jackson Road, Ann Arbor. Looking for a fancy gift to give this season? Learn how to make beautiful and delicious cookies to share with family and friends. Homemade gifts are always the most thoughtful and these cookies are sure to impress! Menu: Checkerboard icebox cookies; sesame tuile cookies; chocolate espresso biscotti; orange-honey Madelines; raspberry Linzer cookies. $75. www.annarborcooks.com.

Milan Senior Nutrition Program. 11:45 a.m. Milan Senior & Community Activity Center, 45 Neckel Court, Milan. In partnership with the Washtenaw County Senior Nutrition Program, they offer a nutritionally balanced meal three afternoons a week: Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. There is a suggested donation of $2.50 for anyone who is 60 years or older and a fee of $5 for anyone under the age of 60. They do ask for 48 hour advanced reservations. Call or stop by the office.

Tuesday
Vegetarian Cooking 101 with VegMichigan: Vegan Finger Foods and Vegan Desserts . 7-8:15 p.m. Cranbrook Whole Foods, 990 W. Eisenhower Parkway, Ann Arbor, in the Lifestyle Center. VegMichigan is the state's largest vegetarian organization. This month, join Russ and Dana as they demonstrate a variety of vegan recipes. For information about VegMichigan, visit http://vegmichigan.org/index.html. $5. 734-997-7500.

Ari’s Best of 2012. 6:30-8:30 p.m. Zingerman's Deli, 422 Detroit St., Ann Arbor.This time of year we pull out the foods that simply amaze us and taste them together. We reflect on the past year and celebrate. Join Ari Weinzweig and the deli crew for the most anticipated tasting of the year: an evening of story telling, historical narrative, and full of ridiculously tasty bites of the ‘Best of 2012!’ $45. 734-663-3354.

Navigating Winter with Raw Foods, with Ellen Livingston. 7-8:30 p.m. Crazy Wisdom Bookstore and Tearoom, 114 S. Main St., Ann Arbor. Discover great tips for keeping your health all winter long. Free. outreach@peoplesfood.coop or http://www.peoplesfood.coop/news_and_events/.

Lunch is Served. Noon-1 p.m. Turner Senior Resource Center, 2401 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor. Repeats every Tuesday and Friday. Reservations are required with two days prior notice. Suggested donation for those over 60 years of age is $2.50, for all others, $5. Call 734-998-9353 for reservations.

Wednesday
13 Mile Apalachicola Oyster Dinner. 7 p.m. Zingerman's Roadhouse, 2501 Jackson Ave., Ann Arbor. Apalachicola Bay not only sits on the mouth of the Apalachicola River, but also rests against the Gulf of Mexico, giving the seafood in this area the perfect amount of salt and fresh water to grow and thrive. The oysters of this area have their own distinctive taste that you can’t find anywhere else in the world. Working with the 13 Mile Brand and Buddy Ward and Son’s Seafood, the Roadhouse has created a menu featuring the different flavors of the oysters, said to be some of best tasting in the country. $50 for food, $25 for wine. 734-663-3663.

Wednesday Evening Farmers Market. 4:30-8:30 p.m. Ann Arbor Farmers Market, 315 Detroit St., Ann Arbor. At the Wednesday Evening Farmers Market, you'll find local produce and food from some of your favorite farmers and vendors from the Saturday and Wednesday markets, plus many innovative new vendors. There will be live music, food carts, and throughout the season a non-profit sponsored beer and wine garden, as well as educational food demos and more. Free admission. Visit www.a2gov.org/market for more information.

Wednesday Wine Tasting. 6 p.m. Paesano's Italian Restaurant, 3411 Washtenaw Ave., Ann Arbor. This informal wine tasting allows patrons to sample five up and coming wines from Italy. Joined by one of Paesano's knowledgeable wine purveyors, the staff creates tasty appetizers to accompany the bold flavors. $25. www.paesanosannarbor.com.

Thursday
My Vegetarian Holiday Feast. 6:30-9:30 p.m. Ann Arbor Cooks, 5060 Jackson Road, Ann Arbor. Whether you are vegetarian or not, odds are pretty good that you might be cooking for some this holiday season! Come learn some new and interesting dishes that are guaranteed to impress! Menu: Curried pumpkin bisque; arugula and apple salad with cranberry vinaigrette; maple-balsamic glazed tempeh with shallot and chestnuts; candied ginger pears. $75. www.annarborcooks.com.

Seafood Appetizers and Platters for the Holidays. 6 p.m. Cranbrook Whole Foods, 990 W. Eisenhower, Cranbrook Village shopping center. Laura will share some holiday favorites! Recipes and samples are included. Free. 734-997-7500.

Thursday Night Rush Hour Relief at the Wine Bar. 5-8:30 p.m. Cranbrook Whole Foods, 990 W. Eisenhower Parkway, Ann Arbor, at the wine bar. Each Thursday evening, experts lead an exploration of wine, cheese and appetizers. This week’s topic: Winter reds with caviar. 734-997-7500.

To submit events for this calendar, e-mail calendar@annarbor.com.