Today Thursday Night Rush Hour Relief at the Wine Bar. 5-7 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: Pacific Northwest White Wines. $17.

Coney Dog and Root Beer Float Night. 5-8 p.m. American Legion Post #419, 9807 Whitewood Road, Pinckney. $1. For more information call (734) 878-9522 or (734) 341-4249.

Friday Michigan Beer Tasting: Jolly Pumpkin. 5-7 p.m. Cranbrook Whole Foods, 990 W. Eisenhower Parkway, Ann Arbor, at the wine bar. Mike Turiff from the Jolly Pumpkin will be on hand to answer questions. $3 pints, $1 tastes and varied pricing on bottle pours.

Saturday Ann Arbor Farmers Market. 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Farmers Market, 315 Detroit St., Ann Arbor. Seasonal fresh, locally grown produce as well as some plants, handcrafts and homemade prepared foods in an open-air market setting. Also a great time to run into friends and people-watch. 734-794-6255.

Sunday Murder Mystery Dinner. 6 p.m. The Melting Pot, 309 S. Main St., Ann Arbor. A night of fun, fondue and foul play. There’s been a chilling murder at The White Elephant Ski Lodge, and we need your help to find the culprit. Interrogate each of the suspects to unravel the crime. Can you reveal the killer? $55. Reservations required at www.themeltingpot.com or by calling (734) 622-0055.

Country Style Breakfast. 8:30-11 a.m. St. Mary’s Catholic Parish, 10601 Dexter Pinckney Road, Pinckney. Proceeds support the music ministry at the parish. Menu includes: fried or scrambled eggs, hash browns, biscuits and gravy, French toast, pancakes, quiche, ham, pork sausage and a waffle station. The event includes musical guests and raffles. Admission is by free-will donation. (734) 878-3161.

German Soft Pretzels. 1-2 p.m. Hollander's, 410 N. Fourth Ave., first floor of the Kerrytown Shops, Ann Arbor. Instructor John Savanna, owner of Millpond Bread, shows you how to make the dough, twist, shape and create pretzels with a salty crust. John uses Plugra in his recipe, a European style butter that is becoming more popular as a baking ingredient. $15. 734-741-7531.

Cook Michigan: Celebrate the Foods of Our Great Lakes State. 2-4 p.m. Ypsilanti District Library, 5577 Whittaker Road, Ypsilanti. The Ypsilanti District Library is celebrating Michigan’s bounty with a cooking contest. Create a dish featuring at least one food product made or grown in Michigan and bring it in to the library for judging on March 7. Entry forms with all rules and details are available at all YDL locations. For more information, call 734-482-4110 ext. 1377.

Coffee: Bean to Cup. 3-5 p.m. Coffee House Creamery, 3780 Jackson Ave., Ann Arbor. Love latte and cappuccino? Maybe you have your own espresso machine at home but haven't quite figured out how to use it? Explore authentic European methods for making espresso drinks from an experienced barista. Have fun in this hands-on workshop and discover how to taste the difference! You will learn everything there is to know about good coffee from the bean to the cup. Instructor: Natalie Park, owner Coffee House Creamery. Hosted by Ann Arbor Community Education & Recreation. $35. Pre-registration is required by calling 734-994-2300 xt. 53203 or online at www.aareced.com.

Tuesday Cooking with Villegas. 7-8:30 p.m. Brighton District Library, 100 Library Drive, Brighton. Eric Villegas discusses his award-winning book, “Fork in the Road, a culinary travelogue of Michigan,” as he demonstrates cooking techniques. Enjoy a taste of Michigan comfort food prepared by a flamboyant TV chef. Free, but pre-registration is required by calling 810-229-6571 x227.

Italian Sunday Supper. 5:30-7:30 p.m. Big George's Home Appliance, 2019 W. Stadium Blvd., Ann Arbor. In Italy, the whole family spends the day cooking and eating together on Sunday. The perfect family meal would include manicotti - homemade pasta filled with ground meat and cheese, baked in a tomato basil sauce - an artichoke salad dressed with a lemon vinaigrette and olives, and for dessert, Tiramisu all' arancia, made with oranges and Grand Marnier. $35 . Pre-registration is required by calling 734-994-2300 xt. 53203 or online at www.aareced.com.

Wednesday French Pastry Dough. Noon-1 p.m. Hollander’s, Hollander's, 410 N. Fourth Ave., first floor of the Kerrytown Shops, Ann Arbor. French pasty dough is made based on its purpose. Experience and taste the difference between a Pâte Brisée (Basic), Pâte Feuilletée (Flaky), Pâte Sablée (Butter), and Pâte à Choux (Puff) with instructor Brigette Romero. You will also learn which to use with foods such as quiche, with various cheeses, and fresh fruits. $15. 734-741-7531.

Library After Hours with Chef Courtney Clark of Cake Nouveau. 6:30 p.m. Pinckney Library, 340 Mower Road, Pinckney. Livingston Reads! 2010 Kick Off event features a hands-on presentation and demonstration by Chef Courtney Clark from Cake Nouveau in Ann Arbor. Free, but pre-registration is required by calling 734-878-3888.

Chicken Satay & Taro. 6:30-8:30 p.m. Ann Arbor Whole Foods, 3135 Washtenaw Ave., Ann Arbor. The marinated meat of chicken satay is skewered on sticks, grilled, then dipped in a tangy peanut sauce. Taro is a favorite dessert with a hint of coconut, often ordered in Chinese restaurants. Instructor: Mercy Yeo. $35 . Pre-registration is required by calling 734-994-2300 xt. 53203 or online at www.aareced.com.

Wednesday Wine Tasting. 6-7 p.m. Paesano’s, 3411 Washtenaw Ave., Ann Arbor. $20. For more information, visit www.paesanosannarbor.com.

British Cheese 7-9 p.m. Zingerman's Deli, 422 Detroit Street, Ann Arbor. Zingerman’s and Neal’s Yard Dairy teamed up a long time ago to bring America the best cheeses Great Britain had to offer, and since then nothing has changed. Join the Deli’s cheese mongers for an evening of lore and tasty bits of cheese. $20/in advance and $25/at the door, Call 734-663-3400 to reserve a seat.

March 11 Discover the Joy of Soy. 5:30-7 p.m. Ellen Thompson Women's Health Center, St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, 5320 Elliott Drive, Ypsilanti. Explore how to use different types of soy products to make flavorful, healthy meals. Prepare and eat a meal that includes Sweet and Sour Soy, Sesame Lime Glazed Tofu, Vegetarian Nacho Casserole and Tempeh Wraps. $39. Registration is required by calling 734-994-2300 ext. 53203 or online at www.aareced.com.

Thursday Night Rush Hour Relief at the Wine Bar. 5-7 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: Cabernet Blends. $17.

Healthy Cooking: Lentils. 6 p.m. Cranbrook Whole Foods, 990 W. Eisenhower Parkway, Ann Arbor. Join Kevin for a discussion about the many varieties of lentils that are available and a demonstration of how to optimally prepare them in many dishes from all over the world. $5. Register in advance at the customer service desk or by calling 734-997-7500.

70% Chocolate Rendez-Vous 7-8 p.m. Zingerman's Deli, 422 Detroit Street, Ann Arbor. There are a lot of dark chocolate bars out there hovering in the magical 70% range and they all taste different. Some are fresh and mild, and others are wild and tannic! Raspberries, olives, coffee, bananas… what will you taste? Sample several different dark chocolate bars from around the world, illustrating how — in the grand scheme of things — % is just a tiny piece of the flavor puzzle. $20/in advance and $25/at the door, Call 734-663-3400 to reserve a seat.

March 14 St. Patrick’s Day Tasting. 2-6 p.m. Cranbrook Whole Foods, 990 W. Eisenhower Parkway, Ann Arbor. Sample traditional St. Patrick’s Day favorites throughout the store. At the wine bar: happy hour all day with $3 pints. We will feature Arbor Brewing Company's award-winning Faricy's Irish Stout along with a variety of other Irish ales and stouts, including a gelato-stout float.

Celebrate the Irish: Cooking for St. Patrick’s Day. 3 p.m. Cranbrook Whole Foods, 990 W. Eisenhower Parkway, Ann Arbor. Join Jeremy from our Prepared Foods team as he demonstrates Irish-inspired dishes you’ll be sure to want to make for your St. Patrick’s party. $5. Register in advance at the customer service desk or by calling 734-997-7500.

-To submit events for this calendar, email Sarah Rigg at sarahrigg@yahoo.com.