Ann Arbor food & drink calendar for the week of July 5-12

Monday
Summer Antipasti with Francesca Giarraffa. 6:30-8:30 p.m. Ann Arbor Whole Foods, 3135 Washtenaw Ave., Ann Arbor. Summer is a great time to entertain. Try these Italian delights at your next gathering. Recipes: Oven roasted tomatoes topped with olives, capers, dried herbs and chilies, served on bruschetta; Eggplant Caponata, baked eggplant cubes tossed in a light tomato sauce with olives and fresh herbs; Mascarpone and brie cheese with toasted pine nuts served on crostini topped with prosciutto; Steamed Asparagus Spears dressed with crab meat and a lemon butter dressing; Fresh figs stuffed with a sharp cheese adorned with a drizzle of honey. This class is held in the Cooking and Lifestyles Classroom. $45. Registration with Ann Arbor Community Education & Recreation.is required by calling 734-994-2300 ext. 53203 or at www.aareced.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. 734-439-1549.

Monday through Thursday
Kids' Summer Camp: International. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. each day. Ann Arbor Cooks, 5060 Jackson Road, Ann Arbor. Children ages 8-15 are invited to experience an international adventure where young chefs stop in a new country each day. Monday: (Mexico) tostadas with grilled chicken and veggies, pineapple salsa, guacamole and chips, Mexican corn on the cob. Tuesday: (Greece) grape leaves, fried cheese, spanakopita, baklava. Wednesday: (China) Szechuan green beans, beef lo mein, fortune cookies. Thursday: (Japan) sushi party. $200 per child. 734-645-1030 or http://annarborcooks.com.

Tuesday
Summer Soups To Beat The Heat! 6:30-9:30 p.m. Ann Arbor Cooks, 5060 Jackson Road, Ann Arbor. During the hot summer months, chilled summer soups are a refreshing addition to any menu. Warm soups are also a great way to showcase the season's best. Here we'll show you 2 of each! Menu: Sweet corn soup with avocado; fresh watercress bisque with crème fraiche; spiney lobster and mango gazpacho; Thai-spiced watermelon soup. $65. 734-645-1030.

Battle of the BBQs: Kansas City vs. Texas. 7-10 pm. Zingerman's Roadhouse, 2501 Jackson Ave., Ann Arbor. The Roadhouse has long had a passion for barbecue from the Carolinas and Memphis, but for this dinner, Kansas City and Texas will go head to head to see which reigns supreme. Kansas City is thick and sweet, based on tomatoes and molasses. West Texas BBQ “cowboy style” involves direct cooking over mesquite and uses beef, goat and mutton. Which BBQ will be your favorite? $50. 734-663-3663.

An Evening with The Brinery. 7-9 p.m. Zingerman’s Events on Fourth, 415 N. Fifth Ave., Ann Arbor. Ann Arbor native David Klingenberger has been fermenting vegetables since the turn of the century. Years of recipe testing and perfecting have resulted in a range of locally-grown fermented vegetables (his sauerkraut is served on Zingerman reubens). He’s recently been deemed a ‘Local Food Hero’ by Edible WOW, and he’ll be receiving his award. Join us to hear about how he got started and what he’s learned along the way. We’ll taste his fermented veggies on their own and in a few different recipes. A cash bar featuring Michigan beers will be available. Menu: Four different types of krauts, side by side, sauerkraut soup, mini open face classic reuben with corned beef, mini open face tempeh reuben with kraut, pierogis $25. Call 734-663-3400 to reserve a seat.

Cobblestone Farm farmer's market. 4-7 p.m. Located at the historic Cobblestone Farm, this market will feature local, organically grown produce every Tuesday evening beginning June 19. No admission charge; price of purchases. www.cobblestonefarmmarket.com.

Saline Farmers Market. 3-7 p.m. Saline District Library, 555 N. Maple Road, Saline. Fresh local produce and fruit are on offer, as well as local cheese, butter, honey, maple syrup, jams, eggs, meat, coffee and baked goods. Also available are flowers, plants, hanging baskets, planters, annuals, perennials, and vegetable and herb plants. There are a variety of hand-crafted items such as wood bowls and pens, jewelry, garden art, soap and more, all created by local artisans. Master Gardeners from the Michigan State University Master Gardener program are available to answer questions at the market during May, June and September. Bridge Cards, Senior Project Fresh and WIC (Women with Infant Children) Project Fresh coupons can be redeemed to buy fresh produce and fruit at our Market. Patrons can visit the Bridge Card booth at the Saturday Saline Farmers Market and obtain wooden tokens in $1 increments for the amount requested to be added to their Bridge Card. Tokens can be redeemed at the Tuesday Saline Farmers Market but can only be purchased at the Saturday Market. For more information, call Nancy Crisp at 734 429-3518, email salinefarmersmarket@comcast.net or visit cityofsaline.org/farmersmarket.

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
Italian Sauces and Condiments with Francesca Giarraffa. 5:30-8:30 p.m. Ann Arbor Whole Foods, 3135 Washtenaw Ave., Ann Arbor. Having several versatile sauce and condiment ideas in your cooking repertoire can enhance your pasta dishes, as sides or entrees. Let our "seasoned," culinary instructor, Francesca, come to the rescue with several favorites. You'll learn to make "amatriciana," a tangy tomato based sauce (made with pancetta and onions, served with penne pasta), "carbonara," (artichoke hearts, scrambled egg and parmigiano cheese, served with linguine), prosciutto and peas (in a white cream sauce, served over bow tie pasta), and "salsa ai funghi," a tomato-based sauce (made with a mix of wild mushrooms and dried porcinis, served with spaghetti). This class is held in the Cooking and Lifestyles Classroom. Tuition: $39. Mandatory Fee: $15. Students may register on-line at www.wccnet.edu/lifelong-learning.

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, July 12
Cooking with Your CSA Share. 6:30-9:30 p.m. Ann Arbor Cooks, 5060 Jackson Road, Ann Arbor. Community Supported Agriculture is a rapidly growing way to support local farmers and have access to the freshest produce. You sign up for a share of the farmer’s crop, and receive a box of vegetables (and fruits when available) once a week, typically from late spring to fall. But after picking up your share, it can sometimes be challenging to know what to do with that week’s bounty. In this class, we will take common seasonal produce found in your CSA box and teach you great ways to showcase each item. Due to our sporadic Michigan weather, certain fruits and vegetables may be switched out with something that is more perfectly ready for consumption. Mother Nature will decide the fate of these classes without prior notice. Tentative august produce selections: Tomatoes, corn, melon, potatoes, peaches, green beans. $65. Register online at www.AnnArborCooks.com.

Monthly Beer Tasting: Wheats, Wits, and Lambics. 7-9 p.m. Arbor Brewing Co., 114 E. Washington St., Ann Arbor. Price includes beer samples, an appetizer buffet, tasting notes and entry into door prize drawing. $25 in advance, $30 at the door. 734-213-1393.

Bon Voyage, ALS! Ann Arbor Active Against ALS. 6-10 p.m. Cobblestone Farm, 2781 Packard Road, Ann Arbor. At the end of July, a relay team of six women will swim a two-way crossing of the English Channel to raise money for ALS. This is their send-off, a beer and wine tasting honoring English ales and French wines, food, live auction, hope raffle and a few surprises. $75 per person or $125 for two. For more information, email bethany.w@sbcglobal.net or visit www.channelforals.org.

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: French whites. 734-997-7500.

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