Friday
Creative Cookies. 1-5 p.m. Zingerman's Bakehouse, 3711 Plaza Drive, Ann Arbor. Unleash your creativity on cookies! Decorated cookies make great gifts, party favors, stocking stuffers and holiday centerpieces. In this class you'll learn to make tasty butter cookies and use a variety of decorating techniques. You'll make your own cookie dough and fresh fondant. We'll provide an assortment of cookie cutters, but you're welcome to bring your own (three to four inches please). You'll leave with a couple recipes, the knowledge to recreate them at home, and at least a dozen dazzling decorated holiday cookies. $100. 734-761-7255.

Saturday
Prohibition Repeal Party. 11:30 a.m. Arbor Brewing Co., 114 E. Washington St., Ann Arbor. Celebrate Prohibition Repeal at ABC with throwback prices. Special brew tapped at 11:30: Our Ladylegger Pale Ale is brewed to commemorate the first legal beer sales since the beginning of Prohibition on April 7, 1933. The Cullen-Harrison Act had been signed by President Franklin Roosevelt to allow the sale of 3.2 percent beer, which was thought to be too low an alcohol concentration to be intoxicating. $1 Ladyleggers and happy hour prices on draft beer all day. The Ladylegger ale is a dry, crisp pale ale, light in body and golden in color. Amarrillo and Cascade hops were added to the boil in the last 20 minutes giving it a light hop profile with subtle notes of apricot. No cover charge. 734-213-1393.

Cake Decorating 101. 1-5 p.m. Ann Arbor Cooks, 5060 Jackson Road, Ann Arbor. In this hands-on class you will learn all the basics to cake decorating and you'll be able to create your own masterpiece at home! Class topics covered: Vanilla Chiffon Cake, Rice Cereal Dummy Cake, Italian Meringue Buttercream, Decorator's Buttercream, Crumb-coating, Filling/Damming, Smoothing/Texturizing, Borders, Basket Weaving, Detail-Piping, Simple Flowers and Foliage. $65. 734-645-1030.

Legion Riders Steak Dinner. 5-7:30 p.m. American Legion Post #419, 9807 Whitewood Road, Pinckney. The Legion Riders Steak Dinner, sponsored by the Pinckney American Legion Riders Chapter #419. $10. 734-878-9522 or 734-341-4249.

Palmiers & Puff Pastry. 1-5 p.m. Zingerman's Bakehouse, 3711 Plaza Drive, Ann Arbor. Learn to make your own buttery layered puff pastry and delicious ways to use it. We'll start with the very popular Bakehouse sweet, the palmier, a crisp caramelized French cookie. We'll also make versatile puff pastry shell you can use for fruit tarts or savory fillings like quiche. $100. www.bakewithzing.com.

Learn to Make Fresh Mozzarella. Noon-2:30 p.m. Zingerman's Creamery, 3723 Plaza Drive, Ann Arbor. Come learn with the masters of mozzarella how to stretch your own from-scratch fresh mozzarella at home. They will guide you through the steps to set up the curd from milk and teach you the technique we employ to stretch the rather plain-tasting curds into marvelous mozzarella of your very own. First and third Saturday of each month, September through May. $60 (or $55 if paid in advance). Reservations required at 734-929-0500.

Sunday
Cheese Tasting. 4-5:30 p.m. Zingerman’s Creamery. 3723 Plaza Drive, Ann Arbor. Zingerman’s cheesemakers Josh Minor and/or Aubrey Thomason discuss Zingerman’s current seasonal cheeses, offers taste samples of Zingerman’s cheeses while discussing the process of making them. $20. 734-929-0500.

Tours of the Creamery. 2 p.m. Zingerman's Creamery, 3723 Plaza Drive, Ann Arbor. Cheesemaker and managing partner John Loomis leads the whey and gives the inside scoop on how they make artisan cheeses and old-fashioned gelato (that’s Italian ice cream). $5. You will receive a $5 coupon to spend in The Cheese Shop. 734-929-0500.

Monday
Meatless Monday. 6:30-9:30 p.m. Ann Arbor Cooks, 5060 Jackson Road, Ann Arbor. Have you been trying to cut meat out of your diet at least once a week or considering it? This class will be a great introduction to the concept that you don't have to sacrifice flavor or sustenance with your meat. Join the 'Meatless Monday' movement - the goal is to reduce meat consumption in order to improve personal health and the health of our planet. Menu: Sesame & Ginger-scented oriental Pasta Salad; Orange-Chipotle-glazed Tofu; Tofu and Vegetable Cruidites with Tahini-Peanut Dipping Sauce. $65. www.annarborcooks.com.

Chinese Regional Cooking Lessons. 7-9:30 p.m. Turner Senior Resource Center, 2401 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor. A series of cooking lessons will be presented by local restaurant chefs and special food experts. All proceeds go to Food Gatherers. Enjoy learning to make healthful and tasty Chinese food. April 9: Chef Pang from Chia Shiang Restaurant - Shanghai Cuisine. $25 per lesson ($100 for all 5 lessons). A2casaa@gmail.com.

Cocktail Class - No Shots Allowed: Tequila Cocktails. 7:30 p.m. Ravens Club, 207 S. Main St., Ann Arbor. Too often, the word "tequila" brings to mind bad 21st birthdays and fraternity hazing. In this class, we'll examine the role this underappreciated spirit plays in cocktails. Its sultry, smoky and sophisticated cousin Mezcal will also make an appearance. Classes are hands on, with lots of tasting opportunities. Class taught by Tammy's Tastings. $35 in advance, $45 at the door. http://www.tammystastings.com/shop or 734-276-3215.

Open dance and wine tasting. 6 p.m.-close. Passport Restaurant and Lounge, 3776 S. State St., Ann Arbor. Open dancing and free wine tasting from 6 p.m. to close. No cover charge; price of purchases. 734-222-1111.

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.

Tuesday
Fondant Fondamentals. 5:30-9:30 p.m. Zingerman's Bakehouse, 3711 Plaza Drive, Ann Arbor. Ever wonder how those smooth fancy fondant-covered cakes are made? What exactly IS fondant anyway? In this class we take you through the steps of making fondant - that’s right, hand-made fondant! - and the techniques to shape it while we decorate a six-inch cake for you take home. The next time there’s a birthday in your house, you’ll know how to make a cake that will leave everyone asking “How did you DO that?!” $100. 734-761-7255.

Raw Foods: Simple 'n Healthy Raw Vegan Cuisine with Ellen Livingston. 7-8:30 p.m. Crazy Wisdom Bookstore and Tearoom, 114 S. Main St., Ann Arbor. Find out the secrets to a vibrantly healthy body and mind. Learn the principles behind this particularly healthy raw vegan diet, and be delighted by its ultimate simplicity. See a raw food demo and sample a raw recipe. Free. Sign up at www.peoplesfood.coop.

Three Chicken Dishes with Marge Biancke. Noon-1 p.m. Hollander's, 401 N. Fourth Ave., in the Kerrytown Shops, Ann Arbor. Can you ever have too many chicken recipes? Golden Chicken with a hint of curry, Ginger Chicken, and a great one-pot chicken dish, Chicken with White Beans are recipes sure to become your favorites. $16. 734-741-7531.

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
Empty Bowls benefit. 5-8 p.m. Frenchie's, 54 E. Cross St., Ypsilanti. Concordia University art students host an empty bowls benefit. Donate at least $10 to enjoy a warm soup dinner, receive a handcrafted bowl and support your community. All proceeds will be donated to the SOS Food Pantry, which helps homeless families in Washtenaw County. $10. 734-485-8730 or info@soscs.org.

Basic Knife Skills. 6:30-9:30 p.m. Ann Arbor Cooks, 5060 Jackson Road, Ann Arbor. This hands-on class will cover how to sharpen and care for your knives, as well as proper use. Learn the fundamental cuts, including mincing, dicing and battoneting, as well as breaking down a whole chicken. Register at www.wccnet.edu/lifelong-learning .

Riesling Wine Dinner. 6:30 p.m. Vinology, 110 S. Main St., Ann Arbor. Wake up and smell the Riesling. Transcend your senses with a five-course paired dinner featuring the aromatic and balanced wines of Germany. We will be sampling crisp white wines from dry to sweet that will turn you into an acid hound. Characteristics of aroma, acid, and alcohol in wine will be discussed in this delightful dinner party setting. $65, plus tax/gratuity. Reservations: 734-222-9841 or vinology@vinowinebars.net

Rustic Italian Cooking: A Taste of Northern Italy with Francesca Giarraffa. 5:30-8:30 p.m. Ann Arbor Whole Foods, 3135 Washtenaw Ave., Ann Arbor. Travelers to Italy may be surprised at the diversity of its regional cuisine. Whole Foods invites guests to spend two delicious culinary evenings with native Italian cooking instructor exploring dishes from northern Italy. During each night of this two-week series, a complete rustic Italian meal featuring an entree, side dish and dessert will be prepared and enjoyed together. Week one includes braciato al barolo (braised beef in a rich red wine sauce with vegetables and spices, served with roasted fennel au gratin), spinach and radicchio salad (with toasted walnut and mustard vinaigrette) and apple cake (baked with currants and topped with fruit glaze, served with homemade whipped cream). Week two includes ossobuco e risotto (braised veal shank cooked in white wine and chicken stock, then topped with a vegetable gremolata made of fresh herbs, diced tomatoes and lemon zest, served with saffron risotto), baked mushroom caps (stuffed with bread crumbs, garlic, chopped porcinis and parsley) and pinolata (homemade cream tart baked with pine nuts). $98. Register at www.wccnet.edu/lifelong-learning/.

Wednesday Wine Tasting. 6:30 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, April 12
Tips with Tips: Basic Cake Decorating. 5:30 p.m. Zingerman's Bakehouse , 3711 Plaza Drive, Ann Arbor. Before people find out how good the cakes taste, they comment on how good they look. Decorating might be the funnest part of cake making and it’s your chance to really put your personal touch on what you’ve baked. Learn the basics for a finished cake. We’ll split several cakes, crumb coat and ice them, and then add borders and a few flowers. Practice makes perfect so you’ll get plenty of that. You'll leave with basic knowledge to decorate cakes at home and 1 decorated cake you made in class. $100. Register at http://www.bakewithzing.com/class.php?id=5.

6th Annual Ann Arbor Trout Unlimited Conservation Banquet. 6:30-10:30 p.m. Barton Hills Country Club and Golf Course, 730 Country Club Road, Ann Arbor. Come join us at the Ann Arbor Trout Unlimited sixth annual conservation banquet. Enjoy a fantastic meal at Barton Hills Country Club, cocktails, fellowship and a chance at a long list of raffle and auction items. Visit our website www.AnnArborTU.org for more information, the prize list and to purchase tickets on-line. $95. 734-663-8511.

Risotto 101. 6:30-9:30 p.m. Ann Arbor Cooks, 5060 Jackson Road, Ann Arbor. This class is offered through WCC, but is held at Ann Arbor Cooks. Creating a great risotto is not as difficult as some would have you believe. Come dispel the myths and learn to create this classic Italian dish. In this full-participation class, discover the ways that it pairs beautifully with the cold weather months. Menu: risi e bisi (Venetian-style risotto with peas & prosciutto), risotto verde, red wine risotto, and risotto with asparagus, fresh peas and lemon zest. $65. www.wccnet.edu/lifelong-learning/.

Beer tasting: Hop Heads. 7-9 p.m. Arbor Brewing Co., 114 E. Washington, Ann Arbor. A chance to sample and learn about more than two dozen of the extremely hoppy beers. There will also be a drawing for beer-related prizes. The price of admission includes unlimited beer sampling and a German appetizer buffet. $25 in advance, $30 (if available) at the door. 734-213-1393.

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: Wines of Michigan. 734-997-7500.

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