Dish Update

Joining a host of other area restaurants, Zaitoon Mediterranean Grill (13475 Atlantic Blvd. Intracoastal. 904 221-7066) will be participating in the upcoming “Dining Out for Life” charity event on April 24th. Dining Out For Life was created by an ActionAIDS volunteer in Philadelphia. In 1993, ActionAIDS made it an international event offering licenses to AIDS Service Organizations around the country. Since Dining Out for Life International's founding the event has grown throughout North America and is now produced in over 46 cities. Each eatery involved gives a portion of their profit towards AIDS research. Go to diningoutforlife.com, for a list of additional participating restaurants.
If you have a favorite family coffeecake recipe and you’d also like a little r&r, take enter the Inn on Charlotte’s (52 Charlotte Street, St. Augustine) Coffeecake Challenge recipe contest. The grand prize winner will get a 2-night stay at the Inn on Charlotte (Sunday thru Thursday excluding holiday periods), gourmet lunch for two and Claude’s Chocolates – exquisite European chocolates made in St. Augustine. The prize-winning recipe will be incorporated into the gourmet breakfast menu that is served to Inn guests and be prominently featured on the Inn’s website. Visit innoncharlotte.com for official rules and entry. Entries must be received by June 15th.

Dish Update

If you want a base of cooking knowledge that you’re sure to use, don’t miss Apron’s Cooking School’s (10500 San Jose Blvd. 904-262-4187) hands-on Mother Sauces Course, held on April 7th at 6 pm. You’ll learn the composition of the archetypal sauces, so that you can have fun with variations of these five “mother” sauces. And if things don’t go exactly as planned, you’ll have the knowledge to fix sauce mistakes. The menu will be: Espanole – Mushroom Demi-Glace over Egg Noodles; Béchamel and Tomato – Pastitsio; Béarnaise – Veal Oscar Medallions; Veloute – Chicken Picatta

The Fairgrounds get fancy on April 5th for the Cowford Ball(904-398-0537), a large annual fundraiser for the Duval County Unit of the American Cancer Society. Gourmet food will be served. Expect live entertainment, auctions and dancing.