Food & Drink: Ann Arbor food and drink calendar

Thursday Night Rush Hour Relief at the Wine Bar. 5-8:30 p.m. Cranbrook Whole Foods, 990 W. Eisenhower Parkway, Ann Arbor. An exploration of wine, cheese and appetizers. This week's topic: Eco-Friendly Wines. $17.

Saturday

Homegrown Festival 2011. 6-11 p.m. Ann Arbor Farmers Market, 315 Detroit St., Ann Arbor. The HomeGrown Festival celebrates local food and community. Delicious, creative food sourced from Michigan farms, made by some of our area’s best local chefs; local libations from fine Michigan purveyors: beer, wine, mead, kombucha and hard cider; rockin’ good music; Project Grow’s heirloom tomato tasting; demos; kids’ activities; local handmade crafts and goods; silent auction; dancing, games, and fun. Free entry, price of purchases. 734-794-6255.

Coffee Tasting. 11 a.m.-noon. Zingerman’s Coffee Co., 3723 Plaza Drive, Ann Arbor. Zingerman’s Coffee managing partners Allen Leibowitz and Steve Mangigian offer taste samples and discuss new coffees. Free, reservations requested. 734-929-6060.

Chelsea Farmers Market. 8 a.m.-noon. Farmers Market on Park Street, off Main in downtown Chelsea. Purchase produce and goods from local farmers and enjoy free live entertainment and kids activities. Free admission. 734- 475-6402.

Learn to Make Fresh Mozzarella. Noon-2:30 p.m. Zingerman's Creamery, 3723 Plaza Drive, Ann Arbor. Learn how to stretch your own from-scratch fresh mozzarella at home. $50 (or $45 if paid in advance). Reservations required at 734-929-0500.

Sunday

Kids Club Back To School Dip and Roll Healthy Snacks. 1-3 p.m. Ann Arbor Whole Foods, 3135 Washtenaw Ave. Kids can dip ‘n’ roll healthy snacks while parents learn kid’s nutrition tips and tricks from the staff of Stacy Goldberg’s What’s In Your Cart? All children must be accompanied by parent or guardian. Free. 734-975-4500.

SMLC Annual Picnic at the Farm. 1-5 p.m. Conservancy Farm, 8383 Vreeland Road, Ypsilanti. Mark your calendar for Southeast Michigan Land Conservancy's annual picnic at the farm. For this potluck and barbecue event, bring a favorite dish to share and your own place setting. SMLC will provide hot dogs, brats, veggie dogs, fresh sweet corn and soft drinks. There will be kids activities, tours of the farm and gardens and a live wildlife program. Rain or shine. Donations to cover the cost of the picnic and to support SMLC are appreciated. Confirm your attendance by Friday, Sept. 9 with Wendy Pellerito at 734-484-6565.

Halcyon Sundaze. 2 p.m. Arbor Brewing Co., 114 E. Washington St., Ann Arbor. Enjoy a lazy summer enjoying classic vinyl music while enjoying beers on tap with rotating DJs and a small batch of Halcyon Summer Wheat. No cover charge - price of purchases. 734-213-1393.

Tours of the Creamery. 2 p.m. Zingerman's Creamery, 3723 Plaza Drive, Ann Arbor. Cheesemaker and managing partner John Loomis gives the inside scoop on how they make artisan cheeses and old-fashioned gelato (that’s Italian ice cream). $5. 734-929-0500.

Monday

Milan Senior Nutrition Program. 11:45 a.m. Milan Senior & Community Activity Center, 45 Neckel Court, Milan. A nutritionally balanced meal offered on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. 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. 48-hour advance reservations. Call or stop by the office. 734-439-1549.

Tuesday

Perfect Pairings: Wine Tasting & Dueling Chef Challenge. 5:30 p.m. Vinology, 110 S. Main St., Ann Arbor. Watch as six of Ann Arbor’s finest chefs create a dish, based on a pairing of two wines and a cheese from different regions around the world. Taste all of the culinary creations and then vote for your favorite. All proceeds benefit Avalon Housing Inc. $25 plus gratuity. 734-222-9841.

Raw Foods: Low Fat Raw Vegan with Ellen Livingston. 7 p.m. Crazy Wisdom Bookstore, 114 S. Main St., Ann Arbor. Find out the health and wellness benefits of a low fat raw vegan diet. Free. 734-665-2757.

Making Great Smoothies. Noon-1 p.m. Hollander’s, 401 N. Fourth Ave., Ann Arbor. Smoothies are an easy and delicious way to nourish the body with fresh fruits, vegetables and leafy greens. Learn simple recipes and ideas anyone can make in their own kitchen. $16. 734-741-7531.

Seafood and Sustainability: How to Choose Wisely and Prepare to Perfection. 5:30 p.m. Cranbrook Whole Foods, 990 W. Eisenhower Parkway, Ann Arbor. Join seafood team leader Craig to learn about the Blue Ocean Institute, a not-for-profit organization that works to educate and empower consumers, chefs and culinary students to purchase abundant and well-managed seafood species. Craig will demonstrate how to prepare wild salmon, a sustainable seafood choice. $10. Stop by the customer service desk, or call 734-997-7500.

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

Cornman Farms Dinner. 7-10 p.m. Zingerman's Roadhouse, 2501 Jackson Ave., Ann Arbor. Join the Roadhouse for the third dinner in the Cornman Farms Dinner series, with a dinner including the use of fresh tomatoes, peppers, squash and carrots. $45. 734-663-3663.

Italian Sunday Suppers: Rustic Italian Cooking: Vegetarian with Instructor Francesca Giarraffa. 5:30-8:30 p.m. Ann Arbor Whole Foods, 3135 Washtenaw Ave., Ann Arbor. Students will assist in preparing potato pie (pureed potato and eggs, baked with buttered bread crumbs, layered with mozzarella and parmigiano cheeses, wild mushrooms, fresh parsley and sage), eggplant parmigiana (baked with mozzarella and parmigiano cheese in a light tomato, basil sauce), braised stuffed artichoke hearts (with black olives, capers, fresh parsley and garlic) and coffee charlotte (homemade sponge cake layered with espresso coffee cream custard), followed by the entire meal enjoyed together family style. Tuition: $39. Mandatory materials fee: $15. Students may register on-line through www.wccnet.edu.

Original Gravity Farmer's Market. 5-7 p.m. Original Gravity Brewing Co., 440 County Str., Milan. Fresh beer, fresh vegetables and more on Wednesdays throughout the growing season. No cover - price of purchases. 734-439-7490.

Wednesday Wine Tasting. 6:30 p.m. Paesano's Italian Restaurant , 3411 Washtenaw Ave., Ann Arbor. Sample five up and coming Italian wines, accompanied by appetizers. $25. www.paesanosannarbor.com .

Sept. 15

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

Thursday Night Rush Hour Relief at the Wine Bar. 5-8:30 p.m. Cranbrook Whole Foods, 990 W. Eisenhower Parkway, Ann Arbor. An exploration of wine, cheese and appetizers.. This week's topic: Italian White Wines. $17.

The Monthly Slurps. 5-7 p.m. Spotted Dog Winery, 108 E. Michigan Ave., Saline. Stop in for an after-hours wine and food event. Price: TBD. www.spotteddogwinery.com.

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