News

Winter Farmers’ and Artisan Foods Market (nafarmersmarket.blog spot.com) featuring baked goods, cheeses, jams, honey and other products will be open Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m. beginning Nov. 8 at the Masonic Temple, 46 South Washington St., North Attleboro. Interested vendors and musicians may call David Scanlan at (508) 409-1534 for more information.

Ken and Barbara Guercia closed their Conversations Restaurant for the last time on Saturday, Oct. 31. They bought the restaurant at 441 Forge Rd., East Greenwich, five years ago from Rose Farina. She opened Conversations after closing the Golden Lantern, restaurant to the stars who appeared at the Warwick Musical Theatre. Business has been off, said Ken Guercia. “The economy caught up to me, especially with all the competition.” His attempts to get bank loans to support the business were unsuccessful, he added. He called to report his closing because he didn’t want his customers to show up and find a locked door with no explanation.

Classes

Whole Foods Market University Heights, 601 North Main St., Providence, (401) 621-5990, is offering a “Gluten Free for the Holidays” class on Monday, Nov. 16, at 7 p.m. Mary Beth Winter, a certified health counselor and nutrition consultant who has celiac disease, will offer a sampling of various gluten-free foods. Registration is required by Friday, Nov. 13, as seating is limited. Cheese monger Kevin Campbell will share simple tips for holiday cheese-and-fruit pairing Tuesday, Nov. 17, from 7 to 8 p.m. Registration is required by Nov. 16.

This week and weekend

First Christian Congregational Church, Maple Avenue and Route 6, Swansea, will hold its annual Veterans’ Meat Pie Supper Friday, Nov. 6, from 4:30 to 7 p.m. The supper includes a ¼ slice of Willow Tree meat pie, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, peas, rolls and apple crisp. All free-will donations will benefit Swansea veterans and their families.

West Bay Chorale will hold a roast turkey fundraiser Saturday, Nov. 7, from 5 to 7 p.m. at St. Mark’s Church, 111 West Shore Rd., Warwick. Tickets are $10 ($5 for children under age 12). For information call 349-2927 or visit westbaychorale.org.

The Cumberland-Lincoln Community Chorus will hold an all-you-can-eat ham and eggs breakfast at LeParX Club, 36 Stanley Ave., Woonsocket, Sunday, Nov. 8, from 8 a.m. to noon. Tickets are $8. The breakfast also features beans, home fries, bread, juice, coffee and tea.

Coming Up

The Ultimate Football Feast with Fred Smerlas and Steve DeOssie is set for Thursday, Nov. 12, at 6:30 p.m. at Fred & Steve’s Steakhouse, Twin River Casino, 100 Twin River Rd., Lincoln. Dine with the hosts and talk football (the first Thursday NFL Network games air that night). The menu includes choice of clam chowder or Caesar salad; choice of prime rib, stuffed shrimp or swordfish; side and dessert; plus Blue Moon draft beer and five cigars. The cost is $65 plus tax and gratuity. Reserve as seating is limited at (401) 475-8505.

Cricket’s Restaurant, 280 George Washington Highway, Smithfield, (401) 232-0300, host Michael Dutra and Steve Palumbo as Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin on Wednesday, Nov. 18, at 7 p.m. The meal includes an appetizer medley, soup, salad, pasta, a choice of prime rib, baked stuffed shrimp or chicken Florentine, dessert and coffee.

Ponderosa Steakhouse, 562 Washington St., South Attleboro, Mass., (508) 399-7250, will offer a free buffet on the honor system to all veterans and active military personnel to thank them for all the sacrifices they have made to ensure our freedom on Monday, Nov. 9, from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m.

Uno Chicago Grill locations in Warwick, Providence and Smithfield will accept Special Olympics fundraiser coupons from ustomers dining in-house or making carry-out purchases on Wednesday, Nov. 11. A percentage of the check will be donated to the organization. Call Tracy Garabedian at R.I. Special Olympics, (401) 823-7411, ext. 321 to obtain the coupons and for more information.

George’s of Galilee, 250 Sand Hill Cove, Narragansett, (401) 783-2306, georgesofgalilee.com, will hold an autumn cigar dinner Wednesday, Nov. 11, at 6:30 p.m. hosted by Mike Ferraro, a broker of Kristoff Cigars, and wine enthusiast Dave Jannelle of George’s. The event, $45 plus tax and tip, includes three cigars and a four-course meal featuring a 12-ounce New York strip with a rock shrimp stuffing. Call Jannelle at (401) 218-2926 to reserve.

Grace United Methodist Church, Spruce Street and Park Avenue, Westerly, will hold a ham and bean supper Saturday, Nov. 14, at 6 p.m. Tickets, $8 ($4 for children under 12), may be purchased at the door.

St. Mary Antiochian Orthodox (Christian) Church will hold its annual bazaar Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 14-15, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the parish center, One St. Mary Way, Pawtucket. Arabic foods and pastries and free culinary demonstrations provided by Johnson & Wales University staff will be featured. Visit Stmarypawtucket.org/bazaar for a schedule of events, directions and other information.

Wine and beer events

Colonial Wine & Spirits holds its Holiday Wine Tasting & Class on Sunday, Nov. 8, from 2-5 p.m. at Rhode Island Quahog Company (formerly the Carriage Inn), 1065 Tower Hill Rd., North Kingstown. Sample 25 wines from 10 countries of 17 grape varietals while having hors d’oeuvres and tasting the goods of culinary artisans: The Chocolate Delicacy, Reynolds Barn, Fortuna’s Sausages and Superior Bakery. A one-hour class will enhance food and wine pairing experience. Purchase the limited number of $50 tickets at Colonial Wine & Spirits, 7745 Post Rd., North Kingstown, (401) 294- 4623.

Dave & Buster’s at the Providence Place mall is the site of a wine and beer tasting Friday, Nov. 6, beginning at 6:30 p.m. to benefit Bailey’s Team in support of Autism research, awareness, education and programming. Donation is $50. Visit baileysteam.org for further information and how to attend this event.

The Women’s Guild of Holy Cross Church will hold its annual “Tasting Tour of Food and Wine” featuring wines from Campus Fine Wines in Providence on Saturday, Nov. 14, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Edgewood Yacht Club in Cranston. Buffet and dessert tables will be featured and music will be provided by The Serenaders. Tickets are $30; call the parish office at (401) 274-5225 to reserve.

Chris Gasbarro’s Fine Wine & Spirits hosts Ken Mason of Classic Wine Imports as he reveals the intricacies of German wines on Wednesday, Nov. 11, at 7 p.m. at the Grand Tasting Room of the shop, 98 Highland Ave., Seekonk. Guests must be 21 years of age and reservations are required. The cost is $25 for class presentation with food. Samples of products are available at no charge at the Customer Service Counter for those customers not attending presentation. Call (401) 331-WINE.

Greenvale Vineyards, 582 Wapping Rd., Portsmouth, (401) 847-3777, greenvale.com, will hold its annual Harvest Festival Saturday, Nov. 14. The Tasting Room is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the Boston-based folk duo Fishken and Groves will perform from 1 to 4 p.m. In addition, the celebration will include vineyard tours throughout the afternoon as well as face painting, food sampling, tractor rides and walking tours.

Shelter Harbor Inn, 10 Wagner Rd., Westerly, (401) 322-8883, will hold a gourmet dinner and wine tasting featuring wines from Sakonnet Vineyard Wednesday, Nov. 18, at 6:45 p.m. The menu includes hors d’oeuvres, an appetizer, salad, an entrée of herb-roasted Cornish game hen and dessert. The fee is $60 excluding tax and gratuity; call for reservations. A special lodging rate of $96 is offered for wine dinner guests.

The Varnum Armory, 6 Main St., East Greenwich, is the site of a wine tasting event hosted by the Varnum Continentals Friday, Nov. 20, from 7 to 9 p.m. Tours of the armory, which is on the National Register of Historic Places and houses a military and Naval museum with a collection of military artifacts from the 16th century to the present, will be featured. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door and may be purchased by calling (401) 884-1776.

Lectures and book signings

Novella Carpenter, author of “Farm City: The Education of an Urban Farmer,” and Rich Pederson, manager of Southside Community Land Trust’s City Farm, will share their urban agricultural experiences Thursday, Nov. 12, at 7 p.m. at First Unitarian Church of Providence, 1 Benevolent St. A question and answer period follows. The $10 donation ($5 for college students) will support Southside Community Land Trust and Slow Food Rhode Island.

Barbara Holtzman, the author of “Making Peace With Food and Your Body,” will hold a book signing and conscious food tasting at Back to Basics, 500 Main St., East Greenwich, Friday, Nov. 6, from noon to 2 p.m.

On radio

“Dining Out with Bruce Newbury” broadcasts live Saturday, Nov. 7, from the Harvest Festival at Newport Vineyards in Middletown. During the broadcast, from noon to 5 p.m., Newbury will interview many of the gourmet specialty food purveyors on hand from all over New England and will discuss the new releases of Newport Vineyard wines. The show is on 920 AM. The show is also streamed live at 920WHJJ.com.

On TV

“The Best of Costantino’s Roundtable” begins airing Wednesday, Nov. 11, at 7 p.m. on PBS Channel 36. The locally produced television show, which explores the local food and wine scene, has been on local airwaves for seven seasons. This new series features the best shows that have aired over the years. The Nov. 11 segment features Nancy Verde Barr, an expert on Italian food, cookbook author and former executive chef to Julia Child.

On the menu

Call Sports Pub & Restaurant, 47 Mendon Ave., Pawtucket, (401) 722-1700, will feature prime ribs (12-ounce queen cut, 18-ounce king cut, 1 ½-pound caveman cut and 2-pound Neanderthal cut) prepared by the former chef at the old Archie’s Tavern every Wednesday starting at 5:30 p.m. All prime ribs come with marinated mushrooms, sticky buns, baked potato and vegetables.

Costantino’s Ristorante, DePasquale Plaza, Providence, (401) 528-1100, focuses on the cuisine of Sicily on this month’s “Passport to Italy” special offered Sunday through Friday in addition to the regular dinner menu beginning at 5 p.m. The three courses, which include a choice of appetizer, entrée, dessert and a glass of wine from the region, is $25. Call for reservations or further information.

Whole Foods Market University Heights, 601 North Main St., Providence, (401) 621-5990, is offering a sampling of its Thanksgiving menu on Friday, Nov. 13, from 4 to 6 p.m. Place an order worth $50 or more during the event and receive a free box of chocolate truffles.

Napa Valley Grille Providence, 111 Providence Place, (401) 270-6272, NapaValleyGrille.com, celebrates its 10-year anniversary and the launch of new menus. Executive chef Eric Wicklund’s new fall and winter menus feature farmhouse grilled cheese on sourdough bread, crab and brie Panini, and rock shrimp and asparagus linguini for lunch. Dinner items include tomato-braised cod, pistachio chicken and rabbit ragout. Guests may enjoy half or full order portions of any entrée menu item at lunch or dinner.

Seraphim Tea and More Restaurant, 193 Central Ave., Seekonk, Mass. (508) 915-4832, seraphimteaandmore.com, is featuring butternut squash ravioli in a brown butter sauce with sage and hazelnuts plus a side salad for $12.95 for the month of November to celebrate its one-year anniversary .

Chubby’s Bar & Grill, 1838 Smith St., North Providence, (401) 232-0111, has weekly specials, including fish and chips with coleslaw and chowder for $7.95 on Wednesdays and Fridays. The daily menu includes a 16-ounce certified Black Angus burger for $9.99 as well as a variety of deli-style sandwiches and grilled pizzas.

The Mooring Seafood Kitchen & Bar, Sayer’s Wharf, Newport, (401) 846-2260, mooringrestaurant.com, offers a three-course seasonal fixed-price menu Sundays through Wednesdays for $19.95 per person or $49.95 for two including a bottle of Beringer wine. Featured entrées include tuna Bolognese, grilled salmon and grilled flat-iron steak. Also, Paella for Two with a pitcher of Sangria, $55, is available every Thursday through April 30, 2010.

Trio, 15 Kingstown Rd., Narragansett, (401) 792-4333, trio-ri.com, offers a two-course seasonal menu for fall including a glass of Beringer Stone Cellars Chardonnay or Cabernet or a glass of Newport Storm’s Castle Hill Windward Weiss beer for $19.95. Entrée selections feature stuffed Statler chicken, Atlantic salmon, an 8-ounce flat-iron steak and Rigatoni Bolognese.

Waterman Grille, 4 Richmond Square, Providence, (401) 521-9229, watermangrille.com, has two dining options for the fall created by executive chef Michael Conetta: a new harvest menu and three-course fixed-price seasonal menu. The harvest menu, available Monday through Thursday, features a five-course tasting menu that celebrates local flavors. The cost is $29.95; wine pairings are available for an additional $14.95. The seasonal menu, available Sunday through Wednesday, is $19.95 per person or $49.95 for two including a bottle of Beringer wine.

Winners

Courtney Lipkins, a student at Johnson & Wales University, took home the artisan grand prize in the student category for her Honey-nut Raisin Bread at the second annual America’s Best Raisin Bread Contest sponsored by the California Raisin Marketing Board. Fellow J&W student Liana Ycikson won the commercial grand prize for her Cardamom Pecan Raisin Bread. Mitch Stamm, a J&W instructor, was a co-winner of the Judges’ Prize in the artisan category for his California Gold Rush Bread.

Jesse Hedberg, bartender at Fluke Wine, Bar & Kitchen on Bowen’s Wharf in Newport, won first place in the St. Germaine Cocktail Contest held last month. His creation, a tribute to the Corpse Reviver –– called the Corpse Revolver –– consisted of St. Germaine, Gin, Cointreau, Yuzu Marmalade, Elderflower-infused Kambuchka and fresh lime. Hedberg is now a finalist in the New England Bar and Night Club Expo “Iron-tender” Contest held at Twin River; the final round is on Tuesday, Nov. 24.

GAIL CIAMPA

gciampa@projo.com