This week and weekend

The Floating Art Project, 1005 Main St., Pawtucket, hosts A Taste of Art tomorrow from 6 to 8:30 p.m. with samplings of food from Pearl Restaurant & Lounge and California wines. Artwork by David Simione, Nicolas Ferreira and Kendall Pavan will be on display. The event is free.

The Northeast Regional Healthy Foods Marketplace will be held tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Warwick. More than 50 vendors will display their goods for local food-service professionals. The free event is open to all food buyers from schools, colleges, universities, hospitals, corporate work sites, child-care centers and other facilities. All the foods exhibited meet the Kids First nutrition criteria for schools. For information, call Karin Wetherill, trade-show coordinator for Kids First, at (401) 246-2666 or visit www.kidsfirstri.org.

Sogno Ristorante & Bar, 961 Dyer Ave., Cranston, (401) 946-3335, will hold a Knock Out Breast Cancer fundraiser Monday from 5 to 11 p.m. with Norma, Claudia and special guest Raven. There will be complimentary hors d’oeuvres and an open menu for dinner. All bartender tips will go to Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. For information and to RSVP, e-mail Norma Heintz at normasguysanddolls@cox.net. Also, “Guys Will Be Dolls Drag Show” will be held Monday, Sept. 15, at 7 p.m. The cost is $25 with buffet.

Sts. Sahag & Mesrob Armenian Church will hold its picnic on Sunday on the church grounds, 70 Jefferson St., Providence. Authentic Armenian dinners, sandwiches and pastries will be on sale. Music by Kenny Kalajian and his ensemble. Admission is free. For information, call the church at (401) 272-7712 or visit www.office@stsahmes.org.

Coming up

Everyman Bistro, 555 Valley St., Providence, (401) 751-3630, www.everymanri.com, will hold an opening celebration starting at 6 p.m. Aug. 21. Included will be the portrait art of Thomas Adams; Scottish pipers will perform. The bistro is operated by Leah Reynolds of the former Custom House Tavern. Free parking.

The Boat House, 227 Schooner Drive, North Tiverton, will host a summer beer dinner featuring the beer of Newport Storm Beers Aug. 21. Newport Storm President Brent Ryan will present his brewery’s top selections paired with a four-course menu from executive chef James Campagna. A reception will begin at 6:30 p.m.; dinner at 7:30. The cost is $45. For information or to make a reservation, call (401) 624-6300.

DeWolf Tavern, Thames Street Landing, 259 Thames St., Bristol, (401) 254-2005, www.dewolftavern.com, has planned four seven-course wine dinners prepared by chef Sai and paired with select wines or beer. The first, on Sept. 28, will feature international wines. On Oct. 5, it will be local wines from Rhode Island and other New England wineries; beer tasting from U.S. breweries Oct. 19; certified organic wines Nov. 9. All begin at 6:30 p.m. Reservations are required. The cost is $40.

Farmers in the spotlight

New Rivers, 7 Steeple St., Providence, (401) 751-0350, will host Meet the Farmers, a supper series, on Sundays during peak harvest time –– August, September and October. Patrons are invited to meet the farmers, listen to their trials and triumphs and ask questions while savoring the fruits and vegetables of their labors. The series starts at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 24 with the Cityside farmers. They are Catherine Mardosa and Matt Tracy from Red Planet and Little City Co-op, an urban farm operation and collective farmer co-op in Providence and Johnston, and Chris Clegg from 4 Town Farm in Seekonk, a farmstand that has pick-your-own corn, strawberries, raspberries and fava beans. Beverages will include Greenvale Vineyard wines and Trinity Brew House beer. The farmers/vintners will give a short talk before taking questions. Dinners are $75. To reserve, call (401) 751-0350 and specify Farmers Supper. The other dates in the series are Sept. 28 and Oct. 19.

Southside Community Land Trust will hold its annual hoedown Sept. 13 from 4 to 8 p.m. on the fields of Urban Edge Farm, 35 Pippin Orchard Rd., Cranston. There will be guided farm tours, children’s activities, an afternoon farmer’s market, barbecue, music, beer and wine. Tickets are $20 for adults, $5 for students, $5 for under 12, free for under 5. For information, call Samnetta Gaye at (401) 273-9419, ext. 32.

News

Newport Vineyards won two Best-of-Category awards at the fourth annual Atlantic Seaboard Wine Competition from among 485 wine entries from 100 wineries in 12 states. Newport won Best of Show for its 2007 Riesling in addition to best Riesling. They also won for best White Vinifera Blend with its 2007 Tranquility. This wine is composed of Gewurztraminer, Muscat Ottonel, Pinot Gris and Riesling. Both wines will be included at an awards presentation and wine tasting reception on the State House grounds in September.

Warwick Ice Cream has developed a new Ice Cream Food Division to deal with ethnic frozen deserts. Among the new items are Mexican fried ice cream balls and special flavors. Warwick Ice Cream can also formulate special bulk flavors or packaging as well as Japanese, Mexican, Chinese and Thai. For information on the new division, call (401) 821-8403.

Stop & Shop has announced its support of the Conservation Alliance for Seafood Solution’s Common Vision to help keep its selection of seafood sustainable. This support, along with its continuing partnership with the New England Aquarium, shows Stop & Shop’s commitment to offer seafood from environmentally friendly sources. The Conservation Alliance is made up of more than a dozen conservation organizations ranging from the World Wildlife Fund to the New England Aquarium to the Blue Oceans Institute. Its goal is to protect the health of the oceans and the long-term seafood supply by working with companies to develop and implement corporate sustainable seafood policies.

Manny Arruda of Mediterraneo has been named Best Bartender by the Iron Tender Challenge 2008 recently held at Twin River. He won a trip to Iceland.

The Newport Regatta Place, 5 Marina Plaza, Newport, (401) 849-6683, is available for weddings and events with the seclusion of a waterfront getaway and views of Newport Harbor.

Team Newport is the winner of the American Institute of Wine and Food Rhode Island Chef SmackDown held recently. The competition pits chefs from Providence against their Newport-area counterparts in a dish-to-dish culinary event. Team Providence was the winner in 2006 and 2007.

Industry

The Blue Grotto Restaurant, 210 Atwells Ave., Providence (401) 272-9030, bluegrottorestaurant.com, will host the American Institute of Wine & Food (AIWF) Rhode Island Chapter’s Summer’s Evening in Venetia, Exploring the Wines of Veneto on Tuesday at 6 p.m. The evening will include an opening reception and a three-course dinner featuring Osso Buco alla Marsala, and a presentation and tasting of the wines of Veneto led by Mike Lester of M.S. Walker. The cost is $70 for AIWF members; $85 for nonmembers. Reservation forms are available online at www.aiwf.org/rhodeisland. Reservation deadline is Saturday. All reservations must be made through the AIWF or by calling (401) 683-2490.

Festival

New Bedford’s Working Waterfront Festival will be Sept. 27 and 28. This free, family friendly event opens the waterfront to the public with a look into commercial fishing, America’s oldest industry. The theme of this year’s festival is Connecting Communities, Preserving Ports. Performances of music from around the globe and cooking demonstrations highlight regional dishes such as leftover shrimp boil salad from Grand Isle, La., and Smith Island Cake from Chesapeake Bay, Md. For information, visit www.workingwaterfront

festival.org.

On the menu

Ozzie’s Steak Burgers, 1795 Post Rd., Warwick, (401) 921-6994, has opened and is serving 100 percent Hereford beef and fresh-cut French fried potatoes. Hamburgers are made to order with dozens of combinations. The restaurant is fashioned like a 1960s diner. They also have ice cream shakes and old-fashioned root beer floats.

Edgewood Café, 1864 Broad St., Cranston, (401) 383-5550, is now serving lunch and dinner at its new sidewalk seating.

Local 121, 121 Washington St., Providence, has a new summer menu including Crispy Point Judith Calamari, Cherry Stone Stuffies, Matunuck Littleneck Clams, Pulled Pork Sandwich, Northeast Family Farms Maple Smoked Ham and Cheese and White Bean, Orange Lentil and Cashew Burger. New lunch hours are noon to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.

The North End Café, 1058 Charles St., North Providence, www.northendcafe.net, is now open for lunch. Service will run Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Selections range from fresh salads and original pizzas to trendy sandwiches.

Christie’s Restaurant, 351 Thames St., Newport, now has open-air wining and dining on the restaurant’s new outdoor patio and upstairs deck bar. Executive chef Joe Melanson serves up a summer menu of classic comfort foods alongside Newport and New England specialties including syrupy jonnycakes at breakfast, lobster roll at lunch, and fish, chicken and steaks at dinner.

Pizzico Ristorante, 762 Hope St., Providence, offers a fixed-price menu Monday through Thursday for $25. The three-course meal includes a selection of appetizers, entrees and desserts, as well as a glass of wine, beer or soft drink. Call to reserve at (401) 421-4114 or visit www.pizzicoristorante.com.

Roberto’s Restaurant, 301 Hope St., Bristol, (401) 254-9732, is extending pasta night through the summer on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. It includes six different pasta specials and one vegetarian for $14.

T.G.I. Friday’s, 989 Centerville Rd., Warwick, (401) 822-0800, is featuring The Jack Championship BBQ sauce, the actual sauce recipe developed by Chad Hayden, the grand champion of the Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue competition, on seven new menu items. Some of the items are BBQ Pork Ravioli Bites, Championship BBQ Sirloin and BBQ Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp.

On TV

Cooking with Class features chef Frank Terranova, an associate instructor at Johnson & Wales University, is cooking with sustainable seafood next week during the noon and 5:30 p.m. newscasts on Channel 10.

gciampa@projo.com