Daily Loaf

Yo-Yo Ma, perhaps the most famous man to bring bow to strings, visits to perform Bach’s Six Unaccompanied Cello Suites tonight. One of history’s hardest-working musicians — he has 75 albums under his belt, 15 of which are Grammy winners — and a dedicated advocate of music education, he calls his latest collection, Songs of Joy & Peace, a “universal holiday house party of music uniting different forms of joy.” Visit rutheckerdhall.com for more info. Weds., Oct. 28, 8 p.m., Ruth Eckerd Hall, 1111 N. McMullen Booth Rd., Clearwater, $53-$98.

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Tuesday, October 27: Snookers Grill
Champagne and Sushi. It seems like the words I’m reading are too good to be true, but unless my eyes are deceiving me, it appears that Snookers is offering unlimited — yes, like, all you could ever imbibe — champagne and chef-selected sushi. Those just happen to be two of my favorite delicacies, and though I admit to never having tried them together, it sounds like a damn fine idea. $15. 7-9 p.m., 606 N. Pinellas Ave., Tarpon Springs. (727-937-6665)

Wednesday, October 28: Splash! An Ocean Grill
Kennedy White House Wine Dinner. It’s no run-of-the-mill wine pairing, that’s for sure. Sommelier and foodie Perry Thomas dares you to test your tastebuds against the personal favorites of the Kennedy family, with a menu that includes: Clams Jaqueline, Little Neck clams stuffed with  pernod spinach and watercress, topped with asiago bread crumbs and oven roasted, paired with Chateau La Freynelle, Bordeaux Blanc, 2007; Homard en Bellevue, rock lobster medallions stuffed with a shrimp mousse and asparagus, served in a chilled lobster consommé with caviar-stuffed new potatoes, paired with Jadot, Pouilly Fuisse, 2007; Spring Lamb a la Broche aux Primeurs, lambsickles pan seared and glazed with a rosemary and garlic mint aspic, served with pan roasted thumbelina carrots and truffled fingerling pommes frites, paired with Chateau Bellevue Peycharneau, Bordeaux Superior, 2005; Salade Mimosa, fresh baby spring greens tossed in a light champagne-horseradish vinaigrette, garnished with sliced avocado, lump crab and chopped egg yolk, paired with Piper-Heidsieck 1785 Champagne; and Strawberries Romanoff, Plant City strawberries macerated in Grand Marnier topped with crème anglaise and chantilly cream, paired with Chateau Laribotte, Sauternes, 2003. Reservations required. $90. 7 p.m., 3973 Van Dyke Road, Tampa (813-269-8611)

Many more events after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

(Want to follow all of CL’s Food, Drink and Restaurant news? Bookmark the food section of the blog, add the CL Food RSS feed to your reader of choice, follow @BrianRies on Twitter, or check out the Food Section page multiple times daily.)

Wednesday, October 21: The NoHo Bistro
A Palette for Your Palate. The bistro’s ingenious culinary team pairs five tapas tastings with a new wine each week. Tonight’s Pinot Grigio palette promises to be lip-smackingly lovely. $15. 5-8 p.m., 1714 N. Armenia Ave., Tampa (813-514-0691)

Wednesday, October 21: Rigatoni Tuscan Oven
Wild Tuscan Wednesdays. Indulge in decadent seafood at dirt-cheap prices on high-end items like all-you-can-eat Alaskan snow crab and oysters, along with beer and pasta specials. $7-$22. 5-10 p.m., 3437 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa (813-879-7000)

Thursday, October 22: Michael’s 717 South
Wine and Music Series. Winemakers Dan Whitaker and Ben Benvenuti host tonight’s installment in the samping series, and offer Mairena’s wines of Argentina –like Malbec, Bonarda and Sauvignon Blanc — paired with assorted cheese. Half Circle and Friends provide live tunes. $10. 7-9 p.m., 717 South Howard Ave., Tampa (813-250-1661)

Thursday, October 22: Carrollwood Cultural Center
Teach and Taste Wine. Wine guide Charles Visalli leads this series of workshops on wine etiquette, how to sample wine when dining out, wine varietals, the art of pairing food with wine and more. This week’s focus is “the art of blind tasting.” E-mail timeforwine@tampabay.rr.com to reserve a spot. $25, $20 for CCC members. 6-7:30 p.m., 4537 Lowell Road, Tampa (813-269-1310)

Many more events after the break: Read the rest of this entry »