Food events, tours and cooking classes in the Triangle

Daniel’s Restaurant and Catering, 1430 N.C. 55, Apex, is hosting a Hahn Wine dinner Wednesday, March 15, at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $99 per person plus tax. Tip is included. Seating is limited. The meal features a Hahn wine paired with several courses. danielsapex.com

After eight rounds of 16 chefs facing off for the Cooking for a Classic, it’s time for Round 2. The competition will continue throughout March until one winner is crowned and receives the keys to a 1969 Corvette Stingray. Proceeds from the competition will benefit the Lucy Daniels Center, a therapeutic education setting and mental health treatment facility for children of preschool through elementary-school age.

A Round 2 dinner is Wednesday, March 15. The semifinals will take place March 20 and 21, with the final competition set for March 27. All Cooking for a Classic events take place at 1705 Prime, 1705 E. Millbrook Road, Raleigh. Each chef will present a three-course small-plate menu plus a signature cocktail, wine or beer pairing for each course. Doors open at 6 p.m. for a 6:30 seating for each event. Guests rate the dishes using a smartphone and help determine the winner.

Tickets for Round 2 are $75 plus tax and gratuity, and are available at www.cookingforaclassic.com. Tickets for the semifinals are $100, and $125 for the finals.

Author Adrian Miller discusses his new book, “The President’s Kitchen Cabinet: The Story of the African Americans Who Have Fed Our First Families, from the Washingtons to the Obamas,” at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 16, at The Fearrington Granary, 210 Market St., located in Fearrington Village in Pittsboro. Tickets are $100. Tickets include a signed copy of the new book, a three-course dinner and a craft beer served with every course. The menu was inspired by the recipes of presidential chefs. Fearrington’s Executive Chef Colin Bedford will prepare the meal. Fullsteam Brewery’s Sean Lily Wilson worked with Miller and Bedford to create a Spring Dry Hopped Rye Saison beer for the dinner. Go to fearrington.myshopify.com/ and click on “Ticketed events” or call McIntyre’s Books at 919-542-3030.

Counting House at 21c Museum Hotel will continue its 2017 Underground: A Pop Up Cocktail Series in The Vault with a St. Patrick’s Day-themed celebration on Friday, March 17 from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. 21c Museum Hotel Durham’s historic bank vault transforms each month into an intimate cocktail lounge, offering unique-themed cocktails crafted by Counting House. Guests are invited to celebrate the holiday with creative takes on Irish classics. Pricing for cocktails ranges from $9 to $13. Space is limited and access will be granted on a first come, first served basis. The Underground series continues throughout 2017. countinghousenc.com

A street festival is on Glenwood Avenue Friday, March 17, from 6 to 11 p.m. to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Hibernian Irish Pub & Restaurant and Shop Local Raleigh will host the annual St. Patrick’s Festival on the 300 block of Glenwood Avenue and 600 block of North Street. Food and drinks will be available for purchase. The festival lineup features Irish/Celtic, Americana and Bluegrass music along with a performance by the cover band Love Tribe. For a schedule, go to hibernianpub.com.

Big Boss Brewing Company hosts a dinner Saturday, March 18, from 7 to 10 p.m. to benefit Save the Children, an international non-governmental organization that promotes children’s rights, provides relief and helps support children in developing countries. Proceeds will go to the group’s Syrian Children Fundraiser. Tickets are $50 at https://littlelives.ticketbud.com/dinner. The brewery is at 1249 Wicker Drive, Raleigh. Email littlelivesraleigh@gmail.com.

Celebrate the Passover holiday at the Jewish Cultural Festival from 3-6 p.m. Sunday, March 19, at the Cary Arts Center, 101 Dry Ave. Learn about Moses, maror and matzah, and hear presentations on Jewish history, culture and practice. The festival also will feature live music, food vendors and children’s activities. Free. Donations of gift cards will be accepted to support Jewish Family Services’ food assistance program. 919-469-4061, townofcary.org

Chatham Hill Winery, 8245 Chapel Hill Road, Cary, will serve local wine with ballroom and Latin music March 19. A wine tasting is at 6 p.m. Dancing is 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The wine tasting is $10 and includes a souvenir glass. The dance is $10 and includes a dance lesson at 7 p.m. Register in advance at www.rhythmjourneync.weebly.com

The Durham Farmers’ Market will host a demo Monday, March 20, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Liberty Warehouse Apartments, 530 Foster St., Durham. A meal will be served along with tips for seasonal eating. Go to the Durham Farmers’ Market Facebook page for information on registration.

A food swap is March 20, at 7 p.m. at Ponysaurus Brewing, 219 Hood St., Durham. Participants can swap homegrown, handmade or foraged edible delights. A food swap is part silent auction/part village marketplace/part open house. Participants must bring something homemade. Donations welcome. Email bullcityfoodswap@gmail.com. Go to the Ponysaurus Facebook page and click on events for details.

The Durham hotel is launching a “History of the Cocktail” series from 6 to 8:30 p.m. On one Wednesday per month, head to the rooftop bar where head bartender Kevin Coe and Alley Twenty Six owner/head bartender Shannon Healey will explore the origins of a notable cocktail. On March 22, they will discuss the Old Fashioned. On April 19, it will be the Manhattan. The hotel is at 315 E. Chapel Hill St., Durham. thedurham.com

It is not easy to try and maintain a lifestyle that is both vegetarian and gluten free. Chef Lane will share his secrets to making tasty, healthy and satisfying food that doesn’t leave you feeling like you are missing out on anything. Menu: Broccoli Cheese Fritters; Sweet Potato and Lentil Stew; Truffled Kale and Potatoes; Macaroons. March 16, 5 p.m. $50. Southern Season, 201 S. Estes Drive, Chapel Hill. 919-929-7133, southernseason.com.

With the advent of dedicated winemakers that have elevated the quality of wines coming from this Mediterranean island, indigenous grapes like Nero d’Avola, Frappato, Catarratto, and Zibibbo have made a strong comeback as alternatives to more well-known Italian varietals and regions.$40 per person, including wine, cheese plate, service fee and tax. Reserve at 919-542-2121. 6 to 8 p.m. March 23 at The Fearrington Granary Restaurant, 2000 Fearrington Village Center, Pittsboro. fearrington.com/eateries/the-fearrington-granary.

The Ackland Art Museum has reinstalled its galleries of Asian art, presenting its renowned collection from across the Asian continent in a whole new way. Join the museum’s associate curator Bradley Bailey as he shares a presentation of the two components to the exhibition. This is a one-hour class. Menu: Spring Rolls, Egg Custard Pots with Asparagus and Peas; Butternut Squash Dal. March 31, noon. $30. Southern Season, 201 S. Estes Drive, Chapel Hill. 919-929-7133, southernseason.com.

Remember the Women’s League and Church Fellowship cookbooks of yesteryear? Those will put you in the mood for Sheri Castle’s menu of straight-up Poppy Seed Chicken; Greek Baked Ziti; Easy Chicken Chilaquiles; Sweet Potato Sonker with Milk Dip. March 30, 6 p.m. $50. Southern Season, 201 S. Estes Dr., Chapel Hill. 919-929-7133, southernseason.com.

Mandolin is a Raleigh neighborhood restaurant that serves ingredients that often come from their own garden. Chef Sean Fowler builds the menu based on what is available. Menu: Grilled, Wild North Carolina Oysters with Mr. Soul’s Mignonette; Oysters Mandolin; Cornbread and Oyster Stuffing with Mushroom Veloute; Parsnip Mousse with Meyer Lemon, Sabayon, and Ginger Tuile. March 29, 6 p.m. $55. Southern Season, 201 S. Estes Drive, Chapel Hill. 919-929-7133, southernseason.com.

Raleigh is the home of Capital Phantoms, the Peg-legged ghost, Yarborough Hotel Ghosts, Moore’s Square and Tobacco Road Tours’ Raleigh Pub Crawl. On this tour you’ll spend about 25 minutes in three of Raleigh’s pubs. March 17, 18, 24, 25, 31, 7:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. $19 plus small service fee. Mecca Restaurant, 13 E. Martin St., Raleigh. 919-832-5714

Go behind-the-scenes on the Raleigh Craft Cocktail & Cultural Walking Tour to meet bar owners, bartenders and industry experts for a unique cocktail experience at four Downtown Raleigh cocktail havens. Drink delicious, well-balanced libations from the nation’s top mixologists. Learn about Raleigh’s integral role in the revival of the cocktail culture, as well as the origins and back-stories of the spirits in the cocktails. March 18, 25, 4 p.m.-7 p.m. $48.98. Circa 1888, 412 W. Davie St., Raleigh. 919-307-4597

The Durham Pub Crawl & Haunted Adventure Tour is designed for guests seeking a unique and different downtown Durham n experience. This is a walking tour covering approximately 1 mile, and guests will receive special treatment at four downtown bars, restaurants and pubs. Hear ghost stories about Durham’s haunted buildings. March 17, 18, 24, 25, 31. 7:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. $19 plus small service fee. American Tobacco Campus, 318 Blackwell St., Durham. 919-433-1566, americantobaccohistoricdistrict.com.

Tour the facility in downtown Knightdale to see how Lassiter’s North Carolina Rum is made. Tours run for 30-45 minutes and include a sample of our rum for all guests 21 and over. 1 and 2 p.m. on March 18, 25. 5:30 p.m. on March 9, 16, 23 and 30. Lassiter Distilling Company, 319 N. First Ave., Knightdale. 919-295-0111, lassiterdistilling.com.

Experience North Carolina’s best restaurants and food shops on a walking food tour of downtown Chapel Hill and Carrboro with Taste Carolina Gourmet Food Tours. From fine-dining restaurants to mom & pop shops, sample innovative and upscale dishes all sourced from local ingredients. Tours are open for advance registration on Saturdays, all yearround. Private tours can be arranged for groups on weekdays and weeknights. Schedules are subject to change. March 18, 25. 11 a.m., 3:15 p.m. $55-$69.50. Open Eye Cafe, 100-C E. Main St., Carrboro. 919-968-9410, openeyecafe.com.

Experience North Carolina’s best restaurants and food shops on a walking food tour of downtown Durham with Taste Carolina Gourmet Food Tours. Tours are open for advance registration on Saturdays. Private tours can be arranged for groups on weekdays and weeknights. Schedules are subject to change. For the full schedule go to tastecarolina.com. March 18, 25. 1:45 p.m., 3 p.m. $55-$69.50. Durham Visitors Center, 101 E. Morgan St., Durham. 919-371-2653

Experience Raleigh’s best restaurants and food shops on a walking food tour of downtown Raleigh with Taste Carolina Gourmet Food Tours. Tours are open for advance registration on Fridays and Saturdays, all year: 1:30 and 4 on Fridays, and 2, 3:30, and 4 on Saturdays. Private tours can be arranged for groups on weekdays and weeknights. Schedules are subject to change. For the full schedule, go to tastecarolina.com. $55-$69.50.

The Raleigh Roots Tour explores the areas of Seaboard Station, Mordecai and Oakwood, which are historic neighborhoods located at the edge of downtown. This tour does not walk near the Capitol or along historic Fayetteville Street. The Raleigh Roots tour has a strong foodie/farm-to-table vibe. The tour includes food at three restaurants plus a beer or wine tasting and dessert. March 18, 25. 10 a.m. $55-$69.50. tastecarolina.net/raleigh/

This story was originally published March 16, 2017 at 4:57 PM with the headline "Food events, tours and cooking classes in the Triangle."