Posted on: Wednesday, July 7, 2004

Culinary calendar

Advertiser Staff

• A Salute to Italy and the World's Great Wine Regions, the 23rd annual Kapalua Wine & Food Festival, with cooking demonstrations, wine tastings, winemaker dinners and seminars, begins 1:30 p.m Friday and continues through 9 p.m. Sunday, at the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua and Kapalua Bay Hotel resort ballrooms and restaurants on Maui. Call for schedule: (808) 669-6200, (808) 669-5656.

• Marvelous Merlot, tastings of merlots from various wineries, 6 p.m. Friday, Padovani's Restaurant & Wine Bar; $20 for three half-glasses and one appetizer, $34 for three full glasses and two appetizers. 946-3456.

• TV show taping, be part of the audience when Iron chef Hiroyuki Sakai joins Beth-An Nishijima and Chai Chaowasaree for an episode of "Two Skinny Chefs," 6-9 p.m. Sunday, Chai's Island Bistro; $85. 585-0011. ("Two Skinny Chefs" is broadcast at 6:30 p.m. Saturdays on KGMB and reshown at 4 p.m. Sundays.)

• Italian Rosters, the Indigo Wine Club's Wrath of Grape event, sampling of three tiers of pinot grigio and chianti with pupu, 6 p.m. Tuesday, Indigo Eurasian Cuisine; $20. 521-2900.

• Wineview, wine tasting of chardonnays from around the world paired with foods, plus a seminar led by Dan Vogel on how to analyze and appreciate wine, 6-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Hanohano Room, Sheraton Waikiki hotel; $25 plus tax and tip. Reservation: 922-4422.

• American Brews, Blues & BBQs, 2nd annual Nu'uanu Block Party with offerings of 40 beer styles from more than 25 local and national craft breweries, barbeque cook-off, food booths, dancing to blues music from Nitetrain, M.O.R. and the Hawaii International Jazz Festival All Stars, 4-10 p.m. July 17, Nu'uanu Street between King and Pauahi; free admission, scrip for food and drinks may be purchased in bundles of $5, $10 and $20 with proceeds to benefit the Hawaii Women's Business Center. 386-1436, www.indigo-hawaii.com.

• Joy of Food & Wine, 7th annual AIG-sponsored benefit for the Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific, with wine tastings of more than 200 vintages from around the world paired with artisan cheeses and gourmet foods, silent auction, 5:30-9 p.m. July 17, Hilton Hawaiian Village's Tapa Ballroom; $90 advance, $100 at the door (optional wine-tasting seminars for an additional $165 and $225). 566-3451.

Send announcements with contact name and phone number to: Culinary Calendar, Island Life, The Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Honolulu, HI 96802; fax 525-8055; or islandlife@honoluluadvertiser.com, with "Cul Cal" in the subject line.