SPECIAL EVENTS

Christmas Eve dinner, holidayinspired meal with wine pairings; 6:15 p.m.; Dec. 24; Brasserie Du Vin; $130; reservations: 545-1115.

Vegan macrobiotic community dinner, eat in or take out; 6-7:30 p.m.; Dec. 28, reservations by Dec. 26; Church of the Crossroads; $12, $15.50 with dessert; 398-2695, macrobiotichawaii@hotmail.com.

Cooking classes with Chef Mavro, in-kitchen sessions with George Mavrothalassitis include gourmet lunch, photo and chef's apron; 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; Feb. 2, April 5, July 19 and Nov. 8; Chef Mavro; $215; reservations: 735-7788, www.gourmetcookinghawaii.com.

MARKETS

Farmers Market, fruits and vegetables; 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m.; Wednesdays, Saturdays and Mondays; Hawaii Kai Towne Center; free; 396-0766.

Fresh Wednesdays; 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. second and fourth Wednesdays; Kaiser Waipi'o Clinic; free; 432-3100.

Fresh Thursdays; 10 a.m.-1 p.m.; Thursdays; Kaiser Moanalua Medical Center; free; 432-2270.

Kailua Farmers Market, with prepared foods, such as plate dinners, pies, cookies, jams and sauces in addition to vegetables, fruits, meats, herbs and flowers; 5-7:30 p.m. Thursdays; Kailua Town Center parking garage (behind Longs Drugs on Kailua Road); free; 848-2074.

Waikiki Farmers Market, fruits, vegetables, musubi and chow mein; 7 a.m.-1 p.m.; Tuesdays and Fridays (except Christmas and New Year's Day); Waikiki Community Center parking lot; free; 923-1802.

Fort Street Open Market, produce, plants, flowers, and arts and crafts; 8 a.m.-2 p.m.; Fridays and Tuesdays (except Christmas and New Year's Day); Wilcox Park (in front of Macy's); free; 441-4995.

Fresh Fridays, locally grown produce, healthy cooking demonstrations, educational information on disease prevention through good nutrition, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; Fridays; Kaiser Honolulu Clinic; free; 432-2000.

Aloha Friday Farmers Market, fresh produce, food products and entertainment, 12-6 p.m.; Fridays; Maui Community College; Kahului; free; 808-268-3276.

Farmers Market, cooking demonstrations, produce, meats, seafood and flowers; 7:30-11 a.m.; Saturdays; Kapi'olani Community College, Parking Lot C; free; 848-2074.

Sunset Country Market; 8 a.m.2 p.m.; Saturdays; Sunset Beach Elementary School; Hale'iwa; free; 237-8248.

Waialua Farmers Market, produce, herbs, fruit, flowers and huli-huli chicken; 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m.; Saturdays; Old Waialua Sugar Mill; 637-8589.

Farmers Market, sponsored by Hawaii Farm Bureau; 8-11 a.m.; Sundays; Mililani High School gymnasium; free; 848-2074.

Country Market & Craft Fair; 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sundays; Waimanalo Homestead Community Center; 1330 Kalaniana'ole Highway; free; 259-5349.

TOURS, TASTINGS & CLASSES

Matthew Gray's Hawaii Food Tours offers three guided restaurant tours — Hole-in-the Wall, Hawaiian Feast and Gourmet Trilogy — in and around Honolulu; daily (except Christmas and New Year's Day); $99, $149 and $199; reservations: 926-3663, www.HawaiiFoodTours.com.

Raisin d'Etre wine dinner, different wines featured each week; 6:15 p.m.; Mondays; Brasserie Du Vin; $69; reservations: 545-1115.

Merriman's Farm Visits and Dinner, half-day excursions to two Big Island farms that supply the restaurant, followed by a four-course dinner prepared from locally grown ingredients; 2:30-7:30 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays (except Christmas and New Year's Day); Merriman's Restaurant; Waimea, Big Island; $155 (all-inclusive); reservations: 808-331-8505.

Wrath of Grapes wine club offers tastings of featured vendors and light pupu; 6 p.m. Tuesdays (except Christmas and New Year's Day); Cask Room, Brasserie Du Vin; $20 plus tax and gratuity; seating limited to 28 people; reservations: 545-1115.

Vanilla Experience Luncheon, complimentary ice cream and coffee service; 12 p.m. Mondays-Fridays (except Christmas and New Year's Day); The Vanilla Mill; Pa'auilo, Big Island; free; 808-776-1771, 877-771-1771.

A Cook's Tour of Chinatown, Walter Rhee leads a tour of Downtown markets: learn about meats, seafood, vegetables, fruits, herbs and spices; 8:30-10:30 a.m.; Saturdays; meet near Hawaii National Bank between King and Smith streets; $15. Also, Rhee leads a tour of Chinatown eateries; 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; Saturdays; meet at same location; $59; reservations: 391-1550.

Complimentary wine tastings, with different themes every week; 1-5 p.m.; Saturdays; The Wine Stop; free; 946-3707.

Pacific Gourmet Cooking Classes, learn cooking techniques and recipes, explore flavors of world cuisines and meet others with similar interests; complete schedule and prices of classes offered at 3245 Pali Highway at www.pacificgourmethawaii.com.

Gourmet Cooking Hawaii offers hands-on and demonstration cooking classes with Island chefs in their restaurants — choose your own chef, menu and date or join classes offered on Saturdays throughout the year; schedule, pricing and booking information: www.gourmetcookinghawaii.com, 735-7788.

TV SHOW

"Dining Out With Chai," Chai Chaowasaree of Chai's Island Bistro and Singha Thai Cuisine hosts a TV show with cooking tips and information on Hawai'i and Mainland restaurants; 5 p.m. Sundays; KHON 2; 381-8483, 585-0011.

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

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