Single Guy's Planner

Start off your year with some good eating, and there are a lot of opportunities for you to do just that with these upcoming food events in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Jan. 11, Monday: Triple-Sec Throwdown at Rye. This event will gather the city’s 10 best bartenders to compete in a cocktail competition using Combier triple sec. You get to taste the concoctions made by the 10 bartenders along with some small bites. Event begins at 7 p.m. RSVP to greg@ryesf.com or call 415.786.7803. UPDATE: Ooops, this was so popular and everyone blogged about it that the event is now filled. Sorry!


Jan. 12: Slow Food Dinner Club at Spork. This popular Mission neighborhood restaurant is the setting for the latest three-course dinner to support Slow Food Nation. Cost is $57, at dinner starts at 7 p.m. Spork, 1058 Valencia St., San Francisco. You need to be a member of Slow Food San Francisco to register. Go to Slow Food’s Web site here.

Jan. 15, Friday: “In a Cheesemaker’s Kitchen,” a panel discussion, tasting and book signing with Allison Hooper at The Pasta Shop in Berkeley’s Fourth Street shopping district. Hooper is from Vermont and she’ll be sharing tasting of artisan California and Vermont cheeses. Event is free.

Jan. 15-31: Dine About Town in San Francisco. Don’t forget that participating restaurants are offering prix-fixe lunches and dinners during the second half of the month. Go to the official Web site to see the list of participating restaurants and make a reservation.

Jan. 18, Monday: Camp Bacon at 18 Reasons. Who doesn’t like bacon, right? This community gathering place in San Francisco's Mission District is sponsoring an event featuring Ari Weinzweig, author of “Zingerman’s Guide to Better Bacon.” Cost is $10 and you can purchase a time slot for this meet-and-greet and bacon tasting event. (There will be two time slots that night: 6 to 7:30 p.m. or 7:30 to 9 p.m. Purchase tickets here.

Jan. 23, Saturday: Michael Pollan’s “Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual.” Resident food conscience Pollan will talk about simple ways to eat well. Expecting to draw a crowd, this event by Book Passage bookstore and Center for Urban Education About Sustainable Agriculture (CUESA) will take place on the second floor of the Ferry Building, starting at 10 a.m. Cost $20 gets you and as well as a copy of Pollan’s book. Call 415.927.0960, ext. 1, to reserve a spot.

Jan. 30, Saturday: Punch Drunk Love at Omnivore Books. If you dream of being called a mixologist, then head over to this tiny Noe Valley bookstore for its Punch Contest. Bring your punch (alcohol or non-alcohol) to compete or if you just want to try the stuff, admission is $5 at the door. For more information, go to Omnivore’s Web site.

Sweet reminder: You know the San Francisco International Chocolate Salon is a big highlight for me each year. Last year I took a break from it but this year I’m planning to get a ticket to the March 20 event at Fort Mason in the Marina district. January 31 is the deadline to purchase your early bird ticket of $17.95 (Cost for adults jumps to $25 after that, and $30 at the door.) Go to the Chocolate Salon’s Web site for more information.