Monday, February 1
Hank’s Oyster Bar in Old Town (1026 King St., Alexandria; 703-739-4265) and Tröegs Brewing Company are hosting a five-course beer-and-oyster dinner. Dishes include Dragon Creek oysters with sabayon, baby spinach, and smoked bacon, paired with Rugged Trail Ale; and Duroc pork stuffed with oysters and prosciutto, matched with Troegenator Double Bock. Dessert is a banana-hazelnut crepe and Dream Weaver Wheat. The dinner, $65 per person, starts at 7:30. Call 703-739-4265 for reservations and more information.
Tuesday, February 2
At ACKC’s truffle-making class, owner Robert Kingsbury will teach students the basics behind making milk-, dark-, and white-chocolate truffles using ingredients available at grocery stores. You’ll get to take home the chocolates you make during class. The class, $35 per person, is from 6:30 to 8:30.
Wednesday, February 3
John Williams of the sustainable Frog’s Leap Winery and chef Levi Mezick of the Jockey Club are hosting a wine dinner at 7. There’ll be a reception with a 2007 Chardonnay and a 2008 Sauvignon Blanc, followed by four courses. Pairings include Peektyoe-crab salad with piquillo pepper, mango, and citrus dressing, with a 2005 and 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon; and a grilled beef tenderloin with creamy farro, braised Swiss chard, carrots, and bone-marrow sauce, served with a 2005 Dolce. To make reservations for the event, $125 per person, call 202-736-1453.
Thursday, February 4
Aaron Schifferle, sommelier at Old Angler’s Inn, will host a five-course wine tasting. The reception offers a taste of Gruet sparkling from New Mexico. The following courses include a wild-mushroom profiterole with Heron Chardonnay; seared sea scallops with black-truffle risotto and lobster sauce, paired with A to Z Pinot Noir from Oregon; and a peppered filet mignon with Yukon potatoes, paired with a Charles Smith Merlot. The dinner, which starts at 7, costs $55 per person plus tax and gratuity.
Friday, February 5
Santi Zabaleta, the former executive chef of Taberna del Alabardero, has worked in Spain and London, and his guests have included the king and queen of Spain. In a three-hour cooking class at L’Academie de Cuisine (5021 Wilson La., Bethesda; 301-986-9490), he’ll teach students about charcuterie, cheeses, and preserves, and show them how to make quail escabeche and swordfish stemperata. The class, 7 to 10, is $85 per person.
Saturday, February 6
DC Coast is prepping men for Valentine’s Day with a special class on making a romantic dinner. Executive chef Brendan Cox and pastry chef JJ Minneola will teach participants how to make risotto with salt-roasted shrimp, lemon, and parsley; slow-cooked Scottish salmon with sweet onion soubise, petite carrots, and caviar; and a layered chocolate mousse Parisienne with chocolate tuile and raspberry. The class, which includes lunch and wine pairings, is $75 and runs from 11 to 1. Call Jillian Zins at 202-408-0201 for reservations.
Sunday, February 7
Italian winemaker Luca Currado-Vietti of Vietti winery will be at Cork for a tasting of his family’s award-winning products. The event, $50 per person, will include samples of seven whites and seven reds, such as the 2008 Arneis, a varietal that Vietti’s father, Alfredo, is credited with saving from extinction in the 1960s. Space is limited. RSVP by February 5 to info@corkdc.com. 1 PM.
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