Festival of Ale offers more than beer.

Byline: Barbara M. Houle

COLUMN: TABLE HOPPIN'

The September dance card is filling up fast.

An event to pencil in is the Festival of Ale, 6 to 9 p.m. Sept. 19 at Higgins Armory Museum, 100 Barber Ave., Worcester. Take my word, the fall fundraiser is more than a beer-tasting fest.

This year, Matt Webster of Shrewsbury, supreme chancellor of beer, will hold two seminars, which are free with paid admission to the event.

Seminar 1: Beer & Chocolate - Lovely: Webster will discuss how craft beer complements chocolate. He will partner with Alina Eisenhauer, executive pastry chef/owner of Sweet in Worcester, who will provide goodies for the tasting.

Seminar 2: Beer & Cheese - A Perfect Match: Webster pairs beer and cheese for guests. According to Webster, the revolution of full-bodied, full-flavored beers is on the rise in the United States. Consumers now have more choices and better quality beers, Webster said. Take notes!

The Citizen in Worcester will donate cheeses for pairing, according to Webster.

Seating is limited for the seminars, so sign up early.

Advance tickets: $35 per person, nonmembers; $30, WOO card holders; $25, members; $5, designated driver. Tickets at the door, if available, will be $45 per person; $5, designated driver.

Designated driver tickets cover admission only.

More than 40 beers will be available for tasting. Among participating breweries: Berkshire Brewing Company in South Deerfield, Blue Hills Brewery in Canton, Boston Beer Company, Garden Ale House in Gardner, Harpoon Brewery in Boston, John Harvard's Brew House with locations in Massachusetts and Connecticut, Long Trail Brewing Company in Bridgewater Corners, Vt., Pennichuck Brewing Company in Milford, N.H., Sherwood Forest Brewers in Marlboro, Wachusett Brewery in Westminster, Watch City Brewing Company in Waltham, Shipyard Brewery in Portland, Maine, and Homebrew Emporium in West Boylston, Magic Hat Brewing Company in South Burlington, Vt., and the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company, based in Chippewa Falls, Wis.

KJ Baaron's Fine Wine & Spirits in Worcester will have a table at the event. If you find a beer you like, you will be able to order the beer through the store. Owner Katie Krock will donate a portion of sales to Higgins Armory Museum.

Pepper's Fine Foods Catering in Northboro will provide food-for-purchase which will include mini North Carolina pulled chicken or pulled pork sandwiches.

Dr. Gonzo's Uncommon Condiments in Worcester also will participate in the event. Bring on the heat!

Call Higgins Armory Museum, [phone], for more info or visit www.higgins.org.

See you there.

On the Rise Baking, 1120 Pleasant St., Worcester, has extended "summer hours."

Executive pastry chef/owner Elizabeth (Betty) Casey said the bakery will be open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday through September. Outside seating, weather permitting.

Award-winning chef and restaurateur Wolfgang Puck will host a VIP cooking demo at 1:30 p.m. Sept. 16 at Macy's Downtown Crossing in Boston.

Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino will be Puck's sous chef for the day.

Several Boston restaurants will offer food samples.

Tickets, at $25 per person, can be purchased at the door. Proceeds benefit Feeding America and the Greater Boston Food Banks.

Puck is one of 15 world-renowned chefs associated with Macy's Culinary Council. This fall, the chefs will host "dinner parties" in Macy's stores throughout the country with a specific menu designed by the participating chef.

Macy's has partnered with Feeding America in this campaign that celebrates the renaissance of cooking at home with a goal of raising 10 million meals for local food banks. The "Come Together" campaign will invite Macy's customers to host dinners in their homes. Guests will be asked to donate to Feeding America in lieu of the traditional host or hostess gift. Macy's will match customer donations until the 10 million meals goal is reached.

Get the invites ready.

Friendly Discount Liquors, 1167 Providence Road, Whitinsville, will have an in-store tasting and seminar featuring Pascual Toso wines from 7 to 8:30 p.m. today.

Guest speaker will be Enrique Toso, a fourth-generation descendant of Pascual Toso.

Toso's estate vineyards in Argentina total 630 acres. It was named a top "Winery for Value" by Wine Spectator.

RSVP to [phone].

Yankee Spirits in Sturbridge will host a celebrity Spanish wine tasting from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday in the store.

Wines of Finca Villacreces and Bodegas Orben will be featured.

Wine director Joe Astukewicz said special guest will be Almudena Imhof, "the woman behind the wines."

The wines are "truly some of Spain's best Tempranillo-based red wines," according to Astukewicz.

Imhof's "ultra-rare" Villacreces Nebro 2005, which received a 98-point rating from wine critic Robert Parker, will be included in the tasting.

Panzano Provviste e Vino, 154 Turnpike Road, Southboro, offers 20 percent off rose wines through Sunday.

Pair the wines with scallops, mussels or barbecue. The wines are a good match with heirloom tomatoes, which still are available.

Panzano will celebrate wines from Tuscany at an in-store tasting, 5 to 7 p.m. Friday and 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday.

D'Angelo Grilled Sandwiches president Rick Wolf recently presented a check for $86,231 to the Jimmy Fund.

From late July through Aug. 16, customers who donated in support of the Jimmy Fund received coupon booklets from D'Angelo.

Wolf said, "Through the generosity of guests and constant dedication of our team members, we were able to exceed our expectations and raise more than $86,000 for the Jimmy Fund."

He said the money will be used to provide vital services through the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Good stuff.

It's a glorious time for local farmers markets and roadside stands.

Enjoy fresh produce in Farmers Market Orzo Salad: Cook 1-1/2 cups orzo in boiling, salted water until just tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain. Rinse under running water; drain well. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 medium zucchini, chopped, 1 medium summer squash, chopped, 2 scallions, chopped, and 1 large garlic clove, minced; cook until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1 large tomato, diced, 1/2 cup pitted black olives and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Combine 1/4 cup cider vinegar and 1-1/2 teaspoons original Tabasco pepper sauce in medium bowl. Gradually whisk in 1/2 cup olive oil until mixture is well blended. Add orzo and vegetable mixture; toss until well blended. Refrigerate until ready to serve, stirring occasionally. To serve, stir in 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and 1/4 cup fresh chopped basil. Makes 6 servings.

Congrats to Chris Lawrence and Diana Pahl on their marriage last month.

Chris is garde-manger at Pepper's Fine Foods Catering in Northboro, where he first met Pahl.

Best man at the wedding was John Lawrence, Chris's dad, who with his wife, Susan, owns Pepper's.

Pepper's catered the wedding, but John Lawrence said he got the day off, and the crew at Pepper's also joined the celebration.

"It was a great day," John Lawrence said.

No doubt.

Pepper's is known for catering the best parties around.

If you have a tidbit for this column, call [phone]. Send e-mail to [e-mail].

ART: PHOTO

CUTLINE: John Lawrence of Pepper's Fine Foods Catering in Northboro, left, and Matt Webster of Drink a Better Brew in Shrewsbury are pictured in Higgins Armory Museum, where the Festival of Ale will be held Sept. 19. Lawrence is holding a plate of pulled pork and creamy slaw sliders.

PHOTOG: T&G Staff/PAUL KAPTEYN