Think you've got the best chili in town or that your business can beat all the rest? Then don't miss the Nov. 11 registration deadline for the Daytona Cubs 5th Annual World Series of Chili Cookoff and Music Festival, to be held from noon to 5 p.m. Nov. 14 at Jackie Robinson Ballpark, 105 E. Orange Ave., Daytona Beach. The winning team will receive a $500 cash prize with additional awards for People's Choice, Most Unique Chili and Best Stand.
Entry fees for the event, a benefit for the Halifax Humane Society, are $60 for businesses and $30 for membersindividuals. Advanced ticket prices are $12; $6 children and $15; $10 children at the gate and include unlimited samples.
Dogs are welcome. Take canned pet food to the park and receive a free soda.
Support the Museum of Florida Art at "A Taste of Florida ... and More!" from 7 to 11 p.m. Oct. 24 at the National Guard Armory, 401 S. Alabama Ave., DeLand.
The event will feature Florida flavors, artists, authors, music, art and silent and live auctions with opportunities to purchase premium wine and gourmet dinner packages by some of the area's top community cooks.
Music will be provided by retired DeLand High School teacher Stan O'Neal's AP History Band.
Advance tickets are $50 per person; $75 per couple or $75 per person and $100 per couple at the door.
For more information or to reserve tickets, call the museum at 386-734-4371.
An open house wine tasting to benefit Making Strides Against Cancer is scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 22 at the Vin'Yard, 1395 W. Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach.
More than a dozen wines from all over the world, along with imported and domestic cheeses will be offered. Chef Patrick will be manning the stove providing a cooking demonstration (think pink!) to taste and enjoy. The open house format will consist of four to six separate wine stations, with at least three wines per station. All of the wines are poured by wine professionals available to answer questions.
Cost is $10 per person, good toward any purchase at the event. Optionally, you may donate all or a portion of your admission to Making Strides Against Breast Cancer.
"Let's Cook Some Fish," will be the topic at Chef Bobby's Cooking School, planned for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10 at Frappes North, 123 W. Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach.
The hands-on cooking class, presented by Chef Bobby, will feature grilled mahi mahi pecan crust with pineapple and tomatillo salsa, pepper crusted ahi tuna with chive sauce and sesame salmon pan seared with vegetable stir fry and citrus ponzu sauce.
Cost is $90 per student. For more information and to reserve a spot, call 386-615-4888; frappesnorth.com.
Wines from six countries will be featured at the Vino 100 Ormond Beach wine tasting from 6-8 p.m Friday, Oct. 9 at 175 S. Nova Road., one block south of Granada Boulevard.
The tasting will highlight some of the great wines of the world including Peter Brum Bacchus 2008 (Rheinhessen, Germany), Mariposa Crū Chardonnay 2007 (Monterey, California), Monte Schiavo Verdicchio dei Castello di Jesi 2007 (Italy), Borsao Grenache/Tempranillo 2007 (Campo de Borja, Spain), Friday Monkey Merlot 2008 (South Eastern Australia) and the featured wine, Tohani Dracula's Blood Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 (Transylvania, Romania).
Recording artist and saxophonist Richard Young will perform during the wine tasting. Richard performs a variety of music including jazz and pop on alto and soprano saxophones.
The fee for the event is $10 per person with full credit given toward any same-day purchase of $20 or more. There is no charge for Vino 100 wine club members. Call 386-677-9800 or visit vino100ormondbeach.com for more information.
The aroma of freshly brewed coffee on a brisk winter morning can stir up a sense of nostalgia and a yearning to be home with family during the holidays. This year, Folgers is making that happen for five lucky families.
Entries are now being accepted for the Folgers "Home for the Holidays" Contest. Through Nov. 7, America can visit folgers.com for a chance to win a trip home to celebrate with family. Five winners will receive a seven-day, six-night trip in December for themselves and up to three other guests to travel to their hometown destination within the 48 contiguous United States.
To enter, visitors to the site will be asked to describe what they think is the best part of waking up at home during the holidays.
Winners will be announced on or about Nov. 11. Each trip includes round trip airfare, hotel accommodations, a rental car, $1,000 spending money and a Folgers gift basket. Open to legal residents of the United States 18 years old or older. Void where prohibited. See folgers.com for official rules and complete details.
My Big, Fat, Greek Cooking Class! is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 17 at The Casements, 25 Riverside Drive, Ormond Beach.
"Fun With Phyllo," with Instructor Elaine Pitenis, will feature menu items that use phyllo dough in the recipes including feta cheese triangles, beef Wellington, contemporary Greek salad, galaktoboureko and baklava.
Cost is $76.30. For more information, call 386-676-3216.
You'll find everything from soy candles and fresh fruit to African baskets, crab cakes and more at The Ormond Beach Farmers Market, making its debut Thursday, Oct. 1 at Rockefeller Gardens. Hours will be 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Thursday at the gardens, 25 Riverside Drive, Ormond Beach.
Presented by Ormond MainStreet and Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center, participating vendors include Salsa King, Eco Outdoors, Lucy's Dogs and Sausage, Local Farms 2U, Holly's Orchids, Spring Valley Farms, Sublime Scents, Natures Garden, Gene's Steak House, Sweet Cheyenn's Treats, Bolga Baskets and more.
In addition to the vendors, Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center will offer low-cost medical screenings.
For more information, call 386-451-2138; ormondbeachfarmersmarket.com.
A local church is offering the public the opportunity to take a culinary world tour without leaving town this weekend. It's the second annual Ethnic Food Festival at Holy Cross Eastern Orthodox Church in Ormond Beach.
The parish includes families with far-reaching origins and ethnic backgrounds with a rich variety of customs, said Father Michael Byars. "The most popular of these ethnic customs are the many different traditional food dishes and recipes that have been passed down through many generations."
The festival will include food tables with Arabic, Greek, Slavic, Romanian and Italian dishes available a la carte for "very reasonable prices," Byars said.
The event will also include face painting for the kids and recorded ethnic folk music.
The Ethnic Food Festival takes place from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday at Holy Cross Eastern Orthodox Church, 375 Fleming Ave., Ormond Beach.
Admission is free. For more information, call 386-677-0640 or visit holycrossaoc.org.
A wine-tasting party to benefit the Volusia Literacy Council will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Sept. 30 at Peter's Wine Shop, 1665 Dunlawton Ave., Port Orange, in the Shoppes at Yorktown (near Monterey Grill and Daily Grind).
Peter and Sandy Philipsen and their staff will share their knowledge of wine from all over the world.
Cost is $10. For more information, call 386-689-1946.
