courtesy of The Great Tortilla Conspiracy

1. Corn Fed
The Great Tortilla Conspiracy: No it’s not an Ed Wood film. From now until the 23rd, father-and-son team Rene and Rio Yanez will be heat pressing, monoprinting, drawing, and painting on corn tortillas in order to “expand the notion of the tortilla as a medium for art.” On April 11, at the SomArts Bay Gallery (943 Brannan St.), you can put your own spin on the tortilla at the Tortilla Drawing Rally, in which participants will create tortilla art to hang in the show. Who says you can’t play with your food?

2. Riding the Wave
Break out that vintage Aloha shirt on April 10 when internationally acclaimed restaurateur Roy Yamaguchi celebrates the 20th birthday of his original namesake restaurant, with a specially prepared five-course dinner. Yamaguchi, the first Hawaiian to receive a James Beard award, is best known as creator of Hawaiian-Fusion cuisine. Prepared by Yamaguchi and his San Francisco chef and partner, Ty Mahler, the dinner will be paired with wine and cocktails from Pernod Ricard. Dinner is $100/person. To make reservations call Roy’s Restaurant at 415-777-0277.


courtesy of Stefanie Michejda

3. Local Motion
Locavores and the people that love them will be thrilled with the April 12 program at CUESA's teaching kitchen at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market. At 10:30, Nigel Walker of Eatwell Farm will demonstrate recipes using ingredients from his Sacramento Valley Farm; this will be followed by a seasonal cooking demonstration at 11:15 by Karla Oliveira of Conscious Eating Cuisine and co-author of Tassajara Cookbook. Whatever you put in your market basket that week, you’re sure to come away with ideas for dinner.


courtesy of Tamales By The Bay

4. You Say Tamale, I Say Tamale
How many kinds of tamales can there be? As many as you can eat at the second annual Tamales by the Bay, April 13. At this benefit event for the Benchmark Institute, an organization dedicated to increasing the quality and quantity of legal services to low-income communities, you’ll find Mexican, Yucatecan, Salvadoran and Chilean tamales. If you make it past the margarita competition, that is.


courtesy of Speakeasy

5. Bucket of Suds
Now that you’ve outgrown keg stands, you’ve probably moved on to artisan beers. Sample the best from our local breweries with the SF Brewer’s Guild monthly Meet the Brewer night, held April 15 at the Speakeasy Brewery. Don’t miss this opportunity to share a few pints with the guys that brought you Public Enemy Pils.



6. Italian Stallion
Just like Mamma used to make! On April 16, Carlo Middione, the popular chef and owner of Vivande Porta Via on Fillmore Street, will be demonstrating a classic southern Italian meal at local cooking school, Tante Marie’s. If pork medallions with provolone and pancetta, fried baby artichokes and budino of ricotta whet your appetite, Middione will show you how to make them. Seating is at 2 p.m., followed by a lesson and tasting. Each student receives a copy of each recipe. Reservations are essential. 

7. Cool Zone
Join Jesse Ziff Cool, chef/owner of Palo Alto’s Flea St. Café and author of the recently released cookbook, Simply Organic, for a book signing on Friday, April 11, at the de Young Museum from 6 to 8 pm. She’s kicking off the ongoing guest-chef series at the museum, and the event will feature tastes of recipes from her book as well as live music from the Dee Spencer Septet and a spoken-word performance by devorah major, former San Francisco poet laureate.