Food-O-File

October brings a full slate of gourmet charity events and a steady deluge of cookbooks from the fall catalogs of major publishers. The UPS man and I are now on a first-name basis. The bulging bookcases with ever-growing stacks of cookbooks piled in front of them are visible through the open door. He hands me today's package and laughs, "Just what this place needs, more books. See you tomorrow." To stem the tide of unreviewed cookbooks, I've begun farming some of them out to cooking pals. They'll do some test cooking and report back. Leith's Latin American Cooking (Running Press, $29.95 hard) went with Chap Ross to Chan Chich Resort in the jungles of Belize where he'll have ingredients such as cashew fruit and culantro at his fingertips. He'll be faxing his evaluation. I shared Jean-George Vongerichten's Cooking at Home with a Four Star Chef (Broadway Books, $35 hard) with Magnolia Cafe-West manager Karen Rusk just after she returned from a visit to New York that included meals in two of the Alsatian chef's hottest restaurants. She pronounced his Bangkok and Singapore-influenced French recipes "wonderful, and workable for home kitchens," although she pointed out that Texans looking for hot Thai food might be surprised by the subtle flavors of Vongerichten's cuisine. And yes, his signature molten chocolate cake is there. Chef Miguel Ravago will check out Steven Raichlen's Healthy Latin Cooking (Rodale, $29.95,hard) and report on the Miami-based author's success or failure in trimming the fat without sacrificing the flavor in traditional Latin dishes. Our newest contributor, former Clarksville Cafe chef Mick Vann, can't wait to get his hands on The Elephant Walk (Chapters, $29.95 hard). The book features recipes from the famous East Coast Cambodian restaurant of the same name and is the first Cambodian cookbook published in the U.S.

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Bocaditos

Celebrate Texas Wine Month at the weekly wine tastings held every Thursday at Whole Foods Gateway (Gateway Center, 345-5003). Wine maven April Lowe has scheduled: Becker Vineyards on October 15; an Oktoberfest party with German food, music, and wine on Tuesday, October 20; Fall Creek Vineyards for October 22; and a Halloween Bash with wine and costumes for October 29...

Get in shape for your holiday tamalada in a class with El Galindo, Inc. owner Ernestine Galindo and longtime El Galindo supervisor Minerva Guajardo at Central Market (4001 N. Lamar, 458-3068) on Saturday, October 17, at 6:30pm...

Author/herb expert Lucinda Hutson previews recipes from the new edition of The Herb Garden Cookbook (Gulf Press, $24.95 hard) at Cooking with Friends (830/997-7400) in Fredericksburg October 24...

The Metz/Martin Recreation Center
(478-8716) sponsors the Menudo Cook-Off Festival this Saturday, October 17, noon-11pm, and Sunday, October 18, noon-10pm, featuring live music, crafts booths, children's activities, and plenty of good food. Judging of menudo takes place Saturday at 6pm...

Mexic-Arte Museum (419 Congress, 480-9373) holds its elegant Frida's Fiestas dinner this Sunday, October 18, at Fonda San Miguel (2330 North Loop, 459-4121)...

Accent Travel and the Four Seasons Hotel (98 San Jacinto, 478-4500) present the annual Star Chefs Reception & Live Auction benefiting the March of Dimes on Wednesday, October 21, 7-10pm. Guests will enjoy a cocktail reception and tasting dinner before bidding on the luxurious dining and travel packages donated by participating chefs and local businesses. For information about sponsorship tables, contact Peggy Gerke (477-3221) at the March of Dimes.