� Self-styled kitchen frugalista Cathy Erway is in town this week promoting her book, The Art of Eating In: How I Learned to Stop Spending and Love the Stove, with a class on dumplings from around the world at the Central Market Cooking School (4001 N. Lamar, 206-1014, www.centralmarket.com). Reservations required, $20. Friday, March 12, noon-1pm.
� Representatives of Foodspotting are in town to launch their new location-aware iPhone app (www.foodspotting.com/iphone) with a SXSW Street Food Fest & Scavenger Hunt (www.food
spotting.com) in Brush Square Park, Fifth & Neches. Buy food from Austin trailer cuisine scene favorites. Saturday, March 13, 11am-3pm.
� Buy organically grown heirloom vegetable plants for your garden at Johnson’s Backyard Garden (9515 Hergotz, 386-5273). See details and directions at www.jbgorganic.com. Saturday, March 13, 10am-2pm.
� Celebrate the relocation of Austin Homebrew Supply and help the company christen the new building (9129 Metric,
www.austinhomebrew.com) with live music, snacks, and plenty of frosty refreshments. Saturday, March 13, noon-5pm.
� New York culinary contest entrepreneur Matt Timms will host and Hormel will sponsor the Austin Bacon Takedown at Emo’s
(603 Red River). Timms is looking for 10 local amateur cooks to enter signature bacon-based recipes in the competition; Hormel will provide all the bacon necessary to prepare the dishes. Sign up at www.chili-takedown.com, and then get cooking. Entrance to the party, the opportunity to sample all the dishes, and a chance to vote for the winner based on innovation, craftsmanship, and flavor can all be had for $10. Sunday, March 14, 4pm.
� Cookbook author and chef Louisa Shafia will present a class featuring dishes for the upcoming Persian New Year at Whole Foods Market Culinary Center (525 N. Lamar, 542-2340). Reservations necessary at www.wholefoodsmarket.com, $45. Thursday, March 18, 6:30-8:30pm. – V.B.W.
This article appears in March 12 • 2010.