FOOD CALENDAR

TODAY

Pastry Demo: Pastry chef Olaf Handel will decorate cakes and make fudge and peanut butter during the grand reopening of Knott’s Deli, Berry Market and Bakery. Plenty of free samples. Knott’s California Marketplace, 8039 Beach Blvd., Buena Park. (714) 827-1776, 3 p.m., free.

Wine Tasting: Les Amis du Vin’s Studio City Chapter presents the newly released California Cabernet Sauvignons, Chardonnays and a Merlot. Bread, pate and cheese will also be served. Sportsmens Lodge, 12825 Ventura Blvd., Studio City. (818) 761-5373, 7 p.m. $20.

Pies and Tarts Class: Tarla, a Sonoma native who was the first woman to work in the kitchen at Maxim’s in Paris specializes in California and French pastry. She will demonstrate tartlets, lemon meringue pie and chocolate curls as part of the night’s agenda. Cuisine Sur La Mer, 919 Manhattan Ave., Manhattan Beach. (213) 374-3103, 7 p.m. $30.

SATURDAY

Cajun Fest: Gumbo, jambalaya, red beans and rice, shrimp, crawfish, sweet potatoes, alligator etouffe, boudin, ribs, links, pecan pie, cobblers, fried chicken are on the menu for the Southern California Cajun and Zydeco festival this weekend. Patout’s, Orleans, the Gumbo Pot, Edouard’s, Eve n’ Orleans and the Big Easy Cafe are among the restaurants that will provide a continuous supply of Cajun and Creole foods. Rainbow Lagoon, Long Beach. (213) 867-2215. Saturday and Sunday, noon-7 p.m., $15 adults, children younger than 12, free.

Squid Fest: Thousands of pounds of calamari will be eaten at the Great Monterey Squid Festival this weekend. More than 20,000 people are drawn annually for two days of mollusk madness. Great Monterey Squid Festival, Monterey Fairgrounds, Monterey. (408) 649-6547, 10 a.m., Saturday and Sunday, $5 adults, $2 children.

Vegetarian Class: Mrs. Gooch’s Natural Foods Markets’ warm weather vegetarian dishes. La Cocina Cooking School, 1401 Foothill Blvd., La Canada Flintridge, (818) 501-8484, 10:30 a.m, $30.

TUESDAY

“To me the word savory suggests the place where flavor and fragrance meet. The savory way takes into account the nature of the food itself, its promise as well as its limitations. This food has character and even elegance; but at heart it’s simple home cooking, nourishing food set forth in a climate of happy anticipation.” Deborah Madison signs her new book, The Savory Way, at the Cook’s Library, 8373 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles. (213) 655-3141. 2-3 p.m.Free. Wine Tasting: The Wine Assn. of the Duke of Bourbon presents Girard, Ferrari-Carano and Jordan wines along with Wolfgang Puck’s new Eureka California Lagers. Calabasas Inn, 23500 Park Sorrento, Calabasas Park, (818) 341-1234, 7:15 p.m., $25.

Wine-maker Dinner: Premier wines from the Trefethen Vineyards. City Grill Restaurant and Bar, One World Trade Center, Long Beach. (213) 499-7040. At 7 p.m. $50.

Oriental Buffet Class: Let’s Get Cookin’, 4643 Lakeview Canyon Road, Westlake Village, (818) 991-3940, 6:30 p.m., $45.

WEDNESDAY

Tofu Class: The Japanese Cooking School proves there’s more than one way to cook tofu. Zenshuji Temple Kitchen, 123 S. Hewitt Street, Los Angeles, (213) 628-4688, 7 p.m., $35.