DATEBOOK

Thursday

Kitchen Gifts: This hands-on class teaches you to make and package truffles, candied orange peel, English toffee and gourmet hot chocolate. 6:30 p.m. Kitchen Academy of the California School of Culinary Arts, 561 E. Green St., Pasadena. (626) 229-1334. $95.

Christmas Meal: Learn to make prime rib with a Cognac-shallot sauce, double-baked potatoes with Roquefort and Parmesan cheese and peppermint profiteroles with chocolate sauce. 6:30 p.m. A Store for Cooks, 30100 Town Center Drive, Suite R, Laguna Niguel. (949) 495-0445. $20.

Saturday

Fish Market Tour: Chef-owner Sal Marino of Il Grano takes you downtown early to buy fish from wholesalers. Then it’s back to his restaurant to prepare the fish. Lunch is served afterward. Wear nonskid shoes and a hat. 7:45 a.m. Il Grano, 11359 Santa Monica Blvd., West L.A. (310) 477-7777. Sign up through the Jean Brady Cooking School at (310) 454-4220. $75.

Holiday Cookies: This hands-on class takes you through rugelach, macaroons, gingerbread cookies, sugar cookies, marble brownies, Mexican wedding cookies and chocolate earthquake cookies. 10 a.m. The New School of Cooking, 8690 Washington Blvd., Culver City. (310) 842-9702. $68.

Christmas Baking: Easy holiday desserts are the focus of this class. Make pistachio-butterscotch fudge, snowflake wafers, cranberry-walnut bars, chocolate date loaves and caramelized apple tartlets. 10:30 a.m. Epicurean School of Culinary Arts, 8759 Melrose Ave., L.A. (310) 659-5990. $65.

Monday

Wine Dinner: Mistral in Beverly Hills brings David Roth of Chalone Wine Estates down from Edna Valley for a reception and five-course dinner. 6:30 p.m. Mistral Beverly Hills, 301 N. Canon Drive, Beverly Hills. (310) 275-2900. $65.

Tuesday

Holiday Tamales: Nancy Zaslavsky teaches how to make ground masa and fillings for tamales. She also shows different techniques for wrapping and tying tamales. 6:30 p.m. Let’s Get Cookin’, 4643 Lakeview Canyon Road, Westlake Village. (818) 991-3940. $75.