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Dorothea Cvijanovich, formerly of The Stocked Pot in Winston-Salem, has been catering and cooking for more than 20 years. Cvijanovich will share some of her techniques in Our Daily Bread, a series of four baking classes beginning 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday at Dormition of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Church (800 Westridge Road, Greensboro).

The schedule: French Country Bread on Thursday; Braided Brioche Bread, Oct. 25; Focaccia Breads, Nov. 1; and Yeast-Raised Nut Strudel, Nov. 8.

Cost is $25 per class or $90 for the series. Call 288-7968 or 292-8013.

Open House And Benefit

Let's Dish (2130-K New Garden Road, Greensboro), a meal preparation venue, will hold an open house from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. There will be free samples, massages, drawings and discounts for creating a meal on the spot or reserving a later session.

Let's Dish also is commemorating the Pink Ribbon campaign by offering a special entree for Breast Cancer Awareness month. Proceeds from these entrees and the sale of Otis Spunkmeyer Pink Cookies will benefit local cancer research.

For information, call 540-0222 or visit http://www.letsdish.com.

Get Knives Sharpened

Is your chef's knife so dull you just want to cry when mincing onions? Perhaps your paring knife couldn't peel the skin from congealed pudding? Well, Sur la Table at the Shops at Friendly (3334 W. Friendly Ave., Greensboro) is offering free sharpening.

Through Oct. 31, the staff will accept a maximum of two blades for honing. For information, call the store at 291-9962.

Fall Beer Dinner

Get into the season with a Fall Fest Beer Dinner from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at Earth Fare (2965 Battleground Ave., Greensboro).

The event includes a four-course dinner with seasonal beer. Cost is $25 per person. A portion of the proceeds benefits the Greensboro Symphony Youth Orchestras. Call 369-0190.

Oktoberfest Dinner

Break out your lederhosen. Bistro Sofia (616 Dolley Madison Road, Greensboro) also is celebrating autumn with an Oktoberfest from 5 to 10 p.m. Oct. 24.

A three-course meal and complimentary glass of beer or wine will set you back $25. For information, call 855-1313 or visit http://www.bistrosofia.com.

German Beer Tasting

Seasonal events continue with a German beer tasting from 7:30 to 10 p.m. Oct. 24 at The Press (301 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Greensboro).

Sample eight premium German beers and some German-style eats. Cost is $20 per person. RSVP at info@thepresswine cafe.com or call 333-3190.

Wine Dinner Planned

A Luna Vineyards dinner will be held at 7 p.m. Oct. 24 at 223 South Elm (223 S. Elm St., Greensboro).

The five-course dinner is $75. Call 272-3331.

Thursday Wine Tasting

Revival Grill (604 Milner Drive, Greensboro; 297-0950) is holding weekly tastings from 5 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays.

Stop by for a taste from five to eight selections and heavy hors d'oeuvres. Cost is $10. Visit http://www.revivalgrill.com for more information.

Waffles For A Cause

Waffle House has initiated a food drive for Second Harvest Food Bank.

Through Oct. 31, area Waffle House locations are giving a free waffle break- fast to anyone who brings in two canned food items to donate to Second Harvest Food Bank.

Officials say September is historically the slowest time of the year for food donations. So the organization is struggling to get shelves restocked, and Freeway Foods, which owns 36 Waffle House locations, is helping out.

Winery Wins Awards

Chinqua Penn Plantation and Vineyards (2138 Wentworth St., Reidsville) has received top honors for three wines in the 2007 Mid-Atlantic Southeastern Wine Competition held in August.

The estate-grown Muscadine Blush dessert wine won the silver medal. Other winners were the 2006 Lenox Castle Red, a blend of Syrah and Cabernet Franc, and the 2006 Niagara, both from grapes grown in Rockingham County.

"This was our first wine contest and our first vintage. So it was nice to get recognition for these fine wines," says wine maker Max Lloyd.

The wines can be sampled at the Chinqua Penn Wine Tasting Room from noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Essay Contest Announced

Olive Garden has announced the question for its 12th annual Pasta Tales writing contest, open to students in grades first through 12th: "What is your favorite family activity and what makes it so special?"

The answer could be worth a trip to New York and a $2,500 savings bond.

For entry forms and rules, visit http://www.olivegarden.com/company/community/pasta_tales.asp. Deadline is Nov. 30.

Have restaurant news for Short Orders? Contact Carl Wilson at 373-7145 or cwilson@news-record.com.