On the front burner: Sampling northern Italy

Cosimo’s Brick Oven, 3501 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, in Westfield Southgate, will present the Flavors of Northern Italy (Il Gusto Di’Italia Del Nord) from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday . Menu items will include wild boar sausage with roasted red peppers, onions and garlic, braised rabbit with forest mushrooms, crispy polenta, fresh mozzarella, tomato and prosciutto salad and a roasted fennel and orange salad. $25, plus tax and tip. Call 363-0211.

GET READY TO UNPARTY

The UnParty, a precursor to the UnGala Gala, will be held at Mattison’s Forty-One, 7275 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, from 8 p.m. to midnight Sept. 5. This is the first opportunity to purchase individual tickets to the UnGala, set for Oct. 18, and will also mark the unveiling of the restaurant’s new catering facilities.

Proceeds from the UnParty and the UnGala benefit the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art. Tickets are $50 in advance, $60 at the door. For more information or reservations, call 921-3400 or visit www.mattisons.com.

WORKING UP AN APPETITE

Sharky’s on the Pier is partnering with the Venice YMCA for its fourth annual Venice Triathlon. This year’s event will take place Labor Day weekend, with the race beginning at 7:30 a.m. Sunday at Sharky’s, 1600 Harbor Drive S., Venice. Sharky’s will host a post-race breakfast for all participants. Visit www.sharkyson thepier.com. For triathlon information, visit www.active.com.

GOOD TO BE GREEN

Treviso Restaurant, at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, 5401 Bay Shore Road, Sarasota, is now a Certified Green Restaurant, according to the Green Restaurant Association. Treviso is the first restaurant in Sarasota to achieve this designation. Treviso completed the following steps for certification: recycling glass, metal and plastic; improving water efficiency; and decreasing pollution by using ECOLAB products and composting coffee grinds for use on the museum grounds. For more information, call 360-7390 or visit www.trevisorestaurant.com.

WINE TASTING

South Trail Liquors, 7310 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, will host a wine tasting from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday. Featured wines will include 2004 Trimbach Reserve Pinot Gris, Alsace; 2006 Sterling Vintners Chardonnay, California; 2005 Pierre Matrot Meursault, Burgundy; 2004 Beaulieu Vineyard Coastal Merlot, California; 2003 Sagelands Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington; 2003 Chateau Greysac Medoc, Bordeaux. Call 927-9463.

BEST OF BORDEAUX

From 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, wines from Bordeaux will be featured at the Crow’s Nest dockside summer wine tasting. The Crow’s Nest is at 1968 Tarpon Center Drive, Venice. www.crowsnest- venice.com; 484-9551.

BOTTLE SHOP DOES BRUNCH

The Bottle Shop, 29 N. Boulevard of Presidents, St. Armands Circle, now offers brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Menu items include eggs Benedict, blueberry pancakes and Bismarck French toast, served with the Bottle Shop’s own Bloody Mary. Call 388-CORK (2675).

AMERICA’S BEST BUFFET

For the fifth consecutive year, Souplantation/Sweet Tomatoes was voted America’s best buffet chain in Restaurants & Institutions’ 2008 Consumers’ Choice in Chains survey.

The survey includes eight customer-satisfaction categories: food quality, menu variety, value, service, atmosphere, cleanliness, reputation and convenience. The chain, with a Sweet Tomatoes location at 4994 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, offers a rotating menu of more than 100 original recipes. For information, call 922-4908.

PRIX FIXE DINNERS

AND SUMMER MENUS

Bijou Cafe, 1287 First St., Sarasota; 366-8111 or www.bijoucafe.net.

Cafe L’Europe, 431 St. Armands Circle, Sarasota; 388-4415 or www.cafeleurope.net.

Canvas Cafe, 239 S. Links Ave., Sarasota; 366-2233 or www.canvascafesrq.com.

Chez Sylvie et Fils, Merchants Pointe Plaza at Swift and Clark roads, Sarasota; 923-9020.

Clayton’s Siesta Grille, 1256 Old Stickney Point Road, Sarasota; www.claytons siestagrille.com or 349-2800.

Crow’s Nest, 1968 Tarpon Center Drive, Venice; 484-9551 or www.crowsnest-venice.com.

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, 2001 Siesta Drive, Sarasota; 358-9463 or www.flemingssteakhouse.com.

Harry’s Continental Kitchens, 525 St. Judes Drive, Longboat Key; 383-0777 or www.harryskitchen.com.

Mattison’s, all locations; www.mattisons.com.

Michael’s On East, 1212 S. East Ave., Sarasota; www.bestfood.com.

Morel Restaurant, 3809 S. Tuttle Ave., Sarasota; 927-8716.

Roy’s Sarasota, 2001 Siesta Drive, Sarasota; 952-0109 or www.roysrestaurant.com.

NEW BOOK

GIFT FOR THE HOST

Would you rather be forced to give up e-mail or salt? Or, if you could date a cartoon character, who would it be? Or perhaps you’d rather debate which sitcom cast you’d want to be marooned on an island with.

Whatever your answers, welcome to the world of “Barguments” — simple questions that are deep enough to trigger passionate arguments, simple enough to debate while letting loose and have no right or wrong answers. Doug Hanks’ new pocket-sized book, “Barguments,” offers several hundred such unanswerables, the perfect social lubricant to spur lively conversation at your summer barbecue. Published by Simon Spotlight Entertainment.

COOKING SCHOOLS

APRON’S COOKING SCHOOL

Publix, 2875 University Parkway, Sarasota. 358-7829; www.publix.com/aprons.

nSeafood on the Grill. 6 p.m. Thursday. On the menu: chipotle shrimp and pineapple kebabs; grilled-chilled seafood and white bean salad; grilled oysters with fennel butter; citrus swordfish with citrus salsa; split grilled lobster tails with herb butter. $50.

nPublix Open House. 6 to 8 p.m. Friday. Wine and cheese tastings, tapas menu with sangria and cooking demonstrations. Free and open to public without reservations.

nLobster Lovers. 6:30 p.m. Saturday. On the menu: Maine lobster rolls with tarragon remoulade; Thai lobster and mussel soup; lobster with angel hair pasta and goat cheese alfredo sauce; blueberry cobbler. $55.

ROY’S

2001 Siesta Drive, Sarasota. 952-0109 or www.roysrestaurant.com.

nRoy’s Cooking Class. 6:30 p.m. Sept. 29. Menu: torched tuna and hamachi with Aloha ponzu sauce; herb-seared U-10 day boat scallops with a kaffir lime tzatziki and panzanella salad; Kona coffee brulee. $55; includes one glass of wine per person.

WHOLE FOODS MARKET

1451 First St., Sarasota. 955-8500 or www.wholefoodsmarket.com.

nBakery Beth’s Favorites Class. 6 p.m. Sunday. The bakery team leader prepares some of her favorite recipes.