By Evelyn Cairns
Six gourmet small-plate food stations with paired beer and wine sampling will highlight the Southern Great Lakes Symphony’s first Beer & Wine Throwdown from 7 to 10 p.m. June 8 at the Riverview Community Center.
Guests will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite pairings, with the winner to be revealed at the end of the evening.
The menu will include Slows Bar BQ Mac-n-Cheese partnered with Chardonnay and ESB/Amber; Doug Scott’s Famous Pulled Pork BBQ (for which he is well known), with Zinfandel and Honey Porter; and Chicken Caesar Salad with Sauvignon Blanc and Belgian Blonde Ale.
Also on the menu are Bohemian Kielbasa and Kraut, partnered with Riesling and Dunkel Weisse; Very Veggie Italian Pasta with Sangiovese and Moretti La Rossa; and Bodacious Brownie and Baklava with Port and Vanilla Java Porter/Radler.
The beers have been selected by Annette May, the first woman to become a certified cicerone. (A cicerone is an expert in beer styles, serving, brewing and food pairing.)
A raffle and auction also are planned, and entertainment will be provided by Doug Scott and the SGLS Jazz Trio.
Auction items include a Chris Osgood autographed Red Wings hockey stick and puck, a beginners’ beer-brewing kit, a Guinness clock, gourmet baskets, salon visits and gift certificates.
Beers were donated by Motor City Brew Works, Saugatuck Brewery, Detroit Beer Company and Atwater Brewery. Other donors were Slows Bar BQ, West Side Beer, Imperial Beverage, Eastown Distributing, Discount Drinks and Casa Del Vino.
Prizes were donated by Adventures in Home Brewing, Merchants’ Fine Wine, Barry N Company Designs and Rodgers Chevrolet. Sponsors include the DTE Foundation, Island Needlework Studios and South Allen Medical.
Tickets are $30 each or $55 per couple. Reservations (advised) are being accepted by Deb Kennedy, Throwdown chair, at 734-479-1360. The community center is located at 14260 Sibley.
Cabrini fest is coming up
The St. Frances Cabrini Parish Festival on June 8 to 10 promises fun for the whole family during a three-day celebration that includes rides for children and adults, a wide variety of food, Vegas games, bingo and live entertainment by popular bands.
The 28th annual event is scheduled for 5 to 11 p. m. June 8; 2 to 11 p.m. June 9; and 1 to 9 p.m. June 10 at 9000 Laurence at Wick in Allen Park.
Wrist bands for the rides will cost $25 at the festival and are $20 in advance.
Among the participating bands are Fifty Amp Fuse, on June 8; the Diggers and Boogie Dynomite, June 9; and Duane Malinowski and Fifty Amp Fuse, June 10.
Among ethnic food offerings will be Irish specialties (corned beef sandwiches and shortbread); Mexican (tacos, nachos and refried beans); Italian (sau-sage and cannoli); and Polish (pierogi, stuffed cabbage and kielbasa with sauerkraut).
The American favorites hotdogs, hamburgers, macaroni and cheese and Calder’s ice cream also will be available.
For additional information, go to the Cabrini web-site at www.cabrinifestival.com.
Places to go . . .
June 7 — Hawaiian/Polynesian luncheon in the Henry Ford Community College series of International Buffets; seatings from 11 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. in the Fifty-One-O-One Restaurant on the Greenfield Road campus; the cost is $14 per person; for reservations, call 313-206-5101.
June 9 —Downriver Youth Performing Arts Center benefit gala, “Garden of Eden”; 6:30 p.m. at the Taylor Conservatory & Botanical Gardens, 22314 Northline, Taylor; strolling dinner, silent and live auctions, live entertainment; proceeds are earmarked for upgrading the lighting and sound systems at DYPAC’s performance home, the Trenton Village Theatre; tickets, $100, are available by calling Debbie Jackson at 734-671-2202 or visiting www.DYPAC.com.
June 22-24 — Detroit River Days Festival, along the Detroit waterfront; featuring family events and attractions, including the tall ships, sand sculptures, carnival rides, live concerts and food; admission will be $3 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (free during those hours on Friday) and $5 after 5 p.m. all three days; admission is free for children 3 and under and senior citizens; for more information, visit www.riverdays.com.