Graze 4 Good

Food justice is an emerging concept, meaning to ensure the responsible growth, production, transport, distribution and serving of food worldwide, with an emphasis on eliminating inequities. Fourth Generation is an emerging partnership of mid-career (read: young) professionals interested in becoming engaged in philanthropy. The two movements come together at Graze 4 Good, an educational and appetizing event with the goal of distributing more than $30,000 to local organizations working in the areas of nutrition and food justice. Food will be provided by Doug Flicker of Piccolo, Steven Brown of Tilia and Mike Brown of Travail Kitchen and Amusements. The event will be from 4 to 6 p.m. March 4 at Spill the Wine, 1101 Washington Av. S., Mpls. Tickets are $30 and $40. To order, visit grazing4good.eventbrite.com.

Food & Wine on deck

Advance tickets always go fast for the 18th annual Minnesota Monthly Food & Wine Experience March 3-4 at Target Field. This year features 200 exhibitors offering gourmet foods for sampling, and more than 350 fine wines and almost 80 specialty beers for tasting. The Star Tribune's wine columnist, Bill Ward, is among the expert panelists in two seminars about Washington State wines and how they (favorably) compare with others around the world. Each of these seminars is $25. For $90, you gain admission to a special red wine tasting featuring dozens of fine reds. Tickets to the Experience are $75 online, $80 at the door (if available.) To learn more about the event and to order tickets, visit www.foodwineshow.com.

A tastier flash mob

We're tossing this out now because we suspect that it will take a bit of planning, should anyone be inclined to bring the dining phenomenon of "Dîner en Blanc" to Minnesota. Think of it as a flash mob of sorts with origins in Paris. Here's the deal: You sign up to receive notifications for a picnic, location not revealed until the last moment, then show up clothed entirely in white and toting your own food and tables, candles and cutlery -- whatever you want to make a splash amid the others converging on some picturesque spot. The Paris event has grown to several thousand. New York City's first such picnic last year attracted about 1,000. For photos and information about planning your own Dîner en Blanc (even if it's just luring a few friends to the shores of Lake Calhoun), visit www.dinerenblanc.info or its page on Facebook.

'Baking Basics' returns

Congrats to local author Pat Sinclair, whose 2006 book, "Baking Basics and Beyond," has been revised and reissued by Surrey Books for $19.95. Widely regarded as an essential book for beginning bakers, "Baking Basics" mixes solid techniques, reliable recipes and tons of advice, helpful hints and "secrets to success," such as first measuring the oil for a recipe, then using the same cup to measure honey so it slides right out. That's the sign of an experienced baker. Sinclair's most recent book is "Scandinavian Classic Baking" (Pelican Publishing, $16.95).