Photo: xorsyst/Flickr

LOCAL BITES

Remember Those Postcards?
In the upcoming group exhibition “Dialogues” at the Kingston Gallery in the South End, Krina Patel of Stir A Memory, spotlighted in November on PRK,  features her food images in conjunction with gallery artist Sharon Pierce. The exhibition runs until January 30th, with an opening reception January 7th from 5-7:30pm.

Beans, Beans, Good for Your Heart
Slow Food Boston brings you a “Bean Fest” on January 8th, 5-8pm at the First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church in Arlington. Did you know the word lens comes from lentils, whose shape they resemble? After a bit of bean lore from renowned culinary historian Ken Albala, attendees will settle down for an international legume potluck. Families welcome–there will be a game and activity room for children. Only a few spots remaining, so sign up now!

Saturdays in Wayland
Suit up and head out to the Wayland Winter Farmers’ Market, every Saturday from January 8th through March 12th, 10am-2pm. There will be two “Wool Days” (Jan. 22nd and Feb. 12) where farmers will bring hand-spun and hand-dyed yarn and other wool products. And, thanks to legislation passed this summer allowing MA wineries to offer tastings at agricultural events, six wineries will visit the market Jan. 29th for the first annual “MA Farm Wineries Day.” If there’s ever an excess of snowfall, call (508) 358-2283 to make sure they’re open.

Lesson in Shelling
Roger Williams University Center for Economic and Environmental Development is offering a non-credit course starting January 12th that teaches shellfish farming basics to local residents. The twelve-week course will cover all aspects of shellfish farming, from the basic principles of hatchery to business management. The total fee for the classes, which are held Wednesdays from 6:30-8:30pm, is $120 including hand-out materials, or you can drop-in for $10 per session.

Keep Your Spirits Up
Red Rock Bistro revs up 2011 with their Wine and Spirits Series each Tuesday of the month. The Swampscott eatery will host a different vineyard or distillery to share and explore the history, stories and, of course, unique tastes of each libation. What’s up for next Tuesday? Go back in time to 19th-century Paris and sip on some of the “Green Fairy,” Absinthe. There’s a 40 person limit, so reserve your $30 ticket in advance and show up at 7pm.

Soups On
Winter=soup. Plain and simple. So learn how to do it the right way at the Boston Center for Adult Education’s January 18th Winter Soups class with Chef Paul Wahlberg of Alma Nove. Learn his tricks for making hearty bisques and rustic stews using seasonal ingredients. The cost is $60 for non-members, $50 for members and a $15 materials fee.

Old (Norse) School
JJ Gonson of Cuisine en Locale invites you to dine in Odin’s great hall, Valhalla, January 22nd at 7pm at the Somerville Armory. It’ll be a feast–Viking style–complete with meat, mead, gods and ancient musical festivities. Ticket price depends upon your status for the evening: Lord and Lady ($85), Brute Squad ($70), and Peasant ($65). If none of this is making sense to you, call (617) 285-0167 for more information.

Italian Squared
PBS personality Mary Ann Esposito teams up with Chef Antonio Bettencourt of 62 Restaurant & Wine Bar in Salem for a very special, very Italian dinner. Bettencourt takes several recipes from Esposito’s new cookbook, Ciao Italia, Five-Ingredient Favorites, and puts his own spin on them. The dinner, which costs $75 per person, is January 30th at 6:30pm. Call (978) 744-0062 for reservations.

Fish Op
Penny and Ed of BostonZest found themselves in a parking lot on Monday picking up a mysterious package…of fish! Redfish to be exact. They were getting their share from the Cape Ann Fresh Catch Community Supported Fishery. The loot turned into chowder–read how. So resourceful.

NATIONAL TREATS

New Year’s Resolutions Kept
If you pledged to eat healthy, lose weight, whatever, in the New Year, this article from the Chicago Tribune suggests less meat, more veggies. That doesn’t sound too profound, but “flexitarians,” or those a part of the Eat-Less-Meat Movement, may have the answers with tips like Meatless Mondays, or experimenting with protein found in plants, not animals.

Best Bay Area Bites
If you find yourself in San Francisco anytime soon, check out these restaurants, deemed the best new spots of 2010.

Boil Your Garbage?
The Sweet Beet blogger Michelle does just that this week–tosses her leftovers veggies into a pot rather than into the garbage. The title is a bit misleading (I envisioned old socks cooking), but it’s a tasty and environmentally-friendly way to use up waste. Find out how and why here.

Edible Project
Saveur gives the lowdown on how to make homemade ravioli using wonton wrappers. It’s comfort food made easy, so if you’re looking for something to do on a blustery day, try this. It’s sure to warm you up.