Time for “Taste of the Nation”

James Beard Award-winning Chef Michael Tusk of Quince and Cotogna, both in San Francisco, will be the lead chef overseeing the culinary gala, “Taste of the Nation,” March 29 at the Bentley Reserve in San Francisco.

The event benefits Share Our Strength, a national organization dedicated to making sure no child grows up hungry.

Guests will enjoy tastes and sips from 45 of the Bay Area’s best chefs, wineries and mixologists. Among the restaurants participating are A16, Cafe des Amis, Frances and Park Tavern. For a complete list, click here.

Tickets are $95 in advance or $120 at the door. VIP tickets (which include access to the event an hour earlier and free valet parking) are $165 in advance or $190 at the door. For big spenders there’s “executive admission” at $500 in advance or $550 at the door. That top ticket gets you complimentary car service to the event, a champagne toast, access to a private lounge with more food and drink, and admittance to the after-party.

Love Apple Farms Famous Tomato Seedling Sale

Get ready for it — the largest tomato seedling sale in California.

Love Apple Farms of Santa Cruz, which grows produce exclusively for Michelin two-star restaurant, Manresa in Los Gatos, hosts a seedling sale every year that even entices folks from as far away as Los Angeles to drive to and fro in the same day.

The sale, which starts March 17 and will last through June 30, will be held at Ivy’s Porch, 5311 Scotts Valley Dr. in Scotts Valley. Hours are 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays; and 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Sundays.

More than a hundred varieties of heirloom and hybrid tomato seedlings will be for sale, including Super Marzano, Ludmilla’s Pink Heart and Berkeley Tie-Dye. Price is $3.50 to $5.50 each, depending upon the variety.

For more information about the sale, call (831) 588-3801 or click here.

A16 and SPQR Offer Up a New Wine Club

A16 and sister-restaurant SPQR, both in San Francisco, have started an intriguing new monthly wine club that provides home delivery of specialty Italian wines not easily found in most retail stores.

Acclaimed wine director, Shelley Lindgren, personally selects the offerings. The A16 curated offerings focus on Southern wines, while the SPQR ones focus more on Northern Italian appellations. Members can customize their assortments, too.

Cost is $95 per month for three bottles of wine. Delivery can be each month or bi-monthly. Find more info on the wine club on the Web site for each respective restaurant.

More: A Look at Love Apple Farms