Mountain View Art & Wine Festival
The 43rd Mountain View Art & Wine Festival descends upon Castro Street Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 6 and 7, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Head to the Wine Haven tent (with that name, how could you not?) between noon and 5 p.m. both days to sample wine from five Santa Cruz Mountain wineries. Pair with cheese samples from the Milk Pail, or, head elsewhere for food from local spots like Big Bites Vietnamese Eatery, Dittmer's Gourmet Meats & Wurst-Haus, Big Ed's Buzzard BBQ, Ñora Cocina Española or Lemoine Crêperie, among many others. If wine isn't your thing, grab a glass of Tied House Café & Microbrewery's special festival brew. There will also be, of course, plenty of art and live music.
Info: Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 6-7, in downtown Mountain View; mountainview.miramarevents.com
Hatch chile roasting at Mollie Stone's
Hatch chiles – green, spicy and only available for six weeks in August and September – are truly best when roasted, so Mollie Stone's is offering to roast the New Mexico-grown chiles for free after you buy some (from their stores, of course). Head to the Palo Alto grocery store on Sunday, Sept. 14, noon to 4 p.m. to get those once-a-year chiles grilled to maximum flavor.
Info: Mollie Stone's, 146 California Ave., Palo Alto; molliestones.com
'Pick a Peck!' Lacto-fermented veggies class
Don't miss pickling pro Anna Cameron's return to Hidden Villa on Sept. 14. She'll be teaching her "Pick a Peck!" class, in which everyone ages 13 and up can learn how to make sauerkraut, kimchee, pickles, pickled peppers and more (and use produce straight from Hidden Villa's garden, of course). Cost: $40 per person. Advanced registration is required.
Info: Hidden Villa, 26870 Moody Road, Los Altos; hiddenvilla.org/programs
September 520 Chef's Table
The Garden Court Hotel's monthly pop-up dinner, 520 Chef's Table, returns Thursday, Sept. 18. The food and drink is different every time, crafted with some theme in mind by South African chef Clive Berkman. The dinners run through November. Cost: $155 per person (includes multiple courses, cocktails, wine pairings, tax).
Info: Garden Court Hotel, 520 Cowper St., Palo Alto; 650-322-9000; gardencourt.com
Silicon Valley Tour de Coop
On Sunday, Sept. 21, go on a free, self-guided bicycle tour of chicken coops, gardens, bee hives, hoop houses and more in a local neighborhood. Participants can choose from tours in Mountain View, Los Altos, Palo Alto, San Jose and Sunnyvale. The event is 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Register here: tourdecoop.org
Redwood City Salsa Festival
Who will take home the salsa glory? The 7th Annual Redwood City Salsa Festival on Saturday, Sept. 27, will see amateur and professional salsa chefs compete for the No. 1 spot (and big cash prizes), judged by the public. Tastings are open from noon to 5 p.m., though organizers warn to get there early to sample the most popular salsas. Interested competitors have until Aug. 31 to enter. Local restaurants will also offer fare throughout the day; make sure toss it all down with a tequila or beer sample.
Info: Courthouse Square, 2200 Broadway St., Redwood City; redwoodcity.org/events/salsafest
Beginning sausage making class
Learn how to make your own sausage in this Hidden Villa class Sunday, Sept. 28, 4 to 7 p.m. Charcuterie chef Quentin Levy will demonstrate how to make a fresh Italian Chicken sausage with fennel, anise, and spicy pepper flakes; and a cured Sopressa salami with pasture-raised organic pork, tellicherry peppercorns and Utah pink mineral salt. Learn how to pick healthy, sustainable and delicious ingredients to use in your own sausage making, then share sausage specialties from around the world paired with wine. Cost: $65; registration is required. For adults 21 and older.
Info: Hidden Villa, 26870 Moody Road, Los Altos; hiddenvilla.org/programs
