Saturday at this year’s Chicagoland Flower & Garden Show, Garden Gourmet features cooking demonstrations from chefs Alex Cheswick of May Street Market, Darrel Anderson of Dinner’s Ready, and Ina Pinkney of Ina’s at 11 AM, 1 PM, and 3 PM, respectively. All recipes will use ingredients that can be grown around the house, and the first 100 people attending each session get to sample the food. Demonstrations continue throughout the show’s run through Sunday, March 16. $12-14, $5 children ages 4-12.
Massimiliano Vivalda samples out wines from his eponymous winery, including barbera d’asti and dolcetto, in a free tasting at the Broadway location of Pastoral on Saturday from 2-4 PM.
Bring home the bacon–not to mention ham and Polish sausage–at the annual Easter Ham Bingo at the American Legion Franklin D. Roosevelt Post No. 923, Saturday at 7 PM. There’ll be a bar and food (not just the pig-based prizes) in addition to the bingo. Free to attend; there’s a “minimal charge” to play. 1824 W. Cortland, 773-338-7373
Gene Baur, founder of the farm animal rescue and protection agency Farm Sanctuary, which campaigned for Chicago’s foie gras ban, discusses his new book, Farm Sanctuary: Changing Hearts and Minds About Animals and Food, Monday at 6 PM. It examines ethical questions raised by large-scale production of meat, milk, and eggs and the issues that small farmers face in an industry dominated by factory farms. At DePaul Center’s North Cafe, 11th floor, 1 E. Jackson, 312-362-6799.
The Book Stall at Chestnut Court hosts a luncheon at Corner Cooks with Barbara Damrosch, author of The Garden Primer, Monday at noon. Reservations are $27, $15 of which goes to Open Lands.
The University Village location of Lush Wine and Spirits hosts “Cabernet Cage Fight: Down and Dirty International Cabernet,” a tasting Monday from 7:30 to 9 PM that highlights the differences between old-world Bordeaux-style cabs and wines from Australia, California, and Chile—the only country in the world with old vines that haven’t been infected by the pest phylloxera. $30.
Wednesday from 6 to 8 PM, the McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum hosts a Table of Nations discussion on Pakistan at Chopal Kabab and Steak. Over Pakistani food, participants will discuss the prospect of peace in Pakistan and the country’s relationship with the U.S. Reservations required; $35 ($25 members).