Thurs. Feb. 28 •• 6 – 8:30pm California Wine Country:A Food & Wine Dinner•• Demonstration Many visitors to California's wine country, the great grape-growing region north of San Francisco, are drawn primarily by the promise of afternoon tastings and lazy strolls through acres where fruit hangs heavy on the vine. But gourmands know that the pleasures of America's largest grape-growing region don't just spring from an aged oak barrel alone. This region is less a single location than a series of valleys (in Napa, Sonoma, and Mendocino counties), each with its own culinary character. Tonight students will experience a 5-course menu inspired by this region – seasonal dishes forged by local products – each course paired with a local wine. MENU: Smoked Salmon Napoleon with Avocado; Seared Scallops with Pancetta, Spinach, & Wild Mushrooms in a Carrot Broth; Plate of Three Local Cheeses with Marcona Almonds & Fig Paste; and Poached Pears with Late-Harvest Rielsing, Crème Anglaise, & Kumquats. $59  TO REGISTERhttp://https://thriva.activenetwork.com/Reg4/Form.aspx?IDTD=8107628&RF=3909119&mode=0 Whole Foods Market Charlotte, NC, $59