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DATE NIGHT SPECIAL — The first Wednesday of each month at Ataula, you can truly pretend you're in Spain by eating your tapas to the tunes of Spanish classical guitar. Local musician Ryan Walsh, who studied at Ryan studied classical guitar in the Conservatorio de Sevilla in Spain, brings his guitar to the Northwest neighborhood tapas restaurant to serenade diners with his live music just once a month, and you can experience it tonight, May 6, from 7 to 10 p.m. Want a preview? You can listen to Walsh's music here.
WHOLE GRAIN CLASS — Award-winning cookbook author Maria Speck is in town promoting her new cookbook Simply Ancient Grains, and she'll be teaching a class at Old Salt Marketplace Thursday, May 7. Organized by the Portland Culinary Alliance, the event includes a Q&A with Speck, tastings of several recipes, a signed copy of the book, plus beer and wine. Cost is $30 members; $45 non-members. Purchase tickets here. Speck will also make an appearance at Bob's Red Mill Whole Grain Store on Friday May 8 from 11 a.m to 1 p.m.
CROWD-PLEASING COCKTAILS — Experts from Bull Run Distillery, Thomas and Sons Distillery, and the distilled spirits project from Townshend's Tea Company are joining forces at The Meadow's NW 23rd location to teach you how to make cocktails for a crowd. On Thursday May 7, from 7:30 to 9 p.m., they'll help you learn how to use bitters, syrups and small-batch spirits to create updates on old classics and party punches. For example, the classic gin Martini gets a fresh take with starka, white rose spirit, vermouth, and vintage orange bitters. Cost is $40. Get tickets here.
POT DINNER — The Communal Table, food writer Adrian Hale's Portland-based quarterly web journal with a supper club tie-in, has announced its next dinner and it's a doozy. The theme for the next issue is pot, inspired by both the cooking vessel and the mind-altering plant. So with marijuana becoming legal in Oregon on July 1st, Hale has invited Jeff the 420 Chef from Colorado to collaborate with her on special pot-centric feast on July 25. The meal includes Moroccan tagine, Dutch street food, and pot de crème for dessert. There will also be pistachio bhang (a pot-infused beverage). Want to go? Hale sells seats to her dinners through Kickstarter for $150. Grab yours now before the campaign ends May 14.
