The Ten Tastiest Events on Denver's Culinary Calendar, February 6-10

If the Valentine's Day rigmarole doesn't attract you and your significant other, this week has a few delicious options for you. Incorporate chocolate into your culinary repertoire, share a martini over Casablanca and try out new dishes from the Way Back's test kitchen. Frasca's wine events will be two of the week's hottest tickets, too — and you'll also have a chance to celebrate National Pizza Day and National Bagel Day. Here are ten of the tastiest events in Denver over the next few days.

Monday, February 6

Tonight's wine dinner at Frasca focuses on native Chiantis from vaunted vineyard Castello di Ama, aged in French oak barrels with a distinctive terroir. Castello di Ama's Janice Verrecchia will present four wines along with a tasting menu with potato and chive soup, lamb ragù pappardelle, grilled bavette, vanilla and pear torta di gelato. The price is $50 plus $50 for wine pairings; call 303-442-6966 for reservations.

National Pizza Day is February 9, and today through February 12, Pilot and Flying J travel centers are giving out free slices of PJ Fresh Pizza to customers who display an online coupon available on the company’s Facebook page.

Tuesday, February 7
Tonight, Hudson Hill will present At the Corner of Beer Street and Gin Lane. In an effort to marry the best botanicals with bold brews, four guest bartenders will create beer and gin cocktails with goods from Call to Arms Brewery, Deerhammer Gin and Prairie Organic Gin. The shaking begins at 6 p.m.; admission is free, and the first round is on the house.

Chefs Samuel Charles & Marcus Eng at the Way Back have been working late in the lab, and adventurous diners can taste the experiments for themselves. The Tuesday Test Table series lets you get a taste of dishes being considered and tested for future dinner service. In an intimate setting, the team will bring each dish to your table and discuss its inspiration; tonight's menu starts with a Bibb salad and vegetable ash dressing, then bone marrow and blood orange, with dry-aged-beef ravioli as the entree. Your $45 seat also includes beer, wine or a cocktail pairing; check out thewaybackdenver.com or call 720-718-8156 for reservations.

The Colorado Women's Hall of Fame is launching a monthly Chocolate & Wine series, pairing two delicious treats with stories from notable Colorado women. At the Hall of Fame office, 5340 South Quebec Street, Suite 100-S, Greenwood Village, hear from Sherri Shink, child advocate and founder of the Rocky Mountain Children’s Law Center, while enjoying nibbles and sips of wine and chocolate. The event starts at 6:30 p.m. and admission is $40; get your tickets online from the CWHOF site.

Thursday, February 9

It's National Bagel Day, and Einstein's Bagels is giving away a free bagel and shmear with purchase. Get the coupon for the deal here.

Friday, February 10

Chocolate: not just for the Whitman's sampler anymore. Today, Uncorked Kitchen is demonstrating how chocolate as an ingredient can create the food of love — or at least a nice dinner. Try out dishes like cocoa chipotle salsa and chips, chili-cocoa-rubbed wings and chocolate beer BBQ ribs and fries. Dessert will not be ignored, with chocolate meringue bites to finish it all off. Educate yourself, enjoy yourself and take home a few recipes. The event starts at 6 p.m. and admission is $210 per pair; sign up online at the Uncorked Kitchen site.

Few cinematic classics pair better with a martini than Casablanca. This year's Movie & Martinis series at
the Wildlife Experience at CU South Denver begins tonight at 6 p.m. with a cocktail hour and ballroom dancing with help from the Fred Astaire Dance Studio. The screening of the film at 7:30 will be accompanied by drinks and a Moroccan-inspired menu, with spiced chicken wraps, samosas, lavender-infused chocolate fondue and more. Tickets are $36, or $26 without alcohol; CU students, alumni, staff, faculty and pass-holders get 20 percent off. Get tickets online at the CU South Denver site.

Frasca's latest tastemaker from the world of wine is Richard Betts, master sommelier, mezcal distiller and winemaker. Starting at 7 p.m. tonight, guests will share the kinds of wines and cocktails that Betts might be found drinking on a regular Saturday night, plus a hearty dinner. Admission is $220 per person, all-inclusive; seating is extremely limited, so call 303-442-6966 to see if seats are available.

Alert: The Winter Wine Festival that runs from 6 to 10 p.m. tonight at McNichols is sold out. Find out more here.

For more Food & Drink events, go to our online calendar. If you know of an event that should be included in that calendar, send information to [email protected].