Signings, samplings satisfy holiday cravings

Whether it’s wine or cocktails, kale or salami, salt, sauce, dips, pasta or good-old fried chicken that tickles your fancy, a a Portland cookbook author has got you covered.

Two dozen cookbook authors — some of Portland’s most esteemed chefs, bartenders and food writers — will be on hand at two separate events this month to sign copies of their new books.

The first event is the third annual Holiday Cookbook Social, set for 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6, at Imperial restaurant, 410 S.W. Broadway Ave.

Imperial Chef Vitaly Paley and the Portland Culinary Alliance will host the free event, with complimentary bites and wine available for purchase from Imperial’s bar.

The authors who’ll be present include:

John Becker and Megan Scott, “Joy of Cooking” Mark Bitterman, “Bitterman’s Field Guide to Bitters and Amari, Salted, Salt Block Cooking”

Elias Cairo, “Olympia Provisions”

Katherine Cole, “How to Fake Your Way through a Wine List”

Liz Crain, “Food Lover’s Guide to Portland”

Piper Davis, “The Grand Central Baking Book”Christian DeBenedetti, “Beer Bites, The Great American Ale Trail”

John Gorham, “Toro Bravo”

Jacob Grier, “Cocktails on Tap”

Ellen Jackson, “The Chefs Collaborative Cookbook,” “The Grand Central Baking Book,” “Classic Cookies with Modern Twists”

Jenn Louis, “Pasta by Hand"

Ivy Manning, “Better From Scratch, Crackers and Dips”

Jim Meehan, “The PDT Cocktail Book”;

Diane Morgan, “Roots”

Cynthia Nims, “Salty Snacks, Gourmet Game Night”

Roger Porter, “Eating Words”

Laura B. Russell, “Gluten-Free Asian Kitchen,” “Brassicas”

Adam and Jackie Sappington, “Heartlandia”Andrea Slonecker, “Beer Bites,” “The Picnic”

Jen Stevenson, “100 Best Places to Stuff Your Faces,” “The Picnic”

Susan Volland, “Mastering Sauces”

Laurie Wolf, “Herb,” “Oregon Chef’s Table”

For more: http://www.imperialpdx.com.

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Beer geeks will especially want to check out the second cookbook signing event, celebrating the release of “Beer Bites: Tasty Recipes and Perfect Pairings for Beer Lovers.”

Portland authors Christian DeBenedetti and Andrea Slonecker will be on hand to sign copies and chat with guests about their adventures in beer and food pairing.

It’s set for 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 10, at The Commons Brewery, 630 S.E. Belmont St.

For $12, the brewery will offer a tasting flight of four beers paired with four tastes of recipes from “Beer Bites.”

Food and beer also will be available for purchase from The Commons and the Cheese Annex, located inside.

For more: http://www.facebook.com/beerbitesbook.

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If you still haven’t found a gift for your favorite foodie friends, yet another festive event this month will showcase some of Portland’s tastiest handmade products.

Pasta Festa is set for 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 8, at Pastaworks on Hawthorne, 3735 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd., a beloved gourmet grocery shop and Italian cafe.

The Hawthorne location will close in January after they relocate to a new space at Providore Fine Foods, 2340 N.E. Sandy Blvd., in late January.

Providore Fine Foods will be a marketplace that also will include Arrosto, Little T American Baker, Flying Fish, The Meat Monger and eco-florist Emerald Petals.

Pastaworks’ Northwest location will remain open after the Hawthorne location closes.

The Dec. 8 event will include complimentary Pastaworks ravioli and freshly baked focaccia, as well as samples of limited-edition Bon Naso (good nose) pinot noir blended by Pastaworks’ Kevin de Garmo and Jay Somers of J. Christopher Wines.

The popular custom-label wine is blended from Dundee Hills select barrels, available exclusively at Pastaworks and City Market NW for $25.

Some of Pastaworks’ purveyors also will be on site with samples, including Olympia Provisions, Pok Pok Som, and J. Christopher Wines.

For more: http://www.pastaworks.com.

@jenmomanderson