Chocolate Crawl plans underway in Willoughby, so sign up now

The first-ever Chocolate Crawl Willoughby takes place Feb. 10 in the city’s downtown, and those ordering tickets before Jan. 31 will save $5.

Nine Downtown Willoughby dining establishments are participating in the Crawl, and each will offer a walk-around food sample — both sweet and savory — framed around chocolate. Because the various chefs hope for a good head count in advance, tickets purchased in the next few days will be $35. Wait to buy your ticket and pay $40.

Each bar also will feature a chocolate-based adult drink that evening that will be discounted for those wearing a Chocolate Crawl wristband but also be sold to others. Think chocolate pudding shots, for instance, at Nickleby’s Roundbar.

Details about the 8-to-11 p.m. Crawl will be showcased in an upcoming story, but, in the meantime, heed this heads-up to save money. Register and pay at bit.ly/2Dpp8wS or call 216-4109168.

Bacon wine dinner

Another favorite food will get the chef treatment Jan. 29 in a bacon-themed wine dinner at Lure Bistro in Downtown Willoughby.

Taste expert Andrew Moore of Wine Trends will welcome folks to the five-course pairing. It begins at 5 p.m. and costs $40 plus tax and gratuity, with reservations needed in advance at 440-952-8862.

Titillate your taste buds with thoughts of cream of bacon soup with a Loire Valley Charmel Muscadet or a Tortoise Creek Mission Grove Pinot Noir poured to accompany baconwrapped scallops.

Find Lure at 38040 Third St.

Whole grains

Whole-grain baking is the focus for Judi Strauss in a class from 7 to 9 p.m. Jan. 30 in the kitchen at Wildwood Cultural Center, 7645 Little Mountain Road, Mentor.

She’ll show how to keep the texture in whole-grain bread without having it result in a heavy or grainy loaf. Lots depends on the choice of grain, which will be covered in the class.

There will be lots of samples and plenty to take home.

The fee is $17, with a $3 discount for Mentor residents. An additional food fee of $9 in cash goes to Strauss on class night.

Call 440-974-5720 to register.

Pot pie paradise

Stefanie Paganini will reveal some favorite toppings and filling for pot pies that make them a comfort food favorite in cold weather in her 2.5-hour Pot Pie Please class at 6 p.m. Jan. 30 at the Loretta Paganini School of Cooking, 8613 Mayfield Road, Chester Township.

Menu for this demonstration class includes classic chicken pot pie; beef massaman curry, sausage shepherd’s pie; shrimp and crab gumbo with puff pastry; and apple-cherry sweet pot pie.

The fee is $55. Register: 440729-1110; lpscinc.com.

Looking ahead, Chinese New Year 2018 marks the Year of the Dog on Feb. 16, and chef Tim McCoy will lead a class for an auspicious feast at 6 p.m. Jan. 27 at the school. Ask about it when you call.