Nutella Martini at Paris in Town Le Bistro, Palm Beach Gardens

Paris in Town Le Bistro is going nutty over Nutella. The chocolate-hazelnut spread from the 1940s that Europeans eat like peanut butter has made a foothold in the U.S.

Fans everywhere are combining it with other nut butters, bananas, berries of every ilk and cake to create sandwiches, crepes and desserts.

Paris in Town’s Le Bistro, in Downtown at the Gardens, is celebrating World Nutella Day all day Sunday with free mini-crepes filled with Nutella. Their menu features eight Nutella crepes with combos of the spread and ingredients such as bananas, strawberries; honey and lemon; blackberry confit; and banana, Grand Marnier. All deserve whipped cream on top.

In honor of the spread’s World Day there will be games, prizes and give-aways, and a sculpture made from Nutella jars outside in the courtyard.

Through Sunday, diners also can order a Nutella Martini ($12) at the bar, garnished with fresh strawberries.

Paris in Town Le Bistro serves a French bistro menu daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Paris in Town Le Bistro

• 11701 Lake Victoria Gardens Ave. (Downtown at the Gardens), Palm Beach Gardens
• 561-622-1616; parisintownbistro.com
• Nutella event: Sunday, Feb. 5, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Japanese students represent their country at last year's International Festival at Northwood University. /photo provided.

Northwood University students offer visitors tomorrow the chance to sample a world of flavor and diversity as they showcase their home cultures.

The West Palm Beach Rotary Club is teaming up with foreign students to present the 9th annual International Festival Tuesday, Nov. 15, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Open to the public, the students from the Hotel, Restaurant and Resort Management programs will prepare foods to represent their homeland’s cuisine, and create displays that provide cultural information and education about their country at various booths set up in the student center.

Students from around the world come to study at Northwood in West Palm Beach, and the event is intended to celebrate their diversity, cultural differences and lifestyles, and promote peace. A “peace pole” includes art displays by students from Canada, Colombia, Greece, Serbia and Venezuela, among others.

The event is free, and booths are open from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Northwood University International Festival

• Tuesday, Nov. 15, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
• Countess de Hoernle Student Life Center
• 2600 N. Military Trail, West Palm Beach
• 561-478-5559; www.northwood.edu/fl/

Seafood market Cod and Capers offers peek at new location on U.S.1 in North Palm Beach

North end happenings tonight include a sneak peek at the still-under-construction Cod & Capers Seafood shop and cafe at Crystal Tree Plaza.

Steve Gyland, owner, is offering a look-see during a little wine and cheese cocktail hour at the Promenade in the plaza.

They’re planning a late fall, early winter opening, but stop by tonight, 5-7, and get it from Gyland’s mouth.

The new spot is at 1201 U.S. Highway 1, North Palm Beach in Crystal Tree Plaza….

Dress up and growl!

Costume contest tonight at 8 p.m. at Tequesta Brewing Co. – winners get growlers of fresh beer, shirts, hats and more.

As always, Der Chancellor will be on tap, freshly brewed. Oh My Gourd may be sold out – check, though.

Read more about Matt Webster’s brewpub and brewery here.

It’s on U.S. 1 at Tequesta Drive, Tequesta.

Pre-Halloween Mixer at Cantina Laredo

Cary Roman of LivingFla.com is hosting a mixer at Cantina Laredo in Midtown, Palm Beach Gardens. It starts at 10 p.m.; come in costume for prizes.

Register in advance for a free ‘rita and appetizer at LivingFla.com

Cantina Laredo is at 4635 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens.

It’s all culture, food, wine and dancing at the fest that takes place Thursday night, Oct. 27, on Main Street at Midtown, Palm Beach Gardens.

Samples of dishes from more than 20 restaurants, including Cantina Laredo, III Forks Steakhouse, Havana, Brio Tuscan Grill, Marble Slab Creamery, Temptation Caribbean Restaurant, Talay Thai, Don Ramon’s, La Fonda, Caribbean Choice Restaurant and Bakery, Russell’s Blue Water Grill, Marriott in Palm Beach Gardens will be served.

The $35 entrance fee covers the foods and entertainment, along with tastings of wines from South American vineyards – Chile, Argentina and Brazil.

Live music and street dancing, including what’s billed as Palm Beach County’s largest conga line, and tango lessons are part of the festival, now in its second year.

The event is sponsored by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Palm Beach Coiunty, and Midtown.

Latin American Food & Wine Festival

• When: 5:30-9 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 27, 2011
• Where: Main Street in Midtown, 4801 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens (Just west of I-95 on north side of street.)
• Tickets: $35, includes food, wines and entertainment; parking is free.
• Information and to buy tickets: 561-832-1986; www.pbhchamber.com

Curbside Gourmet will attend

Another Food Truck Rally is planned for Village Commons in West Palm Wednesday night.

Admission is free — you pay individually for food at the trucks. Costs for foods and drinks range from $3 to $10 per plate. People are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs and dining chairs.

Those trucks scheduled to be serving include 4Alarm Pizza, Catered Bliss, Clarabelle’s Cupcakes, Curbside Gourmet, DimSsam A Go-Go, Divan Bakery, Guiseppe’s Italian Sausage, Kona Ice Boca Raton, Latin Burger, Mac’n Food Truck, Moty’s Grill, Nacho Bizness, Nacho Mama’s Grill, Out Of Many Foods, Shao Roma, Slow Food Truck, Sugar Yummy Mama, Tango Grill, The Mexzican Gourmet and The Philly Grill.

Foods include tacos and burritos, pizza cooked to order, dim sum, cupcakes, burgers, gourmet mac n’ cheese variations, cheesesteaks and more.

Food Truck Rally

• When: 5:30-9 p.m., Oct. 26
• Where: Village Commons plaza, (in Publix plaza), 701  Village Blvd. at Brandywine Blvd., West Palm Beach
• Information: www.gourmettruckexpo.com

This marks the 11th year of the fest in Miami Beach, which has grown to include Food & Wine – its current sponsor. It takes place at various locales around Miami from Feb. 23-26, 2012.

What’s new

Fieri

A nod to the popular Bubble-Q which ended last year, called simply “The Q,” kicks off the fest at the Delano beachfront. Chef Emeril Lagasse and Food Network personality Guy Fieri of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives host the Thursday night event.

Friday is a busy night – and food lovers must choose between the Amstel Light Burger Bash at the Ritz-Carlton South Beach, hosted by Rachel Ray;  Wine Spectator’s Best of the Best, at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach; or Epicure Gourmet Market Presents Party Impossible, hosted by Robert Irvine, of Dinner Impossible.

On Saturday, Feb. 25, the public gets a look at the new Miami Marlins Ballpark. Julie Loria, wife of Miami Marlins owner Jeff Loria, hosts Diamond Dishes, a VIP night that features celeb chefs Michelle Bernstein, Scott Conant, Hedy Goldsmith and Laurent Tourondel.

Tribute dinner honors Charlie Trotter

This year’s Tribute Dinner, presented by Bank of America, is Saturday, Feb. 25, and honors Chicago chef Charlie Trotter and winemaker Piero Antinori. Anthony Bourdain hosts the event, with a who’s who of chefs preparing the dinner at Lowe’s Miami Beach. Chefs include Lowe’s chef Frederic Delaire, Wylie Dufresne, Michelle Gayer, Emeril Lagasse, Nathan Myhrvold, Patrick O’Connell, and Norman Van Aken.

The Village

Zimmern

The festival’s signature event and fastest to sell out is the Whole Foods Market Grand Tasting Village, which stays the same – open in the big tents set up on Miami Beach Saturday and Sunday. A variety of cooking demos, tastings, book signings and Q&As with celeb chefs and winemakers are scheduled.

Food trucks will join the event this year at the Trucks on the Beach event, sponsored by Diet Pepsi, and hosted by Andrew Zimmern. It serves as the fest’s closing party Sunday night.

Who benefits

The money raised by the festival benefits the students of the Florida International University Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. Those students also work at the festival.  FIU and Southern Wine & Spirits put on the event and handle management, logistics and production.

Info, schedules, tickets

For the formal schedule of SBWFF events (still subject to change), as well as ticket prices and to buy tickets, go to the fest’s website, www.sobefest.com, or call toll-free 877-762-3933.

Here’s an early look:

Soul Food Tasting, Friday, Oct. 21: At the Spady Museum in Delray Beach – $25 in advance, $35 at the door. Info or tickets: 561-279-8883, or www.spadymuseum.org

Food Truck rally, Friday, Saturday, Oct. 21-22: At Meet Me on the Promenade party in Boca Raton. Friday and Saturday night, event includes art, music, family activities, and dance party. Information at downtownboca.org

Taste of Downtown at the Gardens, Thursday. Nov. 10: At Downtown at the Gardens. Formerly Taste of Palm Beach, event to benefit Big Heart Brigade Thanksgiving Dinners  has grown substantially. Discount tickets now on sale from sponsors. tasteatdowntown.com

Boca Raton Wine and Food Festival, Friday, Saturday, Nov. 11-12: At El Camino Real in downtown Boca Raton. Dinner Under the Stars is a premiere event, along with grand tasting. Event info, tickets and more, bocaratonwineandfoodfestival.com

A huge line-up of restaurants are participating, including the Atlantic Grille, Buddha Sky Bar, BurgerFi, Caffe Luna Rosa, Dada, Ellie’s 50′s Diner, Havana, Paella Grill, Patio Delray, Pizza Rustica, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Saito’s, Slainte Irish Pub, SoLita Italian, The Office, Truluck’s and more.

A Wein Garten, set up by Schmitt Sohne and the Brown Distributing Beer Pavilion will be serving vino and brews at their respective areas.

Weather should be great for the event, held on the lawn under tents at Old School Square Park in downtown Delray Beach.

Tickets are $50 and include all drinks and foods; money goes to the American Lung Association. Look for this to become an annual event.

Inaugural Delray Bash

• When: 7-9 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 15, 2011
• Where: Old School Square Park, at N.E. Second Avenue behind Old School Square, Delray Beach
• Tickets: $50, all inclusive
• Information and to buy tickets: 561-659-7644, or www.thedelraybash.com

For two decades, this dine-around event with premier restaurants of the area has been helping support food banks and meal programs in South Florida. Taste of the Nation events are held in cities throughout the U.S.; Miami, Broward and Palm Beach Counties participate in the program, and money raised stays in South Florida.

New and familiar restaurants from South Florida are coming – Chef Allen’s Burger Bar, Sublime, Lola’s on Harrison, STK Miami Gansevoort, Chops Lobster Bar, City Fish Market, Casa D’Angelo, Dos Caminos, Cafe Maxx, Blue Moon Fish Co. and 3030 Ocean are among the restaurant presenters. Caterers like Sisters in Pink and Susie’s Scrumptious Sweets and A Posh Affair will be serving sample bites.

Chef Oliver Saucy

Chef Bryce Statham

Two chefs, Oliver Saucy of Cafe Maxx, and Bryce Statham of Blue Moon Fish Co. will cook a gourmet “hurricane” meal in an Iron Chef-type competition on stage at the event and a live auction will be hosted by Ralph Pagano. Platinum chefs – those who have participated as leaders in the Taste of the Nation event through the years, will be recognized. A silent auction of lifestyle packages, and live entertainment are also part of the event.

Beyond food

It takes a village to fight hunger, and corporate food and party people are a large part of the event, contriubuting products and services: Nestle Waters, Nespresso, Creekstone Farms, Whole Foods, Anheuser-Busch, and World of Beer. National sponsors are American Express, Sysco, the Food Network and Brown-Forman. Jeren Tropicals offered plants and flowers, Shutterbox, NEOART PHotography, SFL Productions and Top Notch Productions are involved in providing photo and video coverage. Panache Party Rentals loans tables and party fixtures. Mike Sipe Entertainment will handle the music.

All the proceeds go to Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign, providing funds and foods for food banks and hunger relief programs in South Florida.

Broward’s Taste of the Nation

When: Thursday, June 2, 7-10 p.m. (6 p.m. for VIPs)

Where: Broward Convention Center, 1950 Eisenhower Blvd., Fort Lauderdale

Tickets: $90 advance, $125 at the door; VIP, $200 advance, $250 at the door.

For tickets and information: www.strengthflorida.org

Some of the restaurants participating include the Bonefish Grill, Caliente Kitchen, Jason’s Deli, Longhorn Steakhouse, Ocean Avenue Green Market Cafe, Prime Catch, Rice, Shane’s Rib Shack, Sabor Cuban, Slainte Irish Pub, ZaZa’s Fresh Mediterranean, the Living Room, Village Tavern, Cypress Creek Country Club, and Benvenuto, host of the event.

The party is from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.; tickets are $50 at the door; more details at the Chamber of Commerce website.

Taste of Boynton

When: 6:30-9:30 p.m., May 19

Where: Benvenuto Caterestaurant, 1760 N. Federal Hwy., Boynton Beach

Tickets: $50 at the door

Information: www.boyntonbeach.org