What are you doing New Year's?

I was flipping through the James Beard Foundation's December events guide when I spotted a familiar face: Tony Coturri, the maker of organic wines in California who's been a favorite at farm-to-fork dinners around here for several years.

Then I spotted another familiar face on the same page: Joe Bonaparte, at the International Culinary School at the Art Institute of Charlotte.

It turns out Bonaparte is leading a lineup of AI instructors (Walter Leible of Phoenix, Larry Maston of Dallas and Michael Nenes of Texas) to cook dinner at the James Beard House for New Year's Eve.

It isn't cheap: $200 for foundation members, $250 for nonmembers. But the menu is luxe, including foie gras, rabbit, lobster, caviar, scallops, pork belly and duck breast. What really amused me was the toast at midnight: Shelton Vineyards Blanc de Blanc with a truffle from the Secret Chocolatier here in Charlotte. Nice to see attention for local food makers.

If you're planning to be in New York and that's your kind of price and experience, go to www.jamesbeard.org for details and tickets.

Farmers market news

After missing market day while I was on vacation last, I'm starving for fresh, green food this week. A word of warning: Don't get between me and the asparagus. The pantry is bare and I'm hungry.

A few bits of news:

• Grateful Growers Farm is looking for new volunteers to help with their stand at the Charlotte Regional Farmers Markets. They don't pay with money, but you do get fresh pork and other food from their farm. If you're interested, email Natalie Veres at info@ggfarm.com. The Harvest Moon truck won't be at the regional market this week. But they will have farm stands open at the regional, at Matthews and at the Bill's Freedom Farm booth at the Denver market.
• The Matthews Community Farmers Market has a clever event this week: "Bring a Friend to Market Day." If you bring a friend, neighbor, co-worker or a family member who is new to the market, you can enter a drawing for a market gift basket. Bring two friends and you can enter twice. Get details, hours and directions here.
• The Atherton Market in SouthEnd will have plenty of fresh food Saturday morning, then will host the Tony Coturri wine and chef event for Slow Food Charlotte from 6-10 p.m. Saturday night. Tickets are $50 and must be bought in advance. Go here for the details.
• If all that fresh food gets you in the mood to get out in the field yourself instead of shopping, the Brotherhood of St. Andrew is gleaning collards in Concord from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday. Call Kristen Shaben, 704-577-0779, if you want to sign up.

And finally -- but most importantly -- we're getting ready to run our annual list of farmers markets in the region on May 18. If you manage a market and you don't want me to miss it, please email me with the details (address, hours, web sites, email or phone number) at kpurvis@charlotteobserver.com.

Photo: thegothamist.com.

Food calendar: Don't miss the Hmong egg rolls

Get out your calendars and scribble these down:

• Saturday (that's tomorrow): The Matthews Community Farmers Market reopens for the season. And for forever -- the winter market was such a success, they're going year-round. Address, hours and more details: www.matthewsfarmersmarket.com.

• Also Saturday (that's still tomorrow): The Davidson Farmers Market opens for the season, from 8 a.m.- noon in the space next to the Davidson Town Hall, between Main and Jackson streets. Details on vendors and special events: http://davidsonfarmersmarket.org/.


• Wednesday, April 13: Taste of the Nation, the annual Share Our Strength fundraiser to benefit Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina and Community Culinary School of Charlotte. Features small plates (some of them are pretty big) from a bunch of Charlotte-area chefs, plus entertainment, drinks and a silent auction. 7-10 p.m. in The Wells Fargo Atrium at MLK Boulevard and South Tryon uptown; tickets are $85 and parking is free in the parking deck off MLK. Details: http://www.charlottetasteofthenation.com/.


• April 16: The First Hmong United Methodist Church Egg Roll Sale, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at Kilgo United Methodist Church, 2101 Belvedere Ave. Egg rolls made by the Hmong women's group are $10 for a dozen or $5 for six. Walk-ins are welcome, but pre-orders are appreciated. Call Xia Her at 704-953-8650.


• April 30: Slow Food Charlotte event with winemaker Tony Coturri. 6-10 p.m. at the Atherton Market in SouthEnd. Features chefs making local-food pairings to match Coturri's organic wines. Tickets are $50, must be purchased in advance, and benefit the Slow Food Charlotte Farmers Fund, which brings continuing education to the sustainable farming community. E-mail pecanlanefarm@gmail.com for tickets.