K.C. Barbecue Society plans Big Q Sept. 10

Pitmasters from all over the West Coast will compete in four categories: pork ribs, pork shoulder, beef brisket and chicken. The KCBS teams will be competing to qualify for national competitions and more than $7,500 in prize money.

The event will also feature the Winery Big Beef Challenge, where local wineries can showcase their skills on the grill, along with a Firehouse Bold Bean Challenge.

During the public tasting, guests can taste through the slow-cooked barbecue meats and cast their votes for the People's Choice Award. Live music and local beer and wine round out the afternoon.

Tickets are $45, to benefit Worth Our Weight, a culinary apprentice program based in Santa Rosa. To reserve, go to wcbigq.com.

‘Noches Mexicanas' at Rocker Oysterfeller's

VALLEY FORD -- Rocker Oysterfeller's Kitchen + Saloon is offering “Noches Mexicanas” regional cuisine on Monday and Tuesday nights, when they have been historically closed.

Chef/owner Brandon Guenther has teamed up with chef Juan Zuno of Guadalajara to create a small menu of Mexican specialties from that city, including Carne en su Jugo (a traditional homestyle soup of sliced beef sirloin in tomatillo broth with beans, serrano chiles and fresh cilantro) and Torta Ahogada (toasted baguette spread with refried beans and stuffed with pork carnitas, covered with tomato sauce, cotija cheese and pickled red onions).

During Noches Mexicanas, the bar will serve up a variety of margaritas, tequila flights and Mexican Modelo Especial beers.

The Noches Mexicanas runs from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. Monday and Tuesday nights. 14415 Highway 1. 876-1983.

Free class planned on food preservation

SEBASTOPOL -- The Sebastopol Hardware Center will give a free class on food preservation at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 8 with Wendy Krupnick.

Krupnick is an instructor in the Sustainable Agriculture program at the Santa Rosa Junior College and has been farming and canning for more than 30 years.

She will share the steps for the various preservation methods — jams and jellies, dried fruit and pickles — while focusing on tomatoes, apples, pears and peppers.

Canning supplies are 20 percent off for class participants. 660 Gravenstein Highway N. 823-7688.

SRJC culinary cafe, bakery opens Wednesday

SANTA ROSA -- The Santa Rosa Junior College Culinary Cafe and Bakery opens today for the fall semester at the Brickyard, 458 B St., Santa Rosa.

The SRJC bakery features pastries, breads and desserts made by the students in the Baking and Pastry Program. They can be purchased from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday through Friday.

The cafe serves a weekly menu of seasonal salads, soups, sandwiches, pizzas, entrees and desserts made by students as well. It is open 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday through Friday. A sample menu can be viewed at santarosa.edu/cafe.

Seniors over 60 receive a 15 percent discount on lunch. On Wednesdays, the cafe has received permission to serve wine with lunch.

To reserve, call 576-0279.

Garden club shares tips in ‘Delicious'

WINDSOR -- The Windsor Garden Club has published a cookbook, “Delicious,” featuring recipes from local chefs, market vendors and gardeners.

The book also gives garden tips, such as how to grow more tomatoes, prevent herbs from bolting and picking blackberries without pain.

The cookbook costs $10 and is available at the Windsor Farmer's Market on Sundays, at the Windsor Garden Club booth.

For more information, call 292-3405.

Taco Night planned at Tierra Vegetables

SANTA ROSA -- Tierra Vegetables will hold a Taco Night benefit for the White Barn from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 2, at the Tierra Farm in Santa Rosa.

The evening features all-you-can-eat tacos made with roasted Tierra chiles and veggies, local cheese and tortillas.

The event will also include tours of the newly relocated White Barn, a 100-year-old building that was saved from destruction and moved to the farm.

Costs is $25 adults, $10 kids. The farm is lcoated at 651 Airport Blvd. 696-8148 or tierravegetables.com.

19th Wine Country Weekend kicks off

SONOMA COUNTY -- Sonoma County's eats and drinks will be in the limelight during the upcoming Sonoma Wine Country Weekend on Friday through Sunday. The annual event, now in its 19th year, combines the Sonoma County Showcase of Wine and Food and the Sonoma Valley Harvest Wine Auction. The string of events will feature more than 200 wineries and chefs over three days with winemaker lunches, dinners, winery BBQs, a grand tasting and a live wine auction.

Highlights:

Saturday, Sept. 3 — Taste of Sonoma at MacMurray Ranch in Healdsburg, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with tickets $150 per person. MacMurray Ranch is at 9015 West Side Road, Healdsburg.

Sunday, Sept. 4 — Sonoma Valley Harvest Wine Auction at Cline Cellars, 12:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., with the live auction beginning at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $500 per person. Cline Cellars is at 24737 Arnold drive, Sonoma.

To purchase tickets for the Sonoma Wine Country Weekend, visit www.sonomawinecountryweekend.com or call (800) 939-7666.

Botti featured at Strong concert series

HEALDSBURG -- Drink in jazz at Rodney Strong Vineyards in Healdsburg on Sunday, Sept. 4. The winery's Summer Concert Series will feature Chris Botti, who has became the top-selling American jazz instrumental artist since the release of his 2004 critically-acclaimed CD “When I Fall In Love.”

Botti continues to perform 250-plus concerts dates every year. Doors open at 4 p.m. and the concert begins at 5 p.m. Tickets are $60. The winery is at 11455 Old Redwood Highway. For more information, call 431-1533.

Compiled by Staff Writer Diane Peterson, who can be reached at 521-5287 or diane.peterson@pressdemocrat.com, and Peg Melnik, who can be reached at 521-5310 or peg.melnik@pressdemocrat.com.