The cold and snowy weather may be a fact of life in New England, but for those who live to eat, drink and make merry, there's no better place to be than Boston this time of year.
The Hub in recent years has become a magnet for some of the finest chefs in the U.S.-due in large part to Boston DineAround, now in its sixth year. Pairing renowned cookbook authors and chefs-such as Mario Batali and television personality Martin Yan of "Yan Can Cook" fame-with more than 40 outstanding local eateries to create memorable meals, the DineAround is eagerly anticipated by area foodies each winter. For a complete schedule, see chart at right. The Boston DineAround Gala kicks it all off January 20 from 5:30-8 p.m. at the Le Meridien Hotel. Other related events include a free cooking demonstration at South Station on January 22 from noon-1 p.m. starring New Orleans chef and author Dominique Macquet, as well as the Boston DineAround Cooking School, a weekend of classes hosted by Johnson & Wales University at the Seaport Hotel January 24-26.
One of the biggest parties of the year,
the 18th annual Anthony Spinazzola Foundation Gala Festival of Food & Wine
takes place January 31 from 7:30 p.m.-midnight, also at the World Trade
Center. See story, page 16, for more details.
For those who take food preparation very seriously, there's the Boston Cooks Kitchen & Culinary Expo at the World Trade Center January 24-26. This show features the latest in cookware, kitchen gadgets and industry trends from more than 100 exhibitors, in addition to chef demonstrations and samplings of beer, wine and, of course, food.
Another popular food-related event is the Celebrity Chefs Culinary Program at the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel. An eight-week program running from January 11 to March 1, it consists of two-hour classes helmed by recognized experts in the cooking field. Upcoming highlights are the January 25 forum hosted by Anne Willan, founder of La Varenne Cooking School, and the February 1 seminar by Mary Ann Esposito of PBS's "Ciao Italia."
Looking for something to wash down all that food with? Head back to the World Trade Center February 1 and 2 for the 12th annual Boston Wine Expo, the largest event of its kind in America. More than 440 wineries from 18 countries participate in a grand tasting of a mind-boggling array of vintages. Seminars for everyone from the novice to the expert are held, along with chef demos and an Austrian Vintner's Dinner on February 1 at 7 p.m.
Wine lovers can also savor the 14th annual Boston Wine Festival at the
Boston Harbor Hotel. The fete-overseen by acclaimed chef Daniel Bruce-is a
series of wine-centered meals, lectures and tastings than runs through
mid-April. 
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Boston DineAround Schedule
The 6th annual citywide event, which began January 17 and runs until the
26th, pairs Boston's top restaurants with prominent out-of-town chefs and
cookbook authors
| Date | Host Restaurant | Guest Chef(s) | Featured Book(s) |
| Jan 21 |
Ambrosia on Huntington 116 Huntington Ave. 617-247-2400 |
Martin Yan | Martin Yan's Chinatown Cooking |
| Jan 21 |
Ariadne 344 Walnut St., Newton 617-332-4653 |
Stan Frankenthaler | The Occidental Tourist |
| Jan 21 |
Aujourd'hui at the Four Seasons Hotel
200 Boylston St. 617-351-2071 |
Patricia Yeo | Cooking from A to Z |
| Jan 21 & 22 |
Beacon Hill Hotel & Bistro 25 Charles St. 617-723-7575 |
Daniel Young | Made in Marseille |
| Jan 21 |
Brasserie Jo at the Colonnade Hotel 120 Huntington Ave. 617-425-3240 |
Jim Peterson | Sweet Wines and Glorious French Food |
| Jan 21 |
Caliterra Bar & Grille at the Wyndham
Hotel 89 Broad St. 617-348-1234 |
Benedetta Vitali | Soffritto: Tradition and Innovation in Tuscan Cooking |
| Jan 21 |
Hamersley's Bistro 553 Tremont St. 617-423-2700 |
Michael Romano | The Union Square Cafe Cookbook |
| Jan 21 |
Icarus 3 Appleton St. 617-426-1790 |
Deborah Madison | Local Flavors: Cooking and Eating from America's Farmers' Markets |
| Jan 21 |
Il Capriccio 888 Main St., Waltham 781-894-2234 |
Joseph Bastianich and David Lynch | Vino Italiano |
| Jan 21 |
Jacob Wirth Restaurant 31-37 Stuart St. 617-338-8586 |
Stephen Beaumont | Stephen Beaumont's Brewpub Cookbook |
| Jan 21 |
Julien at Le Meridien Boston 250 Franklin St. 617-956-8752 |
Ariane Daguin | D'Artagnan's Glorious Game Cookbook |
| Jan 21 (dinner) & 22 (lunch) |
Locke-Ober 3 Winter Place 617-542-1340 |
Piero Selvaggio | The Valentino Cookbook |
| Jan 21, 22 & 23 |
Sandrine's 8 Holyoke St., Cambridge 617-497-5300 |
Dominique Macquet | Dominique's Fresh Flavors: Cooking with Latitude in New Orleans |
| Jan 22 (lunch) |
The Blue Room One Kendall Square, Cambridge 617-494-9034 |
Corby Kummer | The Pleasures of Slow Food |
| Jan 22 |
Bomboa 35 Stanhope St. 617-236-6363 |
Rafael Palomino | Viva La Vida: Festive Recipes for Entertaining Latin Style |
| Jan 22 |
The Independent 75 Union Square, Somerville 617-440-6021 |
Clifford A. Wright | Real Stew |
| Jan 22 |
Oleana 134 Hampshire St., Cambridge 617-661-0505 |
Joyce Goldstein | Saffron Shores |
| Jan 22 |
Spire at the Nine Zero Hotel 90 Tremont St. 617-772-0202 |
Georgeanne Brennan | Savoring France |
| Jan 22 |
The Vault 105 Water St. 617-292-9966 |
Evan Kleiman | Angeli Cafe's Pizzapastapanini |
| Jan 22 |
Via Matta 79 Park Plaza 617-422-0008 |
Mario Batali | The Babbo Cookbook |
| Jan 23 & 24 |
Henrietta's Table at the Charles Hotel
1 Bennett St., Cambridge 617-661-5005 |
Jim Coleman | Jim Coleman's Flavors |
| Jan 23 |
Mamma Maria 3 North Square 617-523-0077 |
Fred Plotkin |
Classical Music 101 and La Terra Fortunata |
| Jan 24 |
Fraser Garden Court Terrace at the MFA
465 Huntington Ave. 617-369-3935 |
Hiroko Shimbo | The Japanese Kitchen |
| Jan 24 |
Sidney's Grille at the Hotel@MIT 20 Sidney St., Cambridge 617-494-0011 |
Paula Lambert | Cheese Lover's Cookbook & Guide |
| Jan 25 |
The Oak Room at the Fairmont Copley
Plaza Hotel 138 St. James Ave. 617-267-5300 |
Anne Willan |
Cooking with Wine and From My Chateau Kitchen |
| Jan 25 |
75 Chestnut 75 Chestnut St. 617-227-2175 |
Katherine Alford | Caviar, Truffles and Foie Gras: Recipes for Divine Indulgence |