Atlanta’s balmy November means the chance to celebrate the run up to Thanksgiving with events both indoors and out.

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Credit: C. W. Cameron

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Credit: C. W. Cameron

Make Your Own Tonic to Ward Off Colds and Flu

Fire Cider sounds like a spicy version of apple juice, but it’s an herbal remedy with roots in the Appalachians enjoyed as a tonic to help ward off colds and flu. Every household can have their own version of fire cider but the base ingredients remain the same: onions, garlic, ginger, horseradish, hot pepper, and some honey added later. Join herbalist Cara-Lee Langston for this workshop from Homestead Atlanta and make your own batch of fire cider to take home and share with family and friends.

2 – 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5. $25 for Homestead Atlanta members, $35 for non-members. Joseph & Co., 925 Garrett Street, Atlanta. Information.

Sounds like a perfect Sunday afternoon as Les Dames d’Escoffier host their 16th Annual Afternoon in the Country. Big tents will shelter chefs from Atlanta's top restaurants who’ve been paired with area farmers and are offering tastes of seasonal creations. Sample fine wines and premium micro-brews and enjoy live music. Take a break from eating and drinking by taking a chance at winning a sweet treat in the much anticipated cake raffle featuring sweets from Atlanta’s top pastry chefs and bid in the silent auction offering exclusive dining and travel packages, food and wine merchandise and original art by prominent local artists.

1 – 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 6. $125. Foxhall Resort and Sporting Club, 800 Capps Ferry Road, Douglasville. Information.

Photo credit: Liz Porter

Credit: C. W. Cameron

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Credit: C. W. Cameron

Local Corn = Grits, Local Chefs = Delicious

Grits Fest 2016 is on its way. The Roswell and Sweet Apple farmers and artisans markets and the Cherokee County Farm Bureau are hosting what their first annual grits fest. Check out an antique grist mill and enjoy the offerings from Table & Main, The Peach & the Porkchop, Century House Tavern, Seed, Osteria Mattone and other local restaurants whose chefs will vie in a judged competition. Your ticket gives you unlimited tastes of the chefs’ creations and the chance to vote for the “People’s Choice” award. The day will include cooking talks and demos, live music, a farmers & artisans market with local farmers selling their freshly ground grits and a beer tent from Jekyll Brewing.

11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12. $10 per person or $25 for three adults and up to three children. Cottage School, 700 Grimes Bridge Road, Roswell. Information.

Photo credit: David Malosh

Credit: C. W. Cameron

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Credit: C. W. Cameron

Months with “R” Call for Oysters

Rowan Jacobsen has written “The Essential Oyster: A Salty Appreciation of Taste and Temptation” (Bloomsbury, $35), a book for oyster-lovers everywhere. He’s coming to Atlanta to sign the book and talk about the world of North American oysters. “The Essential Oyster” includes portraits of oystermen, recipes from America’s top oyster chefs and a guide to the nation’s best oyster bars.

Free. 6 – 8 p.m. Monday, Nov. 14. Kimball House, 303 East Howard Avenue, Decatur, sponsored by Cover Books.

6:30pm. Tuesday, Nov. 15. Big Ketch Saltwater Grill, 105 Canton Street, Roswell, sponsored by A Capella Books. Information for the Kimball House and Big Ketch events.

Photo credit: Andrew Thomas Lee

Credit: C. W. Cameron

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Credit: C. W. Cameron

A Cheese Sampling for Your Holiday Entertaining?

Star Provisions’ cheesemonger Meghan Fitzgerald is setting the table for the “Hostess with the Mostess Cheese Course.” Fitzgerald will be serving five cheese samples and three wines and answering all your questions about creating cheese boards for your next holiday party. All cheeses and wines are available for purchase after the class. The class lasts 45 minutes and is limited to 20 participants. Call for reservations.

6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16. $35. Star Provisions, 1198 Howell Mill Road, Atlanta. 404-365-0410 ext. 132. Information.

Photo credit: Heidi Geldhauser

Credit: C. W. Cameron

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Credit: C. W. Cameron

Roast Pig for Thanksgiving?

The Iberian Pig’s Eric Roberts thinks you should be considering a roast pig instead of a roast turkey for your Thanksgiving table. To pave the way, he’s offering a “Save the Turkeys” class on how to roast a suckling pig. Attend the class and you’ll also learn how to make traditional sides with a twist, and enjoy wine pairings from the bar team. Reserve your spot by phone.

7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16. $125 excluding tax and gratuity. The Iberan Pig, 121 Sycamore Street, Decatur. 404-371-8800. Information.

Photo credit: Unsukay

Credit: C. W. Cameron

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Credit: C. W. Cameron

Up Your Sweets Game for Your Holidays

Just in time for holiday feasts, Local Three’s pastry chef Gary Scarborough is teaching guests how to make sweet holiday confections. You’ll how to make truffle pops, petite cookies, petite cakes and candy. After the class, you'll invite a guest to join you for a private lunch to enjoy savory dishes plus the confections you've worked hard on. Beverages from Local Three's bar are available for purchase. Only ten spaces are available for each class, and the ticket price includes the class, lunch for two, tax and gratuity.

10 a.m. – 1 p.m. class, 1 – 3 p.m. lunch. Saturday, Nov. 19. $150. Local Three, 3290 Northside Parkway, Atlanta. 404-968-2700. Sign up.

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