Bathtub Gin

Thu., March 23, 6 p.m., $39.95

What better way to celebrate the Prohibition era than to get blitzed in someone's basement? Manayunk Brewery and Restaurant is holding its second annual annual "Beat Your Brewmaster" competition, where assistant brewmasters and home brewers will have a chance to topple top brewers from the likes of Iron Hill, Flying Fish, Yards and other local establishments that make their own lagers. The employee/employer face-off will come to a head in a public taste test, which'll be followed by a five-course pairing dinner. But here's the twist: None of the beer in the contest was brewed on site; rather it was all crafted in the homes of the participants. Since these are professionals, or in the case of the assistants, semi-professionals—the risk of blindness is minor. Let's just hope they cleaned the tub. Beat Your Brewmaster, Manayunk Brewery and Restaurant, 4120 Main St., 215-482-8220.

Baker's Choice

Fri., March 24, $45-$70 or a la carte

What do Syria, China, Egypt and Jamaica have in common? Ask chef Nick Maglieri and he'll tell you they're all baking hot spots. The baker extraordinaire and author of A Baker's Tour, a cookbook featuring international baking recipes, will be guesting at Penne as part of the Book and the Cook festival. (For more info on related events, visit www.thebookandthecook.com.) He's also being given the 2006 Book and the Cook Toque Award for lifetime career accomplishment. Dude's made a lot of pies. For this event, he'll team up with executive chef Roberta Adamo and dish out some serious focaccia. A Baker's Tour, Penne, The Inn at Penn, 3611 Walnut St., 215-823-6222.

Good to the Bone

Sun., March 26, 1-7 p.m., $50

You have no idea how hard it was to write this without using the phrase "no bones about it." Besides being cliche, it doesn't describe Jennifer McLagan's upcoming event at City Tavern, a veritable bones extravaganza. McLagan is the author of Bones: Recipes, Histories and Lore, which is all about how we incorporate bones into our meals. Not by eating them, of course, but by tucking them into meat dishes to enhance flavor. McLagan feels bones have gotten a bad rep in the food world and is out to rehabilitate them with this five-course B&TC meal. The bony entrees include rabbit in saffron sauce, osso bucco and lamb chops. Bones: Recipes, Histories and Lore, City Tavern, 138 S. Second St., 215-413-1443.