Ten Best Food Events This Weekend: December 16-18

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Blow-Ho-Ho @ Third Degree Glass Factory
This month's third Friday Party features a free tasting from Switzer's Candy featuring licorice and creamy "buttermels." Enjoy bailey's coffee or hot chocolate along with small plates like a holiday nut ball with salami and crackers and pulled buffalo chicken sliders for $2-8 each. And, of course, enjoy plenty of live entertainment as well as an ugly holiday sweater contest. Free admission. 6 to 10 p.m.

Holiday Wine Dinner @ Missouri Botanical Gardens
Enjoy a festive four-course feast prepared by chefs from Catering St. Louis, featuring the likes of onion-crusted salmon with dill butter, ale-braised pork shank with plum reduction and crepes and more. Each course gets paired with a different wine. $55 per person. Make reservations by calling 314-577-0200. 6:30 p.m.

Saturday (December 17):

Maplewood Winter Market @ Schlafly Bottleworks
Shop for greens, root vegetables, meat, cheese, baked goods and more from local farmers and vendors during this indoor monthly market. Free admission. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Doughnuts with Santa @ Crestwood Community Center
Enjoy doughnuts, drinks, food, crafts, games and photos with Santa at this community event. $7. 9 to 11 a.m.

Decorate Your Own Snowman Cookies @ Whole Foods Market - Town and Country
Select from a variety of icings and candies to dress up a snowman cookie, and then learn how to make hot chocolate from scratch to enjoy alongside them. $5. Reservations required. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

National Cupcake Day Celebration @ Pudd'nhead Books
Pudd'nhead Books invites local author Amy Sklansky for an in-store, featuring her baby board book You Are My Little Cupcake. Pick up a copy for your little cupcake, hear Sklansky's book picks for the year or just stop by to peruse the store and pick up a free mini cupcake to celebrate the special day. Free. 2 p.m.

Nightmare Before X-Mas @ International Tap House (both locations)
Enjoy 40 high gravity beers on tap including the Avery Demons series, Nectar Black Xantus and many more.

Sunday (December 18):

Sunday Brunch Buffet @ Bristol Seafood Grill
Enjoy an omelet bar, waffles, half price bottles of wine under $100 and more. $21 for adults, $10.50 for children ages 10-4 and complimentary for children under 4. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Sugar Plum Fairy Luncheon @ Touhill Performing Arts Center
Saint Louis Ballet presents this opportunity to meet the sugar plum fairy and her cavalier, as well as the rest of the cast of The Nutcracker while enjoying an afternoon lunch. $30. Purchase tickets on the Touhill Web site. Tickets for the show sold separately. Saturday, Dec. 17 and Sunday, Dec. 18 at 12:30 p.m.

Sugar Plum Tea Fairy Class @ Kitchen Conservatory
Chef Christie Saali Maggi offers up a varitey of teas and prepares plenty of sweets and savory treats to coincide them including blueberry madeleines with raspberry glaze, sun-dired tomato-parmesan scones, apricot squares and more. $45 per person. Register on the Kitchen Conservatory Web site. 1 to 3:30 p.m.