“The Use of Herbs” is the subject of a class and tasting from 11 a.m. to noon on July 28 at Margaret’s Fine Imports , 5872 Forbes Ave., Squirrel Hill. The speaker will be Joyce Harris, a certified tea specialist and owner of The Herbal Gourmet in Harrisville, Butler County. Her shop specializes in hand-blended organic caffeine-free teas and herb blends. Participants will see, smell, touch and taste 12 different herbs. The cost is $10 per person — snacks and door prizes are included. Details: 412-422-1606.

Patriotic bagels benefit military personnel Bruegger’s will launch its fifth annual Patriotic Bagels fundraiser on Thursday and Friday, featuring its New York-style bagels with red, white and blue swirls. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, which supports the men and women of the Armed Forces and their families. The fund has provided about $60 million for the families of military personnel lost in service to our nation and for severely wounded military personnel and veterans. Bruegger’s has locations in Bethel Park, Coraopolis, Haverford, McMurray, Mt. Lebanon, Oakland, Oakmont, Pittsburgh, Sewickley and Wexford. Details: Call your local Bruegger’s bakery.

French cheese, cuisine set for Market District stores The Tour de France bicycle race, and health and wellness classes are part of the schedule of activities at Giant Eagle Market District stores in July. All events are free and open to the public. No registration is required. &#149 “Quick Meals for Two: Focus on Heart Healthy” is presented by corporate nutritionist and registered dietitian Judy Dodd, rom 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. July 22 at Shadyside and from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. July 24 at Bethel Park. &#149 “Tour De France,” which begins at 10 a.m. July 26 and 27 at the Shadyside and Bethel Park stores, offers customers a chance to sample the latest French cheeses and favorite French foods and learn French recipes from chefs Randy Tozzi and Karla Contreras. &#149 “Gluten-Free Summer Entertaining,” with Dodd, meets from 10:30 a.m. to noon at Bethel Park and 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. July 27 at Shadyside. &#149 “The Dietitian is In: Summer Fruits and Vegetables,” with Dodd, 10:30 a.m. to noon at Bethel Park, and 5 to 6 p.m. July 30 at Shadyside. Contreras is featuring cooking demonstrations through the end of July that focus on ethnic cuisines and quick meals. All of them will be held from 4 to 5 p.m. at the Shadyside store except where noted. &#149 “Asian Cuisine: Salmon and Curry,” July 16 &#149 “Southern Cuisine: Corn on the Cob,” 3 to 4 p.m. July 17 &#149 “Latin American Cuisine: Tortas,” July 18 &#149 “Cool Root Veggies: Jicama,” July 23 &#149 “15-Minute Meals,” July 24 &#149 “Southwestern Chili Con Carne,” July 25 &#149 “Southern Cuisine: Perfect Southern Picnic,” July 31 The Bethel Park store is at Village Square Mall, 7000 Oxford Drive, and the Shadyside location is at 5550 Centre Ave. Details: Bethel Park, 412-831-1480; Shadyside, 412-681-1500.

Riverhounds soccer team to hold chili cookoff Chartiers Valley High School stadium in Collier is the place to be on Saturday for the inaugural Riverhounds ‘ Chili Cookoff Competition, from 5 to 7 p.m. The event — part of All-American Barbecue Night — will be held before the Riverhounds, Western Pennsylvania’s professsional soccer team in the USL-2 Division, meets Western Massachusetts. Chili entries will be judged by a panel of chili connoisseurs, with prizes awarded to the first-, second- and third-place winners. Admission to the cookoff is free, but registration is required. Chartiers Valley High School stadium is at 50 Thoms Run Road. Details: 412-281-6560, ask for Derek; or by e-mail .

Culantro packs an herbal punch No, the word is not a typo. Think of culantro as cilantro with a bold exclamation point. Although the flavor — like the name — is similar, culantro’s jagged leaves offer a stronger, more vibrant taste. The plant, a relative of cilantro, grows wild in many parts of the Caribbean, along the Gulf Coast and in Mexico. It also is a popular flavoring in Asian and West African cuisine. Culantro leaves are wonderful in soups and stocks, according to Patricia Quintana, author of “The Cuisine of the Water Gods: The Authentic Seafood and Vegetable Cookery of Mexico” (Simon & Schuster, 1994). Use equal amounts of culantro in place of cilantro — it provides a deeper flavor in familiar salsas, salads and moles. Look for culantro in Latino and Caribbean markets.

Fine chocolates enter presidential race Care to mix politics with premium chocolates? The hand-crafted chocolate experts at L.A. Burdick have developed two new boxed chocolate offerings, one honoring Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama and one for Republican John McCain. Each assortment of Burdick Election Chocolates offers flavors drawn from the candidate’s background. The “Obama Assortment” includes Hawaiian pineapple and Kenyan coffee (Obama was born in Hawaii), while the “McCain Assortment” sports Arizona citrus and hot-pepper tequila (McCain is from Arizona). Each box also includes the company’s signature chocolate mouse, which Obama sampled during a campaign stop at the company’s Walpole, N.H., headquarters last year. McCain has not visited the company. Election Chocolates are available in quarter- and half-pound boxes for $15 and $28.

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