Da Kine Star-Bulletin staff and wire services

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Hamakua mushrooms featured at Alan Wong's

Chef Alan Wong showcases the Big Island's Hamakua Mushroom farm at a "Farmer Series Dinner" Monday at his King Street restaurant.

Wong's four-course menu will feature locally grown pioppini, pepeiao, alii, hon shimeji, maitake and shiitake mushrooms.

Bob and Janice Stanga, owners of Hamakua Mushrooms, will attend to answer questions and talk about their favorite fungi.

The menu includes a puff pastry with goat cheese and mushrooms; a mushroom and butter bean salad with grilled tako, shrimp and scallop; lobster and abalone with alii mushrooms; and beef tenderloin from Maui Cattle Co. with hon shimeji mushrooms.

Pastry sous chef Michelle Karr's mushroom-free dessert will be Hawaiian Vanilla Macerated Pineapple with Cake and Ice Cream.

Cost is $75; $105 with wines. Call 949-2526.

Chef Mavro to open series of cooking classes Feb. 2

Chef George Mavrothalassitis begins a series of four cooking classes next week.

The two-hour classes, offered through Gourmet Cooking Hawaii, are held in the Chef Mavro kitchen for a small group of 15 students, followed by a three-course lunch with wine. Classes are held from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturdays -- Feb. 2, April 5, July 19 and Nov. 8.

Cost is $215, which includes recipes, a souvenir photo and chef's apron. Call 735-7788.

Tune in

Augie T. hosts his own show

Family provides the bulk of inspiration for funnyman Augie Tulba a k a Augie T, who will have lots of room to share bits with his own one-hour show 8 p.m. today on NBC/KHNL.

The "Augie Show Special" features comedic sketches including "Hog the Bounty Hunter," "CSI: Waipahu," "Mokeback Mountain" and "Hawaii's Next Top Mahu."

But that's just a prelude to "The Augie Show" which kicks off Monday at 10:30 p.m. on KFVE and airs every Monday thereafter on that station.

Visit augietulba.com for more information.