Kinkead Signs New Book in Dupont
Cookbook fanatic? Kinkead’s fanatic? Simply a food lover? Head to Best Cellars Dupont this Saturday for the 2 p.m. signing of Kinkead’s Cookbook: Recipes from Washington D. C.’s Premier Seafood Restaurant by Chef Bob Kinkead himself. The book offers more than 120 recipes from his Kinkead’s repertoire. We are eager to try our hand at some of these. Recreating Kinkead’s cuisine at home will definitely make the dinner guests return for more…unless we burn it in our less-than-state-of-the-art kitchen of course. The event also offers food and wine tastings.

Arlington Wine Fans Breath Holding Can End
Best Cellars Clarendon has teased us with empty shelves for some time, leaving some to wonder what the deal was. But the boutique wine shop on Clarendon Boulevard finally pops its cork with a Grand Re-Opening Party all weekend. Festivities kick off Friday at 5 p.m. and feature some excellent giveaways (DCist has our eye on the “private wine-tasting custom-built for you[us!] and 19 of your[our!] friends”), food samples from local restaurants, and wine, wine and more wine. Josh Wesson, the company’s co-founder, Food & Wine contributor and master sommelier, will be on hand Friday, 5 to 8 p.m., and Saturday, 12 to 3 p.m., to pour wine and chat with customers. Arlington — nay, the entire D.C. — is fast becoming a grape-filled playground for the wine enthusiast. And to double duty your wine buying with your desire to help those in need, Best Cellars is donating 5 percent of sales to the Hurricane Katrina relief effort.

Speaking of Hurricane Katrina Relief Events…
The food community of D.C. has stepped out in force with food and drink related events raising money for hurricane relief. Mark your calendars to attend a number of events during the next week.

• The Neighborhood Restaurant Group (Evening Star and Vermillion, Alexandria, and Tallula, Arlington) will donate 50 percent of all dessert sales through Sept. 11 to the American Red Cross and Catholic Relief Services.
• Acadiana Restaurant opens its doors Monday, Sept. 12, with a strong dose of southern hospitality that has Chef Jeff Tunks and a lineup of the area’s culinary finest serving “brown bag” carry-out po’boys all day for a donation of $25.
• After indulging in your traditional Louisiana meal, head out after work to grab a Crescent City-inspired cocktail (also Monday). A number of area restaurants are participating in Save New Orleans Cocktail Hour and pouring between 5 and 7 p.m. to benefit New Orleans food and beverage industry workers.

For a more active but still food-inspired way to help, DC Central Kitchen and the Red Cross will be in charge of providing three meals a day for evacuees at the D.C. Armory. Help is needed for this effort and to ensure the uninterrupted preparation of D.C. Central Kitchen’s standing 4,000-plus daily meals for the local community.

Gulf Coast Products Affected by Hurricane
If you haven’t already read it, check out the Post’s piece on Katrina’s impact on groceries throughout the country. Not only does the disaster affect products produced in that region, but also increases shipping costs with major transport hubs severely damaged or destroyed and gas prices spiked. We’re sure to hear, and feel, more of these effects for some time.