Food Events

› Photojournalist and Texas hambassador Rick Vanderpool will sign copies of his new paperback, The Texas Hamburger – History of a Lone Star Icon (History Press, 224 pp., $19.95), at Hut's Ham­bur­gers (807 W. Sixth). Friday, Nov. 18, 5-7:30pm.

› Casting producers from Fox TV's Masterchef will audition home cooks interested in competing in the third season of Gordon Ramsey's reality cooking show at Le Cordon Bleu (3110 Esper­anza Crossing #100). Saturday, Nov. 19, 10am-6pm.

› Home Slice Pizza (1415 S. Congress) celebrates with the annual Carnival O' Pizza benefiting Austin Bat Cave, a nonprofit that provides creative writing programs for Austin youth. The event includes plenty of pizza, beer, and live music, as well as a silent auction and raffle, a midway with carnival games, and contests for pizza-eating and dough-tossing, plus the Hands on an Eggplant Sub competition. Saturday, Nov. 19, noon-10pm.

› Williams-Sonoma (9722 Great Hills Trail) presents a monthly artisans' market featuring local food products. Saturday, Nov. 19, noon-4pm.

› Green Gate Farm (8310 Canoga) hosts a Slow Food Feast benefiting the Austin Discov­ery School: a farm-sourced meal prepared by Barbara Frisbie of El Locavore and desserts from Arte de Chocolates. $125 per person/$100 vegetarian at www.slowfoodfeast.org or 674-0700. Saturday, Nov. 19, 6-9pm.

› Chef du Cinema Ron Deutsch will prepare authentic fish and chips, accompanied by a variety of condiments as well as lemon cake, to complement a screening of A Fish Called Wanda at Central Market Cooking School (4001 N. Lamar). $45 per person; reserve at 206-1014. Saturday, Nov. 19, 6:30-9:30pm.

› Austin's annual Empty Bowl Project benefiting the Kid's Cafe of the Capital Area Food Bank takes place at the Marchesa Hall (6406 N. I-35 #3100) with custom bowls created by local potters filled with delectable soups from some of Austin's finest restaurants. Order tickets at www.austinemptybowl.org. $75 for the preview party, Saturday, Nov. 19, 6-9pm; $20 per bowl on Sunday, Nov. 20, 11am-3pm.

› Learn to make a sculpted turkey cake at All in One Bake Shop (8566 Research), benefiting the Capital Confectioners. $55 covers the class and all supplies; reserve at 371-3401. Sunday, Nov. 20, 1-4pm.

› Pastry chefs Philip Speer, Steven Cak, and Plin­io Sandalio team up to present the Dessert Project, a six-course sweet and savory dinner with wine pairings to benefit the Capital Area Food Bank, at parkside (301 E. Sixth). $90 tickets at www.dessertprojectparkside.eventbrite.com. Sunday, Nov. 20, 7pm.