Wednesday October 8top

Case/Pints for the Cure

The month of October brings a fundraiser for a cause worth getting drunk for. BridgePort Brewing Company donates a buck outta each case of its suds you buy this month at a number of local retailers to Komen Race for the Cure of Oregon, a local nonprofit that raises funds to put a hurt on breast cancer. Plus, the brewery will also donate a percentage every time you buy a pint of Blue Heron, Ebenezer Ale, Porter or BridgePort IPA at the company’s Pearl District HQ as well as local pubs like the Cheerful Tortoise and Angelo’s. Cheers. BridgePort Brewpub & Bakery, 1313 NW Marshall St., 241-7179. Fundraiser takes place through the month of October. Regular case and pint prices. Map

Plates for Peninsula

North Portland restaurants like E-San Thai, Pizza Fino and the World Famous Kenton Club support a cause in their ’hood this month. Every Wednesday in October a whopping 15 percent of your check at these restaurants will go to Kenton’s K-8 Peninsula School. Hell, isn’t sipping a latte from Paul Bunyan Espresso or chowing down at Kenton Station a better way to give than buying pepperoni sticks from grade-schoolers? Thought so. , , . Wednesday Oct. 15, 22 and 29. Menu prices. Call 680-5196 for info. Map

Thursday October 9top

Shuck & Swallow Challenge

Not to be confused with a night at Eagle Portland (rimshot!), McCormick & Schmick’s hosts its fourth annual oyster-slurping challenge. It’s simple: Chefs from Dan & Louis Oyster Bar, Southpark, Jake’s Famous and other local joints team with Portland firefighters to see who can shuck and you-know-what the most oysters in 10 minutes. The victor wins, well, respect for his or her lack of a gag reflex, I suppose. You just get to watch all the slippery, slimy action. Afterwards, gawkers can order dinner from a one-night-only cadre of well-muscled, adorable (we’re guessing here) firefighters-turned-servers. Yeah, it’s for a good cause—it’s a fundraiser for the Jeff Morris Fire and Life Safety Foundation. McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant, 235 SW 1st Ave., 224-7522. 3:30 pm Shuck & Swallow, 4-11 pm firefighter-served dinner. Entry free, pledges welcome, regular menu prices. Map

The MAiZE at the Pumpkin Patch

No piece of produce conjurs up images of autumn in America better than the pumpkin. Whether you're carving it out to make a jack-o'-lantern or merely baking it into a pie, the pumpkin is the quintessential fall veggie, its orange color as much a part of the season as candy corn and the turning of the leaves. Now at the peak of harvest season, the Pumpkin Patch Farm is offering guests the chance to pick fresh produce and flowers. It also features a cafe and giant corn maze, plus every weekend night through October the property will host a Halloween-themed haunted trail. The Pumpkin Patch, 16511 NW Gillihan Road., 621-7110. Haunted Field of Screams: $5 for children, $10 for adults. Combo pass: $10 for children, $15 for adults. Free for kids 5 and under. $5 for children, $7 for adults. Mon-Thurs 10 am to 6 pm. Fri-Sun 10 am to 10 pm. Map

Friday October 10top

Free Trade Olive Oil Tastings

Portlanders get a chance to sample fair-trade Palestinian olive oil, apparently known for its “exceptional taste” and “lustrous green color” at a handful of tastings. This weekend’s events also host Wafa Shami, the American Friends Service Committee’s Middle East peace education coordinator, who reminds buyers that many olive trees have been razed and some farmers have had difficulty gaining access to their land due to the occupation. A dollar from each sale of Zatoun oil goes to Trees for Life, a program that seeks to plant seedlings in Palestine. Additional tastings Saturday, Oct. 11 (11 am St. Michael & All Angels Episcopal Church, 4 pm People’s Co-op) and 11:30 am Sunday, Oct. 12, at Grace Episcopal Church. RSVP to mitchgould@generalpicture.com for Oct. 10 event. Multnomah Friends Meeting Hall, 4312 SE Stark St., . 7 pm. Free. Map

Recchiuti Chocolate Tea & Dinner

What’s with the Heathman? A few weeks ago it was a tequila dinner, now it’s a whole meal devoted to chocolate. It’s as if they’ve reached inside my head, pulled out all my bad habits and started serving them on a plate. Friday brings a visit from San Francisco chocolate master Michael Recchiuti, who’s working with chef Philippe Boulot to create some serious sweet-savory action based on his new book, Chocolate Obsession. A Berkshire pork confit with cacao nibs steamed in banana leaf sounds decadent, as does white chocolate mousse with caramel apples. Plus, earlier that day and Saturday afternoon, the hotel’s hosting a chocolate tea with more choco-packed goodies. The sweetest part? Recchuiti will be on hand at all events for questions and, at the tea services, chocolate demos. Heathman Hotel, 1001 SW Broadway., 241-4100. Chocolate dinner 6:30 pm Friday, Oct. 10. Chocolate tea 1 and 3 pm Friday-Saturday, Oct. 10-11. Chocolate dinner $78. Chocolate tea $39.95. Call for reservations. Map

Tuesday October 14top

House Spirits Autumn Pairing Dinner

The Southeast Portland distiller continues its city-trolling dinner series, this time offering Aviation Gin, Medoyeff Vodka and Krogstad Aquavit cocktails at the charmed downtown bistro Carafe. Chef Pascal Sauton, a Frenchman who’s always up for a challenge, counters with five dinner courses, including butter-poached Dungeness crab, corn-crusted sweetbreads and braised lamb ribs. Take that. Carafe, 200 SW Market St., 248-0004. 6:30 pm. $76. Call to reserve your seat. Map