If you can't make it to one of my lectures, you can catch me on TV! Just recently I appeared on Food Network's Dinner: Impossible as well as CBS's Sunday with Charles Osgood. I've also done several specials for the History and Discovery channels and dozens of public television programs including Cultivating Life and Moments of Luxury. My mom loves calling our relatives to tell them when I'll be on! Television is fun, but hands-down, my absolute favorite is lecturing to a live audience. Foodies are such fun folks! I look forward to meeting you soon at one of my talks. "Imparting knowledge along with the humor, Ms. Segan dispenses tidbits of information exuding the warmth, personality, and energy of your really funny next door neighbor keeping you relaxed and entertained throughout…" -Gayle E. Santana, journalist Francine with Guy Fieri Francine with Audra McDonald, 3 time Tony-winner, singer and actress Francine Segan, Stanley Tucci and Isabella Rossellini discuss Food In Film for the Tribeca Film Festival, 2006 Francine with Emeril FEBRUARY Dolci: Italy's Sweets Hands on cooking class Tuesday, February 7 6:00- 10:00 PM Learn to make extraordinary Italian desserts including homemade liqueurs! Enjoy some desserts in class, plus take home others. MENU: Rustic Apple Cake; Parmesan Panna Cotta; The World's Best Chocolate Cake;Sweet Rosemary and Grape Focaccia & more….. Institute of Culinary Education 50 West 23rd Street, NYC To register: (800) 522-4610 or email: RecreationalDivision@iceculinary.com Aphrodisiacs Talk & Tasting Wednesday, February 8 6:30 - 8:00 PM Oysters, champagne, chocolate, truffles & more---food and sex have been intimately tied for centuries. In the past some believed eating ground rhino horns, blister beetles, avocados and even frog saliva unleashed passion. Science or folklore? Explore the culture and history of aphrodisiacs from around the world. Talk includes a delectable sampling of classic aphrodisiac dishes! Museum of Natural History Central Park West at 80th Street For tickets: http://www.amnh.org/ Aphrodisiacs Talk and Tasting Thursday, February 9 7:00 - 8:30 PM Explore the culture and history of aphrodisiacs from around the world. Talk includes a delectable sampling of classic aphrodisiac dishes! 92nd St Y Event Code: TW12S61086 For tickets: http://www.92y.org/Uptown/Event/Aphrodisiacs-The-Mysterious.aspx or call 212-415-5500 Historic Cookbooks Panel discussion Friday, February 10 10:45 AM - 12:30 PM How are historic cookbooks relevant for today? Is there a deeper reason to attempt to understand the taste preferences of the past? Cookbook Conference Roger Smith Hotel 501 Lexington Ave, between 47th & 48th Streets To register: http://www.cookbookconf.com Italy's Chocolate Desserts Hands-On Cooking Class Saturday, February 11 1:00 - 4:00 PM Prepare mouthwatering desserts, and discover baking tips and trivia on Italian life. MENU: Chocolate Espresso Cake; Baci Pie; Barolo Poached Pears with Dark Chocolate & more…… Sarah Lawrence Bronxville, New York To register: www.slc.edu/adultprograms or call 914-395-2693 Dinner with Lincoln & Washington Thursday, February 16 7 - 8:30 PM Discover the amusing stories behind the food and dining customs in America during Washington and Lincoln's presidencies. Learn about the origins of some of our favorite dishes like buttermilk biscuits, succotash, Southern fried chicken, "Johnny cakes" and more. Along the way you'll discover the lasting influences African-Americans had to our table. The talk includes a wonderful tasting from that time period. 92nd St Y Event Code: TW12S61082 For tickets: http://www.92y.org/Uptown/Event/Washington-LincolnsDinnerTable.aspx or call 212-415-5500 Food in Film Thursday, February 23 7 - 8:30 PM The Y's own Pre-Oscar Party! Food, film snippets, and even a trivia contest with prizes. A multi-sensory experience - taste the foods you see on screen! View famous foodie movie moments from such classics as Chocolat, Ratatouille, Babette's Feast, and Big Night as you discover behind-the-scenes details and the role food plays in film. 92nd St Y Event Code: TW12S61083 For tickets: http://www.92y.org/Uptown/Event/Food-in-Film.aspx or call 212-415-5500 MARCH Italian Dessert Wines Wednesday, March 14 6:30 - 8:30 PM Forget about milk and cookies - Italians like to end their meal with cookies and wine! In this fun and informative seminar you'll discover the wonderful world of Italian dessert wines and after-dinner drinks, including digestivi, as you taste your way through a flight of perfectly paired sweets. Astor Center 399 Lafayette St. (at East 4th St.) To register: http://www.astorcenternyc.com/class-la-dolce-vita-italian-dessert-wines-after-dinner-drinks.ac or call: (212) 674-7501 Dinner with Socrates: Foods & Feasting in Ancient Greece Tuesday, March 20th 7:00 - 8:30 PM Tantalizing tales on the foods and dining customs of Ancient Greece including the philosopher's writings on wine, health, and even dinner party seating! Includes samplings of mouthwatering dishes from antiquity. 92nd St Y Event Code: TW12S61085 For tickets: http://www.92y.org/Uptown/Event/Dinner-with-Socrates.aspx or call 212-415-5500 APRIL Decadent Duos: Pairing Dark Chocolate & After Dinner Drinks Wednesday, April 4 7:00 - 8:30PM Beer & chocolate? You bet! Red wine & chocolate? Absolutely! Delight your palate with this interactive class exploring the many ways to pair chocolate. Savor the traditional whisky, rum and grappa pairing, as well as red and dessert wine duos, and even unusual tea and beer combos. As you sip and nibble, discover chocolate's fascinating history and how it's made. 92nd St Y Event Code: TW12S61087 For tickets: http://www.92y.org/Uptown/Event/Decadent-Duos--Dark-Chocolate.aspx or call 212-415-5500 Food for Movie Lovers Thursday, April 12 12 noon - 1 PM Tribeca Y's own Movie Party! Enjoy gourmet popcorn as you peek behind the scenes at foodie film moments in such classics as Chocolat, Ratatouille, Babette's Feast, and Big Night. 92YTribeca 200 Hudson St Event Code: TW12D51121 For tickets: http://www.92y.org/Tribeca/Event/Food-for-Movie-Lovers.aspx or call 212.601.1000 Undiscovered Italy: Ascoli Piceno Talk & Wine Tasting Tuesday, April 17 7 - 8:30 PM Ascoli Piceno is an undiscovered and unforgettable province in the le Marche region of Italy, which the New York Times recently named as "The New Tuscany." Ascoli Piceno has it all- ancient Roman ruins, medieval towns, and Renaissance art and is blessed with mountains as well as beaches, culture, shopping, fabulous food and truly spectacular wines. Join Francine Segan as she takes you on a virtual tour of the area with a lively presentation on this delightful area. The talk ends with nibbles of delicacies as well as a guided wine tasting of several of Ascoli Piceno's best white, red and dessert wines presented by the Piceno Wine Consortium (http://www.picenos.com/en/) 92nd St Y Event Code: TW12S61169 To register: http://www.92y.org/Uptown/Event/Undiscovered-Italy-LeMarche.aspx Desserts through the Ages Thursday, April 19 7:00 - 8:00 PM Sugar and honey have been prized for centuries, not only for their delicious taste but also as curatives for everything from melancholy and impotence to headaches. This fascinating whirlwind tour on the history of sweets starts with the amusing ancient Greek myth about honey and traces all sorts of desserts through time and cultures all the way to the modern day origins of our favorite candies. Learn about the unusual spices and ingredients added to desserts through the ages as well as the story of our favorite pies, cakes, puddings and ice cream. Includes tasting of unique desserts from the past. Agecroft Museum Richmond, Virginia For tickets: www.agecrofthall.com or call: 804-353-4241 Mini Italian Sweets Hands-On Cooking Class Sunday, April 22 6:00 - 10:00 PM Perfect when you want just a little something Italian & sweet! Bite-sized treats including cookies, and mono-portion desserts. MENU: Street Fair Crisps; Faux Peaches; Sicilian Pasta Crisps Hazelnut-Chocolate Sandwich Cookies & more……. Institute of Culinary Education 50 West 23rd Street, NYC To register: (800) 522-4610 or email: RecreationalDivision@iceculinary.com Undiscovered Italy: Ascoli Piceno Talk & Wine Tasting Wednesday, April 25 7 - 8:30 PM Ascoli Piceno is an undiscovered and unforgettable province in the le Marche region of Italy, which the New York Times recently named as "The New Tuscany." Ascoli Piceno has it all- ancient Roman ruins, medieval towns, and Renaissance art and is blessed with mountains as well as beaches, culture, shopping, fabulous food and truly spectacular wines. Join Francine Segan as she takes you on a virtual tour of the area with a lively presentation on this delightful area. The talk ends with nibbles of delicacies as well as a guided wine tasting of several of Ascoli Piceno's best white, red and dessert wines presented by the Piceno Wine Consortium (http://www.picenos.com/en/) Westchester Italian Cultural Center Tuckahoe, NY For tickets: http://wiccny.org/ or call Patrizia Calce: 914-771-8700 x109 ©2011 Francine Segan. All rights reserved.