Dining Around January 17

Dining Around with Gene Burns looks far, wide and back at home for things delicious and audience-pleasing.

Cecelia Chang gives Gene the latest on Aqua's Chinese New Year Dinner, available concurrently with the regular Aqua menu for two weeks. Charles Phan's new hot spot, Heaven's Dog and Noodle Shop, is now open at the SOMA Grand, and he brings along general manager Erik Adkins and chef de cuisine Andy Wai to talk about it.

Dine About Town is now in progress through January 31, with over 100 San Francisco restaurants offering three-course prix fixe lunches and dinners.

Next, it's all about the cheese, as Clark Wolf, author of American Cheeses, published by Simon and Schuster, talks about his book and also the newly launched Culture Magazine.

Spotlight on Australian food with G'Day by the Bay at Andronico's: Sally James, of Australia's Sally James Food; Australian Made, Australian Grown; Paul Henry and Mark Davidson of Wine Australia USA.

Malcolm Griffiths stops by the studio, followed by Felicia Mariani of Tourism Tasmania. Felicia brings along Laura McIntosh, host of "Bringing it Home With Laura Macintosh," who will be serving as chef-presenter at this afternoon's Foods of Tasmania reception at Macy's Union Square, and Chuck Hayward of The Jug Shop, who will be the reception's Wine Presenter. Saturday, January 17 at 4 p.m. at the Cellar at Macy's Union Square (170 O'Farrell). Admission is free and seating is first come, first served.

Continuing, we hear from Mary-Jane Ginsberg. Next on the scene is Ian Roberts of the BC Salmon Farmers Association. Also from north of the border: Jacques Duhaime from Verger Duhaime Inc., creators of fine spreads and maple products.

Finally, Apostolos Paralikas and Michael Besso of Greek Farms International hold forth on olive oil, vinegar, and other Hellenic delights.