Mezcal Meets Day of the Dead at Cantina. Let's Hope You Don't Feel Dead Next Morning

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Pace yourself -- you don't want to wake up looking like this Tuesday morning.

​On Monday night, explore Day of the Dead, with a splash of Halloween. La Cocina is devising an evening of Yucatecan food by Chaac Mool's Luis Vazques, and there'll be potent mezcal drinks. The mysteries of mescal -- including whether to spell it with an s or a z -- will all be revealed, and chef Vazques is preparing Day of the Dead bread, cochinita pibil, and screaming hot habanero salsa. Mixmaster Duggan McDonnell is the evening's bartender-instructor -- in fact, the festivities are going down at his hot spot, Cantina (580 Sutter at Mason), starting at 6:30 p.m. Tasting, mixing, educating, and some wildness are all likely, or is that the worm talking? The program benefits La Cocina, which offers training and assistance for low-income food entrepreneurs, and held a wildly popular San Francisco Street Food Festival this summer. Remember: 75 percent of the $80 ticket price is tax deductible. Tickets are available at Brown Paper Tickets, or by e-mailing La Cocina's Caleb Zigas: caleb@lacocinasf.org