Dirty Little Secrets

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Mexican vanilla beans.

Where: Unitarian Universalist Church of San Francisco, 1187 Franklin (at Geary), Starr King Room

When: Wed., Mar. 16, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Cost: $40; $10 for students with ID

The rundown: Any organization called Les Dames d'Escoffier sounds far too Julia to be shock mongers, but that's the promise of this panel discussion and tasting co-organized by the San Francisco Professional Food Society. "Beyond the sexy silkiness of cuisine essentials vanilla, saffron, and chocolate lies a world of political intrigue," asserts the event description. Self-crowned "vanilla queen" Patricia Rain, "saffron king" Juan San Mames, and Divine Chocolate's Mark Magers (what, he couldn't call himself "cacao prince"?) reveal the un-pretty truths about harvesting and processing these foods in their politically unstable countries of origin ― think Jason Bourne meets Alton Brown, only without the chase scenes and excruciating nerdiness. Longtime Chron cheese lady and cookbook author Janet Fletcher moderates.

Tickets at Eventbrite