It's impressive, and adorable, when some of the region's better soup makers sign up to be judged by the kids at a school with a serious foodie attitude.

That's the short take on the Golden Ladle Soup Competition that's coming Saturday as part of Camellia Waldorf School's Winter Faire.

The kids, ages 5 to 13, will be one of the panels picking a favorite among soups from eateries like Fog Mountain Cafe, Zócalo, Ella Dining Room and Bar, and Magpie Cafe.

There's a celebrity panel, too, and it will give out the official Golden Ladle, but they're not the story here – it includes legit food experts, a couple of politicians and, uh, me. The best part, though, is the kids.

These students have some real culinary training, especially panel leader Kai Meyers, an eighth-grader who's been through enough food tests to rank as a junior master chef. So those soups will get a serious look, at least from the kids.

In fact, all the students at Camellia Waldorf get food training. There are kitchens in some classrooms, and food prep, science and economics are blended into curriculum. Some of that is to teach them the connections of nature, and some is to help make them self- reliant, school administrator Meredith Johanson said.

"When they learn to cook," she said, "it gives them a little confidence they can support themselves in the world."

So even kindergartners make their own snacks (last week, that included quesadillas with homemade tortillas), and the Winter Faire – which is a big fundraiser for the school and includes a major crafts fair, lots of music, and gingerbread houses put together by architects, developers and builders – has a cafe run by third-graders.

It's all more than just a good way to teach kids about food, said local food and wine writer Elaine Smith, who's a Camellia Waldorf parent, "it's also unbelievably cute."

The fair runs 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at 5701 Freeport Blvd. Soup tasting goes 11 a.m. to 1:45 p.m., and the public gets to vote, too. The fair is free, and the school raises funds from food and craft sales.

Taste the sparklers

'Tis the season, of course, for sparkling wine, our go-to holiday drink, and there are loads of tastings and events around the region over the next few weeks.

That's no surprise because sparklings – technically, only wine made in France's Champagne region can be called Champagne – are luxurious, jubilant and the universal symbol of festivity.

"It's the pomp; it's the circumstance; it's the pop of the cork; it's the bubbles," said Michael Chandler, wine director for the Market at Pavilions. "Sparkling wine just speaks to holidays and celebrations."

So here are some of the sparkling tastings for anyone looking for more holiday spirits:

Saturday: L Wine Lounge offers a class and tasting with sparklings 4-6 p.m. for $35. It's run by wine director Jonathan Klonecke and includes food pairings. 1801 L St., Sacramento, (916) 443-6970, www.lwinelounge.com.

Saturday: 58 Degrees & Holding Co. has its annual holiday party 2-5 p.m. that includes a bunch of sparklings, plus other wines. It's $20 in advance, $25 at the door. 1217 18th St., Sacramento, (916) 442-5858, www.56degrees.com.

Dec. 16: Market at Pavilions offers a special all- Champagne tasting 4:30-6:30 p.m. for $10. 515 Pavilions Lane, (916) 929-4422, www.marketatpavilions.com.

Dec. 16: Back Wine Bar's regular Wednesday wine tasting focuses on bubblies (including one of my favorites, Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs). It's $5, starts at 5 p.m. and runs all night long. All food is 25 percent off. 25075 Blue Ravine Road, No. 160, Folsom, (916) 986-9100, www.backwinebar.com.

Dec. 18: Capital Cellars of Roseville, fresh off a popular sparkling event, planned another tasting they're calling "Champagne Round 2." It's 5-7 p.m., costs $15 and includes artisan cheeses and other snacks. 110 Diamond Creek Place, Roseville (916) 786-9030, www.capitolcellars.com.

Ongoing: The Cellar Wine and Cheese Bar has a Ladies Champagne Social 4-10 p.m. every Thursday. It's actually for both women and men. They just like the name. They offer tasting flights of sparklers and 10 percent off glasses or bottles of bubbly. 727 Sutter St., Folsom, (916) 293-9332, www.thecellarwinebar.com.

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