There's been a growing dining trend. You've seen it on the Food Network. You've heard the boisterous gathering laughing and clinking in the back of your favorite gastro pub. You've read the Weekly Volcano's Nosh League reports on our blog, Spew. Food and drink pairing dinners have taken the South Sound by storm.

This concept is not just about pairing beer, bourbon and wine with complementing bites. It's about food education, a journey into all things decadent, savory, sweet and beyond. Most chefs will craft meals specifically for the featured product of the evening, delighting your senses with colorful presentations and exotic flavors.

The definition of pairing dinners knows no boundaries. First, cheese and wine flourished, but most tagged it snobby. Next, beer worked its way on the table, but some scoffed at its blue collar and belching. Today, the concept seems more vast and open minded - a little something for everyone whether it be the bourbon sippers, beer connoisseurs of the community or simply a booze novice who admires good grub.

And if it can be tagged as locally sustainable - to include handcrafted boozes and brews by local breweries and distilleries - then everyone goes plum loco.

A few upcoming cocktail and culinary matrimonies have hit the reader boards.

Skip the turkey-induced coma or chilly, wet lines leading to the "it" Black Friday sale item, and join Brix 25 (7707 Pioneer Way, Gig Harbor) and 7 Seas Brewing for a four-course meal Friday, Nov. 23. Each course will be paired with a 7 Seas brew: Hop Prophet, India Red Ale, Cutts Northwest Amber and the Wheelchair Barley Wine - Brix 25 adores the Wheelchair incorporating it into its Thanksgiving gravy. Dinner begins at 6 p.m. Tickets are $60. Reservations are required; call 253.858.6626.

Dirty Oscar's Annex (2309 Sixth Ave., Tacoma) - hot off its visit from celebrity chef Guy Fieri and his Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives crew - and nailing previous beer- and bourbon-pairing dinners, will host a Holiday Moonshine Dinner Tuesday, Dec. 11. Tacoma's only moonshine bar features a tasty array that isn't as intimidating as mama's hooch sounds.  Though the menu is still in a vault, expect pairing with moonshine flavors such as apple pie, cherry and blackberry. Also in the works is a chocolate Valentine pairing dinner uniting decadent chocolate nibbles with adult beverages. Think four-course adventure through chocolates accompanied with a martini, beer, wine or cordial. Reservations are required; call 253.572.0588.

Tacoma Mall embedded BJ's Brewhouse (4502 S. Steele St., Tacoma) will shine a spotlight on some of its award-winning beers during a five-course dining experience Monday, Dec. 3. The date may be just early enough to avoid the horrendous holiday mall parking hazards. Who cares; we're talking beers. Tickets are a mere $30. Reservations are required; call 253.472.1200.

Maxwell's Speakeasy (454 Saint Helens Ave., Tacoma) had taken visitors on a bourbon trail dinner in the waning days of summer and expect to hold a January wine pairing dinner. Details have yet to be announced.

Though not really a pairing dinner event, Pour at Four (3814 N. 26th St., Tacoma) holds complimentary wine tastings on a regular basis. Thursday, Nov. 29 it will be Pour at Five Thirty when the Proctor District wine bar offers six ports, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Pour at Four will know what to pair with the ports.

Last, the Weekly Volcano's Nosh League will gather Thursday, Nov. 29 inside Tacoma's new tiki bar, Tacoma Cabana (728 Pacific Ave.,Tacoma) to nibble on Hawaiian and South Pacific treats paired with exotic cocktails such as the Zombie, Vic's Mai Tai, the Painkiller and the Scorpion Sangria. Details can be found on the Nosh League Facebook page.

Go forth and explore new booze and bite unions.