GERMANY AT GRAND CENTRAL From June 3 to 9, free cooking demonstrations and samplings of German food, beer, wine, and liqueur will be offered every day at Grand Central Terminal’s Vanderbilt Hall. The activities are part of Germany, a Sense-sational Experience, a three-week exhibition at Vanderbilt Hall from June 3 to 23. Cooking demonstrations will include presentations by chefs such as Jackie Newgent of the Institute of Culinary Education, who will offer lighter takes on German food, Hans Rockenwagner of Rockenwagner restaurant in Santa Monica, who will prepare German-influenced California cuisine (think stir-fried Napa cabbage and sauerkraut), and Uta Schepers of Johnson & Wales University, who will serve elegant German dishes. Free tastings of German food and beverages will take place at the German Agricultural Marketing Board’s exhibition area in the terminal. Visitors can also register online for beer, wine, and spirits tastings in the terminal (tickets are free but are required) and learn about additional tastings at participating restaurants. To register or learn more, visit www.germanfoods.org.

SUMMER CATCH The Grand Central Oyster Bar kicks off its annual Holland Herring Festival on June 1, at noon. Every day for two weeks, the restaurant will receive an air-expressed shipment of nieuwe maatjes herring from Scheveningen, the Netherlands, on the North Sea, where the herring fleet makes its home every year. The season for the succulent herring lasts less than a month. The festival lasts through June 17. For reservations or more information, call the Grand Central Oyster Bar, 212-490-6650.

GRILLING MADE EASY Fresh Direct now offers a “Chef-Prepped and Ready to Cook” menu of foods that arrive ready to throw on the grill or in the oven. Prepared by Michael Stark, formerly of Tribeca Grill, the new items include lime-and-cumin crusted skirt steak ($8.99 a pound), grill ready full rack ribs ($16.99 each), orange ginger glazed shrimp and mango kebab ($16.99 for a pack of three), and butterflied coriander-sage Cornish hens ($16.99 for a pack of two). In addition, the site has just introduced “s’mores kits,” which come with Scharffen Berger chocolate bars, freshly made vanilla or chocolate-mousse marshmallows from Tiny Trapeze Confections, and bakery-made graham crackers. Included are four skewers for grilling and foil for oven toasting, as well as instructions ($7.99 for a pack of four). For more information, visit www.freshdirect.com.