Showing posts with label Food Network. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Food Network. Show all posts

Saturday, August 18, 2012

Intro to Aspen Food & Wine Classic

I’ve been attending the Food Network South Beach Food &Wine Festival and the Atlantic City Food & Wine Festival for years, so when the opportunity came up to cover the Aspen Food & Wine Classic, I was excited. I had heard nothing but good things about this event and was ready for my first trip to Aspen.

It wasn’t easy getting to Aspen. I had to take three flights just to get to Vail, where I was meeting my friend Lisa. She had decided to drive up and the timing worked out perfectly to pick me up at the airport and make the scenic one and a half hour trip to our bed & breakfast in Aspen.

We didn’t arrive until about 9:00 pm and had to change quickly to get to two of the first night’s parties. The first was downtown on the rooftop of the Dancing Bear. We saw Rick Bayless, but most of the other guests had already departed by the time we arrived, so we just stayed a short while before getting back in the car and heading up the mountain.

The Jose Andres Wines of Spain Party was at a private mansion (currently listed for sale at $28 million) that was as spectacular on the inside as it was when we pulled up to the valet in the driveway. We went to the bar to try Jose’s Sour before sampling some wines and the barbecue of chorizo, skirt steak and some of the best pork sliders I’ve had.

Lots of the celebrity chefs were at the party, including Marcus Samuelsson, Giada de Laurentis, Tom Cocchlio and Andrew Zimmern, who I had met in South Beach and interviewed recently for an article. It was a fun atmosphere as the “official” festival had not started and everyone was pretty relaxed.

We left the party around midnight to get some sleep for a very early wake up call. Lisa had agreed to run the 5K with Bobby Flay charity run and I was in charge of taking the photos.  Despite the fact that she hadn’t been running regularly and hadn’t really adjusted to the altitude, she did pretty well in the race. The real winner, though, was Samuelsson, who was the first chef to cross the finish line.

After the race, the runners were treated to a breakfast of Pure Protein bars, Figi Water, bagels and champagne.  Lisa hung out for a bit while I went down to a local breakfast hangout called Poppycock for a fun interview with Belvedere head Vodka’s Head of spirit creation and mixology, Claire Smith. We had a great time and I left ready to face a full day (and night) of Aspen Food & Wine Classic activities – after a downed some of Poppycock’s famous Old Fashion Oatmeal Buttermilk Pancakes.

Friday, April 6, 2012

Nothing Like Whole Foods Grand Market at South Beach

For those who have not been to the Whole Foods Grand Market at the Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival, it is hard to describe. The “market” consists of three blocks (on the beach) of food, wine and spirits. There are three rows in each block offering more than anyone could ingest in one day. Still, we all try our best.

The food seminars on the Kitchen Aid states continued throughout the day and I got to catch some of the ones by Rocco Dispirito, Bobby Deen (mom Paula was also on the stage Sunday) and Countess Luann de Lesseps. They were all pretty full and the participants seemed to enjoy both the food and the cooking tips.

The Whole Foods booth was actually a group of booths, from which the samples added up to an entire meal on its own. I really enjoyed the Spinach Feta Pinwheel. It went down perfectly with a Pom Pomegrante Bellini. Speaking of the Bellini, The Wilson Creek Peach Bellini sparkling wine was just great.

It was pretty hot outside, but luckily there were also lots of cool drinks. One of the fan favorites (OK, mine too) was the Cruzan Rum Raspberry Mojito Ice Bar. For those who prefer tequila, Jose Cuervo had some cold samples of their new pre-made margarita. There was also sampling of Harmonie Liqueur, the new offering from Hipnotiq which is a cross between floral and fruity.

Just in time for Passover, L’Chaim is a new vodka brand with a Kosher for Passover wine made from beets. I didn’t get to taste it, but heard from a few that it was pretty good. I did try kosher (but not for Passover) vodka and I liked it, though it’s hard to beat Voli’s Vanilla Espresso, a favorite brand of mine which is low calorie, electrolyte-induced and just bought into by Fergie.

Ginger is finding its way into many cocktails this year and the Domaine de Canton French Ginger Liqueur is a great way to keep up that trend.

Bobby Flay was one of the network stars who were signing (and selling) copies of his book . Among others on hand with their books were Robert Irvine, Anthony Bourdain and Anne Burrell. Former Top Chef Michael Isabella was promoting his Washington, DC restaurant Graffiato, which I’ll have the pleasure of visiting in a few weeks.

After I left the market and I checked out of my perfectly located room at The National, I realized it was another great four days at the South Beach Food Network Wine & Food Festival. I’m sure I will be back next year. 

In the meantime, I will see some of my favorite chefs at the Food & Wine Classicin Aspen. Of course, that’s after my time in Delray Beach & Boca Raton… New York City… Arizona… Virginia & Washington… the Hamptons… and England!

Saturday, March 31, 2012

New Zealand Wine, Girls Go Wild & Michael Symon BBQ in South Beach

Day three of the Food Network South Beach Wine & FoodFestival was filled to the brim with some wonderful New Zealand wine, some foodie girls going wild, and a thrilling barbecue by a man who knows the chew.

I was back down at the Perry Hotel bright and early in the morning for the Wine Spectator Seminar: Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc & Pinot Noir Style Diversity.  The leader of the seminar was New Zealand wine expert and winemaker Patrick Materman, who filled in the blanks on the region and led a tasting of wines from Brancott Estate and Stoneleigh Marlborough.

Since I am currently planning a trip to New Zealand, I was especially interested – and impressed with the offerings. I’m always a fan of NZ sauvignon blanc and was happy to discover the ones from these brands, which were full of tropical and grassy notes. I also tasted New Zealand Pinot Noir for the first time and found the 2010 Brancott Estate Letter Series “T” to be more fruit forward and richer than many of the California ones.

From the seminar I headed over to the Hotel Victor where I was excited to have been invited to the Girls Gone Wild event.  This event was probably the most fun two hours of the entire festival and I give kudos to Bullfrog and Baum for putting this group together.

The moderator for Girls Gone Wild was Travel Channel star (Bizarre Foods) Andrew Zimmern and he had his work cut out for him while an amazing group of women “went wild.” Actress Debi Mazur, who co-hosts the Cooking Channel’s Extra Virgin with her husband Gabrielle and also blogs at Under The Tuscan Gun, was the most outspoken, but Bitchin Kitchen’s Nadia G. was not far behind in  “R” rated honesty.

Rounding out the Girls Gone Wild Panel was Food Network star Alex Guarnaschelli and Prune Restaurant owner/chef Gabrielle Hamilton, who is also the author of bestseller Blood, Bones & Butter.  The conversation ranged from favorite dishes to dishing on their male counterparts and it was always entertaining.
                                
I had just enough time to shower and change before meeting with winemaker Patrick Materman and Pernod Ricard PR Director Krista Drew for a glass of Perrier Jouet Champagne and some more New Zealand conversation.

Then it was off to the Eden Roc Renaissance Miami Beach for Thrillist's BBQ & The Blues hosted by Michael Symon. Celebrity chef Symon is best known to many these days as one of the hosts of ABC’s The Chew, but foodie insiders also call him one of the nicest guys in the business.

Next year, I probably won’t pick three days in a row of barbecue at SOBEWFF (The Q, Burger Bash and Thrillist), but I’m glad I did get to experience this event. The music by Diablo Times & The Bloodhounds was great, the drinks were flowing (including cocktails made with Michael Collins Whiskey and Entice Wine), and the barbecue was a bit different than I had previously.

The food offerings came from around the area and from Symon himself and included a delicious Korean beef brisket from Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill and a Smoked Tongue Pastrami (with bone marrow brioche) from Gastropod Miami. I also really loved the short ribs from Jacksonville’s Cabana Beach Club, served on a cheese polenta.

When I couldn’t possibly sample any more, I headed back to The National Hotel to get some rest for my final day of the South Beach Wine & Food Festival. It was going to be a big one as I was going to try to tackle all of the Whole Foods Grand Market. 

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Burgers, Cocktails, Wine and Banderas in South Beach

I have been known to schedule some pretty busy days, but I think I outdid myself for the first full day of the Food Network South Beach Wine and Food Festival (and I got the blisters to prove it).

I started bright and early at The National Hotel, where I ordered a fruit and yogurt plate from room service to get me going for the day. It gave me a sense that the day would have at least something low cal and healthy in it!

First on my schedule for the day was an interview with David Burke. I had loved everything about my visit to David Burke Primehouse at The James in Chicago and have been looking forward to trying his new restaurant in Chicago. We had a fun talk about his Dining In the Dark event (look for my story at Cocktails & Joints for more) before I took off to the beach for the Food Festival’s Trade Tasting.

Originally, this tasting was a chance for the trade and the press to check out the booths before the big crowds arrived on the weekend. Unfortunately, the number of tickets increased and it seemed to be as crowded as the regular tastings got. Still, armed with my welcome glass of Simply Naked Unoaked Chardonnay (light and fruity), I headed into the Barilla tent for some great pasta before grabbing a Skinny Girl White Cranberry Cosmo (a new low cal go to for me).

The Cosmopolitan of Vegas once again created a modern building to give out treats, drinks and even a stay at their hotel, which I really need to get to in the near future.  From there, I made a stop taste taste Diageo’s new Q Dream, a deliciously creamy liqueur that is also low in calories, but I gained them all back at the Fiji Water booth where they were making fresh donuts and giving out water  with fortunes.

I put my aching feet into a cab to the Perry Hotel (formerly the Gansevoort) where the event to sell out the quickest was located --- Matador! An Introduction to Anta Banderas Winery with Antonio Banderas. I have to admit it was probably the thing I was most excited for and an assignment for Los Angeles Confidential Magazine enabled me to stay as one of the few members of the press in the room. Banderas was as charming offscreen as he is on and was quite candid when talking about his career and his wine.

The Anta Banderas Chardonnay is not yet available in the U.S., but I urge you to check it out if you do make it to the winery in Spain. In the meantime, you can purchase the Anta Banderas a10, a fruit-filled blend of temparillo, merlot and cabernet sauvignon as well as some of his other reds.

I didn’t have long to change for the evening and get to the Amstel Light Burger Bash presented by Allen Brothers Steaks and Diet Pepsi hosted by Rachael Ray. It’s hard to describe this event to anyone who hasn’t been there, but it’s a fine line between comfort food heaven and gluttony! I tried to tackle as many as possible by eliminating burgers that were too rare or on bacon overload and going for a few special ones. Even then, I couldn’t take more than a bite of each.

A few of my favorites stops were…

Good Stuff Eatery Blue Cheese Burger with French Fries and Bernaise sauce, served with a Crème de Casis Milk Shake;

The Meatball Shop Chili Flavored Meat Patty smothered in Grafton cheddar cheese sauce and topped with caramelized onions with a sweet and sour taste;

NoMI Kitchen '800' Burger made of  Ground waygu mixed with Nueske bacon and onion,  topped with smoked tomato aioli, comte cheese, watercress, pickled shallots and garlic, and tomato confit on a rosemary ciabatta bun and served with VodkaNInfused Watermellon (my favorite overall);
Rachael Ray’s BBQ Burger with Sweet 'n Spicy Pickles And Smokey barbeque sauce, a simple, but appealing combo;

And the fairly healthy and tasty South Beach Diet Feta Stuffed Sirloin Burger with Smokey SunNDried Tomato Aioli served on pita.

I also loved the Jack Daniels Milkshake served by Guy’s Burger Joint and the Truffle French Fries Abe and Arthurs was giving out.

Michael Symon, whose B Spot served a Pork and bacon burger topped with pulled pork and slaw (I was not really a fan), won the contest for the third year in a row. It should also be noted that all the burgers tasted fantastic when eaten with the Frozen Hot Chocolate Serendipity 3 was pouring!

After the Burger Bash, I went to 1111 Lincoln Avenue for Robert Irvine’s Party Impossible. This rooftop soiree and a ton of food, from seafood to meat to decadent desserts. I was starting to regret the burgers as I couldn’t get more than a few bites of an out of this world Chocolate Peanut Butter Bar from Ready, Set, Cupcake! with a few crumbs of scrumptious cookies.
I walked back to The National Hotel at about 1:00 am, I walked back to hoping to do some digesting before catching some much needed sleep. There was still a lot more of the South Beach Food Network Wine and Food Festival to come. 

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Starting South Beach with The Q

February is one of my favorite months because it is the time of one of my favorite events. There is nothing that quite compares with the Food Network’s South Beach Wine & Food Festival for bringing together chefs and industry insiders.  This was my third year in a row attending and I was especially excited that I would also be covering for Ocean Drive Magazine.

My flight was running a bit late, but I arrived in time to get changed for The Q. I was staying at The National Hotel for the first time and was happily surprised at the locale – right in the center of all the events. I had a very nice room with a view and best of all it was just a quick walk out the back door to the beach. It happened to be the same beach The Q was set up on, at the Delano.

The Bubble Q had been my favorite event that previous years.  I had been disappointed to hear it would be cancelled, but happy to find out the new event, hosted by Moet Hennessy and called simply “The Q” would be very similar. I found that was certainly the case.

Emeril Lagasse and Guy Fieri hosted The Q, which served as the festival’s kickoff party. It was an eating frenzy, with some of the country’s best chefs serving a special barbecue dish of their choice. In addition, Moet Hennessy’s sponsorship of the event meant plenty of Belvedere Vodka, Moet Champagne and Hennessy Cognac.

As much as I hate to waste food, I did really want to take at least a bite out of as many items as possible. Here’s a sampling of some of the most memorable…

Chris Lilly passed out Big Bob Gibson barbecue, which was delicious, but was very rich so it was easy to leave it behind;

Dean Fearing of Fearings in Dallas had a superb BBQ Beef Taco that was a combination of sweet and savory;

Chef Yoshi Katsumura made Barbecue Wagyu Spareribs with Yuzyu sauce and candied skin, served with a Scallion Pancake and Watermelon Salad. It was terrific;


I really enjoyed my conversation with Nadja G. (check out my story at Cocktails and Joints). She is just so much fun and the pork belly she made was excellent;

The Hill Country Barbecue of New York offered some tender and tasty meat;

Chef Michael White prepared a yummy Grilled Pancetta with glazed figs and roasted pistachios;

Celebrity Cruises brought out a most delicious Spring Roll with white truffle barbecue sauce;

And, co-host Guy Fieri wowed all with food from his Tex Wasabi restaurant -- a Banh Mi Taco, served with barbecue chicken fried rice. 


For dessert, Godiva Chocolate had sweet treats for all, from drinks to mousse, to samples of their Belgium chocolate. Also there all the way from New York was the Big Gay Ice Cream truck, a big hit on a hot night.

Since the party was also the first night of SOBEWFF, many of the festival’s stars stopped by to visit the participating chefs. Andrew Zimmern, Robert Irvine and Rachael Ray were just a few who chowed down with their friends.

I stayed until the end and then headed back to The National Hotel for some rest. Day two at the Food Network South Beach Wine and Food Festival was going to be a big one for me that included lots of interviews, some time with Antonio Banderas, and more food, wine and spirits than you could ever imagine.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Food Network Chefs and Parties in Atlantic City

I spent the morning interviewing some of the Food Network’s best before the activities of their Atlantic City Food & Wine Festival began. It was casual and fun, and I had a chance to get to know Pat and Gina Nelly; Robert Irvine; and Sunny Anderson, as well as catch up with Guy Fieri, who I’ve done stories on for a number of publications in the past year*. (You can see my Los Angeles Confidential piece here.) I have to say there wasn’t an overinflated ego in the room as everyone talked about the importance of getting kids to make healthier food choices.

After the interviews, my daughter Sam and I headed over to the Robert Mondavi Grand Market. This year they added an Italian Village section (not all Italian, but certainly full of tasty booths) to spread it out a bit more. As always, there is more food and drinks than you can possibly enjoy, so I suggest everyone allow for at least two trips there.

This was my first visit during the 2011 festival and I navigated my way over to the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc from The Beach House, which is a wonderful and inexpensive find. Sam, who loves to cook for her friends, was fascinated with the Roasted Garlic Express, and it produces well. She also discovered some delicious food at the booth for Harry’s Oyster Bar & Seafood, and we enjoyed dipping and trying the Balsamic Vinegars and Olive Oils at City 2 Shore. The Pecan Pie from Potito’s was just the way I like it – buttery and not too sweet -- but the sugar in Pecan Jacks nuts was from Caribbean Rum, Amaretto (my favorite) and Bourbon.

At last year’s Guy Fieri Cheesesteak Challenge, I discovered 2 Chicks with Chocolate. The company has grown, but the quality has remained the same. There was plenty more to satisfy my sweet tooth. Fortunately, I’ve learned to just take tasting bites of: Sand Dollar Crumb Cake, moist and rich; Daisy Cakes, the carrot was incredible; and Brix Chocolate for Wine, good with or without the vino. I finished Saturday’s Grand Market experience with a taste of Thatcher’s Organic Artisan Elderflower Liqueur, flavorful and not full of sugar, and spoke with Rocky Fino, who gave me copies of his books Will Cook For Sex: A Guy's Guide to Cooking and Will Mix for Sex: Twenty-One Classic Cocktails to Set the Mood, both of which I’m anxious to read.

We headed out to the Boardwalk and ran into the Cooking Channel Ice Cream Truck, giving out cool treats in celebration of the channel’s one year anniversary. Then it was on to Fire and Ice in the Courtyard just outside of Caesar’s. It was one of my favorite events, with music playing as we enjoyed tastes of Latin food and plenty of wine and spirits. Everything was great, but I especially loved the Mango Habanero Guacamole from Chef Ivy Stark of Dos Caminos.

Unfortunately, I was unable to get tickets to two great events with Sunny Anderson, Sunset Sliders and Sweet & Stylish, but I used the opportunity to chill for awhile in the House of Blues Studio Suite at Showboat before the Chef’s Party at The Foundation Room. It was rather crowded and the chefs just made brief appearances with body guards. As much as I love The Foundation Room at the House of Blues (don’t go to Atlantic City without stopping by for a drink or dinner), I think this event would have been better in a larger location. By about 1:30 am, 2e headed back to our suite (which was just down the hall) to get some rest before the final day of the Food Network’s Atlantic City Food and Wine Festival.

*I will be doing feature stories on all the chefs for a great new website I am working for, Travel, Food & Drink.


(Sorry for the delay between Atlantic City blog posts, I was on assignment for two weeks and it made blogging difficult. It’s something I know to plan for in advance in the future.)

Photos by Samantha Frost

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Wine, Spirits, Sexy Women and Cheesesteak in Atlantic City

As strange as the title of this post sounds, it’s a rundown of my first full day at the Food Network Atlantic City Food and Wine Festival. And what a fun day it was.

The events weren’t starting until the evening so I used the time to catch up with Michael Green, former Gourmet Magazine editor and current wine and cocktail guru. We had drinks in Trinity Pub at the Shops at Caesars. We were joined by Michael’s partner at Liquid Assets, Andrew Levine, for a fun and informative discussion on the Food Network Festivals (they work closely with Food & Wine Magazine as well as Food Network on all of them).  I was disappointed that I didn’t have any of their seminars on my overbooked schedule, but vowed to catch them at one of the future events.

My daughter Sam joined me at the Pier Shops for lunch before we headed to change hotels. As much as I loved Harrah’s (and there’s a lot to love), the events I would be attending were mostly down at the Boardwalk so we were changing to Showboat. We were also lucky enough to get a House of Blues Studio Suite which definitely makes you feel like a rock star! It’s a spacious room with a circular couch and an amazing entertainment system. I wished I had longer to test out the sound, but it was time for us to make our way down the hall to Foundation Room.

A trip to Atlantic City is not complete without a stop at the Foundation Room in the House of Blues. I was so impressed last year with the décor and comfortable booths (not to mention the view from the patio) that I couldn’t stop talking about it. This time I was here for the Sexy Women Eatevent with Divya Gugnani.

I have to confess that I didn’t do my homework on Divya before I got there and it may have been a good think. Had I walked in knowing that this woman had an MBA from Harvard and was a high powered business woman, I might have expected to be bored. Instead, I met a friendly, personable woman who made everyone feel more like they were coming into her living room than paying to attend her event. We were served tasty cocktails, like Drinkable Dessert (Perrier Jouët Champagne and Chambord) that were all under 150 calories along with Chicken Fingers in Panchenko with Corn Salsa and an Apple Walnut Snack as Divya told us how important it was to treat ourselves right. After she gave every person a copy of her book and spoke to each one as she signed it, I don’t think anyone left the room not feeling “sexy.”

From the 150 calorie bites I went in the exact opposite direction to Guy Fieri’s Cheesesteak Battle. This year it was held outside in a tent between Bally’s and Caesars. It was a nice idea to set up in the tents in comparison to last year when everyone crowded into the ballroom, but it unfortunately turned into the hottest night of the year that became one of the rainiest. Guy’s helicopter was delayed and our shoes were mud soaked, yet I don’t think I saw one unhappy person! 

The tents were filled with eight restaurants putting out their best product and hoping to go home with the gigantic trophy. In addition to the tasty and unusual cheese steaks, were the complete fixings – onion rings, French fries, potato salad, coleslaw and more.  There was also no shortage of wine, spirits and Blue Moon beer to wash it down with. I did my duty as a food writer and tasted every one of the cheese steaks and did not have trouble picking my winner – Continental’s Eggroll Cheesesteak. It was absolutely delicious, with a crisp eggroll coating around tender meat and gooey cheese.  I also have to give a shoutout to Sack-O-Subs Pinky, an Italian style Cheesesteak with mozzarella and tomato sauce. Guy Fieri, on the other hand, went for the Classic with Whiz from Wit or Witout, which I thought was more bread than meat.

When the rain let up, we made our way back to Showboat Hotel, where we stopped to check out Wine Unplugged, The Dead. The band was very good and the wine selection (chosen by Michael Green) diverse and international. I had some great 2009 Hogue Gewurztrminer from Washington, with a good balance of sweet and spice, and before we headed to our suite to catch some shuteye before another day of food, wine and spirits.

Sunday, July 31, 2011

Welcome to Food, Wine & Festival Fun in Atlantic City

For the second year in a row, I was invited to the Food Network's Food and Wine Festival in Atlantic City, New Jersey. As much fun as I have in South Beach, this one is extra special to me. The Jersey Shore isn't a television show as far as I am concerned. It's a place where I enjoyed the boardwalk with my family as a kid, and came to enjoy the casinos and the beach as an adult.  And, when you add in friendly chefs, great food, wine from around the world and lots of spirits, it all spells a whole lot of fun.
I'm lucky enough to have my daughter Sam helping me out with photos and stories this year (and having fun). We arrived at the Chelsea Hotel, a modern boutique property at the end of the strip, in time for some of their "Bikinis and Martinis" party. The rooftop at Chelsea is a great place for a party and though the only ones in bikinis were the servers, there were plenty of interesting Martinis made with Cruzan Rum.

We went straight from the party at The Chelsea to Harrah's Resort, where we quickly checked into a spacious room in the Waterfront Tower and headed down to The Pool for the Kick Off party to the Food Network Atlantic City Food and Wine Festival. I hadn't been at The Pool since my trip here last year and I had almost forgotten what a great space it is. It's a huge solarium filled with jacuzzis and bars (upstairs and down) and, of course, a pool. It's a fun place for the day and a hot spot at night, but it was especially exciting for is party, with wonderful representation of the food, wine and spirits to come.

I enjoyed a some of Mumm's Rose Sparkling Wine, always a favorite, as well as Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, which I was trying for the first time. Among the food we were able to sample were two delicious items from Food Network star finalists: Braised Lamb Shank Crostini from Chris Nirschel and Asian Meatball Sliders from Jeff Mauro. Sam love the Tuna with Sushi Rice from Harrah's McCormack and Schmidt.

The Kickoff Party was definitely a hit in my book and as I settled in for a few hours sleep I knew that this was going to be quite a festival!