Wine and Spirits Travel

The second day of the Food Network’s Atlantic City Food & Wine Festival was filled to the brim with events.  I had a hard time deciding where to go, but finally narrowed it down – to seven.  Considering I had my daughter Sam along to help me taste, note and photograph, I thought I could handle it. I started off joining three other writers for an informal interview with Guy Fieri .  Why he is called the “bad boy” of the Food Network , I will never know.  Guy was cordial and accommodating.  He actually lit up when I asked him about his appeal to children (my nieces and nephew, ages 12, 10 and 5, love him).  Guy explained his process of talking to kids the same way he talks to adults, adding how important his own relationship to his children is.  Most famous for his shows, like “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,” Ultimate Recipe Showdown” and “Guy’s Big Bite,” the Food Network star also admitted that he feels he’s living a dream beyond his expectation and he wants everyone to get the mes

Day two of the Food Network’s Atlantic City Food and Wine Festival actually didn’t start until the evening, but I had three events to squeeze in there. Stop one was at Guy Fieri’s Cheesesteak Battle. Guy – and I – were going to pick the best one at the Palladium Ballroom in Caesars . It was a food orgy in there with four contestants and a selection of additional food, like a great chicken/asparagus cheesesteak-like offering from Café Roma, Spicy Chicken Dim Sum from Sammy’s Beach Bar, and some absolutely delicious chocolates from 2 Chicks with Chocolate , which I highly recommend checking out. There was also lots of drink offerings, like Rosenblum Cellars wine and Blue Moon beer. Guy and I didn’t quite agree on the winner.  He went for Tony Boloney’s Cheesesteak, which I thought was very good, but a bit too salty for me.  This Atlantic City restaurant beat out my choice, Chinks Steaks of Philadelphia, which I thought was the perfect mixture of tender beer, cheese and onions