Thursday at The New Orleans Wine and Food Experience
As I mentioned in my last post, I have been in the Crescent City, enjoying the New Orleans Wine and Food Experience (NOWFE), a 5 day long epicurien blow out. NOWFE celebrated its 20th anniversary this year, as a fund raiser for several regional organizations fighting hunger and supporting culinary education. The feasting began on Tuesday evening with the Ella Brennan Award Dinner, and various of the city’s best known restaurants continued through Wednesday and Thursday by hosting a series of wine dinners. For me the festivities began on Thursday, with a welcoming media reception at the Carousel Bar of the historic Monteleone Hotel. The bar (and yep- it’s called Carousel because that’s what it is) has had a face lift since I peeked in at it last August while attending IFBC NOLA. Not only was the bar quite impressive, but the excellent food, wine and wonderful service we received there were standouts, too. Some of my fellow attendees included Liz Williams (Founder and Director of the Southern Food and Beverage Museum), and Ron Ben-Israel, renown cake decorator who flew in from New York to participate, and as you can see jumped right into the spirit of New Orleans. Then we took to the street for the Royal Street Stroll. Rue Royal, the traditional “main drag” of the Vieux Carré, is filled with antique shops and boutiques (who opened their doors to us), and perhaps more ornate ironwork than any street in the Quarter. On Thursday night, it also was full of food and drink vendors eager to share their taste with us. And since it was New Orleans, there were also great street musicians, too. My favorite – The G-String Orchestra. My favorite bites- the Barbecued Oysters from Drago’s (grilled on their very own hook and ladder truck) and the Shrimp with Stone Ground Grits from The Pelican Club. Oh, and what would any New Orleans celebration be without a krewe marching through the streets. For tonight- who else- The Krewe of Cork, along with The Cork Poppers Marching Band. ...
read moreArriving Just in Time for the New Orleans Wine and Food Experience
I arrived in New Orleans last night. I’m here to attend the New Orleans Food and Wine Experience. Trying to get back on good footing after Hotwire.ocm completely screwed up my car rental reservation. I spent an hour or so on the phone with their customer service last evening, but in spite of her help and profuse apologies, they seemed unable to get me a car- a glitch in the computer system she said. Oh well… So I made a reservation this morning at Budget- let’s hope they get it right and will be going to pick up my car in an hour. But back to the Wine and Food Experience (NOWFE). It’s their 20th anniversary. I know some of you may not have heard of it- I regret to say I had not really been aware of it either until tipped off by my online friend and editor at OKRA (the online publication of the Southern Food and Beverage Museum-I’m going to visit there this afternoon), Stephanie Carter, who suggested I request a media access pass. Thank you so much, Stephanie, and thanks to NOWFE for granting me a media pass. Here are some of the great events I have to look forward to in the next few days. Tomorrow evening Things kick off with a little reception at the Monteleone Hotel before we head off to the Royal Street Stroll. Rue Royale in the French Quarter will be open to foot traffic only so that participants can stroll the antique shops there, enjoy live music, watching the Krewe of Cork parade all while sipping wines and enjoying tastes from some of the city’s finest restaurants, like Antoine’s (my cousin, Raoul tells me this is one of the oldest eateries in the country). The Bombay Club, Drago’s and The Pelican Club. Royal Street Stroll Friday afternoon I head off to a seminar on Rosé wines (you all know how I feel about them) at the Marriott. And then Friday and Saturday evenings are devoted to the Grand Tastings at the Convention Center-samples of wine from more wineries I can begin to mention here, and offerings from New Orleans’ finest chefs. Grand Tasting Oh, and just for a little bonus, Barefoot Wine invited me to a champagne luncheon at Antoine’s Friday afternoon. I’m a lucky girl, right? You can read more about my time at NOWFE at the following posts: Thursday at The New Orleans Wine and Food Experience The Grand Tasting at New Orleans Wine and Food Experience 2012 Oysters Rockefeller, Escargots and Barefoot...
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