Events This Week: MidAtlantic Wine & Food, Fork & Cork
This week, head to Wilmington, DE for the MidAtlantic Wine & Food Festival and experience Dogfish Head founder Sam Calagione expert beer pairings. If you find yourself on the West Coast, put your sampling glass to work at the Paso Robles Wine Festival. Craving international cuisine? Little Rock's Greek Food Festival will satiate your baklava and gyro cravings, and you'll find 15 block's worth of ethnic dishes at NYC's 9th Avenue International Food Festival. Oh, and if you happen to be in Texas, say hi to FR co-founder Marcus Samuelsson for us at Addison's Fork & Cork.
MidAtlantic Wine & Food Festival
Wilmington, DE
May 14-18
The MidAtlantic Wine & Food Festival welcomes 90 chefs and 20 winemakers from around the world to participate in four delicious days of events. Attend one of Thursday's interactive lunches, like sushi and sake with chefs Robert Wood and Yasuhiro Sano or a festival brew lunch at the Dogfish Head Brewery, with pairings curated by Chef Brenton Wallace and Dogfish Head founder Sam Calagione. Try your luck at the blind wine tasting and scavenger hunt at Siena Gold Farm and score a ticket in advance to the festival's signature dinner: Bacon & Bourbon.
Paso Robles, CA
May 15-18
The 32nd Annual Paso Robles Wine Festival showcases the bounty of California's wine country with more than 130 contingent events hosted by local wineries. Attend the Friday night reserve event and auction, where you can taste 50+ wine varietals paired with bites from Apple Farm Restaurant, Vivant Fine Cheese and more local favorites. At Saturday's Grand Tasting, put your sampling glass to work as you taste from the complete lineup of Paso Robles wineries to live music.
Addison, TX
May 16-17
Addison's two-day Fork & Cork festival brings together local talents and celebrity chefs from around the nation in a celebration of the city's chef-driven establishments — all benefitting Dallas-based culinary education center Café Momentum. Friday, in between live music sets from Dallas String Quartet and The Whiskey Folk Ramblers, learn all about "live fire cooking" with Chef Tim Byres of Dallas' Smoke restaurant. Saturday, join Marcus Samuelsson for a cooking demo and tasting and end the evening with tunes from country musician Pat Green.
Little Rock, AR
May 16-18
This weekend, the Little Rock Greek Food Festival is celebrating its 30th year by serving up delicious Greek and Mediterranean food while benefitting more than 30 non-profits through ticket proceeds. Chow down on baklava, gyros, calamari, pastitso and more while browsing the Old World Market for imported jewelry, ceramics and home décor. There's an impressive lineup of live folkdance and music performances slated for the main stage...then back to the food stands for more gyros.
9th Avenue International Food Festival
New York, NY
May 17-18
New York's largest and longest-running food festival is going down this weekend, offering 15 blocks' worth of food and drink to 200,000+ hungry citygoers. Pick up a beef and potato empanada at Empanada Mama or grab a cheesy slice at Zigolini's Pizza Bar. Don't be a hero and try to pack it all into the span of one day — come back Sunday for Indonesian food from Bali Nusa Indah and spicy curry from Pure Thai Cookhouse.
Upcoming:
New Orleans Food & Wine Experience
New Orleans, LA
May 21-24
The New Orleans Food & Wine Experience attracts more than 10,000 gourmands to celebrate the talent of local chefs and winemakers from around the country with a lineup of wine dinners, seminars and tastings. This year, learn the secrets of top chocolatiers with pastry chef Rhonda Ruckman, get schooled in the importance of soil for winemaking in Clay Mauritson and Jay Somers' seminar "Talk Dirty to Me" and stroll down Royal Street to enjoy a beautiful 8-block stretch of antiquing/wine-tasting. The festival culminates in Saturday's grand tasting, where, in between food and drink samples, you can watch 10 chefs compete in a cook-off for the title of "King of Louisiana Seafood."
Cincinnati, OH
May 24-25
Cincinnati celebrates Memorial Day Weekend with food from 40 of the city's best restaurants and a constant stream of local musical acts and more. In between sets from The Zinzinnati Bier Band and stand-up from Sally Brooks, head over to The Taste Experience in the P&G gardens, where fine dining restaurants show off the best of their menus. Order a champagne ice from Aglamesies, so you can indulge in booze and dessert at the same time.
Brooklyn, NY
May 29
At Brooklyn Uncorked, presented by Edible Brooklyn at the Skylight One Hanson event space in Fort Greene, you'll sample a variety of New York wines and sample some of the best food the city has to offer. Enjoy small plates from Gramercy Tavern, Murray's Cheese and The Dogwood paired with wine from Channing Daughters Brotherhood and Finger Lakes Wine Alliance. If you live inor near New York City, you're in for a delicious summer, and Brooklyn Uncorked just might be the perfect kick-off event.