Category Archives: Enticing Events

Foodie Events — From Tamales to Tom Douglas and More

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In San Francisco:

If you love tamales and can hold your tequila, head to “A Taste of Tequila and Tamales” in San Francisco on April 18.

The event, noon to 4:30 p.m. at Fort Mason Center, near the Marriott San Francisco Fisherman’s Wharf, will feature a delicious assortment of those luscious  masa-wrapped specialities from Cocina Poblana, the Tamale Factory, Evelia, and others. Enjoy premium tequilas, too, from Jose Cuervo Tradicional and Tequila Don Julio.

Rancho Gordo also will be cooking up its unique heirloom beans. And Sabores del Sur will be handing out its famous alfajores cookie sandwiches.

Advance tickets are $35; tickets at the door are $40.

The event benefits the Benchmark Institute, a non-profit that teaches advocates how to use the law to help lower-income communities.

Join Seattle Chef Tom Douglas and Master Sommelier Andrea Immer as they host the “Perfect Pairing Party” at Macy’s Union Square Cellar, a short walk from the Campton Place Taj Hotel, at 6 p.m. April 7.

Immer will talk about her new stemware collection and demonstrate how to pair wines with Douglas’ dishes.

Tickets are $15 at the door. All proceeds benefit Meals on Wheels, which provides meals for homebound seniors. Reserve your spot here.

Speaking of Meals on Wheels, you absolutely won’t want to miss its 23rd annual mega gala on May 16 at Fort Mason’s Festival Pavilion, near the Fairmont Heritage Place.

The annual “Star Chefs & Vintners Gala” fund-raiser is the largest fund-raiser for the San Francisco organization. Last year’s event raised $1.1 million to provide meals to seniors.

Chef Nancy Oakes of Boulevard restaurant in San Francisco returns to oversee the extraordinary culinary event that features more than 70 chefs from Northern California’s top restaurants. Among this year’s participating chefs are: Mouhrad Lahlou of Aziza in San Francisco, Chris Cosentino of Incanto in San Francisco, Richard Reddington of Redd in Yountville, and Mark Sullivan of Spruce in San Francisco.

More than 75 vintners will be pouring, including Frog’s Leap Winery, Pride Mountain Vineyards, and Duckhorn Wine Company. If that weren’t enough, look for master mixologists to whip up exotic cocktails.

The evening begins with an extensive array of hors d’oeuvres created at chef stations. That’s followed by a three-course, sit-down dinner, with each course prepared by one of 27 chefs. The evening ends with a lavish dessert buffet.

Silent and live auction prizes include a party at a luxury Sun Valley, Idaho penthouse with food prepared by Oakes.

Tickets are $400. For more information, call (415) 343-1280.

In Pebble Beach and Monterey:

Celebrated chefs, Suzanne Goin of Lucques in Los Angeles, and Rick Bayless of Topolobampo and Frontera Grill, both in Chicago, will be the top honorees at this year’s “Cooking for Solutions” event, May 21-22, at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

The annual event is all about spreading the gospel of sustainable seafood. The May 21 gala will feature gourmet eats from 75 restaurants and wines from more than 60 vintners. May 22, chefs will lead culinary outings and host cooking demonstrations.

Participating chefs include Joanne Chang of Flour Bakery + Cafe in Boston, Kevin Gillespie of Woodfire Grill in Atlanta and “Top Chef” fame, and Sam Choy of Sam Choy’s Breakfast, Lunch & Crab in Honolulu.

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These Are A Few of My Favorite Things…

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If you saw my dining room table recently, you would have thought Willy Wonka had set up shop in my house.

Truffles, chocolate bars, nut brittle, bonbons, and more covered it from one end to the other. And yes,  I had to eat all of it. Well, at least try each and every piece.

It was all part of my judging duties for the fourth annual San Francisco Chocolate Salon, the sugaraholic’s dream event where chocolate makers show off their wares to media and members of the public, who get to sample and vote for their favorites.

Yours truly was on the team of expert panelists. For those, like myself, who couldn’t make it to the actual event this year at Fort Mason, the event organizers had the chocolate samples sent to our homes instead. Hence, the veritable candy shop in my dining room.

Here’s the list of winning chocolates from the event. And below, find my picks for my new favorite chocolate products.

What: Montana’s Posh Chocolat’s Artisan Sea Salt Caramels (photo above)

Why: Five different exotic, soft, sticky caramels enrobed in dark chocolate, each topped with a different sea salt. Think White Truffle Oil Caramel with Hawaiian Pink Sea Salt. It sounds weird, and it is different. But wow, is it elegant and memorable. And yes, you can really taste the pungent truffle oil. $15 for a box of 10.

What: Palo Alto’s  Gateau et Ganache’s Handmade Marshmallows

Why: OK, how cute are these? Shaped like pastel daisies, the spring assortment comes in flavors of lemon, passion fruit and strawberry. They’re light, springy and very fruity tasting. Nine marshmallows are $12.

What: Jade Chocolates of San Francisco for Chocolate-Covered Edamame and Dragon’s Breath, Kuro Genmai, and Mahal chocolate bars

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“Toast of the Town” VIP Tickets Giveaway

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How would you like to taste 500 premium wines and spirits, and nosh on gourmet creations from more than 30 top Bay Area restaurants — all in one spot?

And uh-hem, how’d you like to do all that for FREE?

Two lucky folks can.

Food Gal is thrilled to be giving away one pair of VIP tickets to “Toast of the Town,” a wine and food extravaganza at the stunning War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco, a short hop from the Phoenix Hotel-Civic Center.

The April 22 event, presented by Wine Enthusiast magazine and the Wall Street Journal, benefits the San Francisco Food Bank.

Participating restaurants include Farallon Restaurant in San Francisco, Le Mar Cebicheria Peruana in San Francisco, and Mustards Grill in Napa. Participating wineries include Archery Summit, Champagne Louis Roederer, Rubicon Estate and Domain Drouhin.

Tickets are $89 (or $79 if purchased by April 1).  VIP tickets are $169 (or $149 if purchased by April 1).

With the VIP tickets, you get in at 5 p.m. — two hours earlier than regular ticket holders — to beat the crowds to all that tasty food and wine.

So how do you score the free pair of VIP tickets?

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Celebrating All Things Goat, Rhone & Cheese

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A Great Goat Time

They call themselves the “Goat Girls.”

Don’t ya just love the name?

Jennifer Bice of Redwood Hill Farm and Creamery, Laura Howard of Laloo’s Goat’s Milk Ice Cream, and Mary Keehn of Cypress Grove Chevre, have teamed up to host the first “Goat Festival” on April 17 at the San Francisco Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, steps from the Hotel Vitale.

After all, goat’s milk is the most common milk consumed throughout the world, with a chemical structure that is apparently similar to mother’s milk. It’s higher in calcium, vitamins A and B6, and minerals than cow’s milk. It’s also naturally low in lactose.

Join the Goat Girls, 10 a.m.-11 a.m., for a talk, then a chance to sample goat milk products.

At 11 a.m., Mark Dommen, chef of One Market in San Francisco, takes the stage to do a cooking demo using seasonal ingredients and goat milk products. At 11:45 a.m., Maggie Ford, author of “Goat Cheese” will do a cooking demo and book signing. Finally, at 12:30 p.m., Gordon Edgar, author of “Cheesemonger: A Life on the Wedge,” will talk about his book and sign copies of it.

There even will be baby goats to “ooh” and “ahh” over near the Sur La Table store.

More Things Cheesy

If you get brie on the brain, the chevre shivers, and juiced about Jack, high-tail it to Petaluma for the fourth annual “California’s Artisan Cheese Festival,” March 26-29,where a veritable mountain of cheese awaits.

We don’t know about you, but we’re swooning at the thought of nearly 40 artisan cheese producers (most of them from California) showing off their specialties at a marketplace along with 20 wineries and breweries — all at the Sheraton Sonoma County in Petaluma. Plus, who can resist the world’s best gooey, cheesy flatbreads served hot from a wood-burning oven?

This four-day cheesy celebration kicks off with an old-fashioned barn dance, followed by a bevy of cheese seminars, a cheese-making demo, and a gala dinner served up by eight cheesemakers, eight chefs, and eight vintners. Tickets are $45 to $130.

California is the second largest producer of cheese in the country. OK, so Wisconsin beats us. But we have cuter cow commercials.

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