WE took 1300 pictures I better do a report! (updated 2/20 DONE!)

[kabuki]

Great reviews! We'll be enjoying all of this very shortly (aside from me being pregnant and not able to enjoy the wine).

We loved the Chilaquiles last year! I made the recipe at home and it came out really good!

Thanks!

I always say I am going to make them but don't, it's good to know the recipe turns out well!

Have fun... the food was really good this year! and congratulations!

 

[kabuki]

OK Lets try this again..Photobucket is giving me the s%&^%&*!

Cape Town, South Africa!

Durban Spiced Chicken ( Again ... No Sugar Cane this year! BOOOO! )
With the Pinotage

I was not thrilled with this but think I was wanting 4 years ago when it was on the sugar cane, it's also a booth that doesn't change a lot!
Jason's comment: Was spicier than expected and I liked it quite a lot!


Bobotie with a mango chutney

Thought this was good! I have a friend who makes this from scratch and hers is amazing but this is VERY good for making it for the masses!

Jason's comment: Love this booth-every year. The goatfather red was a great little drinker and not to be missed. Also the Dasani paired well with the Florida heat and humidity!

Spice cake with chocolate sauce!

I am not a big sweets person but I really liked this a lot. Though it was very good and moist!

Sugar Boy Jason Loved it also!

 

[oybolshoi]

What is that sprinkled over the top of your chocolate cake?

We skipped this booth due to their fear of change but I was curious about the dessert ...

 

[kabuki]

Melbourne, Australia

OK! LAMB CHOPS! I have a couple pics of them one with shrimp and one by themselves! This was my favorite booth item! They were FANTASTIC! I will spare you the shot of me eating them that I sent to my Non-meat eating sister! (we are so not related!)

Single Lamb Chop!

Another Lamb Chop and the Wattleseed Mousse

2 more chops and they most likely were both MINE!!!!
Oh yea and someones shrimp...

Jason's Comment: Chelsi is not in any way doing this justice - nor is she giving you all the "facts" about our lamb fest - this trip. First, we probably had four or five the first two days - and each time we passed them, we had to convince the booth operators to keep adding my chop to the plate....Chels would try to grab it first.

Second, we began "advertising" the chops to passer bys and all our friends who joined us - so we could get a "free" bite on their "dime."

We loved the chops, ate the chops, miss the chops and ask anyone who cares to please send us one or three!

Oh yeah - the wines were great here - but the shrimp was blah and the waddleseed, whatever, was blech!

 

[kabuki]

What is that sprinkled over the top of your chocolate cake?

We skipped this booth due to their fear of change but I was curious about the dessert ...

It was COCONUT! I know .. the picture turned out strange and it looks like rice but it was coconut!
If they have it again .. it was good and the wines are good even though they have strange animal labels!
Jason loves chocolate ALMOST as much as I love cheese so he tried all the desserts even if a picture isn't posted! My little hypoglycemic boy that he is.. he needs a helmet and a jungle gym!

Jason's Comment TO ME: You are the devil sir!

 

[oybolshoi]

It was COCONUT! I know .. the picture turned out strange and it looks like rice but it was coconut!
If they have it again .. it was good and the wines are good even though they have strange animal labels!
Jason loves chocolate ALMOST as much as I love cheese so he tried all the desserts even if a picture isn't posted! My little hypoglycemic boy that he is.. he needs a helmet and a jungle gym!

Jason's Comment TO ME: You are the devil sir!

Well, I'm glad we didn't order any since I don't like coconut.

We do enjoy the Goats do Roam wines but it would be nice to see some other selections at the SA booth, or maybe some Amarula Cream to wash down the dessert.

 

[kabuki]

Munich,Germany

(or as I say .. how much for that small wiener? )
Well .. I don't have a lot to say about this booth and will let Jason do the comments. This is all he has when his friends don't come and want to do the "Sausage Fest" with him! (Sausage Fest is my loving term for Biergarten. I wont do it. The smell and seeing him and the rest come out all shiny was enough for me.. ) Anyway..Here is Jason's review! !


Spaetzle with creamy mushroom sauce

Regensburger Sausage with Sauerkraut in a pretzel roll

Jason's Comment: The spaetzel was the best of any year, yet - and the mushroom sauce, great. Best I can remember. Chelsi, however, is right about the sausage at the booth...small, and not too great - but add lots of mustard and the party begins.

I must, however, comment on her poor representative comments of the "Sausage Fest" aka Beirgarten. I will review it another time and place, but how can one go wrong with the keg sized beers, Ricooooo-lah players and buffet - all you can eat - sausage and spaetzel....YUM!

 

[kabuki]

Balogna, Itay! OH MY GOD WE ARE ONLY 1/2 WAY???

Baked Ziti and the Sartori Pinot Grigio

I thought this was good this year and was amazed by the size of the portion! It was a lot of food. I also liked the recyclable plate they gave it to you on! The wine was nice and crisp also! YUMMY!


Pizza with Sausage

Yep.. thats what it was alright...

The wines

Jason's comments: As above, try all of the grigios too.

 

[BriarRosie]

Before I begin, I want to say I feel a bit inadequate with only a little over 200 pictures, and I didn't visit as many kiosk offerings.

Spoodles!

This was wonderful and what was NEEDED to start the day!

Jason Comment: See how happy coffee makes my day?!

I'd be just as happy if I had a press pot of coffee when I'm that exhausted, too. (Kona Cafe and Boma breakfasts are spectacular for that feature!)

As you can see we don't have a big smiley picture of him with the fruit but it was fresh and a lot of it!

(sorry half eaten food haters)

Heheh. I might have to report you to the half-eaten food police. Thpppt.

Jason Comment: This was my vote for this years Christmas card. However, the last few years our cards have all been pictures of wine, wineries and drinking adventures. Maybe this year another backdrop so as to not encourage the family to host an intervention.

LOL! I was going to make an intervention comment during my report.

Jason's Comment: I love wine. And not all free wine is good wine. This year, however, the caliber of wines and presenters were top notch. I only hope they decide to do more of them next year!

The final thoughts about the free wine talks for us - Again the week plus we went, we didn't have problems getting into the classes. As the week got closer to Columbus Day it was busier but not over crowded. The speakers were wonderful. We didn't do any of the food demos or the paid event BUT our friends did do the Ming Tsai kitchen lunch while we were in a wine talk next door. This was the biggest mistake this year. You could hear everything from both camps and although I was willing to give some leeway on this because I was at a free event, my friends who paid $75 each for a talk with a chef, one scallop and a small glass of wine, thought that this wasn't acceptable. They need to hold the paid event someplace were they are not being disturbed by the people walking by or other events going on!
We purchased a few wines at the wine store and had them sent to the International Gateway for pick up without at glitch. The wines they sold were very reasonable and we found only a few dollars more then what you would pay at a store at home. They also offered some great new choices.

I didn't do any of the free demos, culinary or wine. I just never really found anything that interested me. But I do think you totally nailed it with the distraction of the acoustics of this venue, but only for people close to the walkways. That's the problem Brenda had with our Kitchen Conversations. Since I was on the farthest side away from the walkway, and very close to the loudspeakers, I didn't have any ambient noise issues. She wasn't so fortunate.

With That we give you - PORK POT STICKERS

They were PORKY - They were POT STICKERIFIC!

Egad. Your Brendafication is almost complete! You've got your own snarky Jason....check! You've got an unholy fascination with cheese...check! And now you're speaking in Bendy Tongues! Pot Stickerific?

Ok, about the kiosk food:
Cheese - You can keep the asiago; and Brenda can keep the Manchego. I like it enough because I buy Manchego, but I really loved the Dorothea cheese.

I'll be talking about some of the other stuff in my report, eventually. But I didn't sample nearly as much as you did. I totally bypassed a TON of kiosks, actually. Sad that my appetite couldn't keep up. Or I need to find a sharing buddy to keep my appetite going.

I'm totally enjoying this. Let the snarkfest continue!

 

[kabuki]

Before I begin, I want to say I feel a bit inadequate with only a little over 200 pictures, and I didn't visit as many kiosk offerings.



I'd be just as happy if I had a press pot of coffee when I'm that exhausted, too. (Kona Cafe and Boma breakfasts are spectacular for that feature!)



Heheh. I might have to report you to the half-eaten food police. Thpppt.



LOL! I was going to make an intervention comment during my report.



I didn't do any of the free demos, culinary or wine. I just never really found anything that interested me. But I do think you totally nailed it with the distraction of the acoustics of this venue, but only for people close to the walkways. That's the problem Brenda had with our Kitchen Conversations. Since I was on the farthest side away from the walkway, and very close to the loudspeakers, I didn't have any ambient noise issues. She wasn't so fortunate.



Egad. Your Brendafication is almost complete! You've got your own snarky Jason....check! You've got an unholy fascination with cheese...check! And now you're speaking in Bendy Tongues! Pot Stickerific?

Ok, about the kiosk food:
Cheese - You can keep the asiago; and Brenda can keep the Manchego. I like it enough because I buy Manchego, but I really loved the Dorothea cheese.

I'll be talking about some of the other stuff in my report, eventually. But I didn't sample nearly as much as you did. I totally bypassed a TON of kiosks, actually. Sad that my appetite couldn't keep up. Or I need to find a sharing buddy to keep my appetite going.

I'm totally enjoying this. Let the snarkfest continue!

Thank you Lori! It means a lot coming from you and you did say one key word that makes this whole thing possible! BYPASS! Yes WE will need one if we keep this up! I still can't believe I ate what I did but.. I have the pants to prove it!

Thank you for the Brenda comment..The Jason and the sense of humor was already in place but.. If I can be compared even in a small bit to her ...

We will SNARK on tomorrow! Can't wait for more from you!

and in the immortal words of Brittney Spears (the Toxic years) NIGHT Y'ALL!

 

[onelilspark]

I really liked the Wattleseed mousse, BUT I was the only one out of 5 that day that liked it. OK! I got two that way

And I'm with Jason, the pretzel roll w/ sausage this year was a bit lacking, still tasty, esp with mustard!! But the spatzle was sooooo good

 

[Donald is #1]

Wow, that is a large baked ziti portion!

 

[TPCShauna]

I love your reviews! As I've mentioned several times on Brenda's thread, I SO want to make it to F&W Fest. It almost happened this year, but alas, didn't work out. Love the wine comments as well. Living next door to Napa Valley has it's perks and they are ALL sloshy!

This way at the end of the night I have A LOT OF cheese left! Happy Holidays to ME!

My kind of party!

(Sausage Fest is my loving term for Biergarten.

This is what I call it also. I mean, how many different types of sausage can one person eat, anyway?

 

[kabuki]

OK!!!!!! I don't even know if anyone will care but I am going to try and finish my reviews. As I told a couple people .. the holidays seemed to get in the way of my food reviews and just about everything else in life. Now that those hectic and crazy holiday joys are over I can get back to things that are important! Food Pictures!

We have lost one along the way .. Jason is now at work and thinks that is more important then all this?! He says someone has to pay for the all travel and eating I have planned in the next year!! I guess I was hoping for the lotto or Santa or something else to have this covered but I am happy that someone in this family of 4 (Jason, Me, Kikkoman (Cat 1) and Kabuki (Cat 2)!)
has this covered!

So off to the rodeo .. I mean food reviews.. I have retrieved my handy Food and Wine Festival Map to see what booth I had left off in and it looks like we are in Ireland!

Jason family (grandfather came to New York when he was a wee lad) came from Ireland and actually from Cork. From what I can tell from stories you can't throw a rock in cork without hitting someone with his last name. This is park of the happy pride filled reason he has such a grin on his face. The other is that he knows that a Guinness is waiting for him at the other end of this non-line!

 

[TigerKat]

I'm happy that you're back!

 

[kabuki]

1st item up .. Boxty with bacon chips and Kerrygold garlic and fresh herb butter!

This was a pancake like item made from potatoes ( but not a potato pancake! ) filled with ham and onions and then had a GLOB of butter on top and bacon crummblies.

I should have liked everything about this ..
POTATOES ..umm check!
Bacon ..hmmm check! and HAM??!!! CHECK!!!!
ONIONS.. CHECK!
Butter...Check!!

But.. if it had been hot and the butter could have melted it would be great. This was slightly warm and the butter was a big glop o gloop. Sound appealing? Nope it wasn't! It wasn't horrible but I wanted it to be great. Jason the eating machine Loved it!

 

[kabuki]

We also had the Potato Leek Soup with a Dubliner Cheese Stick
and MANY ,MANY ,MANY Frozen Irish Coffees!

The soup was good and would have been great if I wasn't in 2,000% humidity! Just seemed a little strange have warm cup o soup at this point but if I ran into the Japanese Hello Kitty shop with the Super A/C it would have been perfect!

As for the Frozen Irish Coffees .. I have A LOT of pictures of our group drinking these because everyone loved them but think it's just best to let Pearville explain how good they are!


Jason Pear

Chelsi Pear

Zeke Pear

Jodee Pear

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

Love the pearville pics! I thought that coffee was pretty darned good too-especially in that heat.

 

[TinkerBelle_325]

Loving your reviews! They are getting me excited for the 2009 F&W Festival! We will be there Thursday Sept 24th - Oct 3rd and I'm really hoping that they do a preview night on the Thursday

Considering that next year's theme is "Culinary Adventures" I'm hoping we get more than a handful of new items.

I'll admit I have my favorites but I'd rather have exciting new items! This year the escargot en brioche were to die for! The goat cheese tart for 2006 was as well. I say keep the new things coming!

 

[ryanshana]

It's almost dinner time here and while I will not be enjoying anything as awesome as you had at the festival you sure are making me hungry!