SPRUNG! Spring Beer Festival

And the fun is about
to begin!

I'm liking this one...

What's a four letter word that makes you feel tingly all over and relaxes you on those hot, steamy nights? Put away those dirty minds; this is a PG-13 site...I'm talking about BEER. And that is what we had a lot of on March 9th at Sprung! Spring Beer Festival, which took place at Peacock Park in Coconut Grove.

So much to drink....where do we start?

Second stop...

We've only had four....

Put together by the same group that brings us Grovetoberfest, the idea of creating a spring festival-of-sorts featuring Spring and Summer seasonal craft beers actually came to be thanks to the genius of beer enthusiasts who attended the Fall event last year. They wanted something similar to Grovetoberfest in the spring, giving them the opportunity to sample beers considered to be the best brews of the year.  Over 150 craft beers joined the fun, along with a selection of ciders and home brews. Some of the showcased breweries included Sierra Nevada, Brooklyn Brewery, Kona, Blue Moon and Magic Hat, while local Florida beers from Schnebly, Cigar City, and Tequesta Brewing  also quenched our thirsts.

Herbie Fully Wasted

Would you believe
me if I told you I was
in there?

Brave Girl

The event was a huge success, offering not just a paradise for beer lovers, but also some tasty food vendors, a section for games like Giant Jenga, Human Bowling and Mega Twister, and a stage for a beer and food Perfect Pairings workshop presented by local chefs and beer scholars from FIU.  Executive Fantasy Hotels set up a big area to promote their themed rooms with sexy cowgirls, funny picture ops and Bull Riding - which I was dying to do but couldn't because I was wearing a skirt. (Again, this is a PG-13 site). There was also a VIP tent serving a special selection of beers and tasty treats. (My favorite was the Lobster Risotto!)

Bird's Eye View

Tony Albelo (Right) at
At Barley & Swine's Presentation

I'll take the entire skewer please.

The place was packed, and everyone was having a good time. Event Director, Tony Albelo, hit it out of the park with this one and I'm sure we'll all agree Grovetoberfest is just too damn far away! How about a Beach! Summer Beer Festival?

Bottomless fun!

Fourth Age Brewing's Original Names

By this point, I was seeing two DJs

Nothing like watching youth take a political stand

Cheese!

Perfect Pairings Workshops

One Direction in Twenty Years

Lock em up and throw away the beer.

What goes in, must come out.

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Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival 2013

Miami is abuzz with excitement. In just a few days, from February 21st-24th,  we will be kicking off the annual Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival, presented by Food & Wine. Going on its 12th year, it has become one of America's grandest gourmet events, thanks to the vision and commitment of Lee Brian Schrager, who has made this phenomenon what it is today. In star-studded Miami style, the festival showcases the talents of the world’s most renowned wine and spirits producers, chefs and culinary personalities. From its origins as a one day event in Florida International University's Biscayne Bay Campus known as the Florida Extravaganza, to its current global status as a four day international sensation featuring close to 50 culinary events, over 150 chefs, and 250 wine, spirits and non-alcoholic drink suppliers, people from around the world will be coming to Miami to partake in this gastronomic feast. This year's line-up of culinary talent includes big names such as Food Network's Season 3 Next Iron Chef winner Marc Forgione, Chef Emeril Lagasse, Anthony Bourdain, Ingrid Hoffman and Rachael Ray. Events include the traditional Grand Tasting Village as well as a series of seminars, brunches, dinners and parties held all around town. While many of the events are already sold out, there are still some tickets available. To see a full listing of events, visit the SOBEWFF site at http://www.sobefest.com/index.php.  In the meantime, I will be covering several of the events and keeping you up-to-date with a behind-the-scenes look at what's going on in one of the most anticipated culinary events of the year. Be sure to check this page often for links to my posts and latest news on the festival.

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Click on the links below for each post:

Evian Natural Spring Water  & Chef Richard Blais Bring the SOBEWFF fun to you via Instagram. Submit your own tasty pictures and get a behind-the-scenes look at the festival through Chef Blais, as he takes us through the ins and outs of the excitement.

Join in the Instagram & Foodie Fun at SOBEWFF


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Let’s Get Spiked! Celebrity Chef Volleyball Tournament:

There's nothing quite like Miami weather and what better way to enjoy it than watching celebrity chefs battle it out on the sand? “Top Chef”-alum Spike Mendelsohn and Florida Cookery’s own Kris Wessel will host the first ever “Let’s Get Spiked!” celebrity chef volleyball tournament, located behind The James on the sands of Miami Beach. Mendelsohn, Wessel and 14 of their compatriots including Chuck Hughes, Alex Guarnaschelli, Andrew Zimmern, Tim Love, Pat LaFrieda, Marcel Vigneron, Adrianne Calvo, Jeff Mauro, Johnny Iuzzini, Stephanie Izard, Todd Erickson, Justin Warner and Alberto Cabrera, will be broken up into teams of four to battle in a series of fast-paced volleyball matches. It’s one of the only chances for the public to get up and close personal with their favorite chefs free of charge during SBWFF.

When: Friday, Feb. 22

Time: 12 to 2 p.m.
Where: The James Royal Palm - 1545 Collins Avenue

 Open to Public

*****

Amstel Light Burger Bash

The Truffle Burger at The Forge

We all know gourmet burgers are the new "in" food and the SOBEWFF is no exception.  Rachael Ray is back to host the Amstel Light Burger Bash, presented by Pat LaFrieda Meats, on Friday, February 22nd from 7:30 to 10:30. Event-goers will get to taste the country's most creative burgers and innovative side dishes while sipping Amstel Light Lager beer on the sand behind the Ritz-Carlton South Beach hotel. Along with a group of fellow foodies, I had the opportunity to sample a variety of the burgers The Forge Wine Bar, located on 432 41st Street on Miami Beach, was planning on entering at the Burger Bash. They were all unique and each had a distinct quality and characteristic that stood out for each of us. At the end, the tasty treat The Forge decided to showcase at the Burger Bash is the Truffle Burger, featuring an Angus Burger with Oregon Cheddar Sauce, Crispy Truffles and Heirloom Tomatoes. It will be served with a Smokey Lobster Mushroom Slaw topped with Crispy Pork (by the way, the slaw totally took my breath away when I had it). If you're attending this event, (it is currently sold out) come hungry and get ready to be burgerized. Oh and make sure to check out the Truffle Burger from The Forge! 

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Three....Two....One... Blast off!!

It's here! It's here! It's finally here! Today marked the start of the South Beach Wine & Food Festival and there was all sorts of action going on around town. Lee Brian Schrager held the Director's Welcome Happy Hour at the rooftop of The Betsy South Beach hotel, kicking off this year's gastronomical festivities. Everyone enjoyed delicious cocktails and wine, along with a slew of appetizing passed hors d'oeuvres. Later in the evening, the heat went up a notch with vegetarian and wine dinners, a San Francisco experience called Best of the Bay, and Moet Hennesy's The Q Party. Stay tuned for tomorrow's adventures where I'll be sipping and swallowing with The Wine Spectator.

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Fun and Fit as a Family Sponsored by Carnival

Want to go to the SOBEWFF on Saturday, February 23rd and enjoy an awesome event for the entire family? I am giving away 4 tickets to the Fun and Fit as a Family event sponsored by Carnival and presented by Florida Blue. Just enter through Twitter at @mariasgoodtaste and RT any of my SOBEWFF Fun and Fit as a Family contest tweets before 6 pm today to win. Winner will be chosen randomly and notified after 6 pm. Good luck! 

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Wine Spectator's Trade Day

On Friday, February 22nd from 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m., Southern Wine & Spirits of Florida's most valued customers were treated to a special day: the Wine Spectator Trade Day at the Whole Foods Market Grand Tasting Village.  Aside from giving insiders the opportunity to learn about new trends and products in the beverage industry, this invitation-only event offered a sneak peek into the Grand Tasting experience and guests got to sample a variety of rare vintages, unique spirits and select tastings from the participating exhibitors and suppliers. For me, it was a great opportunity to catch a preview of what was to come while meeting some experts in the industry. Cheers!

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Whole Foods Market Grand Tasting Village

An on Saturday off I went to what I consider the mac daddy of the SOBEWFF: The Whole Foods Market Grand Tasting Village. Here is where you can spend seven hours sipping and tasting delicious food, wine and spirits, while interacting with celebrity chefs and culinary personalities. Read all about my adventure here Whole Foods Market Grand Tasting Village.

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SOBEWFF Official Festival Closing Party

Guy Fieri's Reggae Jam with Ziggy Marley Live

It's hard to believe that only a few days ago we were kicking off the most anticipated gastronomical event of the country. But just as all good things must come to an end, so must the SOBEWFF....for 2013 anyway. This year's Official Festival Closing Party was held on the sands of The Ritz-Carlton South Beach, teaming up culinary rockstar Guy Fieri with reggae legend Bob Marley's son, Ziggy Marley, for a reggae jam of huge proportions. The party featured volleyball with celebrity chefs, Vodka and Rum punches that made you crave the Caribbean, and Yeah Mon, hot and spicy Jamaican "Cuisine of the Sun" from Ortanique and Friends, among others. The party rocked, although the long lines to taste the bites (and I do mean long) got a bit uncomfortable at times. Nonetheless, in true Miami style, everyone made the most of it and enjoyed another memory in the epicurean feast. Here are some highlights of the night.

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Zonin's Italian Culinary Experience with Eating House

They're back! And our smiles couldn't be bigger. Casa Vinicola Zonin's monthly Italian Culinary Experience, otherwise known as ZoninICE, returned this month. Held at the Miami Culinary Institute, the monthly five-course lunches host writers, public relations professionals, and others in the industry to a pairing of local chefs' cuisine with wines from different Italian vineyards represented by Casa Vinicola Zonin. With its initiation in 2012, ZoninICE showcased outstanding wines from different regions in Italy, while featuring delicious Italian cuisine from popular restaurants such as Cecconi's at the SoHo Beach House, Scarpetta from the Fontainbleau Hotel, Cioppino from the Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne, Quattro Gatronomia Italiana, and Salumeria 104. To kick of this year's series, Zonin paired select wines from Rocca Di Montemassi Estate in Tuscany with cuisine prepared by Chef Giorgio Rapicavoli from Eating House. The focus of this experience was to highlight how the Italian wines pair well with all types of cuisine, not just Italian.

Chef Giorgio Rapicavoli giving us his charming smile.

The afternoon began as usual, with guests mingling outside the demonstration lab, also known as the food and wine theater, while drinking a glass of refreshing Zonin Prosecco. I have to admit, I have become quite addicted to this Prosecco and will not go without having a bottle or two in my refrigerator. I used to serve it when I prepared brunch at home on Sundays but it has quickly become a nice ritual in the evenings at home as well.

Chef John Richards from the Miami Culinary Institute
welcoming us alongside Jelena Todorovic Meisel and Pieruccio
Riccobono from Casa Vinicola Zonin.

After a few minutes, we entered the impressive demonstration lab and got a look at the Institute's culinary students helping Chef Rapicavoli prepare the Aperitivo. We learned how important it is to pair your wine according to the specific food you're having and not the other way around and how certain aspects of the wine fully bring out the flavors of the food. Then we started our lunch with a variation of Eating House's popular Tomatoes, featuring a mix of local tomatoes, peanuts and coconut ice. It is a tantalizing and cooling combination of salty and sweet, as are many of Rapicavoli's dishes, that I have had the pleasure of enjoying at his restaurant in the past. This starter paired very well with the Zonin Prosecco.

Tomatoes

In his usual laid back and witty style, the chef talked to us about his childhood, his Italian heritage, and his preference of real-life experience in the kitchen rather than formal schooling.  The raw passion Rapicavoli has for cooking, and his non-status-quo views on life deeply resounded in his words. He went on to say how when he was a child, he was the kind of kid who when the teacher explained how tomato sauce was made, he'd reply, "No, it's made like this..." We indulged in his Antipasto creation of Blue Crab, Yuzu Yogurt and Grapefruit, topped with a sliver of cucumber, while listening to his experiences on the Food Network's television show Chopped. This course was exquisitely paired with Rocca Di Montemassi Calasole, a pleasant white with a straw-yellow color and a bouquet of white  flowers and spicy notes.

Blue Crab Dish

The First Course was Pork, served with smoked Sweet Potato and a Dr. Pepper Miso glaze. This course was not only savory and rich, but as an added bonus, we got to see how Rapicavoli used one of his favorite tools in the kitchen: The Smoking Gun. He smoked the sweet potato chunks in the device for about 2 minutes and gave them a perfect, smoky taste to complement the meat. To complement the dish, we sipped Rocca Di Montemassi Le Focaie, which brought out the meat's bold flavors.

Pork

The Second Course consisted of Oxtail, sitting on a bed of "rice-like" cauliflower and sesame. It was an interesting way to prepare the side dish that I had never tasted before. The wine pairing for this dish was my favorite: Rocca Di Montemassi Sassabruna. I loved the ruby red color of the wine and the intense, rich up-front notes of ripe wild berries accompanied by scents of spices and licorice. It combined superbly with the savory profile in the meat.

Oxtail

Excited for dessert, I was giddy to find out to hear Rapicavoli was treating us to one of his most popular: the Dirt Cup, a messy yet decadent combination of Nutella, chocolate and salted caramel.  Like many of his dishes, it was a mind-blowing concoction of sweet and salty proportions. He explained how it was not difficult at all to make, yet people loved it. It is very easy to taste why.  Rapicavoli also shared an inspirational thought he followed; one he learned when he first started his career: You must strive to make your rent in a day and then the rest will fall on its own. Dessert was paired with Castello D'Albola Vin Santo, a sweet-tasting ending to a perfect meal.

"Dirt Cup"

We didn't just get a mouthful but also an earful of some of Rapicavoli's upcoming plans. He is thinking about opening a cocktail bar adjacent to Eating House called the Drinking Room, where guests can come and sip on cocktails before or after getting their fix at the restaurant. Since he feels there are no great doughnut shops in Miami, he plans on opening one creatively called Dese Nuts, and bringing us some more of his unparalleled and original fare. This young chef is as impressive in the kitchen as he is outside of it and I can see him continue to go nowhere but up in this industry.

All wines were spectacular! Here is my
favorite one!

As always, Zonin's Italian Culinary Experience was an afternoon of palate pleasing, wine-loving wonder. I can't wait until the next one....

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