February 1, 2011
WAR rocked "Spill the Wine" while Pessagno poured Pinot at Harvest Carmel. Bold flavormaker Rick Bayless got bashful at winning a monster honor at the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Cooking for Solutions. Two nuns made sinfully good chili at the heavensent little cook-off-that-could in Carmel Valley, and blockbuster dudes like Ming Tsai and Jacques Pépin joined dozens of dope chefs in cooking and teaching and partying, rock star chef style, at Pebble Beach Food & Wine.
You heard it here first (if you were reading the blog): 2010 was an epically edible one on in Monterey County, my people.
Here's a thought. The year 2011 will be better.
Here's the top 10 reasons why, given the fact that each of these 10 events, big and small, homey and all-world, will only evolve with another year (and a few inches) under their belts:
Feb. 26 • Big Sur Chanterelle Festival and Cook-Off • 667-0800, www.tastebigsur.com
April 28-May 1 • Pebble Beach Food & Wine • 622-7770, www.pebblebeachfoodandwine.com
May 20–22 • Cooking For Solutions • 644-6886, www.montereybayaquarium.org
May 21-22 • Castroville Artichoke Festival • 633-2465, www.artichoke-festival.org
June 2 • Carmel Valley Art and Wine Festival • 659-4000
June 9-11 • Monterey Wine Festival • (800) 422-0251, www.montereywine.com
September, date TBA • Great Bowls of Fire Chili Cook-off at Holman Ranch • 659-2640
September, date TBA • Food & Wine Harvest Farm-to-Table • 622-7770, www.harvestcarmel.com
Nov. 4-7 • Big Sur Food & Wine Festival • 667-0800, www.bigsurfoodandwine.org
Nov. 12-14 • Monterey Great Wine Escape Weekend • 375-9400, www.montereywines.org
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