Video:

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Emily Ellyn is the Retro Rad Chef who was a Food Network Star Season 8 Finalist and most recently assisted Sweet by Holly to win Cupcake Wars on Food Network.

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Emily’s next cooking with beer class is barbecuing with beer for a Father’s Day Brew-B-Q Class on June 16th at Shipyard Brew Pubin Winter Park. More info and signup at: www.emilyellyn.com/event/brew-b-q-with-retro-rad-emily-ellyn/

 
Retro Rad Chef Emily was kind enough to share her Chocolate Hazelnut Porter Cake recipe and more of her recipes can be found on her website EmilyEllyn.com

 
Words and photos by Julius Mayo Jr.
Recipe by Emily Ellyn
Video edit by Thomas Babiarz

Content and photos © Droolius.com 2013

 

From Fabio’s magazine:

 
Since Top Chef All Stars, Fabio has been creating some great burger recipes for his web show Chow Ciao!, veggie burgers on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and recently was recognized for his burger at Siena Tavern in Chicago (his newest restaurant). Fabio is a burger-making machine these days.

So in honor of Fabio and National Hamburger Month, I present the following photos for The Droolius Style Cheeseburger. You can find my recipe on Fabio’s website:

http://fabioviviani.com/blog/fabios-friends-julius-mayo-jr-droolius/

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The Droolius Style Cheeseburger – half pound burger with fontina cheese, garlic mayonnaise, thick sliced smoked bacon, baby arugula, topped with a fried egg, on a custom Brioche bun

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The custom Brioche bun was made by Sweet Traditions Bakery in Winter Garden, FL
(Thanks Chef Denny!)

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The infamous Egg Drool shot! You know I had to include this one, everyone loves a little Egg Drool action!

So what type of beef blend did I use for the hamburger?
How long did I cook the burger patty?
How did I make my garlic mayonnaise?
How did I fry my egg so perfectly?
WHAT IS THE RECIPE?

 
You can find my FULL recipe for this burger, featured on Chef Fabio’s website:

http://fabioviviani.com/blog/fabios-friends-julius-mayo-jr-droolius/

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Enjoy the recipe and let Fabio and I know what you think about the burger in the comments below…

 
Words and photos by Julius Mayo Jr.
Content and photos © Droolius.com 2013

 

The burger creations rotate on the late menu and the one that remains staple is the Pimento Burger. Currently the specialty burgers are the Butter Burger and the Boar Stew Burger. This month being National Hamburger Month, I thought it was the perfect time to photograph the burgers and get a taste of each one. No, I did not eat all of them by myself, I shared of course. I did savor each bite and really enjoyed the combination of flavors of each one. The curly fries that come with each order are made from scratch and are a great accompaniment to scoop up any topping that fell off the burger.

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Pimento Burger on Cheddar Jalapeno Roll with pimento cheese, fried green tomato, mayo, bread-n-butter pickles

The Pimento Burger is a flavor explosion of tangy house made pimento cheese, a juicy fried green tomato, and a tasty Cheddar Jalapeno Roll. The bread-n-butter pickles give a hit of acidity to cut through all of the richness. It’s a flavorful burger with all of the toppings and very enjoyable.

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Butter Burger on Black Pepper Bun with onion schemer, cheddar, garlic pickle butter

The Butter Burger is a rich and savory burger that swims in flavor. The melted garlic pickle butter has that enjoyable butter and garlic flavor, with just a touch of pickle that really works. The onion schemer adds another layer of flavor that compliments everything on the burger. It may be messy, but every bite is enjoyable by dipping the burger and using the fries to sop up all of the buttery goodness on the plate.

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Boar Stew on Black Pepper Bun with romesco sauce, fried egg, cheese curds

The Boar Stew Burger is a hearty burger and has deep flavors from the boar stew and romesco sauce. The C&L kitchen takes chunks of boar (farm-sourced) and creates a chunky stew to use just as a topping. The romesco sauce is more of a southern style using pecans. The burger is very unique with multiple layers of flavors, and the fried egg ties it all together with the runny yolk. Whatever falls off the burger is scooped up by the fries, of course.

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Egg Drool Shot! Who doesn’t love a burger topped with a fried egg? The Boar Stew Burger

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Late Night Menu is offered after 10pm. Tuesday-Thursday from 10 to 11pm, Friday and Saturday 10p until midnight.

The burgers at Cask & Larder are big bites of flavor and redefine what a burger can be. It’s far from the standard burger, but if you enjoy lots of flavor, these are worth the stop. What makes these burgers stand out is that they make everything in-house. The pastry team bakes the buns everyday and Chef Jason develops the burgers utilizing house made condiments and toppings. All burgers come with curly fries and for an affordable $10, you get a meal that is made from scratch with quality ingredients. Make sure to note that the burgers are only available after 10pm in limited quantities. They are worth the wait for a late meal or a second dinner.

 
Words and photos by Julius Mayo Jr.
Content and photos © Droolius.com 2013

 


 
Disclaimer: I was invited to photograph and a tasting. I was not compensated to write this post and all opinions are always my own.

Limited seating, so make sure to RSVP to events@rockawaypr.com

James Beard-Nominated Chef Jose Mendin of Pubbelly, along with Edible Orlando, Droolius.com and Rockaway PR Explore Social Media’s Impact on the Industry

Rockaway, a culinary and lifestyle public relations agency with offices in Miami, Orlando and New York, launches Table Talk – a new interactive series exploring pertinent topics in the industry. On Tuesday, May 14 from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. at Downtown CREDO (706 West Smith Street), the inaugural panel discussion dubbed “Toques & Tech” will examine food and dining through a digital lens. Table Talk’s featured panelists will share their expertise on how technology is shaping the world of food and dining from both a consumer and trade perspective, and will provide insight on how to use social media to grow business. For more information or to RSVP, please e-mail events@rockawaypr.com or call 407.236.6566 ext. 103. Complimentary coffee and pastries will be served; seating is limited.
“Rockaway’s Table Talk is a tool for us to share our in-depth knowledge of the food industry,” said Alexis Knapp, agency principal. “Central Florida’s culinary scene is budding and we hope that our program will create a dynamic place for chefs, PR professionals and industry leaders to talk about trends and build meaningful relationships in the Orlando market.”
Table Talk’s “Toques & Tech” participants include:

• Alexis Knapp of Rockaway – With more than a decade of public relations and marketing experience, Knapp launched Rockaway in 2006, rapidly carving a niche clientele of innovative and compelling brands in the culinary world

• Jose Mendin of Pubbelly – James Beard-nominated chef of Miami’s Pubbelly, the flagship eatery of a flourishing restaurant group credited with having fundamentally transformed Miami’s dining scene (Barceloneta Spanish Bistro & Mercat, PB Steak, Pubbelly Sushi and Macchialina)

• Julius Mayo of Droolius.com – Founder of Droolius.com – a prominent food blog focused on special events and dining – and social media consultant, helping clients with social media management, strategies and branding

• Kendra Lott of Edible Orlando – Publisher of Edible Orlando – Central Florida’s magazine dedicated exclusively to local food, farms and chefs – Lott also possesses an extensive background in food studies with a graduate degree from New York University and in advertising with Food Arts magazine

• C. Major of Rockaway – Account Executive at Rockaway Orlando’s culinary-lifestyle division, Major brings her savoir-faire to agency clients including 4 Rivers Smokehouse, Christner’s Del Frisco’s, Peterbrooke Chocolatier and Healthy Greek Eats, to name a few (Moderator)

Recent studies indicate that habitual use of social media has reached an estimated 71 million Americans, leading to the prominent role of consumer-driven discussion groups in today’s marketplace. With Facebook, Twitter and Instagram established as major social media networks, as well as YELP and Urbanspoon, which specifically encourage customer food reviews, user-generated content has changed the way restaurants communicate with and are viewed by their patrons. Aptly taking place at Downtown CREDO, a non-profit coffee house, this premiere installment of Table Talk further looks at how grassroots marketing tools, such as word-of-mouth, have taken on new shape and expanded purpose in Orlando’s multi-million dollar food industry.

MORE ABOUT ROCKAWAY
Rockaway is a leading public relations agency in the food and beverage industry, with divisions dedicated to hospitality and travel, and arts and culture, in Miami, Orlando and New York. With a distinguished roster of clients, Rockaway specializes in regional, national and international public relations campaigns, presenting a strong focus on press, marketing, special events, brand and product development, and social media. Rockaway’s Orlando office is located at 537 Virginia Drive in Orlando, FL. For more information, please visit www.rockawaypr.com or call 407.236.6566.
Facebook: /RockawayPR | Twitter: @RockawayPR | Instagram: @SweetRockawayPR

Media Contact:
Alexis Knapp / C. Major
Rockaway PR
alexis@rockawaypr.com / major@rockawaypr.com
O: 407.236.6566 / F: 866.820.8691

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The menu features beef burgers, salads, sides, and more burgers with options like veggie, grilled chicken, turkey and even a herb crusted salmon. One of the side dishes that you must order is the mac & cheese, a recipe that has been handed down from one of the owner’s grandmothers. They make a variety of sauces for dipping side items, like fries.

This post is a compilation of several trips to That One Spot. My first trip here was earlier this year and when I first walked in I said, “Wow, this place smells good.” The staff said it’s most likely from the pecan smoked bacon that they use. That smoky aroma inspired me to order the B.B. Burger.

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B.B. Burger – caramelized onions, creamy horseradish yum yum sauce, cheddar cheese, smokey brisket, pecan smoked bacon.

The burger came out and it was visually stimulating, perfect for a photo. It had several layers of quality ingredients, with a nice char on the burger and its components. The B.B. is a smoky and juicy burger, with lots of flavor from the bacon and brisket. They cooked the burger patty to a proper medium rare, as I requested. I liked this burger so much that went back for another one (quality control) on another day and it was just as good.

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Grandma’s Mac & Cheese with bacon and jalapenos.

The mac and cheese was a side dish that (unexpectedly) went well with the burger and is the side dish that I always order now. You can get the mac & cheese as is, but its best with bacon and fresh jalapenos. The bacon gives it a nice smokiness along with a spicy kick from jalapenos. The surprise here is the addition of corn (gradma’s secret), which adds a nice touch of sweetness and some texture to the mac & cheese. Surprisingly it all works well together and it’s very addicting.

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To test the burgers at That One Spot even further, I ordered a bacon cheeseburger one evening. The staff was surprised I wanted something so simple, but I had to make sure this burger was good on its own without too many toppings. I really enjoyed the burger again and it’s flavor proved that I could share the location with friends. Eventually my friend and fellow food blogger BurgerBeast made the trip up from Miami and he really enjoyed the B.B. Burger too. I think he’s tried more of a variety of burgers than me now.

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Other side dishes offered are onion rings and fries. You can also request several different sauces that the owners have created for dipping.

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BBQ Burger (substituted grilled chicken for beef patty) sweet & savory BBQ sauce, crunchy dill pickles, fried onion strings, pecan smoked bacon, and melted cheddar cheese

The kitchen staff is flexible and it’s possible to make substitutions to your liking. BurgerBeast decided to go with the BBQ Burger one day and replaced the burger patty with grilled chicken. He said he liked it and it was good.

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Greek Spinach Veggie Burger – spinach greek-herb-stuffing patties, herb greek yogurt, feta cheese, sliced roasted red peppers, sprouts, and fresh red inions.

If you’re not a meat eater and want to go the vegetarian route, That One Spot has you covered. This veggie burger was ordered by Mrs. BurgerBeast and she loves it. I gave it a try and I have to agree, it’s one of the tastiest vegetarian style burgers I’ve had.

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With the influx of burger joints around town, know that you are getting a quality burger and supporting a local business at That One Spot. They continue to add more burger creations and specials every week. You can stalk their Instagram for their latest creations and follow their Twitter and Facebook page (listed below) to find out when they have something new on the menu. That One Spot is located on the west side of Orlando, at the far right end of the strip mall on Colonial Drive and Maguire Road, next to the well-known Twisty Treat.

That One Spot
10968 West Colonial Dr
Ocoee, Florida 34761
407-877-7575
www.thatonespoteatery.com
Facebook Facebook.com/ThatOneSpot
Twitter @ThatOneSpot

 
Stay tuned for more burger places in Florida and other cities around the country. I will be sharing some of my favorite burger spots throughout the month of May.

If you love that one spot, let me know your favorite burger in the comments below…

 
Words and photos by Julius Mayo Jr.
Content and photos © Droolius.com 2013

 

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To celebrate the opening, I ordered and happily devoured a Double SmokeShack Burger, Cheese Fries, and a Glades Donuts Concrete (one of three concrete flavors specific to Boca Shack).

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This is the third Shake Shack to open in South Florida, with the first location in Miami Beach and the second in Coral Gables. The Boca Shack is it’s own free standing building and has seating inside, as well as a large outdoor patio for dining. It’s located not too far from the Interstate 95 highway and free Wi-Fi is available too. This is an easy stop for anyone craving some Shake Shack.

Back to the food… My usual is a Double ShackBurger or sometimes a Shack Stack. Attending the pre-opening event yesterday, I figured I’d go with a fairly new burger that was introduced last year. I went with the SmokeShack burger, something that I’ve never tried before.

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Double SmokeShack – Cheeseburger topped with Niman Ranch all-natural applewood smoked bacon, chopped cherry pepper and ShackSauce.

I always go with a double burger from the start because the single just leaves me craving for more. The SmokeShack amps up the classic ShackBurger with the addition of Niman Ranch all-natural applewood smoked bacon and chopped cherry pepper for a spicy kick. Each bite is bursting with added smokey and spicy flavors, making this a new favorite burger of mine.

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Cheese Fries – topped with our special blend of cheddar and American cheese sauce

The combo of fries and warm melted cheese is something to be always ordered when visiting Shake Shack.

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Glades Donuts (vanilla frozen custard, The Sugar Monkey’s glazed cake donut, peanut butter sauce and chocolate toffee)

The Glades Donuts concrete takes dessert to another level with some of my favorites and blending them together. Frozen custard, donuts, peanut butter and toffee are all things I enjoy eating. Everything together in a single concrete dessert only made sense and not to be missed. This was one of three Boca-specific concretes and will for sure lure me back to Boca Shack since it is only available here.

The Boca Raton menu features an exclusive selection of frozen custard concretes that include Mizner’s Muse (vanilla frozen custard, cheesecake blondie, strawberry purée and cinnamon marshmallow sauce), Burrowing Banana (chocolate frozen custard and a slice of The Sugar Monkey salted caramel banana cream pie), and Glades Donuts (vanilla frozen custard, The Sugar Monkey’s glazed cake donut, peanut butter sauce and chocolate toffee). To see the entire Boca Raton menu, click [HERE].

As usual, I enjoyed my Shake Shack experience and I also discovered a new favorite burger on this trip. With this expansion of Shake Shack heading north of Miami, I really hope to see them in Orlando in the near future. For now, the new Shake Shack in Boca Raton is a little closer to drive to from Central Florida.

If you love eating at Shake Shack, leave comment below and let me know your favorite menu items.

 
Shake Shack
1400 Glades Road
Boca Raton, FL 33431

www.shakeshack.com

 
Words and photos by Julius Mayo Jr.
Content and photos © Droolius.com 2013

 

 
Disclaimer: I was invited to attend this Pre-opening session. I was not compensated to write this post and all opinions are always my own.

Check out the video as Fabio and I discuss his Bertolli Olive Oil cooking demo, his new restaurant Siena Tavern in Chicago, a NEW upcoming cookbook Fabio’s Italian Kitchen, his web cooking show Ciao Chow!, and his use of social media.

 

 
Behind the scenes:

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Fabio coaching me in rolling gnocchi dough – photo courtesy of @JeffHouck

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Fabio’s plated gnocchi dish at Casa Tua in Miami, FL.

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My Italian brother, Fabio and I after the cooking demo and interview.

 
Check back next week, we’re doing something special here on the blog for Fabio’s new cookbook Fabio’s Italian Kitchen releasing April 23, 2013.

See my first interview with Fabio in Orlando, FL: http://droolius.com/2011/10/interview-with-bravos-top-chef-fabio-viviani

 
Words and photos by Julius Mayo Jr.
Content and photos © Droolius.com 2013

 

To help celebrate, I’m hosting a ticket giveaway. A pair of Regular registration tickets will go to one lucky reader, selected at random. This includes unlimited food and wine during the event, with exotic cars on display and live entertainment. Check out the giveaway contest at the bottom of this post and good luck.

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CELEBRATION EXOTIC CAR FESTIVAL MARKS 10 YEARS
APRIL 11-14

The 10th Annual Celebration Exotic Car Festival, benefitting children’s charities, will be held April 11-14, 2013. This four-day world-class event was named “One of the 5 Best Exotic Car Shows in the World” by Made Man magazine, ranking with other events in Paris, Geneva and Monte Carlo. 2013 marks the tenth anniversary of the event, which started in downtown Celebration in 2004.

The Festival is organized by a small team of dedicated volunteers of Celebration and other local residents. Through the efforts of the event, over $800,000 has been donated to children’s charities, including Make-a-Wish, Special Olympics and Arnold Palmer Children’s Hospital. Organizers hope that number will top $1 million this year.

The weekend will start on Thursday, April 11th with two track days and Ferrari races at the world famous Daytona International Speedway. More than 100 of the exotic cars and race cars will be running at full speed on the 3.6 mile Daytona Rolex 24 circuit. The event also hosts the CCR Ferrari Race Series, with owner-drivers of Ferrari Challenge race cars competing for individual and team trophies.

The Festival moves to Celebration on Friday evening, with the Concours of Exotic Cars taking place on Saturday, April 13. More than 250 exotic cars, race cars and Hollywood movie cars will be lined up along Celebration’s picturesque lakefront downtown center. The world-class show was attended by nearly 40,000 spectators in 2012. Cars from Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini, Bugatti, McLaren, Lotus, DeLorean, Pantera, Aston Martin, Bentley, Rolls Royce, Spyker and many others will be displayed. Admission is free for spectators.

Special cars scheduled to be shown at this year’s event will include the Back to the Future DeLorean and the original Batmobile, as well as Ralph Malph’s hot rod from the television show Happy Days. Fans of the movie Dumb and Dumber will get the chance to see the original “Mutt Cutts” van alongside the Lamborghini Diablo from the film. Other movie cars, including the Cannonball Run Lamborghini Countach, the Star Wars Land Speeder, the Plymouth Fury from the Stephen King film Christine, and Herbie will be on display along with a few other surprises.

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Saturday evening, April 13 will be the Festival’s annual Food & Wine at Portofino. This high-energy event has been described as the “party of the year,” and is held harborside at the stunning Loew’s Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando. A virtual duplication of the beautiful seaside town of Portofino, Italy, this idyllic waterfront setting is the perfect location for guests to enjoy fine wines and incredible cuisine. More than 50 restaurants, renowned celebrity chefs and wineries join to create what Scott Joseph of the Orlando Restaurant Guide called a “Star-Studded Culinary Event.” The evening also features a display of exotic cars, live music and performance artists, as well as silent and live charity auctions.

Celebrity chefs from the Bravo television show Top Chef, including Kevin Sbraga and Kenny Gilbert, will be on hand to prepare their most famous dishes. The chefs will also be joined by Hell’s Kitchen finalist Dana Cohen.

The Food & Wine party attracts guests from all over the country and has been attended by numerous Hollywood and sports celebrities over the years. Tickets for this must-attend event are also available on the Festival’s website.

The event continues on Sunday, April 14, with the annual Exotic Car Road Rally. Departing Celebration under police escort, more than 100 exotic cars will compete in this fun and competitive rally, which will conclude back in Celebration for an awards lunch at cafe D’Antonios on Sunday afternoon.

Visit www.celebrationexoticcars.com for registration and ticket information.

 

Regular Tickets

Food & Wine at Portofino Regular registration tickets are available for a discounted rate of $125 per ticket thru Wednesday, April 10, 2013. After that, tickets will be sold at a Late registration rate of $150 until they are sold out.

See full details on website http://celebrationexoticcars.com/2013/event/portofino-dinner

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From Food & Wine at Portofino 2012, 3 Top Chef Cheftestants presented dishes. Kenny Gilbert and Kevin Sbraga will be back for Food & Wine at Portofino 2013!

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See more photos and event recap from last year: 2012 Food & Wine Portofino

Ticket Giveaway Contest

A pair of Regular registration tickets is the prize and will go to one lucky reader, chosen at random. To enter please follow the directions on Rafflecopter. Contest ends Tuesday, April 9, 2013 at 12:00am EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

* Winner will be announced during the day on Tuesday, April 9, 2013 and will need to be contacted via email and mailed the winning prize.

 
Words and photos by Julius Mayo Jr.
Content and photos © Droolius.com 2012

 

Disclaimer: I was given tickets to attend this event and provided 2 tickets to give away to a reader. All opinions are my own.

 


 
This was part of the #evianeats Foodie Photo Series, which included an interactive photo booth experience at a SOBEWFF Grand Tasting Tent. Chef Blais was also hanging out at the evian booth, taking photos with fans.

 


 
The evian booth provided a fun way for attendees to be interactive and take photos using props. The photos were uploaded by a user’s own Instagram account and by using the hashtag #evianeats, photos were printed live at the evian booth. The booth was a popular spot and the build was great. Incorporating a camera into the booth’s structure and having a flat screen tv to replicate a camera’s back LCD screen were awesome ideas. Also picking up photos that were hanging on a line gave a nod to old school drying film photos. Just a cool booth to see, it brought out the photography nerd in me.

 


 
Here’s my photo with Chef Richard Blais that I uploaded on the @Droolius Instagram account.

 


 
The photo that printed a few minutes later at the evian booth. How cool is that? Printing from a hashtag! #evianeats

 


 
Richard Blais viewing some of his recent photos “through the lens of a chef”.

After picking up my photo, it was time spent walking with Richard Blais and the evian team to different parts of the Grand Tasting Village to take photos. Here’s some of my behind-the-scenes photos, along with Chef Blais’ photos that were shared on @evianwater Instagram.

 


 
“#sobewff through rosé colored glasses, get it ? #evianeats this is @RichardBlais taking over @evianwater Instagram!”

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I title this, Blais upon Blais. Chef Blais taking photos of his new debut cookbook, “Try This At Home: Recipes From My Head To Your Plate”

 

 
“Continuing the @evianwater #evianeatstakeover… Look what I found at the#sobewff bookstore !”

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I watched as the chef takes photos of a steel drum performer/singer. Why? Check out the next photo and see his caption.

 


 
“You know I had dreads in college right ? Here’s a steel drum from #sobewff ! Tag #evianeats with your photos today and they get printed at the @evianwater booth! This is @RichardBlais continuing the takeover!”

Photography side note – Richard captures himself in the photo as well in the reflection of the steel drum.

 


 
Chef Blais wanted some coffee so we stopped in for some espresso. He get’s up close to snap a photo of the espresso being brewed. The iPhone being used for photos is from the evian team by the way, and NOT his phone or his case. Ha ha, he wanted to be clear on that.

 


 
“You can’t do Miami and #sobewffwithout cafe Cubano ! Check out my reflection in machine ! This is @RichardBlais continuing the #evianeats takeover on Instagram…”

Again, nice capture in the refelction! Good attention to detail, Mr. Blais.

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Walking around the event, people spotted Richard Blais and asked for photos and autographs. He was happy to oblige to everyone and it was really cool to see this. Even if people didn’t ask for a photo, you could see the smiles people had on their faces when they spotted him and could hear people passing by saying “Hey, there’s Richard Blais”. Being a fan myself, it was very cool to see him in person and interact with people.

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Chef Blais continued to take photos of many objects, food, and scenes at the festival. Some of the photos were uploaded on @evianwater, while others were just captured as a chef’s memory. To watch him spot things that caught his attention and take photos of them was a fun experience in itself.

 


 
“Grabbing a small bite to eat. So nice of evian to provide my own custom cutlery here at #sobewff #evianeats”

The behind-the-scenes photos I took were during Saturday’s Grand Tasting Village and there are a few more in the gallery below. Also, check out a few photos of Chef Blais from Sunday’s event, courtesy of evian.

 
Words and photos by Julius Mayo Jr.
Some photos courtesy of evan water
© Droolius.com 2013

 

Disclaimer: I was invited to attend this event on behalf of evian water. I was not compensated to write this post and all opinions are always my own.

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As with any SOBEWFF event, it’s best to arrive early because there are long lines to get into most events. Being a trade “invite only” event, I didn’t expect there to be a massive crowd in attendance. This was my first Wine Spectator’s Trade Day, so lesson learned. The line went down the beach, but when the gates opened, it was only a few minutes to get in. Either get there early and wait in the front of the line, or get there later and walk far to the end of the line and wait. I’m not sure which would be better…

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Prior to lining up to get into the event, you take your tickets and exchange them for a wine glass and swag bag filled with goodies. As you walk through, you are poured a glass of wine to enjoy as you make your way into the Grand Tasting Village. You are provided a lanyard that also holds your wine glass, perfect for eating and taking photos with a full glass of wine hanging around your neck.

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The Grand Tasting Village had two huge tents filled with various booths on the sides and down the middle serving beverages and food.

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Once you are in the Grand Tasting Village, it’s pretty much an unlimited amount of tastings of beverages and food. Many wines to taste and spirit companies offering mixed cocktails to try. The lines can get long so it’s best at times to get a beverage to sip while you wait in the next line.

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It was warm inside of the tents and I needed something cold and refreshing. I found a Cavicchioli 1928 Sweet Red Lambrusco to sip on that was sparkling, chilled, with a touch of sweetness.

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The first food item I had at the event was from Goya. They had a setup, similar to an Airstream, with open sides for serving food and windows for viewing the food being plated. Two Goya Girls were handing out recipe cards for the Pulled Pork Sliders being served.

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Goya: Pulled Pork Sliders topped with Mango Slaw

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The Sandestin Wine Festival had many people stop by their booth for these Raspberry, wine, & cheese cupcakes from 2 Girls & A Cupcake based in Miami. Needless to say, these were addicting!

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Certified Piedmontese served one of my favorite bites of the day. A grilled tenderloin, with spinach, and horseradish sauce.

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Leblon Cachaça (Brazilian Rum) was serving a series of mixed drinks from a “food truck” style bar. I enjoyed the Caipirinha Classico.

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Between the two tents of the Grand Tasting Village was the Cruzan Rum bar that had people drinking and dancing in the sun. With the background of South Beach, it was a fun scene of paradise complete with a steel drum band performing.

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KitchenAid was a Diamond Sponsor for the South Beach Wine and Food Festival and they had a huge display tent showcasing their kitchen appliances and accessories. Not only were KitchenAid products being displayed, but each stage featured appliances that were used for the weekend’s chef cooking demonstrations.

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The plethora of KitchenAid Stand Mixers were on display, ranging from classic colors to special editions, and the various attachments.

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A special artist’s series called “Custom Made” were on display and available for purchase that featured exclusive designs, limited edition hand-painted Stand Mixers. My two friends loved the zebra print (top photo). On the Droolius Instagram I asked “Ladies, which would you choose?” and based on comments, the leopard print and yellow daisy Stand Mixer were favorites. (I thought for sure the orange leopard print was going to be the ladies’ choice.)

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Whole Foods Market had a good line for food and probably offered the most amount of food you could get in one stop that day. The line moved fairly quickly and I was able to grab small bites from several stations. I saw some friends from the Orlando Whole Foods Market store there too.

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Whole Foods Market bites:

- Korean “Danish” with Kimchee & Spiced Pork Belly (bottom)
- Panzanella with local heirloom tomatoes
- Key Lime Shrimp Shooters
- Frozen orange beverage?
- Traditional Raclette w/ cornichon, potato and pearl onion (middle)
- Local Ricotta Cheesecake with Pistachio Crumb Topping
- Dulce de Leche Brownie

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The booth at evian water had an interactive photo experience where attendees could take photos with props and by uploading onto Instagram and tagging #evianeats, a photo was printed out to take home as a souvenir. They also featured an Instagram Takeover by Chef Richard Blais that was taking place at Saturday and Sunday’s Grand Tasting events. More about that in an upcoming post.

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Before I left the event, I stopped by Flavour Gallery to pick up an awesome shirt that was in collaboration with Chef Andrew Zimmern. Mainly because the shirt listed the Filipino dish “diniguan” as one of Zimmern’s Specials. (Side Note – while it can be spelled diniguan, traditionally it is spelled dinuguan, for those who will ask.)

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At the end of the day, the Wine Spectator’s Trade Day was a very filling event of consuming beverages and some food. You can go through and taste as many wine and spirits as you would like or just enjoy the drinks and food as they come along in your path. I chose the latter and had a good time. A big thanks goes to KitchenAid for inviting me to attend this event.

A few more event recaps still to come, stay tuned for more coverage from SOBEWFF 2013…

 
Words and photos by Julius Mayo Jr.
Content and photos © Droolius.com 2013

 

Disclaimer: I was given a ticket to attend this event on behalf of KitchenAid. I was not compensated to write this post and all opinions are always my own.