Foraging Through the Suncoast Wine Festival

Since I take my job very seriously, I felt it my personal duty to partake of food from each of the over 30 restaurants at the Suncoast Wine Festival. The only impossible part of this mission was that a couple of restaurants gave out of food before I reached them. My self-imposed mission was to determine the best food of the festival. According to this foodie, the grand prize (this year and last year)went to the Vernona Restaurant at the Ritz Carlton. The "award-winner" was a lobster and coconut bisque thickened with organic popcorn and served over a touch of mango and mint salad and stonecrab. Popcorn substituted for croutons, and it was a delicious addition you might want to try at home. My second choice was Derek's (who can always be counted on for creativity) chilled calamari which was poached in court bouillon and tossed with young coriander, toasted peanuts, chiles and garlic. Third prize goes to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse for a filet mignon tenderloin canape topped with horseradish sauce and shaved parmesan. Honorable mention goes to Manatee Community Culinary Institute for their overall presentation and decadent chocolates. Look forward to these chefs graduating!

This festival really should be termed a wine and food festival. One wine-loving friend remarked that the food was so good that she enjoyed the food even more than the wine. Nevertheless, the wine selection was remarkable as well with visiting vintners from the Gabrielle Collection and Bell. This event would appeal to any foodie so mark your calendars for next year.

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