DISH: A Pocono smorgasbord

The wine will flow Saturday, Sept. 17 at the third annual Wayne County Wine and Cheese Festival and the Justus Fire Company's wine-tasting fundraiser.

by Nikki M. Mascali
Weekender Editor

A POCONO SMORGASBORD

There are some tasty happenings in the Poconos this week, starting with Ribfest at Big Daddy’s Family BBQ (Route 611, Bartonsville), which runs Friday and Saturday, Sept. 16-17 from 3 p.m.-midnight. Ribfest features live bands, games and, of course, food. For more info, visit bigdaddysfamilybbq.com or call 570.476.1500.

The third annual Wayne County Wine and Cheese Festival will be held Saturday, Sept. 17 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Wayne County Fairgrounds (Route 191 N, Honesdale).

The festival features wines from Antler Ridge Winery, Bartolai Winery, Benigna’s Creek Vineyard & Winery, Blue Mountain Vineyards and Cellars, Capra Collina Vineyard, Ferrone Family Winery, Maiolatesi Wine Cellars, Pavlick Hill Vineyard, Starr Hill Vineyard & Winery, Vintner’s Circle and Winterland Winery, plus vendors and music from High Falls and Coal Town Rounders.

Admission is $15 in advance or $25 at the gate and includes a commemorative glass. Designated driver or under 21 tickets are $5. For info, visit nepawinecountry.com or call 570.836.5253.

FIRE & WINE

The Justus Fire Company will host a wine tasting fundraiser Saturday, Sept. 17 from 6-10 p.m. at Maiolatesi Wine Cellars (210 Green Grove Road, Scott Twp.).

Tickets are $20 per person (must be 21 to attend) and includes the wine tasting, two complimentary glasses of Maiolatesi wines, dinner by Cangiano’s Italian Specialities, entertainment and more.

For info, find the fire company on Facebook, call 570.587.4545 or e-mail jfcfundraiser@gmail.com.

A MEAT COMA WORTH WRITING ABOUT

I love discovering new places to eat, and this past weekend was no exception when my boyfriend and I took a drive to Lake Wallenpaupack. For dinner, we found ourselves seated near a window at Gresham’s Chop House (2495 Route 6, Hawley) that overlooked the lake (and the gorgeous sunset over it, too).

As luck would have it, prime rib was one of Saturday’s specials and was available in two cuts, king and the slightly smaller queen. We ordered one of each, and eagerly awaited their arrival as we tucked into the bread basket that came with rosemary-infused olive oil. We also couldn’t pass up a cup of the flavorful chicken dumpling soup, which preceded our side salads.

Finally, the main event arrived and looked amazing. Both cuts were tender and cooked perfectly to our liking (“rare as possible” for him, medium rare for myself) and had that crispy, salty, delicious crust that always seems to make prime rib even better. We both chose a baked potato as our side, and the evening’s vegetables were carrots with a hint of maple syrup.

As if a delicious meal (and the view) wasn’t enough, the service was top notch as well, making Chop House a great destination for anyone looking to take a nice Sunday drive any day of the week.