by Nikki M. MascaliStaff Writer
DAY OF WINE AND CHOCOLATE …
The 2nd Annual Chocolate & Wine Festival will be held Saturday, May 16 from 3-7 p.m. along Chestnut Street in downtown Montrose. The event features a sampling of regional wineries and vineyards, chocolate delights, live music by Jake Lear and The Lonnie Griffiths Band and a chocolate factory tour of The Sweet Spot featuring Chocolates by Leopold. Tours will be held every hour from 2-5 p.m.
Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 day of festival and include a wine glass and chocolate. Proceeds benefit the Montrose local library and hospital, which are both raising funds for new facilities. For tickets, a complete listing of participating vendors and more info, visit www.chocolatewinefestival.com.
… AND WINGS
Wingfest 2009 will be held Saturday, May 16 from 2-7 p.m. at Sno Mountain/Sno Cove on Montage Mountain. Presented by Sno Cove, LT Verrastro and Rock 107, Wingfest pits area restaurants against each other in categories like Most Creative, Hottest, People’s Choice and Best of the Fest. The event features live entertainment from Jugdish and Fuzzy Park, games like a Wing Eating Contest, Bobbing for Wings, Wing Toss, mini golf and more.
Admission is $10 for ages 13 and up and free for ages 12 and under. Admission includes beer sampling and one free wing sample. For a complete list of participating restaurants, visit www.snomtn.com.
TASTING THE VALLEY
In last week’s column, I wrote about the 5th Annual Taste of the Valley, a benefit for the Geneva School that took place Thursday night at Genetti Manor in Dickson City. The event, which featured more than 20 food vendors and tons of silent auction prizes, raised about $10,000 — and encouraged me to eat my way around the ballroom. Twice.
Everything I tried was fantastic, from the bag of peanuts I snagged from Texas Roadhouse (plus a sample of its tasty pulled pork and a roll with cinnamon butter) to the “everything” soft pretzel stick from Philly Pretzel Factory with spicy mustard and the chocolate pretzels from my favorite chocolatier, Gertrude Hawk.
I loved Fratelli’s — the ziti with meat sauce was awesome. And the creamy personalized chocolates from Bella Faccias, whose booth included a chocolate fountain complete with all the fixings I had to practically be torn away from. (If you haven’t eaten a chip dipped in chocolate, you haven’t lived.) And finally, the square pan pizza from The Slice. The crust was ridiculously good.
I will be there with bells on and fork in hand next year — and look forward to checking out many of the vendors’ establishments tout de suite.
PORK ON A FORK
Dish came across a press release and photo for Pork on a Fork, a contest aimed at raising awareness of the importance of pork to the American diet and economy put on by Faces of Agriculture. Swine flu reports have “unfairly devastated the livelihood of the American pork producer,” said FOA spokesperson Trent Loos.
Pork on a Fork encourages people to submit photos of family members, friends, customers, anyone, anywhere, eating pork. Those received by May 26 will be judged, and the winner will receive an all-expense paid trip for two to the World Pork Expo in Des Moines, Iowa, on June 3-5. All submitted entries will be available for viewing during the World Pork Expo and on FacesOfAg.com.
“It is time for every consumer that enjoys a good piece of locally produced pork to step to the plate and show their support …” said Loos.
If that isn’t a good enough reason to down a few strips of bacon, I don’t know what is. Photos for the Pork on a Fork contest should be sent to trentloos@gmail.com. Get more details at www.facesofag.com.
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