Jan Norris: Food and Florida

Popular Grand Tasting tent at Boca Bacchanal

Boca Bacchanal, the wine and food festival that features vintner dinners in private homes and a grand tasting tent turns 10 this year. The fest is scheduled for March 23-25.

Six chefs will participate in the vitner dinners, to be held Friday, March 23. Each chef is paired with a winemaker to create a theme for their dinners, held in private homes.

This year’s chef/vintner pairings are:

• Ken Frank, of La Toque, Napa, with Maison Joseph Drouhinfor “Sacre Blue! It’s France in Your Glass!”
  

  Chef Kevin Garcia

• Kevin Garcia, of ‘Cesca, New York with Tony Apostolakos for “Mama Mia! Cousin Tony Brought the Vino!”
• Carlos Guia, the Country Club at Wynn Las Vegas Resort with Swanson Vineyards for “Kiss and Tell? Whatever Happens at Bobby’s Stays at Bobby’s”
• Pano Karatassos of Atlanta’s Buckhead Restaurant Group (Chops Lobster Bar and City Fish Market, Boca) with Bodegas Salentein, for “Opa! Atlanta’s Great Greek Lassos the Argentine Gaucho”
• Ken Vedrinkski, Trattoria Lucca, Charleston, S.C. and Truchard Vineyards, “Ciao, Y’all! A Low Country Italian Greets a Napa Legend”
• Erasto and Pablo Jacinto, Pot of Flavors, Santa Rosa, Calif., and The Grill at the Silverado Resort, Napa, pair with Silver Oak Cellars and Twomey Cellars for “Bacchus Back in Boca? OMG!”

Cocktail party and an outdoor taste-around

The big party is the Bacchus Bash Saturday, March 24, at the Boca Raton Resort & Club. Guest chefs and those from the resort create a reception and multi-course dinner, followed by a live auction and dancing at the resort.

The Grand Tasting at Mizner Park Amphitheater caps the weekend on Sunday, March 25, with the party on the green. Tastings from 30 local restaurants, along with 140 featured wines are served in a dine-around setting under the big tent on the lawn. The Marketplace features herbs, oils and foods for sale.

The weekend benefits educational programs and historic preservation programs of the Boca Raton Historical Society.

To get more information, and to buy tickets for any of the events, go to the Boca Bacchanal’s website.