Food shows, vendors fill the area this fall
From Atlantic City to Cape May, fall at the Jersey
Shore is a treat for food fans. You’ve got celebrity chefs coming to
the Atlantic City Food & Wine Festival, you’ve got acclaimed local
chefs showing their stuff in Cape May’s Gourmet Marketplace, you’ve
got classes to take offered by Atlantic Cape Community College,
you’ve got food court and vendor selections at festivals like the
Sea Isle Fall Family Festival this weekend and the Irish weekends
(Sept. 22-23) in North Wildwood, Wildwood and Sea Isle, not to
mention the Seafarers Celebration (Sept. 22) in Wildwood Crest, the
Block Party in Ocean City (Oct. 6), and the Avalon Chamber of
Commerce Seafood Festival (Oct. 6-7)..
Let’s eat!
Here’s a rundown of some special events.
Guy Fieri, Morimoto visit AC’s Food Fest
ATLANTIC CITY -- The Food & Wine Festival is coming
to the Atlantic City Convention Center Oct. 12-14. The festival will
feature cooking demonstrations, wine and food tasting from area
restaurants, wineries, breweries and more. Celebrity chefs from
around the country, most notably chef Guy Fieri, “The Next Food
Network Star” season three winner, who now stars on his own Food
Network shows, “Guy’s Big Bite” and “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,”
will be creating dishes while entertaining the crowd. Chef Mashaharu
Morimoto, of the Food Network’s “Iron Chef” and “Iron Chef America,”
whose renowned restaurants include Morimoto in New York,
Philadelphia and Atlantic City, will also entertain the crowd with
his unique dishes.
At the heart of the festival is a plethora of exhibits for the food
lover, including gourmet gifts, kitchen design materials, utensils
and appliances, as well as cookbooks, spices and sauces. I’ve been
to the festival the past four years and have found a great
assortment of holiday and special event gift ideas.
The festival also features more than 200 new wines and 15 specialty
beers from the region’s wineries and breweries, with free selections
and more gift ideas.
New Jersey restaurants will set up shop in the “Restaurant Row
Pavilion” providing free samples of their menu items and offering
discounts for in-restaurant dining. The “Veal Oscar” Awards
Competition will reward the festival’s best dish in numerous
categories.
“Spotlighting some of the region’s finest restaurants, wineries, and
breweries, this year’s festival promises to be the best ever,” said
Chris Myers, director of the Atlantic City Food & Wine Festival.
“We are extremely excited to have Guy Fieri, who is sure to wow
guests with his food flair and fun, spicy personality.”
Other celebrity chefs scheduled to appear and partake in the live
cooking demonstrations include Masharu Morimoto, Adrien Sharp, Tommy
Grella, George Kralle, Ron Duprat and chef Lee.
“If you love to eat, love to cook or love to watch the art of other
people cooking, the 2007 Atlantic City Food & Wine Festival is a
must-attend event,” said Myers.
Tickets for The 2007 Atlantic City Food & Wine Festival can be
purchased at the door or online at www.gourmetshows.com/AC. General
admission is $17 before Oct. 7, $25 after. The Guy Fieri/Morimoto
Seating Main Stage (along with admission) is $27 before Oct. 7, $40
after. The Wine seminar is an additional $20 and the Beer Seminar
an additional $10. The show is open on Friday from 3 p.m. to 9
p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5
p.m. Call 398-4450 or visit
www.gourmetshows.com/AC for more information.
Gourmet Marketplace is Sunday
CAPE MAY – A cookbook signing is a new feature of
the Gourmet Marketplace, a culinary celebration featuring food and
beverage samplings offered by some of Cape May’s premier restaurants
and other sponsors, product information, a mini vineyard tour, a
Chefs Cook-off and the People’s Choice Chowder Contest, during the
11th annual Cape May Food & Wine Festival.
Beth Chase Harrison, author of “Shore House Cooking,” has been
writing a food column for 7 Mile Times and Sea Isle Times for four
years. She has been a member of Jersey Cape Writers for more than 10
years and her poetry is included in their anthologies “Writing from
the Wetlands” and “Sea Grass.”
“Shore House Cooking” contains more than 65 recipes, menu
suggestions and Harrison’s shore-themed poetry. Harrison said she
created her “Shore House Cooking” concept to inspire “all of us with
sand in our shoes, who love the art of relaxed and simplistic
cooking.”
She will be signing copies of her book at the Gourmet Marketplace on
Sunday, Sept. 16 from 12 to 2 p.m.
The Gourmet Marketplace will take place at the Cape May Winery, 711
Town Bank Rd. in North Cape May on Sunday, Sept. 16 from 12 to 4
p.m. Entertainment will be provided by the Herb Moore Trio. There
will be a free trolley shuttle provided between Cape May and the
winery. Admission is $25 per person, adults only.
Call 884-5404 or 800-275-4278, or visit MAC at
www.capemaymac.org.
ACCC serves up a variety culinary classes
MAYS LANDING—Become a kitchen whiz, from preparing
homemade soups and pies to designing your own Halloween treats, with
hands-on culinary workshops this fall at Atlantic Cape Community
College’s Academy of Culinary Arts.
Try your luck with:
Treats from the Garden—Learn how to use the remains of your summer
garden so you can enjoy the fruits of your labor all year long with
fresh herb oils, relishes and more. $60, Wednesday, Sept. 12, 6-9
p.m.
Basic Meal Preparation Series—Spend five weeks focusing on classic,
delicious dishes your family will love, including seared sea
scallops, baked meatloaf with mushroom gravy, stuffed Cornish hens
and homemade desserts. $275. Five Tuesdays beginning Sept. 18, 6-9
p.m.
Halloween Treats—Designed for kids (age 10 and older) to bring a
parent and learn together how to prepare ghoulish treats for trick
or treating or Halloween parties, including candied apples,
chocolate spiders and seasonal cupcakes. $60 per parent/child pair,
Thursday, Oct. 25, 6-9 p.m.
Hearty Soups—Get ready for winter by learning to prepare hearty
soups that will stick to your ribs, including Hungarian goulash
soup, wild mushroom and barley soup and seafood chowder. $60,
Tuesday, Nov. 6, 6-9 p.m.
Homemade Seasonal Pies—Learn pie crust basics and bakeshop secrets
that will make this year’s holiday pies the best ever. $60,
Thursday, Nov. 15, 6-9 p.m.
La Vigilia: Feast of the Fishes—Learn how to prepare this
traditional Italian family-style feast of fresh pasta with clam
sauce, calamari, baccala and other familiar items served on
Christmas Eve. $75, Thursday, Dec. 6, 6-9:30 p.m.
Eclairs and Crème Puffs—Learn to make cream fillings, chocolate and
fondant coatings, and easy techniques to finish and display the
tasty treats for your guests. $60, Thursday, Dec. 13, 6-9 p.m.
To register, call 463-4774, ext. 4829.
Rob Seitzinger can be e-mailed
at seitz[at]catamaranmedia.com or you can comment on this story by
calling 624-8900, ext. 250.
Check out his Cape Cuisine food blog