Bet you can’t sample just one!

I had lunch this week with Holly Kjeldgaard, Assistant General Manager for Global Spectrum at the Iowa Events Center/Wells Fargo Arena, I was amazed to learn how many wines, beers and spirits would be available for sampling at the Iowa’s Premier Wine & Food Expo.

Take a guess.

Holly said there will be over 270 wines, beers and spirits from around the world in The Sampling Zone and the Hy-Vee Wine Shop. Those folks who wish to sample can do so by paying an additional $12 charge to enter the Sampling Zone and attendees admitted to this area or the Hy-Vee Wine Shop must be 21 years of age of older. In the Hy-Vee Wine Shop you can purchase wine to take home.

This event is also Iowa’s largest culinary celebration with Celebrity Chefs Duff Goldman from The Food Channel’s Aces of Cakes and Andrew Zimmern of Travel Channel’s Bizarre Foods. There will also be cooking demonstrations from area chefs and restaurants. It’s a great place to browse wonderful food and entertaining ideas as well as pick up useful and fun ideas and cooking tips to try at home.

I attended the event last year and I can tell you it was a lot of fun.

Tickets are on sale now for the event November 13, Noon – 10 p.m. and Saturday, November 14, 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. in Hy-Vee Hall in downtown Des Moines. Check the details at www.wineandfoodexpoiowa.com

See you there!

 

Cheers!
Barbara Rasko, Publisher

Make Mine Wine

www.makeminewinemagazine.com

Learn More from Experts at The Wine Stage at The Celebrity Food & Wine Expo

A nice lineup of experts has been announced for The Wine Stage at The Celebrity Food and Wine Expo later this month in Hy-Vee Hall at the Iowa Events Center in Downtown Des Moines. The dates are November 21^st – November 23^rd.

 

Chardonnay Ladder Seminar presented by Gary Ramona, Domaine Napa Wine Company: Friday and Sunday

The Science of Food presented by Kristen Robbins, Kemin Industries: Friday

Whiskey presented by Brown Forman, Whiskey Professor: Friday, Saturday, Sunday

Wine & Cheese Pairings presented by Tim Nash, Fine Wine Specialist for The Wine Merchants: Friday

Trinchero Fine Wines by Kelly Fabor: Friday

Tabor Home Wines presented by Tabor Home Vineyards & Winery: Friday

Jasper Wines presented by Jean Groben, owner Jasper Winery: Saturday

Jasper Wines presented by Mason Groben, winemaker, Jasper Winery: Saturday

Chardonnay Blending presented by Tim Nash, Fine Wine Specialist for The Wine Merchants: Saturday

Fairtrade Wines Introduction to Iowa, Chris Woods, Prestige Wine Group: Sunday

Comparative Red Wine Tasting, Brennan McGrath, Certified Specialist of Wine, Johnson Brothers: Sunday

 

You can learn more about the Celebrity Chefs and local experts– see my blog from last week – or log on to www.cfwexpo.com.

 

I will be holding a drawing for four people who read this blog to receive 2 tickets each. Just send an email by Monday, November 17^th to makeminewine@mchsi.com, subject: Tickets. I’ll inform the winners by Wednesday, November 18^th.

 

Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door and each ticket gets you in for an entire day of activities: the gourmet stage, meet and greet zone, the book store and plenty of shopping! You can have a reserved seat at 1 celebrity chef demonstration – take the ticket to the box office and let them know which one you want to attend. You can go to other performances based on availability of seating. If you are 21 years of age or older, you can enter the sampling zone, for an additional $12.

 

Send me an email by Monday the 17^th – I’ll draw three – if I haven’t contacted you by Thursday, November 19^th, you can buy advanced tickets online at cfwexpo.com.

 

Cheers!

Barbara Rasko

Publisher

MakeMineWinemagazine.com

Learn from Your Favorite Chefs at The Celebrity Food & Wine Expo

Updating your cooking skills and elevating your food prep know-how enhances enjoyment of your meals and changes time in the kitchen from ho-hum to I can’t wait to get started!

You’ll find the inspiration and encouragement you need to try something new at The Celebrity Food & Wine Expo, Friday, November 21 – Sunday, November 23 at Hy-Vee Hall in the Iowa Events Center.

Celebrity Chefs will strut their stuff—or is that stir their stuff—at The Celebrity Kitchen Theatre, exhibitors will display their goods at The Emporium and The Gourmet Stage will feature daily demonstrations from local and regional chefs. You’ll find ready-to-eat goodies in the Sampling Zone*, The Vineyard and The Sweet Tooth Cafe.

We’re excited here at Make Mine Wine to attend this new close-to-home, food and wine event. Staff Chef Tom White will be soaking it all in, and editor Staci Scheurenbrand, a food channel junkie, can’t wait to see her favorites in person.

Celebrity chefs include Curtis Stone, Sandra Lee, Jamie Gwen, Guy Fieri, Andrew Zimmern and Butch Lipinetti. Des Moines’ own Sheree Clark will be on The Gourmet Stage … and (you’re among the first to know), we’ll feature some of her vegan recipes in the winter 2009 issue of Make Mine Wine!

You can check out all of the details of the Celebrity Food & Wine Expo at CFWEXPO.Com. Be sure to get your tickets for $25 in advance.

Food and wine—that’s inspiration for me!

Cheers!

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Publisher

Make Mine Wine

www.makeminewinemagazine.com