Dining by Design: Greenwich Food & Wine Festival

Ace of Cakes, Duff Goldman, and me at Greenwich Food & Wine

 Time flies when you're having fun... and when you're just plain busy!!  Between starting a full-time job, moving, and contributing to another established online food blog, I've been negligent in creating new posts.  Fortunately, that busy-ness has also included fun!  Food fun!  My writing for CTBites took me to Barcelona Wine Bar, where I got to be inspired by wine manager Gretchen Thomas: http://www.ctbites.com/home/2012/10/9/gretchen-thomas-of-barcelona-restaurant-group-talks-wine.html .  That same weekend, I won a ticket to the Greenwich, Connecticut Food and Wine Festival.

The festival spanned from Thursday October 4 to Saturday October 6.  It celebrated the vibrant culinary scenes of both Fairfield and Westchester County.  Proceeds went to an excellent cause: The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, founded by Paul Newman to help families struggling with serious illnesses.  There were specialized events, including Thursday Night's Wine Evening and Friday Night's Tasting Gala.  On Saturday, guests could experience the festival at large.  A "culinary village" boasted food, wine, and spirits from over 90 vendors while celebrity book signings and demonstrations unfolded in tents arond the park.  The afternoon culminated in an epic Burger Battle in which local restaurants tried to serve up the best patty to a panel of celebrity judges.  Heavyweights such as Ted Allen, Graham Elliot, and Duff Goldman were all on hand to sample the entries and share opinions with the crowd.


Ted Allen signs my coveted chef's jacket... it's getting full!

Festival participants had the chance to sample the burgers over the course of the evening.  Each entrant had a booth or a tent that distributed smaller versions of the patties the chefs had the chance to indulge in.  (Although I admit I did get to eat a full-sized, masterfully created burger when Duff slipped me a barely touched burger complete with foie gras!)  I made a point to wear my big girl pants and try at least a taste of all of the burgers available for posterity (OK, and for my own enjoyment, too.)  I know a good burger!!  Below are my winners and findings:

1. Best Burger Patty- In my opinion, the most important part of the burger is the meat itself.  It's got to be the perfect cut of meat... substantial in your mouth, yet tender in texture.  It must also be perfectly cooked:pink in the center and melt-in-your-mouth.  In terms of the patty, the Ginger Man swept me off my feet.  This humble pub outshone the competition with its succulent, moist, tender meat and perfectly toasted bun.  The burger was made to stand alone.  Unlike other vendors who added chutneys and exotic toppings, the Gingerman put out a simple spread of ketchups and mustards.  It was perfection!  For more information on the Gingerman and its locations in Norwalk and Greenwich, visit http://www.gingermannorwalk.com/

2. Best Topping/Addition- Even though I must have had at least 50 samples of food items that afternoon, I am still thinking about the pepper relish served atop the burgers from The Cos Cobber.  The make the relish themselves with fresh Italian peppers.  The peppers hover between sweet and spicy, providing the perfect compliment to the robust nature of the protein.  The patty itself was fine, but nothing special.  The pepper relish was what made it one of my favorite offerings of the evening. For more information, the website is  http://www.thecoscobber.com/The_Cos_Cobber/Home.html .



Graham Elliot and Me... another jacket signer!

3. Best Classic- I usually greeet cult food favorites with healthy skepticism.  It took a friend forcing me to get me to try Sprinkles Cupcakes (which I don't particularly enjoy), I've never set foot in an Olive Garden, and I walk right past in-N-out burger.  The line at Shake Shack spanned almost half the BBQ portion of the park, and I was willing to pass it by.  Fortunately, my companion pulled me into the queque.  "If you did this on a regular day you'd probably wait an hour... this is nothing," she argued.  I'm glad I waited!  The Shake Shack offers a great package: a well-cooked patty, a unique sauce, lettuce, and a perfectly toasted bun.  I certainly understand why people love it.  Honestly, the sauce was a bit heavy for me.  The first bite was delectable and cohesive, but I quickly became full.  I'm suppose I'm a burger purist: I like a just crisp bun, a tender patty, and a touch of ketchup.  But for people who want a good, unique burger, this is a great choice.  The crew was especially friendly, and made the experience fun despite the extended wait.  Check out the website and visit the Westport location: http://www.shakeshack.com/

Honorable mention to the other participants... I know I sampled at least 8 burgers!  It was incredibly enetertaining and all went to a good cause.  (I'm referring to the charity, although I suppose that could also be extended to my happy tummy!)

I hope to get more blog posts up in the next few days... I hope you keep checking for them and keep reading!!  I just enjoyed a beautiful meal at Colicchio and Sons that I can't wait to tell you about.  I tried more of their selections that I never got to try before.  Also, look for my contributions on CTBites.com !  It is an enxcellent food blog for people who are interested in the CT restaurant scene.


Top Chef's Cliff