May marks the 12th Nantucket Wine Festival and Spanish vintages will be in the spotlight.
Destinations
Tastes local, sustainable, slow
May marks the 12th Nantucket Wine Festival and Spanish vintages will be in the spotlight.
Nantucket Wine Festival
NANTUCKET May 14-18
We may think of it as local but the 12th annual festival, which this year boasts three lunch symposiums at restaurants such as the Straight Wharf and the Nantucket Golf Club, has reached international status. Other events include chances to peek into the houses of the rich and drink wine, a gala dinner with wine, and a celebrity chef and wine-tasting event. Spanish wines will be spotlighted in several events. Chefs such as Jody Adams of Rialto, and New York chefs Cyril Renaud of Fleur de Sel, Damian Sansonetti of Bar Boulud, and Antoine Camin of La Goulue will cook for dinners at the White Elephant and other island restaurants. Costs range from $75 to $500 for a full pass.
New Orleans Wine and Food Festival
NEW ORLEANS May 20-24
The Crescent City is back as a culinary destination. More than 175 wineries and 75 of the city's restaurants will be featured at this five-day festival. Events include gala dinners, an auction, and seminars on wine and food, wine and chocolate, and simply wine. Participating restaurants include Restaurant August, Herbsaint, the Rib Room at the Omni Royal Orleans, and Cochon. Costs vary, with several seminars priced at $75-$89.
Cooking for Solutions
MONTEREY, Calif. May 16-17
Two days of gala events at the Monterey Bay Aquarium will be dedicated to all things sustainable. Organic and sustainable wines, underutilized species from the sea, and locally raised fruits and vegetables will grace the tables. Such chefs as Alton Brown of the Food Network show "Good Eats"; Stuart Brioza of Rubicon, San Francisco; Clark Frasier and Mark Gaier of Arrows, Ogunquit, Maine; Rick Moonen of rm seafood in Las Vegas; and Nancy Silverton of La Brea Bakery and Mozza in Los Angeles will join in cooking, demonstrating, and lecturing about ways to create delicious cuisine and sustain the environment. Costs range from $155 to $350.
International Festival of Food and Film
BOLOGNA, Italy May 7-11
If you're a film buff and a foodie, this festival is for you. It is sponsored by Slow Food, the international organization that promotes interest and awareness in artisanal foods and traditional ways. The festival will air short films, feature-length films, documentaries, and television series about food, agriculture, and the environment. Gastronomic memory as a common heritage will be explored. And in Bologna, in the celebrated foodie region of Emilia-Romagna, there will be plenty of opportunity to join your viewing pleasure with gustatory delights. Monetary prizes will be given to filmmakers; screening costs vary.
Derbyshire Food and Drink Festival
DERBYSHIRE, England May 17-26
If the wine galas and celebrity chef hoopla are a little too much, you might try this weeklong celebration of local products of the English countryside located in the historic Bolsover Castle. This popular event in its third year - last year 12,500 people attended - showcases homemade wines, cheese, chutney, honey, and even buffalo burgers. There will be cooking demonstrations, tours, competitions, and talks. Derbyshire restaurants will have corresponding menus, and other businesses will offer specials for the week. Entrance is free with some charges for events and food.
Events sometimes are canceled, rescheduled, or sold out; call or check online to confirm. Alison Arnett can be reached at alacarte59@aol.com.
© Copyright 2008 Globe Newspaper Company.
