From Honig to Hurricanes

 Last weekend was a bit sketchy for "fun things to do in St. Lou" but this weekend won't be. There are two events that will have your friends down in Cabo wishing they were here. Hyperbole? Perhaps.Ah, but will they have the opportunity to sample over 1000 wines under one roof, thatched or otherwise? Didn't think so.  

The eighth annual St. Louis Food and Wine Experience commences on Friday night, January 29, at the Chase Park Plaza Hotel with an exclusive Premier Tasting of 100 rare, international wines, coupled with a live auction and the opportunity to order some of the vino just sampled. The $250/pp admission includes admittance to the VIP Reserve Room on Saturday and Sunday.  

General admission for Saturday and Sunday's Main Floor festivities is a more approachable $45, which buys you the opportunity to sample over 700 wines (most that would retail under that magic $20 price point) as well as a substantial selection of gourmet goodies. Culinary demonstrations by celebrity chefs will occur throughout the day on the elevated Main Stage. Bring plenty o' legal tender, as these wines can all be ordered at case discount prices and picked up later. 

Downstairs, a VIP Reserve Room runs concurrent with the events on the Main Floor. Here, more exclusive wines--several hundred of them--accompany an exclusive hors d'oeuvre buffet (jumbo shrimp, beef tenderloin, etc.), courtesy of co-sponsor Schnucks. Reserve Room tickets are $95 and case wines are available here as well. 

This is a wine event with both quantity and quality, plus part of the admission price benefits the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. Event times and additional details can be found here. 

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 For those who prefer Hurricanes over Honig, consider the Crystal Cajun Cook-Off at the Casa Loma Ballroom on Saturday, January 30, from 12- 4 PM, where 10 amateur and 10 professional local chefs will compete for "Best Dish" honors (in their respective divisions). The bad news: local health regulations do not allow attendees to sample these dishes. The good news: the $30 admission ($35 at the door) buys you unlimited Southern Comfort Hurricanes, Schlafly beer products, and soft drinks, as well as 4 tickets for tastes of Cajun items prepared by Johnny's Restaurant and Bar.  

Here's where it gets interesting...guests also receive a link to an online "book" containing the exact recipes from the 20 competing chefs. So it's a two-edged sword: you can't taste the winning dishes but you will be able to recreate them at home, far removed from the numbing effects of those SoCo Hurricanes. -- George Mahe