The Art of Food and Wine, November 6-9 in Palm Desert
By: Nancy Powell
Blue skies and calm desert breezes set the tone for the Art of Food and Wine, the toniest of the California culinary festivals where men clad in striped polos and freshly pressed khakis—trophy wives in tow— sample and savor the best this region has to offer. Meat and cheese dominate at each turn of the tent (not the cheap chuck cuts, but the preferred ones like the filet mignon and Kobe beef nibbles whose culinary preparations span ethnic divides), trading places freely with the rows of vintners waiting hand and foot for the next pour into the souvenir glasses, spit buckets at the ready. Meanwhile, outside at either end of the exhibitor’s area, celebrity chefs woo crowds with the secrets of their success, branding cutlery for sale—the stuff that super chefs use . . . as if buying these high end trinkets would transform you into a great cook. At another booth, Barnes & Nobles employees with pearly whites are waiting with the bribe of a personalized signing.
The $310 ticket price—$595 should one prefer to hit the links—may be hard to swallow in times of deep recession, but it buys unlimited returns to the good stuff from meat-serving gluttonistas like Roy’s, Morton’s, or a Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse. And while the goodies are being dished out to the would-be gourmands hovering around the serving tables, the B-52s will be electrifying the crowd at the McCallum Theater. By the time all is said and done, hundreds will have scoured downtown shops for pre-holiday bargains, and miles of decadent desserts will have been devoured amidst expensive bubblies. It promises to be one heckuva filling weekend. (Nancy Powell)
The Art of Food and Wine at the J.W. Marriott Resort & Spa, 74855 Country Club Dr., Palm Desert, (760) 341-2211; www.artoffoodandwine.com. Thurs.–Sun., Nov. 6-9, $310-$595
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