I just returned from Seattle’s Taste Washington and what Fantastic event! I was totally amazed by the quantity and the quality of both the food and wine. I loved the spread out “Quest” venue, so even though 3500 people attended the Grand Tasting, you still had room to navigate. I’d highly recommend marking your calendar for next year or better yet–you can still get tickets for Spokane’s Tasting on June 8, 2008.
Here’s a few interesting stats I just found out:
* Approximately 215 wineries poured more than 850 wines into over 11,000 Riedel glasses (and I managed to get mine home without breaking it!) Even though I’m quite loyal to our Bay Area’s wines, I have to admit – Washington wines are really nipping at our heels. (I tasted some really good dry Rieslings and some delicious ice wines.)
* Fifty restaurants served approximately 1,500 bites each, including:
* Wild Ginger – 1,700 lemongrass chicken satays and 700 green papaya salads ( One of my fave restaurants and the satay was scrumptious)
* Waterfront Seafood Grill – 3,000 servings of wicked shrimp and cheese grits
* Elliott’s Oyster House – almost 5,000 oysters, 150 pounds of tequila lime mussels, 1,400 pieces of alder smoked salmon canapés, 900 pieces of pepper vodka lox salmon, 20 pounds of Dungeness crab legs skewer and 600 pieces of shellfish ceviche. (I cannot tell a lie..I think I personally polished off 5 pounds of the succulent crab legs and about 3 dozen of the assorted oysters-talk about dying and going to heaven!)
And one last FYI:
One patron wrote a check for $143,625 to purchase a Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S from a sponsor’s floor display. It is only the second of its kind to be sold in Seattle. (Shoot- I really was considering buying it for myself-don’t know why they didn’t bring a few more.)