SHOWCASE & EVENTS

CURRENT EVENTS

Talk about candy for carnivores! I recently attended The Balboa Bay Club’s Wine & Food Festival’s Argentinean BBQ Gala. It was a treat for the eyes and the palate! The ‘cues were manned by Argentine grill masters from a Los Angeles-based catering company called Martin Fierro Asados (www.mfbbq.com).

What fun it was to see the vertical racks positioned over flames and embers, filled with pork baby-back ribs, salty-sweet chorizo and beautiful steaks (plus enormous beef ribs that looked like they might have come from a brontosaurus). All were served with a delectable chimichurri sauce. Delicious.

The South American wines were incredible, too. I loved the Argentinean 2005 Malbec from Swinto Vineyard. David Martel (The Balboa Bay Club’s Clubhouse Manager) wholeheartedly recommended it. Good advice, David.

I also downed a luscious cocktail made with Sagatiba Pura Cachaca, premium Brazilian rum. The Sagatiba Bikini Martini teamed 2 ounces of the rum with 1 ounce of passion fruit juice or puree, 1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice and 1/2 ounce simple syrup. Mmmmmm.

So, what do you think of Argentinean food and wines? Have favorites? Let me know!

Laguna Art Festival: Dishes from a food writer’s point of view, Sunday, August 9 at 1:00.  Admittance included with festival entrance fee. No advance reservation required.

Mission Viejo Readers Festival: Cathy will be on hand for short presentation and book signing (“Melissa’s Great Book of Produce”), Saturday, September 12 at the Mission Viejo Library. Dean Koontz and Henry Winkler will be there, too!