Foodie Things to Do This Weekend and Beyond

South American Wine Tasting, Saturday, January 14th from 4pm-6pm. A wine tasting led by George Staikos featuring six great South American wines, with empanadas matched with the wines, will be held at the Grape Escape Winery, 12 Stults Rd, Dayton. Tickets are $85, or $160 for a couple. For reservations, call 609-409-9463.

Shut Up, Sit Down & Eat, Saturday, January 14th at 7pm. A night of comedy that includes a four-course buffet dinner, a glass of wine, a wine tasting, a comedy show, and a DJ with dancing after the comedy show, will be held at Valenzano Winery, 1320 Old Indian Mills Rd, Shamong. Tickets are $60. For tickets, call 609-268-6731.

Winter Wine Fest, Saturday, January 14th from 12pm-4:30pm. Sip, savor and enjoy the bounty of 8 New Jersey Wineries as they come together in the Renault Grand Ballroom. Amalthea Cellars, Bellview Winery, Dimatteo Vineyards, Plagido’s Winey, Sylvin Farms, Tomasello Winery, Sharrott Winery and Renault Winery. For more information: 609-965-2111 Renault

Wine & Blues Fest, Saturday, January 14th from 12pm-5pm. Natali Vineyards. Enjoy a great entertainment while sipping on some wine and Heated Spiced Sangria. Some of our local restaurants will be on hand with some great soups, seafood, pulled pork sandwiches and old world sausage bread. We will also have other local vendors selling some really cool unique CMC wares as well. For More Information Please Call 609-465-0075.

Latin Night, Saturday, January 14th.  Featuring Ruffino wines of Italy will be celebrated at the Mill at Spring Lake Heights, 101 Old Mill Rd, Spring Lake Heights, with a four-course dinner, wine, and dancing for $49.95 plus tax and gratuities. Call 732-449-1800 for reservations.

Meatloaf-a-Thon, Sunday, January 15th from 4pm-8pm. Barcade, Jersey City. Up to 25 contestants will battle it out for the title of Lord of the Loaf! A $10 donation gets you all you can eat meatloaf (while supplies last!). All money raised will be donated to the Meatloaf Kitchen. Arrive early for a chance to be a judge. For more information: Barcade

Wellness ClubWhole Foods Market, Sunday, January 15th at 10am. Windsor Green Shopping Center, West Windsor, 609-799-2919 Opening day is celebrated with a bread breaking ceremony, tastings, lectures, live music, cooking demonstrations, tours, and more. The membership-based program offers a detailed curriculum designed by medical doctors including a lifestyle evaluation, nutrition education, skill building classes, a support community, and a discount on select healthier food. FREE www.wholefoods.com

And Beyond…

The Food Bank of South Jersey’s Mac Off will take place on Monday, January 16th. For more details click here.

Wherever the Olive Grows; Sicily, Tuesday, January 17th at 6pm. Come Celebrate the cuisine and wines of Sicily! Enjoy regional cuisine for the table paired with wines. $55 per person (excludes tax and gratuity). Call Mediterra, Princeton, NJ for reservations 609-252-9680.

Winter Beer Fest, Saturday, January 21st. High Street Grill, Mount Holly. This is the most fun you can have tasting beer in the area, on a cold winter weekend. Enjoy the heated tent, and sampling the best Big Winter Brews from Flying Dog, Troegs, Founders, Allagash, Ommegang, Oskar Blues and more! 2 Sessions available, each are 2 hours long. Tickets are on sale at the Grill only. For more information: High Street Grill 609-265-9199

An Evening in Alsace, Tuesday, January 24th from 6pm-9pm. Culinary Workshops Offer Taste of Global Cuisine at Atlantic Cape. Blending German and French flavors, the Alsace region in France shows that food has no borders. On the menu: Tarte a l’Oignon, Alsatian Salad, Coq aw Riesling and Tarte au Fromage Blanc. Wine pairings will also be suggested. To register, call 609-343-4829 or visit www.atlantic.edu/conted.

Havana Nights, Sunday, January 29th at 1pm. Old York Cellars. We are proud to announce that we will have with us Chef Ronaldo Linares who will be bringing a touch of Cuba to Old York Cellars. He will be demonstrating and preparing traditional Cuban style dishes. The audience will then get a sampling of the dish paired with Old York Cellars wines. For more information: Havana Nights

Cooked & Uncorked: Food & Wine Festival, Monday, January 30th from 6pm-9pm. With over 40 restaurants and 12 New Jersey Fire Departments participating in a Cook-off you get to taste from over 50 top chefs. In addition last year we had 21 tables of wines, spirits, beer,etc. This year all attendees will get to vote for their Firehouse chef! All proceeds go to the St. Barnabas Burn Foundation and the NJ FMBA Foundation. For more information: 973-322-4344  Cooked & Uncorked

International Great Beer Expo, February 4th. Meadowlands. This international beer tasting extravaganza will showcase more than 50 breweries from across the globe, each providing samples of their country’s proudest brewing achievement. Shoulder to shoulder with some of America’s best breweries, will be amazing breweries from Japan, Germany, France, Belgium, Italy, Ireland, Mexico, Austria, Nicaragua, Thailand, Poland, New Zealand, Indonesia, Sweden, China, and others. For more information: Beer Expo

An Evening in Tuscany, Tuesday, February 14th from 6pm-9pm. Culinary Workshops Offer Taste of Global Cuisine at Atlantic Cape. There are few things better than the flavors of Italy. Learn to prepare Fennel and Aged Pecorino Salad, Artichoke Custards with Fava Bean Sauce, Sausage Bread and Chicken Liver Spiedini, and Meringata with Chocolate Espresso Sauce. To register, call 609-343-4829 or visit www.atlantic.edu/conted.

LBI Chocolate Week 2012

Lets Make Chocolate Covered Pretzels – Free Program. Saturday, February 11th from 10:30am-11:30am. 15 person limit – come in and make a chocolate covered pretzel surprise for your parents/friends/ or sweetie.  For ages 9 and up.  Stop in the Tuckerton Library on 380 Bay Avenue in Tuckerton, Call 609-296-1470 or go online at http://www.theoceancountylibrary.org/ to register.

Make Chocolate Covered Pretzels for your sweetheart! Tuesday, February 14th. Celebrate Valentine’s Day by coming in and making chocolate covered pretzels for that special someone! All ages, drop in at the Long Beach Island Branch of Ocean County Library in Surf City. 609-494-2480

Platinum Design Build Company presents Post Valentine’s Party and 20 ways to re invent your Kitchen- Wednesday, February 15th from 5:30-7:30pm. Join Platinum Design for complimentary chocolate martinis and chocolate covered strawberries, raffles and fun conversation at  Dave’s Appliance in Oscar Huber.  For more information or to RSVP 609-994-3244 or visit www.platinumbc.com/chocolate

TGI Friday’s Chocolate Week Bartenders Competition, Thursday, February 16th at 8pm. Add some flair to your Thursday with the best local bartenders mixing the best drinks in town to benefit the Southern Ocean County Community Foundation Hunger Relief Dinner. The bartenders will be creating libations featuring chocolate while being judged for their showmanship. Drinks will be auctioned to crowd! $5 entry to benefit Hunger Relief Dinner For more information contact TGI Friday’s Manahawkin, 609-489-0950 http://www.worldbtc.com/about Come out and be part of the live video broadcast and meet the B98.5 van for prizes and giveaways!

Death By Chocolate: Murder Mystery Dinner Show, Friday, February 17th at 6pm. The Engleside Inn. Death by Chocolate will be the perfect ending to Long Beach Island’s Chocolate Week and a great way to celebrate Valentine’s Day Weekend. Proceeds from the dinner theatre event will benefit Tuckerton Seaport’s educational programs. For more information or tickets: 609-296-8868, brookes@tuckertonseaport.org, Tuckerton Seaport.

5th Annual New York Wine Expo

Friday, March 2, 2012
6:00 – 10:00 PM

Saturday, March 3, 2012

2:00 – 6:00 PM

Don’t miss this opportunity to sample over 760 wines from over 190 winemakers from around the globe in the Grand Tasting. The Expo is open on Friday evening and Saturday afternoon allowing consumers to take a tasting tour around the world. Several seminars will be available as well.

This event will be held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in NY. For more information: NY Wine Expo

29th Annual Atlantic Cape Restaurant Gala, Thursday, March 22nd at 6:30pm. Bally’s Atlantic City Hotel & Casino. The event celebrates food by highlighting thousands of hors d’oeuvres prepared by students at the Academy of Culinary Arts and showcasing the specialties of 40 of the area’s best restaurants at a progressive dining experience. The Gala raises money for student scholarships. Tickets are $200 per person and can be ordered by contacting Lauren Canzanese at (609) 463-4672, acccfdn@atlantic.edu, or online at www.atlantic.edu/gala.

Atlantic City Beer & Music Festival 2012

The focus of The Atlantic City Beer Festival is the promotion of craft beers and the brewers that create them. Now in its 7th year the festival has taken a truly organic turn with the addition of original music from artists across the Tri-State area.

Session 1: Friday, March 30th from 7pm-11pm. Session 2: Saturday, March 31st from 12pm-4pm. Session 3: Saturday, March 31st from 6pm-10pm.

The 2012 Atlantic City Beer and Music Festival will not only highlight great beer and music but will also feature culinary demonstrations from local area chefs, beer seminars hosted by author and television personality Gary Monterosso as well as others and we can’t forget the amazing festival vendors… lots and lots of food and beer related vendors. This year’s festival will appeal to absolutely everyone.

For more information and tickets: AC Beer & Music Fest

Make Your Own Mozzarella Cheese, April 21st. ***This event sells out FAST.  The cost is $85.00 per person or $160.00 per couple and includes the following: Hands-on instructions on how to make your own mozzarella, Notes and recipe provided, and much more! To reserve tickets and more information: The Grape Escape 609-409-9463