First Annual Deerfield Beach Food & Wine Festival

I was really looking forward to attending the first event for the Deerfield Beach Food and Wine Festival.  Unfortunately, the beginning and end of the festival were not desirable but there were some high points.  Nothing that can’t be improved upon during next year’s event!

The event staff seemed to be unorganized and the gates didn’t open until about 20 minutes after the festival was to start.  Once we were in, we were told to take a plate and wine glass and that we were to keep them throughout the event.  The restaurants that participated were all lined up along each side.  In the middle there were high top tables sporadic throughout.  

There were 40 different restaurants that took part included the French Quarter Bar & Grill, La Stella’s Italian Restaurant, BT’s Ocean Front Grill, Oceans 234, Bella Cibo, JB’s on the Beach, Lilly’s, The Whale, Muddy Waters, Lola, Ruth Chris, Mi Casita Mexican Restaurant, Casa Maya Grill, Biondo’s Pizza, Tamarind, Wave 2700 and the Social Cupcake… just to name a few!

There was a great mix of tasty treats to try.  Beer and cheese soup in a bread bowl, Crawfish, Seafood Paella, Pulled Pork Sliders, Crab cocktails, Sweet Potato Tartlet’s, Spicy Tuna Tartar, Bruschetta, Chicken Marsala, an assortment of Cheesecakes, gourmet cupcakes…the list can go on and on!

There were many different artisan wines, prosecco and beers to sample.  There was also a vodka bar which my dear friends especially enjoyed!!  There was a retail market where you could purchase fresh herbs, olive oils, wine decanters…a variety of unique products that you could take home with you.

The heat was intense so my friends and I decided to walk over to The Cove to have a cocktail and cool down. We sat there for about an hour then headed back to the event…This was around 6:30 I would say.  The food was scarce and they ran out of wine.  The event was not to end until 8:00pm.  My guess is that the organizers didn’t realize the potential turn out and therefore didn’t accommodate accordingly.

I personally think that for the first annual event, all in all it was a great success! 

Creamsicle Jelly

We love Marisa McClellan’s blog Food in Jars. She pickles and preserves just about anything you can think of and her blog is fun to read with beautiful photos.  After following her blog for over a year we finally had the opportunity to try one of her recipes.

It all came about after we attended a Raw Cooking workshop by Chef Alina in a wonderful shop in Boca Raton’s Mizner Park called The Spice and Tea Exchange. They sell all sorts of exotic spices and herbs, flavored and gourmet salts, flavored sugars and teas of course. They also make custom blends sold in grinders like Florida Sunshine and Bakers Delight which are among our favorites. There is so much to see in this small shop, its fun to browse and get inspired. After the work shop the manager Sophie gifted us with a big bag of peeled oranges because they only use the peel in the Florida Sunshine custom blend. What can you do with 2 dozen peeled oranges?

Harvey Wallbanger

Our first thought was inviting friends over for Harvey Wallbanger that retro 60’s cocktail you might remember? It’s basically just a screwdriver topped with Galliano tasting sort of like a creamsicle ice cream bar. When we came across the creamsicle jelly recipe we knew that what we had to make. It seemed easy and the picture on her blog showed a beautiful jar filled with a glossy light orange jelly with the flecks of the vanilla seeds that looked so delicious. The recipe is nothing more then boiling the orange juice with 2 vanilla beans, sugar and adding liquid pectin at the end. The one thing you need is a candy thermometer but once you have that you are all set.

It was so easy and delicious and makes for such a pretty home made gift. Check out her blog, its fun to read her recipe list to just see what she jars, get inspired to preserve and pickle. Let us know what you make please!

*Note: the jelly needs to cool overnight and then sets; do not panic like we did when it does not set immediately!