Gas is actually affordable right now (knock on wood), so take advantage and hit the road for a culinary adventure at these top-notch food and wine events.
Feast at Ritz-Carlton in Tahoe (Sept. 11-13, 2015)
Toss on your glad rags for the posh, three-day gastronomic party that is the 30th Annual Lake Tahoe Autumn Food & Wine Festival, held at the lodge-chic Ritz-Carlton in Truckee. Highlight: The Tahoe Long Table Harvest Dinner, on Sept. 12, offers a six-course, farm-to-table, family-style supper with wine pairings, all against a gorgeous mountainous backdrop ($125 per person). Other tasty activities include the Culinary Competition and Grand Tasting fest (Sept. 13, $75 per person), and even a wine-fueled painting class (Sept. 11, $100 per person). // 13031 Ritz-Carlton Highlands Court, Truckee
Oink out in Dogpatch (Sunday, Sept. 13, 2015)
Tongues will be wagging at the Cochon Heritage BBQ Tour this weekend, giving the Bay Area folk a reason to head to the city. Billed as “North America’s Only World’s Fair of Global BBQ,” and making its debut at Magnolia Brewing in Dogpatch, the event will challenge five local chefs to prepare a multitude of dishes from six whole pigs, which will then be judged on global influences, cooking techniques, and flavor. And just to make sure everyone gets over-fed, additional chefs will prepare single porcine dishes. Snout styles will include Japanese hibachi, Korean barbecue, Argentine asado, African braai, Chinese char siu, Latin American caja China, Puerto Rican lechonera-style, Brazilian churrasco, Mexican barbacoa, and American BBQ techniques from Texas to Kansas City. Can't get enough? Follow the tour on to Ontario, D.C., Chicago, Austin and more. // Magnolia Brewing, 2505 3rd St (Dogpatch), San Francisco
Eat Sustainable in Monterey (October 3 & 4, 2015)
This 14th annual Cooking for Solutions Celebration, hosted by TV's Alton Brown at Monterey Bay Aquarium, is having a Make It Sustainable weekend of cooking demos and tastings all designed to show how easy (and delicious) it is to eat sustainably. Much of the fun is free, though you'll have to pony up for the marquee act: The Party with Alton Brown (Oct. 3, $90 per person) promises ocean-friendly food and drink from more than 50 restaurants, wineries and breweries, plus dancing in the Marine Mammal Gallery (do the Swim!). // Monterey Bay Aquarium, 886 Cannery Row (Monterey), montereybayaquarium.org
Turn Japanese in Santa Rosa (Oct. 8, 2015)
All we have to do for this one is cruise up to Santa Rosa, but the chef is traveling all the way from Japan. Spinster Sisters restaurant chef-owner Liza Hinman will welcome Nancy Singelton Hachisu, author of Preserving the Japanese Way: Traditions of Salting, Fermenting, and Pickling for the Modern Kitchen, where, to help her prepare a collaborative menu ($60) of Japanese fermented and fresh dishes. Vinegar-simmered ginger soy pork belly is wow for dinner, while salt fish, miso and pickles is a yes for breakfast. // Spinster Sisters, 401 S. A St., (Santa Rosa), thespinstersisters.com
Rub Shoulders With Real Celebs in Napa (Nov. 11-15, 2015)
The Napa Valley Film Festival should consider adding Food to its title, with so much of the gathering about fine eating and drinking (in addtion to more than 125+ indie films). Some 30 restaurants and 150 wineries are taking part. Don’t miss the Festival Gala (Nov. 12, $200 per person) and the Celebrity Tribute Night A-Lister/Movie Mogul Dinner Party (Nov. 13, $75 per person). // Various Venues; napavalleyfilmfest.org
