A Culinary Bust

Today, R and I went with his friend K to the Scottsdale Culinary Festival. I have never been before and didn't really want to go but got persuaded (ie, dragged) to go. Unfortunately I wasn't feeling very well since Friday - some type of tummy virus that has been going around the office - but I got my butt out of bed, put on my best spring gear on and got going.

Here's how it works - you pay a $10 entrance fee and then buy little tickets that you use to 'purchase' food at the various booths. Each booth is from a particular Valley restaurant. There are also places that you can purchase drinks (what's a festival without a bit of beer?) and live music.

So...what did I think? Well, I was quite disappointed with the whole event. Here's what didn't work for me:


- A lot of booths from regular joints that were less than mesmerizing such as Dos Gringos, Salty Senorita, Port of Subs, Chipotle, Famous Daves, Samurai Sams - really Samurai Sams? That made the cut?? I was looking to sample food from top notch restaurants that I can't usually afford to go to like House of Tricks, The Roaring Fork, The Keg, etc.

- Not enough shade. It was pretty hot and the Arizona sun is a killer. Shaded spots were highly sought after and not plentiful enough.


- The Scottsdale crowd. It was so sad to see all these women wearing shorter than short dresses, skirts and shorts coupled with tight and incredibly tiny tops with precariously placed boobs. This was an afternoon, out-door event - who knows what they wear to go out to a club! I guess I shouldn't expect decency (clothes wise) at a Scottsdale event.


- Volunteer staff that were entirely way too slow! I appreciate the elderly folk getting involved in the community (I really do!) but unfortunately given the huge traffic and popularity of the event, the staff were bumbling around and not moving fast enough. The line to the beer garden was so long that R and I didn't even bother waiting.



Ok - some positives...


- Flowers! Being a complete flower geek I fell in love with all of the roses, pansies, geraniums and snap dragons. They were absolutely beautiful and made me very envious!

- The pig. For the vegetarians and weak tummies, please close your eyes. There was one booth that attracted quite a bit of attention due to a whole smoked pig awaiting hungry patrons.

As grotesque as it was to look at, it was also incredibly fascinating. I couldn't bring myself to eat any (although I did have a bbq pork sandwich earlier in the day) due to the pig's head that seemed to always be looking at me no matter where I was standing.


- Nothing Bundt Cake. Deliciously moist with an almost devilishly chocolate flavor, these cakes left me craving for more. Very much a winner!


- As crabby as I was due to a mercilessly aching stomach, it was great to spend a day with my hunny! I also had my first snow cone. Spot the foreigner!

So all in all, I'm not sure that the Scottsdale Culinary Festival was all that it was cracked up to be. Perhaps it was better in the past but it really felt like a let-down. I probably won't go next year and maybe Rich and I will host our own little Culinary Festival at our house. Everybody is invited and there won't be a cover charge!