Journal Sentinel’s Wine & Food Experience dishes out local flavors
Katie McShane and her grandmother, Ruth, stood at a table with samples of freshly dished entrées — savory meats with rice, pork with apple slaw — paired with glasses of red wine.
It was the pair’s first year at the Journal Sentinel’s Wine & Food Experience, hosted Saturday at the Reed Street Yards.
Ruth said she had been looking forward to the event for years.
“I always wanted to (go), always read about it,” Ruth said. She got her chance this year when she was given two VIP tickets as a gift from her sonin-law. And Katie was excited to tag along.
Their reasoning was simple: they both love food.
The event featured 30 vendors from local restaurants, such as Harbor House, Rodizio Grill and Fuel Cafe, as well as others from southeastern Wisconsin.
The McShanes tried mostly entrées, but still saved room for dessert. One of their favorites was Birch + Butcher’s sweet corn Panna Cotta — a gelatinlayered cream topped with caramelized strawberries and basil.
It’s a creation that chef and co-owner Miles Borghgraef said came about by accident. But it was a hit — Birch + Butcher prepared 750 tiny Panna Cottas for the event and by 1 p.m. was about 60 percent of the way through its stash.
Besides the food, there were 80 wine pairings to try, from sweet rosés to dark cabernets. It was all happening under a massive tent at Reed Street Yards while a band played outside and VIP guests lounged in a special section.
As part of their VIP package, the McShanes received cookbooks written by featured chef Richard Blais.
“We’ll have to make something for Christmas,” Ruth said. Even though she’s not much of a cook, Ruth said it will be an adventure to try some new recipes.
“We’ll just skip right to dessert,” Katie said.