Spend a spring evening tasting your way through France’s very best.  As Central Market celebrates the “nation of foodies,” San Antonio’s Broadway Central Market will transform into a tasting tour.  Fête du France: A French Marché is from 4-8 p.m. Tuesday (May 15).

Your $20 donation at the door benefits Les Dames d’Escoffier, an international service organization made of of women in a wide range of culinary professions. Money collected goes into scholarship funds for young woman seeking education in culinary careers. In return, you’ll receive:

• A passport to Fête du France

• A commemorative wine glass

• A keepsake tote to begin your journey

Pick up a loaf of French bread while you attend Fete de France at Central Market.

In every department, sample delicious French finds like quiche, cassoulet, wines, Champagne, 18-month aged Comte, Trois Petit Cochon paté and ham, and Brioche Vendéene. Or, create your own crepe in the CM Cooking School

There will be traditional French music, artists to capture your  likeness and street performers who will entertain you along the way.

Plus, take home a bounty of treats such as Mere de Poulard cookies, Michele Cluizel chocolates, Fallot Mustard, traditional French breads and other savory souvenirs in your complimentary tote.

All proceeds benefit the San Antonio chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier.

May (all Saturdays)

Tour of Sandy Oaks Olive Orchard

Saturdays, 11 a.m. Sandy Winokur, founder and owner of Sandy Oaks Olive Orchard will give you a brief history of the olive industry from ancient times to the new Texas olive industry. Learn about the numerous varieties of olive trees grown and sold at Sandy Oaks. Visit the facility where many of the products we sell are produced, including our olive oil. Sample our culinary and skin care products. The tour lasts about 30 to 45 minutes and is free.  No reservations required.

Saturdays, 1-3 p.m. After a tour of the orchard, stay for lunch and enjoy our chef’s Special-of-the-Day.  Beverages are also available. Sandy Oaks is in Elmendorf, about a 25 minute drive from downtown San Antonio. The address is 25195 Mathis Road. 210-621-0044

May 16-20
Culinaria

One of the most popular food and wine festivals in the country, Culinaria started this year’s festivities with a 5K run in March. Now, the main event approaches, with five days of fun!

• May 16 — Sip, Savor and Shop at the Shops at La Cantera. Fashion shows, tastes of fine food and wines from around the world are served up among the shops, many of which are offering discounts to attendees. $35 in advance or $50 at the gate.
• May 17 — Winemaker dinners. The lineup hasn’t been completed yet, but you can expect some lively food and wine pairings.
• May 18 — Best of Mexico. The event returns to La Villita, where there’s plenty of room to mix and mingle while sampling wines, tequilas and an array of dishes from local restaurants and visitors showcasing the best Mexico has to offer. $50 in advance or $65 at the door.
• May 19 — The Grand Tasting at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. Last year’s event was a sellout with plenty of lengthy lines for food. To avoid that this year, the number of tickets will be reduced, so the event won’t be too crowded. $100 in advance or $125 at the door.
• May 20 — Burgers, BBQ and Beer at the Pearl. Restaurants from throughout the city and the area will be on hand to serve up some tasty treats paired with craft beers, some cocktails and wine.$35 in advance or $50 at the gate.

For prices or more information, call (210) 822-9555 or click here.

May 19

Risotto Demo at Gaucho Gourmet with chef Luca Della Casa

Reserve a spot now as Gaucho Gourmet, 935 Isom Road,  presents another cooking demonstration to the public.

This demo is All about Risotto” featuring Chef Luca Della Casa. Chef Della Casa, a native of Torino, Italy has a long trajectory in the fine culinary scene of Italy and Spain working extensively in Torino and Lanzarote. When he came to San Antonio in 2005 as an adventure, he continued his culinary career as executive chef at Sage restaurant, and since has led culinary teams at some of the city’s top restaurants. These days, Della Casa is sharing his passion for contemporary and healthy Italian cuisine as a private and consultant chef.

For our “All About Risotto” cooking demo, Della Casa will present the three best rice varieties to cook risotto: Vialone Nano, Carnaroli and Arborio, talk about the differences in properties and uses, share cooking techniques and recipes. Customers will be able to watch

As you know, space is limited so this time please call at 210-277-7930 Mon.-Sat. between 8am and 6pm or email us with your name, phone and how many people in your party to sylvia@gauchogourmet.com.  There is now charge for the demonstration. Visit the Gaucho Gourmet website here.

May 20

Fine Swine and Artisanal Food Fest

From 2-8 p.m., at South Texas Heritage Pork Farm, students from the Culinary Institute America-San Antonio and the Art Institute of San Antonio, will be exhibiting their skills in a heritage hog cook-off.

There will be live music, a raffle with the top prize of a whole heritage roaster hog, pie-eating contest, tastings from local food trucks and vendors (additional items can be purchased from the vendors), cooking demos, showing of a food documentary, “Farmageddon”  plus tastings from the culinary students and the watching of the final judging.

Beer and wine will be available for purchase.

Tickets are $35 for general admission and $75 for VIP tickets. The address is 4268 County Road 404, in Floresville.

VIP tickets include all general admission amenities plus additional food and drink pairings, a VIP parking pass and VIP seating in the judging area located on the farms expansive patio. VIP seating while be located in the heart of all the culinary cook-off action. VIP seating is pre-sale only, limited seating available.

Tickets available on line here.

May 19-May 27

The food truck parks in San Antonio area are getting ready for some fun in the next few weeks:

The Point Park & Eats, 24188  Scenic Loop Road, is having a crawfish boil on May 19.  From noon until 11 p.m., crawfish will be served up every two hours or until the little crustaceans run out.

Fat Bellies and Crepe Nation are  the presenters of the feast with Kitchen Fusionz, Takoryia and the Frigid Frog adding support. Abita beer is sponsoring the event. Live music and beer are on tap for the day. Call (210) 251-3380 for details.

Boardwalk on Bulverde, 14832 Bulverde Road, is hosting a three-day Kitchens 4 Cancer fundraiser May 25-27.

The  event benefits Livestrong, the Lance Armstrong Foundation that helps people with cancer.

Trucks include Rickshaw Stop, Toastie Buns, KC’s Cones, Guilty Pleasures, Spice Runner, Taco King, Lagniappe Today, Sabor Colombiano, Alex’s BBQ, R&R Chicken Wings, Skinny Cat, Peachwave, Society Bakery and Winner Winner Chicken Dinner are among the participating trucks.

The event begins at noon May 25 and runs through 8 p.m. May 27. For more information, call (210) 402-2829.

June 19

River-Tini Pour-off

Tuesday, June 19 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Hyatt Regency San Antonio will host the San Antonio River Foundation’s fourth annual RiverTini Pour-Off.

An annual competition featuring some of the Alamo City’s top bars and restaurants mixing fresh and lively specialty martinis, RiverTini raises funds for the River Foundation.and celebrates the ongoing efforts to bring recreation, public art and education along the San Antonio River expansions.

All proceeds from the Pour-Off will directly benefit the River Foundation’s projects. The RF is the only non-profit involved in the San Antonio River Improvements Project.

Tickets are now on sale for $50 each and include martini samples from all participants and hors d’oeuvres. All guests must be 21 years or older. For more information about this year’s RiverTini Pour-Off or to purchase tickets, click here.

On Saturday, Special Projects Social celebrates its first year of staging pop-up culinary events that offer far more than food on the plate. (While the sit-down portion of Saturday’s event is sold out, you can still help them celebrate its anniversary at the after-party. See information below.)

Tim McDiarmid, of Tim the Girl Catering and Special Projects Social. (Courtesy photo)

“We have labored lovingly over this pop-up food/art/design and craftsmanship project since its inception for Contemporary Art Month last year, and has become more amazing than we imagined,” said Tim McDiarmid, the chef and caterer (Tim the Girl Catering).

She partners with furniture designer Peter Zubiate. The two move Zubiate’s custom-designed, reclaimed-wood tables from site to site, while McDiarmid creates a menu around local, seasonal ingredients.

“It has really caught speed,” says McDiarmid (“Tim” is her given name). “We sell out quickly.”

Projects Social has a strong commitment, as well, to embracing other art forms in their events, such as artists, musicians, sommeliers, culinarians, photographers, designers who join with an enthusiastic community of food lovers, says McDiarmid. She is a widely traveled food enthusiast and caterer who grew up in Canada. She moved to the U.S. to immerse herself in the diverse, lively culinary culture in New York City for 17 years before coming to San Antonio.

One of the pop-up dining settings from Special Projects Social.

As her website says, “By the nature of a pop-up, the social never takes place at the same venue. Instead it is a one-time only event that moves to a new and unique location each time. The physical elements and the visceral experience of the space provides the jumping off point for the menu, design concept and the choice of artist and musician.”

Saturday’s after-party, with musicians Henry and the Invisibles, begins at 9 p.m. It is $40.

Go to the website to make reservations and to get the location at that time. Also, the menu for Saturday’s Projects Social dinner is up now, so check it out to get an idea of what’s in store in future months.

Grilled Oysters, such as Oysters Rockefeller, are popular Mardi Gras treats.

Wildfish Seafood Grille in San Antonio gears up to celebrate one of the year’s most prized holidays on Tuesday, February 21st. While there won’t be a “Fat Tuesday” parade, diners can enjoy a “food carnival” complete with authentic Southern cuisine and plenty of charm. Executive Chef Eddie Djilali will serve up festive offerings including:

• Louisiana Oysters

• The Wildfish All Lump Crab Cake Sautéed with Chive Remoulade Sauce

• Broiled Oysters with spinach and artichoke fondue

• Lemon Sole in Parmesan Crust sautéed with Plum Tomato, Herb Salad and Lemon-Garlic Butter Sauce

• Gulf Snapper Filet with Fresh Jonah Crab sautéed with Lemon-Chive Butter Sauce

• Two, ½-pound West Australian Lobster Tails, Broiled with Drawn Butter and Lemon

The restaurant will also feature traditional New Orleans-style cocktails including mojitos, bloody marys and mint juleps upon request.

Located at 1834 NW Loop 1604 San Antonio, TX 78248, Wildfish is open daily for happy hour at 4 p.m. and for dinner nightly in the dining room at 5 p.m. Patio dining and valet parking is available. For more information please call 210.493.1600 or visit the website at www.WildfishSeafoodGrille.com.

ABOUT WILDFISH SEAFOOD GRILLE

Wildfish Seafood Grille offers the finest fresh fish, hand-shucked shellfish and Midwestern, aged USDA prime center-cut steaks set in a high energy, casual, contemporary environment centered around an exhibition kitchen, innovative raw bar and a showpiece bar and lounge.

Bohanan’s Restaurant and Bar will be pouring its heart out for a top-shelf cause during the inaugural San Antonio Cocktail Conference to benefit HeartGift.

The fun kicks off at Bohanan’s Restaurant and Bar Thursday, January 26, and concludes with a Bloody Mary Brunch Sunday, January 29, 2012. In between there will be plenty of tastings, seminars and events, all designed to combine cocktail culture education with fun.

“This is not a cocktail festival, it is a cocktail conference,” says Bohanan’s bar manager Carlos Faz. “Fun though it may be, the necessary ingredient of a cocktail conference is that it takes the form of education on the art of classic cocktails, and provides information and instruction for those interested in learning more about the craft.”

Proceeds from the four-day event will benefit HeartGift, a group of surgeons, pediatric cardiologists, medical personnel, volunteers and host families who are dedicated to providing life saving heart surgery to disadvantaged children in developing countries where specialized treatment is scarce or nonexistent. Since its establishment in 2000, HeartGift has helped more than 120 children in 22 countries on five continents.

Presented by Bohanan’s, Soho Wine & Martini Bar, Ocho Lounge at Hotel Havana, The Esquire Tavern and Rio San Antonio Cruises, the event is modeled on the successful Manhattan Cocktail Classic and New Orleans’ Tales of the Cocktail Event.

The first of its kind in Texas, the San Antonio Cocktail Conference will bring together an impressive list of experts in the fields of classic cocktails, liquors and more. It is sponsored by Republic National Distributing Company and Sheraton Gunter Hotel.

The schedule for the classes and gala can be found at www.sacocktailconference.com.

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online. Prices are $30 for a class and $50 for an evening soiree.

Festival-goers enjoy the River Walk, music at the ampitheater at the Pearl's Tamale! Festival

Saturday dawned wet and gray, but that didn’t stop the crowds from showing up at the Pearl’s Tamales! fest Saturday. An expanse of canopies set up in the parking lot behind the Full Goods building protected the stalls, nonetheless. We arrived to find lines two-and-three persons abreast, waiting for the corn-wrapped (or in some cases banana leaf-wrapped) tamales.

“It didn’t rain on us, but water had collected in the canopy above us when we got here. It was going drip, drip, drip here,” said Diana Barrios–Treviño, restaurateur and owner, with her family, of Los Barrios’ two Mexican restaurants. That situation was easily remedied by draining water off the canopy, and the rest of the day went smoothly.

Tamales weren’t the only things on the menu. The CIA Bakery set up a booth to sell savory scones, cookies, baguettes and other breads. Food trucks from La Gloria and El Bucanero were serving up non-tamale items at this, the second annual event.

Tellez Tamales had one of the busiest lines at the festival.

Among the most popular tamales were those from Tamalhi, a San Antonio restaurant selling gourmet, hand-wrapped tamales, and offering tamales wrapped in banana leaves. Also Paloma Blanca, Tellez Tamales, Raquel’s, and Gardener’s Feast, from Austin, were busy.

The highlight of the festival for some was the tamale competition.

At about 2:30 p.m., a panel of judges sat down in one of the CIA conference rooms to taste the tamales that had made their way through rigorous screening. We were to judge the 5 finalists in each of three categories: pork, chicken and a “wild card” meaning just about anything goes. Each category winner would win $1,000.

As a couple of the judges admitted, they were a little leery of what items this category might contain, be it venison or more exotic meats. But, the entries turned out to feature interesting ingredients, such as apples and apple pie spice, black-eyed peas with ham and Thai curry. The Thai curry, in fact, had spicy heat that outstripped any of the other tamales sampled that afternoon.

Points were added or taken of on the neatness of the corn husk wrappers.

Contest organizer Shelley Grieshaber spelled out the guidelines for the judges. These included Ron Bechtol, food writer and critic for The San Antonio Current;  Rachel Benavides, managing editor for San Antonio Magazine, Jesse Perez, executive chef for Alamo Cafe; David Kellaway, chef and managing director of the Culinary Institute of America San Antonio, Courtney Bond, writer for Texas Monthly and myself.

Tamales first of all had to look good on the outside. In other words, no frayed edges or filling oozing out, no discolored husks, a nice uniform look. They had to have a good ratio of filling to masa, be rolled well and easily unrolled.

“Taste is the most important factor of all,” Grieshaber said. Any of the entries would stand or fall on taste, and we certainly found out exactly what that meant. One of the  entries flavor would have been sensational — but for the fact that it was far too salty.

No tamale-making businesses were able to enter the contest – this was for amateurs. But, these practiced tamale makers turned out some excellent tamales, with tender masa wrapped around well-spiced meat with good texture. One entrant turned in beautifully wrapped tamales in banana leaf packets. Another tied the ends of her tamales at both ends with strips of husk.

The “wild card” category winner was apple pie tamale by Courtney Stone, with raisins and caramel.  (An earlier story said this winner was a black-eyed-pea and ham tamale, but that was in error.)

In the chicken category, the winner was Mayra Gonzalez, whose tamales had a robust chile seasoning, a perfect meat-to-masa ratio. The third grand prize, for the pork tamales, went to Maria Reyes, whose tamales’ pork filling outshone the others in texture and taste.

A total of 168 contest entries were received. Prizes of $100 will also go to the non-winning finalists.

“We were really happy about the turnout — and everyone should be brushing up their skills for next year’s festival, too,” said Grieshaber.

Note: this article corrects an earlier error.

The final proof of a good tamale is in the eating.

Tamale-judging at last year's Pearl competition.

Tamales are the stars of the show at the Tamales! festival at the Pearl.

Tamales at Pearl  – A Holiday Family Festival will be Saturday at the Pearl Brewery.  The event is, as its name suggests, very family friendly. It will run from noon until 7 p.m.

During the holidays tamales, which are an everyday San Antonio treat, really come into their own. This celebration at the Pearl is fast on its way to becoming a tradition as well.

The event is free, and, just as last year, thousands of tamales will be brought to the market for sale — and thousands will disappear. Johnny Hernandez of La Gloria Ice House says last year’s favorites were the Oaxacan and Vera Cruz styles.

In addition to these corn-husk-wrapped Mexican delicacies (and sometimes banana-leaf-wrapped) the festival will feature booths from San Antonio restaurants, a tamal-making contest, music, dancing and family activities.

Think your family recipe for tamales is the best in town?

Tamales at last year's Pearl competition.

Now, you can prove it! Enter for a chance to win more than bragging rights at the Best Tamales in San Antonio competition at the 2^nd Annual Tamales! at Pearl festival planned for Saturday, Dec. 3.

But, you need to enter soon. The deadline is Nov. 10.

The contest will award $1,000 prizes in each of three categories Best Chicken Tamale, Best Pork Tamale and Best Wild Card/Unique Tamale, along with $100 HEB gift cards to the four additional finalists in each category.

The contest is free to enter and is open to individuals 18 years of age and older. Restaurants, caterers and professional tamale manufacturers are not eligible to participate. Tamales must be the original recipe and creative work of the person entering the contest. No third-party purchased tamales may be entered.

Registration forms and contest rules can be downloaded from www.atpearl.com/tamales or are available at the Pearl Administrative Office.  Registration forms must be received no later than 5 p.m. on Thursday, November 10. They can be submitted in person Monday-Friday between 8 a.m. ­ 5 p.m. or mailed to the Pearl Administrative Office, Full Goods Building, 200 East Grayson Street, Suite 210, San Antonio, TX 78215.

Registration forms may also be submitted at the Tamales at Pearl booth at the Pearl Farmers Market on Saturday, November 6, between 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Pre-registered contestants will be asked to deliver six fully cooked, chilled tamales for each category entered between 2-5 p.m. on Sunday, November 13 to the Pearl Studio, located inside the breezeway of the Full Goods Building on the ground floor.

Becker Vineyards’ new Fall Fest event is Punkin Chunkin’. It will make its debut on Saturday, Nov.  12.

The event kicks off at 11 a.m. with a Pumpkin Taste-Off.  The public will be able to sample food featuring pumpkin in it.   At 12:30 p.m. the Trebuchet (see what this is below) Pumpkin Launching begins and continues hourly.

There will be an Open Invitation Pumpkin Throw.  Visitors also will throw pumpkins with hand power.  Awards will be given based on accuracy and distance.

Doug Moreland and The Flying Armadillos will perform from 1 – 4 p.m.  Moreland is from the Davis Mountains of Texas .  He describes himself as a west Texas fiddler, songwriter, entertainer, and chainsaw artist currently residing near Austin. For more info on his music, click here.

At 5:30 p.m. there will be a four-course Fall Vintner Dinner highlighting pumpkin with each course paired with Becker Vineyards’ wines.  The dinner, at the Lavender Haus Reception Hall  is $85 plus tax, per person. Wine Club Members receive a 10 percent discount.  Reservations required at 830-644-2581 x 230 or e-mail Becker Vineyards here.

What’s the Trebuchet?

The Trebuchet, owned by musician Doug Moreland, is a type of catapault that works by using the energy of a raised counterweight to throw the pumpkin. The sling, which has a pouch containing the pumpkin, is placed in a trough below the axle.  It supports the beam. Upon releasing the trigger, the sling and the beam swing around toward the vertical position, where one end of the sling releases, opening the pouch and propelling the projectile towards the target. The efficiency of the transfer of the stored energy of the counterweight to the projectile can be quite high, even without, for example, restraining the path of the counterweight. (Modern-day enthusiasts have varied the original design, especially to control the path of the counterweight.)

It was a perfect fall day for Culinaria’s Totally Tejas at Rio Cibolo Ranch Sunday. The cool, crisp air meant that sitting outdoors under towering trees, listening to music, or taking a short barge trip on the creek were comfortable and inviting.

Two Bros. BBQ at Totally Tejas: serving up smoke and brisket.

Indoors, there was walkabout salsa competition going on, so the buzz of the day was who had what, and what direction to go to find it in the large hall. Arts and crafts, from handmade chocolates to jewelry, a silent auction, a lariat artist and plenty of wine samples flowed.

Jesse Perez, chef at the Alamo Cafe, had a creamy, green salsa with specks of habanero in it that was getting raves; the Food Bank cooking crew was there, too, with a more traditional salsa that topped some tasty little pork empanadas. One salsa was made with green grapes; others were of the straight-ahead tomato and chile variety.

“It couldn’t have been a better day for Totally Tejas. We’re glad so many drove out to attend,” said Suzanne Taranto, Culinaria president. This is Culinaria’s final event of 2011. The next event is the 5K Run at The Shops of La Cantera, May 12. The festival’s major Festival Week is May 16-20.

Alamo Cafe chef Jesse Perez took top honors for salsa, while the Food Bank came in a very close second place.

Perez’ habanero salsa won the contest, with the Food Bank coming in a very close second — it was almost a draw, said Taranto.

The Texas Heritage Riders, in full regalia on handsome steeds, lined the drive up to the parking area. Two Bros. BBQ added a smoky seasoning to the air, serving pit-smoked brisket.

If there had been a food contest, we think Paloma Blanca would have edged out the other contenders. They were pouring a delicious, warm, Creamy Poblano Soup that had a true blast of genuine poblano flavor.

On the sweet side, Flour Power Bakery served an orange creamsicle cake that certainly won our own, personal “best dessert” award.

It was a great day to be in the country.

Rollin' on the river: Totally Tejas barge ride on Sunday

Paloma Blanca servers had one of the tastiest treats at the festival.