L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2014 www.italoamericano.com L'Italo-Americano 7 el abroad and experience these fantastic wines they're discover- ing that they really like them. I saw this as a great opportunity to bring in international wines, winemakers, and top sommeliers to let consumers taste and learn more about what makes these wines so special." A one-day pass to the event granted guests general admission and allowed them to sample not only different wines from around the world, but enjoy live acoustic music and observe cooking demonstrations by Guatemalan- native and San Diego resident chef Pablo A. Fernandez. Fernandez is also the founder and producer of The Secret Table, "a movement to bring community around real food and true rela- tionships." Fernandez infuses his cooking with his passion for food and "the love that was passed down through food with a servant spirit from his great grandmother, grandmother and mother." The two-day event also hosted a "Wine and Food Education Whether you're celebrating that new big promotion at work or the simple fact that you made it through the day and survived rush-hour, gridlock traffic, there are few things more rewarding than a nice glass of wine. For Italians, wine is practically the unspoken sixth basic food group and one could argue that they know and appreciate a good wine better than most people. In fact, a recent study released by the Wine Institute reveals that Vatican City consumes more wine per person than any other country in the world. The study revealed that residents of Vatican City consume, on average, 74 liters of wine a year. For those of us not familiar with the metric system, that equals approximate- ly 105 bottles of wine. These fig- ures double the per-person con- sumption of both France and the rest of Italy; it is triple the per- person average of the United Kingdom. So, needless to say, Italians have a very high appreci- ation for the stuff. (Incidentally, the United States ranked 56th on that list). But how does the average Joe learn to recognize a good bottle of wine when they taste it? The San Diego Wine Show helped do just that at the Del Mar Fairgrounds April 26 and 27. For the first time in its history, the two-day festival went interna- tional, showcasing not only local, California wines, but also wines from Argentina, Spain, France, Chile and – of course – Italy. San Diego Wine Show Executive Director Donato Santarsieri made the decision to broaden the scope of the wine showcased at this event, stating in a press release that ""The pub- lic here is generally quite California-centric about their taste in wine, but when they trav- Del Mar Racetracks hosts first San Diego International Wine Show Series," featuring guest speakers including winemakers William Allen (of Two Shepherds Vineyards), Chris Broomell (Vesper Vineyards) and certified sommelier Charlie Plummer. The proceeds from these shows went to the event's charity, Country Friends, "an organiza- tion celebrating 60 years of con- tinuous service to San Diego County through our support of Human Care Agencies [whose] focus is on local programs pro- viding services to women, chil- dren, the elderly and persons with disabilities." Those in attendance also had the opportunity to dine at the iconic southern California race- track's restaurant, 17 Hands, which had a custom-made menu prepared specifically for the event. The weekend may be over now, but Santarsieri and his team are already preparing for the 2015 show, so be sure to mark your calendars for another weekend of wine, food and fun. MIChELE PLuSS Guest Speakers William Allen of Two Shepherds Vineyards, Charlie Plummer of Jackson Family Wines and Chris Broomell of Vesper Vineyards at the San Diego International Wine Show, Cold Climate Rhone Seminar. (Photo courtesy of Wine Harlots) May 7, Mon. - An Evening with Ingrid Croce at Convivio Center (2157 India St., San Diego, CA 92101): A special eve- ning with guest speaker, Ingrid Croce of Croce's Park West in Banker's Hill, who willl also be discussing and signing her book with Jimmy Rock, I Got a Name: The Jim Croce Story. Light appetizers, desserts, and beer and wine will be provided. Free admission. Doors open at 6PM. More information is available at: https://convivio.yapsody.com/ event/ index/2532/an_evening_with_ingrid_croce June 9, Sun. - Le Migrazioni Fantastiche: A Recital, A Movie, A Celebration: Join the Italian American Academy in celebrating another successful year for the children! The end of the year extravaganza will include a recital on "Fantastic Migrations", a graduation ceremony, the viewing of the movie "migrACTION" by director Marco Lora, raffles, and much, much more! Don't miss the fun! The event begins at 2 p.m. and will be held at Point Loma/Hervey Library (3701 Voltaire St., San Diego CA 92107). To RSVP, please e-mail info@iaasd.org. More information about the event can be found at http://www.iaasd.org/events0.aspx. May 17, Sat. - Summer '82: When Zappa Came to Sicily at Convivio Center (2157 India St., San Diego, CA 92101) at 7 p.m.. To celebrate its first anniversary, Convivio will be hosting the U.S. premiere of "Summer '82: When Zappa Came to Sicily," a documentary by Salvo Cuccia, chronicling the life of legendary rock star Frank Zappa. Refreshments will be available as well as a cash bar with beer and wine. A dona- tion of $5 is suggested. Event information can be found at https://convivio.yapsody.com/event/index/2514/sum- mer_82_when_zappa_came_to_sicily June 18, Wed. - Taste of Little Italy from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Foodies are invited to experience Taste of Little Italy. Each year, our neighborhood's one-of-a-kind eateries open their doors for food lovers to enjoy a sample of each restaurant's most popular dishes, including appetizers, entrees, desserts and beverages. Tickets range from $29 to $45. More informa- tion is available at http://www.littleitalysd.com/ events/taste- of-little-italy/.

• Cover