Tucson Culinary Festival: margaritas, wines, fab food, chef challenge, and more

September 28, 6:28 PMTucson Restaurant News ExaminerKaryn Zoldan

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   photo by Alex Landeen

Taste, savor and enjoy the four days of Tucson Culinary Festival events from Oct. 1-4, starting with the margarita championship and going all the way through the reserve tasting, grilling seminar, the grand tasting, and the brunch/Copper Chef cook-off.
 

The margarita championship event is held in the courtyard of Maynards Market at the Historic Train Depot downtown, with the rest of the events happening at the four diamond-rated Loews Ventana Canyon Resort.
 

Last year’s margarita tasting was a smashing success. And this year promises to be equally as good as you will be sampling margaritas from nine Tucson Originals restaurants. If you’re part of a couple where one drinks and the other doesn’t – cool, you have a built-in designated driver and there are some virgin margarita options plus some light appetizers (Thursday night-October 1).

At the Reserve Tasting you can sample more than 40 extraordinary rare and limited wines in your own Riedel wine glass and taste sumptuous appetizers prepared by 14 Tucson Originals chefs.  Bid on a trip to the South Beach Food & Wine Festival, your own Milagro tequila margarita party for 30, and two vintage milk cap necklaces from Bernsen Arts. This exclusive event is limited to 250 guests. (Friday night-October 2).

Combine the powers of Alexi Martinez, chef of the Flying V and Jennifer English, original spice girl and owner of Flavorbank as they demonstrate the arts of grilling and spicing…and yes, there is some tasting. (Saturday afternoon – October 3)

Savor small bites from 40+ Tucson Originals restaurants and the option to sip 150 wines and spirits (pace yourself)  from around the world at Tucson’s best party. Meet and mingle with local and national chefs and tastemakers, add to your local cookbook collection at the book-signing table, and buy fine wines at a discount at the Tucson Originals table as you leave. (Saturday night – Oct 3)

It’s time to kick back, relax and jazz up your Sunday at Loews signature brunch – Blues, Brews & Barbeque! While sipping on micro-brews to the sounds of a live blues band, guests can pick and choose a fabulous mouth watering meal and watch Tucson chefs Jim Murphy (Kingfisher Bar & Grill) and Jeff Fuld (Elle) duel it out in the stage kitchen for the Copper Chef Challenge. Bets, anyone? (Sunday mid morning-Oct 4)

This year’s festival beneficiaries are the Tucson Originals, New Beginnings and the Ara Parseghian Medical Research Foundation.

For more info: Check out the schedule, participants and sponsors, wineries, plus purchase tickets (for one event or a weekend pass) and more. Loews Ventana Canyon Resort offers a weekend accommodation special too.

Eat, drink, and take an original bite out of Tucson.