The Kohler Food & Wine Experience, now in its 13th year, is a four-day festival that includes seminars, celebrity chef presentations, wine tastings and evening celebrations. The fun takes place Oct. 17-20 at The American Club resort in Kohler, Wis., and though many seminars are already sold-out, attendees will still find plenty of complimentary events.
After glancing at the schedule, some highlights that caught my eye were the Oysters and Blancs tasting (1:30-2:30 p.m. Friday), Iron Chef Cat Cora making a lamb stew (10-11 a.m. Saturday) and the multiple Cocktail Academies.
I was invited to a media preview luncheon designed to showcase both the creative dishes and the intimate atmosphere that many F&W events typically have. When you have Chefs John Bauer (The Wise at HotelRED), Tory Miller (L’Etoile and Graze) and Dan Bonanno (A Pig in a Fur Coat) cooking your meal, it’s a safe prediction that you’re going to be wowed, and indeed I was.
Before each course was served, the corresponding chef would enter the dining room and explain the inspiration and focus of their dish, as well as answer any questions from the floor. A representative from Wirtz Beverage would then describe the wine. I really felt like I was at a private party; that’s apparently why F&W keeps the seminars small, so you get that one-to-one connection.
Bonanno’s gnocchi with braised Trautman oxtail (I adore oxtail and wish it was more prevalent in Madison), herb ‘n oyster mushrooms, capri parmesan and toasted bread crumbs was a masterful blend of tastes and textures. It was paired with a 2010 Il Poggione – Rosso di Montalcino.
Bauer’s Wisconsin grass-fed beef short ribs with Milwaukee Brewing Company Polish Moon Milk Stout and pomegranate were so tender that they just dissolved in my mouth–I could have eaten five more servings easily. A 2011 Rock Wall Wine Company – Jesse’s Vineyard Zinfandel accompanied this entree.
Miller’s somen noodles with seasonal market vegetables, Asian pear, grilled Willow Creek Farm pork belly and wild mushroom dashi were fun to eat. He instructed–then demonstrated–that we were supposed to dunk the noodles in the broth and then slurp the noodles. The broth was milder than I expected, but it was balanced by the flavorful pork belly. A 2012 Milbrandt Vineyards – Traditions Riesling came with this course.
Chocolatier Anette Righi Defendi (Kohler Original Recipe Chocolates) concluded the meal with her supremely divine raspberry garden ganache chocolates, which were served with a Fonseca – Bin 27 Port.
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See more photos on our Kohler Food & Wine Flickr set.
I have to admit that I was initially skeptical of 
This summer, Popeye’s introduced chicken waffle tenders, which are simply chicken strips coated in waffle batter and then deep fried. Sound good? You betcha. These tenders really did combine the flavors of fried chicken and waffles. Each bite was both slightly sweet and slightly salty. I actually didn’t use any dipping sauce, as the tenders were that good on their own.
