This weekend Miami Beach has become home for food and wine enthusiasts around the world, as the South Beach Wine & Food Festival returns for the 12th year in a row. With gorgeous weather, celebrity chefs and a unique line-up of events — where else would you want to be? Lucky festival-goers cheered as Jonathan Waxman was crowned King of the Q and Bobby Flay took top honors during the Burger Bash, but it was the Grand Tasting where we found ourselves.
Samples of great wines, unique cocktails and food tasting from some of the top chefs across the country are part of the experience — it’s also a time when companies introduce new products and services to the public.
One of our favorites is a new brand of wine called Stack. Out with a standard bottle of wine and in with this creative packaging. Stack is sold in 750 mL bottles and comes with four individual glasses stacked on top of each other. With no corkscrew needed, Stack is a convenient alternative and perfect for on-the-go situations.
Another was the introduction of CityEats. They have partnered up with the Food Network and market themselves as being a one-stop destination for anyone who likes dining. When you go to their site, you will be able to make a reservation, explore the restaurant (their goal is to experience a meal at the restaurant before you actually visit), offer recommendations for the best dishes at a particular restaurant and follow their blog. They also want restaurants to be able to manage their entire restaurant on an iPad, smart phone or laptop. While I initially wondered why anyone would want to compete with a staple such as OpenTable, they have taken online reservations a few steps further and are definitely one to watch.