A heat producing event
A calorie, when referring to food, is defined as a measure
of heat or energy producing value contained in a food.
With hot jazz from the Solvang Jazz Quartet, this
epicurean event opened with a Dessert Reception at the Royal Scandinavian Inn
featuring scrumptious pastries and chocolate delights from some of the finest
restaurants and bakeries in Solvang.
Café Angelica, Ingeborg’s Danish
Chocolates, Olsen’s Danish Bakery, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, Royal
Scandinavian Inn, Solvang Bakery, and Solvang Lutheran Home all contributed
their finest strudels, garnach, Danish layer rum
cake, chocolates, and other sinful and fattening treats to a crowd of nearly
400 guests who came to Solvang for this event.
Presidio Vineyard and Winery, Stolpman
Vineyards, and Wandering Dog Wine Bar contributed to the evening with some
tastings of some of their finest wines.
Larry and Pam Dancer drove to Solvang from Whittier for
their 12th time to attend the event, where they enjoyed plates full of
desserts. Hope Milligan and Pamela Semien from Redlands attended with friend Melnonti Anderson of Palm Springs, who was attending for
the first time. Pat Hinshaw
from Chino was caught with a full plate of chocolate treats and was here for
her second time.
On Saturday the event continued from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM
with a Walking Smorgasbord in Solvang, during which 40 restaurants provided
“taste stops” for visitors to enjoy everything from æbleskivers
at Rick Paske’s Solvang Restaurant to Pizza at Tower
Pizza.
Although Danish treats were in abundance, with stops at
Red Viking Restaurant for Danish Meatballs, at Paula’s Pancake House for Medisterpølse, and at the Greenhouse Café for Carlsberg
Beer, the event featured many international foods, as were served by the Dutch
Shop serving Thai Red Curry, Blue Nile Café with a serving of Ethiopian
Coffees, and the all American Big Bopper serving Chicken Caesar Salad.
There were even samples for the family dog if one stopped
by at Lemos Feed & Pet Supply.
The event was capped on Saturday evening with a Tasting
Room Walk from 6:00 to 9:00PM.
Bellisima
Wine Bar, House of Honeywood/Old Mission Wine
Company, Lions Peak Vineyard & Winery, Lucas & Lewellen,
Mandolina, Olive House, Presidio Vineyard &
Winery, TRIO, Uncorked, Vinhus, Vigna
Ladonna, and Wandering Dog Wine Bar all participated in serving their finest
wines to visitors in souvenir Taste of Solvang-etched wine glasses.
The well run event was organized
by Tracy Farhad, executive director of the Solvang
Conference & Visitors Bureau and by events coördinator
Mary Harris. Farhad
pointed out that the event held during the normally slow month of March helps
get the tourist season started early, and this year the Taste of Solvang was
preceded by a new event, “Restaurant Week,” with eight participating Solvang
restaurants offering special 3-course meals for a special price of $20.00 March
9-13.
More than 500 people had pre-registered for the Taste of
Solvang and another 500 guests were expected for on site
registration.
“We have guests returning from as far away as Arizona and
Utah for this event,” said Farhad.
All funds raised go back into marketing Solvang through
the Solvang Conference & Visitors Bureau.
Next year the 17th annual Taste of
Solvang is scheduled for March 20-22. The Solvang Conference & Visitors
Bureau and be reached at (805) 688-6144 or found on the Internet at
www.SolvangUSA.com.