April 27, 2023

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Food and Wine Meet in the Perfect Spot

The 2023 edition of Forks & Corks still shines!

It took a few years, but The Sarasota-Manatee Originals got the food and wine train running on time once again. 🚂

Yes, Sarasota food people, Forks & Corks has returned to claim its rightful place as one of the area’s best days of sun, sipping, and of course, stuffing!

2019. That was the last time we were all together in one place to enjoy some of the best food in the area and wines from around the world. It seems longer. It may have something to do with a pandemic being wedged in between opportunities.

But the wait is over. Yes, it’s FINALLY Forks & Corks time once again. 😁

The sun-drenched Ringling courtyard was again the absolute perfect setting for this annual eat-and-drink-a-thon. There are lots of great venues around town. But you’d have to look pretty hard to find one that fits the personality of this event better than the Ringling. Art is everywhere, blending in seamlessly with everyone and everything intruding on its home.

As you would guess, there were award-winning wines from around the world. When the word “Corks” is in your name, it’s pretty much a dead giveaway.

France, Italy, and South Africa were especially well represented this year. As were our California, Oregon, and Washington State wineries.

This is also very much a food event (we’ll get to that in just a bit). But it’s the people who make this day such a memorable experience from top to bottom.

See what I mean? 🌟

Did I hear someone say, “Live Music”? Kettle of Fish provided the perfect soundtrack for a gorgeous day of wining and dining in the warm Sarasota sun. 📝They opened the afternoon with a rousing rendition of Bertha! 🎵 🌞

Ready? Here comes the “Forks” part of our program… 🍴

41 Sarasota restaurants gave festivalgoers a little taste of what they could expect from a visit to their respective places. It’s tough to give a full picture of your establishment when you’re serving food outdoors, away from your “normal” kitchen. But EVERYONE rose to meet the moment in style!

Enough chatter. Let’s take a look at some of the standouts from the afternoon. 📝 This IS NOT a competition. So, let’s try NOT to think in terms of winners and losers here. There were a ton of delicious dishes. This is just a sampling. (Alphabetical) ✅

1592 WOOD FIRED KITCHEN & COCKTAILS – GRILLED BEEF KOFTA
Syrian pepper, tomato, mint, and muhammara

BIRDROCK TACO SHACK – AVOCADO SMASH WITH LAVOSH TUILLE
Avocado, Key lime, cilantro, tomato jalapeño, Bermuda onion, and kosher salt

CROW’S NEST – SEAFOOD ALLA VODKA
Pasta with shrimp, scallops, and spinach

JACK DUSTY – AHI TUNA AND WATERMELON CRUDO
Ahi tuna with compressed watermelon. Served with a dressing made from grapefruit segments, citrus juice, jalapeño, mint, shallots, Meyer lemon, and extra virgin olive oil

MEAN DEAN’S LOCAL KITCHEN – CEDAR PLANK SALMON OVER CARIBBEAN RICE
Fresh salmon marinated in bourbon, citrus, and soy. Cooked on a cedar plank

MELANGE – DUCK & BRIE CREPE
Savory crepe with duck confit, brie cheese, toasted almonds, and currants with cognac beurre blanc

PACIFIC RIM – SUSHI BOAT

PARADISE GRILL – AHI TUNA POKE NACHO
Homemade tortilla chip, ahi tuna, poke sauce, homemade slaw, jalapeño, and avocado

POP’S SUNSET GRILL – SEARED SCALLOP
With bacon jam and mushroom succotash

THE REALM RESTAURANT GROUP – CARIBBEAN CEVICHE WITH PLANTAIN
Cubed fresh cod, red, yellow, and orange bell peppers. Diced red onion, minced cilantro, plantain chips, fresh lemon, and lime Juice

OH, don’t think for a minute that we forgot about dessert. We did not! 🍰

THE BREAKFAST COMPANY – MINI CINNAMON ROLLS WITH CREAM CHEESE ICING

KOJO – HAWAIIAN SUNRISE
Coconut custard, pineapple, mango, kiwi, papaya, and passion fruit foam

And finally…

MIGUEL’S – CREPE SUZETTE

WOW! It can’t be overstated just how difficult it is to pull off an event like this off in such style. There are SO many logistical problems that need to be resolved, even if you’re a seasoned pro. Congrats to the Sarasota-Manatee Originals for another home run!

All of the participating restaurants went above and beyond to make this afternoon special for everyone lucky enough to snag one (or two) of the coveted tickets. A BIG thumbs up to all involved! 👍

If all of this is making your mouth water, GOOD! That’s what we intended.

☹️ The downside… you’ll have to wait until January 28, 2024 to have another shot at mingling and comparing food and wine notes with your fellow Sarasota dining enthusiasts.

😁 The upside… we’ll be sure to give you ample heads-up prior to tickets going on sale for next year’s event.

In the meantime, you have lots of time to drop by any or all of the 41 places and take their menus for a spin. HERE’S THE FULL LIST OF PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS

OH, if you attended this year’s Forks & Corks and would like to share your experience, please leave a comment so we can all get a little bit of extra flavor. Thanks!

🗓️ SARASOTA FOOD EVENTS 🗓️ 

Here are some upcoming local food events that we think you might find interesting. All you need to do is make that reservation. We’ve provided you with a link to more info. (If you have an event, send us the details! (EMAIL IT) 

ALL APRIL – Epicurean Menu, Israel – Michael’s On East 

WEEKLY POP-UP KITCHEN EVENTS – 99 Bottles Taproom & Bottle Shop 

MAY 5 – 18^th Annual Dick Vitale Gala – INFORMATION 

MAY 10 – Walking Progressive Dinner – Taste Magazine 

MAY 14 – Mother’s Day Brunch – Mattison’s Forty-One 

MAY 14 – Mother’s Day Brunch – Pier 22 

MAY 14 – Mother’s Day Brunch – GROVE Restaurant 

MAY 14 – Mother’s Day Brunch – Michael’s On East 

🧑‍🌾 FARMER’S MARKET INFO 🧑‍🌾 

EVERY SUNDAY – Siesta Key Farmer’s Market – DETAILS 

EVERY SUNDAY – Farmer’s Market at Lakewood Ranch – DETAILS 

EVERY SUNDAY – The Meadows Farmer’s Market – DETAILS 

EVERY WEDNESDAY – The Phillippi Farmhouse Market (Oct-Apr) – DETAILS 

THIRD THURSDAY NIGHT – RADD Night Market – DETAILS 

EVERY SATURDAY – Sarasota Farmer’s Market – DETAILS  

EVERY SATURDAY – Downtown Bradenton Public Market – DETAILS 

EVERY SATURDAY – Venice Farmer’s Market – DETAILS 

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Get information on 350+ Sarasota restaurants on the dineSarasota.com website 

Did you miss a story? Here are some of our past Bites – SB ARCHIVE 

Do you love our A Burger A Week pieces? – HERE’S THE FULL ARCHIVE 🍔 

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