2012 DC Metropolitan Cooking & Entertaining Show

November 3, 2012November 4, 2012 Buddah 2012, Metropolitan Cooking & Entertaining Show

Over the last 5 years I have gone to this special event. The first time was back in 2007 when I was invited by Intensity Academy. While Intensity Academy has not returned because of their own version now in Tampa, I have come back each and every year since. In the past I have had the opportunity to see Paula Deen, Guy Fieri and a little bit of the beautiful Giada De Laurentiis all perform on the live cooking stage at the show. To see all the celebrities above over the 2 day event, the cost is $99 for open seating. You can purchase front row tickets for example to see Giada this year and that would cost you $500. I get a media pass for the show, and I can sit in the back and take pics, but no video.
2-Day Theater Pass – Open Seating to see ALL Celebs
Open Seating. Good BOTH days. Line-up:
• Saturday: Giada De Laurentiis: 11am & 4pm. Gail Simmons & Tom Colicchio: 1:30pm
• Sunday: Jeff Mauro: 11am. Carla Hall & Michael Symon: 1:00 pm. Jacques Pepin: 3:30pm…

If you are into the celebrity cooking thing like my Mom who would love this, I think $99 is worth it. For me, I just make the trip to DC on the Saturday of the show. While free to get in the parking will still cost me $20-30 depending how long I stay for. I go to meet new spicy product companies who I might never get a chance to see at one of the Spicy Events/Festivals that I go to. There is always 1-3 new salsa companies and 1-3 new spicy products companies beyond that. Sometimes I will see familiar companies like world famous hot sauce pioneer Blair’s Sauces & Snacks Bonfatto’s Wing Sauce & Marinade & Tom’s Roid Rippin’ Hot Sauces. Always happy to see my friends again. Bonfatto’s has a new spicy ice cream product line, (Spice Cream) that I had a chance to try at the Bowers show in September and it really kicks ass. I hope someday you will get a chance to try it in a marketplace near you.

Events

2nd Annual Crabi Gras Hot Sauce & Oyster Festival

August 30, 2012August 30, 2012 Buddah 2012, Crabi Gras, Hot Sauce & Oyster Festival, Keith Graffius, Oyster

Keith Graffius is the store owner of a different kind of hot sauce store which also mixes the culture of the Eastern shore. He wanted to bring a taste of both elements with a special event he sponsored last year. Now going into a 2nd year and with word getting out from last year’s success he is building the event to bigger and better than last year. That even sign on some good music talent for the event to entertain the crowd. Here is what Keith sent to me about the event…

Contests Events

Salsa Contest: Last Call

August 26, 2012August 26, 2012 Buddah 2012, Houston Hot Sauce Show, Salsa contest, Snowdrop Foundation

This contest is to raise money for Snowdrop Foundation which helps with Children’s Cancer Research and support. If you did not know about this salsa contest we are sponsoring for the Houston Hot Sauce Show, then you have a few days to get your product out. The deadline for receipt is September 1st if you are not vending at the Houston Hot Sauce Show. If you are vending at the show you still need to inform me exactly what your entries will be. I opened up the contest to not only award the best salsa, but also award the best fruit-based salsa. If you have a fruit-based salsa, it will not be in the best salsa category, so we can make 2 competitive contests we can award prizes for.

Events

Tis the Season, for Spicy Events that is!

August 14, 2012August 26, 2012 Buddah 2012, Bowers Chile Festival, Houston Hot Sauce Show, Open Fields, Spicy Events, Weekend of Fire

A little more than a month of events starting with the Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Show August 26th and going all the way through the 1st weekend of October at Jungle Jim’s International Market’s Weekend of Fire Show. If you aren’t attending at least one of these events, then you are surely missing out on some fun and spicy lickin’. So who is going to what?

Contests Events

SALSA Contest Update!!!

August 7, 2012August 7, 2012 Buddah 2012, Houston Hot Sauce Show, Salsa contest, Snowdrop Foundation

Everything below this paragraph is a re-post of the Houston Hot Sauce Show salsa contest we are sponsoring to raise money for the Snowdrop Foundation. The only thing different is that I am buying another first place trophy and awarding it to the best fruit-based salsa. I thought with the number of entries we have all ready, it would only be fair to divide the salsas somewhat. I could create several categories, but I do not want to dilute the contest too much, but award great salsas. So we will divide the salsas at the show into 2 categories- Fruit-Based & Everything else. All the same rules apply. If you are attending the show, you still must alert me to what you are entering in the contest prior to the September 1st deadline. Email would be the best way for both of us to keep a record of your entry just in case there is an issue. PLEASE READ THE RULES BELOW! You still have more than 3 weeks to get them mailed out in time. If you want to help with the research and assistance for children’s cancer, then you would be helping the Snowdrop Foundation help those who need it. You do not have to enter the contest to help this worthy charity.

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