Every time I see a family member under the age of 12 approaching me with an envelope and a big smile I know it’s time for the next school fundraiser. I can’t keep track of how many diets have been sabotaged by chocolate, cookies, candy, spaghetti feeds, and pancake breakfasts.
There is one school fundraiser that I have yet to gladly abandon my diet for – Pigs and Pinot. All proceeds from this extraordinary fundraiser benefit Healdsburg Education Foundation, St. John’s School, The Healdsburg School, and Share Our Strength, a national non-profit organization dedicated to ending childhood hunger in the United States. Tickets to this popular event for last year sold out within half an hour. This year, tickets to Charlie Palmer’s Sixth Annual Celebration of Pigs and Pinot are once again sold out. The event takes place March 18 & 19,2011.
Over 50 Pinot Noir Wines will Compete to Win the 2011 Pinot Cup
This is a fundraiser that is unique and unforgettable. It offers a variety of experiences that span from Friday evening to Saturday night. The festivities begin Friday with Taste of Pigs & Pinot. This exciting evening invites guests to sample local and international Pinot Noir wines competing for the top award in the evening’s Pinot Cup. These outstanding Pinot Noir wines will be paired perfectly with a variety of dishes featuring the adaptable and sumptuous pork.
Saturday morning begins with Tournament of The Pig with Charlie Palmer and Guest Chefs. This seminar invites attendees to watch the chefs form teams that will each create three tasty pork dishes. The winning team is selected by a panel but attendees will be able to sample the competing dishes. Saturday afternoon continues with Ultimate Pinot Smackdown. In this seriously fun seminar, four Master Sommeliers will each attempt to charm the audience as they present their selections of Pinot Noir wines. The audience will participate in a blind tasting to choose the winner.
Chef Charlie Palmer
Saturday evening offers two dinner events. At h2hotel‘s restaurant Spoonbar, Spoonbar’s Celebration of Pigs & Pinot combines the talents of Spoonbar Chef Rudy Mihal and guest Chef Liza Shaw to create a four-course adventure that will be exquisitely paired with local and international Pinot Noir wines. The Gala Dinner, open only to guests who purchase tickets to Pigs & Pinot Hotel Healdsburg Package, takes place at Hotel Healdsburg‘s Charlie Palmer’s Dry Creek Kitchen and is a five-course celebration featuring the pork creations of Chef Palmer and his celebrity guest chefs Marc Forgione, Michael and Bryan Voltaggio, Philippe Rispoli, and Nancy Oakes. Each celebratory course will be paired with two superb Pinot Noirs from a list that includes wines from Argentina, France, and the local Russian River Valley. The evening ends with Pigs & Pinot Late Night – an afterparty for all attendees to enjoy drinks and dessert.
Inside Charlie Palmer’s Dry Creek Kitchen
With a cast of expert sommeliers, local and international celebrity chefs, and exceptional winemakers, it’s easy to see why tickets to this special event sell out so quickly. If you’re one of the lucky ones with tickets in your hand, contact Pure Luxury for your private chauffeured transportation for a safe celebration for a great cause.
