Success at 4th Annual Sample the Sierra

Despite smoky skies, South Lake Tahoe was still a hot spot this Labor Day Weekend. The 4th Annual Sample the Sierra festival brought in masses of people to taste the unique flavors of the Sierra Nevada. The kickoff Winemakers Dinner at Bumgarner Winery spoiled attendees with a five course meal prepared in the wood fired oven with each course appropriately paired with one of Bumgarner’s fine wines. Saturday’s Sip & Shop at Après Wine Company drew more than 20 people to taste C.G. Di Arie wines and gourmet cheeses. New to the lineup this year, the SUP & Sip was a hit for locals and visitors alike; offering a new way to get on the Lake.

Sunday’s farms to fork festival on Ski Run Blvd was the highlight of the weekend with 1,500 attendees gathered to taste local food, sip local beverages, shop local artists, and enjoy local music by Dennis Johnson & the Mississippi Ramblers. The 2nd Annual Sierra Chef Challenge entertained all who gathered to watch as three local chefs prepared their best meal on stage in an “Iron Chef” style competition. For 45 minutes, Chef Peter Brinckerhoff - Executive Chef for Riva Grill and the Tahoe Restaurant Collection, Chef Jeremy “Boomer” Acuna - Executive Chef from Zephyr Cove Resort & Lake Tahoe Cruises, and Chef Glenn Simpson – Executive Chef from Blue Angel Café, went head to head preparing their best dish using their mystery products that came to them from Mounty Bounty Farm and Sierra Meat & Seafood Company. The Chef’s each came up with their own concoctions from the following ingredients: scallops, ahi, lettuce, cucumber, green beans, corn, tomatoes, melons, red sweet peppers, onions, cilantro, carrots, Chioggia beets, and hot peppers. Two local celebrity judges, Paul Middlebrook from K-Tahoe Radio, and Mike Owen owner of Crystal Basin Winery and Crystal Basin Bistro were the judges and awarded points based on taste, presentation, creativity and use of the secret ingredients. After the dishes were consumed and scores were tallied, Chef Peter from Riva Grill came out victorious and was awarded the Sierra Chef Challenge plaque. Chef Peter will be invited back next year to compete for his title once again, against two new competitors.

Sample the Sierra would not be possible without the dedication and support of event sponsors, participating chefs, restaurants, wineries and beverage producers, farmers, artists, and entertainers. This year’s Chefs & restaurants included Blue Angel Café, Boathouse on the Pier, Café Fiore, Crystal Basin Bistro, Exquisite Grill, Getaway Café, Hungry Bear Restaurant at The Ridge, MacDuff’s Public House, Nepheles Creative CA Cuisine, Primo’s Italian Bistro, Riva Grill, Sierra Kombucha, Sugar Pine bakery, Tahoe Private Chef, The Yum Truck, and Zephyr Cove Resort.

Beverage providers were partnered with a local restaurant and poured tastes that paired perfectly with the accompanying food samples. A special thank you to the participating wineries, breweries and distilleries including Auriga Wine Cellars, Boeger Winery, Bumgarner Winery, C.G. Di Arie, Colibri Ridge Winery & Vineyard, Crystal Basin Cellars, Findleton Estate & Vineyard, Grace Patriot Wines, Great Basin Brewing Company, Lava Cap Winery, Madroña Vineyards, Narrowgate Vineyards, Stateline Brewery, Tahoe Blue Vodka, Tahoe Moonshine Distillery, and Tahoe Ridge Winery.

The following growers and producers donated local products grown or created within the Sierra Nevada Region. Products were donated to the restaurants and chefs for use in their food tasting samples. Thank you Beals’ Orchards, Harris Tree Farm, Heart Rock Herb & Spice Company, Hooverville Orchards, Mountain Bounty Farm, Nancy’s Green Barn Farm, Nevada Fresh Pak, Patrick’s Mountain Grown, Perez Red Shack, Pine-O-Mine, Rainbow Orchards, Sierra Valley Farms, Tahoe Spice Works, and Toscano Family Farm.
The festival marketplace included local vendors showcasing their handmade goods. A special thank you to our vendors including Aprons & Creations by Pam, Bona Fide Books, Bonita Paulis, Chamberlain Creations, Charmed by Victoria, Cold Connections Jewelry, Copper Keiligh Creations, Focus on Interiors, Harpy Jewelry, Harris Tree Farm, Heart Rock Herb & Spice Company, Lake Tahoe Salsa Girl, Qian Fang Studio, Retiredice Alpacas, Richard Jones Jewelry, Rise Designs, Roxxys Star Cosmetics, Sierra Kombucha, STS Creative Woodworks, Tahoe Mountain Soap Company, Tahoe Spice Works, Tahoe Sports Massage & Bodywork, and The Sunflower of Provence.

This year’s festival sponsors deserve a thank you for all their hard work and contributions to making this event a success. Thank you to this year’s Wine Glass Sponsor, the South Lake Tahoe Endowment, and Napkin Sponsor, Weldon Wulstien CPA. A special thank you to the Presenting Sponsor, South Tahoe Alliance of Resorts, and Event Sponsors, TahoeChamber, TahoeSouth, and El Dorado County. Other event sponsors this year included; Winters Electric, Liberty Utilities, Deb Howard & Co., RPM Mortgage, Sierra Meat & Seafood Company, South Tahoe Refuse & Recycling, Buckingham Luxury Vacation Rentals, The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, KOWL, KRLT, Lake Tahoe TV, K-Tahoe, Sierra Heritage Magazine, Tahoe Arts & Mountain Culture, Tahoe Daily Tribune, Edible Sacramento, and El Dorado Guide.

Lastly, thank you to all the volunteers, attendees and the community for the largest and most successful Sample the Sierra yet! Pictures will be up on our Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/SampletheSierra. Please share, tag yourself, and leave your comments! Save the date for the 5th Annual Sample the Sierra festival, Labor Day Weekend 2014.