Delicioso!

If you have even the slightest interest in good food (or the gorging of oneself thereupon) take my advice and make plans for next year’s Saborea Puerto Rico food festival.

Hungry hordes descended upon the beach at Escambrón today to watch cooking demonstrations and feast on San Juan’s finest cuisine in tented tasting pavilions that overlooked the wind-whipped coast.

The lineup of chefs was impressive, and I caught live demos by Budatai’s Robert Trevino; “Mr. Chocolate” Jacques Torres; and Iron Chef Cat Cora, who whipped up a tempting batch of frozen Saketinis to accompany her crab cake sandwich with avocado and mango coulis. (I’ll be sharing the recipe soon, so stay tuned.)

But the tasting pavilions were where I spent most of my time, working my way through a dizzying spread of local delicacies. I went to the South Beach Food + Wine festival in Miami a few weeks ago and I can honestly say that this event, while smaller in size, was every bit as good, with a diverse menu of creatively prepared food and drink.

Here are just a few of the items I sampled today...

• Plantain alcapurrias stuffed with corned beef and corn, drizzled with orange and honey sauce
• Smoked chicken lollipops with guava sesame glaze
• Porcini mushroom ravioli in a truffle and champagne sauce
• Roast suckling pig
• Eggplant, tomato and blue cheese bruschetta
• Paella
• Mini crab cakes
• Pistachio-crusted lamb chops
• Crepes with Nutella and dulce de leche sauce
• Lime tartlets
• Rose and mango ice cream
• Vanilla cake with coconut and cinnamon custard

It was a tough job, but someone had to do it.

Delicioso!