NOWFE Is 33

The New Orleans Wine and Food Experience, also known as NOWFE, concluded its five-day run yesterday at the Convention Center with the Grand Tasting. I remember this event in its heyday, and it was the talk of the town. Since then it has been constantly tweaked, till I felt it had run out of steam. But yesterday I was filled with warm feelings of nostalgia because the party back at The Convention Center felt like the halcyon days.

It wasn’t, of course. It is a smaller event but it was very nice, and what was there was very good. So much has changed in 33 years. Such events are booking more caterers than real restaurants now because it is so much harder for restaurants to do events like this, especially in the post COVID-era.

In the early days there was a near-even amount of wine to food, but in recent years this seems to have gotten lopsided as the number of restaurants participating appeared diminished. The venue had moved from two days in succession with different vendors to one day, moving from the convention center to Mardi Gras World to a building even smaller as NOWFE appeared to be flirting with obscurity. 

But this NOWFE had plenty of wine, and though not as much food as in the best of times, there was plenty enough food from very good restaurants, in some cases served by the chef himself.

Jack Rose won a few things, but did not bring enough of it for me to have some. I arrived at 3:45 and a number of dishes were out. I did get to try the Jack Rose dessert “Purple Rain” Tres Leche cake with Chantilly Cream. 

This was very nice but I preferred the Caramel Cake from Trenasse, a regular winner who this year took home the Bronze. This was laced with espresso but the predominant flavor wa glorious caramel, in a cake with a cloudlike texture.

I also loved the Hummingbird Cake from August, which took home a Silver medal in desserts. This was a delightful cake with a dollop of cream and bits of fruit as accompaniement.

I missed the Chicken and Crawfish Pot Pie from The Ritz Carlton and The Louisiana Boil “Best of Show” winner from R’evolution, but I did get to try the refreshing Peach and Tomato Gazpacho with crabmeat from Rizzuto’s Prime.

And the Hyatt’s Brazilian Fish Stew.

One of my favorites was a simple Braised Short Rib over Tagliatelle Pasta, also from the Hyatt.

Nathaniel Zimmet was there next to Edgar Caro, each serving up their respective dishes. Boucherie took home the Silver medal in Pork with Thai Chili and Bacon skewers. Edgar Caro entertained guests with his tweezer as he topped his short rib app with torn herbs as  garnish. This was a very pretty sight.

Domenica won a Bronze medal in Pasta with Shrimp Agnolotti with Calabrian Chili Cream.

There was a seemingly endless array of real restaurants serving real food at this event. Wine was literally everywhere you looked, with an endless number of people to sample it. Stella Artois was there as they have been for years, filling their signature goblets with refreshing beer. They served it from their very nice trailer.

I didn’t see cooking demonstrations like the old days, or talks given by chefs or my husband, but no one seemed to be wanting. Everyone I saw looked quite pleased, as I was. I didn’t get to try a lot of the winners, but I did get to try a lot of the winners. And I had a lot of the other offerings that were not winners but delicious all the same.  I ate and drank till I was too full, and I enjoyed every minute of it. Exactly like the good old days.

I never did go to the Vinola event, or any of the dinners in the past, so I have no means of comparison, but just judging from this one event I know, NOWFE seems to be back, and that makes me happy.