(photo courtesy of morguefile.com)

There are just a few weeks left until the annual Dallas Wine and Food Festival, the area’s premiere event for fine wine, food, and festivities. This year’s offerings pair Dallas’ brightest culinary talent with a variety of wines at some of the trendiest spots in the Metroplex. The 2007 Festival will feature an outstanding lineup of public events, each showcasing medal-winning wines from The Dallas Morning News Wine Competition. The 5-day event will run from April 25th through the 29th at venues throughout the city.

Gourmet Cinema kicks off the party on Wednesday, April 25th by pairing great cinema with fine dining at the Angelika Film Center & Cafe at Mockingbird Station. This year’s menu includes spectacular award-winning wine along with a special Asian dinner from international award-winning Chef Weerayut “Oudi” Utedpornratanakul and his new restaurant “Flavor” Asian Fusion & Dessert Bar. The dinner includes an exclusive screening of the Oscar-nominated film Eat Drink Man Woman (Yin shi nan nu), a comedy guaranteed to arouse your appetite. Tickets are $75 per person (inclusive).

The Rising Stars Chefs’ Dinner will celebrate its 10th Anniversary on Thursday, April 26th at the Nasher Sculpture Center. This 5-course winemaker’s dinner is unique, featuring the top five up-and-coming chefs from the annual Rising Stars Chefs competition. (Competition winners are announced immediately following the April 9th contest being held at the Milestone Culinary Arts Center and the Viking Cooking School.) Tickets for the dinner are $95 per person (inclusive).

Throw on your jeans, grab your boots and get ready for a party – Texas style. Eddie Deen’s Ranch is the place to be, Friday, April 27th for a casual evening of food, fun, and live music at Texas Salute! Everything you taste is produced within a day’s drive of Dallas. Tickets are $25 per person (inclusive).

Entertaining with Style moves to the Knox/Henderson area this year where guests will enjoy a full day of chef demonstrations, wine tastings and informative fun seminars. Guest chefs slated for demos with tastings include Douglas Brown of Amuse, Stefano Secchi and James King of Ferrari’s, Blaine Staniford of Fuse, and Sharon von Meter of the Milestone Culinary Arts Center and the Viking Cooking School. Seated seminars include a Sauvignon Blanc and a Port tasting. The all-day event is Saturday, April 28th at the Milestone Culinary Arts Center and the Viking Cooking School, Abacus, La Duni Latin Café, and surrounding specialty shops. Tickets are $35 per person (inclusive); tickets to seated seminars sold separately.

The festival wraps up on Sunday, April 29th at the Hotel Crescent Court with a Taste of the World. This festive event features award-winning wines, gourmet tastes from the Dallas area’s best restaurants and a silent auction to benefit Dallas Farmers Market Friends. Tickets are $65 per person (inclusive).

To purchase tickets & get more info you can visit the Festival's web site: 23rd Annual Dallas Wine and Food Festival

To learn more about the good work ot the of the Dallas Farmers Market Friends go to: Dallas Farmers Market Friends

To listen to an interview with Stacey Caldwell, President of the Dallas Farmers Market Friends, go to: Podcast Interview