This past Saturday and Sunday was the first-ever I-X Center’s Spring Fabulous Food Show featuring big names like Bobby Flay and Emeril Lagasse. As a blogger promoting the event I was offered (free, of course) Media Passes so I could review the event. I wanted to see Emeril so we attended the Sunday afternoon event. More on his show in a minute…
I would break down the event into three main sections: the exhibitors/vendors, the headliner cooking shows & other cooking demonstrations, and the areas where you could drink/taste alcohol. My husband and I don’t drink so we didn’t do any of that last part.
My favorite part was the exhibitors. There were so many taste-testing opportunities and some awesome Ohio products. I just love finding affordable Ohio products made by family owned businesses. I bought three of my favorite finds: Frank’s Shagbark Hickory Syrup (not Maple!), the Beeswax hand lotion (I thought was phenomenal)and chapstick (wonderful!!) by Beecology. I did notice that there seemed to be several vendors selling dry herb mixes – the kind that you add to cream cheese, whipped topping, your meat or breads. I’d say that the competition for that product was probably stiff. Not exactly a unique/original idea anymore, in my opinion.
My favorite frozen dessert finds would be Menchies Red Velvet (we have a store on The Strip in Canton which I’ve never been to yet) and the orange/vanilla twisted ice cream or sherbet by Miller’s Creamery (another new find for me) located by the airport on the east end of New Philadelphia- my hometown.
Emeril was entertaining. When he came out I told my husband I thought he looked like the godfather of Italian cooking 😉 . Seafood was his theme for this show. He grilled large oysters on the half shell, large shrimp and halibut. He made it look easy to grill these items and to use a grill in general. I might have been hoping my “do not like to grill” husband would be inspired to start grilling but alas… I see no sign of this. Oh well.
Emeril had his one of his assistants bring out the plate of large grilled shrimp to the audience to partake of. A few others got called up to the stage to try some of the other dishes. I think I only heard him say “BAM” – once. At the end.
Would I go again? Yes!
Though there were some kids there, by and large I did not notice many. Given the nature of the event, grilling and alcohol tasting, I wouldn’t expect many. Its a nice event to attend as a couple.
