Taste of St. Croix: A Food and Wine Experience

Photographs by Marjo Aho

Voted one of the Top 10 Best International Food and Wine Festivals by Forbes Travel!

The annual "Taste of St. Croix" was the foundation for the St. Croix Food & Wine Experience. The festival has evolved from a single evening event, to a week long series of exciting Feast-ivities each April. The food and wine festival brings visitors and residents together to experience the best that local restaurants, wine and liquor distributors have to offer -- A culturally diverse and delicious cuisine of the US Virgin Islands. Guests of the event are treated to an amazing variety of foods ranging from Cajun to Lebanese, Creole, Italian, French and many exciting Caribbean recipes from local chefs taking advantage of local fruits, vegetables and spices.

The event kicks off with special dinners featuring local "celebrity chefs" and expert winemaker and continues with gourmet competitions, dine-arounds and a popular wine event, known as Wine in the Warehouse. Over 50 restaurants are register to compete - for 2011 winners, please visit www.stcroixfoodandwine.com. Local chefs compete for top honors in seven food categories including best appetizer, soup and stew, entrée, dessert, beverage, local fare, vegetarian, presentation and people's choice. Celebrity chefs are flown in from around the country to judge the merits of each dish per category. In addition, St Croix's major wine and spirit distributors provide wine tastings to accompany St. Croix's most celebrated dishes. The evening culminates with recognition and awards in the various categories. An after-party is put on by local sponsors that includes entertainment, music, dancing and specials at reasonable prices.

This event benefits the St. Croix Foundation, a nonprofit non-political community foundation striving to promote economic and social development on the island of St. Croix and throughout the territory. The Foundation has also successfully executed a number of noteworthy initiatives in public safety, educational enrichment, fiduciary management and strengthening the nonprofit community.

This event sells out quickly with well over 1500 locals and visitors attending some of the events. Be sure to get tickets and hotel reservations early! Many visitors and residents from St Thomas and St. John take the short plane or ferry ride to St Croix to experience one of the most celebrated gastronomic events in the Caribbean.

Taste of St. Croix Culinary Competition and and related event dates are:
April 15, 2012 – Carambola Golf Tournament
April 17, 2012 – Tutto Bene Grand Vintner Dinner
April 18, 2012 – Celeb chef vs. Island chef competition, Wine Dinners, Wine Seminars
April 19, 2012 – A Taste of St. Croix
April 20, 2012 – Cork & Fork Dinners, Sunset BBQ
April 21, 2012 – Kids Cooking Classes, Wine in the Warehouse


Please visit www.tasteofstcroix.com for more.