burgerbash

A Burger (also called a beef burger, hamburger sandwich, burger or hamburg) is a sandwich consisting of one or more cooked patties of ground meat, usually beef, placed inside a sliced bun.

Bash- a gathering of people who have been invited by a host for the purposes of socializing,conversation, recreation, or as part of a festivalor other commemoration of a special occasion. A party will typically feature food and beverages, and often music and dancing or other forms of entertainment.

Put these two together and you have the 9th annual Amstel Light Burger Bash hosted by Rachel Ray. It was held in a signature white tent behind The Ritz-Carlton in Miami Beach this past Friday evening.

Anyone who is familiar with the Sobewff knows that THIS is THE most coveted ticket of maybe the entire festival. It usually sells out in less than 48 hrs of being on sale. I was able to attend, thanks to the encouragement of my wife who is the founder and editor of SobeSavvy.com. The social butterfly herself took me to lunch at Beer and Burger Restaurant and told me to enter the Burgerbash Amstel Light photo contest on IG given by Burger Beast. I entered. Guess what? I WON ! See winning picture here titled “Spin the Bottle” :

Off I went to the Burger Bash. What a spectacle. Every imaginable variation of a burger was represented by dozens of restaurants nationwide. Even Al Roker was there in the flesh manning the grill! Burgers were paired with Amstel Light and Menage A Trois wines …it was a night to remember! The cover band was great. They helped all of us dance some of those burgers off.

Special shout out to the ladies at Hard Rock Miami. Heyden and Elise both had a infectious spririt that exemplified the entire event.

Lure Fish Bar won the Judges’ trophy. Celebrity judge Chrissy Teigen really enjoyed the vibe. Lure won with a burger with sweet rich bacon-onion jam.
Pincho Factory won the People’s Choice award. With it’s Croquetesa burger. A triple meat patty blend, with Swiss cheese .

No one left hungry. Everyone left smiling. Epic success!

Photo Credit: Barry Heigh

Eat. Drink. Play. Repeat!
That was my approach to the 13th Annual Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by Food & Wine. Held in Miami, some have called this festival a “Spring Break for Foodies “. From February 20-23, 2014, wine, spirits and culinary enthusiasts had the opportunity to attend this gourmet gathering at over 70 Festival events!
There is something to please everyone’s tastebuds at the 2014 Festival and I was able to enjoy three of the weekend’s festivities.

On Friday, Feb 21, I tasted some of the country’s top burgers at Amstel Light Burger Bash presented by Pat Lafrieda Meats and hosted by Rachel Ray. Top Burger Maestros brought their talents to South Beach underneath a white tent behind The Ritz -Carlton, South Beach hotel. Their best burger recipes and unique side dishes were perfectly accented by refreshing Amstel Light Lager beer and wine samplings. This year’s coveted Amstel Light People’s Choice Award went to Shake Shack! Needless to say, I had a blast at the Burger Bash. Here are a few pics:

My family and I joined host Robert Irvine on Sat morning Feb 22 for a fun-filled day of food, fitness and learning at Fun and Fit as a Family sponsored by Carnival at Jungle Island. This was a family-friendly event at the Festival that allowed parents and kids to learn the basics of a healthy lifestyle with Food Network personalities and renowned chefs. Kids explored the food garden, played sports on the beach and got their hands messy in the interactive kitchen while visiting with the animals of Jungle Island.

They had an assortment of snacks intertwined with the educational lessons. Kids were eating and learning at the same time. What a great combination. My 2 year old had a chance to bag up her own custom cut pasta by Barilla, try granola with yogurt and enjoy fresh cut fruit sponsored by Del Monte. All of that food energy was needed as we meandered about the park to see parrots, giant tortoises and lions. My daughter and all of the other kids in attendance confirmed the event as a rousing success. Enjoy these pics :

On Saturday evening Feb 22, I attended Thrillist’s BBQ & The Blues event at The Eden Roc Hotel. It was a celebration of meaty and musical goodness hosted by Bobby Deen. Ticket holders indulged in succulent BBQ-inspired dishes cooked up by some of Miami’s top culinary masterminds, complemented by tasty libations and a live blues band.

They offered everything from Korean barbecue beef bun served with lotus root chips and a cucumber gooseberry slaw, pulled oxtail sandwich with macaroni and pimento cheese to North Carolina-style pulled beef with a German potato salad specked with turkey bacon. Great food. Great Event. If only you could smell these pics :