Bernadette Fideli
Fairs and Festivals represent a piece of Americana, a time in American history when they brought communities together through celebrations of their harvest. One of the Top 40 Fairs in North America is held every March in Plant City, Florida. This particular fair began in 1930 and draws over a half million people every year. Plant City is also the hometown of Nancy Toppan. Pete and Nancy Toppan invited the Wine Stewards to experience the fruits and tastes of the famous Florida Strawberry Festival. The evening began with a welcoming glass of sparkling Pineapple Strawberry Moscato by Arbor Mist Winery. Arbor Mist, located in Canandaigua, New York, first appeared in stores during the summer of 1998 and was the best-selling wine debut since the 1970s. Their slogan is “Great Tasting Wine With A Splash Of Fruit.” Members were instructed to bring wines from the leading strawberry producing nations of the United States, Spain, Mexico and Italy. As the Wine Stewards tasted the featured wines and savored hors d’oeuvres, Nancy gave a PowerPoint presentation on the history of the festival. In keeping with the theme, members concluded the evening feasting on an awesome dessert—Southern Punch Bowl Strawberry Shortcake. Such a memorable evening evoked a nostalgic refrain from the 1964 New Christy Mistrals: “I’ll taste your strawberries; I’ll drink your sweet wine”. Another memorable evening of good food and great wine.