New Orleans Wine & Food Experience, By Leroy Worley

New Orleans Wine & Food Experience - May is a festive time for wine lovers in New Orleans because it's time for the annual New Orleans Wine & Food Experience or NOWFE as it's known, which brings together the best in local food with over 1000 wines. The event highlights the talents of winemakers and culinary artists, who come together to present wine dinners, food and wine seminars, and many special events during its five-day extravaganza.

"Wine is the heart of NOWFE, and food is the pulse," states Joyce Godbold, NOWFE Executive Director. "Our ever-popular wine and food seminars are what NOWFE is all about- showcasing our acclaimed local chefs while creating exciting discussions about the latest trends in the wine world."

Celebrated Restaurants & Wineies Unite - During this festival over 30 chefs from some of New Orleans most celebrated restaurants will create 5 course dinners paired with many of the world's best wines at wine dinners around the New Orleans area. Another popular event is the FEASTiVAL – featuring wine notables and celebrity chefs. Throughout the week specialized and intimate wine and food seminars will take place, and then it's time for The Grand Tastings that featuring 75 New Orleans restaurants and over 1000 vintages that will bring the extravaganza to a close.

“Where else in the world are you able to taste 1000 wines, eat over 50 dishes, meet renowned winemakers and chefs, shop with a glass of wine on a world famous street, and catch beads within a few blocks of each other?” asks Greg Reggio, NOWFE President. “New Orleans has so much to offer, and NOWFE captures the essence of it all with our events, seminars and unbounded enthusiasm.”

The New Orleans Wine & Food Experience is a non-profit organization. Each year the Board of the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience announces which local organizations have received donations or awards to support their programs and foundations. Proceeds from the annual events benefits the Louisiana Restaurant Association's ProStart Program, The University of New Orleans School of Hotel, Restaurant & Tourism, The Chef John Folse Culinary Institute, Delgado Community College Culinary Arts Program, New Orleans Firefighter House Fund, Sean Payton's Play It Forward, Girls First, Cancer Crusaders, Animal Rescue New Orleans, and Fore! Kids.

While in Louisiana Drink Up A Unique Musical Style Called Swamp Pop - Swamp Pop isn't a beverage, rather a unique blend of indigenous music styles found only in a small part of the U.S., in Acadiana, LA and a small area in east Texas. Swamp Pop's a mix of New Orleans rhythm & blues, hillbilly, rockabilly, blues, Cajun, and Creole music. The style evolved in the mid-1950's and got its name in the 1970's when British music writers began using it to describe Louisiana's rock n' roll. The 1st record to receive attention outside of Louisiana was Bobby Charles' "(See You) Later Alligator."