CONGRATS to Gourmet Rambler & Competitors

Last night, theBrideScoop Food Editor Tatiana Abramova a/k/a Gourmet Rambler competed in her first food challenge at Sono Wood Fired Pizzeria to benefit Share Our Strength. Her foodie competitors were tough but the blind tasting was even more difficult!

Tasting Items (Photo by CAZ)

Made famous by reality food shows like Bravo’s Top Chef, The Palate Challenge – where a blindfolded contestant is fed ingredients and asked to identify them using only their sense of taste – is among the most popular in the food community. The natural question that a dedicated foodie might ask, after seeing it demonstrated on television is naturally: “…could I do that!?”.

CONGRATS to Gourmet Rambler & Competitors Gourmet Rambler said, “Things I learned yesterday: fried caper is oddly similar in texture & flavor to a soggy sourdough crouton; whiskey tasted immediately after a spoonful of sriracha may as well be water; lobster stock tastes like diluted fish sauce, and fish sauce tastes like diluted anchovy paste; Worstershire sauce by itself is pretty darn gross; there is absolutely nothing that can be mistaken for flavors of fennel and celery; grapefruit bitterness is quite distinct in Aperol; and nothing tastes as delicious as seared foie gras, even in a blind tasting.”

Another competitor, Huge Galdones (Owner at Galdones Photography) said, “From last night’s report card (13/20) from No Kid Hungry‘s BIG PALATE CHALLENGE at Sono Wood Fired, I thought that:
1) Guava syrup was pomegranate juice
2) Mirin was maple syrup (I know, I’m Canadian and I f’ed that one up)
3) Pernod was Campari (they taste so similar; I’m no Craig Perman)
4) Porcini stock was dashi
5) Marjoram was sage
6) Chimmichuri was Pirri Pirri
7) Pumpkin puree was squash (close enough, no?)

“Bottom line: was a ton of fun!” We couldn’t agree more!!!

Congratulations to everyone for a great competition (Anthony Todd, Michael Gebert, Nick Kindelsperger in addition to Huge Galdones) and an extra shout out to Chandra Ram, Editor at Plate Magazine, and Heather Sperling, Chicago Editor at TastingTable.com, for tying for first place!!! A donation of $100 on behalf of each winner was made to Share Our Strength.

And thank you to Sono Wood Fired Pizzeria and Chef John McLean for hosting this wonderful event!!!

Written by theBrideScoop Editor

Claudia Antony Zompa is Editor-in-Chief of theBrideScoop. All the articles written by me are my own opinions and may or may not reflect the opinions of the other writers at theBrideScoop.

Claudia has been planning events, weddings and far flung vacations around the globe for her friends, family and colleagues since she was in college. In addition to being Editor-in-Chief of theBrideScoop, Claudia is owner of Chicago-based event planning company AS YOU WISH focused on creating magnificant weddings, fabulous social events and outstanding galas and fundraisers.

Claudia has a bachelor degree in business administration from Loyola University Chicago and an MBA from The University of Chicago. She is a member of the International Special Events Society (ISES) and the Association of Bridal Consultants (ABC). She is a Founding Board Member of Wish Upon A Wedding – Chicago Chapter and a Founding Member of the Wedding Industry Professionals Association.

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