“Mashtini” Bar at the Wine, Cheese and Chocolate event at Oakwood Resort

The Chautauqua-Wawasee Wine, Cheese & Chocolate event came back on the evening of May 27 at the Hill top Banquet Center at Oakwood Resort in Syracuse. Food and beverage vendors displayed their delicacies at the resort for the third time, the first being in 2013. This year, some of the newcomers were Monarch Wines & Beef’s Booze Barn, Mancave Beer, Wakarusa Dime Store, La Gateau, Etc. and Spice Merchants. The returning vendors were Naomi’s Chocolates, Olympia Candies and Swissland Cheese among others.

The main charm of the event was the “Mashtini” bar which consisted of mashed potatoes in martini glasses. Toppings for the “Mashtinis” ranged from broccoli to bacon.

Guests at the Wine, Cheese & Chocolate came from Syracuse, Warsaw, Indianapolis and as far as Chicago.

Andy Tatman and Meissa Kroll enjoyed the evening at a table for two. Tatman commented “It is a really nice event. You can see a lot of different people here.”

The event was organized by Marlies West with the help of Tammy Cotton. Cotton commented on the evening, “It is a fun event to start the season. A chance for people to see each other and get together and what can be better than wine, cheese and chocolate!”

While people tasted the piquant cheeses and soothing chocolates, the elegant mood of the event was accompanied by jazz music performed by Kevin Piekarski, bass, and Chris Rutkowski, piano. Piekarski has been playing at the Fort Wayne Philharmonic since 1983. Rutkowski is the Artistic Director of LaSalle Live.