Results from the 6th Annual Macaroni & Cheese Bake Off!

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24TH, (Old Mission Peninsula) - Once again the wineries of old Mission challenged local chefs to turn the classic comfort food, Macaroni and Cheese, into a culinary masterpiece.  The Great Mac and Cheese Cook-off was hosted November 24th from 11am-5pm.

Every year participants are encouraged to vote in four categories about the macaroni and cheese they tasted at all five wineries—categories being, Most Unique, Cheesiest, Best with Wine, and People’s Choice.

The ballots have been tallied and the results for the 6^th annual Great Macaroni and Cheese Cook-off are as follows:

Most Unique – Bluebird          

Cheesiest – TraVino Wine & Grill

Best with White Wine – TraVino Wine & Grill

People’s Choice – TraVino Wine & Grill

The event began 6 years ago after the animated responses to a description on Peninsula Cellars’ tasting sheet.  In describing their Old School White, the winemaker stated that it “goes great with comfort foods such as Macaroni and Cheese.”  Visitors laughed and jovially scoffed at the idea:   “Macaroni and Cheese --- with Wine!!?!?!?!?!?!?!”  We decided to prove it.  The classic Old Mission white wines, Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, and Pinot Blanc, with their vibrant acids just sing with food, especially those rich, creamy cheeses.  So while the wineries prove that Old Mission wines are simply gorgeous with food, the chefs rove that Mac and Cheese does not, and should not, come out of a box, and most definitely is NOT nuclear orange.  These chefs have gone way beyond the blue-box notion using ingredients such as lobster, game meats, wild mushrooms, and exotic cheeses.

PARTICIPANTS:  WOMP- Peninsula Cellars, Bowers Harbor Vineyards, Brys Estate, Chateau Grand Traverse, & Chateau Chantal

RESTAURANTS:Aerie, TraVino, Peninsula Market, Peninsula Grill, Red Mesa Grill, Boathouse, Bluebird, Bowers Harbor Inn, Mountain Jack’s and Blue Tractor.