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This weekend (October 24 to 27) marks the third annual Baja California Culinary Fest, and if you have not attended in years past, or had a meal in the region lately, trust us, you are seriously missing out. Just two weeks ago, the state's cuisine was declared an "intangible cultural heritage" by the World Tourism Organization (WTO).
Though we've been seeing Baja-inspired pop-up dinners and food and wine events in San Diego, there's really nothing like being there.
The schedule is jam-packed with dinners, food and wine tastings and low-cost film screenings and cooking demos.
Here's where we'd go drink and eat:
Thursday, October 24: The fest's inaugural dinner, dubbed "Cena con Ellas", will be hosted by Marcela Valladolid and features food from eight of the region's top female chefs along with Baja craft beer, wine and mezcal.
Friday, October 25:: A weekend-long Culinary Expo kicks off at 11 a.m. Admission is free and the event includes samples from restaurants and local food artisans, plus craft beer, wine and live music. Transportation from SD is available for a fee.
Friday, October 25:: That evening, learn about why mezcal is the spirit of the moment at a screening of "The Origins of Mezcal: The Myth is Revealed"; the $10 admission includes a mezcal tasting.
Saturday, October 26: Club Tengo Hambre is organizing a culinary tour entitled "A Tale of of Two Seas Tijuana Seafood Dining and Craft Beer Outing". Included are dishes at the incredible Tacos Kokopelli, Mariscos Ruben and Javier Plascencia's Erizo, plus craft beer pairings.
Saturday, October 26: How cool does this sound? An original live theater production on the Origins of the Caesar Salad (a 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. showing) from a street opera troup, plus a tasting from local restaurants.
Saturday, October 26: Make the most out of the last day of the fest with a Culinary Tour of the Valle de Guadalupe. Visit five of the area's best restaurants, meet the chefs and taste the food and wine of the region.
· Baja California Culinary Fest [Official Site]
