Every year “Amazing Grapes,” a benefit for the Hermann-Grima/Gallier Historic Houses, gets bigger, better and raises more money. Underwritten by Iberia Bank, the food and wine-centric event was held March 4 at the Foundry. Chef Horst Pfeifer of Bella Luna (and proprietor of the Foundry) served up savory hors d’oeuvres—including HG/GH executive director Stephen Moses’ favorite of Thai spring rolls with a ginger soy sauce—and a three-course meal of a salad with a cranberry vinaigrette, blue cheese, candied pecans and julienne of pears; Angus beef medallions tipped with a porcini mushroom reduction, along with crabmeat-stuffed jumbo shrimp with an apricot-jalapeño jelly; and a dessert of amaretto-saturated seasonal berries over a sweet almond shortbread biscuit drizzled with key-lime créme. (Hungry yet?) Paired with the foods were a Kendall Jackson chardonnay or merlot. (In fact, 20 cases of wine were consumed that night!) During the middle of the dinner, a surprise was announced: a free raffle of a trip to New York City on Jet Blue and a stay at the Omni Berkshire Place. Courtney-Ann Sarpy was the equally surprised and delighted winner. Many of the items on the silent auction board went over their reserve, as did many of the live auction items, which was overseen by auctioneer Ruthie Winston. Bringing in $33,000 of the more than $82,000 the whole event raised, the auctions were—to say the least—a great success. •
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