Foodie Fodder: Food & Wine Tickets

With our recent sun-drenched weather, making summer plans doesn’t seem so far-fetched. And indeed, tickets for the Aspen Food & Wine Classic (June 19 to June 21) are already on sale. Over the course of three days, the gourmand festival includes appearances by heavy-hitters such as chefs Bobby Flay, Giada De Laurentiis, Mario Batali, and restaurateur Danny Meyer. I’ve already got my eyes on demonstrations by Iron Chef Michael Symon (“In Praise of Pork”), Jacques Pépin, and Denver’s-own Claudine Pépin (“More Fast Food Our Way”), and Brian Duncan (“Fool-Proof Wine and Food Pairings”). Tickets prices are steep ($1,085 before March 15 and $1,185 after), but the chance to rub elbows with the culinary elite is worth it, as are the multiple grand tastings. Bonus: Hometown hero and winner of Top Chef Hosea Rosenberg will make an appearance–perhaps during Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons’ seminar “In the Kitchen with Top Chef.”