Pebble Beach Food & WineIt’s the most luscious event of the year: a weekend extravaganza of wine and food tastings, cooking demos, luxurious luncheons, decadent dinners (and golf!).

The fifth annual Pebble Beach Food & Wine celebration kicks off on April 12 with The Celebrity Chef and Winemaker Golf Tournament, followed by the Lexus Opening Night Reception and after hours party.

On Friday, April 13, the choices are gastronomical. Here’s just a taste:

  • Jacques Pepin: “Six Decades of Culinary Magic”
  • Todd English: “Cooking in Everyday English”
  • “Pairing Cheese and Wine with the First Lady of Fromage” (Laurie Werlin)

(And we haven’t even mentioned “Cooking Beyond Fusion” with Roy Yamaguchi, “Cult Cabs in the New Millennium,” “Farewell to Foie Gras,” and “Vineyard, Farm & Sea” – a celebration of Monterey’s bounty with Restaurant 1833.)

And then there’s the Belgian Beer Lunch. Yikes. Sounds like a nap might be in order.

Because that evening there’s an Iron Chef Dinner, plus tributes to winemaker Jess Jackson and chef Thomas Keller – followed by another after hours party.

On Saturday you’ll have to choose between “Cook Like a Rockstar!” with Anne Burrell and the “Ultimate Indulgence: Chocolate & Wine.” Learn how the pros hunt for wine treasures, and watch top sommeliers do a blind tasting of white wines.

The Lexus Grand Tasting, featuring celeb chef Guy Fieri, will be under the big tent from noon to 3 pm. Fieri’s dinner that night is sold out, but you can still get tickets to Food & Wine Magazine’s “Best New Chefs” Alumni dinner or “The Grand Finale” dinner sponsored by Dom Perignon.

(We like anything sponsored by Dom Perignon.)

Sunday morning Tyler Florence presents “Ultimate Dining” while Veuve Cliquot pours champagne. Or you can sip sparkling rose’s from around the world at “Pretty in Pink” … either way you’ll be ready for another Grand Tasting by Lexus from noon to 3 pm.

Packages start at $995 and tickets to individual events are available.

Pebble Beach Vacation Rental 1045BWe have a very tasty family home available in Pebble Beach over this special weekend.

It’s close to the ocean, in the Country Club area: 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and a carpeted converted garage with a big leather sofa and a 60″ flat screen TV… a great place to host your “own little food and wine event” (or recuperate from the big one.)

Contact Debra@MontereyRentals.com