Some of the region’s top food trucks to compete this weekend
By Cathy Branciaroli, Food Correspondent, The Times
Sophia Mamalis and son George offer outstanding crabcakes from their food truck Rigatoni’s Mobile Crab Cakes
Last weekend I had the opportunity to visit the Chaddsford Winery’s “Back to Back” competition among 14 different food trucks, which will be held again this coming weekend from 11AM – 8PM on Saturday and 11AM – 6PM on Sunday.
There is no admission fee. It’s held as a pay as you go event so you can visit as many of the food trucks as you wish, and each purchase yields a coupon to vote for your favorite food truck creation.
Last weekend’s winner was Wink & Moo, for their spicy barbeque sandwiches. There is plenty of free parking for the expected one thousand visitors. You can enjoy live music and complimentary winery tours at 2PM and 4PM each day.
They will also be serving the winery’s wines grown from Pennsylvania grapes so that you can have fun pairing wines with food. Treat yourself to a wine tasting experience — either a standard tasting ($10), or the reserve tasting ($15) which includes the limited-release Artisan Series wines Dry Rosé and barrel-aged Chambourcin. And they will be serving a sangria made with berries and red wine. The tastings include keepsake glassware.
According to Chaddsford Winery’s wine manager, Greg Kuhn, the event is intended to provide a friendly gathering for families. Picnic tables are set up under the trees so once you pick out your favorite dishes there are comfortable places to relax and eat. All the vendors are local to the area, mostly from Philadelphia. Some in fact have won national honors. I visited with Sophie Mamalis and her son George from Rigatoni’s Mobile Crab Cakes. While they run an Italian style restaurant in Philadelphia, the food truck features seafood including crabcakes and they were voted among the top one hundred food trucks in the country. The crabcake was indeed a large portion and delicious.
But if your taste runs toward barbeque or tacos, there are plenty of ethnic foods to sample as well. Here is the expected lineup for this coming weekend but others are expected beyond the listed vendors.
Saturday August 22nd:
Brazilian Barbeque
Mama’s Meatballs
Surf and Turf Truck
Sweetbox Cupcakes
Meatwagon BBQ
Mom-Mom’s Polish Food Cart
The Grill Cheese
Cupcakes Gourmet
Southbound BBQ
Sunday August 23rd
Ka’Chi Truck
Brazilian Barbeque
Surf and Turf Truck
Pbon’s Fresh Food of Philly
Local 215
Mama’s Meatballs
Sweetbox Cupcakes
Meatwagon BBQ
The Grill Cheese
Cupcakes Gourmet
The Chaddsford Winery is located at 632 Baltimore Pike, Chadds Ford, PA 19317
Further information about the event can be gotten from the website: http://www.chaddsford.com/events/back-to-the-food-truck-competition/
Cathy Branciaroli also writes about her adventures in the kitchen on her blog Delaware Girl Eats
