A hearty eater and aficionado of all things food, I was elated when my boyfriend scored free tickets from his boss for the Taste of Bigfork event yesterday. With 20-plus restaurants offering everything from wine to chocolate mousse and gourmet Reuben sandwiches, I started preparing for the event in the morning. A small breakfast and workout ensured I’d have plenty of empty stomach room and appetite for the afternoon feast.
My game plan was to eat slowly, pacing myself through the multiple vendors and only eating my favorite dishes in their entirety. I thought I was ready. I was wrong.
The event atmosphere was intoxicating – both literally and figuratively, since almost every vendor had beer and wine samples along with their food. Walking through the streets, enjoying a rare sunny day and the sounds of live music, my enthusiasm took over and I quickly lost control. I pounded through the first stop – elk meat, cream of asparagus soup and chardonnay – in just a few minutes.
The nausea started somewhere between a bacon-infused mini burger at Invite, my third sample of wine and a small cup of cream of pear soup. By the time I got to the fish tacos, I was beginning to seriously reconsider my dining strategy. I’d only made it through five stops.
I forged through, continuing on to eat, among many other things, buffalo meat, sushi, seafood chowder, black bean and ham soup, a piece of caramel, chocolate, pecan candy apple and homemade ice cream. At one stop, the combination of a thai peanut sauce and crab salad, forced me to take a seat on a landscaping rock and try to regroup. And, by the event’s final stops, I’d reached my ultimate low – I was forced to refuse food.
I had been beaten. Disappointed in myself, I returned home and collapsed on my bed for an hour-long nap.
But, by no means should you be discouraged by my weakness. The event was fantastic, the perfect community gathering to jumpstart the summer season, and I highly recommend attending next year. Along with the fantastic food, it goes toward a good cause, helping fund local Habitat for Humanity houses.
I myself will be contemplating my rebound. In a few weeks, I’ll be braving the Taste of Kalispell with my coworkers, and this time, I’ll find a way to be prepared.