DATE: Thursday, March 6, 1997               TAG: 9703050040

SECTION: DAILY BREAK             PAGE: E3   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY REBECCA MYERS CUTCHINS, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   60 lines

PORTSMOUTH PLANS INCREDIBLE EDIBLES TWO-DAY GALA WILL FEATURE FOOD, WINE, PRIZES AND MORE

AT LAST YEAR'S Incredible Edibles, a Portsmouth event featuring gourmet foods and fine wines of Virginia, at least two veteran tasters brought their own plates.

The dishes were notched so that a wine glass could hang freely from the side.

``It only took one hand to hold both the plate and the glass of wine,'' said Sue Everett, chairman of the event. ``I got the biggest kick out of that.''

With more than 20 vendors offering everything from cakes, cookies and brownies to soups, stews and salsas - and nearly a dozen vineyards serving their very best Virginia wines - the folks attending this weekend's event will need all the help they can get.

The two-day food and wine festival will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday and noon to 4 p.m. Saturday at The Max, 425 Water St. Tickets, limited to 400 each day, are $15 in advance and $17 at the door, and are good for one day only.

Admission includes samples of food and wine, a souvenir wine glass, wine seminars, door prizes and a canvas bag in which to carry purchases home.

``This year, we changed the handle on the bag so it would fit more comfortably over your shoulder,'' Everett said. Bags used in previous years had hand-held straps, she said.

The gala, presented by Ports Events, started as a one-day event in 1993. Two years later it expanded to two days, attracting residents from throughout Hampton Roads.

``Last year, we came real close to selling out,'' Everett said. ``I don't remember what the figures were, but there were under five tickets left on Friday night, and we were real close to a sellout on Saturday.''

Everett says she thinks the event is popular because it gives people an opportunity to ``beat the winter doldrums.''

``It's a small, intimate setting, which makes it a fun place to taste Virginia products - Virginia wines in particular,'' she said.

The Max, a fine dining restaurant overlooking the Elizabeth River, will be closed Friday night to accommodate the crowd expected at Incredible Edibles. The restaurant also will be closed Saturday night for a private party and will reopen at 11:30 a.m. Monday.

In past years, though, members of the Incredible Edibles committee would have about an hour to break down the event and turn The Max back into a restaurant.

``It was hysterical afterward,'' Everett said. ``I'd have to bring my old, dilapidated Kirby vacuum cleaner and help clean up.'' ILLUSTRATION: Sue Everett says the event helps ``beat the winter

doldrums.''

L. TODD SPENCER/Virginian Pilot

Festival-goers sample wines at a past event. Nearly a dozen Virginia

vineyards will serve this year.

IF YOU GO

GRAPHIC

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