Rotary's 'Taste of Woodside' fundraiser set for September 18 Rotary's 'Taste of Woodside' fundraiser set for September 18 (September 07, 2005)

By Jane Knoerle

Almanac Lifestyles Editor

The Rotary Club of Woodside/Portola Valley hopes this year's "Taste of Woodside," to be held Sunday, September 18, at the Mountain Terrace, will top last year's enormously successful event, which raised $30,000.

"The event was the single largest fundraiser in the history of the Woodside and Portola Valley Rotary Club," says Andy Kerr, who originated last year's fundraiser. Last week the club voted to earmark some of the "Taste of Woodside" proceeds for Katrina disaster relief.

"We will work with Rotary Clubs in the affected areas to assure that 100 percent of the funds go directly to fill the most desperate needs," says Barbara Schmidt, the club's past president.

This year's "Taste" has a new format. Starting at 2 p.m. guests will stop at different stations on the Mountain Terrace lawn to sample hors d'oeuvres paired with a variety of local wines. After two hours of "grazing," they will be seated for a three-course dinner on the terrace. Music will be provided by "Dances on Strings."

The dinner menu will include plum-glazed halibut in a banana leaf prepared by Mountain Terrace; harvest salad with produce from the garden at SMIP Ranch on the Djerassi estate, prepared by the Village Pub; and grilled lamb chops with parsnip puree, toasted garlic-kalamata sauce, and haricots vert prepared by John Bentley.

Pastry chef Jesus Mendoza hopes guests will have saved room for dessert, which will be a choice of tiramisu or genoise aux fruit from the Woodside Bakery.

Chefs from Alice's Restaurant, Buck's of Woodside, Mountain Terrace, Parkside Grille, and the Mountain House will be providing hors d'oeuvres

Participating wineries are Bonny Doon Vineyards, Cinnabar, Martella Vineyards, Ridge Vineyards, Storrs Winery, Thomas Fogarty, Woodside Vineyards and Kings Mountain Winery.

Jamis MacNiven, owner of Buck's of Woodside, will be master of ceremonies. During dinner, magnums of wine, winemakers' dinners at Woodside Vineyards and the Mountain Terrace, and vacation trips will be auctioned.

Shuttle service will transport guests up to the Mountain Terrace on Skyline Boulevard. The pick-up point will be Woodside Town Hall, 2955 Woodside Road. Service will begin at 1:45 p.m. and continue every 15 minutes until 3:45 p.m.

The first "A Taste of Woodside" was a bold venture for the 22 members of the Woodside/Portola Valley Rotary Club, whose previous fundraisers included the Pooch Pageant and a pancake breakfast. Sparkplug for last year's event and co-chair for this year's is Andy Kerr, co-owner of Alice's Restaurant and Mountain Terrace. It was his idea to bring local restaurateurs together for a gourmet benefit.

The Mountain Terrace is best known to longtime locals as the former Skywood Chateau restaurant. Andy Kerr and his brother, Jamie, joined with six other partners last year to open the Mountain Terrace as a wedding reception and event venue.

Mountain Terrace has a refurbished lodge-like interior. Outside, a sunny deck overlooks a grassy meadow surrounded by redwood trees.

Ken Hayes is co-chairman of "Taste of Woodside" with Mr. Kerr. Other committee members are: Bill Alfano, Dean Babcock, Art Barker, Bob Buelteman, Allen Cary, Joan Fuetsch, Ron Raffensperger, Barbara Schmidt and Debbie Wartenberg.

Tickets for "Taste of Woodside" are $150 each. For tickets and information, go to www.tasteofwoodside.com.

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