Preceded by a flurry of anticipation, the Gilroy Garlic Festival
pyro-chefs have officially unveiled the Surf
&
amp; Turf Alley Wrap.
Preceded by a flurry of anticipation – this being the newest addition to the famous Gourmet Alley since garlic fries were introduced three years ago – the Gilroy Garlic Festival pyro-chefs have officially unveiled the Surf & Turf Alley Wrap: A cornucopia of goodness rolled into a conveniently self-contained entree.
The best part?
“You can hold the wrap in one hand while holding a beer in the other,” says the event’s 2011 President Kurt Svardal, looking dapper in his bright turquoise polo.
God bless the Gilroy Garlic Festival.
Served for the first time today at Solis Winery on Hecker Pass, the Alley Wrap will sell for $5 and consists of steak, shrimp, rice, cilantro, cumin and garlic aioli enveloped a garlic-infused lavash, the latter of which is made locally by a baking company in Gilroy. It’s savory, full of flavor and has the right amount of sauce.
Wrap-a-holics out there understand: Sauce, or in this case aioli, is a hugely important factor. Slather too much on, and consumption turns into a messy nightmare. Skimp, and the wrap becomes bland and hard to swallow, like cardboard.
General consensus from happy eaters answering with mouths-half full?
Bull’s-eye.
“It’s definitely one of my top choices,” said Tiffani Petersen.
The 2011 Garlic Festival Queen who turned out in a cheerful coral-hued dress and sparkly tiara knows her Gourmet Alley dishes, having cooked and volunteered there for a number of years. Patterson had the luxury of tasting the dish beforehand, and rates the wrap at No. 2 out of the 11 items now offered.
She compares the finger-licking comestible to “almost like having a pizza … but with a lot more garlic.”
Keeping in line with the vision of festival founders, Svardal explained organizers funnel energy toward keeping things fresh as they generate new ideas, promotions and concepts.
This creed was highlighted by Gourmet Alley Co-Chair Vito Mercado, who said the Alley Wrap was conjured to titillate an even broader audience.
Svardal agreed, saying “wraps are a popular item, and we wanted to market to younger folks.”
The debuting entree received generous dose of creative input thanks to a committee of 15 people coming together on the effort. The final recipe that emerged on top was the brainchild of Adam Sanchez and Ann Zyburra, who co-own The Milias Restaurant in Downtown Gilroy.
