Villa Santa Cruz, Boutique Hotel on the Beach, hosted a lovely Food & Wine Pairing Event to benefit the Hogar del Nino, the orphanage in Todos Santos. From the sales of dinner tickets, silent auction items, raffle tickets and individual donations, the evening raised an astounding $7,000 USD that will be put to great use at the Hogar. We are grateful for the efforts of dedicated event coordinators, Nancy Naigle, Nancy Serfas, and Lisa Welsch, who put together such an elegant and successful evening.
Seventy guests arrived at 5:30pm and were welcomed with fresh sangria and bruschetta, lovingly donated by Chef Sergio of La Casita Tapas & Wine Bar, who also catered the dinner. Serenaded by the sweet voice of Tracy Durland, guests mingled on the back patio while bidding on silent auction items and watching the sunset.
After dark, it was time for dinner. Chef Sergio prepared an exquisite five course menu that was enhanced by the wine pairings selected by Mac Sutton of La Bodega de Todos Santos. Here’s a look at the delicious menu:
Salad of Organic Greens, Roquefort Cheese, Pears, Walnuts and Mandarin Vinaigrette
20120 LA Cetto Sierra Blanca Sauvignon Blanc
Shrimp with Tricolor Pasta and Jalapeno Cream Sauce
2009 Vinas Pyoan Paulina (46% Merlot, 46% Zinfandel, 8% Petit Syrah)
Chicken Skewers with Peanut Sauce
2010 La Bodega de Todos Santos Prologo (80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Petit Syrah)
Prime Ribeye with Red Wine Shallot Sauce
2009 Calixa (80% Cabernet, 20% Syrah)
Chocolate Mousse Cake with Passion Fruit and Berry Sauces
Santo Tomas Tipo Oporto
Throughout the meal, guests learned about the activities and needs of the Hogar. The directors of the orphanage, Joel & Alicia Hernandez, gave a heartfelt thanks to everyone in attendance and to the event coordinators and volunteers who work diligently to ensure that the Hogar has what it needs to care for its 20 children. Lisa Welsch, who founded the Lunch program at the Hogar, explained that she organizes volunteers to cook weekly meals for the children. Nancy Serfas encouraged everyone to visit padrinoproject.com to sign up to make automatic monthly donations to the Hogar to ensure its basic necessities are met.
