The International

      Wine & Food Society

Anchorage Branch, is definitely

a society with an attitude. 

Our Branch is one of an

 ----international---- 

association for lovers of good

         food and wine.
                              
In 1933 a 57-year old Frenchman, Andre Louis Simon, who was at that
time the best known personality in the English wine trade, founded the
Wine & Food Society. In three months, he had 300 members and by World
War II his Society had spread to many overseas countries. Today,
three-quarters of the membership is outside Britain and the word
        "International" has been added to the name.

Now, "Andre's Wonderful Invention", as the International Wine & Food
Society has often been called, has many thousands of members, living
in 35 countries. More than 200 local Branches flourish, each managing
its own program of events. The real "life" of the Society is in the
frequent events organised by the members for themselves. As an
example, recent events have included dinners based on Spanish,
      South African, and Northern Italian cuisine. 

Since 1935, the Society has given each member the annual Vintage
Chart; the annual Journal of the Society (under the name "World
Gastronomy"); and the quarterly "Newsletter of the Americas". The
Anchorage Chapter has organised gourmet outings to remote
Alaska lodges, clam bakes by the sea, wine tasting picnics, and
"cooking dinners", where local restaurants close for a day and
members, many professional chefs, take over the kitchen and prepare
        fabulous cuisine for the other members.

The International Wine & Food Society is today the oldest, most
distinguished and most truly cosmopolitan of all international food
and wine associations. The principal objective of the Society is "to
bring together and to serve all who believe that a right understanding
of good food and wine is an essential part of personal contentment and
health; and that an intelligent approach to the pleasures and problems
of the table offers far greater rewards than the mere satisfaction of
appetite". The Society's funds are entirely devoted to this objective.

The Alaska members are a diverse lot, and include chefs, restauranteurs,
members of the wine trade, and amateur cooks with an interest in
fine food and wine.  Alaska is blessed with an abundance of
fresh unusual wild game and fresh seafood, not obtainable anywhere
else. Alaska's best restaurants, such as Marx Brothers, and Jens
have had memorable IWFS dinners. 

                 

• For more information, contact our secretary Debi or our President Annalise
• You can peruse Dr. John Gerster's Wine Page of eclectic stuff

• or email Dr. Gerster or our sommelier Shawn directly.
• And, you can see A Recent Dinner complete with wine notes
• For something different, see South African wines
• Look at the Helsinki Chapter, or the London Chapter.
• or the Home Page of the Intl Wine & Food Society in England
• And see one of the most active Chapters in Marin County San Francisco
• Here is our Calendar for 2003
• and a great outing of Williams-Selyem pinot tasting
• Or, read a Trip you won't believe
• See: the best Restaurants in Anchorage

You must see the BGA trip to Alaska!

Look at WineTech for Robert Parker's links to the wine world.

or, great recipes from Kirsten

If you would be interested in joining the Society, look here