Penn State Public Broadcasting welcomes chef Mary Ann Esposito as host of the 13th Annual WPSX-TV Connoisseur's Dinner on Saturday, Jan. 29. The event begins at 6 p.m. with a reception and silent auction at The Nittany Lion Inn on Penn State's University Park campus. Guests will enjoy the foods of Tuscany paired with an assortment of wines complementing each course. Esposito, host of PBS cooking show "Ciao Italia," will present the five-course food and wine extravaganza while relaying tales of her culinary success. She also will autograph copies of several cookbooks that will be available for purchase.
Attendees may participate in a silent auction where artwork, excursions, tickets to entertainment events and jewelry will be up for bid. Items include a guitar signed by Kenny Chesney; seven nights at a private residence in Martha's Vineyard; a barrister's bookcase from Spectra Wood; original art; and classic women's jewelry. In addition to the silent auction, several extravagant items will be presented in a live auction during the dinner.
This year's menu begins with Tuscan meatballs, sweet pork sausage with grapes and leek tarts. The soup course features a lemon pepper soup, followed by potato gnocchi in pecorino cream sauce. Next, guests will dine on the main entree -- pork da ventura style with roasted red potatoes, asparagus spears and julienne carrots. An orange, fennel and pomegranate salad follows the entree. The dinner concludes with a zuccotto cake. Each course is complemented with wine selected by the culinary staff of The Nittany Lion Inn.
The 13th Annual Connoisseur's Dinner and Auction is underwritten by Centre Medical and Surgical Associates of State College P.C., with additional funding provided by the DelGrosso family. Tickets can be purchased for $175 per person, of which $70 is a tax-deductible gift to WPSX-TV. The reservation deadline is Jan. 21. For more information or to make reservations, call Whitney Vass at (814) 865-3333 ext. 309 or e-mail wav103@psu.edu.
Member-supported WPSX-TV broadcasts a 24-hour schedule of programs, including Ciao Italia at 1:30 p.m. Saturdays.