Things are cookin’ in San Antonio. And not just in the kitchen. The Plaza Club and its members are helping their historic, multicultural city in South Texas add the culinary arts to its many tourist attractions.

The timing is right. Synergy is at work:

• The sixth annual San Antonio New World Wine & Food Festival, slated Nov. 1-6, has grown in its brief history to be not only a destination food and wine event, but also the gateway for showcasing and discovering the chefs, the food, and the wine of Mexico, Latin America, and South America.

• The historic Pearl Brewery site downtown is being transformed into La Perla, a cultural campus that will include a culinary school developed in consultation with the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) and the redevelopment of the brewery’s original stables building into a multiuse events facility. The unprecedented urban project is the vision of San Antonio billionaire Kit Goldsbury and Silver Ventures, the private investment company the one-time salsa maker launched after selling Pace Foods to Campbell Soup in 1995.

• Just a couple of blocks from the Plaza Club, Raba Design Group and RTK Development Co. are planning Piazza San Lorenzo, a $67 million, mixed-used project on the banks of the famed River Walk. The development, the latest in a series of revitalization efforts for East Houston Street, will include river-level retail and restaurants, piazza-level boutique retail, office space, condos, and fractional ownership units.

• And, Dan Lewis has arrived. The new executive chef at the Plaza Club says his specialty is "good food." As he takes the club’s menu to a new level, his goal is to bring "contemporary thinking and style to traditional ‘California.’" Through its 32-year history, the Plaza Club has been the gathering place for the Alamo City’s business, civic, and political leaders. Its new motto might well be: the place to meet — and eat.

"I see members creating a new vision for San Antonio," says club manager Manny Ortiz, a native San Antonian who returned home and to the Plaza Club seven years ago. "We want to give back to the community."

The eighth largest U.S. city and third largest in Texas has the heart of a small town. The river’s formula for success has moved onto the street in a downtown that is easy-walking and increasingly residential in character. People are friendly and have a can-do attitude. Memberships cross. Somebody knows somebody who knows somebody else. …

And that’s how it happened. The idea of the New World Wine & Food Festival began with Joel Klein, a member of the Plaza Club and the local chapter of Confrerie de la Chaine des Rotisseurs. Some might call him a "foodie," but he’s a self-described "lawyer by night," who has a long résumé of community service relating to tourism and, until recently, had spent 25 years as the host of a local travel radio program.

The seeds of the New World Wine & Food Festival were planted … and flourished.

Recently, several members of the Festival’s executive committee gathered for lunch at the Plaza Club to discuss the growth and potential of the Festival. As they went around the table, their formula was obvious: Mesh individual expertise with collective action.

• Bill Salomon, president and COO of PMG International Ltd. and a member of the Plaza Club and Confrerie de la Chaine des Rotisseurs: "We wanted to have a strong educational component. We have seminars and blind tastings — of wine, chocolate … "

• Steve Atkins, president of the Atkins Group, a marketing, advertising, and public relations firm that has experience in tourism: "Visitors are interested in the exploration of taste."

• Ron Bechtol, a food critic for the San Antonio Current and other publications and former co-chairman of the New World Wine & Food Festival for three years: "There was interest across the board to investigate other cuisines and to foster interchange with chefs of Mexico. We want to be a ‘you tasted them here first’ event."

• Pat Mozersky, who writes the "Chefs’ Secrets" column for the San Antonio Express-News and formerly was Festival co-chairman with Bechtol for three years: "We ask chefs to take traditional ingredients and provide new interpretations."

• Daniel Jacob Jr., president of Daniel Jacob Interests Inc. and 2005-2006 chairman of the New World Wine & Food Festival: "We’re focused on quality — and tastes never associated with Mexico."

With a core group of supporters six-plus years ago, an executive board was organized and the rest is the history thus far. Earlier this year, Suzanne Taranto was hired as executive director of the Festival, formalizing the year-round operation. About 13,000 people attended the events at last year’s festival — and more than 200 vintners participated. Unlike other food and wine events, the New World Festival uses different venues across San Antonio to encourage a broad range of participation.

Jacob says there has been great synergism with the CIA and the Plaza Club, which has recruited many volunteers for the Festival and has plans for a dinner Nov. 3, featuring the wines of Hess Collection Winery. "We love that," Jacob says. "We’re looking for strategic partnerships."

Klein agrees, "The Festival and the Plaza Club bring together another group of people."

SAN ANTONIO SOCIETY
Manager: Jennifer Price.
Amenities: A connection with 15 clubs in the greater San Antonio area, Starlight Suite seating at the Majestic Theatre, VIP box seating at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, Charter Seats behind the San Antonio Spurs bench, Terrace Ledge box seating for Spurs basketball games and other SBC Center events, and more.
Web site: www.sanantoniosociety.com

PLAZA CLUB SAN ANTONIO
Location: 2100 Frost Bank Tower, San Antonio.
Board of Governors chair: Col. William D. Rasco.
Club manager: Manny Ortiz.
Membership director: Banner Huggins.
Member relations director: Tamar Henderson.
Private events director: René Martin.
Executive chef: Dan Lewis.
Amenities: Main dining room; eight private dining areas; bar; conference and meeting space; business center; and private
event facilities.
Web site: www.plazasanantonio.com

UP IN LIGHTS
The Paseo del Rio, better known as the "River Walk," is an urban masterpiece of cobblestone and flagstone paths — 20 feet below street level — that border both sides of the San Antonio River. Lined with European-style sidewalk cafes, specialty boutiques, art galleries, nightclubs, and gleaming high-rise hotels, the River Walk winds for some two-and-a-half miles through San Antonio’s business district.

For some visitors, the River Walk is synonymous with the holidays. This year, the Paseo del Rio Holiday Festival will kick off Nov. 25 at 7 p.m. with the Ford Holiday River Parade and Lighting Ceremony. The event starts with the ceremonial "pulling of the switch" that turns on more than 122,000 twinkling lights, suspended in the trees along the River Walk. A parade, complete with floats, celebrities, bands, and costumed participants, follows the lighting ceremony.

For more information, visit www.thesanantonioriverwalk.com or www.sanantoniovisit.com.

THE PLAZA AMONG PLAZAS
Thanks to its Spanish heritage, San Antonio is a city of parks and plazas — a fact that did not go unnoticed by Tom C. Frost Jr., now senior chairman of Frost Bank (his family’s business for nearly 140 years) and who founded and named the Plaza Club.

"I love to tell the story and talk about the club," he says in his office in Frost Bank Tower, also home to the club’s 21,000-square-foot quarters.

As the story goes, the bank was considering a restaurant for the 21st and top floor of its new headquarters building. "We wanted the bank to become the center of activity downtown," Frost says. One day, Frost’s hard-driving brother-in-law Don Garrett, then president of the bank, pointed out that he could go to almost any major U.S. city, find a private club at the top of a downtown building, and "see the whole city."

Frost recalls, "He slammed his fist on the table." The debate ended. And Frost called his friend Robert Dedman at ClubCorp in Dallas. A private club was born.

"The club has grown and become more than we ever could have dreamed," Frost comments. In fact, the bank quickly abandoned its private dining room in favor of entertaining clients in the main dining room of the club.

"We were happier to have our officers in the open — in context with the rest of the community," Frost notes.

Oh, and by the way, he says as he escorts his visitors to the door: "Tell the chef the chicken enchiladas on Wednesday’s buffet were great — it’s hard to keep enchiladas on a buffet soft and warm. …"

Well, of course. After all, your palate is your passport to San Antonio and the Plaza Club.

NEW WORLD WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL
The New World Wine & Food Festival celebrates San Antonio as a premier wine and food destination and an important culinary and cultural gateway to Mexico and the rest of Latin America. For information, visit www.nwwff.org. When registering, identify yourself as a member and part of the ClubCorp family of clubs. You will receive a 10 percent discount to the three signature events during Festival week, including A Black Tie Affair Nov. 4, HemisFare Grand Tasting Nov. 5, and Totally Tejas Grand Tasting Nov. 6. Following are recipes from previous festivals.

CREMA FRIA DE AGUACATE (CHILLED CREAM OF AVOCADO SOUP)
From Chef Blanca Aldaco, Aldaco’s Mexican Restaurant, San Antonio.

Garnishes — Your choice!
heavy cream
crispy colorful tortilla strips
avocado cubes
Or: in summer, cubes of watermelon with a swirl of cream

In a blender, combine half of each ingredient and blend to a nice consistency. Pour into bowl and repeat with remaining ingredients. Correct salt and serve in chilled bowls.

MONTERREY STYLE CABRITO
From Chef Diana Barrios Treviño, Los Barrios Restaurant, San Antonio.

Place the cabrito in a large Dutch oven and add the water and the remaining ingredients. Allow it to simmer for about 2-1/2 hours over low heat. When it is ready, you can serve as prepared or you can lightly brown in oil. Serve with rice and refried beans. Top cabrito with either spicy ranchero sauce or mild salsa dulce.

Yield: 3-4 servings.

SHARK WITH FENNEL/GUAJILLO/TOMATILLO SAUCE OVER BLUE CORN POLENTA
From Chef Alberto Mijangos, Beto’s Latin Grill, San Antonio.

Marinate shark fillets in chimichurri sauce. Grill fillets until done. Cut into bite-sized pieces and place into the polenta cups. Top with fennel/guajillo/tomatillo sauce.

Yield: 30 servings.

Blue Corn Polenta Cups

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine cream, salt, black pepper, and water in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil. Stir in butter. In a separate bowl, sift cornmeal and flour together. Gradually stir cornmeal/flour mixture into the boiling liquid; stir constantly until mixture pulls from the sides of the pan. Remove from heat.

Stir in the baking powder and eggs. Pour in the corn kernels and mix. Spoon into well-greased stainless soufflé cups. Bake in preheated oven until done.

Fennel, Guajillo, and Tomatillo Sauce

Heat oil until it begins to smoke. Add onions and fennel. Add a bit of sugar and cook until vegetables are caramelized. Add garlic, then tomatillos. Pour in chicken stock. Simmer 1 hour. Purée in batches along with the guajillo chiles and cilantro. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Yield: 1 gallon.

COCHINITA PIBIL

From Chef Dianko Barajas, Guajillos/Taco Inn, San Antonio.

Blend the achiote with the orange juice, lime juice, red onion, garlic cloves, and water. Put a banana leaf on the bottom of a pot. Add the meat, cover with achiote spice mixture, and cook at low temperature for at least 3 hours.

Remove the meat, shred it very thin, and return to the pot.

Add salt as needed, cover with another banana leaf, and simmer for another 2 hours at low temperature.

Garnish and serve.