Nice but Not

So I wrote a snarky comment on the DCFoodies site on my moral outrage about the Smithsonian's Folklife Festival. I find the food demonstrations irritating because there are no samples. One time I actually did make something from a Folklife demonstration and it tasted awful. I had nothing to compare it to because I never had a taste. So somehow I get a response from the DC Tourism board about my nit. They tell me that they understand my concern and wanted to address the no-tasting policy. I get the link and then I get even MORE outraged. So the DC tourism's answer to the lack of tasting is to set up $75-80 tasting at DC's chi chi restaurants. For example:

Tuesday, July 5 at 7 pm
Church Ladies’ Supper at Georgia Brown’s
Georgia Brown’s
950 15th St. NW
202-393-4499

Darrell Hughes, Executive Chef of Georgia Brown’s will welcome Brenda Rhodes Miller, author of the new Church Ladies' CelestialSuppers and Sensible Advice for one special night. Chef Hughes will prepare a four-course tasting menu showcasing recipes from Miller’s book and her first best-seller, Church Ladies' Divine Desserts. In addition to the dining experience, guests will meet Miller and enjoy the opportunity to purchase autographed copies of her cookbooks. $80 per person including paired wines (gratuity and tax not included). Reservations are required. Space is limited.

An $80 tasting event is not an effective response to my beef about not being able to taste the food during a cooking demonstration. That's crazy. And this particular event drives me even crazier because Church Lady food should not cost $80. I'm not even sure it should be paired with wine. Give me a REAL event like restuarant week, which makes me actively want to TRY the food as opposed to pissing me off.