LINCOLNVILLE — In the last few years, Cellardoor Winery has made a name for itself not just as a winery, but also as a party planner that pulls out all the stops. On the weekend of June 26-28, the winery installed a massive tent on the vineyard’s grounds, hosting two back-to-back extravaganzas. Even though buckets of rain came down Sunday  afternoon, that didn’t stop Cellardoor’s staff from flipping the entire interior of the tent to create their biggest food-wine pairing event ever, called Smackdown, capped off by a recipe contest and and a cook-off.

It was a kid-in-the-candy store type of afternoon and not for the obsessive worriers about carbs and fats. An all-inclusive ticket got the guest inside where stations were set up all alongside the edges of the tent. The feast began with the eyes as a giant metal sculpture of the world tilted on its access in one corner along with a replica of the St. Louis arch.

Center stage, “The Bubble Bar” reigned supreme as Jeff "Smokey" McKeen, one of the stars of celebrity chef Mario Batali's new cookbook, America Farm to Table, shucked fresh oysters from his co-owned company, Pemaquid Oyster Company while staff kept elegant stemless glasses of two different types of champagne alongside them on ice.

On the left side of the tent, staff poured Cellardoor white wine while Trillium Caterers staff kept serving elaborate small bites, such as Gorgonzola tartlets and seared scallops in a beurre blanc sauce with edible flowers. On the right side of the tent, red wine and beer lovers reveled in more decadent pairings, such as shots of Bulleit bourbon with seared pork belly skewers or shots of Gritty McDuff’s Pilsner with tiny tempura-battered corn dog skewers. Then there was Gritty’s Black Fly Stout with sirloin chili. Cellardoor reds with Jambalaya and lamb shanks. Mini lobster rolls. Crab rangoon. Tiny shots of margaritas accompanied chicken quesadillas.

The food just kept coming!

In the back of the tent, a stage had been set up for the judges of Cellardoor’s first Smackdown recipe contest, while just below the stage, each of the finalists had his or her own cooking station, cranking out batch after batch for the guests to sample. Seven of the finalists had created their own signature dish.

After the judges had a chance to taste and comment upon everything during the four-hour period, the winner was declared: Sarah Malikowski, of Hampden, won with her Cellardoor Smackdown Lamb Burger.

Dana Moos, The Smackdown People's Choice Award winner, wowed the crowd with her Creamy Bacon, Poblano and Corn Chowder with Maine Lobster.

Other finalists and their creations included Tegan Guilfoyle (Serendipity Fig Compote and Gorgonzola Tartlets); Bob Talbot (Ultra Chocolatey Cupcakes with Fiery Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting and Candied Bacon); Robyn Tarantino (Moroccan Chicken); Kristy Townsend (Fig 'Specks') and Mali Welch (Blackberry-yaki Chicken Kabobs).

The event could only be described as over the top as guests enjoyed all that Maine’s most creative culinary minds could create.

To quote Cellardoor directly: “Savor your summer.”

To see a gallery of the event from 5ive Leaf Photography, click here.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com