Mendocino County's seafood-iest celebration will soon simmer

A CLASSIC CIOPPINO... is a brothy and briny fantasia, a rich seafood stew that's almost meaty, at least in terms of its substantial presence. How meaty, or rather seafood-y, is this celebrated dish? A person's spoon may hover above the bowl for a good long while, while the diner determines where they'd like to start. Should a scallop be first or perhaps a shrimp? Would a little crabmeat be the right bite to start things off? While a single seafood stew could not possibly cover the gamut of the ocean's immense offerings, this hearty meal ably goes the impressive and filling distance. It makes sense, then, that cioppino is one of the stars of Seafood & Sips 2024, the foodie festival that surfaces in late January and continues, with culinary aplomb, through the earliest days of February. The happening, which covers ten tasty days, will put the focus on some of the "favorite crustaceans" that the "fishermen, winemakers, brewmasters, and chefs" of the beautiful region love, and the libations that lift those dishes to something especially spectacular.

JAN. 26 THROUGH FEB. 4... are the 2024 dates, and while some seafooders will surely want to stay for the full festival, others may want to make sure they're fin town — er, in town, we mean — for the events they'd like to attend. A Sparkling Wine Celebration, a fizzy way to launch the celebration, bubbles on Jan. 27, while a Crab Cake Cook-off & Wine Tasting Competition is the savory showdown set for the following Saturday (that's Feb. 3). Crab feeds are on the culinary calendar, and, oh yes, a Cioppino Dinner, too; that's simmering at the Abalone Room at the Little River Inn. This helpful page also has suggestions on where to stop for a memorable meal, like the Noyo Fish Company in Fort Bragg — mmm, classic fish and chips — to the dockside seating at Sea Pal Cove, another Fort Bragg favorite.