Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I briefly highlight some interesting wine and food items that I have encountered recently.
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1) I received some great news this week, that I had won the the 1st Annual iPura Tweet & Blogfest at IBSS 2011.  The contest was for local bloggers and all you had to do was tweet a little and write a blog post about the 2011 International Boston Seafood Show.  I would have attended the Seafood show and blogged about it anyways, so entering the contest was easy for me.  I ended up writing four blog posts about the show, as well as tweeting plenty about it. Thanks goes to iPura which has been very supportive of Boston food bloggers. Thanks as well to all of the other local bloggers who competed, and made it a challenge. Boston has lots of great writing talent.  See you all next year at the Seafood Show!

2) The Back Bay Hotel will be whipping up exclusive specials for Marathon Monday’s long weekend. The culinary team will introduce a “Carb Up” menu at Stanhope Grille the night before the 115th Boston Marathon, designed for runners and social athletes alike. Cuffs – An Irish Bar will also feature a “Zip Card” menu on Marathon Monday to get you in-and-out in a flash so you don’t miss any of the action.

“Carb Up" Menu 
Stanhope Grille: Sunday, April 17, from 5pm-10pm

Appetizers $8
--The Good Snack (Roasted red pepper hummus, boiled egg, and colored carrot sticks)
--Andes Salad (Farmers lettuce, yellow fin tuna, black beans, avocado and quinoa lemon, olive oil and balsamic on the side
Soups $7
--Mediterranean Carrot Soup (Carrot puree with Yukon gold potatoes and Mediterranean spices with cumin-laced low-fat yogurt)
Pasta $14
--Spaghetti Carbonara (Classic Italian bacon and eggs pasta)
--Linguine Pesto “Lake Como Style” (The original pesto pasta with green beans and boiled potatoes)
Main $16
--Grilled Salmon (Black bean relish and baked potato with bacon and chive low-fat yogurt)
--Lentil and Quinoa Burger (Toasted wheat bun, black bean salsa, fresh rocket greens)

“Zip Card” MenuCuffs – An Irish Bar: Monday, April 18, from 11am-6pm

--Mac & Cheese - $8 (Cabot Creamery’s Clothbound Cheddar)
--Soup & Sand - $9 (Roasted tomato and fresh basil soup with a half New England Cob Smoked BLT)
--Mediterranean Plate - $8 (Hummus, grilled pita, marinated olives, minted feta cheese)
--Pizza Margherita - $10 (Fresh mozzarella, basil, Roma tomato sauce)
--Chopped Blacken Chicken Salad - $10 (Romaine, peppers, tomatoes, red onion, celery, creamy buttermilk ranch dressing)
--Grilled Chicken Sandwich - $9 (Grilled chicken breast, prosciutto, roasted red pepper, Manchego-basil pesto, fresh mozzarella cheese)
--Cuffs Burger - $9 (Eight ounce house recipe beef burger, leaf lettuce, beefsteak tomato, cheddar cheese, Tribeca Oven Challah Roll)

3) The Melanoma Foundation of New England, a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide support and build awareness surrounding melanoma, will host “An Evening with Dale and Leslie Chihuly” just before the unveiling of his new exhibit at Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts: Chihuly: Through the Looking Glass. On April 5th, true patrons of the arts will gather at the Fairmont Battery Wharf for an intimate evening with the world-renowned glass sculptor and entrepreneur during a rare public appearance in Boston.

The Foundation has planned a reception at the Fairmont Battery Wharf Hotel. From 6:00pm–6:30pm, VIP guests will be treated to a private champagne reception with Dale and Leslie Chihuly and from 6:30-8:30pm, a general reception will continue with Dale and Leslie alongside Gerald W. R. Ward, the Katharine Lane Weems Senior Curator of American Decorative Arts and Sculpture, MFA, Boston, and Jim Schantz, Owner & Director of Schantz Galleries Contemporary Glass, Stockbridge, MA. Dale Chihuly will also be available to sign copies of the Chihuly: Through the Looking Glass exhibition catalogue published by The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, from 6:00pm-7:00pm.

Cost: VIP Reception: $500 donation; General Reception: $100 donation (minimum)
To reserve tickets, kindly contact The Melanoma Foundation of New England at: (800) 557-6352 or info@mfne.org.

4) This Easter Sunday hop on over to Tryst for your dining celebration. Tryst is extending their Sunday brunch hours from 10am-3pm on Sunday, April 24, to offer diners a two course, prix fixe brunch menu for only $20 per person (tax and gratuity not included). Reservations are strongly recommended and can be made by calling 781-641-2227. Tryst will not be serving dinner that evening.

MENU:

Appetizers
--Tuna Tartare (wonton chips, ginger juice & scallion) ($3 supplement)
--Nutella & Banana Crepes
--Breakfast Pizza (eggs, house-made sausage, herbed goat cheese & caramelized onions)
--Greek Style Chopped Salad (hearts or romaine, roasted peppers, pepperoncini & feta)
--Roasted Beets Salad (Vermont goat cheese, toasted pistachios & orange poppy seed vinaigrette
--Shrimp Tacos (avocado, red onion & Aji crema)

Entrees
--Huevos Rancheros (2 fried eggs, beans, Monterey jack cheese, cornbread & spicy tomato sauce)
add steak ($5) / add chorizo ($4)
--Eggs Benedict (house-made breakfast sausage, griddled English muffin, 2 poached eggs, crispy potatoes & hollandaise)
--Western Omelet (country ham, peppers, onions, cheddar cheese & crispy potatoes)
--Wild Mushroom Omelet (spinach, Monterey jack cheese, caramelized onions, truffle oil & crispy potatoes)
--Annie's French Toast (Portuguese sweet bread, orange & mascarpone)
--Steak & Eggs (grilled sirloin steak, two eggs, crispy potatoes & hollandaise) ($5 supplement)
--Angus Sirloin Burger (cheddar cheese & hand-cut fries) add truffle fries ($3) / add bacon ($2)
--Hash & Eggs (flavor of the week)
--Lemon & Ricotta Pancakes
--Turkey & Bacon Panini (Gruyere, slivered apple & hand-cut fries)

Toast the celebration with some of Tryst’s classic brunch cocktails including the Mimosa ($9), Peach Bellini ($9) and Bloody Mary ($9).

Children’s menu is available à la carte, including French Toast ($4), Eggs Any Style ($5), and Crispy Chicken Fingers ($8).

5) Buona Pasqua at Prezza as Chef Caturano dishes out specials on Easter Sunday. On Sunday, April 24, from 2pm-7pm, Chef Caturano will celebrate a traditional pasqua with rustic, hearty Italian specials. In addition to Prezza’s signature menu, the following specials will also be available:

--Wood Grilled Lamb Chops (Broccoli rabe and roasted potato)  $34
--Ravioli di Ouvo (Stuffed with ricotta & egg yolk)  $10
--Pork Ribs (Braised in garlicky tomato and basil)  $12
--Chicken Parmigiano (Tagliatelle and San Marzano tomatoes)  $24
--Meatballs & Sausage  (Creamy polenta and tomato)  $24
--Hand Made Potato Gnocchi (San Marzano tomatoes and basil)  $18