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) Chef-Owner Jeff Fournier’s of 51 Lincoln has several offerings for the summer.

His tribute to regional American BBQ winds down with Kansas City style this week and Georgia next week. $35 prix fixe menus feature:
* Smoked Trout Fritters
* KC Wet Ribs with Cornbread & Slaw
* Hoppin’ John Salad
* Georgia Peach Cobbler
* Fried Green Tomato with housemade pickle remoulade
* Sweet Potato Pie

For Raw August, Fournier turns off the stove and turns his attention to using great local ingredients, uncooked. Look for these dishes, based on the victory garden blooming up on the restaurant’s roof:
* Local Striper Ceviche with Verjus and rooftop cilantro
* Wolf Neck Farm Beef Tataki with black rice vinegar
* Local Bluefin Tuna Tartare with potato gaufrettes
* Lemon-Verbena Cured Atlantic Salmon with rooftop basil, pink grapefruit

Details of Corn & Tomato September will be coming soon.

All summer long, you will find the Rosé of the Week, most priced around $30.
* July 25 Gaga (a Pinot/Malbec blend from CA)
* August 1 Domaine St. Eugenie
* August 8 Ehlers Estate Cabernet Franc Rose'
* August 15 E. Guigal Cote du Rhone Rose'
* August 22 Cote du Ancenis Gamay Rose'

2) Saus, which serves Belgian frites and waffles, is expanding their menu to include another Belgian classic: frikandel, which is a hamburger meets sausage sandwich. Ground beef and pork are seasoned, shaped into a sausage and then usually deep-fried. Saus is serving up the frikandel in a toasted
bun and topping it with condiments and various accoutrements.

You'll find the Speciaal, topped with chopped onions, curry ketchup, and mayo; the Burger-Style, topped with Andalouse (read: burger sauce), chopped onions, and chopped pickles; the Spicy, topped with Ole Chipotle, and house-pickled jalapenos; and Double Cheddar, topped with Cheddar Duvel Ale sauce and shredded sharp cheddar.

3) Ashmont Grill celebrates the last of its special summer events with an old fashioned, all-you-can-eat lobster bake, complete with all the trimmings: clams, potatoes, corn salad and blueberry crisp on Sunday, August 14 at 6pm.  The cost is $40 per person. Samples of Long Trail Brewing Company summer beers and ales will be offered a special prices. The party takes place on the backyard patio; opposite the MBTA Ashmont Station.

Their new menu also debuts, including:
Corn Chowder with spicy homemade sausage and chili oil $9
Sashimi Tuna Tartine: traditional ingredients plus soft-boiled egg on puff pastry with local tomatoes and garlic-anchovy vinaigrette $12
Summer Vegetables Tempura $8
Maine Crab Salad with cashew butter & avocado, mango-red pepper slaw $14
Deconstructed Crispy Eggplant Parm with Local Burrata $19
American Pad Thai: handmade fettucine, baby shrimp, Manila clams, lime butter, thai basil, local corn & tomatoes and toasted peanuts $19
Wood-Grilled Pork Tenderloin with roasted summer veggie succotash, potato-scallion latke, red onion compote $22
Pan-Seared Norwegian Salmon with baby bok choy, hon shimejo mushrooms, ginger-miso broth $24

And, from the pastry kitchen:
Frozen Key Lime Pie with gingersnap crust and sugared blackberries
Bellini Sorbet
Milk Chocolate Flan with cocoa nib-pecan praline
Peach-Blueberry Buckle

4) Four Seasons Hotel Boston & Bristol Lounge Executive Chef Brooke Vosika is celebrating August with foodie fanfare.

First, there is Farmer's Market Week, "Where in Boston is Brooke Vosika," from August 7-13. This event will follow Chef Vosika as he travels around Boston to unearth the best local produce and "hidden gem" locations, all broadcast via video stream on their Facebook page each morning. Every evening from August 6–12, Vosika will reveal a clue about where he’ll “broadcast from” the following day, encouraging fans to voice their guesses. The next morning, his video will air and fans can see if they had guessed correctly. As the week progresses, Vosika will also discuss his experiences along the way – providing tips, photos, recipes and more.

Where in Boston is Brooke Vosika is inspired by Vosika’s commitment to farm to table dining, both personally as he makes and bottles his own wines, hot sauce, cider and maple syrup – and also in the buzzing Bristol Lounge restaurant, where each dish incorporates the very best local, seasonal ingredients.

Second, The Bristol Lounge will celebrate National Waffle Week all week long from August 21-27. In addition to the classic Belgian, the Breakfast menu will also spotlight three unique waffle types, each inspired by Executive Chef Brooke Vosika’s favorite flavors: Peanut Butter Banana & Jelly, Red Velvet with Cream Cheese Butter, and a Fan’s Choice Waffle.

The Fan's Choice Waffle will be chosen by popular vote on Facebook.  Voting starts on August 1st and there are three possible choices. Pecan Pie, Strawberry Shortcake and Lemon Poppy Seed.

To book a Waffle Week breakfast reservation in The Bristol Lounge, call (617) 351-2037.

5)  Come celebrate the 4th anniversary of Chef Barbara Lynch's Stir, a demonstration kitchen & cookbook store at  102 Waltham Street. On Sunday, August 4, from 12pm-4pm, come to Stir for a Book & Bake Sale.  All books will be 20 % off and there will be even deeper discounts on special bundle packages. Sweet treats & savory snacks will also be available for purchase to take home.  No need to R.S.V.P. - just stop in at any time during the sale.