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)  On Tuesday, February 7, The Beehive presents “Belly Dancing at The Beehive,” featuring cuisine, libations and entertainment highlighting Middle Eastern culture. Join The Beehive for a celebration of Middle Eastern music and belly dancing featuring music by The Pharohs and nationally known belly dancer Phaedra Rose and guests.

The soul of the Middle East comes alive at 8pm with the sounds of The Pharohs, an international Armenian & Middle Eastern ensemble inspired by Middle Eastern, Arabic, Greek, Armenian and Israeli music. While The Pharohs perform, watch a mesmerizing belly dance performance by the steamy, seductive and mystical belly dancer, Phaedra Rose. Enjoy the lovely melodies of the evening with Executive Chef Rebecca Newell’s Middle Eastern fare with specials such as lamb-filled Moroccan cigars, mezze platters and The Beehive’s house couscous.

WHEN: Tuesday, February 7th, 2012, Doors/Dinner: 5:00PM, Live Music 8:00PM to 12:00AM
COST: No cover charge, cash bar, dinner reservations recommended.

2)  People born under the Dragon are passionate, brave and self-assured. At their best they are pioneering spirits; this Chinese New Year 2012 ushers in the Water Dragon. Water exerts a calming influence on the Dragon’s innate fire. Water Dragons are more open to other people’s opinions than other Dragons which gives them the ability to channel their personal charisma into real leadership qualities.

Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Market introduces a passionate and bold Chinese New Year Menu for Monday, January 23, from 5pm-10pm. He unveils his special menu: "The Year of the Water Dragon" as a seasonal twist and international flavor profile for the New Year. Market will offer a four course tasting menu, for $55 per person, with optional wine pairings that couple the international flavors of Jean-Georges’ travels in the East with the locally sourced ingredients Market in Boston is known for.

Menu
--Peekytoe Crab Dumplings (Meyer Lemon Celeriac Tea)
--Slowly Cooked Salmon (Cherry Tomatoes, Crispy Rice, Miso-Yuzu Broth)
--Grilled Beef Tenderloin (Gingered Shiitakes and Soy-Caramel Sauce)
--Vietnamese Chocolate Tart (Condensed Milk Ice Cream)

3)  On Saturday, January 28, from 12pm-5pm, The Wine ConneXtion, located in North Andover, welcomes guests for a complimentary tasting of Lafite Rothschild, the famed wine label whose Bordeaux's regularly fetch five figures. This winemaker is synonymous with excellence and since 1962 has been branching out from its renowned investor wines to offer imports for the wine enthusiast on a budget.

At "Around the Globe with Lafite Rothschild's Imports," guests will enjoy a diverse range of Rothschild’s wines, from their best from France to the great wines they produce in Chile and Argentina, while sampling complimentary cuisine from Sultan Mediterranean Café located in North Andover. The event is part of The Wine ConneXtion’s weekly Saturday tasting series and reflects its willingness to educate customers and refine their tastes.

4)  What do we New Englanders need to know about the Farm Bill? Plenty. Spend the afternoon at the Museum of Science and learn why the Farm Bill should really be called the Food Bill. Most of us know that the Farm Bill is coming up for re-authorization in 2012, but we truly don’t understand why and how much it matters to each of us. Join an expert group of panelists to help break down what the Farm Bill means to the food and farming industry. The event will take place throughout the Museum of Science and will include keynotes, a working session, panel discussions, as well as a meet-up room for the community to learn what local organizations are doing.

Let’s Talk About Food is presented in collaboration with the Museum of Science, the City of Cambridge, and Food Law Society at Harvard Law School, MIT and the City of Boston. This is the first of many Let’s Talk About Food events and initiatives of 2012.

WHO: Keynoters include 2012 Farm Bill experts and national resources: U.S. Representative Chellie Pingree (D-ME) and NYU’s Marion Nestle, PhD. Let’s Talk About Food Founder is Louisa Kasdon.
WHEN: Sunday, January 29, 2:00p-6:00p (Keynote Panel Begins at 3p)
WHERE: Museum of Science, 1 Science Park,  Boston
OTHER: To register, log onto http://www.mos.org/events_activities/events&d=5346.
Founded in Boston 2010, Let’s Talk About Food is a national, educational and event-driven partnership organization aimed at increasing the level of public literacy about all aspects of our food system. From sustainability to food access, cooking to obesity, and food safety to food justice, Let's Talk About Food invites people across the spectrum to join in participatory, engaging and meaningful conversations that can shape the place food holds in our communities, our world, and our hearts. Our goal is to create a community of “Food Thinkers” – a new kind of Food Think Tank that brings experts and the community together to explore food and food issues in our world.

The first Let’s Talk About Food event of 2012 is the Farm Bill Teach In on Jan. 29 followed by the Let’s Talk About Sustainable Seafood Teach In on April 29th. The Second Annual Let’s Talk About Food Festival will be on June 16 this year. For more information, please log onto www.letstalkaboutfood.com.