Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I highlight some interesting wine and food items that are upcoming. **********************************************************
1) From September 17 to October 14, Legal Sea Foods’ sixth annual Oyster Festival will offer a sequence of in-restaurant menu features and special events to celebrate everything oysters.

In-restaurant rotating features will be available for the duration of the Oyster Festival and include the following culinary treats: Oyster Stew (freshly shucked oysters simmered with cream, butter and herbs); Oysters Legal (freshly shucked oysters baked with spinach, cheese and crumbs); Fried Oysters (pickle relish, BBQ mayo, cole slaw); Bacon Wrapped Oysters (spinach salad, black quinoa, pickled red onion, creole mustard vinaigrette); Oysters Jambalaya (crisp fried oysters, jambalaya rice); Bacon Crusted Oyster Lettuce Cups (Bibb lettuce, goat cheese, pickled radish, Green Goddess dressing); and, Oyster Po’ Boy (crisp fried oysters, chipotle mayo, lettuce, tomato, po’ boy roll). And, of course, the Legal Sea Foods teams will shuck seasonal standouts at their raw bars for those who opt to go au natural.

This year’s oyster-centric events include the following:

Shellfish Shindig
A “shuckout” with $1 oysters at the outside Terrace Bar*
Legal Sea Foods at Charles Square: 20 University Road, Cambridge
Sunday, September 21 from 2:00pm – 4:00pm
A la carte pricing
Reservations: not required. In case of rain, this event will be held in the atrium of the restaurant.

Sip, Slurp and Sup
A trio of small plates paired with oyster-friendly wines hosted on two separate evenings in Park Square’s 10,000 bottle wine cellar
Legal Sea Foods at Park Square: 26 Park Plaza, Boston
Tuesday, September 23 & Thursday, October 2 at 6:30pm
Cost: $40 (excludes tax and gratuity)
For Reservations, call 617-530-9392, or online

Mollusk Mania
A 21+ “everything oyster” party featuring a raw bar of eight varieties and four passed appetizers hosted on the all-weather rooftop
Legal Harborside: 270 Northern Avenue, Boston
Sunday, October 5 from 1:00pm – 3:00pm
$55 (includes tax)
Reservations: online only

Oysteria, Mamma Mia
An oyster tasting and tutorial by Chef Gina Palmacci
Legal Oysteria: 10 City Square, Charlestown
Tuesday, October 7 at 6:30pm
$35 (excludes tax and gratuity)
For Reservations, call 617-530-9392, or online

The Oyster Festival is celebrated at all Legal Sea Foods locations throughout Massachusetts, with the exception of airport venues.

2) Ireland’s top food and beverage stars pair with Boston’s finest to bring the taste of Ireland to Boston at iFest in the Seaport World Trade Center. Participating chefs include: Barbara Lynch, Ana Sortun, Lydia Shire, Ming Tsai, Jasper White, Colin Lynch, Darina Allen, Kevin Dundon, and Cathal Armstrong.

Guests can experience the following at iFest:
· A Bewley’s Irish Tea Party with Boston’s top pastry chef, Maura Kilpatrick.
· Beer tastings at the new, experiential Guinness 20/20 Bar which will show the future of what Guinness pubs will look like, served with samples of Irish food.
· Jameson Irish Whiskey tastings and a master cooperage experience with a top master cooper from the Midleton distillery. This master class will include demos on the old skill of cooperage – taking the barrels apart and showing how whiskey is distilled.
· Chef demonstrations with Ireland’s best chefs – Darina Allen, Kevin Dundon, Cathal Armstrong – joining forces with America’s finest including iFest Culinary Ambassador Barbara Lynch, Ana Sortun, Lydia Shire, Ming Tsai, Jasper White, and Colin Lynch.
· An Irish food village with the opportunity to sample Irish produce, cheese, and bread and meet exhibitors from Burren Smoke House, Kerrygold, National Organic, and Crossogue Preserves.

When: Friday, September 26 through Sunday, September 28
Friday: 6p-10p; Saturday: 11a-3p; Saturday Evening: 6p-10p; Sunday: 11a-3p

Tickets are available for purchase at www.ifestboston.com

3) The 6th Annual Flavors of Boston is a unique gourmet delight with the top chefs from Boston who assemble for a night of elaborate table décor, exquisite food, and a great cause. This year, the Flavors of Boston Gala event will be a 1920’s inspired themed event to ensure a carefree and exciting evening.

Each chef hosts his or her own personal table for 12 and will prepare a tableside multi-course gourmet extravaganza. This allows all guests to do more than just eat the food; you will have an unforgettable dining experience while helping to fund the research, education and advocacy efforts of the American Liver Foundation.

Flavors was first stirred together in 1991 by James Beard Award winning chef Christopher Gross in Phoenix. Chef Gross and other area chefs were interested in supporting the mission of the American Liver Foundation. Today the event is hosted by the organization in 20 cities across the country and raises millions of dollars annually to support the work of the American Liver Foundation.

Join us for a night that you won't soon forget while helping to improve the lives of the 30 million people in the United States living with liver disease.

WHO: Chefs confirmed at this time include:
Chef Tommy Wood of Blue Dragon
Chef Brian Reyelt of Citizen Public House & Oyster Bar
Chef Joshua Bottini of The Franklin Café
Chef Gabriel Sanchez Luz of The Farmhouse
Chef Christina Mercado of Finale Bakery & Desserterie
Chef Dan Schroeder of Forum Bar & Restaurant
Chef Karen Mitchell of The Palm
Chef Richard Rayment of The Seaport Hotel
Chef David Becker of Sweet Basil
Chef Jose Duarte of Taranta
Chef Andy Husbands of Tremont 647

WHEN: Friday, September 12
6:30 p.m. – Cocktail Hour and Silent Auction
7:30 p.m. – Dinner
8:30 p.m. – Program and Live Auction
9:30 p.m. – Dessert Bar and Live Music

WHERE: Seaport Hotel 1 Seaport Lane,  Boston
COST: $250 per person, $3,000 for table of 12
BENEFITS: The mission of American Liver Foundation (ALF) is to facilitate, advocate and promote education, support and research for the prevention, treatment and cure of liver disease.
CONTACT: Kathy Hauck at (617) 527-5600 or khauck@liverfoundation.org