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) On Thursday, October 23, at 6pm, at M.C. Spiedo, Mark Gaier and Clark Frasier will transform their Italian rotisserie into a den of Italian luxury: showcasing fast cars and fine wines with a Beef & Barolo Dinner in partnership with Maserati. The evening will begin with bubbles, bites and a viewing of two of the hottest models from the local New England Maserati dealership in Norwood, MA; followed by 4-courses of specially prepared beef to match each Barolo, highlighting some of Mark & Clark's favorite flavors from their travels throughout Piedmont.

The viewing begins at 6pm and dinner will be served at 7pm. The menu will be:

Amuse
Braised Beef Cheek Agnolotti (Ricotta, roasted petite turnips, horseradish)
Secco, Bianco, Veneto, 2013
First Course
Roasted Bone Marrow (Ossetra caviar, chives, garlic, parsley, crostini)
Mirafiore, Barolo, Piedmonte, 2008
Second Course
Braised bone-in Short Rib (Root vegetable, mushroom ragu, caramelized cippolini onions)
Fontanafredda 'La Rossa,' Barolo, Piedmont, 2008
Dessert
Chocolate Molten Cake (Milk jam, chocolate chip cookie crumble, beef powder)
Batasiolo, Barolo Chinato, Piedmont, 2011

Cost: $75 per person
To make a reservation, please call (617) 476-5606.

2) The fifth annual Raise Your Glass for Jimmy, presented by the Jimmy Fund Council of Greater Boston, will take place at the Fairmont Battery Wharf in Boston on Thursday, October. 23 from 6pm-9pm.

Admission to the event includes a wide variety of wines to taste, hors d'oeuvres, live music, a silent auction, and a wine bottle drawing. Participating wine vendors include Ansonia Wines, Boston Bottle, Gordon's Fine Wines and Liquors, Lattanzio Wines, M.S. Walker, and Plymouth Bay Winery. All proceeds support adult and pediatric cancer care and research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Among the silent auction items will be a two-night stay for four at Benziger Winery in Sonoma Valley, Calif., with American Airlines tickets, two tickets to the Nov. 23 New England Patriots game against the Detroit Lions, a one-night stay plus breakfast at the Fairmont Battery Wharf, one cooking class and dinner for six at the Fairmont Battery Wharf, and a four-course chef’s tasting menu with wine pairings for four from Strega.

For $25, patrons can participate in the wine bottle drawing. Participants are guaranteed that the bottle they will win is equal to or greater than the $25 they contributed.

Tickets are $50 per person and the first 150 participants at the door will receive a $25 gift certificate from Tresca.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.jimmyfund.org/raise-your-glass. Please note all tickets will be held at the door on the night of the event.

3) In celebration of Halloween, The Beehive is resurrecting the dead on Thursday, October 30, at its annual blowout bash. This year the space and staff will be transformed into a “Zombie Prom” featuring food and libation specials, a costume contest and live music from 80’s cover band, SAFETY!

Not to be typecast as your average “cover band,” SAFETY is anything but. From 9pm to 1am, SAFETY will bring The Beehive back to the ‘80’s, as their five lead singers perform spot-on renditions of everything from the Bangles to the Pretenders, Cindi Lauper to David Bowie, Michael Jackson to The Cure, The Clash and Billy Idol. Led by Brian King from "What Time is it Mr. Fox," SAFETY combines the tunes with the theatrical for what’s sure to be an all-around electric performance.

In true Beehive fashion, the rest of the night will be anything but “dead.” In addition to their regular menu, Chef Marc Orfaly will be offering dinner specials from 5:30pm to 1am, and the servers will be dishing it up decked out in full Zombie makeup and attire. Costumes are encouraged and there will even be a prize for the best-dressed! From 5pm to 2am, the Beehive’s bar team will be shaking up festive cocktail specials, and an early performance will set the mood from 6:30pm to 8:30pm.

All are welcome, with or without costumes, dead or alive!
COST: No cover charge
Dinner reservations are encouraged and can be made by calling (617) 423-0069.

4) McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurants is proud to thank U.S. military veterans by offering a complimentary lunch or dinner entrée to those who have served our country on Sunday, November 9 in recognition of Veteran’s Day. McCormick & Schmick’s will treat veterans for the 15th consecutive year to a special menu at participating locations across the country.

“We are proud to honor the brave service men and women who commit their lives to defend our country’s freedom,” said Tilman Fertitta, sole owner, chairman and CEO of Landry’s, Inc. “This is McCormick & Schmick’s 15th year to treat our nation’s heroes with a well-deserved meal and look forward to continuing this tradition for many more years to come.”

McCormick & Schmick’s prides itself on the fresh seafood selection available daily and this special menu will be no exception. On November 9, veterans can choose a single complimentary lunch or dinner entrée, including options such as Buttermilk Fried Shrimp, Cedar Planked or Grilled Salmon, Parmesan Crusted Chicken, Tender Beef Medallions, Beer Battered Fish and Chips, Romano Chicken Chopped Salad, and McCormick’s Cheeseburger, among others.

McCormick & Schmick’s has recognized military veterans with a special event every year since 1999. The program has been praised by former President George W. Bush and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, as well as a number of state veterans departments and the National Restaurant Association.

The special menu will be available to those who have been honorably discharged from the Army, Air Force, Marines, Navy or Coast Guard. Verification of service is required. Reservations are highly encouraged, as tables fill up quickly. Guests can visit www.McCormickandSchmicks.com to find a location near them and to book their reservations today.

5) On October 31, from 8pm-2am, Brass Union will the set the stage for Nightmare in Union Square, their first Halloween bash complete with a dance party, costume contest and festive cocktail and dessert treats.

DJ Madsol-Desar will take to the turntables and spin a variety of genres from hip-hop, funk and soul to ‘80s hits. For good measure, DJ Madsol will mix in a dose of Halloween classics so revelers can do their best “Monster Mash.” For those vying for “Best in Show,” the costume contest will award the top placer $50 cash and the runner-up will receive a $25 gift certificate to Brass Union.

For those looking to get their “Trick ‘o Treat” on all week, Executive Chef Jon Kopacz and Pastry Chef Andrea Gillis will whip up Sticky Icky Spider Pumpkin Shortbread Cookies with apple buttercream frosting ($5) and Glazed Bloody Scones ($5). On the liquid side, Beverage Director Paulo Pereira will shake up the Sideshow, a twist on a traditional Sidecar with pumpkin-infused apple brandy, lemon juice and triple sec that is rimmed with brown sugar, cinnamon and pumpkin seeds ($10) and Pennywise, named after the clown in It, with aged rum, muddled fresh cranberries and apple cider ($10).

Admission is complimentary. Food & beverage specials available from October 27-31 at a la carte pricing.

6) On Tuesday, November 11, at 7pm, guests will take a virtual culinary wine tour of Spain at Beacon Hill Hotel & Bistro. Designed to both educate and entertain, Beacon Hill Hotel & Bistro’s (BHHB) wine dinners are aimed at individuals of all experience levels. This event is about “wonderful wines, creative food and good friends,” says Cecilia Rait, proprietress and wine director of the BHHB.

Beginning at 7pm, diners are invited to visit various wine regions throughout Spain without leaving the comfort of their seats. Cecilia and Tracy Burgis of M.S. Walker act as virtual tour guides, moving from region to region explaining the history, curiosities and nuances of each selection. During this educational dinner guests will sample wines from the Rías Baixas, Priorat and Jerez regions of Spain. The dinner will showcase four different wines as well as the culinary artistry of Beacon Hill Hotel & Bistro’s Executive Chef Lucas Sousa, whose dishes are designed to complement each featured wine.

This intimate adventure is set in communal seating to encourage conversation, laughter and fun. For $65 per person (tax and gratuity not included), guests are treated to four wines and a four-course dinner.

Reservations are necessary. Please call 617-723-7575.