Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I highlight some interesting, upcoming food & drink events.. **********************************************************
1) For the sixth year in a row, 51 Lincoln ushers in the final month of summer with Raw August, a celebration of all things fresh, flavorful, and in their natural form. Every day, Chef Jeff Fournier will feature a different raw special, showcasing his talent for creating unique and delicious dishes using the highest quality ingredients. From ceviches, to crudos, to tartares, and more, Fournier’s culinary innovation is unparalleled. Past dishes have included:

--scallop crudo with rooftop chili & corn relish, smoked salt, lime sauce
--white miso salmon tartare with handmade fennel potato chips, scallion
--chilled peanut noodle salad with torched yellowfin tuna, wasabi dusted rice puffs
--oysters three ways ft. yellow pepper & peach mignonette, watermelon & rooftop jalapeno shooter, sun gold tomato & blueberry salsa
--pepper crusted beef carpaccio with allandale cherry tomatoes, balsamic reduction, truffle oil
--tuna sashimi with pickled ginger, house-made kimchi, carrot sesame salad
--herbed cheese napoleon, pickled rooftop vegetables, fresh fruit compote
--beet carpaccio with red wine reduction, shallot, za’atar, ricotta salada
--black bean & rooftop pepper chili with lime crème fraiche

For reservations, please call (617) 965-3100.

2) Beginning on August 3, enjoy the new Monday Market Menu at Davio’s Lynnfield every Monday evening during the month of August. In addition to their regular menu, the new three-course prix fixe menu will feature new items prepared by Executive Chef Danny Levesque, will utilize ingredients grown and available at the new Rooftop Farm at Whole Foods Market at Market Street in Lynnfield. This menu will change weekly based on the harvest.

The rooftop farm is 17,000 square feet and was designed as ell as installed by Recover Green Roofs, a Somerville based company specializing in vegetated green roofs, living walls and rooftop farms. After Recover completed the design and construction of the rooftop farm, Green City Growers, also based in Somerville, assumed the responsibilities of harvesting and maintaining the crops. The estimated 10,000 pounds of fruits, vegetables and herbs are for sale in the market and used in their prepared foods department. It is the largest rooftop farm in New England and the first supermarket farm in the country.

Sample Menu
Appetizer
Goat Cheese Ravioli, Mint, Basil, Dates
Side dish
Gratin of Braised Kale, Collard Greens, Pancetta
Entree
Herb Encrusted Local Cod, Spring Carrots, Exotic Mushrooms
Dessert Cart

For Reservations, please call 781-944-4810.

3) Chef Carolyn Johnson of 80 Thoreau in Concord recently offered a special Striper Menu and I was impressed. She has a new special offering, a Corn & Tomato Tasting Menu, which uses local, fresh produce. Chef Johnson says "We are all about supporting our neighborhood farms, and farms like Brigham and Verrill really do grow the best corn and tomatoes you'll ever taste. August is the best time to be a chef in New England--the farm product is just extraordinary."

The special menu will be available from August 4-15, and costs $45 person. And it sounds like it will be a delicious four-course dinner.

First Course
Griddle Cheese (Cherry tomatoes, pickled corn, basil)
Second Course
Corn Soup (Charred omato, crab, fennel)
Third Course 
Grrilled Pork Chop (Broiled tomato, spicy corn fritters)
Fourth Course
Corn custard (plum, tomato, molasses)

For Reservations, please call 978-318-0008

4) Newburyport is hosting the inaugural Savor Newburyport event brought to you by the Greater Newburyport Chamber of Commerce and their members, highlighting the cuisine, craft beer and cocktails, shopping and cultural experiences the maritime city has to offer. From September 17th through the 26th, Newburyport will host unique events and innovative dining and retail collaborations.

The celebration will kick off on Thursday, September 17, at the Opening Savory Gala on Newburyport’s picturesque waterfront from 6-9pm. Guests will have the opportunity to sample award-winning food and drinks from over 30 local restaurants and chefs throughout Greater Newburyport.

Throughout the 10-day celebration, tickets will be available to numerous special events hosted by local restaurants in and around Newburyport. In addition from Friday, September 18th to Sunday, September 20th, the Savory Retail Showcase events will take place with numerous retail shops offering special incentives, features and promotions. Simultaneously, the 10th annual Newburyport Documentary Film Festival will be held at the Firehouse Center for the Arts and the Screening Room, sharing the year’s most thoughtful filmmaking.

Visit http://www.savornewburyport.com for event and ticket information.

5) Now that August is here, start off the month with some new food and fun experiences. Formaggio Kitchen provides a variety of fun-filled foodie classes that will please your palate this month.

From oyster and wine pairings to creating the perfect summer clam bake, Formaggio Kitchen offers an experience to please everyone! Oysters and Old World Wines hosted on August 11th provides guests with five different ways to prepare this amazing bivalve accompanied by expertly paired old world wines. The Summer Clam Bake class on August 17th dives into this favorite New England pastime with James Beard nominated chef Matt Jennings of Townsman where guests can enjoy a classic clam bake that is expertly paired with beer, cider, and wine. On the other end of the food spectrum, Formaggio Kitchen's Pickling and Preserving 101 class on August 19th will show you how to save the fantastic flavors of summer produce with our in-house pickling enthusiast, Julie. Wash it all down with expert cheese and ciders pairings at our Cheese + Cider with Bantam Cider Company class on August 27th.

Check out the Formaggio Kitchen website for more details.

6) Legal Sea Foods is holding their 7th annual Oyster Festival from September 17 through October 14, Legal Sea Foods venues in Massachusetts will feature a series of in-restaurant specials including Fried Oysters (three for $10) in four preparations: Buffalo Oyster (blue cheese, celery hearts, radish), BBQ Oyster (cole slaw, BBQ mayo), Sriracha Oyster (tasso, roasted corn, pickled green tomato) and Fried Oyster & Eggs (sauce gribiche, arugula, red onion). For Baked Oysters (three for $12), options include the Lobster Spinach Oyster (cheese, herbed crumbs), Oyster Scampi (shrimp garlic butter, white wine), Crab & Cheese Oyster (Jonah crab, horseradish, cheddar, cream cheese) and the Roasted Oyster (smoked chorizo butter, fresh herbs). There also is a Raw Oyster & Tuna Crudo (sambal, sesame dressing - $4.50), Raw Oyster (apple mignonette - $3).

The official drink of this year’s Oyster Festival is the refreshing Deadrise (American Harvest Organic vodka, muddled cucumber, lime, grapefruit bitters - $10) designed to complement the oysters’ flavor profiles.

Special events will be held at various Legal Sea Foods locations and will include:
Shellfish Shindig, a ‘shuckout’ of $1 oysters at Charles Square’s outdoor Terrace Bar (September 20 from 2-4pm; a la carte pricing; 20 University Road, Cambridge);
Sip, Slurp and Sup, a trio of small plates paired with oyster-friendly wines hosted in the Park Square location’s 10,000 bottle wine cellar (September 29 at 6:30pm; $40 per person; 26 Park Plaza, Boston);
Mollusk Mania, a 21+ “everything oysters” party featuring a raw bar of eight varieties, four passed appetizers and a “"How to Shuck an Oyster" station on the all-weather rooftop at Legal Harborside (October 4 from 1-3pm; starting at $55 per person; 270 Northern Avenue, Boston);
Oysteria, Mamma Mia, a wine dinner for half-shell hedonists and novices alike at Legal Oysteria (October 7 at 6:30pm; $75 per person; 10 City Square, Charlestown).