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..
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1)  Puritan and Co. will host their 3rd Annual Harvest Dinner showcasing seasonal flavors on Wednesday, November 18, with seatings starting at 5:30pm. Puritan & Company Chef/Owner Will Gilson, Chef de Cuisine Alex Saenz, Sommelier Peter Nelson and the restaurant’s talented team invite guests to enjoy the flavors of the season at upcoming Harvest Dinner, a delicious four-course meal of Puritan & Company’s signature seasonal New England fare and an optional wine pairing.

The Menu can be seen here.
The four-course meal is $60 per person with an optional wine pairing for $35 per person.
For reservations, please call (617)-615-6195

2) On December 2, Legal Sea Foods in Park Square will host a wine dinner with Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards. Since 1973, Sonoma-Cutrer has been producing the finest quality wines since it opened as a vineyard company. Its foundation is built in the hillsides and rocky foothills in the region recognized as the Sonoma Coast Appellation. In the 1970s, the company planted several different grape varieties and virtually overnight Sonoma-Cutrer’s Chardonnay grapes had gained a reputation for exceptional quality and were in high demand by many premium wineries.

Legal Sea Foods will team up with Winemaking Director, Mick Schroeter, to host a four-plus-course dinner featuring signature cuisine paired with his selections from the Sonoma-Cutrer vine. The menu will be presented as follows:

HORS D’OEUVRES
Sandy Neck Oyster on the Half Shell, Blood Orange Granita
Ponzu-Marinated Cod, Cucumber Cup, Mizuna Micro-Greens
Bang Bang Shrimp Skewer
Sonoma-Cutrer “Winemaker’s Release” Sauvignon Blanc, Russian River Valley, 2014
FIRST COURSE
Nantucket Bay Scallop Casserole (lemon, garlic, mixed greens)
Sonoma-Cutrer “Les Pierres Vineyard” Barrel Selection, Sonoma Coast, 2014
SECOND COURSE
Lobster “Pot Pie” (lobster Newburg sauce, English peas, baby mâche)
Sonoma-Cutrer “Founders Reserve Legacy” Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, 2012
THIRD COURSE
Grilled Tuna Steak (chanterelle duxelles, farro salad, beurre rouge)
Sonoma-Cutrer Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, 2013
DESSERT COURSE
Roasted Pear Crostata (mascarpone, honey ice cream)
Sonoma-Cutrer “Winemaker’s Release” Late Harvest Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, 2012

COST: $95 per person (excludes tax & gratuity)
Reservation required by calling 617-530-9397

3) With the holidays now upon us, there’s no better way to celebrate the season than by throwing a festive fete and treating your guests to tasty tipples and tempting sweets. Join Temple Bar on Saturday, December 5t, from 3pm-5pm, and let Bar Manager and trained pastry chef Jenn Harvey show you how to take your holiday food and beverage game up a notch.

Calling upon her training in both confecting and cocktailing, Jenn will walk you through cocktail basics while sharing three ingeniously easy punch recipes sure to help your friends and family get their fa-la-la on. And what are the holidays without a cookie or two? Once everyone has wet their whistle, Jenn will share a few of her own family’s cookie recipes to help step up your baking game this season.

While snacking and mingling, learning has never tasted so sweet as Jenn explains the finer points of pairing desserts with drinks.

COST: $30 (tax included) per person
TICKETS: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cocktails-confections-holiday-edition-tickets-19233218073

4) Zebra’s Bistro and Wine Bar has earned acclaim for its delicious seasonal dishes and thoughtful wine collection. But when it comes to the holidays, it is perhaps best known for its Annual Parent-Child Gingerbread House Making Class. Held every weekend between Thanksgiving and Christmas, you can choose to either build and decorate a Gingerbread House, or decorate a hand-made pre-built house that the Zebra’s pastry staff will build for you. Prices range from $69-$99 depending upon the number of people at the table (no more than 3); and if you want the house pre-built. The class lasts 1-1 ½ hours.

GINGERBREAD HOUSES & MARTINIS FOR ADULTS...
Private Class For a Group of Six or More Adults
Did you say Gingerbread Martinis? Gingerbread Houses aren’t just for kids anymore. Zebra’s hosts private Gingerbread House classes for adults with a group of six or more. There will be a house for each adult to build and decorate, and cocktails as well! Each group has its own instructor to help lead the way with building and decorating tips. Gingerbread House & Martinis is available for adults, $69.00 per person, weekdays between Thanksgiving and Christmas, 4pm-5pm. Advance Reservations required.

PRIVATE GINGERBREAD HOUSE BUILDING PARTIES at ZEBRA’s
Planning a December birthday party or holiday celebration between Thanksgiving and New Year? This is the one that everyone will talk about. Each guest receives handmade gingerbread pieces to assemble their own house and decorate under the guidance of Zebra’s pastry staff. The houses are yours to keep and to use as a centerpiece for your holiday celebrations. Please call early, dates and times go quickly.

BUILD YOUR GINGERBREAD HOUSE AT HOME
Zebra’s Gingerbread House Making Kits are available to purchase. With the kit you can build and decorate your gingerbread house at home. The kit includes the baked gingerbread pieces, a foundation board, royal icing, and plenty of candy decorations. $59 per kit; or $69 for a pre-built house ready to decorate at your home. Please call in advance for pickup, Nov. 27-Dec. 23, 2015.

Reservations: http://zebrasbistro.com/gingerbread/

5) This holiday season, Bar Boulud invites novice bakers and pastry perfectionists to join Chef Robert Differ for an intimate pastry class featuring the traditional Parisian holiday dessert: Bûche de Noël.

Upon arrival, participants will transform into a pastry apprentice as they sip a complimentary glass of bubbly prosecco or a rich cup of hot cocoa while preparing to expertly craft a standout, celebratory sweet that’s guaranteed to impress guests at their next joyful occasion. As the demonstration gets underway, Chef Differ will highlight the history, preparation, technique, and assembly required for crafting this iconic dessert in the confines of each home cook’s kitchen. Each participant will then be presented with a pre-rolled Bûche de Noël that serves as a confectionary canvas, ready to receive each student’s artistic touch.

Emphasizing festive decorating techniques, this tailored class allows students to focus on all of the fun aspects of holiday baking without the stress of measuring, mixing and manipulating each ingredient from scratch. Each class participant will depart with a recipe for crafting this iconic Christmas-themed dessert at home, along with a freshly-baked Bûche de Noël to share with friends and family.

WHEN: Sunday, December 6 and Saturday, December 12, 11am-12:30pm
COST: $85 per person (plus Eventbrite fees)
Reservations can be made through Eventbrite. For more information please call 617-535-8800