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) Join Davio's Northern Italian Steakhouse, in Lynnfield, on Thursday, March 23 at 6:00pm, for a culinary wine tour of Merriam Vineyards in Sonoma County. Taste along with winemaker Peter Merriam, from one the most respected vineyards in the country. Designed for oenophiles of all levels, the four-course dinner with wine pairings will feature regionally inspired foods prepared by Executive Chef Danny Levesque.

MENU
Benvenuto
Mini Kobe Beef Meatballs
Warm Brie, Figs, Crostini
Tuna Tartare, Sesame, Cucumber
Philly Cheese Steak Spring Rolls®, Spicy Ketchup, Spicy Mayo
2014 Davio’s Reserve Chardonnay
2013 Davio’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Antipasto
Chilled Oysters, Shrimp, Lobster, Mussels, Cocktail Sauce, Mustard Sauce
2015 Merriam Vineyards, Sauvignon Blanc
Farinaceo
Duck Confit Ravioli, Cipollini, Bacon, Pink Peppercorns
2011 Merriam Vineyards, Cabernet Franc
Piatto Del Giorno
Slow Roasted Brandt Beef Ribeye, Skillet Potatoes, Baby Carrots, Cabernet Au Jus
2007 Merriam Vineyards, Miktos, Cabernet Sauvignon
Dolce
Seven Layer Lemon Cake, Fresh Berries, Raspberry Coulis
2013 Merriam Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc

COST: $95 per person (excluding tax and gratuity).
Reservations are required for this event by calling 781-944-4810

2) City Winery is not yet open, but founder Michael Dorf is producing an exciting event, a pre-Passover Seder, on Sunday, April 2, at 7pm, at the Laugh Boston Comedy Club at the Westin Hotel in the Seaport District. Dorf hopes this will become an annual tradition.

City Winery invites all faiths to enjoy The Downtown Seder, a celebrity driven, music, artistic and interpretive Seder that offers a unique cultural connection to a historic tradition. Dorf debuted the Seder 20 years ago in New York City and, this year, will host five consecutive Seders, beginning in Boston, and moving on to New York, Atlanta, Chicago, and Nashville.

Boston’s line up includes Israeli superstar David Broza, comedians Judy Gold and Joel Chaznoff, local artists Hankus Netsky, Rick Berlin, Ezekiel’s Wheels, Novelist Rachel Kadish, Cantor Elias Rosemberg, and Vince Warren from the Center for Constitutional Rights.

The Seder is a labor of love for City Winery CEO Michael Dorf who has been a cultural pioneer since founding the Knitting Factory, the avant-garde music venue in NY, in 1986.  “The City Winery Seder transcends religion. Especially given today’s political climate, the story of Passover, with its tyrants harboring lethal hatred for outsiders, the fight for liberation, and racial injustice, takes on added significance,” explained Michael Dorf. “While the tradition goes back over 2000 years, our unique interpretive Seder takes artistic freedom, as artists, musicians, political thinkers, and activists sit amongst guests and creatively expound upon sections of the Passover Haggadah. Our hope is that by holding our Seder prior to Passover, we will treat guests to a thought-provoking and enjoyable evening, while inspiring them to bring timely and relevant dialogue to their own Seder dinners at home.”

City Winery Seder is produced in association with The Jewish Arts Collaborative, a not-for-profit organization exploring and presenting the rich, diverse and creative world of Jewish arts and culture.The Seder’s will give 100% of the net proceeds earned to the Center for Constitutional Rights - certainly an appropriate choice given today’s political climate. The Center is dedicated to advancing and protecting the rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. CCR is committed to the creative use of law as a positive force for social change.

Only 250 tickets for the Seder are available, priced at $95 and $125. To purchase a Seder ticket or for more information, please visit http://www.citywinery.com/boston/seder2017

3) Due to this week's snow storm, the following event was rescheduled to next week, and will now be held in March 21.

Rowes Wharf Bar, located inside the iconic Boston Harbor Hotel, invites guests to kick off their St. Patrick’s Day celebrations with a special Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Whiskey Dinner presented by Chef Daniel Bruce. On Tuesday, March 21, at 6:30pm, guests will enjoy a variety of whiskeys from Tullamore D.E.W., the original triple distilled and triple blended whisky, known around the world for its smooth and gentle complexity. Chef Daniel Bruce’s three course dinner has been designed to complement the whiskeys and bring their unique flavors to the forefront.

The full menu for the Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Whiskey Dinner is as follows:
Reception
Irish Mule
Finnan Haddie Soup Sip
Duck Prosciutto on Toasted Irish Soda Bread
Minted Brown Sugar Glazed Grilled Lamb Chops
First Course
Tullamore D.E.W. 12 YR
Salt Cured Char Seared Irish Salmon (Dried Fruit, Wild Rice, Spinach Purée)
Second Course
Tullamore D.E.W. 14 YR
Smokey Irish Whiskey Braised Corned Beef (Whipped Potatoes and Braised Cabbage)
Third Course
Tullamore Phoenix Irish Coffee
Warm Spice Cake (Irish Coffee Ice Cream, Candied Hazelnuts)

Cost: $85 per person
Reservations are required in advanced and available on Eventbrite.