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) Diane Kochilas, award-winning cookbook author, television personality, consulting chef, teacher, and one of the world's foremost authorities on Greek cuisine, will launch her delectable cooking program this October - My Greek Table With Diane Kochilas.

Premiering October 4 on public television stations across the country (check local listings) with 13 episodes, the series takes viewers to the source, as Diane introduces the stunning vistas, fabulous food, easy, nutritious recipes, and the unmatched hospitality Greece is known for worldwide.

My Greek Table With Diane Kochilas is more than a travel-cooking show. The series is a thorough exploration of the original Greek-Mediterranean Diet, shot on location throughout Greece in places such as Crete, Santorini, Ikaria, Lesvos, Thessaly, Macedonia, the Peloponnese, and Athens, as well as in a beautiful kitchen in Athens.

Diane delves into the breadth and variety of Greek cuisine, with regional specialties, an array of delicious vegetable and bean dishes, healthy desserts, and, yes, those iconic classics, too, from Greek salad to souvlaki! There will also be an in-depth look at the key ingredients of the Greek-Mediterranean Diet: extra virgin Greek olive oil, real Greek feta and Greek yogurt, wild herbs and healing herbal teas, whole grain breads and rusks, greens and vegetables, fish, honey, wine and more. Everything Diane showcases in My Greek Table is accessible to her American audience.

"Greek cuisine is healthy, delicious and extremely varied. It goes way beyond baklava and gyros," says Kochilas, a New York native who now resides in Athens. "With My Greek Table, I want to reveal a country and a culinary point of view that feeds my soul and has shaped me into the person and chef that I am today."

2) On Thursday, August 10, at 6:30pm, Legal Sea Foods in Park Square will host a wine dinner with selections from Michele Chiarlo’s extensive portfolio of Piedmont wines. A Piedmont staple, Michele Chiarlo and his family have been making wine in the region since 1956. With estates in the finest appellations of Piedmont, the Chiarlos produce fine Italian wine upholding the time-honored tenets of tradition, discipline, sustainability, passion and care. Cultivating over 110 hectares of vineyards across the Piedmont landscape, Michele now works alongside his two sons, Stefano and Alberto, to ensure that the rigorous quality expected of Chiarlo wines is properly maintained, as they expand their operations across the Italian countryside. With great respect for the terroirs and vines that make the tradition of Italian wine possible, the Chiarlos continue to make quality, artisanal wine firmly rooted in the traditions and history of the Piedmont region, distinguishing the family as one of Piedmont’s most honored winemakers.

Legal Sea Foods will team up with Michele Chiarlo’s North American brand ambassador, Adam Verona, to host a four-plus-course dinner featuring signature cuisine paired with his selections from the Chiarlo family’s collection of Piedmont wines. The menu will be presented as follows:

HORS D’OEUVRES
Salmon* Tartare, Jalapeño Emulsion, Jicama Sticks
Octopus, Mediterranean Olives, Preserved Lemon, Grilled Crostini
Oysters* on the Half Shell, Caviar*, Sake Yuzu Vinaigrette, Lemon Drops
Michele Chiarlo “Le Marne” Gavi, 2015
FIRST COURSE
Pan-Seared Halibut Cheeks (crispy pancetta, potato gnocchi, roasted tomato sauce)
Michele Chiarlo “Le Orme” Barbera d’Asti, 2014
Michele Chiarlo “La Court” Barbera d’Asti Superiore, Nizza, 2013
SECOND COURSE
Braised Cornish Hen (wild mushroom ravioli, rainbow chard, truffle shavings)
Michele Chiarlo “Il Principe” Nebbiolo d’Alba, Langhe, 2014
Michele Chiarlo “Reyna” Barbaresco, 2014
MAIN COURSE
Bone-In Ribeye “Bistecca Fiorentina” (roasted yukon gold potatoes, heirloom tomato salad)
Michele Chiarlo “Tortoniano” Barolo, 2011
Michele Chiarlo “Cerequio” Barolo, 2013
DESSERT
Key Lime Pie (zabaglione sauce, whipped cream rosette)
Michele Chiarlo “Nivole” Moscato d’Asti, 2016

COST: $110 per person (excludes tax & gratuity)
Reservation required by calling 617-530-9397

3) TAMO Bistro + Bar at the Seaport Hotel is offering three striped bass specials that will satisfy your cravings in the best possible way: Striped Bass Kabobs ($14), Striped Bass with Spicy Gazpacho, new potatoes & bacon ($30) and Beet-Cured Striped Bass, with tomatoes & watermelon. These specials will be offering in addition to the regular menu every day from 11:30am – midnight through the end of August.