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) On Thursday, November 2, from 6:30pm-9:30pm, Executive Chef Tyler Kinnett and the team at Harvest welcome Yankee Magazine Lifestyle Editor and cookbook author Amy Traverso of The Apple Lover’s Cookbook for a special “The Book and the Cook” dinner, using recipes from Amy's cookbook. The Apple Lover's Cookbook celebrates the beauty of apples in all their delicious variety, taking you from the orchard to the kitchen with 100 recipes, both sweet and savory.

The dinner will feature a quintessential fall menu that celebrates New England apples, expertly prepared by Executive Chef Tyler Kinnett. Guests will have the opportunity to meet the author while enjoying the freshest flavors of the season. The dinner will include a four-course menu complete with a reception and beverage pairings.

Cost: Price is $65 per person (inclusive of tax and gratuity), and includes a signed copy of The Apple Lover’s Cookbook.
Space is limited and reservations are required. Call 617-868-2255 directly to book seats. Or buy tickets through Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-book-the-cook-dinner-the-apple-lovers-cookbook-by-amy-traverso-tickets-38818961559

2) On Wednesday, November 8th at 6:30 p.m., Puritan & Co. will host a special natural wine dinner with Donkey & Goat Owner/Winemaker Jared Brandt. 

Alongside a multi-course meal prepared by Chef Will Gilson and conversation with Brandt, guests will be treated to pours of a selection of Donkey and Goat’s natural wines made from sustainably (or more) farmed vineyards in the Sierra Nevada, Mendocino and Napa.

Tickets are $95 plus tax and gratuity and can be purchased here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dinner-with-donkey-goat-winemaker-jared-brandt-tickets-38522158814.

3) Babbo Pizzeria e Enoteca Chef Mario LaPosta and his team invite guests to join them on Wednesday, October 25, at 6:30pm, to explore the flavors of Valle d’Aosta. The evening will include a tasting of four different courses, along with wine pairings from the region that is renowned for its ski resorts and medieval castles, Mont Blanc, Matterhorn, and Monte Rosa. Although much less is known about its wines than other regions, Valle d’Aosta vineyards produce some of Italy’s finest.

The menu includes:
1st course:
Poached Pear and Fontina D.O.P. Focaccia
Ermes Pavese 'Blanc de Morgex' Prie Blanc 2015
2nd course:
Veal Cutlet (Cabbage and Oregon Huckleberries)
Bouquetin Gamay 2015
3rd course:
Carbonade "Valdostana" (Braised Heritage Goat, Sweet Onions, Polenta)
Danilo Thomain 'Enfer d'Arvier' Petit Rouge 2013
4th course:
Apple Sotto Sopra (Vanilla Gelato)
Maley 'Pommerbe' NV

Tickets are $95 and can be purchased by logging onto https://valledaostawinedinner.splashthat.com

4) Chris Schlesinger and Dave Cagle, co-owners of The Automatic, announce HELL NIGHT, OCTOBER 30th, as the best (and only) way they know how to celebrate Halloween. “Let’s keep it hotter than hell” is the motto, with “super spicy food and drink specials” on the menu the night before Halloween.

VIP guest for the evening will be Dr. Pepper, (aka George Greenidge) – Hell Night’s Legend himself. Schlesinger and Cagle have special honors planned for Dr. Pepper….could it be a Hotter Than Hell Sausage for all those sausages Greenidge serves outside Fenway Park? Or could it be new red plastic peppers for his Hell Night outfit? Perhaps a lifetime supply of Inner Beauty Sauce? Only the Devil knows.

Some of the spicy appetizers that have been announced for HELL NIGHT at THE AUTOMATIC include:
3 Drunk Devils on Horseback (Blue Cheese + Bacon dripping in Cherry Pepper Jam)
Jamaican Jerk Wings (Scotch Bonnet Mango Sauce)
Frito Pie from HELL (Chili, Longhorn Cheese, Inner Beauty Sauce)
Martins Molten Lava Shrimp Ceviche (Rocoto Chiles, Toasted Cancha, Plantain Chips)
Ginger Shrimp + Pork Dumpling Roulette (Soy Sesame, Black Vinaigrette)
More To Come!

RESERVATIONS: Make reservations by emailing reservations@theautomaticbar.com
This event is extremely likely to sell out so make your reservations ASAP.

5) On Monday, November 6, at 6:30pm, Terramia Ristorante, located on Salem Street in the heart of Boston’s North End, is celebrating the long-standing history of Duca Di Salaparutra with a five-course Sicilian wine dinner. With more than 190 years of winemaking, Duca di Salaparutra is the award-winning and leading wine group in Sicily where each wine is made with expression of specific local areas and of a long wine-making tradition.

At this exclusive dinner, guests will as they enjoy a carefully curated Italian menu paired with Duca di Salaparutra vintages. The meal will start with Cozze Piccanti with sautéed mussels and spicy Organic Marzano tomato seafood broth. The second course follows with Capesante with pan seared sea scallops and veal truffle reduction. Indulge in the Bolognese with traditional ground veal, beef, pork meat tomato ragu. As the night continues, guests can enjoy a delicious Bistecca with Prime Filet Mignon, truffle potato mash, and red wine reduction. Finish the evening with Piatto di Formaggi Italiani featuring chef’s selection of Italian cheeses and dry fruits. Ciro Pirone, Director of Italian Wines at Horizon Beverage Company will be on hand to discuss the nuances and history behind each and every wine.

COST: The dinner is $70 per person (+tax and gratuity).
Reservations are required and can be made by calling Terramia at 617-523-3112