Wednesday Sips & Nibbles

I am here with a special Wednesday edition of Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I highlight some interesting, upcoming food & drink events.
**********************************************************
1) On Wednesday, November 22, from 9pm-Midnight, Puritan & Co. Chef/Owner Will Gilson invites guests to join in celebrating Puritan & Company’s 5th Anniversary at the Cambridge restaurant’s annual Family-You-Choose Feast. Puritan & Company welcomes friends to a night of merriment celebrating five years of Puritan & Company success and the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday- a particularly special day for Mayflower pilgrim descendant, Will Gilson. The party will feature complimentary bites and a cash bar with specialty cocktails provided by sponsors Privateer Rum, Notch Brewing, and Campari.

To make reservations, please call (617)-615-6195

2) On Tuesday, December 5, starting at 6:30pm, Babbo Pizzeria e Enoteca will host an Italian wine dinner exploring the flavors of Italy's Piemonte region as well as in-season white truffles. Starting at 6:30 p.m., the evening will include a tasting of four different courses (including three truffle-centric mains) along with wine pairings from the Piemonte region.

The menu will feature:
1st course:
Guanciale pizza with white truffles
Wine: Castello di Verduno Pelaverga 2015
2nd course:
Braised rabbit and robiola cappellacci with white truffles
Wine: Luigi Pira Dolcetto d'Alba 2015
3rd course:
Brasato al barolo with polenta and white truffles
Wines: Produttori del Barbaresco 2014 AND Paolo Scavino Barolo 2013
4th course:
Hazelnut torta with gianduja and hazelnut gelato
Wine: Brandini Moscato d'Asti 2016

Tickets are $90 and will soon be available for purchase via Eventbrite.
For more information or to make reservations, please contact (617) 421-4466.

3) On Wednesday, November 29, at 6pm, Bistro du Midi invites guests to experience a variety of Pinot Noirs at the U.S. vs France wine dinner. Executive Chef Josue Louis will prepare an exclusive five-course menu with each plate expertly paired with one of the hand-picked wines by Head Sommelier Ray Osborne.

The full menu for the U.S. vs France Pinot Noir Dinner is as follows:
FIRST
Beet-cured salmon, caper, crème fraiche
2013 WILLAKENZIE, ‘GISELLE’, WILLAMETTE VALLEY, OREGON
SECOND
Spanish octopus, sunchoke, golden delicious, smoked almonds
2013 DOMAINE RION, 1ER CRU NUITS-ST-GEORGES AUX VIGNERONDES
THIRD
Oxtail tortellini, broccoli spigarello, salsify
2012 LOUIS LATOUR, GEVREY-CHAMBERTIN
FOURTH
Duck breast, celery root, candy cane beet, dates, juniper jus
2014 PATZ & HALL, SONOMA COAST
FIFTH
Chocolate ganache, cassis cremeux, lavender ice cream
PETITE KIR

Cost is $135 per person, not including tax and gratuity. Seating is limited; to make a reservation, please call 617-426-7878

4) Chef Daniel Bruce and the team at Boston Harbor Hotel are thrilled to welcome former New England Patriots Quarterback Drew Bledsoe to Meritage Restaurant + Wine Bar for a reception and four-course dinner on Wednesday, November 29, starting at 7pm.

Former NFL quarterback Drew Bledsoe will bring select wines from Doubleback, his family-owned vineyard on the outskirts of the Walla Walla Valley, to be sampled and enjoyed at the picturesque Meritage Restaurant + Wine Bar. After returning to his home state in 2007, Bledsoe collaborated with childhood friends and established winemakers to create a premium wine experience with a focus on world-class cabernet sauvignon.

The full menu for the evening is as follows:
RECEPTION
2015 Argyle Brut Rose
DINNER
First Course
2016 Bledsoe Family Cabernet Sauvignon
Char Seared Ora King Salmon, Smoked Winter Vegetables, Cabernet Demi
Second Course
2015 Bledsoe Family Stolen Horse Syrah
Crispy Wild Mushrooms, Shaved Iberico Pork Belly, Melted Leeks, Porchini Dust
Third Course
2014 Doubleback Cabernet Sauvignon
2011 Doubleback Cabernet Sauvignon – Cellar Release
Cocoa and Five Spice Rubbed Grilled Prime Rib Filet, Fennel Laced Potato Gnocchi, Cabernet Raspberry, Glazed Baby Brussels
Fourth Course
2015 Bledsoe Flying B Cabernet Sauvignon
Aged Gouda, Parsnip Feta Crepes, Red Wine Syrup, Kale Chip, Fried Sage

Tickets can be purchased on Eventbrite for $225 per person (including tax and gratuity). This is a 21+ event.