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) As temperatures start to heat up, the mixologists behind the bar at Sumiao Hunan Kitchen (SHK) in Kendall Square are cooling things down with a collection of refreshing cocktails in town available now through the end of August.

Highlighting the essence of summertime with their bright colors, tropical flavors and fruity garnishes, the ice-cold drinks in the spotlight at Sumiao this summer include the Watermelon Martini blended with gin, fresh watermelon puree, Midori, fresh lemon juice & mint leaves ($12); the J4JPN, a subtle combination of shochu, fresh lemon juice, lychee juice, ginger liqueur and apple liqueur ($10); the Blueberry Patch made with Stoli blueberry, lemonade, lemon juice, elderflower and blue curacao ($10); and Sumiao’s Pink Lemonade which just made summertime’s sweetest drink even tarter combining rosé, limoncello, grapefruit vodka, fresh lemon juice, grenadine and sprite ($8).

For those on board with the coconut craze and seeking more hydrating options sans alcohol, SHK’s mocktail list has three sweet and creamy newcomers: the Coco Matchatte with soy milk, coconut cream and matcha tea ($7); the Island Limeade which combines housemade limemade and coconut cream ($6.50); and the Watermelon on the Beach made with fresh watermelon puree, coconut cream and coconut water ($6.50).

2) Share Our Strength Founder and CEO Billy Shore; Taste of the Nation’s distinguished chef council including: Tony Maws, Joanne Chang, Jody Adams, and Andy Husbands; Taste of the Nation’s 2018 emcee, Food Network and HGTV personality Taniya Nayak, and hundreds of Boston food enthusiasts will gather for one delicious night to raise funds for the No Kid Hungry campaign.

On Tuesday, June 5th, from 7pm-9:30pm (VIP admission at 6pm), Boston’s most celebrated culinary fundraiser, Taste of the Nation for No Kid Hungry, will return to Cruiseport Boston (1 Black Falcon Avenue, Boston). The annual tasting event, emceed by Taniya Nayak of the Food Network’s “Restaurant Impossible” and HGTV’s “House Hunters”, and led by a distinguished chef council, brings together Boston’s culinary tastemakers to provide guests with scrumptious bite-size fare, craft cocktails, and desserts of all kinds in an effort to end childhood hunger.

As one in five children in this country struggles with hunger, including more than 270,000 kids in MA, No Kid Hungry works tirelessly to lessen these statistics through fundraising events like Taste of the Nation. Boston’s 2017 Taste of the Nation for No Kid Hungry raised over $145,000 for the cause.

This year’s Taste of the Nation features over 60 participating restaurants, including: UNI; Boston Chops; Neptune Oyster; Tapestry; Davio's; Citrus & Salt; The Smoke Shop BBQ; Craigie on Maine; Michael's Deli; SRV; Toro; Flour Bakery & Café; MIDA; Tiger Mama; Bar Mezzana; Gracie's; and Oak & Rowan.

Tickets are $95 for general admission and $150 for VIP admission. 100% of the proceeds benefit the No Kid Hungry campaign. To purchase tickets, or for more information, please visit: https://ce.nokidhungry.org/events/boston-taste-nation.