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 Monday, March 25, starting at 6pm. enjoy an evening hosted by Clay Fritz, owner of California’s Fritz Underground Winery, at Abe & Louie’s Boston with a four course dinner paired with wine. The Fritz Winery Reception will begin at 6pm, with the first course served at 6:30pm.

Reception:
2016 Fritz Winery Dry Creek Valley Sauvignon Blanc
1st Course:
Crab Cake & Lobster Bisque duo with celery root remoulade
2015 Fritz Winery Russian River Valley Chardonnay
2nd Course:
Exotic Mushroom Strew with bone marrow & chanterelles
2014 Fritz Winery Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
3rd Course:
Shallot Crusted Filet Mignon with mustard greens & Parisian potatoes
2015 Fritz Winery Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel
Dessert:
Layered Chocolate & Cogna Semifreddo with crème anglaise
Castello di Mangione Vin Santo Trasimeno

Cost is $125 per person. Reservations can be made by calling the restaurant at (617) 536-6300.

2) Legal Harborside celebrates crustaceans with crab specials from March 8-10 to benefit the Greater Boston Food Bank. Legal Harborside will be celebrating crustaceans while giving back by dishing out a trio of specials showcasing fresh lump crab meat in which proceeds will benefit the Greater Boston Food Bank, an organization that works to address food insecurity by providing healthy and nutritious food items to those who need it most.

The perfect way to celebrate National Crab Meat Day (March 9), seafood lovers can indulge in the following creations all weekend long:

APPETIZER
Legal’s Signature Crab Cake ($17.95)
served with remoulade sauce, and a seasonal salad
LIGHT ENTREES
Crabmeat Salad ($21.95)
avocado, tomato, cucumber, egg, salad greens, and lemon vinaigrette
Crabmeat Roll ($21.95)
fries and coleslaw

3) On Tuesday, March 12th, from 7pm-10pm, The Library at Explorateur Café will host an exclusive Glendalough Distillery Whiskey Dinner where guests will enjoy and learn about creative whiskey pairings from the award-winning craft distillery in Ireland. Explorateur’s Executive Chef Yousef Ghalaini and Glendalough Brand Manager Donal O’Gallachoir will team up for an exquisite four-course menu paired with craft whiskey and cocktails from Ireland’s first craft distillery.

Glendalough focuses on perfecting the ageing and finishing of their whiskeys in order to best accentuate the diverse and creative flavors, allowing each of the pairings to be unique and flavorful. With flavors from rich to nutty to fruity and floral, Glendalough whiskeys can be enjoyed with foods like Grilled Colorado Lamb and even a special dessert of Dark Gingerbread prepared by the Explorateur pastry team. Guests will begin their night with a special cocktail hour followed by a guided four-course meal with craft whiskey pairings.

The full menu for the evening is as follows:

1st Course
Curried Cauliflower Soup (Sunchoke chips, Aleppo Chili)
Paired with Glendalough Double Barrel
2nd Course
Salmon Crudo (Fennel Dust, Aji Amarillo, Winter Citrus)
Paired with Glendalough Wild Botanical Gin
3rd Course
Grilled Colorado Lamb (melted spinach, Moroccan-style cous cous, mustard jus)
Paired with: Glendalough 7-Year-Old Single Malt
4th Course
Dark Gingerbread (warm anglaise, whiskey spiced ice cream)
Paired with: Traditional Irish Coffee Crafted with Glendalough Double Barrel

Tickets are available for purchase on Eventbrite for $75/per person. Tickets include a cocktail hour and a four-course menu with craft whiskey and cocktail pairings. Reservations are required and seating is limited. Guests must be 21+ to attend.