I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I briefly highlight some interesting wine and food items that I have encountered recently.
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1) The Massachusetts Restaurant Association (MRA) announces this year’s Stars of the Industry Awards Gala: an evening of food, drink, and entertainment recognizing leaders in the Massachusetts’ Restaurant Industry to be hosted by celebrated Comedian Tony V. An annual tradition, this event draws chefs and key industry players for a celebration of top talent in Massachusetts’ hospitality business, who have been nominated and selected throughout the month of August exclusively by MRA members. The top three finalists, all of who have demonstrated a range of exceptional skills and commitment, have been selected to attend the 2013 Gala; winners will be announced at the event.
The 2013 Award categories include:
Bartender of the Year
Bus Person of the Year
Cook of the Year
Dishwasher of the Year
Host/Cashier of the year
Prep Person of the Year
Parking Valet of the Year
Unsung Hero of the Year
Waitperson of the Year
Exemplary Service Award
Each winner will be awarded $250, a trophy, and a commemorative plaque to hang in his or her restaurant and all runners-up will be awarded $100. “All candidates have shown outstanding dedication and passion for the industry, and this is our way of giving them the recognition they deserve” says MRA President and CEO Bob Luz.
The gala will be held on Monday, October 28 at Lombardo’s (6 Billings Street in Randolph) and will begin with a cocktail reception at 6p.m. followed by dinner, entertainment, and an award ceremony at 7 p.m. Tickets are sold for $85 per person and table sponsorships are available for $1000 (includes a logo on the MRA website, sponsor tribute in MRA Newsletter, logo in awards gala program, and sponsor identification ribbons at the event). Tickets may be purchased online at www.massrestaurantassoc.org or by calling (508) 303- 9905.
2) Mâitre d' hotel and Fromager Louis Risoli and Wine Director & Sommelier Lauren Collins present this month’s Salon Session held at L’Espalier. They present Beyond Expectations: Exploring Exciting New Pairings at Salon Sessions – an intimate yet educational wine and cheese pairing. Join experts Louis Risoli and Lauren Collins this month, as they share their knowledge on pairing cheese with unexpected spirits including hard cider, sake, local craft beer and Pineau de Charentes (a fortified herbaceous wine). Cheeses are selected from L’Espalier’s award winning cheese cart and the sessions are held in the L’Espalier salon which overlooks Boylston Street.
WHEN: Thursday, October 10, 6pm
Reservations are required so please call 617-262-3023. Pricing for event is $55 per person.
3) On Tuesday, October 22, at 6:30pm, Legal Harborside will host a wine dinner with famed French winery, Trimbach Estate. Established in 1626, Trimbach is one of the most illustrious family winemaking dynasties in France recognized for their definitive Alsace varieties and Rieslings. Legal Harborside will team up with 13th generation owner, Jean Trimbach, to host a four-plus-course dinner featuring signature cuisine paired with Trimbach’s selections from their vine.
The menu will be presented as follows:
HORS D’OEUVRES
Lawerknepfle, Honey Poached Pear, Brioche
Bibalakass, Buckwheat Blini, “Gravlax” Trout, Pike Roe & Pickled Onion
Flammenkuchen, Lardon, Onion, Munster
Crayfish Cappuccino
Trimbach Pinot Blanc “Classic,” Alsace, 2010
FIRST COURSE
Choucroute Au Homard (Lobster, Sauerkraut, Potatoes, Pickled Mustard Seeds & Greens, Pork Foam)
Trimbach Riesling “Cuvée Frédéric Emile,” Alsace, 2006
Trimbach Riesling “Cuvée M,” Alsace, 2008
SECOND COURSE
Lightly Smoked & Roasted Cornish Hen (Fricassee of Boudin Blanc, Apricot Mustard & Hazelnut Gremolata)
Trimbach Pinot Gris “Réserve,” Alsace, 2009
Trimbach Pinot Gris “Réserve Personnelle,” Alsace, 2005
THIRD COURSE
Roasted Shoulder & Belly of Pork (Curried Heirloom Squash, Sage, Green Harissa & Coconut)
Trimbach Gewurztraminer “Classic,” Alsace, 2010
Trimbach Gewurztraminer “Cuvée des Seigneurs de Ribeaupierre,” Alsace, 2005
DESSERT COURSE
Roasted Pear Tart, Crème Fraîche Ice Cream
Trimbach Gewurztraminer “Sélection de Grains Nobles,” Alsace, 2001
COST: $125 per person (excludes tax & gratuity)
Reservation required by calling 617-530-9470
4) This autumn, guests are invited to take a culinary wine tour during the return of Beacon Hill Hotel & Bistro’s Wine & Dine Mondays series. Designed to both educate and entertain, this season’s series offers a playful spin on the industry’s typical wine dinner.
“Wine & Dine Mondays is about wonderful wines, creative food and good friends,” said Cecilia Rait, proprietress and wine director of Beacon Hill Hotel & Bistro. “This year we went a little more playful and decided to mix things up a bit by offering fun, out-of-the-box themes.”
Each of this season’s three dinners will be held on a Monday evening throughout the fall. Diners are invited to visit various wine regions without leaving the comfort of their seats as Cecilia and Tracy Burgis of M.S. Walker act as virtual tour guides, moving from wine to wine, explaining the history, curiosities and nuances of each selection.
The series is not simply about the wine. It is also about the food. Each four-course dinner showcases four wines as well the culinary artistry of Beacon Hill Hotel & Bistro’s Executive Chef Josh Lewin, whose dishes are designed to complement each course’s wine. This intimate adventure is set in communal seating to encourage conversation, laughter and fun. For $65 per person (tax and gratuity not included), guests are treated to four wines, a full four-course dinner and Cecilia's and Tracy's good cheer, humor and expertise. Reservations are encouraged as most nights sell out well in advance.
Wine & Dine Mondays Schedule
Hate School, But Love Class?
October 21, 7:00PM
Get your head out of the books for a little and enjoy a night filled with the other kind of class! The one that comes in a glass… Delve into some classic wine selections that everyone should know, along with wine tasting 101 facts. Eat, drink and be varied!
Expensive Taste
October 28, 7:00PM
Can you tell the difference between expensive wine and its less-expensive counterpart? Put your taste buds to the test! We will be mixing a variety of high-end and less-expensive varietals for you to try.
Heading Toward Winter Wonderland: Snowy Wines and Warm Foods
November 18, 7:00PM
Fondue, fires and the perfect wines are what make being indoors during the cold, long winter worth it. Enjoy a variety of bold wines alongside all those comfort foods you take pleasure in during the heart of winter.
COST: $65 Per Person (tax and 18% gratuity not included). Communal Seating. Reservations are necessary. Please call 617-723-7575.
Showing posts with label award. Show all posts
Showing posts with label award. Show all posts
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Monday, June 17, 2013
Rant: Wine Blog Awards, Sexism & More Questions
Last week's Rant created a stir of discussion, in the comments, on Twitter, Facebook and in emails. I questioned the reason why so few women have been named as finalists in the Wine Blog Award (WBA) category of Best Overall Wine Blog. I hoped to start a discussion and it happened, especially sparked by the hot button issue of sexism, despite the fact that was only one element of many in my post. That topic raised emotions as well as defensiveness, and it overwhelmed the rest of the discussion.
In my prior post, my only conclusion was that there was a disparity between the number of female wine bloggers and the number of women, on their own, who were finalists in the Best Overall Wine Blog. With female wine bloggers constituting roughly 38% of all wine bloggers, yet only 1 woman, on their own, being a finalist in that category, that raised a red flag to me.
As an example, let us consider that the widget field has an annual contest for the Best CEO. Women constitute 38% of the CEOs in this field yet in the last seven years, only 1 of those female CEOs has even been a finalist for this award. You can be sure that people are going to questions the reason for the disparity. And that is all I did, question the reasons for the disparity I noticed in the top WBA category.
Women tended to accept that sexism was involved in the disparity, as well as elsewhere in the wine industry. They mentioned some of the contributions of female wine bloggers and also noted that such sexism extends far beyond wine blogging. To them, it was more a given that required no further evidence. Sexism certainly still exists in many aspects of our society so it would not be surprising to find it in the wine industry. For example, I have been following the huge discussion in the science fiction publishing field over sexism. That doesn't necessarily mean sexism exists in the Wine Blog Awards, but it does mean it is a possibility.
That raises another important issue, even if sexism is not involved in this WBA category, or the awards in general, women still perceive sexism there. Perception is an important issue. Why do many women have this perception about the awards? Is it based on valid grounds? How do you change that perception if it is not accurate? Do you need more women involved in the operation and judging of the awards? Trying to combat that perception should be considered by the WBA organizers.
On the other hand, men were more apt to assume sexism was not involved in the disparity. In fact, a number of them got very defensive about the issue. They wanted concrete evidence before they would accept that sexism existed. Some even seemed disturbed that the question was asked without providing definitive proof. The issue of sexism also clouded the other questions and issues I posed. Many men got stuck on the issue of sexism and looked no further. That might have been partially due to the comments by the women that sexism did exist.
To many men, they saw no problems with the Best Overall Wine Blog category, seeing it as a meritocracy, that the best blogs were nominated. However, that raises another important issue, which underlies such assumptions yet which few men wanted to speak aloud. In essence, the assumption is that best male wine blogs generally have been of higher quality than the best female wine blogs. Maybe that is the case, and it is a question I asked in my original post, though no one wanted to directly address that question.
Some men also offered that the disparity was because there are more male bloggers but there still are 38% female bloggers, and only a tiny fraction of that percentage is represented in the finalists. If it was a meritocracy and the quality of the best female wine blogs was high, then they should be represented far more as finalists, even if there are overall less female wine bloggers than men. If people truly believe that the best male wine blogs generally have been of higher quality than the best female wine blogs, then just come forward and admit it.
I was asked to present the names of female bloggers who were "snubbed." I presented four names of female wine bloggers who I felt were deserving of being finalists in the category. I am sure there are others as well, but I only provided four. These were generally women who also had been nominated in other WBA categories, but not for Best Overall Wine Blog. Though some agreed that a couple of my choices were deserving of being a finalist, they still would not accept that those women had been intentionally "snubbed." I never claimed they were intentionally snubbed, merely that they were deserving of being a finalist yet had not garnered that honor. It could be due to more subconscious biases. No one provided a valid reason why these women were omitted.
A few other possibilities were raised. It was alleged that the WBA are merely a popularity contest, and have little to do with who is actually the best. If true, that would tend to show that male blogs are more popular than female blogs. Why is that the case? Is it a matter of quality or sexism/bias? Do the Wine Blog Awards actually present the "best" wine blogs, or is there something else involved?
Paul Mabray, who has been a judge every year of the WBA, stated that only 30% of the judges this year were women, and "which I am sure can be improved." It is interesting though that in 2012, 9 of the judges were women and 8 were men. Even when women were the majority, a female wine blogger was not chosen as a finalist. Definitely a complicated issue.
We all know sexism still exists in our society. We also know that there is a large disparity in the number of women who have been finalists in the Best Overall Wine Blog category. In addition, there are some women worthy of being finalists who have not been awarded that honor. Finally, there are numerous women who believe sexism is involved in these awards. Each of these elements is a building brick in a wall of evidence. Combined, these elements are still insufficient to prove anything, but they provide enough to warrant a further examination.
Such an examination should start with a deeper investigation of the statistics of nominations, finalist selections and voting for the 7 years of the Awards. Though that of course depends on whether such records were kept and still exist by the WBA organizers. If those records do not exist, it will be far harder to examine this situation. However, at the very least, if nothing is done, if no examination is conducted, the perception of sexism will continue to taint the WBA.
It must be remembered too that the examination I think is warranted should not concentrate solely on sexism. The goal should be to determine the reason for the disparity, whatever that reason may be. It is a topic which garnered much passion and discussion, from both men and women. Let us hope that passion and discussion does not die off.
In my prior post, my only conclusion was that there was a disparity between the number of female wine bloggers and the number of women, on their own, who were finalists in the Best Overall Wine Blog. With female wine bloggers constituting roughly 38% of all wine bloggers, yet only 1 woman, on their own, being a finalist in that category, that raised a red flag to me.
As an example, let us consider that the widget field has an annual contest for the Best CEO. Women constitute 38% of the CEOs in this field yet in the last seven years, only 1 of those female CEOs has even been a finalist for this award. You can be sure that people are going to questions the reason for the disparity. And that is all I did, question the reasons for the disparity I noticed in the top WBA category.
Women tended to accept that sexism was involved in the disparity, as well as elsewhere in the wine industry. They mentioned some of the contributions of female wine bloggers and also noted that such sexism extends far beyond wine blogging. To them, it was more a given that required no further evidence. Sexism certainly still exists in many aspects of our society so it would not be surprising to find it in the wine industry. For example, I have been following the huge discussion in the science fiction publishing field over sexism. That doesn't necessarily mean sexism exists in the Wine Blog Awards, but it does mean it is a possibility.
That raises another important issue, even if sexism is not involved in this WBA category, or the awards in general, women still perceive sexism there. Perception is an important issue. Why do many women have this perception about the awards? Is it based on valid grounds? How do you change that perception if it is not accurate? Do you need more women involved in the operation and judging of the awards? Trying to combat that perception should be considered by the WBA organizers.
On the other hand, men were more apt to assume sexism was not involved in the disparity. In fact, a number of them got very defensive about the issue. They wanted concrete evidence before they would accept that sexism existed. Some even seemed disturbed that the question was asked without providing definitive proof. The issue of sexism also clouded the other questions and issues I posed. Many men got stuck on the issue of sexism and looked no further. That might have been partially due to the comments by the women that sexism did exist.
To many men, they saw no problems with the Best Overall Wine Blog category, seeing it as a meritocracy, that the best blogs were nominated. However, that raises another important issue, which underlies such assumptions yet which few men wanted to speak aloud. In essence, the assumption is that best male wine blogs generally have been of higher quality than the best female wine blogs. Maybe that is the case, and it is a question I asked in my original post, though no one wanted to directly address that question.
Some men also offered that the disparity was because there are more male bloggers but there still are 38% female bloggers, and only a tiny fraction of that percentage is represented in the finalists. If it was a meritocracy and the quality of the best female wine blogs was high, then they should be represented far more as finalists, even if there are overall less female wine bloggers than men. If people truly believe that the best male wine blogs generally have been of higher quality than the best female wine blogs, then just come forward and admit it.
I was asked to present the names of female bloggers who were "snubbed." I presented four names of female wine bloggers who I felt were deserving of being finalists in the category. I am sure there are others as well, but I only provided four. These were generally women who also had been nominated in other WBA categories, but not for Best Overall Wine Blog. Though some agreed that a couple of my choices were deserving of being a finalist, they still would not accept that those women had been intentionally "snubbed." I never claimed they were intentionally snubbed, merely that they were deserving of being a finalist yet had not garnered that honor. It could be due to more subconscious biases. No one provided a valid reason why these women were omitted.
A few other possibilities were raised. It was alleged that the WBA are merely a popularity contest, and have little to do with who is actually the best. If true, that would tend to show that male blogs are more popular than female blogs. Why is that the case? Is it a matter of quality or sexism/bias? Do the Wine Blog Awards actually present the "best" wine blogs, or is there something else involved?
Paul Mabray, who has been a judge every year of the WBA, stated that only 30% of the judges this year were women, and "which I am sure can be improved." It is interesting though that in 2012, 9 of the judges were women and 8 were men. Even when women were the majority, a female wine blogger was not chosen as a finalist. Definitely a complicated issue.
We all know sexism still exists in our society. We also know that there is a large disparity in the number of women who have been finalists in the Best Overall Wine Blog category. In addition, there are some women worthy of being finalists who have not been awarded that honor. Finally, there are numerous women who believe sexism is involved in these awards. Each of these elements is a building brick in a wall of evidence. Combined, these elements are still insufficient to prove anything, but they provide enough to warrant a further examination.
Such an examination should start with a deeper investigation of the statistics of nominations, finalist selections and voting for the 7 years of the Awards. Though that of course depends on whether such records were kept and still exist by the WBA organizers. If those records do not exist, it will be far harder to examine this situation. However, at the very least, if nothing is done, if no examination is conducted, the perception of sexism will continue to taint the WBA.
It must be remembered too that the examination I think is warranted should not concentrate solely on sexism. The goal should be to determine the reason for the disparity, whatever that reason may be. It is a topic which garnered much passion and discussion, from both men and women. Let us hope that passion and discussion does not die off.
Monday, June 10, 2013
Rant: Best Overall Wine Blog? It's A Man's World
Yes, plenty of women blog and write about wine.
Back in March 2008, I began to compile a list of women wine bloggers, and have continually updated it, constantly adding new women to the list. There are now over 100 women on that list. In the 2013 State of Wine Blogging Report, the survey found that about 38% of bloggers are female. It seems likely that the number of female wine bloggers will continue to grow.
This past weekend, the Wine Bloggers' Conference was held in Penticton, British Colombia, and the winners of the 7th Annual Wine Blog Awards were announced. Out of the nine different categories, most people would probably agree that the most prestigious is the Best Overall Wine Blog, won this year by David White of Terroirist. You can read the Criteria for the selection of the Best Overall Wine Blog.
It has struck me as curious that in the last seven years, no female blogger has won the award for Best Overall Wine Blog. Yes, they have won in some of the other categories, but the most prestigious award has so far been elusive. It goes beyond the fact that they have not won this award. During these past seven years, there have been 31 finalists in this category and only a single woman, for her own blog, has ever been a finalist. The sole female finalist, back in 2008, was Dr. Debs of Good Wine Under $20. A few collaborative blogs, with male and female contributors, have been finalists too. However, during the last three years, all of the fifteen finalists have been male bloggers.
Why is this so? Why are almost no women becoming finalists in this category, especially despite the fact that they have won awards in some of the other categories? I don't have any answers to these questions. I don't know the reason for these omissions. However, I believe it is an area that needs exploration and analysis. With the large number of female bloggers out there, why is it so hard for them to become a finalist in this category?
Some people will speculate that sexism is involved, but is that the case? Of the judges for 2013, 8 were men and 4 were women. They were the ones who selected the finalists. One might speculate that with more women on the judges panel, then female bloggers might have a better chance of becoming a finalist. But in 2012, 9 of the judges were women and 8 were men. Even when women were the majority, no female blogger ended up as a finalist in this category.
Are female wine bloggers just not as talented as male wine bloggers? I am positive most people would fervently dispute that point. And I would agree. So if there are these highly talented female wine bloggers out there, why haven't they been recognized in the Best Overall Wine Blog category?
So many unanswered questions and lots of speculation. What are your thoughts on these matters? Why is the Best Overall Wine Blog category a "man's world?"
Addendum (6/10/13): It has been pointed out to me that though David White is listed on the Wine Blog Awards as the "Author" of Terroirist, it is actually a collaborative effort of eight individuals, two of which are women.
Addendum (6/10/13): It has been pointed out to me that though David White is listed on the Wine Blog Awards as the "Author" of Terroirist, it is actually a collaborative effort of eight individuals, two of which are women.
Friday, October 23, 2009
The StarChefs Rising Stars Revue: Nov.3
The StarChefs.com Rising Star Revue returns to Boston for the first time since 2006. The Rising Star Awards recognize up-and-coming chefs, pastry chefs, sommeliers, and mixologists from around the country that represent future leaders of the national culinary scene. Candidates are nominated by the StarChefs Advisory Board, previous winners, local media, StarChefs’ editorial research and through the StarChefs.com website. Winners are chosen by the StarChefs editorial team.
They tasted food, pastry, cocktails, and wine pairings from over 75 talented chefs, pastry chefs, mixologists, and sommeliers across Boston, and only 14 of them earned the title of Rising Star. So what makes them shine? Creativity, ambition, exquisite presentation, and, most importantly, a stellar dish win each up-and-coming culinary star the Rising Star Award. What's more, each Rising Star has attributes that make us believe they will be the future leaders of the country's culinary scene.
“Boston chefs are all about community, whether it’s rallying behind a cause, helping a chef in need, or just hanging out and cooking together—the support and camaraderie there is unlike that in any other city. Our 14 Rising Stars represent the best of the next generation of chefs in the city,” says Antoinette Bruno, CEO and Editor-in-Chief of StarChefs.com.
StarChefs.com’s 2009 Boston Rising Stars include:
Chef Jamie Bissonnette {Toro}
Chef Chris Chung {Uni}
Chef Wil Gilson {Garden at the Cellar}
Chef Andres Grundy {Clio}
Chef Mike Pagliarini {Via Matta}
Chef Chris Parsons {Catch}
Chef Rachel Klein {Aura}
Pastry Chef Jiho Kim {L’Espalier}
Sommelier Theresa Paopao {Oleana}
Bar Chef Tom Schlesinger-Guidelli {Craigie on Main}
Restaurateur Joanne Chang {Flour, Myers + Chang}
Restaurant Concept Award Maura Kilpatrick {Sofra}
Community Award Louis DiBiccari {Sel de la Terre}
Sustainability Award Richard Garcia {Tastings Wine Bar & Bistro}
Host Chef Jodi Bernhard {Longwood Events}
They tasted food, pastry, cocktails, and wine pairings from over 75 talented chefs, pastry chefs, mixologists, and sommeliers across Boston, and only 14 of them earned the title of Rising Star. So what makes them shine? Creativity, ambition, exquisite presentation, and, most importantly, a stellar dish win each up-and-coming culinary star the Rising Star Award. What's more, each Rising Star has attributes that make us believe they will be the future leaders of the country's culinary scene.
“Boston chefs are all about community, whether it’s rallying behind a cause, helping a chef in need, or just hanging out and cooking together—the support and camaraderie there is unlike that in any other city. Our 14 Rising Stars represent the best of the next generation of chefs in the city,” says Antoinette Bruno, CEO and Editor-in-Chief of StarChefs.com.
StarChefs.com’s 2009 Boston Rising Stars include:
Chef Jamie Bissonnette {Toro}
Chef Chris Chung {Uni}
Chef Wil Gilson {Garden at the Cellar}
Chef Andres Grundy {Clio}
Chef Mike Pagliarini {Via Matta}
Chef Chris Parsons {Catch}
Chef Rachel Klein {Aura}
Pastry Chef Jiho Kim {L’Espalier}
Sommelier Theresa Paopao {Oleana}
Bar Chef Tom Schlesinger-Guidelli {Craigie on Main}
Restaurateur Joanne Chang {Flour, Myers + Chang}
Restaurant Concept Award Maura Kilpatrick {Sofra}
Community Award Louis DiBiccari {Sel de la Terre}
Sustainability Award Richard Garcia {Tastings Wine Bar & Bistro}
Host Chef Jodi Bernhard {Longwood Events}
The Revue will be held on Tuesday, November 3, from 7:00 -9:30 pm (VIP Reception begins at 6:00 PM).
General Admission - $85 per ticket
VIP Reception - $125 per ticket*
To purchase tickets, visit www.starchefs.com/risingstars.
*Come earlier and mingle with the honorees at the VIP Champagne & Caviar Reception, hosted by The Liberty Hotel Chef Joseph Margate, which will include Palmes d’Or Champagne from Nicolas Feuillatte and Petrossian caviar.
A portion of the Proceeds will be donated to the Greater Boston Food Bank.
The event will be held at State Room, 60 State Street, Boston, MA.
At the event, there will be a special Revue Gala Tasting Menu, which certainly sounds phenomenal to me.
Jamie Bissonnette {Toro}
Island Creek Oyster Escabeche with Grains of Paradise and Lovage
***
Chris Chung {Uni}
Abalone and Porcini with Aka Curry and Pickled Negi
***
Will Gilson {Garden at the Cellar}
Seared Foie Gras and Doughnuts with Rhubarb
***
Andres Grundy {Clio}
Vegetable Crudités with Green Goddess Dressing and Avocado
***
Mike Pagliarini {Via Matta}
Muscovy Hen Breast with Apple, Turnip, Spiced Pistachios, and Swiss Chard
***
Chris Parsons {Catch}
Taylor Bay Scallops with Scallop Roe, Soy Beans, and Smoked Red Pepper Puree ***
Community Award: Louis DiBiccari {Sel de la Terre}
Baby Octopus with Charred Pepper Vinaigrette, English Peas, Radish, and Croutons
***
Sustainability Chef Award: Richard Garcia {Tastings Wine Bar and Bistro}
White Vanilla Gazpacho
***
Pastry Chef: Jiho Kim {L’Espalier}
Greek Yogurt Panna Cotta “Capsule” with Cranberry Gelée and Yogurt Sorbet
***
Sommelier Theresa Paopao {Oleana}
Wine pairings with each chef’s dish
***
Mixologist Tom Schlesinger-Guidelli {Craigie on Main}
Camino CocktailNorthern Lights (featuring Highland Park Single Malt Scotch Whisky)
***
Hotel Chef: Rachel Klein {Aura at The Seaport Hotel}
Scarlet Borscht, Smoked Sable, Candy Striped Beets, and Sour Cream
***
Restaurateur: Joanne Chang {Flour Bakery, Myers + Chang}
Asian-Braised Short Rib Taco with Asian Pear and Sesame-Cilantro Salsa
***
Restaurant Concept Award: Maura Kilpatrick {Sofra}
Kunefe with Vanilla-Bay Leaf Syrup
***
Host Chef: Jodi Bernhard {Longwood Events}
Slow Roasted Leg of Lamb with Lamb-Fennel Sausage, White Bean Capelletti, and Brussels Sprouts
***
VIP Host Chef: Joseph Margate {Clink at the Liberty Hotel}
Small Caviar Bites
I will be at this event so hopefully I will see some of my readers there.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
One Lovely Blog Award
I was surprised and pleased yesterday to receive the One Lovely Blog Award from Erika of StrumErika, a fellow blogger who covers both food and wine, including many restaurants in New York City. So it is now my duty, and my pleasure, to pass on the love to seven food and/or wine blogs that I especially enjoy. 1) Catavino
Ryan and Gabriella have recently given their excellent site a significant makeover and it is well worth checking out. Their site concentrates on Iberian wines yet also includes information on food, restaurants, and travel to Spain and Portugal. It is a model example of what can be accomplished with a blog by two very dedicated and personable individuals.
2) Good Wine Under $25
Dr. Debs covers primarily excellent value wines but has been branching out a bit more to cover food as well. She is a skilled writer with a discerning palate and her posts are always entertaining and informational.
3) Lenndevours
Another niche blog, Lenn covers the world of New York food and wines, from Long Island to the Hudson Valley. He has a number of contributors help him out but he clearly devotes much effort and passion into his blog. I have used some of his recommendations on a recent trip to Long Island, and he was spot on, making it a very enjoyable trip.
4) The Pinotage Club
I love Pinotage and there is no better place for information about that grape than Peter May's blog. He covers only Pinotage and does a great job at it. He is also very personable and passionate.
5) McDuff's Food & Wine Trail
David covers both food and wine on his blog, which is very well written and evidences plenty of knowledge about wine. I always seem to learn something on his blog and look forward to each new post.
6) Drinks Are on Me
Dale Cruse, a Boston area blogger, covers food and wine on his well-designed site. I have also had the pleasure of hanging out with Dale on a number of occasions and he is down-to-earth guy and friendly guys. His irreverant take on food and wine is very interesting.
7) Cave Cibum
Pam is another Boston area blogger but her emphasis is on food, from recipes to restaurant reviews. She has excellent photos on her site as well as many intriguing recipes.
These seven awardees just need to follow the simple rules below to receive this award and pass it on:
1. Add the logo to your blog.
2. Link to the person from whom you've received the award.
3. Nominate seven blogs of your choice.
4. Leave a message on the nominees’ blogs telling them of their award.
Thanks!
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