Rant: Wine, Not Just For Fine Dining

When you decide to open a bottle of wine with a meal at home, is it most often when you're having a fine meal such as a Filet Mignon, a Pork Loin or Chicken Marsala? Do you ever have wine with pizza or a burger? How about with fast-food or snacks like a bag of potato chips?  

It seems wine is much less often an accompaniment in the latter two circumstances, yet there's no reason it must be that way. Wine is such a versatile beverage that you can find wines to pair with basically any type of food. And that wine can enhance even the most basic of foods. Plus, it can be such fun to find an excellent and unexpected wine pairing.

For example, over the weekend I drank an Amontillado VORS Sherry (which has an average age of at least 30 years old). At $50-$65, this isn't an inexpensive wine, and you'd expect it to be paired with a more luxurious dinner. However, I paired it with a burger, stuffed with blue cheese, and some blue-cheese flavored potato chips. It ended up being a delicious pairing, the blue cheese and the Sherry working very well together. 

For regular potato chips, Sparkling Wine, such as a nice Cremant, Cava or Champagne,  is often a very good pairing. When's the last time you drank bubbly with chips? If you've never done so, you should try it and I suspect you'll be surprised at the results.  

Wine can pair with everything, and there's no reason to ignore it as your beverage choice even if eating something as simple as a Big Mac or slice of pizza. Pairing wine with fast food or snacks will also help to demystify wine, to make it much less an "elite" drink. Just treat wine like any other drink. Make it a part of any meal. Experiment with it, matching wines with different foods to see which makes the meal even better.

Forget wine snobbery and drink wine with all types of food.

Exploring Biddeford to Portland, Maine (Part 1)

This past weekend, I traveled to the Biddeford/Portland region for a short vacation, and had lots of fun exploring this area. We began our trip on Friday morning, spending several hours in Biddeford, and then driving to Portland, stopping at several sites on route. We spent two nights in Portland, leaving for home early on Sunday morning. 

During this short time, we found a number of interesting restaurants, bakeries, donut shops, wine shops, and more. I'll be highlighting these places in a couple of articles, but please note that there are also plenty of cool spots that I didn't visit while I was in Biddeford/Portland, which hopefully I'll get to see on my next trip there. 

If you're traveling north to Portland, you should take some time and visit Biddeford as well, which is becoming a very cool destination, with a number of interesting restaurants, breweries, wine shops, and more. 

Our first stop in Biddeford on Friday morning was the Palace Diner, located at 18 Franklin St., and it's open every day from 8am-2pm. The diner is within a Pollard train car which was constructed in Lowell, Massachusetts back in 1927, and has been operating as a diner since that time, making it maybe the oldest still-existing restaurant in Maine. The diner has been at a few different locations in Biddeford, but all very close to its current address. 

In 2014, Chad Conley and Greg Mitchell took over ownership of the diner, which only has 15-seats, and they have been receiving accolades ever since. The diner doesn't take any reservations, and only accepts cash. We were fortunate that when we arrived, there were two still spots available, so we didn't have to wait. By the time we left, there was a small line of people waiting for seats. Breakfast and lunch is available all day, and the menu is relatively small, with 7 breakfast plates and 4 lunch sandwiches available. Prices range from $10-$20, averaging about $15.  

The Omelet du Jour ($17) was made with broccoli, feta and cheddar cheese and accompanied by Palace potatoes and your choice of bread. The omelet was well-made, with lots of cheese and broccoli bits. The smashed potatoes were excellent, so crispy with fluffier potato inside, and these are one of the reasons for the fame of the diner. You can find the simple recipe for these Palace potatoes here.

The Lumberjack Breakfast ($20) comes with 5 silver dollar flapjacks, two eggs, Palace potatoes, and a side of meat. I loved the smashed potatoes too, and probably would order an extra-side of them next time. The bacon was also thick, crisp, and tasty. The pancakes are made from a recipe inspired by research through old American cookbooks, and a couple of the ingredients include buttermilk and lemon. The pancakes were nicely fluffy and light, with a hint of lemon flavor. I ordered a side of toast ($2), but that only included a single slice of toast. If you want more than one slice, you need to ask for it. 

The Pepperell Mill Campus includes a series of connected buildings, located in historic old textile mills, which are home to numerous businesses. It's located next to the Saco River, and from the windows of the Campus, you can see the Saco falls and dam. If you look at the Campus directory, you can see many businesses of interest, including Lucky Pigeon Brewing, Banded Brewing, Round Turn Distilling, Rover Bagel, Time & Tide Coffee, and a number of art studios. 

My favorite stop at the Campus was at Rabelais, an amazing food & drink used and rare bookstore. I used to shop at their former Portland location, but this was my first time to their Biddeford location. The new shop is much larger than it used to be and it contains such a large & diverse selection, including some very rare items. Besides books, they have various ephemera, from restaurant menus to advertisements, and much more. I could easily spend hours there, perusing through all the shelves & boxes. Their service is exceptional as well, and they will help you find books on any subject you desire, even showing you boxes of items which haven't yet been shelved. Highly recommended!

We stopped for coffee and iced tea at Elements: Books, Coffee, Beer, located at 265 Main St. Quite a combination here, a bookstore that offers both alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks. Their coffee is locally roasted, and they have a number of local craft beers on their menu. They also sell hard cider, hard seltzers and wine. In addition, you can find bagels, pastries, cheese boards, and other snacks. A cool place for a rest while you're walking around Biddeford. 

The Awesome Hobby Shop, located at 311 Main St., is a fun comic book and game shop, just a short walk from Elements. Get some of the newest items, or just more collector's items. 

A few of the spots we didn't get the chance to visit, but are on my short list for a future visit include:

--Jack Rabbit, 14 Main St., A Scandinavian inspired bakery.  
--Lorne Wine, 61 Main St., A bar & wineshop

--Nibblesford Cheese Shop, 5 Washington St., A cheese shop.

Finally, on the return home, we stopped at Valerie's Scratch Kitchen, at 45 Boulder Way, Biddeford for breakfast. This is a much larger breakfast spot, with quite an extensive menu, and was nearly full when we arrived on Sunday morning. Breakfast sandwiches, Benedict dishes, Crepes, Pancakes, Waffles, Omelets, French Toast, and more. Most dishes cost under $10, making this a very reasonably priced breakfast spot.  

We began with the Cinnamon-Sugar Donut Bites ($7.99), which were far larger than the usual donut bites. Probably more like five-bite donuts, with a crispy exterior and a softer interior. 

The Bellybuster ($14.99--and the most expensive dish on the menu) includes two eggs, two bacon slices, two sausage links, a ham steak, two pancakes (or French toast), toast and home fries. It would certainly fill anyone's appetite, and was a tasty breakfast. 

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After leaving Biddeford on Friday afternoon, we drove north on Route 1 toward Portland, making several stops on route, whenever we saw a place of interest. I'll note that some places were seasonally closed, like ice cream shops, so there would have been even more places to visit during the spring and summer. 

We checked out the Southern Maine Indoor Flea Market, located at 578 US Route 1, Scarborough, which is quite large, with numerous vendors selling a wide selection of items, from records to clothes, toys to tools, and so much more. If you're a collector of any sort, this market will appeal to you. As the vendors generally aren't present, there's no haggling over price. Some vendors though were running sales, offering discounts on all of the items at their stall. 

We also stopped at one of the locations of Holy Donut, at 398 US Route 1, Scarborough, which produces donuts made from riced potatoes. I've enjoyed their donuts before, impressed by their texture and taste. When I saw it up ahead on the road, I knew I had to stop there for a donut. There are two locations in Portland too, so you can get your donut fix there as well. 

As it was later in the afternoon, their donut selection was smaller than it would be in the morning, but there were still plenty of good choices.

Their Donut prices.

The Toasted Coconut Donut is topped with a coconut glaze and toasted coconut. It was fresh, with a soft exterior and a bit denser and moist interior. A delicious coconut flavor, with the added crunch of the toasted coconut made this an excellent choice. 

The Holy Cannoli Ginger Glazed is topped by sweet cannoli cream, which is added after you order the donut. The donut has a ginger spiced glaze, and its texture is similar to their other donuts. Another very good choice.

The Cheese Iron, located at 200 US Route 1, Scarborough, is a cheese, wine, charcuterie, candy and speciality food shop. Lots of appealing choices here, and there's a very wide range of different cheeses available. They even sell fresh salads and sandwiches. The wine selection has some cool choices and there's lots of other intriguing foods that will entice your palate. I ended up buying a bottle of wine, an Orange Picpoul from Paso Robles, some cheeses (including a goat blue cheese), and some salted caramels. Definitely a worthy spot you should check out. 

Our final stop, before entering downtown Portland, was at Maine Vintage Toys, located at 650 Main Street (on Route 1), South Portland. It sells a variety of older toys, from action figures to Legos, Pokemon to sport cards. One of the cool items are the Lego custom mini-figures, which depict characters from television series, movies, books, and more. You'll find Sesame Street characters as well as famous wrestlers, horror creatures to Disney characters. 

To Be Continued...

All About Vermont

"All in all, Vermont is a jewel state, small but precious."

--Pearl S. Buck

Do you only visit Vermont in the winter, to ski and engage in other winter sports? Well consider Vermont as a destination for the rest of the year too, spring, summer and fall. Every season has something special to offer.  I've actually visited Vermont far more in the summer than any other season, and even more than I've visited Cape Cod. I've also visited Vermont more than any other New England state. It has a special place in my heart. 

Vermont's a fine destination for food and wine lovers, especially for locally produced products. You can visit farms, farmer's markets, wineries, breweries, distilleries, dairies, cheese makers, and much more. A great starting place for information is Dig In Vermont, to find plenty of interesting places to visit. Plus, while visiting Vermont, be sure to stop at the information booths and stands to pick up more local information and maps.

How much do you know about the drinks industry in Vermont?

The Vermont wine industry is about 36 years old, although the first licensed winery in the state was the North River Winery but they did not make wine from grapes, just assorted fruits and especially apples. It wasn't until 1997 that the first commericial winery that used grapes was established, Snow Farm Vineyards. There are also over 60 beer breweries and brewpub throughout the state, producing some of the country's best beers. In addition, there are at least 20 spirit distilleries in the state. 

Agriculturally, Vermont is a diverse land of numerous artisan farms, producing everything from cheese to Waygu beef, honey to Mangalitsa pork. Vermont is also the leading producer of maple syrup in the country. If you love food, there is so much in Vermont to please and tantalize your palate. 

Currently, I've posted 35 articles on Vermont drinks, food, history & culture, I've also referenced Vermont, generally as a subject, in other articles on my blog. I strongly suspect some of my most recent Vermont experiences will end up on my 2021 Annual Favorite lists. 

To help bring more visibility to Vermont, I've compiled all of the links to my Vermont articles into this single post. It shall be a repository of those articles, listed in chronological order from the newest to oldest, and I'll update it when I write a new article about Vermont. This should be helpful to my readers who want to delve deeper into the compelling state of Vermont. 

Vermont Waygu: Pure Breed, Pure Deliciousness

New Sampan Article: Balut Brings Business to Cavendish Game Birds
Cavendish Game Birds: From Quail to Balut
Vermont Raised Mangalitsa Pigs: Bring On The Lard
Social House: A Culinary Treasure in Manchester, Vermont
Chester, Vermont: Helping Hands & Wine, Cheese, Pies, Candy, Donuts, and More
Shacksbury Whistlepig Lo-Ball: A Delicious Barrel Aged Highball Cider
Backacre Beermakers: A Tasty Sour Golden Ale From Vermont
TasteCamp Vermont: When Life Gives You Apples, Make Cider
TasteCamp Vermont: Maple Syrup Wine & Spirits
TasteCamp Vermont: Distilleries, From WhistlePig to Smugglers' Notch
TasteCamp Vermont: Honey & Barrel-Aged Gin From Caledonia Spirits
TasteCamp Vermont: History, Prohibition & Today
Thirst Boston: Distillers Round Table--Dave Pickerell of WhistlePig
Thirst Boston: Craft Cider--From Orchard to Glass
Rant: Vermont, Hybrids & Respect
TasteCamp 2016: Vermont Bound!
Champlain Orchards Cidery: Heirloom Semi-Dry
Vermont Cheesemakers Festival: The Cheeses & Other Foods
Vermont Cheesemakers Festival: The Beverages
Bangkok Bistro in Burlington, Vermont

Dining in Quechee
Boyden Valley Winery 

Vermont Cheesemaker's Festival: Part 3
Vermont Cheesemaker's Festival: Part 2
Vermont Cheesemaker's Festival: Part 1

More Vermont Wines

Vermont: Boyden Valley Winery

Vermont Wineries
Vermont: Cafe Shelburne

Vermont: Enticement Alley--Part 2

Vermont: Enticement Alley--Part 1

Vermont: The Farmer's Diner

Vermont: Food & Wine Destination

There Are Yaks in Vermont!

Chester, Vermont: Helping Hands & Wine, Cheese, Pies, Candy, Donuts, and More

Have you ever visited the small town of Chester, Vermont? 

While in Vermont, I visited my good friend, Christopher Meyer, who founded, with Jason Tostrup of the Free Range restaurant, a charitable, non-profit organization called Chester Helping Hands. It was established during the pandemic to provide food assistance for the local community, such a worthy cause. They currently offer free meals on Wednesdays, provided by local restaurants. They are also supporting local farmers who have provided foods for this program as well. All of these meals are financed through donations, and the workers who help disseminate the meals are volunteers.

On the Wednesday I was in Vermont, Chris and Chester Helping Hands set up their table on The Common in Chester, a street with a number of small businesses, from an antiques shop to a book store. A line of cars queued up to receive their free mails, and about 700 meals were ultimately disseminated. The process ran smoothly and it was inspiring to see how this community has come together to help each other during these tough times. Not only do local residents receive free food, but restaurants and farms receive support as well, helping them as they too are hurting because of the pandemic. 

If you would like to support Chester Helping Hands, you can Venmo them a donation to @ChesterHelpingHands. As they are a 501c3 organization; your donations should be tax-deductible. I'm proud of my friend Chris for having developed such an admirable program.

In the vicinity of The Common in Chester, there's a number of cool food and drink shops too. I made brief stops to a few of these places, although I would like to explore them in more depth in a future trip. Chester is a small town, of only about 3,000 people, but its worth your while to explore this interesting community. Here's a few spots I'd highly recommend you check out.

The Meditrina Wine & Cheese shop is an excellent place with a very compelling beer and wine selection, and some gourmet foods. It's a small store, but there's plenty of food and drink available, filling the shelves floor to ceiling, and I bet you find plenty to tantalize you. The shop also conducts regular wine tastings. I spoke briefly with Amy Anderson, the owner of the shop, and she evidenced the passion for wine I seek from such shop owners. I probably could have sat down with her and spoke about wine for hours.

There is a section of Vermont cheese and gourmet foods, including Torres Potato Chips, one of my favorites. If you're going to drink wine or beer, it's always pleasant to have some snacks too.

There's also a section of local beers and ciders, and this is where I bought the Shacksbury Whistlepig Lo-Ball. Vermont is well known for its craft beers, and there certainly was a wide variety of local offerings for sale. 

These photos are just a small section of the wine shop, and as I skimmed the wine shelves, I found much that appealed to me, including plenty of natural wines, small production wines, and some other intriguing wines, including a Red Vinho Verde (which I bought). They have wine at all price points and any wine lover will find much of interest. This well-curated selection would be impressive wherever it was located. Finding it in the small town of Chester was intriguing and all wine lovers need to make this a stop while they are in southern Vermont.

These "bears" stand outside the Chester Candy Company, a small spot that concentrates primarily on sweet treats made in Vermont and New England. There's plenty of decadent chocolates, fudge, retro-candies, gummies, sours, hard candies, and much more. I enjoyed their Dark Chocolate Bourbon Caramels, which certainly had a prominent bourbon taste. 

Another cool spot is the Southern Pie Company (of which I sadly didn't get any pics), which specializes in pie, especially with a southern flair. Bourbon Pecan Pie, Chess Pie, Buttermilk Pie, Sur Cream Peach Pie, and so much more. The pies looked awesome, and I was very tempted to pick up a pecan pie, but I already had too many treats at the moment. However, they also make some other baked goods, and I got some of their tasty, fudgy brownies. I will get some pie on my next visit. In addition, you'll find a variety of breakfast and lunch sandwiches, and have a variety of drinks, including various coffees. 

Less than a mile away, you should visit Smitty's Chester Market, a small grocery store with plenty of the usual items, as well as a meat counter, beer & wine, and a deli. I visited the deli a couple times, which sells a variety of customizable sandwiches, as well as salads, soups, mac n' cheese, and other dishes. Every day, there is something different offered on the menu.

Their sandwiches are ample, fresh, tasty, and reasonably pricesd. They are also made for take-out only as they don't have a dining area. In addition, they sell a variety of baked goods, made in-house, including amazing Apple Cider Donuts, dipped in cinnamon/sugar, and a hearty Cinnamon Bread. Get there early as those baked goods disappear quickly. 

And you can ever buy worms and nightcrawlers at Smitty's if you want to do some fishing in Vermont lakes and rivers.

So, when will you take your next trip to southern Vermont?

Pairing Feta & Sake: Greece Meets Japan

Greek Feta Cheese paired with Japanese Sake?

It's certainly not a common pairing, and generally isn't suggested in the articles which discuss drink pairings with Feta. Sake and cheese is also not a traditional pairing in Japanese cuisine. However, experimenting with food and drink pairings is fun, and can sometimes lead to some intriguing pairings that you might not otherwise consider.

In my prior article, The Science of Sake & Food Pairings, I discussed some of the scientific reasons why Sake is such a versatile drink that pairs well with all types of foods. It has more than twenty amino acids, more than any other alcohol, and those amino acids help in various ways with food pairings. Sake also possesses an umami element, much more than wine, and that umami element also assists with food pairings. 

I also wrote another, more specific, article, Pairing Cheese & Sake. In that article, I stated, "Both Sake and cheese contain lactic acid, which means they can possess complementary flavors and aromas. As I mentioned before, Sake is usually rich in umami and that works well with other umami foods, including cheeses." I also suggested a number of Sake and cheese pairings. So, the question isn't really whether Sake pairs with Feta Cheese or not, but rather which Sake best pairs with it. 

Feta, a term that means "slice," likely originated during the 17th century, though its ancestry may extend back many more centuries. I purchased three different Fetas from the Greek International Food Market, as they have an excellent selection of Feta, including some barrel aged varieties. The three Fetas included the Dodoni (a sheep's milk, from the southern region of Greece), Arahova Barrel (a sheep's milk, barrel aged), and the Olympus (also sheep's milk). 

All three were delicious, and though they might all look similar, they each have their own unique flavor profile, although they also share some similarities, including a briny aspect. The Olympus was the creamiest of the three, and the Arahova had the most complex melange of flavors. Feta is a versatile cheese, which can be easily added to a myriad of recipes, or simply enjoyed atop a salad. 

The Koshi No Kanbai Sai "Blue River" Junmai Ginjo is a typical Niigata Sake, with a crisp, clean and dry profile, as well as an Acidity of 1.4. It was silky smooth, with more subtle aromatics and flavors, and was a sheer pleasure to drink. Definitely the type of Sake I enjoy. With the Feta Cheeses, it was a good pairing, able to handle the strong flavor of the Feta, as well as its briny character. However, it wasn't a compelling pairing, one which would especially excite your palate. It was just a solid pairing, one which would bring pleasure to many people.

On the other hand, the Fukucho "Seaside" Junmai Sparkling Sake, which I've previously reviewed, was a far more compelling pairing, a match that elevated the experience. First, this Sake has lots of acidity, which is an excellent match for the creamy feta. Second, the Sparkling nature of the Sake also helped to cleanse your plate between tastes of the Feta. Third, the fruitiness of the Sake complemented the more herbal and earthy tastes of the Feta. Fourth, the briny aspect of the Feta was accented by the briny element of the Sake. This Sake would work very well with any Feta heavy dish. And this Sake also earns my hearty recommendation.

I only paired two Sakes with the Feta so there are plenty of additional Sake styles which you can experiment with as a pairing. The Fukucho was certainly an excellent pairing, indicating Sake can pair very well with Feta. Now, it's just a matter of finding all of the Sake types which work well with Feta. 

Feta & Sake: A fine marriage of Greece and Japan.

Boston Bakes Feta: Greek International Food Market Holds A Feta Recipe Contest

Who doesn't love Feta Cheese? The Greek International Food Market, of which I've previously raved, carries several different feta cheeses, including a couple barrel-aged ones, such as the Horio Barrel Aged Feta, Parnassos Barrel Aged Feta, and Dodoni Feta Cheese. That tasty salty tang to the crumbly and moist feta is appealing, and it can be enjoyed on its own, atop salads, in sandwiches, or in other recipes. There is also a unique depth of flavor to the barrel-aged fetas, with a mild woody, herbal tinge.

Maybe the first U.S. newspaper to discuss Feta Cheese in any detail was the Sun & New York Press, March 9, 1919, in an article titled, "Greek Feta Cheese Makers Use Primitive Methods." The article began, “A cheese in brine, commercially known as feta or fetta cheese, is manufactured in Greece under circumstances so simple and surroundings so primitive as almost to debar it from a place under the heading manufactures, since it is virtually a natural product.”

The article continued, “It is made by shepherds scattered over the mountainous portion of Greece, each man preparing the cheese in his tiny hut.” And they all basically created feta in the same manner. “The milk, generally sheep’s milk, is poured into large receptacles and slowly heated, if necessary, to bring it to a temperature approximating body heat, on order that fermentation may take place advantageously.” Next, “Rennet is then added to the milk, and when properly curdled the whey is decanted and the curds wrapped in cheesecloth woven from wool. The mass is slowly pressed by twisting the empty upper part of the bag until all free whey is squeezed out, when the bad is hung up to drip for a period of ten to twenty-four hours, depending upon the humidity of the atmosphere and the speed of evaporation in conjunction with the pressure exerted by the weight of the mass.”

The details of the process were continued. “At the end of this period the solid mass of casein is unwrapped and sliced and dry salt is liberally sprinkled over the slices. The salt absorbs much of the moisture still left in the curds and the saline solution is then quickly re-absorbed by the cheese.” It was then noted that, “The salting process generally is completed within twenty-four hours and the cheese is then ready to be packed in wooden barrels holding from 112 to 169 pounds. After four or five days ripening the cheese is ready to eat. Its taste from this point until it begins to deteriorate is not unlike Devonshire curds, if salt and a little cayenne pepper be substituted for the sugar and cream with which that familiar product is most frequently eaten.

It also didn't take long for U.S. cheese producers to make their own attempts at Feta Cheese. The Ithaca Journal (NY), April 23, 1925, reported that John Talarougas, a native of Greece and resident of New York, recently bought 100 sheep, intending to make. The article stated, “The cheese is now made in some sections of Vermont and New Hampshire, in which cows’ milk is utilized.” It was also noted that only 2 pounds of raw sheep milk are needed for 1 pound of feta, compared to the need for 5 pounds of cow's milk. This type of feta cost about 80 cents per pound. 

Fast forward to the present, when In early 2021, the U.S. was taken by storm when a recipe for baked feta pasta went viral on the popular app TikTok, acquiring millions of views. The recipe first became popular in Finland in 2018, a creation of a Finnish food blogger.  

Inspired by this trend, the Greek International Food Market  has launched #BostonBakesFeta, a challenge for people to create their own unique dishes with this classic Mediterranean cheese. The possibilities are endless and go far beyond the original baked feta pasta dish. Feta is certainly a versatile ingredients, and you're limited only to your imagination.  

Individuals will be recognized for forging new feta frontiers and the Greek International Food Market will reward one creative “chef” with $100 of feta products.

To be considered, you must post your photo or videos, along with your recipe on Instagram by April 1, 2021 and tag @greekinternational. The market will share favorites (based on creativity and taste) and announce a winner by April 5.

“We can’t wait to build on the feta movement with our customers’ creations,” said Katerina Iliades, owner. “Since childhood, this cheese has been one of my favorite foods. I’m excited to sample some delicious new dishes.”

So, get your culinary brain pondering a new Feta recipe! Though I haven't created my own Feta recipe, I have been pondering how Feta would make an excellent pairing with Japanese Sake. I've written about cheese and Sake pairings before, and the briny nature of feta brings to mind briny oysters, which also pair great with Sake. I'm sure in time I might come up with an interesting Feta and Sake recipe.

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) Guests are invited to continue the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations with Glendalough Distillery, Ireland’s first craft distillery, on Wednesday, March 28, at 6:30pm, at Formaggio Kitchen in Cambridge. While wine often takes the spotlight, whiskey and cheese make excellent partners, and you'd be hard-pressed to find stronger advocates for that fact than the team behind this class. Guests are welcomed to join Dan Pontius, Bar Manager of Alden and Harlow and Donal O'Gallachoir, a representative for Glendalough Distillery, along with Julia Hallman, cheesemonger and general manager at Formaggio Kitchen Cambridge, for a spectacular evening of whiskey and cheese.

During this edible lesson on how and why whiskey and cheese pair so well together, Donal will explain the origin and rich history of Glendalough Distillery as well as the vast and distinct flavors associated with the various types. Next, Julia will discuss a variety of cheeses, how they are made and what characteristics make them a perfect complement for whiskey. Together, they'll plate up some of our favorite cheeses alongside a variety of whiskey styles in a multi-flight tasting to illustrate the toothsome and tasty potential of this kind of pairing. Lastly, not to be outdone, Dan will whip up a couple whiskey cocktails highlighting Glendalough Distillery which will be perfectly paired with cheese.

More details below on the latest from Glendalough Whiskey:
Founded by five friends from Wicklow and Dublin with a deep passion for reviving the heritage of craft distilling in Ireland, Glendalough Distillery has forged their own path to produce innovative spirits while staying true to the tradition and legacy of their Irish ancestors. Glendalough (meaning The Valley of Two Lakes) is a glacial valley nestled in the Wicklow Mountains renowned for its early medieval monastic settlement founded in the 6th century by St. Kevin, a legendary monk and the man depicted on their bottle.

The Double Barrel Irish Whiskey gains its sweet, smooth vanilla notes from three years in bourbon barrels before being transferred to 500 litre Oloroso casks from Montilla, for up to a year, where it becomes steeped in rich, dark, fruity and floral flavors (raisins, sultanas, fig, candied peel, cinnamon and nutmeg) with a nutty, complex finish.

The 7 Year Old Single Malt gets its flavor from Dublin’s Black Pitts Porter craft beer barrels, the deep, dark flavors of chocolate malt and roasted barley give the whiskey its cocoa, toffee and dark-chocolate-orange notes.

The 13 Year Old Single Malt is the first and only Irish whiskey that uses Japanese Mizunara oak. Extremely rare and expensive, the oak is found in the forests of Hokkaido; its high levels of vanillins pack a punch, with exquisite sandalwood flavors, layered with honey, and citrusy notes for a distinctly unique tasting whiskey.

Tickets cost $65 and you can purchase them through Eventbrite.

2) Executive Chef Nick Deutmeyer and the team at Post 390 are calling all cheese lovers for a special Massachusetts Cheese Trail Farm to Post menu, featuring a special kick off dinner showcasing the top Massachusetts cheese farmers.

Post 390 welcomes guest for a Farm to Post dinner on Wednesday, April 4, from 6pm-9pm, with the spotlight on Massachusetts artisan cheese farmers. Executive Chef Nick Deutmeyer takes guests on a journey through each course, highlighting specific notes of each decadent cheese and their perfect flavor pairings. Chef Nick has crafted a special Farm to Post menu to showcase these exquisite cheeses from award-winning local farms such as Upinngil Farm, Ruggles Hill Creamery, and Westfield Farm. Guests can mix and mingle with representatives from each farm, who will be onsite to share some details about their unique cheeses. The event kicks off at 6:00 p.m. and begins with a welcome reception followed by a seated four-course dinner.

The Massachusetts Cheese Trail dinner menu is as follows:
RECEPTION
Upinngil Farm (Gill, MA)
Upinggillar, Spinach, Bacon, Paté Brisée
Feta, Cucumber, Oven Roasted Tomato
Ayrshire, Herbed Butter Cracker, Jagerwurst
FIRST COURSE
Robinson Farm (Hardwick, MA)
Arpeggio "the aroma and flavor notes of the terroir in one bite"
Early Spring Asparagus, Sugar-Stack Ham, Foraged Morels, Caramelized Onion Soubise
SECOND COURSE
Ruggles Hill Creamery (Hardwick, MA)
Greta's Fair Haven "fruity, peppery, and densely textured"
Chilled Roast Chicken, Marbled Rye, Pickled Green Strawberries, Cracked Black Pepper, Green Peas
ENTRÉE
Westfield Farm (Hubbardston, MA)
Hubbardston Blue Cow "surface ripened...very soft and creamy center"
Garlic & Herb Leg of Lamb, Duck Fat Fried Potatoes, Lemon Smashed Peas, Pan Drippings
DESSERT
Smith Country Cheese (Winchendon, MA)
Extra Aged Gouda "creamy, nutty parm-like cheese"
Strawberry & Almond 'Shortcake', Aged Gouda Ice Cream, Strawberry-Gouda Crumb, Rhubarb Jam, Toasted Almonds
Take Home
Shy Brother’s Farm (Westport Point, MA)
Hannahbells "thimble-shaped morsels that pack a dramatic throw-weight of pungency and lingering flavor"

Tickets are $55 per person and include tax, gratuity, and beverage pairings. They can be purchased through Eventbrite. Reservations are required.

3) On Wednesday, March 28, from 7 to 10 pm, Joe's American Bar & Grill at 181 Newbury Street is hosting their second annual Down East Cider dinner. Guests will be able to enjoy a special menu prepared by new Executive Chef Scott Gagne featuring 5 courses of culinary treats paired with a different cider variation from the cider brewery for just $50 (excludes tax and gratuity).

The courses and cider pairings (all gluten free) are as follows:
AMUSE-BOUCHE
Oyster on the half shell with grapefruit and jalapeño granita
Cider Pairing: Hopped Grapefruit
STARTER
Gazpacho three ways with yellow heirloom tomatoes, yellow bell peppers, beets, lemongrass, ginger, and cucumber aspic
Cider Pairing: Ginger
APPETIZER
Purple Peruvian potato skins stuffed with double cider and chipotle braised chicken, and topped with a chicken skin crackling
Cider Pairing: Double Cider
ENTRÉE
Aloha pork wing with coconut pineapple rice, and hazelnuts wrapped in a banana leaf
Cider Pairing: Aloha Friday
DESSERT
Housemate ice cream floats with chocolate cookies and ice cream
Cider Pairing: Roasted Joe

Tickets are limited and can be purchased via the Joe's Down East Cider Dinner Eventbrite page.

4) Chef Chris Coombs and the Boston Chops staff invite guests to join them for a special four course Bourdeaux-inspired wine dinner on Monday, April 2nd, at 7 p.m. The evening will feature wine from France's wine capital, paired with a delectable Spring menu crafted by Chef Chris Coombs.

The menu will include:
To Begin
Bay Scallop Ceviche, Grapefruit, Tarragon Oil, Meyer Lemon
Chateau La Dame Blanche Bordeaux Blanc
Second
Truffled Mushroom Tartine, Boucheron, Micro Arugula
Chateau Pey Lescours St Emilion
Main
Grilled Hanger Steak, First of the Season Nettles, Fingerling Potatoes, Native Pea Greens
Chateau Haut-Vigneau Pessac Leognan
To Finish
Orange Blossom Gateau, Champagne Mango & Cara Cara Orange, Vanilla Glace
Castelnau de Suduiraut Sauternes

Tickets are $79 plus tax and gratuity, and can be reserved by calling (617) 227-5011.

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) Chef/Owner Michael Schlow, Chef de Cuisine Brendan Pelley, the Doretta Taverna team, and Banville Wine Merchants invite guests to join them for their upcoming wine dinner. On Wednesday, November 8, at 6:30pm, Doretta Taverna and Raw Bar will be hosting a special, five-course wine dinner with Chef Brendan Pelley and Banville Wine Merchants.

The evening will include a cocktail meet and greet at 6:30 p.m. followed by a sit-down dinner at 7 p.m. The meal will feature delicious, off-menu fall dishes paired with a carefully curated selection of Banville wines.

Tickets are $100 plus tax and gratuity and can be purchased at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/doretta-wine-dinner-tickets-39206442525?aff=eac2

2) Gaslight Brasserie du Coin, located in Boston’s historic South End, is celebrating its roots by offering an Alsace-inspired prix-fixe menu with carefully curated wine pairings by Trimbach wines. Beginning November 1, Gaslight is introducing an exclusive and authentic Alsace Prix Fixe Menu available through the months of November and December.

Gaslight’s Alsace Three Course Prix Fixe Menu ($33 per person):
Trimbach Wine Pairing (supplement $17 per person)
Available in addition to the regular dinner menu

Hors d’Oeuvres (Choice of One)
Wine Pairing: Trimbach Pinot Blanc
--Quiche Lorraine (Petite Salade)
--Spätzle (Wild Mushrooms and Spinach)
--Bisque de Courgette (Butternut Squash, Apples, Ginger, and House-cured Bacon Lardons)

Plats Principaux (Choice of One)
Wine Pairing: Choice of Trimbach Pinot Gris, Riesling or Pinot Noir
--Poulet avec Riesling (Chicken Braised with Riesling, Cabbage, Prunes and Roasted Creamer Potatoes)
--Choucroute Garni (Duck Confit, Sausages, House-made Bacon With Apple-braised Sauerkraut)
--Shnitzel du Porc (Fingerling Potatoes, Chili Mignonette, and Buttermilk Vinaigrette)

Dessert (Choice of One)
Wine Pairing: Choice of Trimbach Pear or Raspberry Cordial
--Crème Brulée (Tahitian Vanilla Bean and Fresh Berries)
--Gateau Aux Pommes (Vanilla Ice Cream and Caramel Sauce)

Featured Draft Pour: Kronenbourg 1664 Draft ($4)

3) On Tuesday, November 14, from 6pm-9pm, North End seafood destination il Molo will team up with local wine expert Christian Trotta and Fantasy Fine Wines for a special five-course dinner harmonized with selections from Marco Bonfante wines, an Italian winery set in the south of Piedmont with a long and illustrious winemaking history. Now run by brother-sister duo Marco and Micaela Bonfante, the winery has been producing exceptional wines for eight generations.

il Molo’s Executive Chef Pino Maffeo has prepared an Italian-inspired menu that will take guests’ taste buds on a culinary journey, while Trotta enhances each course with his carefully selected wine pairings.

MENU
First Course
Smoked Salmon, Rye, Mustard, and Caviar
Roero Arneis 2015
Second Course
Seared Foie Gras and House Made Panettone
Barbera D'Asti “Stella Rossa” 2015
Third Course
Wild Mushroom Pappardelle and Fresh Truffle
Langhe Nebbiolo 2014
Fourth Course
Braised Short Rib and Fresh Truffle Polenta
Bonfante Barolo 2012
Dessert
House Made Coconut Cake
Albarone Albarossa 2011

COST: The cost is $120.00 per person. Excludes tax and gratuity.
MORE INFO: For more information, please call 857-277-1895. To purchase tickets, please visit: http://www.ilmoloboston.com/store/event/il-molo-and-christian-trotta-present-marco-bonfante-wines-of-piemonte

4) On the first Thursday of December for the past eight years, the Town of Concord has been sent a tremendous wheel of Crucolo cheese, direct from the producer in Trentino, Italy. Every year, the festivities surrounding the cheese’s arrival in Concord have grown to include more and more segments of the town’s population: from students to selectmen; from merchants to musicians, and from the young to the young at heart.

New for 2017 is a team of magnificent Belgian draft horses, and a full contingent of brass instruments.

At 3:30 PM on Thursday, December 7 where Main and Walden streets intersect, this free, colorful and boisterous parade will provide spectators with an hour of old fashioned fun as a team of horses hauls the giant cheese down the street in a straw-filled wooden cart, guarded by Militia-men, and accompanied by the blare of brass instruments spurring on high-spirited dancers from Concord Academy. Those who arrive early (highly suggested) are given Italian flags to wave as the cheese passes by.

After a brief round of speeches, echoed by the crowd, the Crucolo cheese is then carved on a raised stage and subsequently sampled by all. The cheese – a mild asiago fresco made from cow’s milk -- is sold at The Cheese Shop of Concord, and in the past has sold out in less than 2 weeks.

5) Chef/Owner Delio Susi and his talented team welcome guests to Sulmona, his recently debuted restaurant in the heart of Kendall Square, for a seasonally inspired Hunter’s Dinner during the month of November, from the 1st-22nd. Chef Delio Susi serves soulful Italian food inspired by his hometown of Sulmona and he has an undying appreciation for using only the finest sourced ingredients.

This November, Chef Delio invites guests to savor the bold flavors of the New England bounty with his Hunter’s Dinner. The Hunter’s Dinner can be enjoyed as a prix fixe menu ($55/person) or a la carte, with or without a three course wine pairing (+$15/person). Prices do not include tax and gratuity.

FIRST COURSE
Choice of
--Pan Roasted Quail, Golden Raisins, Herbed Couscous $17
--Autumn Bruschetta, Butternut Squash Caponata, Fresh Ricotta and Garlic Toast $16
--Pumpkin Arancini, Fontina Cheese, Marinara, Grated Cheese $12
SECOND COURSE
Choice of
--Rabbit Triangoli, Caccitore Style, Grana Padano Cheese Swiss Chard $29
--Venison Rack, Parsnip Mashed Potatoes, Heirloom Carrots, Huckleberry Demi $35
--Rainbow Trout, Browned Butter, Sage, Roasted Root Vegetables, Citrus Gremolata $30
THIRD COURSE
Choice of
--Huckleberry Cobbler, served warm with Vanilla Gelato $11
--Apple Cider Sorbet $9

To make reservations, please call 617-714-4995

6) Puritan & Co. Chef/Owner Will Gilson exhibits his culinary talent by paying homage to Harvest season with a multi-course dinner focusing on Fall Flavors. Puritan & Company in Inman Square offers guests a taste of the cuisine that is inspired by the bounty of New England’s local farms with a six course, prix-fixe dinner on Thursday, November 16, from 6pm-9pm. The dinner will be served communal-style and will include carafes of wine at each table.

The menu includes:

hors d’oeuvres
clothbound cheddar-stuffed kielbasa with mustard & apples
potato mille fueille with caviar, crème fraiche & chives
parmesan polenta fritter with sage pesto & pine nuts
beet fritter with salmon tartare & horseradish
first
braised pork shoulder- squash, chicories, rosemary chutney, puffed wild rice
second
celery root bisque- lobster, black truffle, parmesan, meyer lemon
third
seared scallops- sweet potato, leeks, brown butter, piperade
fourth
slow-roasted ribeye- kale & mushroom crepe, celery root, truffle jus
dessert
apple cider donut- pumpkin mousse, candied pecans, bourbon caramel, cinnamon ice cream

The dinner is $85 per person and reservations can be made by logging onto Eventbrite or by calling 617-615-6195.

The Cheese Shop of Concord Turns 50! Upcoming Events.

The Cheese Shop of Concord opened its doors 50 years ago, in 1967. Back then, America was familiar with just a handful of cheeses: cheddar and Swiss, meunster and havarti, cream cheese, brie and roquefort. Today’s consumer is familiar with, and obsessed to buy, dozens more.

Cheeses from New England, California, and every state in between. Cheeses imported not only from France and Holland, but New Zealand and the Azores. Cheeses made from cow, sheep and goat milks. Tiny wheels and giant wheels; at up to $50 per pound.

It’s a sea change from 1967. Today’s cheesemonger, therefore, must be knowledgeable about thousands of cheeses, and keep them in stock and ready for consumption.

For 50 years, The Cheese Shop of Concord has been a regional resource for all things cheesey under just three proprietors: the first from 1967-1976, the second from 1976 to 2003, and Peter Lovis from 2003 to the present. The shop is obviously doing something right, but what is it? Locals say it all boils down to the shop’s motto: “Where shopping is an Old World pleasure.”

“There’s something to be said for the old fashioned give and take between merchant and customer that was taken for granted in 1967, but is missing in today’s impersonal, e-commerce environment,” says Lovis.

In celebration of its 50th birthday, The Cheese Shop of Concord plans a variety of public events in 2017.

Going To Txotx On Sunday 
Sunday, May 21 from 1-4 PM
A txotx (pronounced chuch) is a traditional Basque festival that heralds the readiness of hard cider pressed from regional apples. This unique outdoor event will take place at the scenic Concord Rod & Gun Club, located on Strawberry Hill Road, just a few miles north of downtown Concord. In case of rain, the event will be moved indoors, to a vintage sportsman’s lodge overlooking the club’s private pond.

A highlight of the event will be the Blessing of the Barrel, when a 55-gallon wooden barrel is tapped, and its contents literally spurt into one’s glass like a faucet. Attendees can also watch as local cider apples pass through an apple press for bottling and drinking later this summer.

Each $65 admission ticket entitles the bearer to enjoy: a take-home cider glass from which to quaff unlimited samples from New England’s top hard cidermakers, and a bounty of Basque-inspired food including grilled steak, cod frittatas, olives, nuts, cheeses and more. At press time, these 8 cidermakers have confirmed participation:

* Artifact Cider
* Bantam
* Carr’s Ciderhouse
* Good Life
* Pony Shack
* Shacksbury
* Snowdrift
* Zoll Cellars

In addition, attendees will receive a complimentary 22 ounce bottle of hard cider, made from apples hand-pressed at the event on May 21 and carefully fermented until late July. Folks will be advised when the cider is ready to drink, and bottle pick-up will be available at The Cheese Shop of Concord.

Tickets for Concord’s first-ever txotx will be on sale at www.EventBrite.com beginning May 1st.

Birthday Grill-a-thon 
Saturday, July 22, 11 AM-3 PM
The Cheese Shop of Concord’s 50th birthday will be celebrated on this day with a gargantuan birthday cake, and slices are free to anyone who stops by. In addition, the shop’s executive chef will have a “sausage stand” set up out front to sell grilled brats, wursts and hot dogs all afternoon. The party coincides with the Town of Concord’s annual Sidewalk Sale, so plan to come and spend the whole day.

In-Store Classes
Beginning in September, from 6:30 - 8:00 PM
A series of four evening classes, after-hours in the shop, are open to enthusiasts who are curious about the countless varieties of cheeses being produced, about aged meats like salami or prosciutto that pair well with them, and about beverages that love to accompany cheese. Enrollment is limited to 12 students per session, and the cost is $40 per student. Dates and times are shown below:

* Tuesday, September 13: Cheese 101 with proprietor Peter Lovis
* Tuesday, September 20: Beer, Wine and Mead with Mike Reilly
* Tuesday, September 27: Charcuterie 101 with Chef Justin Kopaz
* Tuesday, October 4:Easy Entertaining with Cheese, with Keir Weinberg

Crucolo Cheese Parade
Thursday, December 7, starts at 3:30 PM
For the eighth consecutive year, the Cheese Shop and the Town of Concord welcome a 400-lb. wheel of crucolo cheese from Trentino, Italy with a lively street parade of flags, speeches, horses, live music, dancing and of course, tasting. Video of the 2016 and previous parades can be viewed at the Cheese Shop’s YouTube channel.

Boston Wine Expo: Food Finds

As I mentioned previously, the Boston Wine Expo had numerous food exhibitors, many offering free samples of their products. This was beneficial with all of the wine offered in the Grand Tasting as you had a way to refresh your palate, and help soak up the alcohol. You also possessed the opportunity to try some food & wine pairings. Some wines, especially the more tannic ones, taste better when consumed with food. In addition, you could find some new food products that you'll want to later buy and eat at home, take to a party, or share with family & friends.

I'm certainly interested in finding new food products so my wanders through the Grand Tasting Hall always include checking out the various culinary booths. I'm going to highlight some of my favorite food finds from the Expo, and would like to hear about your own favorites too.

Wine & cheese can be an excellent pairing and there were plenty of cheese samples at the Expo. I wandered from Yancey's Fancy New York Artisan Cheese (pictured above) to Cabot Creamery, from Finlandia to Kerry Gold. Each vendor offered several different varieties and flavors of cheese, allowing you to play more with various potential wine pairings.

Several restaurants had booths at the Expo, sampling out one of their dishes. For example, The Living Room offered Momos, a South Asian dumpling, native to Tibet and Nepal. You could get a Vegetable or Beef Momo, and then add your choice of sauce, from Soy-Sake to Sweet Chili. I enjoyed the meaty Beef Momo, and stopped by the booth multiple times.

McCrea's Candies, which regularly has a booth at the Expo, produces a diverse variety of tasty caramels and I've been a fan of their caramels for about five years. Some of their flavors include the following: Black Lava Sea Salt, Single Malt Scotch, Rosemary Truffle Sea Salt, and Ginger Fusion. I'm also pleased that this is a local company, another reason for my support. These caramels can pair well with some dessert wines, such as Cream Sherry, or even sparkling wines. I would like to do a taste test, pairing some of these caramels with hard cider.

Another local producer is Top Shelf Cookies, which makes a variety of fresh cookies from a kitchen in Dorchester. Owner Heather Yunger, a huge Boston Bruins fan, began with her Black & Golds, a chewy dark chocolate cookie studded with peanut butter chips. She makes around 17 different types of cookies, such as the Cocoverdose, a chocolate lover's dream with its three kinds of cocoa and three kinds of chocolate chips. The Fluffernutter is a very local cookie, using peanut butter from Everett and Marshmallow Fluff from Somerville.

Primizie Thick Cut Crispbreads gave away plenty of sample bags of their various flavors. I'll be talking more about Primizie in its own post in the near future, but in short, these are thick, tasty chips, perfect for using with dips.

I was impressed with the crunchy cheese bites from Umland's Pure Dry, a Midwest family-owned company which was just founded last year. They use "100% natural kosher Wisconsin cheese", as well as gluten free, which is vacuum dried into tiny crunchy pieces. There are three flavors: Crunchy Cheddar, Gouda and Pepper Jack. When you look at the back of the package, and look at the ingredients, all you will see is a single ingredient, Cheese! I found these to be nearly addictive, and it's very easy to devour a bag of these crunchy cheese snacks. Though my favorite flavor was the Gouda, the other two were tasty as well. I like the crunchy texture of these snacks, and would like to use these atop a salad or in some other dish.

The local producers continue! Yummy Yammy, based in New England, makes 100% sweet potato salsas which use no tomatoes. You can find three different varieties, including Moroccan, Tuscan, and Mexican (which comes in three heat levels). My favorite was the Moroccan Salsa (medium heat), which is made with Curry, Lentil & Kale. It has a strong and delicious curry flavor and is an excellent dip, though I could easily see that as an ingredient in a variety of dishes. It only has a mild spicy kick and I would like to see another version of this Salsa with more heat. The Tuscan Salsa (medium heat) is made with roasted red pepper, white bean and basil. It is a thicker salsa, with rich flavors, and a mild spicy kick. The Medium Mexican Salsa, which is made with corn, black bean, lime juice, and chipotle, was also rich in flavor and has a different, but compelling, flavor from usual tomato salsa.

What were your favorite food finds at the Expo?