I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I highlight some interesting, upcoming food & drink events..
**********************************************************
1) On Monday, June 2, at 6:30pm, Terramia Ristorante, located on Salem Street in the North End, is celebrating the long standing history of Frescobaldi wines with a five-course Tuscan wine dinner. The Frescobaldi family has over 700 years of winemakers dedicated to serving the highest quality Tuscan wines. Established in 1300, their faithful clients have included everyone from great Renaissance artists to the Papal and English Courts. Centuries later they were the first in Tuscany to plant Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Nero and Chardonnay, and to this day they continue to change the wine industry.
At this Frescobaldi dinner, will sample Chef Luiz Prata’s hand-crafted five course menu paired with Frescobaldi’s Tuscan wines. The meal will start with Tonno Crudo, a sushi grada tuna tartare with cherry tomatoes, avocado, and micro greens salad matched with a 2013 Frescobaldi Pomino Bianco Chardonnay. The second course follows with Torta, smoked tomato and braised onion tart topped with goat cheese and mâche greens alongside a 2011 Frescobaldi Nipozzano Chianti Rufina Riserva. As the night continues, guests are treated to spinach and feta filled Ravioli Amatriciana with smoked pancetta, spicy Collina tomato sauce, pecorino and parigiano, paired with a 2011 Tenuta di Frescobaldi. The fourth course includes the Bistecca, a prime filet mignon complete with sweet potato mash, sautéed baby spinach and red wine reduction complimented by a 2008 Frescobaldi Castel Giocondo Brunello di Montalcino. The evening will finish on a sweet note, a Budino Di Pane, salted caramel bread pudding with vanilla gelato, is enjoyed with a 2006 Frescobaldi Pomino Vin Santo.
Ciro Pirone, Director of Italian Wines at Horizon Beverage Company will be on hand to discuss the nuances and history behind each and every wine.
Cost: The dinner is $70 per person (+tax and gratuity).
Reservations are required and can be made by calling Terramia at 617-523-3112.
2) Last summer, Fruit Center debuted an outdoor grilling series – offering free lunch for its customers -- with a unique twist: manning the grill in the supermarket’s parking lot were recognizable chefs from South Shore restaurants, rolling up their white-jacketed sleeves to serve up mini-samples of recipes lifted from their own impressive menus, but made with meats, seafood and produce given to them by Fruit Center.
A repeat of the outdoor grilling series for summer 2015 was a no-brainer. The chefs that'’ll appear at Milton Marketplace and the Hingham Harbor location are a mix of both familiar and emerging culinary personalities.
Grilling demonstrations at Fruit Center are free of charge and lunch items will vary. Look for the big white tent and the smoking grill in Fruit Center parking lots on the following dates between 11:30 am and 1pm.
Saturday, June 27 in Milton
Alex Horowitz, TAVOLO, Dorchester
Alex is likely to draw inspiration from any of the 22 regions of Italy
Saturday, July 11 in Milton
Jenna Perette, JENNA’S DRIVE-IN, Weymouth
Grilled Shrimp Tacos with special sauce will be on the menu today
Saturday, July 18 in Hingham
Andrea Schnell, SQUARE CAFÉ, Hingham
Back by popular demand, this personable young female chef has promised us a delicious surprise
Saturday, August 1 in Milton
Chris Douglass, ASHMONT GRILL, Dorchester
Chris has kept the neighborhood happy for almost ten years with his local and comfortable American menu
Saturday, August 22 in Hingham
Jes Childers, NEW WORLD TAVERN, Plymouth
This South Shore newcomer is worth discovering, with a selection of global dishes grilled right
3) To complement its nearly 120 whiskey selections, Saloon in Somerville’s Davis Square is debuting a new menu to satisfy the palates (and stomachs) of the brown liquor faithful. Designed by Executive Chef Shayne Nunes, this pre-Prohibition restaurant and bar’s refreshed and expanded menu focuses on shareable, savory cuisine to pair with its extensive roster of alternative whiskey and scotch selections creating the ultimate social experience.
To start, there are over a dozen hors d’oeuvres to choose from. To showcase the season’s bounty, Chef Nunes serves up Saloon Street Corn (two grilled cobs, spicy remoulade, cotija cheese, grilled lime - $7); Watermelon & Watercress Salad (feta, granola, fig-balsamic vinaigrette - $9); and, Local Heirloom Tomato Salad (beefsteak tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, pistachio-basil ricotta, reduced balsamic - $12). For heartier whiskey-friendly bites, there is Grilled Bratwurst (tomatillo relish, smoked honey mustard, brioche finger roll - $6); Baby Back Ribs (whiskey BBQ, peach-purple cabbage slaw - $10); Picatta Chicken Wings (roasted garlic, capers, parmesan, lemon-butter sauce, fresh herbs - $8); and, Crispy Potato Wedges (garlic, parmesan, pork belly, horseradish mayo - $7).
For turophiles balancing the art of spirits and cheese, there is an Artisan Cheese Board (selection of three cheeses with assorted fruits - $13) and meat-lovers can sharpen their appreciations with the Charcuterie Board (selection of three cured meats with mustard and toast - $14). Saloon also will continue to serve up its signature Devils on Horseback (feta-stuffed dates wrapped in bacon - $9), inspired by a taste in history when the Norsemen invaded England and wore rashers of bacon as armor while on horseback.
For entrees, there are five options that come enveloped in refined succulence and are a perfect complement to your malt of choice including the Tenderloin Steak Tips (bourbon marinade, roasted garlic-potato purée, red watercress salad, crispy shallot, picked red onion - $24); Pan-Roasted Atlantic Swordfish (creole potato salad, grilled peaches, golden peach BBQ - $24); Arline Chicken Breast (fig and chorizo stuffed, smoked Gouda polenta, baby kale, lemon-butter sauce - $20); Grilled Stuffed Avocado (red quinoa-charred corn salad, heirloom cherry tomatoes, pistachio-ricotta, farm egg, sriracha - $15); and, the Rodeo Burger (USDA prime, Great Hill blue cheese, crispy onion strings, whiskey BBQ, garlic parmesan fries, brioche bun - $15).
4) Are you ready to rumble? On July 1, at 5:30pm, Puritan & Company is hosting a Rosé Rumble in the next installation of “Wine Wednesdays.” Puritan & Co. Chef/Owner Will Gilson, Chef de Cuisine Alex Saenz, Wine Director Peter Nelson and the restaurant’s team are featuring 15 different varieties of Rosé paired with small bites.
Guests are invited to say “Yes Way, Rosé!” where they can mix, mingle and sample at this celebration of the pink-hued wines. Passed appetizers and small plates will be paired with a selection of 15 rosé wines to make this event a little more special than most.
Cost: Tickets are $65
Reservations are required so please call 617-615-6195 or log onto www.picatic.com/roserumble
Showing posts with label hingham. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hingham. Show all posts
Thursday, June 25, 2015
Thursday, September 4, 2014
Thursday Sips &Nibbles
I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I highlight some interesting wine and food items that are upcoming.
**********************************************************
1) Boston, more than most other cities of its size, is chock full of talented home and professional cooks who have had cookbooks published in the past year or two. Fruit Center Marketplace reached out to five notable cookbook authors who live and work within an hour of their two stores. The result is a full month of in-store cookbook sales and on-the-spot autographing by the authors.
Locations, dates and times vary, as shown below, and cookbook quantities are limited. There is no charge to meet and speak to these authors. Book sales will be available by cash or major credit card. Look for these culinary experts at the front of each store.
Amy Traverso
The Apple Lover’s Cookbook
Thursday, September 11
4-5 PM in the Milton store
Cost: $30 per autographed copy
Winner of IACP’s "Best Cookbook" award in 2012. Apple Lover's Cookbook celebrates the beauty of apples in all their delicious variety, taking you from the orchard to the kitchen with recipes both sweet (like Apple-Stuffed Biscuit Buns and Blue Ribbon Deep-Dish Apple Pie) and savory (like Cider-Brined Turkey and Apple Squash Gratin). It offers a full-color guide to fifty-nine apple varieties, with descriptions of their flavor, history, and, most important, how to use them in the kitchen. Amy is an editor at Yankee magazine.
Beatrice Peltre’
La Tartine Gourmand
Saturday, September 13
1-2 PM in the Milton store
Cost: $20 per autographed copy
What could be sweeter than life with friendship and food at its center? For Béatrice Peltre, author of the award-winning blog LaTartineGourmande.com, to cook is to delight in the best of what life has to offer. Welcome to a world where flavors are collected as souvenirs and shared as heirlooms, and where the dishes we create are expressions of our joie de vivre. With nearly 100 recipes and charming anecdotes, La Tartine Gourmande takes you on a journey, not only through the meals of the day but around the world, as Béa revisits her inspiration for each dish.
Leigh Belanger
The Boston Homegrown Cookbook
Wednesday, September 17
4-5 PM in the Hingham store
Cost: $30 per autographed copy
This cookbook features mouth-watering recipes from almost 30 top-name chefs and restaurants in the Boston area who subscribe to the philosophy that locally grown, sustainable foods taste best. Yes, you can recreate dishes from Ana Sortun, Kevin Long, Nuno Alves and Jody Adams ! Recipes are lavishly illustrated with colorful photos of the dishes, chefs, and local farmers from around the region who are dedicated to growing the best local foods.
Catherine Walthers
Kale, Glorious Kale
Book Signing Tuesday, September 23
1-2 PM in the Hingham store
Cost: $17 per autographed copy
Cooking Class Wednesday, September 24
5:30-7:00 PM in the 2nd floor café’ at the Milton store
$25 for 90-minute cooking class; cost includes an autographed cookbook
Now, with the guidance of cookbook author Cathy Walthers – whose other top sellers include Raising the Salad Bar and Soups & Sides – every home cook can explore the multitude of ways this most healthy of foods can be made into delectable and satisfying meals. From Baked Eggs over Kale in the morning to main courses like Chicken Braised with Kale and Cider, Kale, Glorious Kale, which hit bookstores on September 15, will be your complete guide to the greatest of green vegetables.
Paula Marcoux
Cooking with Fire
Saturday, September 27
12-1 PM in the Milton store
Also from 3-4 PM in the Hingham store the same day
Cost: $20 per autographed copy
Cooking with live fire goes way beyond the barbecue grill, says Marcoux, who is food editor of Edible South Shore. Rediscover the pleasures of a variety of unconventional techniques, from roasting pork on a spit to baking bread in ashes, searing fish on a griddle, roasting vegetables in a fireplace, making soup in a cast-iron pot, baking pizza in a wood-fired oven, cooking bacon on a stick, and much, much more. Includes 100 recipes for everything from roasted rabbit and fish chowder to baguettes and burnt cream.
2) Tryst Restaurant, in Arlington, will commemorate 10 years serving the Greater Boston community with a month-long celebratory menu featuring $10 signature dishes from Executive chef/owner Paul Turano. The big 10 anniversary specials will debut on September 1 and last through the end of the month.
In true Tryst fashion, contemporary American menu items will get a Turano twist—transforming them into the unique, yet approachable dishes that chef Turano has come to be known for. Diners can enjoy $10 items such as kale & Brussels sprout salad with toasted hazelnuts, parmesan, verjus vinaigrette, wild mushroom flatbread, braised pork belly buns with spicy cucumbers & root beer hoisin and shrimp tacos with avocado, red onion and aji crema, to name a few. The menu will evolve throughout the month so that guests can try something new every visit.
Tryst’s special anniversary menu will be available during dinner service from September 1-September 30.
For more information or to make reservations, please call Tryst at 781-641-2227
3) The Wine Connextion, in North Andover, will be hosting a luxury wine tasting of Michael David Winery wines with special guest Dave Phillips, Wine Owner of Michael David Winery. Guests can gather on Thursday, September 25, from 7pm-9pm to meet and have their wines signed by Phillips. This special tasting showcases Michael David Winery’s Luxury Lines Series including crowd favorites like their Rapture Cabernet, Lust Zinfandel, and their 2012 newly released Rage Zinfandel and Ink Blot wine series.
Michael and David Phillips, two brothers whose family has farmed in the Lodi region since the 1850’s, have cultivated wine grapes for nearly a century. Today the family continues to emphasize the importance of quality wines with unique and eye catching labels. Farming with future generations in mind, Michael David Winery has adopted some of the most progressive sustainable farming practices in the state. All 750 acres of the family’s vineyards are third party certified, with their 2011 vintage being certified sustainable.
This tasting is free to the public and, as always, walk-ins are welcome. Please note: Must be 21 or older.
4) Taberna de Haro is hosting a special tasting of Classic Spain on October 8, at 7pm. There will be a guest speaker, Colin Gent, Master of Wine with Europvin, importers of fine, traditional expressions of Spanish wine. Dan Hirschkop, Wine Director of Gordon's Fine Wines, will also be in attendance to take orders for purchases.
Menu
Manzanilla Papirusa Emilio Lustau
Manzanilla en Rama Emilio Lustau
Pinchos de Pescado - preserved mackerel, smoked bluefish, fresh crab - on olive oil toast, with voluptuous garnishes
Ullacia Txakolina 2013
Granbazán Ambar Albariño 2013
Fresh Cod with Basquaise sauce and clams
C.V.N.E. Reserva 2009
Contino Reserva 2005
Alubias de Tolosa - rich & fancy red beans
Alion 2009
Valbuena 5º Año 2008
Piquillo Peppers stuffed with braised lamb, sauced
Cost: $80 per person (plus tax & gratuity)
Reservations & pre-payment required. Call 617-277-8272 during evenings.
5) Chopps American Bar and Grill and Chefs Daniel Bruce and David Verdo are pleased to announce a delicious collaboration with Busa Wine & Spirits. On Thursday, September 18, at 6:30pm, guests will sample wines from the from the Pacific Northwest that have been paired with delicious small bites selected by Chef de Cuisine David Verdo and Chef Daniel Bruce, and everyone will leave with a $50 gift certificate to Long’s Jewelers.
Cost: $49 per person. To purchase tickets, please visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/chopps-american-bar-and-grill-autumn-wine-tasting-tickets-12550792759.
1) Boston, more than most other cities of its size, is chock full of talented home and professional cooks who have had cookbooks published in the past year or two. Fruit Center Marketplace reached out to five notable cookbook authors who live and work within an hour of their two stores. The result is a full month of in-store cookbook sales and on-the-spot autographing by the authors.
Locations, dates and times vary, as shown below, and cookbook quantities are limited. There is no charge to meet and speak to these authors. Book sales will be available by cash or major credit card. Look for these culinary experts at the front of each store.
Amy Traverso
The Apple Lover’s Cookbook
Thursday, September 11
4-5 PM in the Milton store
Cost: $30 per autographed copy
Winner of IACP’s "Best Cookbook" award in 2012. Apple Lover's Cookbook celebrates the beauty of apples in all their delicious variety, taking you from the orchard to the kitchen with recipes both sweet (like Apple-Stuffed Biscuit Buns and Blue Ribbon Deep-Dish Apple Pie) and savory (like Cider-Brined Turkey and Apple Squash Gratin). It offers a full-color guide to fifty-nine apple varieties, with descriptions of their flavor, history, and, most important, how to use them in the kitchen. Amy is an editor at Yankee magazine.
Beatrice Peltre’
La Tartine Gourmand
Saturday, September 13
1-2 PM in the Milton store
Cost: $20 per autographed copy
What could be sweeter than life with friendship and food at its center? For Béatrice Peltre, author of the award-winning blog LaTartineGourmande.com, to cook is to delight in the best of what life has to offer. Welcome to a world where flavors are collected as souvenirs and shared as heirlooms, and where the dishes we create are expressions of our joie de vivre. With nearly 100 recipes and charming anecdotes, La Tartine Gourmande takes you on a journey, not only through the meals of the day but around the world, as Béa revisits her inspiration for each dish.
Leigh Belanger
The Boston Homegrown Cookbook
Wednesday, September 17
4-5 PM in the Hingham store
Cost: $30 per autographed copy
This cookbook features mouth-watering recipes from almost 30 top-name chefs and restaurants in the Boston area who subscribe to the philosophy that locally grown, sustainable foods taste best. Yes, you can recreate dishes from Ana Sortun, Kevin Long, Nuno Alves and Jody Adams ! Recipes are lavishly illustrated with colorful photos of the dishes, chefs, and local farmers from around the region who are dedicated to growing the best local foods.
Catherine Walthers
Kale, Glorious Kale
Book Signing Tuesday, September 23
1-2 PM in the Hingham store
Cost: $17 per autographed copy
Cooking Class Wednesday, September 24
5:30-7:00 PM in the 2nd floor café’ at the Milton store
$25 for 90-minute cooking class; cost includes an autographed cookbook
Now, with the guidance of cookbook author Cathy Walthers – whose other top sellers include Raising the Salad Bar and Soups & Sides – every home cook can explore the multitude of ways this most healthy of foods can be made into delectable and satisfying meals. From Baked Eggs over Kale in the morning to main courses like Chicken Braised with Kale and Cider, Kale, Glorious Kale, which hit bookstores on September 15, will be your complete guide to the greatest of green vegetables.
Paula Marcoux
Cooking with Fire
Saturday, September 27
12-1 PM in the Milton store
Also from 3-4 PM in the Hingham store the same day
Cost: $20 per autographed copy
Cooking with live fire goes way beyond the barbecue grill, says Marcoux, who is food editor of Edible South Shore. Rediscover the pleasures of a variety of unconventional techniques, from roasting pork on a spit to baking bread in ashes, searing fish on a griddle, roasting vegetables in a fireplace, making soup in a cast-iron pot, baking pizza in a wood-fired oven, cooking bacon on a stick, and much, much more. Includes 100 recipes for everything from roasted rabbit and fish chowder to baguettes and burnt cream.
2) Tryst Restaurant, in Arlington, will commemorate 10 years serving the Greater Boston community with a month-long celebratory menu featuring $10 signature dishes from Executive chef/owner Paul Turano. The big 10 anniversary specials will debut on September 1 and last through the end of the month.
In true Tryst fashion, contemporary American menu items will get a Turano twist—transforming them into the unique, yet approachable dishes that chef Turano has come to be known for. Diners can enjoy $10 items such as kale & Brussels sprout salad with toasted hazelnuts, parmesan, verjus vinaigrette, wild mushroom flatbread, braised pork belly buns with spicy cucumbers & root beer hoisin and shrimp tacos with avocado, red onion and aji crema, to name a few. The menu will evolve throughout the month so that guests can try something new every visit.
Tryst’s special anniversary menu will be available during dinner service from September 1-September 30.
For more information or to make reservations, please call Tryst at 781-641-2227
3) The Wine Connextion, in North Andover, will be hosting a luxury wine tasting of Michael David Winery wines with special guest Dave Phillips, Wine Owner of Michael David Winery. Guests can gather on Thursday, September 25, from 7pm-9pm to meet and have their wines signed by Phillips. This special tasting showcases Michael David Winery’s Luxury Lines Series including crowd favorites like their Rapture Cabernet, Lust Zinfandel, and their 2012 newly released Rage Zinfandel and Ink Blot wine series.
Michael and David Phillips, two brothers whose family has farmed in the Lodi region since the 1850’s, have cultivated wine grapes for nearly a century. Today the family continues to emphasize the importance of quality wines with unique and eye catching labels. Farming with future generations in mind, Michael David Winery has adopted some of the most progressive sustainable farming practices in the state. All 750 acres of the family’s vineyards are third party certified, with their 2011 vintage being certified sustainable.
This tasting is free to the public and, as always, walk-ins are welcome. Please note: Must be 21 or older.
4) Taberna de Haro is hosting a special tasting of Classic Spain on October 8, at 7pm. There will be a guest speaker, Colin Gent, Master of Wine with Europvin, importers of fine, traditional expressions of Spanish wine. Dan Hirschkop, Wine Director of Gordon's Fine Wines, will also be in attendance to take orders for purchases.
Menu
Manzanilla Papirusa Emilio Lustau
Manzanilla en Rama Emilio Lustau
Pinchos de Pescado - preserved mackerel, smoked bluefish, fresh crab - on olive oil toast, with voluptuous garnishes
Ullacia Txakolina 2013
Granbazán Ambar Albariño 2013
Fresh Cod with Basquaise sauce and clams
C.V.N.E. Reserva 2009
Contino Reserva 2005
Alubias de Tolosa - rich & fancy red beans
Alion 2009
Valbuena 5º Año 2008
Piquillo Peppers stuffed with braised lamb, sauced
Cost: $80 per person (plus tax & gratuity)
Reservations & pre-payment required. Call 617-277-8272 during evenings.
5) Chopps American Bar and Grill and Chefs Daniel Bruce and David Verdo are pleased to announce a delicious collaboration with Busa Wine & Spirits. On Thursday, September 18, at 6:30pm, guests will sample wines from the from the Pacific Northwest that have been paired with delicious small bites selected by Chef de Cuisine David Verdo and Chef Daniel Bruce, and everyone will leave with a $50 gift certificate to Long’s Jewelers.
Cost: $49 per person. To purchase tickets, please visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/chopps-american-bar-and-grill-autumn-wine-tasting-tickets-12550792759.
Thursday, July 31, 2014
Thursday Sips & Nibbles
I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I highlight some interesting wine and food items that are upcoming.
**********************************************************
1) Gordon Wilcox, CEO of Wilcox Hospitality Group; Dr. Jay Austen, Jr., Chief, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery & Chief, Division of Burn Surgery at Mass General Hospital; Brian Poe, Chef & Owner of The Tip Tap Room.
On August 25, from 6pm-9pm, The Tip Tap Room owners Brian Poe and Gordon Wilcox, CEO of Wilcox Hospitality Group, will host the 1st annual “Chefs for Clefts” fundraiser to benefit Massachusetts General Hospital’s Global Surgical Initiative. Funds raised from the charitable fête will directly assist Dr. Jay Austen’s (Chief, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery & Chief, Division of Burn Surgery at Mass General Hospital) missions that support children with facial deformities and cleft lips as well as burn victims in Colombia.
This festive “Night in Colombia” themed event will kick-off with Colombian music paired with complimentary Colombian-inspired cocktails and passed hors d'oeuvres, as prepared by Brian Poe, including: Summer Corn & Cheese Arepas; Buenelos (stuffed with goat cheese and cinnamon sugar dust); Cassava Chips (topped with roasted lechona bits); Empanadas (topped with lime-infused purple cabbage relish); Traditional Fritanga o’ Picada Colombiano (patacones, chicharrón, papa criolla, chorizo, pork ribs, yucca frita & ají Colombiano sauce); and, Colombian Ceviche de Camarones.
Brian Poe and chef friends Chris Coombs (Boston Chops & Deuxave), Andy Husbands (Tremont 647), Michael Scelfo (Alden & Harlow) and Lydia Shire (Scampo) each have graciously donated a three-course paired “dinner for ten” at their respective restaurants which will be up for bid in the silent auction throughout the evening. Supporters also will have the opportunity to mix and mingle with some the City’s top culinary luminaries.
COST: General Admission (includes open bar and passed hors d'oeuvres): $40 per person in advance; $50 at the door
VIP Tickets (includes open bar, passed hors d'oeuvres and a $100 gift certificate to the following restaurants from the Wilcox Hospitality Group: The Tip Tap Room, Estelle’s, Poe’s Kitchen at the Rattlesnake, Bukowski Tavern, Lower Depths or Parish Café): $500 per person
To purchase tickets, please visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/chefs-for-clefts-presents-a-night-in-colombia-tickets-12358359185.
Additional donations for Massachusetts General Hospital’s Global Surgical Initiative will be accepted onsite or online at https://fundraise.massgeneral.org/anna-flesher?utm_source=created&utm_medium=f&utm_campaign=sWSX.
2) You'’ll want to be at Fruit Center’s Water Street parking lot, located in Hingham, on alternate Saturdays this summer, —rain or shine from 11:30 AM to 1 PM, to meet the hottest restaurant chefs from Hingham and beyond, and to sample their grilled specialties, free of charge. “Look for the big white tent, where we’ll have hot grills set up and hot chefs behind them, providing a tasty free lunch for Fruit Center shoppers.
Before or after the event, shoppers are encouraged to pick up whatever they need for summer cooking; Fruit Center carries dozens of unique items made by South Shore purveyors, from pasta sauce to paleo treats.
Saturday, August 9 11:30am-1pm
Executive Chef Estaban Gallego, ESTER, Dorchester
Grilled Salmon with Mexican “Street Corn”
Saturday, August 23 11:30am-1pm
Chef-Owner Brian Jenkins, PORTO BISTRO, Kingston
Marinated Skirt Steak with Meyer Lemon, chimichurri sauce and corn
3) Beginning on August 4th, enjoy the new Monday Market Menu at Davio’s Lynnfield every Monday evening during the month of August. In addition to their regular menu, the new four-course prix fixe menu, which will rotate weekly, has been prepared by Culinary Director Rodney Murillo, will utilize ingredients grown and available at the new Rooftop Farm at Whole Foods Market at Market Street in Lynnfield.
The rooftop farm is 17,000 square feet and was designed as well as installed by Recover Green Roofs, a Somerville based company specializing in vegetated green roofs, living walls and rooftop farms. After Recover completed the design and construction of the rooftop farm, Green City Growers, also based in Somerville, assumed the responsibilities of harvesting and maintaining the crops. The estimated 10,000 pounds of fruits, vegetables and herbs are for sale in the market and used in their prepared foods department. It is the largest rooftop farm in New England and the first supermarket farm in the country.
Market Menu
Antipasto
Green Tomato-Cucumber Gazpacho, Maine Lobster
Farinaceo
Bucatini, Baby Arugula, Purple Beans, Vermont Butter, Shaved Ricotta Salata
Piatti Del Giorno
Grilled Swordfish
Purple, Orange Carrots, Grilled Eggplant, Charmoula Sauce, Dill Crème Fraîche
Dolce
Blueberry Torte
Mascarpone Lemon Gelato
COST: $50 per person (excluding tax & gratuity)
Reservations are recommended by calling 781-944-4810
1) Gordon Wilcox, CEO of Wilcox Hospitality Group; Dr. Jay Austen, Jr., Chief, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery & Chief, Division of Burn Surgery at Mass General Hospital; Brian Poe, Chef & Owner of The Tip Tap Room.
On August 25, from 6pm-9pm, The Tip Tap Room owners Brian Poe and Gordon Wilcox, CEO of Wilcox Hospitality Group, will host the 1st annual “Chefs for Clefts” fundraiser to benefit Massachusetts General Hospital’s Global Surgical Initiative. Funds raised from the charitable fête will directly assist Dr. Jay Austen’s (Chief, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery & Chief, Division of Burn Surgery at Mass General Hospital) missions that support children with facial deformities and cleft lips as well as burn victims in Colombia.
This festive “Night in Colombia” themed event will kick-off with Colombian music paired with complimentary Colombian-inspired cocktails and passed hors d'oeuvres, as prepared by Brian Poe, including: Summer Corn & Cheese Arepas; Buenelos (stuffed with goat cheese and cinnamon sugar dust); Cassava Chips (topped with roasted lechona bits); Empanadas (topped with lime-infused purple cabbage relish); Traditional Fritanga o’ Picada Colombiano (patacones, chicharrón, papa criolla, chorizo, pork ribs, yucca frita & ají Colombiano sauce); and, Colombian Ceviche de Camarones.
Brian Poe and chef friends Chris Coombs (Boston Chops & Deuxave), Andy Husbands (Tremont 647), Michael Scelfo (Alden & Harlow) and Lydia Shire (Scampo) each have graciously donated a three-course paired “dinner for ten” at their respective restaurants which will be up for bid in the silent auction throughout the evening. Supporters also will have the opportunity to mix and mingle with some the City’s top culinary luminaries.
COST: General Admission (includes open bar and passed hors d'oeuvres): $40 per person in advance; $50 at the door
VIP Tickets (includes open bar, passed hors d'oeuvres and a $100 gift certificate to the following restaurants from the Wilcox Hospitality Group: The Tip Tap Room, Estelle’s, Poe’s Kitchen at the Rattlesnake, Bukowski Tavern, Lower Depths or Parish Café): $500 per person
To purchase tickets, please visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/chefs-for-clefts-presents-a-night-in-colombia-tickets-12358359185.
Additional donations for Massachusetts General Hospital’s Global Surgical Initiative will be accepted onsite or online at https://fundraise.massgeneral.org/anna-flesher?utm_source=created&utm_medium=f&utm_campaign=sWSX.
2) You'’ll want to be at Fruit Center’s Water Street parking lot, located in Hingham, on alternate Saturdays this summer, —rain or shine from 11:30 AM to 1 PM, to meet the hottest restaurant chefs from Hingham and beyond, and to sample their grilled specialties, free of charge. “Look for the big white tent, where we’ll have hot grills set up and hot chefs behind them, providing a tasty free lunch for Fruit Center shoppers.
Before or after the event, shoppers are encouraged to pick up whatever they need for summer cooking; Fruit Center carries dozens of unique items made by South Shore purveyors, from pasta sauce to paleo treats.
Saturday, August 9 11:30am-1pm
Executive Chef Estaban Gallego, ESTER, Dorchester
Grilled Salmon with Mexican “Street Corn”
Saturday, August 23 11:30am-1pm
Chef-Owner Brian Jenkins, PORTO BISTRO, Kingston
Marinated Skirt Steak with Meyer Lemon, chimichurri sauce and corn
3) Beginning on August 4th, enjoy the new Monday Market Menu at Davio’s Lynnfield every Monday evening during the month of August. In addition to their regular menu, the new four-course prix fixe menu, which will rotate weekly, has been prepared by Culinary Director Rodney Murillo, will utilize ingredients grown and available at the new Rooftop Farm at Whole Foods Market at Market Street in Lynnfield.
The rooftop farm is 17,000 square feet and was designed as well as installed by Recover Green Roofs, a Somerville based company specializing in vegetated green roofs, living walls and rooftop farms. After Recover completed the design and construction of the rooftop farm, Green City Growers, also based in Somerville, assumed the responsibilities of harvesting and maintaining the crops. The estimated 10,000 pounds of fruits, vegetables and herbs are for sale in the market and used in their prepared foods department. It is the largest rooftop farm in New England and the first supermarket farm in the country.
Market Menu
Antipasto
Green Tomato-Cucumber Gazpacho, Maine Lobster
Farinaceo
Bucatini, Baby Arugula, Purple Beans, Vermont Butter, Shaved Ricotta Salata
Piatti Del Giorno
Grilled Swordfish
Purple, Orange Carrots, Grilled Eggplant, Charmoula Sauce, Dill Crème Fraîche
Dolce
Blueberry Torte
Mascarpone Lemon Gelato
COST: $50 per person (excluding tax & gratuity)
Reservations are recommended by calling 781-944-4810
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Culinary Creativity: Chef Denise Baron
(Check out my Introduction to the Culinary Creativity series. I am continuing this series into 2010.)
Burtons Grill Executive Chef Denise Baron was backpacking through Panama in 2004 when she got a call from her older sister, Amy, who was getting married and wanted Denise to return home for the wedding. Baron agreed, a fortuitious turn of events, as at the wedding she met Kevin Harron, who was opening a new restaurant with vetera restaurateurs Kevin Rowell and Pat Gordon. Baron had been been the Executive Chef for Houston’s Restaurants plus earned a culinary degree from Johnson & Wales. Before the wedding day was over, Harron had offered Baron the chance to become the Executive Chef for his new restaurant.
Since then, Baron has created a menu that bridges flavor and presentation and emphasizes honest ingredients and simple cooking methods. The philosophy at Burtons Grill reflects Baron’s wholehearted embrace of using top quality ingredients, classic, fresh flavors and uncomplicated cooking techniques to create a memorable dining experience.
“When I create new menu items for the month, I think about the flavors and how they pair in the mouth and how the guests are going to feel after they’ve eaten them,” Baron relates. “I want people to remember their experience at Burtons Grill and keep coming back for it time after time.”
Now onto the interview--
How important is culinary creativity to you? Why is it important?
I think creativity is important but, creativity takes numerous forms. You can put a million edible flowers on a plate, but if the flavor profiles don’t work you’re not really being creative. Yes, you eat first with your eyes, then aromatics, but let’s not forget taste. To me, creativity is presenting the highest quality product available via my interpretation of the item based on my experiences and training. We as chefs need to keep in mind that people are primarily eating this food…so the flavors need to work well together. Moreover, we need to be conscious of what we put on our customers plate, not only by design but by content as well. This is my sense of creativity.
What are your most significant inspirations for your culinary creativity? What makes those matters so inspiring?
It’s a complicated question. When something is a hobby you have other distractions. But, when it is your job, I feel like it is always front-of-mind. I find inspiration everyday through the people I interact with (customers, other Chefs, Purveyors etc.) The places I’ve traveled, and every other sense I have. I can be walking through a fresh market and a smell can give birth to a dish; or I can simply think of trying a new flavor combination. I am always thinking of food and what my next creation will be.
Where do you get your ideas for new recipes/dishes?
Everywhere! I myself am not only a Chef, but a “foodie” – I love to eat. I love seeing what others are doing and researching new trends and techniques. I can never get my hands on enough cookbooks, food magazines etc. I also love researching online trends and “the why” they begin e.g. – Small Plates Communal Dining, Gluten Free etc. Every dish has a history, it came from a “need” , “desire” or “movement” spurred by something rooted in our culture. In my case, my ideas come from my travels, my peers, my desire to create and my innate need to see our customers smile!
What is your process of creating a new recipe or dish?
The first step is right outside your window, seasonality. When I create specials or menu changes they are usually a month in advance so I am always thinking ahead. I think about what is in season in my region and if there are gaps in our menu presentation. Should we have more hearty dishes, go lighter etc. Once I answer those questions then I brainstorm ideas. I speak with my vendors to see about availability, quality and pricing. If all that looks good then I go ahead and start developing a recipe. I am a self proclaimed perfectionist, so once I enter the kitchen to begin development it can be a lengthy process until I am satisfied. Next, I call in my tasting team and I present a food show of proposed specials. We look, eat and evaluate what I have made and decide if it can be better, easy to execute in a busy restaurant and how prep intense it is. If all those are a green light then I go to the store level and roll out the new recipes to my chefs and prep cooks in each location.
Do other members of your staff assist with creating ideas for new recipes/dishes?
Yes- I offer a $100 bonus to any person employed by our organization who creates a recipe that gets put on the menu! I can’t tell you how many of the bonuses I have racked up! (That was a Joke I am exempt). Seriously, in our organization we believe that people are more involved when they help to create something or take ownership and pride in what they do. We really advocate the flow of information both ways. I am always soliciting ideas from others.
How do you test new recipes/dishes?
I will pick a store and make a recipe batch and verbalize it. Once I show the new items to the wait staff I can get a good sense of if it is going to sell or not. If they don't like it or are not behind it then I need to figure out why and how I can make them believe in it. We also strive for 100% table visits especially when there is a new item on the table so we can get our guests feedback as well.
What is the most difficult part of culinary creativity?
Simply put, trying to please everyone as well as myself with the work I have done.
Do you ever experience “writer’s block,” an inability to be creative, and if so, how do you deal with it?
Yes- When that happens I look back at what I have already created and this may help create a new idea or spur a twist on a previous version of a recipe. If I am in a real slump then I take a mini food vacation. Yes, I go to Boston and New York City, but I also travel everywhere. Sometimes the biggest ideas come from the smallest corners of the world.
Relate an unusual or interesting anecdote about the creation of one of your dishes.
Last spring I planted some snap peas. As they were growing I snipped the tops from a few and ate them. My mouth lit up with the first taste of Spring. I thought that the pea tendrils would add a unique flavor for our first Spring salad. I started thinking about my other specials and at the time they were focusing around Cinco de Mayo, so I wanted the salad to be both bright and match the other flavor profiles on my menu. I chose to pair the pea tendrils with some baby spinach so there was a leafy green. I added mango for a sweet and almost “puckering” flavor, avocado for a creamy texture and to complement the mango. I decided to add more texture with both fried tortilla strips and toasted pepitas. The pepitas also added a different level of creaminess that only a nut or seed carries. I then added grape tomatoes for “pop” and acidity - tossed it all in a mustard vinaigrette which I felt would complement all the ingredients and tie together the sweet, tart and creaminess. In the tasting phase with my team, everyone loved it but, nobody could put their finger on the pea tendril taste. In turn, it became the most popular salad of the season in our restaurants. And all this from a simple Spring snip of a plant.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Burtons Grill: New Small Plates
I have mentioned numerous times that I am a big fan of small plates. I love the chance to taste a wide variety of dishes, and I don't mind sharing. Now Burtons Grill is offering a special small plates menu. For only $4.95 you can select several delicious items from the menu below. These small plates are available at all Burtons Grill locations, from Monday through Sunday from 3:00pm to close!Small Plates Menu
Warm Goat Cheese Salad (a blend of alouette and goat cheese, lightly breaded with
panko crumbs and fried, served over a spinach salad)
Firecracker Shrimp (crispy shrimp tossed in a spicy aioli sauce)
Chipotle BLT (a classic BLT served on a brioche roll with a zesty chipotle mayonnaise, served with crispy onion straws)
Scallop Crostini (pan seared and served on a warm bacon crostini, finished with a light lemon butter sauce)
Fried Feta (buttermilk battered and fried, served with a tomato cream sauce)
You can pair these dishes with a hand crafted cocktails such as the Harvest Sangria or the Spiced Cider Mojito.
Harvest Sangria
.25 oz Navan Cognac
.25 oz Peach tree Schnapps
.25 oz Van Gogh Applefest Liquor
3 oz Cranberry Cider Mix
3 oz Chardonnay
Combine all ingredients in iced cocktail shaker and shake well. Pour into wine glass and garnish with a splash of ginger ale, sliced apples and dried cranberries.
Spiced Cider Mojito
1.5 oz Captain Morgan
.5 oz Stoli Gala Aplik
.5 Green Apple Puree
.5 oz Cinnamon Simple Syrup
3 oz Apple Cider
3 Lime Wedges
5 Mint Leaves
In a pint glass muddle mint, limes, and Cinnamon Simple Syrup together. Fill glass with ice and add remaining ingredients. Top with Boston Shaker and shake well. Pour back into glass, top with Ginger Ale and serve.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Burtons Grill: Off The Menu
"If we have it…we will make it has always been the Burtons Grill Mantra,” said Kevin Harron, CEO of Burtons Grill, an upscale casual restaurant with locations throughout New England and Virginia. “When we dreamed up our restaurant concept years ago my partners and I believed that flexibility was the single most important aspect for success. In an overbuilt and intensely competitive industry you need to do everything possible to accommodate your customers and that includes making them what they want even if it is not on the menu,” continued Harron.
Each of Burtons Grill’s five-locations boasts regional concepts and fare, encourages customers to modify preparation, substitute ingredients and even encourages an “Off Menu” approach to serving the customer using ingredients in-house.
“I guess the customer gets to be the Chef in a way if they want,” said Culinary Director Denise Baron. “If a customer comes to one of the restaurants and they see we have ingredients and they want to play chef and have me to create something off menu for them, I see it as a challenge, and am more than happy to do it. Yes, I love cooking, and so does my entire staff. But more than cooking itself, I like to cook for people. Sometimes I feel as Chefs we get so caught up in pleasing our peers and trying to garner attention for our art; that we forget the most basic premise of what we do which is to feed people,” said Baron.
Customers can visit Burtons Grill in: Boston, MA, Andover, MA, Hingham, MA, South Windsor, CT or Virginia Beach, VA and “create their own dinners” or order off their extensive Standard, Gluten Free or Vegetarian menus.
I really enjoy this concept, and have seen it work well at a couple other restaurants. The customer can always find something they want to eat, and have it prepared exactly as they desire. Is that not the essence of customer service?
Each of Burtons Grill’s five-locations boasts regional concepts and fare, encourages customers to modify preparation, substitute ingredients and even encourages an “Off Menu” approach to serving the customer using ingredients in-house.
“I guess the customer gets to be the Chef in a way if they want,” said Culinary Director Denise Baron. “If a customer comes to one of the restaurants and they see we have ingredients and they want to play chef and have me to create something off menu for them, I see it as a challenge, and am more than happy to do it. Yes, I love cooking, and so does my entire staff. But more than cooking itself, I like to cook for people. Sometimes I feel as Chefs we get so caught up in pleasing our peers and trying to garner attention for our art; that we forget the most basic premise of what we do which is to feed people,” said Baron.
Customers can visit Burtons Grill in: Boston, MA, Andover, MA, Hingham, MA, South Windsor, CT or Virginia Beach, VA and “create their own dinners” or order off their extensive Standard, Gluten Free or Vegetarian menus.
I really enjoy this concept, and have seen it work well at a couple other restaurants. The customer can always find something they want to eat, and have it prepared exactly as they desire. Is that not the essence of customer service?
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