BiNA Osteria: New Menu & Classes

BiNA Osteria has recently launched Curtain Call, a $35 three-course prix-fixe selection of dishes and accompaniments designed to keep guests on schedule without compromising the quality or integrity of their meal. Served between 5pm-7pm, Tuesdays through Sundays, Curtain Call features rustic classics such as the Beef Carpaccio and Mozzarella Di Bufala, Etruscan Chick Pea Soup, Caserrece and Homemade Spaghetti. Guests may opt for enjoying the first two courses prior to the show and return afterward to savor their dessert course.

BiNA has also completely revamped its lunch and dinner menus, providing creative dishes but also emphasizing value. Among the new menu items are: a selection of pizzas; Trio House marinated and smoked fish; Rabbit Pate and Prosciutto with rosemary grissini; Squid Ink Spaghetti with Calamari, celery pesto and tomato confit; and Tonno Oven roasted tuna filet crusted with oat flakes, fennel cream and blue figs.

Next door, BiNA alimentari, the osteria’s adjacent gourmet food shop, will host a series of seasonal cooking classes and workshops led by expert staff members on Saturday afternoons at 2 PM from October through December.

Class schedule includes:

Olive Oil Tasting (Oct. 24; $10): Tour and taste different olive oils from the regions of Spain, France and Italy.

Chocolate Candy Making (Oct. 31; $10): Make some home-made Halloween treats.

Wine & Cheese Pairing (Nov. 7; free): Learn which imported cheeses pair well with small-production, regional wines from Italy, France, Spain and Austria.

Scotch Tasting (Nov. 14; free): Do you know the difference between Whiskey and Scotch? Learn about the variety of single malts across the Scottish regions.

Holiday Pies (Nov. 21; $10): Examine ways to add a new twist to three old classics.

Gingerbreads (Dec. 5; $10): Come learn the history of this classic tradition while making gingerbread men and houses.

Sparkling Wine (Dec. 12; $10): Wondering which sparkling wines to serve at your holiday cocktail or dinner party? Learn which pops top the list.

Holiday Cookies (Dec. 19; $10): Learn how to make the type of cookies worth getting caught with your hand in the jar for, including timeless Italian classics such as biscotti and amaretti.

BiNA Osteria
581 Washington St.
Boston, MA
Phone: (617) 956-0888

The Melting Pot: Fondue & Wine 101

Ever wanted to replicate the delicious fondues of The Melting Pot at home? If so, they are offering a class to help teach you the art of making fondue. Join the Melting Pot's Tampa-based Executive Chef Shane Schaibly for a fondue class paired with 3 delicious wines. Not only do you get to make the food, you get to eat it as well. A wine expert from Gordon's Fine Wines and Liquors will also be on hand to provide education on the wines served and Still River Winery will be available to discuss their Apfel Eis, an excellent apple ice wine.

Proposed Syllabus

Introduction: Chef Shane will guide you through the history of fondue.

1st Course: Learn how to make their new Alp and Dell Cheese Fondue.
First, taste the 3 cheeses they use in this fondue before they are melted. Then, follow Chef Shane as he takes you through the steps needed to create this delicious combination of white wine, garlic, whole grain mustard and nutmeg, with a smooth blend of award-winning Gruyère, Raclette and Fontina cheeses.
--Wine Pairing: Jekel Riesling

2nd Course: Fondue-Style Entrees and Sauces.
Learn how to make their Gorgonzola Port sauce accompanied with Filet Florentine
--Wine Pairing: El Portillo Malbec

3rd Course: Learn how to make their White Chocolate Apple Cobbler Fondue.
Learn how to artfully swirl white chocolate with seasoned apples, streusel topping and spices.
--Wine Pairing: Still River Winery Apfel Eis Apple Ice Wine

*Offers, coupons, promos and Restaurant.com certificates cannot not be used for this event. Tax and gratuity not included. Reservations recommended.

The Melting Pot
213 Burlington Rd. (Rt.62)
Bedford, MA
Phone: 781-791-0529

Been A Bit Quiet Here

Yes, it has been a bit quiet on my blog for several days. I was in Las Vegas, enjoying a little vacation and having lots of fun. Now that I have returned, I will be catching up on all my blogging. Plus, I have plenty to write about my new culinary adventures in Vegas. From the inside scoop on a killer Japanese restaurant that you have probably never heard of, to an intriguing "ice bar" where everything from the furniture to the cups are made of ice. Vegas can be such a great destination for food and wine lovers!

Culinary Creativity: Chef Jacob Zachow

(Check out my Introduction to the Culinary Creativity series.)

Chef Jacob Zachow was raised on a farm in rural upstate New York where he developed a deep respect for nature and learned to value food in its natural state. By using the freshest ingredients possible and cooking them perfectly, Jake “keeps it simple and makes it great.”

Jake began cooking at age 13 and decided early on to pursue a career in culinary arts, learning Garde Manager, banquet management and administration at the Otesaga Hotel in Cooperstown, NY, after which he was Executive Chef at The Vines Restaurant in Oneonta, NY. While Jake’s specialty is rustic Italian cuisine, pairing fresh ingredients with citrus and deep spice blends, he spent three years learning classical French cooking under Executive Chef Jim Palmeri at the Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, NY, where Jake was Chef Garde Manager and then Chef de Cuisine. Jake moved to Boston in the Spring of 2008 and is now at the helm of Bella Luna Restaurant.

Now onto the Interview--

How important is culinary creativity to you? Why is it important?
Culinary creativity is very important to me because it allows chefs to define what we do as an Art form. Even just in the way we assemble our ingredients in a recipe. It is important because it is what will mold the industry and take it to the next era of cooking.

What are your most significant inspirations for your culinary creativity? What makes those matters so inspiring?
The most significant inspirations to my culinary creativity would be the season, weather and the ingredients available. What makes these so inspiring is how I perceive them and relate them to past events in my life. It could be the aroma of a bakery on my way to work in the morning, the smell of cinnamon and cloves that reminds me of fall in NY and stimulates me to make Pumpkin Mascarpone Cheese Cake…or in the summer it could me a trip to the beach that gives me the idea to deconstruct Clam Chowder getting all of those aromas on the plate.

Where do you get your ideas for new recipes/dishes?
Ideas for new recipes stem from a few ingredients at my hand. When I create a recipe or feature for dinner it develops from ingredients that I have already brought into the restaurant. Then I begin to evaluate flavors and textures in my head balancing sweetness, salt and spice.

What is your process of creating a new recipe or dish?
The process of creating a new recipe stems includes what I said in the previous question. Once I have combined all of the flavors in my head I then construct it on the plate and evaluate it myself. The next step I adjust any flavors that need to be and make it for the rest of my kitchen staff and Sous Chef. Letting them weigh in on what could be improved upon. During this time I also document all my ingredients on my chef pad.

Do other members of your staff assist with creating ideas for new recipes/dishes?
Yes, as I said above they help me in the final stages of a recipe. Sometimes I also consult my Sous Chef in the beginning asking him how he thinks flavors will blend. Its important to understand that as a chef you are never truly done learning and that your staff are what will make you or break you.

How do you test new recipes/dishes?
Testing new recipes is done in three stages. First I make it for myself. Next I make it for my staff. Third I run it as a Nightly Feature. Ultimately the customer will be the one that decides whether it is a successful recipe.

What is the most difficult part of culinary creativity?
The most difficult part of culinary creativity is when there is a lack of it. When you have to go out in search of the stimulants that will get your brain flowing with excitement again.

Do you ever experience “writer’s block,” an inability to be creative, and if so, how do you deal with it?
Yes of course, it happens to everyone. Worst case scenario I relate to trade magazines. Looking at the current trends and what is coming up in the future.

Relate an unusual or interesting anecdote about the creation of one of your dishes.
Sometimes in the creation of a dish something you envision develops into something completely different ... but better.

Flavors of Fall: November 9

For the sixth year in a row, BostonChefs.com is bringing together the top chefs from Cambridge and Somerville for Flavors of Fall, the area’s longest running fall tasting extravaganza. This year’s beneficiary is Second Chances, a local nonprofit that collects and distributes clothing free-of-charge to homeless and lower income people who are clients of Cambridge and Somerville shelters, service providers, and anti-poverty agencies.

On November 9, from 5:30pm-8:30pm, eleven dining destinations will be represented at Regattabar in The Charles Hotel, serving savory and sweet selections from their autumn menus. The Blue Room, Chez Henri, dante, Garden at the Cellar, Gargoyles, Harvest, Henrietta’s Table, Hungry Mother, Rialto, Sandrine’s, and UpStairs on the Square are all participating, with brews and beverages compliments of Jacob’s Creek Winery, Brooklyn Brewery, Noir, J.P. Licks, and San Pellegrino.

The $65 per person ticket price—which goes entirely to support the good work of Second Chances—covers food, drink, entertainment, and the opportunity to participate in a Silent Auction that features something for just about everyone. A vintage Judith Leiber evening bag, a Vigilant wine storage system, a golf outing at Dedham Country and Polo Club, and a membership to Cambridge Athletic Club are just a few of the items that have been donated in support of this great cause, and more will be announced as the big day approaches.

Ronit Barkai, Director of Housing Programs at Transition House, a Cambridge-based program for domestic violence survivors that is one of Second Chances’ long-standing community partners, describes the need in poignant terms: “Our clients often flee their homes without any clothing except what they are wearing, and some have never experienced a New England winter and need warm things to wear. Second Chances is flexible in meeting the needs and preferences of the women we serve, and each delivery shows the great care that is put into choosing clothing for our clients. This helps lift the women’s spirits, bringing optimism and hope as they begin rebuilding their lives.”

“Low-income and homeless people always have trouble getting by, and this year we are seeing demand for our services that exceeds our current ability to serve people,” reports Andrea Shapiro, Founder and CEO of Second Chances. “The generous sponsors and participants in the Flavors of Fall event will enable us to provide free clothing, shoes and accessories to even more people in need in Cambridge and Somerville in the year ahead. We are thrilled to have this opportunity to connect with local businesses and community members who support our work and the people we serve.”

Since the first Flavors event in 2004, BostonChefs.com, together with co-sponsors City Square Associates and The Charles Hotel, have raised nearly $50,000 for a wide range of Cambridge-based community organizations. Past beneficiaries have included CitySprouts, CycleKids, CLSACC, On the Rise, and Project Playgroup.