Walla Walla in June: Wine Bloggers' Conference

Tomorrow, I'll be in New York, in the Finger Lakes region, to attend TasteCamp East 2010. This is a small wine bloggers' conference, held on the east coast, and it will be lots of fun. Plenty of wine, good food, and great people. And as I prepare for this trip, I received some good news concerning another bloggers' conference.

Thanks to the generosity of numerous donors, I was awarded a scholarship to attend the 2010 Wine Bloggers' Conference in Walla Walla, Washington. This is the third year for this conference, and about 300 wine bloggers and wine industry representatives will be there for this three-day event. The Agenda is quite full, including winery visits, large wine tastings, breakout sessions and a keynote speech by Steve Heimoff, a writer and editor for Wine Enthusiast magazine.

I will also have the opportunity to meet so many bloggers that I have only previously spoke with online, as well as meet up again with others I have not seen in some time. That is one of the best aspects of this conference, the networking and social elements. It helps unify the community, despite all of our differences. It brings together people from all over the world.

So, you'll soon be hearing all about my weekend journey to the Finger Lakes. Then in June, I will be attending John Gauntner's 5th Stateside Saké Professional Course in San Francisco. Directly after that, I will travel to Walla Walla and the Wine Bloggers' Conference.

It is going to be a very exciting next couple months.

Cider Hill Farm & Clam Box

If you are going to visit the Newburyport Farmers' Market, why not take some additional time and see more of the sites of the North Shore region. Pack a cooler or two, put some ice in the coolers and you will be ready for the day, prepared to preserve whatever you might purchase in your travels.

That is exactly what I did this past Sunday. After my trek to the Farmer's Market, I next drove to the Cider Hill Farm in Amesbury, which is only a short drive away. I had never been there before, but recent tweets by CiderHill mentioned their cider donuts and I was hooked. I love cider donuts, and I know many others that do as well. So while I was in the area, I knew I had to stop by and get some donuts.

Cider Hill Farm is now open seven days a week, from about 8am-5pm or 6pm. The farm was established in 1978 and currently consists of 145 acres, with about 70 acres dedicated to growing fruits and vegetables. They have a farm store in a restored 150-year old ‘pegged’ dairy barn. They bake their own fruit pies, tea breads, muffins, cider donuts, breads and pastries. They also have honey from their own bee hives.

It is still early in the season so the farm store had almost no produce, but they do sell many other food items, a good share being made locally. You'll find candy, jams, jellies, meats, cheeses, pies, pickles, crackers, popcorn, sauces, syrups and so much more. I did buy some cider donuts, and they were very good, though none were warm at the store. Probably later in the season, when the farm store is busier, you'll be able to get cider donuts hot out of the oven.

I also bought an Aristocrat Chicken Pot Pie (all meat), which comes from a local poultry farm. They also have a pie with vegetables, peas and carrots, as well as turkey pot pie. I had it for dinner later that night and it was delicious. A thick, flaky crust covered a savory gravy and plenty of tender, white-meat chicken. For those used to Harrow's Chicken Pies, the gravy in the Aristrocrat is lighter and not as thick. I was impressed with the Aristrocrat and definitely would buy their pies again.

Cider Hill Farm is a good food destination, and I expect it will get better and better as the season continues. I will be stopping by there again and will report back when I do.

I should note that while driving around, I saw several Dairy Queen stores. If you have a hankering for a Blizzard, the North Shore is the place to visit.

Though it wasn't planned, I stopped at the Clam Box in Ipswich for lunch. This is a well known seafood restaurant, which is over 70 years old, and is most famed for its fried clams. The food is excellent, though you likely are going to wait for the pleasure of dining. You order at a counter, and then take your food into their dining room or go outside to their picnic tables.

I had to wait in line to get into the restaurant, and the line does not move quickly. As the lobby where you order is small, most likely you will be waiting outside to get in. The menu has primarily fried seafood, with some other options too. You can get a plate, which comes with two sides, or a mini-meal which comes with only one side. Prices are reasonable for the quantity and quality of the food. Though even after you order, you'll wait again, more than you would at most similar places.

We had a couple of the mini-meals, the Fried Clams with onion rings and the Fried Scallops with fries. The clams were delicious, fried perfectly, and without any grittiness to them. These are definitely some of the best fried clams you will find. The scallops too were excellent, tender and flavorful. Even the onion rings impressed me, and I am very picky about my onion rings. They had the right proportions of batter and onion for me, and had a nice clean taste. One of the secrets of the Clam Box is that they frequently change their oil, so it does not sit around all day.

If you want some top-notch fried seafood, in a casual setting, then visit the Clam Box. Expect to wait, or just call your order ahead.

Clam Box
246 High St
Ipswich, MA
Phone: (978) 356-9707

Stoneham Sun: Pairings

My new column of "A Passionate Foodie" can be found in the May 5 issue of the Stoneham Sun newspaper. This is a weekly column that concentrates on reviews of local restaurants though it also sometimes touches on other food and wine topics.

The new column has been published today and will be available online soon. The new article is a review of Pairings: Exploring Wine & Food, a new wine store in Winchester. The store concentrates on pairing wine and food, and sells a wide variety of gourmet and local foods. Their weekly wine tastings are all paired with food. Check them out!

If you have any questions or comments about my column, feel free to add them here.

Drink with passion.

Newburyport Farmers' Market Now Open

Soon, farmers' markets all over New England will open and you'll be able to find fresh, local produce and artisan foods. This past Sunday, a warm and sunny day, I took a short drive up to the Newburyport Farmers' Market, one of the first markets to open this season. It was their opening weekend, and they will now be open every Sunday through the summer from 9am-1pm. The market is located in the parking lot of the Tannery Marketplace.

The market was fairly busy, the pleasant weather enticing many to visit. I liked that there were numerous tables, at one end of the market, where you could sit and enjoy some of the foods available in the market. So this is more than just a place to buy your items and leave. Instead, you can buy a sandwich or some pastry, and savor them while still at the market.

There was a good selection of vendors, easily 25 or more, though I'll note that there was not much fresh produce yet available due to the season. But I am sure that will change soon enough. It is an impressive market, and I recommend you check it out.

Here are some of the vendors you'll find here:

Arrowhead Farm had plenty of plants available for sale and they also run a CSA, Community Supported Agriculture. In short, you can buy a share of the CSA and get a regular delivery of fresh, local vegetables and fruits.

Valicenti Organico, of Hollis, New Hampshire, sells hand-made pasta and pasta sauces using locally grown ingredients. This includes seven varieties of ravioli, which you can see listed above. I got to sample some pasta with the Valicenti Organico Red Gravy and it was quite tasty, and I bought some of their spaghetti which looked quite interesting. I do think I'll return to check out some of their ravioli as well.

You'll find plenty of different types of organic honey here as well, which can make for a good substitute for sugar in many recipes.

Cape Ann Pies has a good selection of fruit pies, available whole or by the slice. These handmade pies use only all-natural ingredients, and never any preservatives or artificial flavors/ingredients.

Heron Pond Farm sells organic vegetables and they run a CSA too. They had numerous potatoes available at the market, from blue potatoes to fingerlings. They also had some greens and a few other items.

I am a tea rather than coffee drinker so was eager to check out White Heron Tea. They sell organic, fair trade teas, and had quite a good selection of flavors. I tried a glass of their iced tea, which was refreshing and delicious. They had a few different types of iced tea available, a couple fruit flavored, though I went for the basic version. You can also buy loose tea to take home and make on your own.

The Crazy Camel, of Somersworth, New Hampshire, was selling his line of Dessert Hummus, which comes in six different flavors from chocolate mousse to caramel apple. Certainly an intriguing item which should perk your interest.

Rivers Lea Farm, in Epping, New Hampshire, sells hormone and antibiotic free lamb, mutton and goat meat, as well as prepared meals. You'll find ground lamb, sausages, chops, kabobs, rib racks and more. You might also be interested in their Shepherd's Pie, Mulligatawny Stew or Chili. I picked up a pound of the ground lamb.

Kellie Brook Farm, of Greenland, New Hampshire, also sells meats, though they have a wider selection, including beef, pork, and veal. They also sell their farm eggs. At the market, they make breakfast and lunch sandwiches. I tried their egg sandwhich, on a croissant, with cheese and chorizo. It was a good sandwich, the chorizo being excellent, with a nice blend of spices. After eating the sandwich, I had to buy some of the chorizo to take home.

Mary of The Savory Kitchen is an excellent cook and if you stop by the market then you must stop by her table to sample her baked goods. Mary is a friend of mine, but my recommendation is unbiased. Just taste her products and I am positive you will agree. These are the items you could find in any professional bakery, and they are scrumptious.

Muffins, scones, sticky buns, candies and more. Everything is fresh, moist and flavorful. Try a Bacon Cheddar Scone or a Banana Walnut Muffin. She sells breads as well, including bruschetta and a long, white bread called Stucco (sp?). It was addictive and I ate so much of the loaf at the market I had to buy another to take home.

Her Strawberry Cupcakes were perfect, the right amount of moist cake with a whipped cream-like frosting that burst with strawberry flavor. You can also get cookies, caramel corn and brownies. I should note that Mary also runs a personal chef service.

The Newburyport Farmers' Market had a great opening, and I expect it will only get better as more and more local produce becomes available. They have a diverse selection of vendors, and you can even sit down and relax there, enjoying some of the delicious foods available. I recommend you take a drive there some Sunday. Support our local farmers, cooks and artisans.

Addendum (5/6/10): The other night, for dinner I had the Valicenti Organico Spaghetti with some of the Kellie Brook Farm chorizo in the sauce. The spaghetti is a bit thicker than usual, with a ringed texture that seems to hold onto the sauce better. It was quite tasty, and more flavorful than boxed pastas. And I am sure it is healthier for you as well. The chorizo was also quite delicious, tender and well spiced. It was actually one of the best chorizos I have tasted in some time. An excellent meal, which I paired with a Sean Thackrey Pleaides (one of my favorite wines).

Chilling With Saké: Class on July 15

Forget about the burning hot Saké you might have once tried! Instead, come and learn the joys of chilled Saké. Don't feel intimidated any longer from Saké.

On July 15, from 6pm-8pm, I will be teaching "Chilling with Saké," an introductory class to discuss the basics of Saké, from its history to how it is brewed. You will learn about the various types of Saké, from Sparkling Saké to Daiginjo. And you’ll taste some interesting Sakés, seeing the range of its flavors and styles.

The class will be held at the Boston Center for Adult Education (BCAE) and you can now sign up for the course here. The class is limited to 16 people so don't be shut out and sign up early.

If you have any questions about the class, feel free to leave a comment here or email me.