North Shore Cancer Walk: Wine Tasting-May 20

The Wine Cellar of Stoneham and Danvers is holding a special wine tasting event on Thursday, May 20, from 6:30pm–8:30pm at the Sheraton Wakefield. This sounds like an excellent event, for a worthy cause, and I hope that you can go to it.

If you are unaware of The Wine Cellar, it is a discount wine, beer and spirits store located within the BJ's Warehouse Club. It is a separate entity than BJ's, and its prices are very good, some of the lowest in the region. They have regular wine tastings, and constantly bring in new products. If you have not been there, stop by for a visit.

At this special event, you will be able to taste over 50 wines, from all over the world, and wine professionals will be on hand to explain about the wines and answer your questions. Cheese and crackers will also be served. In addition, there will be a Silent Auction (with restaurant gift certificates, wine bottles and more) and a 50/50 Raffle.

The cost of this event is only $20 and 100% of the proceeds will be donated to the “Team Cruzin For Susan,” participants of the North Shore Cancer Walk. The Wine Cellar is generously paying for all of the costs of this event on their own, so that all of your $20 goes directly to this charity.

Tickets can be purchased at the door by cash, check or credit card. I will be attending this event so I hope to see you there.

Rant: Don't Bake Your Wine

It should be illegal, the torture of an innocent wine bottle by the application of intense heat. It is also a far too common crime, especially during the summer months. Please stop this cruel practice, and persuade others to give it up as well. Please save the gentle wine bottle.

Would you lock your child or pet in a hot car with the windows rolled up? I think not. So why do people do so to their wine bottles? The heat can destroy your wine, and I doubt anyone wants to lose the wine they just bought. So do something about it.

Summer is the time for travel, and maybe you will visit a wine shop or winery. You might buy some wine and then need to transport it with you. Often, the wine is just placed into the trunk, and you might leave it there for a couple days, or drive with it for quite a distance. You need to realize that your trunk can get very hot and that heat could adversely affect your wine. It needs protection.

When I travel, I often bring my wine case, which is insulated and holds a dozen bottles of wine. Thus, I can safely transport my wines. It has been invaluable on long trips. You don't need to purchase such a case, though if you often buy wine it can be a good investment. But, carrying some other type of insulated bag, box or other container can be just as good. You need to protect the wine from the heat, keeping it at a cooler temperature.

An insulated container has other uses too if you travel. You might find some food you wish to take home, and that too can be protected on your long drive home. How many times have you stopped at a farmer's market or food shop, and wanted to buy something but worried about it surviving the journey home? An insulated container will resolve that issue.

It is an easy solution to a rampant problem. Save the wine bottle from the heat, so that you don't come home and find your wine is no good. Cherish the insulated container.

National Hamburger Day: May 28

May 28 is National Hamburger Day, one of those strange food holidays of which there seems to be something every day. I have not been able to find the origin of this holiday, which does not surprise me. But, it appears some local restaurants will be celebrating, highlighting the hamburger. I certainly love a good burger so this is a holiday I can strongly support.

Check out the burgers at these places:

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar
217 Stuart Street
Boston, MA
Phone: 617-292-0808

Fleming’s “Prime Burger Bar” menu comes fivefold. Choose from Fleming’s Prime Burger (cheddar cheese, peppered bacon - $12; $6 before 7pm nightly); Sliced Filet Mignon Burger (sautéed mushrooms, Béarnaise sauce - $18); Jumbo Lump Crab Cake Burger (creamy mustard sauce - $16); Ahi Tuna Burger (soy ginger sauce - $12); and, Portobello Mushroom Burger (sautéed spinach, creamy goat cheese - $10). All Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar’s options come with signature onion rings.

Legal Sea Foods
All locations

The chefs at Legal Sea Foods are cooking up an ‘al-tuna-tive’ for fish lovers to join in the celebration: a succulent tuna burger that appeals to both carnivores and pescatarians alike. The Tuna Burger, one of their most popular lunch items, is made from ground yellowfin tuna with chili sauce and a crumb mixture of oyster crackers and spices. It’s grilled and then served on a buttery brioche bun with roasted red pepper mayo, ($13.95). Legal Sea Foods also serves up a Niman Ranch Burger, 10 oz. hand packed all natural beef ($10.95).

Stanhope Grille at The Back Bay Hotel
350 Stuart Street
Boston, MA
Phone: 617-266-7200

For burger lovers, Chef Southern packs five different options for $10-and-under: Iron Pan Burger (eight ounce house recipe beef burger, red wine glaze, leaf lettuce, beefsteak tomato, house made relish, Tribecca oven Challah roll - $9); Misty Knoll Tuscan Style Chicken Burger (grilled chicken breast, Tuscan bread, prosciutto, roasted red pepper, Manchego-basil pesto, fresh farmers cheese - $9); Double Portobello Manchego Burger (two extra large Portobello mushrooms layered with Manchego cheese, sweet tomato relish, Tribecca over Challah Roll - $10); Lamb Burger (eight ounce lamb burger iron pan style, arugula, house made relish, goat cheese, Tribecca over Challah roll - $10); and, Sage Cheddar Burger (iron pan burger topped with sage cheddar and caramelized onion - $10).

Stoddard’s Fine Food & Ale
48 Temple Place
Boston, MA
Phone: 617-426-0048

Try Executive Chef Mark Cina’s The Stoddard’s Burger, which packs all natural Meyer Ranchbeef and is topped with aged cheddar, chiffonade lettuce, signature Stoddard's burger sauce, fresh onion and B&B pickles ($14). It is served with your choice of house fries or beer-battered onion rings.

Third Anniversary of Passionate Foodie

Three years already? It is almost hard to believe that The Passionate Foodie has been around for three years. That encompasses lots of eating and drinking, and I would hate to make a tally of exactly how much that entails. Some things are better left unknown.

It also seems like the time to take stock of myself and my blog, to consider its direction, and to assess my writing. Do I still want to continue blogging? Is there still something new to write about? Would my efforts be better directed elsewhere? Are I still happy doing what I am doing?

When I consider these questions, the answers come quickly and seem simple. I still retain my passion for food and drink, for writing, and for my blog. The thought of stopping my blog remains a very foreign idea. There is still so much to learn, so much more to experience. I have continued to grow over the past year, getting a bit wiser (I hope), and I want to continue that growth. My audience has grown, and I would like to see it grow even more.

I do want to thank all my readers as well, for your presence as well as your comments and questions. Please keep providing me your input, questions and comments as I have always wanted this blog to be a conversation with my readers.

I want to thank all my family and friends, all who have been so supportive. I am very appreciative as well to all of the new friends I have met through the food and wine community, from fellow bloggers to chefs, from wine store owners to wine makers. Both food and wine are always much better when shared with others.

Maintaining a blog can be lots of work, especially when writing frequently each week. Yet it can be very rewarding as well. To all other food and wine bloggers out there, keep pushing yourself to excel, to write better all the time. Do not be content to be lazy, rather challenge yourself constantly. We better ourselves through facing challenges, and overcoming obstacles.

A great aspect of the local area food and wine blogging community is that there is a thread of unity, of a willingness to help each other. We see each other at local events, and plan our own events to meet and chat together. We share news, answer each other's questions, and lend support. I hope that unity grows even stronger in the future.

What is coming up in my fourth year? We shall see, but I do promise that Saké will maintain a prominent place. Plus, I will be attending this year's Wine Bloggers Conference in Walla Walla, Washington. I won't lack for ideas to write about.

Go forth to eat and drink with passion!

Saké Imports to U.S. Decreased

We all know that the harsh economic conditions have affected wine buying. But it also has had a negative effect on Saké exports and imports. In 2009, for the first time in the past nine years, Japanese exports of Saké decreased, by approximately 1.7%. Saké imports to the U.S. decreased by about 7%, which hopefully will rebound in 2010.

What is the most telling statistic is that the monetary value of Japanese Saké exports decreased by approximately 6.4%. So, it seems that the decrease in exports included mostly more expensive Saké. The conclusion seems to be that people are generally buying less expensive Saké, which is very similar to the wine situation. People are still buying wine, just buying cheaper wines than they usually buy. It is a logical conclusion based on this rough economy.

So wine stores, to continue selling Saké, need to make sure they are stocking more value Saké, less expensive brews which won't hit consumers' wallets too much. Restaurants need to consider these facts too.

I was outraged this past week to see a local Japanese restaurant selling a Saké for $37, when the usual retail is only $9! There is no rationale justification for a mark-up of 4 times the retail, especially when the restaurant pays even less than retail for that Saké. And in these economic times, most people are not going to pay $37 for a 300ml bottle of Saké.

For newcomers to want to try Saké, it must be affordably priced. Saké has enough obstacles, and price does not need to be another impediment.