Amy Sue's Tasty Bites

November 29th, 2010

Specials at Tabla

As Tabla, at 11 Madison Avenue (25th Street), prepares to close by the end of the year, some special events have been scheduled. Diwali, the Indian festival of lights, will be celebrated with a family-style dinner on Nov. 8 at 7 p.m.; $135 plus tax and tip. There will be a benefit dinner for Pratham USA, an educational group, on Nov. 29 at 6 p.m., with well-known chefs, including Gabrielle Hamilton and Andrew Carmellini, interpreting Indian food; $300 plus tax and tip. And on Dec. 4, Floyd Cardoz, Tabla’s executive chef, will give a cooking class at 10 a.m.; $150 pus tax: (212) 889-0667.

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November 20th, 2010

Wine Taste-Off

A blind tasting of 18 wines — six each from Long Island, California and France — will be given on Nov. 20 from 6 to about 10 p.m. at Roanoke Vineyards, 3543 Sound Avenue (Dolphin Way), Riverhead. A panel of experts will taste the wines (nine chardonnays and nine Bourdeaux blends) and rate them, and guests will do the same. A light supper is included. Tickets, $75: (631) 727-4161.

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November 17th, 2010

Inside Park Beer and Film Dinner
NYC Food and Film Festival dinner and beer tasting in Midtown East

Exclusive Offer from Bloom Spot:

$35 ticket to Inside Park Beer and Film Dinner on Nov 17 ($55 value)

Join Edible Brooklyn on November 17th for an exclusive evening of food and film pairing, along with distinctive, unlimited beer tasting. The Inside Park Beer and Film Dinner features a three-course family-style dinner at the spacious Inside Park at St. Bart’s in Midtown East. Sip on a perfectly chilled Belgium beer as director George Motz and Edible editor Brian Halweil introduce three mouthwatering NYC Food Film Festival-inspired courses. See Reviews & Offer Details here http://www.bloomspot.com/new-york/inside-park-beer-and-film-dinner/?utm_campaign=new-york_10-Nov-10&utm_source=BloomEmail&utm_medium=email&bquery=cmlkPTE5MzM5NzgxJmVtYWlsPWFteXN1ZWtvJTQwZ21haWwuY29tJnZpZD0yMTUzNDY%3D

Presented by Edible Brooklyn & BloomSpot

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November 16th, 2010

Caviar Tasting

Samples of farmed osetra Karat brand caviar from Israel will be offered for tasting from 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 16 at Pescatore Seafood Company in the Grand Central Market. The tasting will be until 7 p.m. unless samples run out earlier. The caviar will be sold for $85 instead of $100 that day.

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Novemeber 15th, 2010

November 14th, 2010

BRUNCH-ING
Unlimited Drinks Brunch at Rivington
 
Because nothing complements your spinach and feta omelet like 15 Bellinis, the Hotel on Rivington is offering up this special Sunday brunch, where your only drink limits are of the temporal variety. We’re not saying don’t pace yourself, but make it a brisk pace.
 
Urban Daddy’s 411: Sundays, 11am-4pm, $24, Hotel on Rivington, 107 Rivington St, 212-475-2600

http://hotelonrivington.com/main.html

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November 14th, 2010

Danish Classics

A table of Danish smorrebrod, classic open-face sandwiches prepared by a number of chefs, will be set up Nov. 14 at the New Amsterdam Market at South Street and Peck Slip from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tasting tickets for three sandwiches will cost $20 from newamsterdammarket.com. Danish beers will be sold, $4

to $8.

Local Grain Week

The Greenmarket program is devoting a week, from Nov. 14 to 21, to promoting local grains. The Nov. 14 smorrebrod table at New Amsterdam Market (see the above item) is part of it. Other events, in various locations, will be on Nov. 15 for networking with home bakers; Nov. 17, a panel discussion about grain production and growing of grains; Nov. 20, a demonstration of baking with ancient wheat; and Nov. 21, a pancake breakfast. Some of these events require tickets or reservations. In addition, there will be free cooking demonstrations in the Union Square Greenmarket on Nov. 17, 19 and 20. For a schedule, go to: grownyc.org/greenmarket/events .

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November 13th, 2010

• Artisanal Focus

On Nov. 13 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. there will be a number of artisanal food producers, predominantly from Brooklyn, explaining and selling their wares at Williams-Sonoma in the Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle. Admission is free.

• Holiday Wine Tasting

This month, the free wine tastings at Brooklyn Wine Exchange, 138 Court Street (Pacific Street), Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, feature holiday wines on Nov. 13 at 4 p.m., with six wines from the Louis Dressner portfolio, and Nov. 14 at 3 p.m., with Becky Wasserman Selections. Reservations: (718) 855-9463.

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• November  12th – 13th, 2010

America’s Largest International Beer Festival (Providence, Rhode Island)  

The Beer Fest Store for tickets click here:  http://www.beerfestamerica.com/tickets.html

2 GREAT SHOWSNovember 13, 2010

Dear Friends:

We are once again inviting you to participate in our forthcoming 18th Great International Beer Festival held again at the Rhode Island Convention Center in downtown Providence. Our recent Spring Beer Festival, with over 4,500 attendees, was an overall success. Several new breweries were on hand and our music entertainment was 1st rate.

The November 12th Festival welcomes back the Great International Beer Competition, our 14th, under the direction of Judge Gregg Glaser. Last November 2009 there were over 230 beer competition entries, (a 10% growth over the prior year) with well publicized results. Gregg also featured our “Tutored Tasting” at the Show. To prevent overcrowding and long wait lines we increased our square footage to 70,000 from 40,000 a few years earlier, making it easier to handle the estimated 7,000 attendees.

There is no booth charge for brewers and distributors, who have timely signed on. Our application forms for the Festival registration and the Competition are enclosed for your follow up. Hope to see you in November. Our best wishes.

Very truly yours,
Maury A. Ryan, Director

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November 12th, 2010

• Flavor and Aroma

A series of discussions, demonstrations and tastings, designed to show the interaction of flavor and aroma in food, will be given on Nov. 12 and 13 at the Astor Center, 399 Lafayette Street (East Fourth Street). The events include a cocktail-making demonstration on Friday, panels and various presentations throughout the day on Saturday, and a dinner at 7 p.m. on Saturday that will be prepared by eight chefs to illustrate flavor and aroma. Each event is priced separately, $35 to $300. For details and reservations, go to: astorcenternyc.com.

• Mediterranean Menu

Cooking demonstrations from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at New York City College of Technology, 300 Jay Street (Tillary Street), will cover Mediterranean vegetarian dishes on Nov. 12, $90, and Tuscan food on Nov. 19, $75: citytech.cuny.edu/academics/continuinged/registration.aspx .

• Cooking Globally

Cooking classes, with plenty of hands-on instruction, will feature the foods of a number of countries at the Natural Gourmet Institute, 48 West 21st Street. Japanese Izakaya dishes will be taught on Nov. 12 from 6 to 9:30 p.m., $110; Korean vegetarian cooking will be covered on Dec. 1 from 6:30 to 10 p.m., $110; phyllo and Greek specialties will be the focus on Dec. 9 from 6 to 10 p.m., $110; a Southwestern Christmas will be taught on Dec. 10 from 6 to 9:30 p.m., $110; and Thai street food will be the subject on Dec. 18 from 1 to 4:30 p.m., $115. Reservations: (212) 645-5170, naturalgourmetinstitute.com.

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Novmber 10th, 2010

• All About Chocolate

The annual Chocolate Show with exhibits, tastings, cooking demonstrations and chocolates for sale will be held from Nov. 11 through 13 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Nov. 14 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 West 18th Street. Tickets are available at $28 for those over 12 from chocolateshow.com, $30 at the door. Each adult can bring two children 5 to 12 free; additional children are $8 each.

• Foods of French Jews

A talk by Joan Nathan about the traditional foods of French Jews, with some of the dishes served at a reception, will take place Nov. 11 at 6:30 p.m. The event is sponsored by the Culinary Historians of New York, at Congregation Rodeph Sholom, 7 West 83rd Street. Tickets are $25 for members, $40 for nonmembers: culinaryhistoriansny.org. Photo identification required for entry.

• Building Blocks

Canstruction, the annual challenge for architects and engineers to create sculptures with cans of food, will kick off on Nov. 11 and run through Nov. 22 at the Winter Garden in the World Financial Center, 220 Vesey Street (West Street) in the financial district. Admission, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (until 5 p.m. on Nov. 22), is free with the suggested donation of a can of food. City Harvest will be the beneficiary of an estimated 100,000 cans of food.

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November 9th, 2010

• Mushroom Tips (Tuesday, Nov. 9th, 2010)

Mushrooms, both wild and cultivated, will be discussed and tasted, with tips about cooking and serving, in the Linder Theater of the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 9 at 6:30 p.m.; $25: amnh.org.

• Mexican Fund-Raiser (Tuesday, Nov. 9th, 2010)

A fund-raising party and auction, with Mexican food and cocktails, will be held by Friends of Oaxacan Folk Art on Nov. 9 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Casa Mezcal, 86 Orchard Street (Broome Street); $75 for members of the Friends group, $85 for others: fofa.us.

• Eating, to Fight Hunger (Tuesday, Nov. 9th, 2010)

A harvest dinner to benefit the West Side Campaign Against Hunger, which runs a food pantry for the needy, will be held on Nov. 9 at 6 p.m. at the campaign’s headquarters, 263 West 86th Street, with ingredients donated by Community Supported Agriculture groups; $150: (212) 362-3662 x 112, wscah.org. 

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November 8th, 2010

Join other whiskey-loving women for a dynamic evening of tasting in TriBeCa’s premier whiskey lounge—the Brandy Library. Offering an impressive selection of whiskey from Scotland and Ireland to Japan and the United States, Whiskey-Loving Women, featuring Glenmorangie’s head of distilling and whiskey creation, Dr. Bill Lumsden, will warm your palate and introduce you to the bold world of finely-crafted spirits.

Surrounded by endless shelves of fine whiskey, a striking gold-toned ceiling, and plush leather chairs, the Brandy Library serves as a perfect venue for whiskey-tasting. Sample more than 45 meticulously selected whiskeys such as the aromatic and slightly spicy Glenrothes Vintage 1985, or the Japanese Hibiki 12-Year-Old. Pair complimentary artisanal chocolates and cheeses with your favorite whiskey or have a cocktail, mixed by some of New York’s best female bartenders.

Brands pouring at the tasting:

• Ardbeg
• Auchentoshan
• Balvenie
• Bowmore
• Bulleit
• Glen Grant
• Glenfiddich
• Glenmorangie
• Glenrothes
• Hibiki
• Jura
• Michael Collins Irish Whiskey
• WhistlePig Straight Rye Whiskey
• Wild Turkey Russell’s Reserve

http://www.bloomspot.com/new-york/brandy-library/?utm_campaign=new-york_10-Nov-04&utm_source=BloomEmail&utm_medium=email&bquery=cmlkPTE4NDcyMTA3JmVtYWlsPWFteXN1ZWtvJTQwZ21haWwuY29tJnZpZD0yMTUzNDY%3D

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November 6th, 2010

• Chowder Cookoff! (Saturday, Nov. 6th, 2010)

Belly Warmer: Chowder Cook Off
Get slurping at this all-you-can-taste chowder competition featuring more than 20 different types of soup prepared by up-and-coming chefs.  Saturday 1p. Jimmy’s No. 43, 43 E. 7th St. (212-982-3006). $10 at door ~RundownNY

• Grapes by the Ton (Saturday, Nov. 6th, 2010)

Tons of cabernet sauvignon grapes from the Napa Valley will arrive at City Winery, 155 Varick Street (Vandam Street), on Nov. 6. Starting at 11 a.m., guests can help sort grapes, and have brunch and wine tastings. Tickets are $31.80 for adults, $63.60 a family: citywinery.com.

• Demystifying Spirits (Saturday, Nov. 6th, 2o10)

Classes on spirits at the Brandy Library, 25 North Moore Street (Varick Street), start with bourbon on Nov. 6 at 4 p.m., Nov. 16 at 7 p.m., and Nov. 20 at 4 p.m. (the last class will cover rare bourbons). On Nov. 9 at 7 p.m., Scotch will be poured and discussed. Classes, including light food, are $90: (212) 226-5545.

• Pugliese Cooking (Saturdeay, Nov.6th, 2010)

A cooking demonstration of Pugliese food, including pasta-making, will be given, with lunch, on Nov. 6 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., by the chef Patti Jackson at I Trulli, 122 East 27th Street, with Dora Marzovilla, the restaurant owner’s mother; $85: (212) 481-7372.

• A Chef Shares (Saturday, Nov. 6th, 2010)

Missy Robbins, the chef at A Voce Columbus in the Time Warner Center, will prepare a five-course lunch on Nov. 6 at noon, during which guests will learn about the ingredients she uses and why, and will take home recipes and a shopping list; $95, or $125 with wines, plus tax and tip: (212) 823-2523, avocerestaurant.com.

November 1st, 3rd, 4th, 7th, 8th, & 10th, 2010

• City Harvest Collection (Monday, Nov. 1st, 2010)
  Donations of two nonperishable food items for City Harvest will be collected Monday, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., at the Samsung Experience on the third floor of the Time Warner Center. There will be music, drinks and food at the event.

 

• Free Dessert Night (Wednesday, Nov. 3rd, 2010)
  An evening of free dessert and pastry tasting will be held Nov. 3 at three locations. At La Maison du Chocolat, 1018 Madison Avenue (78th Street), tastings will be available from 7 p.m. to midnight. From 7 to 9 p.m., tastings will be available at 63 Wall Street (Pearl Street) and 30 Rockefeller Plaza (on 49th Street).

 

• Lessons at Schatzie’s (Thursday, Nov. 4th, 2010)
  Tony Schatzie, who moved his meat market from the Upper East to the Upper West Side this year, says that he spends most of his time explaining to customers how to cook the meat and poultry they buy. So he is offering free cooking classes in his store, 555 Amsterdam Avenue (87th Street). On Nov. 4, from 7:15 to 8:30 p.m., he will discuss brisket. On Nov. 11 and 18, the lessons will be about turkey. Class size is limited; for reservations, call (212) 410-1555. On Nov. 6, 13 and 20, he will hold tastings of side dishes from noon to 5 p.m. The tastings are free and reservations are not necessary.

 

• Food Panel at NYC (Thursday, Nov. 4th, 2010)
  Clark Wolf will moderate a panel of food writers who will discuss Americans going back into the kitchen. The event will be Nov. 4, from 4 to 6 p.m., in the Fales Library of the Elmer Holmes Bobst Library at New York University, 70 Washington Square South. Admission is a suggested donation of $10, with a reservation from rsvp.bobst@nyu.edu.

 

• Cuisine of Australia (Monday, Nov. 8th, 2010)

Tom: Tuesday Dinner is when Tom Colicchio prepares prix-fixe meals in the private dining room at Craft. For one night, on Nov. 8 at 7 p.m., he will bring that format — call it Tom: Monday — to Colicchio & Sons, 85 10th Avenue (15th Street), with a menu inspired by the food and wine of South Australia; $250 including wine, tax and tip: esilva@craftrestaurant.com.

• Week of Long Island (Sunday, Nov. 7th -Sunday, Nov. 14th, 2010)

Long Island Restaurant Week will be from Nov. 7 through 14, with three-course dinners for $24.95 at more than 150 restaurants. On Saturday night, they will be until 7 p.m. For a list of restaurants: longislandrestaurantweek.com.

• French Chefs Saluted (Wednesday, Nov. 10th, 2010)
  The annual James Beard Foundation benefit dinner, to be held Nov. 10, will celebrate French chefs working in America, with Alain Ducasse, Francois Payard, Joel Robuchon, Guy Savoy and Jean-Georges Vongerichten participating. The event will start at 6:30 p.m. at the Four Seasons restaurant, 99 East 52nd Street. Tickets are $550 for members, $625 for others: (212) 627-2308, jbfauction.com.

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October 29th – 31st, 2010

• At the two Hi-Life restaurants — 477 Amsterdam Avenue (83rd Street) and 1503 Second Avenue (78th Street) — there will be blood orange Bellinis, garlic shooters and a garlic menu, $28 for two garlicky courses, plus tax and tip, Friday to Sunday. Those wearing vampire costumes will receive a free drink (blood orange smoothies for children).

 

• Pairing candy with wines and spirits is the object of a free tasting Saturday, October 30th, 2010, from 2 to 5 p.m., at Bottlerocket Wine & Spirit, 5 West 19th Street.

 

• Special trick or treat bags for Halloween produced by FEED, a charity that supports food projects worldwide, will benefit the United States Fund for Unicef, which helps young children who are at risk for malnutrition. The bags are $13.20 plus shipping and handling from hsn.com/hsncares.

 

• What better occasion for dark dining (a dinner eaten while blindfolded) than Halloween? There will be one Sunday, October 31st, 2010 at 7 p.m. at Camaje Bistro, 85 Macdougal Street (Bleecker Street). Reservations, $120 including wines, tax and tip: (212) 673-8184.

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October 28th, 2010

Party in Williamsburg  (Thursday, October 28th, 2010)

• Fresh Bodegas, an initiative of Grow NYC, which supports the Greenmarkets, and Red Jacket Orchards, which promotes fresh produce in corner delis, will hold a party Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at Brooklyn Kitchen Labs, 100 Frost Street (Meeker Avenue), Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The event will raise money for produce refrigerators. Admission includes food, beer and cocktails, $75 from grownyc.org.

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October 28th -31st, 2010

Halloween Happenings
Your definitive guide to late October in New York – RundownNY

• Pub Crawl: The Village Pourhouse
  Pick up two-for-one pumpkin ales and other themed specials at this five-mile, three-day long, 100+ location pub crawl. Or you could try it do it all in one day, if your costume looks better soaked in beer.
  Fri-Sun Oct 29-31. Starts at 64 3rd Ave. (212-600-9297). $15 here.

 

• Old-School: Webster Hell
  Despite a somewhat sordid reputation thanks to the things that go on in the crypt-like corners (you’ll often find people on all fours on all four floors), this has been the official post-party locale for the annual Halloween parade since your mom made your costume.
  Sun Oct 31 8p-4a. 125 East 11th St. (212-353-1600). $45 here.

 

• Storytime: BOO(zy)
  Every freaky story from five up-and-coming playwrights comes complete with a creepy live musical soundscape, and a themed cocktail (think axe murderer on the loose + bloody mary).
  Thu-Fri Oct 28-29 at 9p. DR2 Theatre, 101 E. 15th St. (212-868-4444). $18 here.

 

• Asian-Style: Sushisamba 7
  If you’re into dressing up as the Mario Brothers or characters from unpronouncable Japanese cartoons, Sushisamba’s Cosplay Party is for you (and there’s a $1,000 cash prize for best costume). It’s free to attend, but get there early or make a reservation for dinner — it’s also a prime parade-watching spot.
  Sun 8p-2a. 87 7th Ave S. (212-691-7885).

 

• High in the Sky: Party Like a Rockstar at Hudson Terrace
  This Midtown penthouse with panoramic city views is not the place to be if you’re afraid of ghosts and heights. But if you’ve got a group of four or more, go for the screaming VIP deal: For only $125, it gets you table service, a bottle, and appetizers.
  Sat Oct 30 9p-4a. 621 W. 46th St. (212-315-9400). Call for VIP; $25 per person here.

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 October 26th -29th, 2010

Harborside Financial Center

34 Exchange Place

Jersey City, NJ  07302

“HOUSE OF WALKER EXPERIENCE”

Join the world’s greatest whisky house for an exclusive night out with a hand-picked group of discerning drinkers like yourself. Invited guests are personally led by Master of Whisky, Stephen Wilson, through a private tasting of select Johnnie Walker™ Scotch whiskies.

Cocktails and light appetizers will be followed by a multi-sensory tasting experience. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee admission with RSVP. Please arrive at least 30 minutes prior to event start time.

http://www.johnniewalker.com/en-us/home

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October 25th, 2010

Vinitaly at Eataly
Vinitaly, a gigantic wine expo in Italy, will set up shop with scores of wines to sample at Eataly, 200 Fifth Avenue (23rd Street), on Monday from 6 to 9 p.m. Tickets, $55 to benefit the American Cancer Society: www. gala.acsevents.org/vinitaly

Beer: Step 1
An evening of hops, with discussions about growing them and using them in home brewing, with a beer tasting, will be held on Monday from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Beer Table, 427B Seventh Avenue (14th Street), Park Slope, Brooklyn, $35 from events@beertable.com.

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October 25th – October 26th, 2010

DRAMBUIE EVENT
Sponsored Rundown
Choose the next signature cocktail at Drambuie’s Nail or Fail event
The simple, bold Rusty Nail — one part Drambuie liqueur, one part Scotch, poured over ice in a rocks glass and stirred — has been the in-crowd’s cocktail of choice since the days of swingers and notorious blue-eyed crooners.

Today, Drambuie is on the hunt for a new signature tipple, and you can help.

At the Drambuie NYC Nail or Fail events, you’ll get to sip a range of Drambuie-based beverages crafted by the hottest bar chefs in the land.

You choose who Nails, and who Fails. And the drink recipe that gets the most votes will become the next Nail, the choice of modern-day rebels across the land.

So pour yourself a classic, and as you savor the sweet intermingling of flavors, RSVP here for this once-in-a-generation event.

And get ready to carry the torch for the next fifty years.

NOTE:  TO RSVP FOR THIS EVENT, visit Drambuie’s website at http://us.drambuie.com/nailorfail/Default.aspx

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October 24th, 2010

Ice Cream Sunday
Blue Marble Ice Cream is closing its store at 420 Atlantic Avenue (Bond Street), Boerum Hill, Brooklyn, and on Sunday from 7 to 11 p.m. there will be a party there, with food, sparkling wine and ice cream, to benefit Sweet Dreams, an ice cream shop in Rwanda, which the owners of Blue Marble have opened; $25 a person or $50 a family at the door.

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October 2010

October is National Pork Month!  Give turkey a run for it’s feathers by chowing down on the whole hog.  Below are a few restaurants that are celebrating in style from “therundownNY”.

The Other White Meat
National Pork Month proves autumn ain’t just for turkeys
In case you were wondering if it was possible for lobbyists to get a month named after anything, it is. Welcome to Porktober. Here’s where to get your pig on.

Whole Hog: The Breslin
Celebrate an entire, wonderful month of pig with an entire specimen of the magical animal itself. With two day’s notice, the Ace Hotel’s chef will go whole hog, doing up an entire suckling pig for up to a dozen people.
$65 per person. 16 W. 29th St. (646-214-5764)

Pig Out: Brother Jimmy’s
Every Sunday this month, Brother Jimmy’s keeps it real, dealing out a $27 all-you-can-eat rib special. The two-hour feast gets you racks of anything from their dry rubbed to smoked variations, along with sides (get the mac and cheese) and unlimited drafts of Bud or Bud Light.
At all six Manhattan locations.

All The Way Home: Momofuku Noodle Bar
At under $10, the BBQ pork buns are like White Castle belly bombs done right. And the Japanese ramen noodle house metes out Southern-style soups ideal as the rains come and temperatures drop this month.
171 First Ave. (212-777-7773)

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October 7 – 10, 2010

Food Network New York City Wine and Food Festival

Come out for the Culinary Event of the month!  Meet your favorite Food Network chefs, taste the delicious foods, drink the wine, and learn what’s new!  http://www.nycwineandfoodfestival.com/2010/