With Bite: Local Event

Showing posts with label Local Event. Show all posts

Monday, May 9, 2011

My first Wine Dinner gig!

I'm so excited to be pulling together both sides of my work experience in a brand new event for the Halifax Chamber of Commerce! Next Wednesday, May 18th, I'll be working with Innovative Beverages and Bishop's Cellar to launch the Chamber's first ever wine dinner!

As a sommelier in training, I managed to sweet-talk my boss into introducing our members to the exciting world of wine, as well as opening it up to the public at no extra cost! The Chamber's first ever wine dinner will allow members and non-members the opportunity network while dining on CUT's award-winning cuisine while sampling fantastic wines from all over the world.

And talk about a great deal! This event features 5 courses with wine pairings, as well as a sparkling wine reception, for only $90, tax and tip included! It doesn't get much better than this! For more info, or to book your tickets, email me Kristen Pickett, or call direct at 481.1234. Check out the menu below to get your palate ready for this great event!

Chamber Wine Dinner

CUT Urban Grill

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

6:30 ~ Sparkling Wine Reception & Networking

7:00 ~ Dinner

$90, Taxes and Gratuity included

MENU

Reception
Graham Beck Brut NV - Western Cape, South Africa

1st Course
Parsnip Apple Soup with Cinnamon Foam.
Montes Classic Sauvignon Blanc - Casablanca Valley, Chile

2nd Course
Digby Scallop in a Coconut Curry Cream Sauce.
Spy Valley Reisling- New Zealand

3rd Course
Juniper & Salt Cured Duck Confit with a Bing Cherry Demi Glaze
Glen Carlou Grand Classique Bordeaux Blend 2008- South Africa

4th Course
Beef Short Ribs in a Red Wine Reduction, Butternut Squash Puree
Seghesio Zinfandel- Sonoma, California

Sweet Endings
Chef's selection of petite decadent desserts & cheese.
Pffeiffer Rutherglen Muscat - South Africa

Innovative Beverages is a Premium Wine Importing Agency, and works with only the best producers in every major wine producing region of the world. Formed in 2006, Innovative Beverages is based in Halifax, and it's wines can be found on all fine restaurant lists, as well as NSLC and Private store outlets.

Monday, April 18, 2011

Slow Food Nova Scotia's Second Annual Spring Supper!

Well, Spring has sprung, and in the culinary community of NS, who pride themselves on using local ingredients, this means that it's time for the second annual Slow Food Nova Scotian Spring Supper! Proceeds from this event, sponsored by Taste of Nova Scotia and the Winery Association of Nova Scotia, will go to Slow Food Nova Scotia and Feed Nova Scotia.

On Saturday, May 7, some of Nova Scotia's most beloved chefs will come together to cook an incredible 7-course meal - paired with Nova Scotian wines - using the province's finest culinary products in their dishes. Chefs Darren Lewis of Chives; Renee Lavalle, The Feisty Chef; Dennis Johnston of Fid Resto; Paolo Colberto of Jane's on the Common; Kim Stacey of Emma's Eatery; Chris Velden of Ryan Duffy's; Graeme Ruppel of Brooklyn Warehouse and Michael Howell of Tempest.

To give you an idea as to the luscious, local menu, I thought I'd start you off with a few photos from last year's incredible offerings:

So now, take a look at this year's menu, and start saving some room! This year's Spring Supper will be held at Christ Church Community Centre, 61 Dundas Street (around the corner from Two If By Sea), Dartmouth. The reception starts at 6:30 pm, with dinner occurring at 7 pm sharp!

Tickets are $75 (Members) and $85 (Non-Members). Did I mention already that the wine pairings are indluded? Seriously - this is the Best Deal Around! Tickets are available at Chives, The Brooklyn Warehouse, Fid and Jane's on the Common. Limited tickets are available, so make sure you get yours soon! For more information, contact mail@slowfoodns.ca.

SLOW FOOD NOVA SCOTIA

SPRING SUPPER 2011

Homemade Biscuits & Butter

Kim Stacey, Emma's Eatery

Curried Indian Point Mussel Chowder, Petit-de-Grat Snow
Crab Cake, Preserved Peach Chutney

Darren Lewis, Chives

Riverview Arugula Salad, Broken Roasted Garlic & Mustard Vinaigrette

Ricotta Wafer, Crispy Black Olive

Paolo Colberto, Jane's on the Common

Harpoon Caught Swordfish, Salsa Verde,

Wild Rice Risotto, Lobster Chili Oil

Chris Velden, Ryan Duffy's

Nova Scotia Lamb Shawarma, Tzatziki, Pickled Turnip,

Herb Salad, Chickpea Socca

Renee Lavalle, The Feisty Chef

Slow Roasted Windsor Valley Pork Belly, Local Sweet Potato

Dennis Johnston, Fid Resto

"Jigg's Dinner" Granite Irish Stout Braised Beef Rib,
Haddock Brandade,Savoy Cabbage, Fiddlehead Mustard Pickles

Graeme Ruppel, The Brooklyn Warehouse

Noggins Warm Apple Pocket, Rhubarb Panna Cotta,

Fox Hill Gelato Michael Howell, Tempest

Monday, March 7, 2011

The Skinny on Savour 2011

Well, another year's Savour food & wine Show has come and gone, and a great time was had by all. Last Wednesday night, Savourites gathered at the Westin Nova Scotian to celebrate the 8th annual event. With over 60 booths of food and wine, there was a bite to tempt every tastebud and a wine to please every palate.

The quantity of product at this show is amazing - there is so much to try that one person would never get to do it all...and there have been many to try! After 4 Savour shows, I never go in without a game plan. I check out the exhibitors and decide where I'll be stopping before venturing into the fray. As a sommelier-in-training, I checked out a lot more wine booths this year and tried to pair them with the most appropriate bite. In case you're wondering...I'm well aware of my uber-geekiness.

If you didn't get to attend this year, I would highly suggest giving Savour a shot next year. It's the perfect opportunity to try some of the best food and wine in Halifax all under one roof. There was even a Local Food Award (which went to 5Fish). And as the tagline reveals, Savour is 'Mingle-licious'!

Don't forget to check in next week to find out the winners of the 'Best of Show'!

How a foodie 'does' Savour...Mapping it out!

The Five Fishermen

Lobster Stuffed Scallops w/ a Chardonnay Beurre Blanc

Mini Lobster and Goat Cheese Cakes with Basil Aioli

Tempest

Crispy Fish Tacos

w/ Smoked Line Caught Haddock and Guacamole Coulis

Stories at the Haliburton

Tahitian Vanilla Panna Cotta w/ Drunk and Sober
Berries and Lacey Almond Tuille

Taj Mahal

Lamb Hyderabadi Biryani

Mango Juice and Chocolate Fountain

Saege

Getaway Farms Cider Braised Pork Belly, Balsamic & Red Onion Agrodolce

Sweet Potato & Thyme Blini and Caramelized Gala Apple

Chives

Nova Scotia Pulled Pork

Brioche w/ Winter Slaw and Bourbon BBQ sauce

Chez Tess

The Euro ~ Sweet Vanilla Crepe stuffed w/ Banana,

drizzled with Nutella, Caramel, Chantilly & Toasted Almonds

Chocolate Mousse ~ Chocolate Mousse in a bite size crepe cup

topped w/ Chantilly and Almond Brittle

The Press Gang

Seven Hour Bison Ravioli

tossed in a Truffled Caramelized Garlic & Bourbon Reduction

w/ Celery Toot Puree and Pistachio Wilted Chard

White Point

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Maple Creme & Pecan Brittle

Mix Fresh Kitchen

Lamb Kebabs

The Westin Nova Scotian

Mini Burgers on Brioche; Philly Steak & Crab Cake

Durty Nelly's

Fresh Shucked Oysters and Guinness

Delta Barrington & Halifax

Meadow Brook house-smoked Pork Belly topped w/ Dragon's Breath Blue Cheese

served w/ Celeriac Puree and Van Dykes Blueberry Drizzle

The Port Pub

Pan Seared Digby Scallop on Local Dulse Seasoned Cracker

w/ Apple & Fennel Slaw and Wild Blueberry-Maple Vinaigrette

The Spread at Hamachi

Morris East

Potato Ravioli

Root Vegetable Crackers

Nova Scotia Raspberry Daiquiris

Le Caveau

L'Acadie vine Smoked Salmon w/ chilled Fox Hill Quark Souffle and Leek Coulis

Wild Nova Scotia Porcini Risotto finished w/
Old Growler Gouda and Martock Glen Duck Confit

Fid Resto

The Black Pearl Shooter
Soy Tapioca Pearls & Fresh Carrot Juice

Seasoned w/ Apple Cider Vinegar, Chive Oil and a Sweet Potato Crisp

Pipa

Bacalhau a Bras

Saute of Cod, Onion, Potato & Egg

Seasons

Liquid Nitrogen Candy Pop Corn

White Chocolate Soup w/ Espresso & Cocoa Nibs

Blueberry Cocktail

My friend Stephanie and I - post event. I realized that I forgot to mention one of the other key rules to planning and making the most out of your Savour food & wine Show experience - Bring a friend!

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

The most wonderful time of the year....!

It's almost here, the most wonderful time of the year! No, I don't mean Christmas, or New Year's Eve, or my Birthday. I mean my favourite night in the city of Halifax - on that I look forward to all year long, the Savour food & wine Show!

This year's show will take place at the Westin Nova Scotian TOMORROW night, March 2nd from 7:00-9:30 pm. Tickets are just $79+HST, a fantastic value for the amount of food and wine.

I'd like to challenge you to try everything, but there's no way to taste it all - it's just too much! To view the list of exhibitors, click HERE.

In case you still don't 'get' how amazing this event is, check out my blog post about Savour 2010....then I think you'll get the idea! if you're a foodie in Halifax, you'll hang your head on Thursday if you weren't at the most "mingle-licious" event in town!

Tickets are still available! Visit the eDining Website's Savour Page to purchase tickets!

Monday, February 21, 2011

Sippin 'n' Shuckin', 2011

A couple weeks ago, I wrote about Sip' n' Shuck a couple weeks ago. I was so pumped to have another opportunity to try some of the newer Nova Scotian wines, the always incredible ice wines and, some fresh, clean and salt watery goodness of Nova Scotian oysters. As you'll see, I definitely took advantage of the crustaceans, but at Sip' n' Shuck, there is so much more to take in!

Along with the freshly-shucked oysters, there were hors d'oeuvres prepared with oysters; mussels steamed with bacon and leeks and saffron-vanilla; a luxurious cheese board, an enormous selection of chocolates from the Sweet Spot Chocolate Shop (my fave chocolate spot in the province) and a wine presence from almost all of Nova Scotia's wineries.

Make sure to keep your eye out for this event next year, at $35/ticket, it's a great value, and a wonderful opportunity to check out some of NS's best products from vine and sea!

Succulent, shucked Oysters

Ice wines from Blomidon Estate Winery, Gaspereau Vineyards,

Domaine de Grand Pre and Jost Vineyards

A variety of bubblies from Tideview Cider

Steamed Mussels

A luscious chocolate-covered caramel from the Sweet Spot Chocolate Shop

Thursday, February 10, 2011

3rd Annual Rare & Fine Wine Tasting

As a member of the Savour food & wine Festival planning committee, and a sommelier-in-training, I'm really excited for the Rare & Fine Wine tasting. Join us on Friday, February 18th, 2011 for the #rd annual event. From 7 - 9:30 pm at Windows at the World Trade Centre, R&F wines will be poured for an exclusive tasting of rare and vintage wines.

With over 30 wines rated at 90 points and above, this is THE wine tasting you do not want to miss out on. Once you've narrowed it down to you "I can't leave without a bottle" wines, you can even purchase them! Each wine, retailing at $60 and above, will be available for this one night only in Nova Scotia and will include:

•a 94-point Super Tuscan wine

•a 95-point Rhone wine

•a 95-point German Riesling

•a 93-point Champagne
•But don't take my word for it! Click HERE for the list!

DON'T MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY! TICKETS ARE ONLY $99*

Friday, February 18th, 2011

Windows at the World Trade and Convention Centre

7:00 - 9:30 p.m.$99 + HST*

Ticket and hotel room packages are now available through the Westin Nova Scotian. Call 1-877-993-7846 and quote Rare & Fine to book your room today. Only $179 plus taxes!

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Decadence

Treat yourself to an evening of indulgence...

On Thursday, February 3, 2011, wine, cheese and chocolate lovers alike will gather for an evening of...well, decadence! Taking place the Westin Hotel from 6:30 to 9:30 pm, Decadence is one of the three upcoming events under the Savour food & wine Festival umbrella. This evening couldn't be more of a deal as tickets are only $49+HST!

The other cool thing about this event is that Savour partners with NSCC's to bring students from both the culinary and pastry arts program together to create the dishes. If only all 'studying' involved wine, cheese and chocolate! Sigh....

The first hour of the evening begins by enjoying succulent pieces of cheeses, paired with different wines. Each cheese is then transformed into a beautiful dish or hors d'oeuvre, matching the paired wine yet again.

The last part of the evening pairs decadent chocolate with wines, port and dessert wines. Taste the chocolate in its raw form, paired with a wine yet again, then tasting the chocolate transformed into a luscious dessert.

I was pouring at one of the tables last year, and will be this year again...though I fully intend to sneak off at some point in order to sample some of the incredible treats, both savoury and sweet! One of the coolest parts of this event though, is finding out which wines compliment which cheeses, and vise versa - and doing it all over again with chocolate.

Just remember the golden rule at these types of events - pace yourself! Everything will look so amazing that you'll wanna eat everything in sight. Believe me - I know the menu! Anyhow, whether you prefer cheese or chocolate with your wine, this event has it all!

So what are you waiting for? Go on… you deserve it!

Ticket and hotel room packages are now available through the Westin Nova Scotian. Call 1-877-993-7846 and quote Decadence to book your room today. Only $179 plus taxes!

*Multiple ticket packages are available. Please contact 429-5343 ext. 1 for more information.

Click here to get your tickets today!

Monday, January 17, 2011

Sip 'n' Shuck, 2011

Last year, I went to an event sponsored by Taste of Nova Scotia and the Dept. of Aquaculture and Fisheries entitled Sip 'n' Shuck. I went to check out what was going on with Nova Scotian wines and seafood, and expected simply an evening of wine and seafood pairings focusing on oysters. Unfortunately...I didn't like oysters, and chose to leave earlier than I normally would for this type of an event.

This year, I've been invited back again, and I couldn't be more excited! Withing the past year, with help from one of my favorite oyster-loving gal pals, I have become quite the oyster lover myself! It's incredible to taste something at the epitome of its freshness; slightly salty, clean and luscious. I love the way that an oyster gently glides down your throat, tickling your taste buds on its way down. If you're really fortunate, you'll have the perfect accompanying wine to help wash it down. At this year's event, you can learn how to shuck an oyster and get wine pairing tips from a Sommelier.

Make sure to get your tickets for this year's event by calling Cassie Benjamin at the Aquaculture Association of Nova Scotia at 902.422.6234. You will be provided a receipt via email, and the pre-paid tickets can be picked up on site. The festivities will take place on Friday, January 28 at the Delta Halifax, and tickets are $35 per person.

Email: cbenjaminaans@eastlink.ca
Ph: 902-422-6234

Sip n Shuck Event details:

Nova Scotia Oyster, Mussel & Wine Tasting Night
Friday January 28, 2011, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Sip n’ Shuck - $35 per ticket
Delta Halifax, Baronets Ballroom

Presented by: Delta Halifax/Barrington, Aquaculture Association of Nova Scotia, Winery Association of Nova Scotia, Mussel Industry Council, Nova Scotia Fisheries and Aquaculture.

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Nova Scotia's own IRON CHEF competition!

SLOW FOOD NOVA SCOTIA

presents...

the Second Annual

IRON CHEF

Culinary Competition 2011

Sunday March 6th, NSCC Akerley Campus

Last year it was a close battle as 4 teams battled it out in the “TURNIP SHOWDOWN”. What will be the secret ingredient this year?

Join chefs Michael Howell (Tempest), Renee Lavallee (Feisty Chef, Chronicle Herald), Jason Lynch (Le Caveau), Kim Stacey (Emma’s Eatery), and Craig Flinn (Chives) as we head up 5 teams to create a 3-course luncheon menu using local Nova Scotia products.

Participate as a cook or a tasting judge ($15 per member, $20 per guest)

Cash or check only please

Cooks assemble at 12:30 pm at Akerley’s dining room for instructions and unveiling of the secret ingredient...rules will be addressed at this time. Tasting judges will meet at the dining room at 3:00 to begin tasting at 3:30.

Unlike last year, judges will NOT be permitted to watch the cooks prepare the meal due to special considerations in the kitchens as well as secrecy of the teams dishes.

Please note that volunteers are needed to help with the cleanup since NSCC is kindly letting us use their space.

Contact Slow Food Nova Scotia to sign up!

Monday, November 22, 2010

Cozy Dinns at the Inn...On The Lake

A couple weeks ago, I opened the door from the cool outdoors to find myself in a warm and inviting dining room. We had driven for just a little while - an adventure of sorts - to visit the Inn On The Lake in Enfeild. The Inn itself is lovely; clean, cozy and well kept, but the dining was what we were after, so we settled in at a table directly in front of the fireplace and awaited our first course. The Inn often offers special 'Chef Series' set menus, and this one was part of their Fall Wine Festival menu. Consisting of 3 courses with wine pairings, an amuse bouche and a palate cleanser, it was quite the treat to indulge in for a mere $75 ($55 without wine).

To start, our server brought the amuse bouche; a pile of supple smoked salmon atop a rich dollop of cream cheese. The condiments offered on the side provided two contrasting tastes; a sweet caramelized onion jam that paired beautifully with the lush cheese, and a dill oil, whose traditional pairing with salmon was quite appropriate.

Amuse Bouche
Smoked Salmon atop Cream Cheese
served on pumpernickel round accompanied by a sweet
onion jam and a drizzle of fresh dill oil
Rose - Jost

Our palates sufficiently 'amused' at this point, we were served the first course; a tender piece of lightly crusted halibut supported on a delightful bed of golden beats and fennel. As a big fan of both these vegetables I was already pleased, however, I'm always happy to see a chef deviating from the traditional potato base. I don't often use this descriptor, but in the halibut's case, it was perfectly cooked. The vegetables beneath were flavourful and tender, and provided just the right amount of tang to cut through the buttery Chardonnay cream sauce.

Appetizer

Porcini Mushroom and Halibut

porcini crusted halibut with braised fennel, golden beets

and thyme with chardonnay cream sauce

Habitant Blanc - Jost

Then came one of my favourite elements to a fine dining meal - the palate cleanser. I've had some lovely flavour combinations of sorbet, and lime is a favourite flavour of mine, but this particular sorbet has raised the bar for others after. The lime here was at once intense, yet subtle and the tequila gave it an extra bite that certainly assisted with the 'palate cleansing' effect.

Intermezzo

Lime Margarita

with a drizzle of Tequila

With a fresh outlook on what was to come, the server placed two dishes of decadence in front of us - one was dessert, but more on that later...The entrée was a collection of indulgent ingredients that came together to create a lovely well balanced wash of flavours and textures. The sensations that this dish set off in my mouth were unreal, and...at times, slightly indecent!

A beautiful piece of AAA Tenderloin (cooked rare) was tender and juicy; its flesh having that shiver-inducing type of chew. Crowning the meat was a piece of plump fois gras that had somewhat of a 'melt-in-your-mouth' consistency. These two components alone, would have been enough to make me sigh with contentment, but it went on...The meats were served on a pile of young veg, and on top were two contrasting sauces; a creamy blue cheese and red wine reduction.

Main Entree

AAA Beef Tenderloin & Foie Gras

pan roasted beef tenderloin with seared foie gras,
drizzled with blue cheese & red wine reduction
with cipollini onions, asparagus and fingerling potatoes

Baco Noir - Jost

The dessert plate was a study in chocolate; three incredible, and incredibly distinctive desserts were served, each more seductive than the last.

Dessert

Chocolate Trilogy

Vitis - Gasperau Vineyards

I went from right to left, tasting first the warm, comforting chocolate chip and banana bread pudding. This was the definition of dessert comfort food - right up there with ginger bread and apple pie. With a dense crumb and hint of banana, this pudding was the perfect vehicle to showcase the classic flavour pairing.

Dark Chocolate Banana Bread Pudding

Next came the chocolate and pistachio nut pate with mocha sauce. Talk about rich! Any dish that showcases pistachios is good in my books! The pate was thick in the mouth, with nuttiness being right in the foreground. The sauce's slightly bitter coffee edge cut right through the pate's cloying capabilities and added depth to the dish.

Chocolate and Pistachio Nut Pate

w/ Mocha Sauce

Once the austere shield of the creme brulee was cracked, it revealed a softer character within. The chocolate cream was - quite possibly - one of the most pleasurable tastes and textures to ever cross my palate; smooth, rich and creamy, it was all the things that fine chocolate should be, and induced the heart-warming, pulse-quickening effects as well.

Chocolate Crème Brulee

This particular menu was part of the Fall Chef series, but diners should not lose heart, the Inn On The Lake is also offering a Festive Season Table d'Hote, in which the Chocolate Trilogy is also a part. At $29.95 for two courses, and $39.95 for three, diners can enjoy a lucious meal in a setting that feels like home...or an Inn that feels like it!