Photo: ***Yuna***/Flickr
LOCAL BITES
Hungover Host
Have some house guests this New Year’s? The Cook’s Den posted some post-celebration brunch tips from celebrity chef Anne Burrell that will help those who won’t be looking so fresh-faced in the kitchen New Year’s Day. She recommends preparing easy-to-prep dishes so you can get a head start the day before. Every little bit helps.
Tastiest of 2010
The Globe announced its top 10 picks for the Most Memorable Dishes of 2010. #1 on the list? The house-made sausage at 5 Corner’s Kitchen in Marblehead. However, Grub Street Boston felt there was something missing: the $18 burger at Craigie on Main, which they once deemed the “Angelina Jolie of the Boston burger world.”
Surf is Served
Snow and sleet doesn’t mean the end of fish dinners. Chef Daniel Bruce of Rowes Wharf Sea Grille will be serving up the catch of the day Monday nights for their new tasting series. He’ll use his culinary imagination to whip up a seafood sampling based on what came off the boat that day. That plus a specialty beverage costs $20, and is available from 5:30 to 7pm at the bar. Call the restaurant at (617) 856-7744 to see what’s in the kitchen that evening.
Cookin’ and Drummin’
The familiar Bob Sargent of Flora in Arlington is up to more than cooking these days–he’s also breaking out the drums for Flora’s 15th birthday! Starting January 20th, Flora will host a monthly “Third Thursday Night Music Series” throughout 2011 with hors d’oeuvres, dancing, and live music. This month: British pop band The Rolling Who plus Sargent on drums. The $5 cover charge benefits Arlington Food Pantry.
Back in “Blacklisted”
The Culinary Guild of New England and Legal Sea Foods team up to educate and indulge at the Sustainable Seafood dinner January 24th from 7-10pm. Sustainability has been a popular topic in recent years, and while the discussion has taught us safer and more environmentally-friendly eating, it has also turned the public against certain species of fish due to outdated scientific findings. Therefore, LS CEO Roger Berkowitz has designed a four-course menu made up entirely of “blacklisted” fish. There will be a Q and A following the dinner. Tickets (a hefty $90 for CGNE members and $110 for non-members) may be purchased online.
Triple Threat
5 chefs, 5 breeds of pig, 5 wineries. Lost? I’m talking about the national culinary competition, Cochon 555, which hits the Fairmont Copley Plaza January 30th. Cochon is a 10-city tasting tour that challenges five chefs in each city to a pig throwdown. This year, the lineup is Matt Jennings of Farmstead, Lydia Shire of the recently opened Towne, Mary Dumont of Harvest, Barry Maiden of Hungry Mother, and Will Gilson of Garden at the Cellar. They’ll prepare their own menus using heritage breed pigs, nose to tail. Five local wineries will also add to the mix. Get your tickets online (be warned, they’re $125 a pop, $175 for VIP).
NATIONAL TREATS
Guilt Trip
NPR’s health blog just posted the top five cookbooks to PUT DOWN in 2011. These five were loaded with recipes heavy on salt, fat, and meat.
The Food Scoop
Food News Journal gives a rundown of the top food news stories of 2010. From Michelle Obama’s fight to end childhood obesity to Four Loko, it’s all there.
Indian at Home
Madhur Jaffrey appears on Morning Edition this week to discuss her memoir, Climbing the Mango Trees, and her “other” dream: cooking. She includes a recipe for red pepper soup with ginger and fennel that will heat up the winter (though the 50° weather that’s about to hit us may do the trick).