Taste of the Nation Boston

One of the best events I have attended in the past year was Taste of the Nation last April. For months, I was eagerly awaiting this year’s bash, and last Thursday, the wait was finally over. Over 70 local restaurants and caterers and 40 wineries (plus some delightful liquor brands) were on hand to raise money for the event. All of the money from tickets and the silent auction went to Share Our Strength, which is dedicated to ending childhood hunger.

On entering the hall, my friend Ann and I were handed glasses of prosecco and set free into the wilderness of delicious foods. We were drawn first to the Food Should Taste Good table, a local snack company that manages to meet the expectations brought with their name. They had all of their chip flavors available for sampling, and I especially enjoyed the new cheddar flavor as well as the chocolate (both sweet and salty, which is clearly something I like). Their olive chips are still one of my favorite snacks out there. Right next to Food Should Taste Good was Corzo Tequila, which was serving margaritas and watermelon-and-cucumber-infused tequila. I loved the mix of watermelon and cucumber – very light flavors – and the way they mellowed the tequila out a bit. I’m not one for tequila shots, but these went down easily.

We wandered a bit, tasting bites from the Oak Room (grilled halibut with fresh pea shoots and a parsnip puree – nice use of both winter and spring veggies to make this an ideal dish for this time of year) and Sensing (a phenomenal cream of pea soup – smooth and sweet), as well as a mocktail from POM Wonderful (would have tasted better with a dash of gin, I bet). From there, we were sucked into the VIP room, where things started to get hazy. There was a Bombay Sapphire booth, manned by some ladies from LUPEC – the drinks were ice cold and perfectly mixed, who was I to say no? We also stopped by Chocolee’s table. She is possibly the best chocolate maker in town, and her new shop just opened in the South End. Make sure to order a salted caramel (there’s that salty and sweet thing again), which needs to be eaten in one bite so you don’t lose any of the amazing gooey caramel.

Back on the main floor, we wandered some more, and time seemed to speed up. Blue Ribbon BBQ showcased a whole roast pig and had bottles of all their different sauces to try. We enjoyed tastes from Verrill Farm (steak with spring greens and a roasted purple potato), Market (handmade passionfruit marshmallows), Laurel (decadent but not heavy lobster mac and cheese), KO Prime (so-so sloppy joes and amazingly fantastic A-1 potato chips), and Ole (dessert tamales). We enjoyed more drinks from a second LUPEC/Bombay Sapphire table and from Guatamalan rum, Ron Zacapa. We went to a bunch of other tables, but either many restaurants ran out early or I had more to drink than I think I did. (OK, it’s probably the latter.)

My two favorite bites of the evening, however, were not from regular restaurants, but from a caterer and a bakery. The chicken and potato gaufrettes from Season to Taste Catering were phenomenal and layered together crunchy potato, salty chicken, and a sweet caramel-y sauce. I came back for seconds of these perfectly proportioned appetizers and would have had more if I didn’t want other people to try them as well. We stopped at the Glutenus Minimus table because I had heard of the bakery before and was interested in trying their things for my gluten-free friend. I was totally blown away, though, by their baked goods. Gluten-free pastries often feel heavy and definitely don’t taste quite right, but that wasn’t true of anything I tried here. In fact, their chocolate chip cookies were better than some I’ve had at other bakeries – mind-bending!

And did I mention that the local band I enjoyed last year, Cassavettes, was playing again, and when I talked to them at the end of the night, they remembered talking with us last year? I’m listening to their new cd, Shake Down the Sun, right now, and it’s killer.

Taste of the Nation still has another local event coming up. Taste of the Nation Worcester is next week on April 19th, and if it’s anything like this event, it’s bound to be a blast.

Only on a New England Saint Patrick's Day

Sometimes things just work out well. Take, for example, last week - I was given the opportunity to meet the master distiller of Bushmills Irish Whiskey AND I was struck by an intense desire for Moxie. Normally, these two things would have nothing to do with each other. But I quickly remembered a drink I had had at Deep Ellum a few years ago - the Black Water - and the stars aligned.

The Black Water, named for the English translation of the Native American word "moxie," is a simple combination of whiskey and the almost-disgusting soda Moxie. I think Deep Ellum uses rye whiskey, whereas Bushmills is a blend of malt and grain whiskey. My palate isn't refined enough to tell the difference, I just drink what I like.

Now, if you didn't grow up in New England, you may never have heard of Moxie (in fact, there's no guarantee you've heard of it if you DID grow up here). Moxie originated, like most sodas, as a tonic meant to have health benefits. It was created in Lowell, MA in 1884 and named after a river near inventor Augustin Thompson's home in Maine. It was thanks to robust advertising that we now use the word moxie to mean that someone has vigor or guts - it didn't exist in the English language before this soda. And Moxie is one of the few sodas that actually taste like the tonic it came from - it's definitely an acquired taste. Imagine cola and root beer combined, only more bitter and less sweet. I can't drink the stuff straight, but I think it's amazing with whiskey.

Onto the Bushmills - I was invited to attend an event with Bushmills' master distiller, Colum Egan, who has been busy promoting the brand before St. Patrick's Day. I brought along a few fellow bloggers, and the evening ended up being Colum walking five women through all the different types of Bushmills (the tasting notes are here). It's amazing how the flavors can change so drastically between different blends of the same alcohol. I especially liked the Black Bush, which is aged in predominantly sherry barrels and has a little bit of a deeper, richer, sweeter taste than the original Bushmills, which is aged mostly in bourbon barrels and is a little lighter.

For a New England St. Patrick's Day, what better thing to do than blend a strictly New England soda with an Irish whiskey? Colum shared a number of Irish toasts with us, but my favorite is one I'll put to good use:

There are tall ships
and long ships
and ships that sail the sea,
but the best ships
are friendships
and may they always be.

Black Water
whiskey (I prefer Bushmills Black Bush, but only had original on hand)
Moxie
maraschino cherries

Fill a cocktail glass with crushed ice. Pour in a three-count of whiskey and top with Moxie. Add a cherry (and a dash of the cherry juice if you like).

Brownies with more than a touch o' the Irish

I read a lot of food blogs - probably too many. Often, I find myself skimming through my Google Reader without paying too much attention to details (sometimes even just looking at the pictures). When I'm in that kind of mood, it takes a special recipe to pull me out of my stupor.

And that's exactly what happened when I saw these Irish Cream Brownies on Baking Bites. I wasn't craving brownies until I saw the recipe, but as soon as I did, I HAD to have them. Luckily, I can just say the word brownie to my friend Ann and she's on board. We baked up a batch on Saturday night, to pair with Chipotle burritos, video games, and Caprica. Our group likes to talk, but we were silent as soon as these brownies came out.

I loved them so much, in fact, that I had to make them again a few nights later. We didn't have regular Baileys in the house, but we did have some of the mint Baileys. How awful could that end up, I wondered. How about even better? I'm sure the caramel Baileys would be amazing in these as well.

Man, are these tremendous brownies. Usually when something says it's Irish Cream (or Baileys) flavored, it means it has a hint of Irish Cream. Not these - these taste like the real thing (maybe because it uses the real thing?). Baking Bites included a glaze for the brownies, but I didn't feel it was needed (plus it didn't work for me). All on their own, the brownies form a crisp, thin crust while staying dense and fudge-like inside. I like these so much, they may become my default brownie recipe. What better thing to make for Saint Patrick's Day? My mother was asking for the recipe before she had finished her first bite...

Irish Cream Brownies (adapted from Baking Bites)
1/3 cup butter, melted
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup Irish Cream liqueur (like Baileys) - the flavored Baileys work well too
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 9x9 baking pan with tin foil and grease lightly; set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, sugar, and cocoa powder. Add egg and vanilla and whisk until combined. Whisk in liqueur until smooth (this will take a minute). Add in baking soda and salt, then whisk to distribute. Add flour and whisk until there are no streaks of flour left. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the brownies comes out with only a few crumbs, no uncooked batter. Remove using the tin foil and let cool on a wire rack.

Pomegranate Paklava

Paklava just doesn't photograph well, does it?

As a second entry into PAMA's Pomegranate Month recipe contest, I decided to update an Armenian classic with Pomegranate Paklava. Armenian paklava is usually less sweet and gooey than Greek baklava, which I am in favor of, but I've still never really liked it. My mother makes it with walnuts, possibly the worst nut out there (I'll eat Brazil nuts before I eat a walnut!), and I've always felt that pistachios are a more fitting nut for this pastry anyway. Adding pomegranate seemed like a natural step. I'm really happy with how this turned out, and although I'm still not a fan of paklava in general, I'd be much more likely to eat this fruitier version.

Pomegranate Paklava
2 cups chopped pistachios
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 lb. phyllo dough
2 sticks butter, melted
1/2 cup PAMA Liqueur
1/4 cup water
1 cup sugar

Combine chopped pistachios, 2 Tbsp sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl and set aside.

Unroll phyllo dough and cover with a damp cloth to prevent it from drying. Brush melted butter over the bottom and sides of a 13×9 pan. Lay one sheet of phyllo dough on the bottom of the pan and brush generously with butter. Repeat with two-thirds of the phyllo sheets, ending with a brushing of butter. Spread the pistachio mixture evenly over the dough, making sure to spread all the way to the edges. Top with the remaining sheets of phyllo dough, each brushed with butter. Cover the pan and refrigerate for an hour to let the butter harden.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and cut the paklava into squares or diamonds, making sure to cut all the way through to the bottom. Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until golden brown.

While paklava is cooling, combine PAMA Liqueur, water, and 1 cup of sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and stir to dissolve the sugar. Pour hot syrup over paklava; if you like a paklava that is a little less sweet, use less of the syrup. Re-cut the paklava (the edge of a spatula may give you better leverage than a knife). Serve on a platter or in individual paper baking cups.

Bacon Vodka, the Oddest Drink I've Had in a Long Time

It's been, oh geez, a month since I went to my first tasting at Downtown Wine & Spirits in Davis Square. I used to shop there frequently during college, but it was rather inconvenient when I lived in Brookline. It took a mysterious tweet from Citysearch Boston regarding a bacon liquor tasting to get me back in there.

The tasting was a great time - a bunch of people crowded around the small bar, shuffling around patiently to try tastes (big tastes) of three different beers, three different wines, and a homemade bacon vodka. The beers and wines were only bacon-y in spirit - smoky aroma and flavor can go a long way, especially when you already have bacon on the brain. I thought the vodka, though, was pretty awesome. Well, maybe not that vodka, but the concept of bacon vodka? Yep, pretty cool.

So when my older brother's birthday rolled around only a few weeks later and I had no idea what to get for him, I thought I'd try my hand at bacon vodka and give him something to talk about with his poker-playing buddies. Making bacon vodka is SIMPLE - there's probably only about 30 minutes of work involved.

When it came time to actually drink the vodka, though, I wasn't sure what to do. It was too salty to drink on its own (and god knows I love me some salt!). I stumbled across some recipes from Bakon Vodka (as far as I know, the only bacon-flavored vodka available in stores) and decided to give the prosciutto-wrapped bacon cocktail a try. I've tweaked it a bit below to better suit my tastes. Their drink list is intriguing, though, and I really want to give the Irish Boar a try too.

The thought of salty vodka may turn some people off, but it's worth giving a try. If nothing else, it's certainly a conversation piece. And if you're interested in other tastings (strange and straight forward alike) from Downtown Wine & Spirits, keep an eye on their website and Twitter.


Bacon Vodka
3 slices of bacon, cooked and grease blotted off
about 2 cups vodka (something you would drink on its own)

Place the cooked bacon into a pint jar or a similar non-reactive container that can be sealed. Fill with vodka. Place the jar in a dark cabinet for one week, then place the jar in the freezer overnight to help the fat solidify. Pour the vodka through a paper coffee filter (once or twice) - the resulting vodka should be clear with no little fat globs floating around. Clean out the pint jar, then pour vodka back in and store in the freezer.

Prosciutto-Wrapped Bacon Cocktail
3 parts bacon vodka
3 parts melon liqueur (like Midori)
splash of lime seltzer

Combine bacon vodka and melon liqueur with ice in a cocktail shaker and shake until chilled. Strain into a martini glass and top with a splash of chilled seltzer.