Everything tastes better grilled, but your friends will out you as a charcoal charlatan if you don’t know your fundamentals. Chef/partner John Delpha of Davis Square’s Rosebud American Kitchen & Bar—a multi-year award winner at the Jack Daniel’s BBQ Competition in Lynchburg, Tennessee—will help you grill like a pro, talking you through everything from fire management and marinades to the history of BBQ and its relation to direct and indirect grilling. He says the BBQ 101 class will focus on “stuff people can make themselves at home,” like grilled pizza and the diner’s own lamb shoulder steak, which he marinates overnight in olive oil, lemon zest, parsley and black pepper and serves with grilled asparagus and a chipotle chimichurri. And since the diner car restaurant boasts a thriving drink program, Delpha will also include a lesson in mixing up a blackberry bourbon smash. Alas, although the patio accommodates 30 people, the July 18 class is capped at 15 cookout connoisseurs—but if you’re not one of them, you can still try out one of the recipes at home.
$55 at eventbrite.com
DIY Department
Grilled Lamb Shoulder Steak with Chipotle Chimichurri
– Lemon zest
– Garlic
– Parsley
– Oil
– Black pepper
– Lamb shoulder steak
For the chimichurri
– 1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
– 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
– 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
– 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
– 2 tablespoons chipotle in adobo
– 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
– 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
– 3 garlic cloves
– 1/2 grated medium Spanish onion
– 1 minced jalapeno
– Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
– Marinate the lamb in lemon zest, garlic, parsley, oil and black pepper overnight. Remove the lamb from the fridge 1 hour before cooking. Season with salt and pepper.
– For the chimichurri sauce, place all but the last three ingredients in a food processor and process for 1 minute. Move the mixture into a bowl and add remaining ingredients. This yields approximately one pint.
– Place the lamb over a hot fire on the grill and turn several times to get a good sear. Remove the lamb from the grill once its internal temperature reaches 130 degrees. Let the meat rest for 5 minutes, apply chimichurri sauce and serve.
Dozens of Greater Boston’s chefs will keep it casual on June 19 at the Seaport World Trade Center for this 18th annual fundraiser. Top toques from spots like Fairsted Kitchen, the Salty Pig and Trina’s will engage in grill-offs and serve up their best BBQ to benefit Future Chefs, a nonprofit that helps urban teens kickstart culinary careers.
$80 at chefsinshorts.eventbrite.com
Hosted by Catalyst and sponsored by True Aussie Beef and Harpoon Brewery, this June 10 grill night celebrates organic, grass-fed Australian beef with beer, lawn games and a cook-off between Catalyst’s William Kovel, Boston Chops’ Ryan Marcoux and other local culinarians. Attendees will help pick the winner, but everyone can go home happy: All proceeds benefit the ALS Therapy Development Institute.
$45 at aussiesteakout.com
Seize the Summer
Celebrate the season with these spectacular dining events.
By Linh Tran Brincat | Photo Credit: ArtBar: Leise Jones | May 29, 2015
Maybe it was the historically heinous winter—the crushing effect of being surrounded by sidewalk igloos and mountain-sized snow farms. Or maybe the local dining scene just wants to glory in the agricultural abundance of this time of year. Whatever the reason, there’s definitely something in the air this summer—a carpe diem, enjoy-every-moment-because-this-weather-might-not-last exhilaration reflected in the diversity of dining events. From seafood pop-ups to Tiki classes and al fresco farm dining, make this summer the only season to remember.
Island Creek Oyster Festival
A staggering 60,000 oysters will be served on the half shell at the Island Creek Oyster Festival, but this bivalve benefit is about much more than its juicy, briny namesakes. Started in 2008 on Duxbury Beach, the bash raised more than half a million to support sustainable aquaculture projects in Haiti and Zanzibar, among other nonprofit efforts, but went on hiatus four years ago. Now it’s back in a new home: the Lawn on D in Fort Point next to the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. On Sept. 19 from 3:30 to 8:30 p.m., 3,000 people will flock to stations manned by 35 chefs from across the country on the sprawling green space dotted with interactive sculptures, like illuminated swings that change colors as they sway—a very different setting from the dunes of Duxbury Beach. Island Creek Oysters president Chris Sherman says his challenge is to adapt “the Island Creek brand, which is associated with the beach and Duxbury, to an urban experience.” To that end, he’s partnering with food trucks, bringing in three live bands and talking with the ICA about potential arts happenings, so attendees will have plenty to do between bites. Tickets for the summer sendoff go on sale on July 1—and given the popularity of past installments and the newsmaking return, this culinary Coachella could sell out quick.
$75 at islandcreekfoundation.org
DIY Department
Rather throw your own bivalve bash at home? You can buy oysters at many local markets or order packs of 50, 100 or 200 fresh from Island Creek. Once you’ve (carefully!) shucked those suckers, try topping them off with this recipe from Island Creek Oyster Bar chef/owner Jeremy Sewall.
Cilantro Mignonette
– 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
– 1/2 cup white wine
– 2 teaspoons finely diced Fresno peppers
– 1 tablespoon minced cilantro
Combine all ingredients and serve chilled with oysters.
ArtBar’s Lobster Fest Fridays
With one of the loveliest views on the Cambridge side of the Charles, ArtBar in the Royal Sonesta Hotel offers special themes every night of the week on its patio during the warmer months. Fridays feature a boatload of everyone’s favorite crustacean, including chef Brian Dandro’s twin lobster specials, lobster corn dogs, lobster rolls, lobster lettuce wraps and lobster pot pie.
artbarcambridge.com
T’s Clam Shack Pop-up
Every summer, Arlington’s Tryst develops a split personality, transforming into a pop-up for part of the week. Past iterations focused on fried chicken and BBQ, and now through September, Tryst is morphing into T’s Clam Shack Sundays through Wednesdays, serving up chef/owner Paul Turano’s spin on seaside favorites such as fried Ipswich clams, softshell crabs and steamers.
trystrestaurant.com
By Linh Tran Brincat | Photo Credit: Rosebud: Kristen Teig; Chefs in Shorts: Bethany Versoy
Rosebud’s BBQ 101
Everything tastes better grilled, but your friends will out you as a charcoal charlatan if you don’t know your fundamentals. Chef/partner John Delpha of Davis Square’s Rosebud American Kitchen & Bar—a multi-year award winner at the Jack Daniel’s BBQ Competition in Lynchburg, Tennessee—will help you grill like a pro, talking you through everything from fire management and marinades to the history of BBQ and its relation to direct and indirect grilling. He says the BBQ 101 class will focus on “stuff people can make themselves at home,” like grilled pizza and the diner’s own lamb shoulder steak, which he marinates overnight in olive oil, lemon zest, parsley and black pepper and serves with grilled asparagus and a chipotle chimichurri. And since the diner car restaurant boasts a thriving drink program, Delpha will also include a lesson in mixing up a blackberry bourbon smash. Alas, although the patio accommodates 30 people, the July 18 class is capped at 15 cookout connoisseurs—but if you’re not one of them, you can still try out one of the recipes at home.
$55 at eventbrite.com
DIY Department
Grilled Lamb Shoulder Steak with Chipotle Chimichurri
– Lemon zest
– Garlic
– Parsley
– Oil
– Black pepper
– Lamb shoulder steak
For the chimichurri
– 1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
– 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
– 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
– 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
– 2 tablespoons chipotle in adobo
– 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
– 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
– 3 garlic cloves
– 1/2 grated medium Spanish onion
– 1 minced jalapeno
– Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
– Marinate the lamb in lemon zest, garlic, parsley, oil and black pepper overnight. Remove the lamb from the fridge 1 hour before cooking. Season with salt and pepper.
– For the chimichurri sauce, place all but the last three ingredients in a food processor and process for 1 minute. Move the mixture into a bowl and add remaining ingredients. This yields approximately one pint.
– Place the lamb over a hot fire on the grill and turn several times to get a good sear. Remove the lamb from the grill once its internal temperature reaches 130 degrees. Let the meat rest for 5 minutes, apply chimichurri sauce and serve.
Chefs in Shorts
Dozens of Greater Boston’s chefs will keep it casual on June 19 at the Seaport World Trade Center for this 18th annual fundraiser. Top toques from spots like Fairsted Kitchen, the Salty Pig and Trina’s will engage in grill-offs and serve up their best BBQ to benefit Future Chefs, a nonprofit that helps urban teens kickstart culinary careers.
$80 at chefsinshorts.eventbrite.com
Great Aussie Steak Out
Hosted by Catalyst and sponsored by True Aussie Beef and Harpoon Brewery, this June 10 grill night celebrates organic, grass-fed Australian beef with beer, lawn games and a cook-off between Catalyst’s William Kovel, Boston Chops’ Ryan Marcoux and other local culinarians. Attendees will help pick the winner, but everyone can go home happy: All proceeds benefit the ALS Therapy Development Institute.
$45 at aussiesteakout.com
By Linh Tran Brincat
The Blue Room & Bay End Farm Dinners
The relationship between Cape Cod’s Bay End Farm and Cambridge restaurant the Blue Room has deep roots: The organic farm’s husband-and-wife owners, Kofi and Erin Ingersoll, worked under restaurateur Nick Zappia at the Blue Room more than 15 years ago, and the restaurant was among the first to use their produce. And what started seven years ago as a benefit to help the Ingersolls build a barn and canning kitchen has grown into an annual tradition of summer get-togethers by the bucolic Bourne farm’s oak trees. On July 26, Aug. 16 and Sept. 20, they’ll team up once again for prix fixe four-course family-style dinners paired with organic wines from Central Bottle, the wine shop Zappia co-owns in Cambridge. The dinners are capped at 80 people, and since many are repeat guests, Zappia and his team try to change the offerings yearly—in fact, the actual menu isn’t determined until the week of the event, to better take advantage of what’s being harvested that week. For the Ingersolls, that may mean seven kinds of heirloom tomatoes, small leafy blond cucumbers, onions, radishes, greens, fingerling potatoes and carrots. Anything they don’t grow, like corn and fruit, they trade for with neighbors. For the July dinner, Zappia says, the produce will probably be “oniony, herby, greeny, which would pair with local striped bass, clams from Wellfleet or mussels from Duxbury.” FYI: Children are welcome at the event, and if there are enough of them, Zappia’s crew has been known to set up a separate table so their parents can enjoy a leisurely meal while the kids graze.
$75-$95 at eventbrite.com
La Morra Farm Dinner with Allandale Farm
Northern Italian favorite La Morra in Brookline brings the farm to you on June 25, when farmers from Chestnut Hill’s 130-acre Allandale Farm will be the featured guests at this four-course dinner paired with organic wines. Diners can dish on the baby kale, radish, fresh herbs, heirloom greens and baby spring peas with the men and women who grew them.
$65 at lamorra.com
Whim Dinner Series at Smolak Farms
Hump Day gets a little happier July 8-Aug. 19, when North Andover’s Smolak Farms welcomes a different guest chef each Wednesday for a multi-course meal in the pine grove. This year’s crop includes the likes of Peter Davis of Henrietta’s Table (July 15), Jay Murray of Grill 23 (July 29) and Eric Brennan of Post 390 (Aug. 12).
$69-$89 at smolakfarmsevents.eventbrite.com
DIY Department
Throwing farm-fresh feasts at home will get a little easier with the July opening of the long-awaited Boston Public Market at 136 Blackstone St., a 28,000-square-foot year-round destination for locally produced food, including dairy delights from Wolf Meadow Farm, pasture-raised meats from Lilac Hedge Farm, hydroponic produce from Eastie’s own Corner Stalk Farm and much more.
By Linh Tran Brincat | Photo Credit: West Bridge: Galdones Photography
West Bridge’s Tiki Class
Mauricio “Moe” Isaza, bar manager at West Bridge, talks about cocktails the way chef/owner Matthew Gaudet speaks about food—with a tone of authority and a sense of awe that come from both having studied the subject and remaining fascinated by its possibilities. Isaza will share his knowledge of Tiki drinks with 35 attendees on Aug. 8 at the Kendall Square restaurant’s outdoor bar, discussing the origins of the iconic mug and tales from Trader Vic’s while mixing three cocktails to illustrate Tiki’s evolution. Two will be classics, but he’ll save an original—“a modern take on Tiki flavors with a pre-Prohibition slant”—for last. Called the Lady About Town, Isaza’s spin on a rum-based Negroni blends 7-year-old Old Monk Rum, Aperol, Cocchi Vermouth di Torino and orange shrub, a fruit syrup with vinegar and warm spices. Given the short shelf life of fresh-squeezed orange juice and the challenge of stocking it at the bar, Isaza tried preserving it in various ways, finally developing a shrub “that put the flavor of fresh-squeezed in a time capsule so it doesn’t go away.” The result is a refreshing drink with a balance of bitter, sweet and spice from the star anise and cloves in the shrub—which pairs perfectly with West Bridge’s sake- and soy-glazed BBQ.
$35 at 617-945-0221
DIY Department
Can’t make the class? Isaza shared the recipe so you can have a Lady About Town in your living room.
Lady About Town
– 1 1/2 ounces Old Monk Rum
– 1 1/2 ounces Aperol
– 1/2 ounce Cocchi Vermouth di Torino
– 1/2 ounce orange shrub
To make the shrub, cut two oranges into wedges and combine them with 1 quart white sugar, 10 cloves and 6 star anises and let the mix sit for at least 48 hours in a dark, cool, dry area. Once you have a paste-like consistency, add 8 ounces of apple cider vinegar. After the sugar has completely dissolved, strain through a mesh strainer, and you’ll have an orange shrub with a five- to six-month shelf life. Combine with the other ingredients and serve over ice in a highball glass. Garnish with a float of Peychaud’s bitters and a fresh mint leaf.
Journeyman’s Cheese & Rosé Dinner with Formaggio Kitchen
On July 9, fine-dining favorite Journeyman partners with Tyler Tripp, cave manager from Formaggio Kitchen, for a midsummer wine event. A variety of rosés, including a sparkling Gamay from France and a barrel-aged rosé, will be paired with select artisanal cheeses, both served on their own and integrated into the five courses.
$98 at journeymantickets.com
Liquid Art House’s White Night in Rio
The Back Bay channels Brazil on June 9, when art gallery/restaurant Liquid Art House hosts Leblon, maker of artisanal cachaça, for White Night in Rio. Guests dressed in white can enjoy churrascaria stations, Brazilian beats and fruity caipirinhas, including watermelon-basil, guava-grapefruit and kiwi-jalapeno concoctions.
$55 at lahrio.eventbrite.com
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