I thought I knew good BBQ. I really did. But until I tried ribs and chicken from a master on the competitive BBQ circuit–and subsequently got a smoker of my own–I was truly ignorant of what BBQ could be. No mass-produced BBQ can touch the stuff.

On May 18th and 19th, come see how the pros do it at the Lexington Battle Green BBQ Festival:
http://lexingtonbbqbattle.com

There will be live music, spectacular BBQ, and local craft brews to be enjoyed. Moreover, an official KCBS BBQ competition will taking place, so you can see how it’s supposed to be done.

No shigging allowed

The festival is located at 1557 Mass Ave in Lexington:

On January 27th, the New Center is holding another iteration of Beyond Bubbie’s Kitchen, in which chefs from local restaurants share contemporary culinary creations based on classic Jewish cuisine.

Attendees will have the opportunity to enjoy:

• Josh Ziskin of La Morra: Polenta di castagne con funghi (Crispy chestnut and cornmeal polenta with mushroom ragu and fried sage)
• Erwin Ramos of Ole: Tres leches cake
• Jim Solomon of The Fireplace: Braised Lamb Shank with Winter Squash Stew, Chickpea Wampanoag Porridge and Pomegranate Yogurt Cream
• Deborah Hansen of Taberna de Haro: Eggplants stuffed with lamb (Sephardic recipe from Spain)
• Katie Kimball of Area 4: Hamentaschen
• Mark Goldberg of PARK Bar: Foie gras matzo balls w/ mushroom madeira sauce
• Jason Santangelo of Forum: Flatbread Pizza
• Steven Peljovich of Michael’s Deli: Auntie Bev’s Noodle Kugel
• Mark Gaudet of Savenors Market: House-cured Pastrami knishes
• Avi Shemtov of The Chubby Chickpea: Shakshuka

The event will be on Sunday, January 27th from 5-8pm at the Back Bay Events Center (which you may know as the Old John Hancock Building).

Tickets are $36 per person and are available here.

From the event site:

Beyond Bubbie’s Kitchen, put on by New Center NOW, has been a delicious staple event in Boston for the past 3-years. This year, we are going back to our bubbie roots with the help of some real local bubbies, Ruth Fein and Ruth Gordon. Ruth and Ruth will share some great family stories (sweet and funny!) and teach us some tricks of the trade in our very own “Bubbie’s Living Room” lounge. Grab some food and take a seat, these bubbies are not to be missed.

Hope to see you there!

The good people from Cusine en Locale are doing another O.N.C.E. (One Night Culinary Event), this time Viking-themed, at the Somerville Armory, on Jan 25th.

From the press release:

ONCE in Valhalla is a 10 course, all local, theatrical feast, at the Center for Arts at the Armory in Somerville- 191 Highland Ave. Doors open at 7pm to a Slumbrew beer tasting and open oyster bar, followed by 9 more courses of fantastic, locavore, Viking inspired fare. Expect delicious dishes, like cheesey oat porridge, roasted leg of lamb and mead poached pollock.

Green River Ambrosia will be on hand with their delicious mead to taste and purchase, and there is a Slum Brew Beer pouring for the first hour. The bar will be open for the first hour, and afterwards they’ll serve beer, mead and wine throughout the event for cash sacrifices.

The location, Valhalla, is modeled on the hall in Viking heaven (Asgard) where honored dead guests went to dine with the gods, in Norse mythology*. In our Valhalla, guests feast at the table with Norse Gods and Goddesess, are served by Valkyrie and are entertained by live music and performances, directed by Allegra Libonati, of the American Repertory Theater

Tickets are $100/person, and can be purchased online here.

In a partnership too strange for commentary, it appears that Denny’s, of all places, is the official restaurant partner for the new Peter Jackson movie of The Hobbit.

Check out the press release below:

SPARTANBURG, S.C. (Nov. 8, 2012) – Denny’s is offering diners their first taste of Middle-earth inspired fare with the introduction of their new menu celebrating the highly anticipated epic adventure “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” a production of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM). Featuring an adventurous selection of eleven new breakfast, lunch and dinner offerings, even the hungriest of Hobbits will leave feeling satisfied over the holidays.

·         Build Your Own Hobbit Slam®: Denny’s most famous dish has been given a Middle-earth makeover with three tasty new additions with holiday flavors, including Lemon Poppy seed Cake French Toast, Shire Sausage and Pumpkin Patch Pancakes.
·         Hobbit Hole breakfast: This dish will get diners ready for any adventure; two eggs fried into the center of grilled cheddar bun halves served with two slices of bacon, crispy hash browns and topped with cheddar cheese and more bacon.
·         The Shire Sausage Skillet: Perfect for breakfast, lunch, dinner or even Elevenses. A savory Shire sausage is served with seasoned red-skinned potatoes, sautéed mushrooms, fire-roasted peppers and onions on a sizzling skillet, topped with cheddar cheese and two eggs.
·         Frodo’s Pot Roast Skillet: Offering pure comfort with every bite, this sizzling skillet features slow-cooked pot roast, herb-roasted carrots, celery, mushrooms, onions and broccoli, served with seasoned red-skinned potatoes.
·         The Ring Burger: Dwarves and Hobbits won’t be the only ones eager to dig into this mighty dish. A hand-pressed burger is topped with pepper jack cheese, bacon, sautéed mushrooms and mayo on a grilled cheddar cheese bun, crowned with three crispy onion rings and served with a side of wavy-cut French fries.
·         Gandalf’s Gobble Melt: For an interesting twist on a holiday favorite, try this wizardry creation; tender sliced turkey breast and savory stuffing topped with melted Swiss cheese and placed on grilled potato bread with cranberry honey mustard spread.
·         Dwarves Turkey and Dressing Dinner: Even Dwarves and Hobbits need a traditional holiday dinner; featuring tender sliced turkey breast, savory stuffing, gravy and cranberry sauce served with your choice of two sides and dinner bread.

“We’re extremely excited that Denny’s is the national restaurant partner for ‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,’” said John Dillon, vice president of marketing and product development for Denny’s. “As we developed our new menu, we wanted to strike a balance that kept the traditional holiday flavors our diners know and love, while incorporating a variety of new, movie-inspired items that we hope will excite both new and existing Hobbit fans. We hope our guests enjoy an authentic, Middle-earth dining experience this holiday season.”

No holiday meal would be complete without a sweet treat at Denny’s, and there are plenty of tempting options to please even the most discerning Hobbit palate:

·         Lonely Mountain Treasure: Delicious Lemon Poppy seed Cake French Toast cut into nine squares and served with a side of cream cheese icing for dipping. Perfect for sharing on your journey.
·         Radagast’s Red Velvet Pancake Puppies: These festive favorites feature six bite-sized red velvet Pancake Puppies®, made with white chocolate chips, sprinkled with powdered sugar and served with a side of cream cheese icing for dipping.
·         Lone-Lands Campfire Cookie Milk Shake: Traveling through the Lone-Lands over Christmas? Be sure to bring this yummy milk shake along. Thick, hand-dipped vanilla milk shake mixed with s’mores cookie pieces and topped with a dollop of whipped cream.
·         Bilbo’s Berry Smoothie: Made with a delicious blend of raspberries, blueberries, pomegranate and nonfat yogurt, it’s a refreshing treat after a big adventure.
·         Hobbit Harvest Pies: Dwarves and diners looking for a budget-friendly bite can enjoy a slice of holiday flavor with pecan or pumpkin pie for only $2 from Denny’s 2,4,6,8 value menu.

Guests can collect exclusive trading cards when purchasing select film-themed entrees in store. Each exciting card pack includes one of ten “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” character cards featuring Bilbo, Gandalf, Thorin and friends, one of four coupon cards offering in-store discounts, and, in randomly selected packs, one of two limited edition character cards that Hobbit fans won’t want to miss.

But the journey doesn’t stop there: in anticipation of the movie’s release on Dec.14, the Denny’s Facebook page and website will offer fans access to a wide range of film-inspired games, activities and exciting challenges. Additional movie content will also be available by scanning one of four QR codes on Denny’s placemats in-restaurant, including access to “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” exclusive video footage and a behind-the-scenes look at Denny’s National TV spot, allowing fans everywhere to fully immerse themselves in Middle-earth life.

Launched nationwide on Nov. 6, “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” menu is available all day, every day for a limited time only. The menu includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert and late-night items.

(via boingboing.net)