Eat Drink RI
The best local food and beverage information in Rhode Island
  • Interviews
    • The Show
    • Subscribe as a Podcast
    • RI Small Business LIVE Forum on Facebook
  • Upcoming Events
  • Food & Beverage Jobs
    • Post A Job
    • Job Dashboard
  • Latest News
  • COVID Support
    • Restaurants with Online Ordering and Take Out
    • Shop Local Food & Drink Businesses Online
    • The Rhode to Recovery: RI Food and Drink, Part 1 of 4
    • The Rhode to Recovery: RI Food and Drink, Part 2 of 4
    • The Rhode to Recovery: RI Food and Drink, Part 3 of 4
    • The Rhode to Recovery: RI Food and Drink, Part 4 of 4
    • Resource Links for Small Businesses During COVID-19 Crisis
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
    • Shopping
    • About
    • Contact
Tag:

Cook & Brown Public House

chefs & restaurantsnews

Gracie’s Chef Matthew Varga Wins at 2015 Boston Lamb Jam, Chef Tiffani Faison Takes Best in Show

by David Dadekian April 12, 2015
written by David Dadekian
Team Gracie's wins the Middle Eastern category trophy at the Boston Lamb Jam

Team Gracie’s wins the Middle Eastern category trophy at the Boston Lamb Jam

The American Lamb Board held their sixth annual Boston Lamb Jam at the Royal Sonesta Boston tonight. Chef Matthew Varga of Gracie’s in Providence, Rhode Island won the trophy in the Middle Eastern category for his Lamb Shoulder Confit with Za’atar, Muhammara and Lebne. Chef Varga used lamb from Hopkins Southdowns farm in North Scituate, RI.

Boston’s Chef Tiffani Faison of Sweet Cheeks Q won the Asian category and took home Best in Show with her Spicy Chengdu Lamb dish. Faison will go on to compete in the National Lamb Jam in New York against the winners of other Lamb Jam competitions being held around the country. The winner of the Latin category was Chef Thomas Borgia of Russell House Tavern with Tamarind Braised Lamb Shank Empanadas with Plantain, Huitlacoche and Mole Ketchup. The winner of the Mediterranean category was Niko Regas of Emilitsa with Baby Back Lamb Ribs Slow Braised with Coriander-Citrus Honey Glaze with Herb Roasted New Potatoes, Garlic, Capers, Preserved Lemon and Spiced Olives.

Chef Matthew Varga's Lamb Shoulder Confit with Za'atar, Muhammara and Lebne

Chef Matthew Varga’s Lamb Shoulder Confit with Za’atar, Muhammara and Lebne

Two other Rhode Island chefs competed in Boston. The Salted Slate‘s Chef Benjamin Lloyd prepared a Slow Cooked Shoulder Steamed Bun with Chinese-Style Lamb Sausage and Smoked Vegetables. Cook & Brown Public House‘s Chef Nemo Bolin, winner of last year’s Boston and National Lamb Jams, prepared a Banh Mi Flatbread.

There were twenty-four chefs and restaurants represented at the event, each preparing a dish using American lamb in one of four categories: Asian, Middle Eastern, Latin and Mediterranean. This writer was one of the judges for the event. All judging was done blind—we didn’t know which chef made which dish until judging was complete and the scores were tallied. Congratulations to all the winners.

Chef Tiffani Faison's Spicy Chengdu Lamb

Chef Tiffani Faison’s Spicy Chengdu Lamb

April 12, 2015 0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinTumblrRedditStumbleuponWhatsappEmail
chefs & restaurantsnewswine & drinks

News Bites: American Heart Association’s National Eating Healthy Day, Newport Restaurant Week 2014, Thirst Boston Showcases Providence Bartenders

by David Dadekian November 5, 2014
written by David Dadekian

American Heart Association's National Eating Healthy Day Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2014

Current news releases—Eat Drink RI is not the source for these items—please follow any links for more information.

American Heart Association serves up fruits and veggies on National Eating Healthy Day 11/5

National Eating Healthy Day is Wednesday, Nov. 5, and the American Heart Association wants people to listen the advice of generations of mothers: Eat your vegetables (and fruit).

Americans typically consume about half their recommended daily servings of fruits and vegetables. The American Heart Association recommends eating eight or more fruit and vegetable servings every day. For an average adult consuming 2,000 calories daily, that means about 4 ½ cups of fruits and vegetables a day.

“The link between diet and heart disease has been recognized for more than 50 years. The research shows three easy diet changes that reduce cardiovascular risk: Replace saturated fat (found in whole-fat dairy foods and beef and pork fat), with polyunsaturated and mono-unsaturated fat (found in nuts, safflower, corn, olive and canola oils ), increase intake of omega-3-fats (found in fatty fish), and increase intake of dark fruits and vegetables, and whole grain,” said Dr. Karen Aspry, Cardiologist and Member of the American Heart Association’s Rhode Island Board of Directors. “Evidence suggests these diet changes can improve blood lipids, blood pressure, blood glucose, and cause favorable changes in blood vessel walls that can keep us from heart attacks and strokes.”

While heart disease and stroke are leading causes of death and disability for all Americans, more than 80 percent of risk factors for heart disease and stroke are preventable through behaviors like making better food choices, getting regular exercise, keeping a healthy weight and not smoking.

In Rhode Island and Southeastern, Massachusetts, the American Heart Association is celebrating National Eating Healthy Day by inviting companies across the region to host educational “Lunch and Learn” sessions and distribute this year’s “Holiday Healthy Eating Guide” with tips on eating healthier throughout the holiday season.

Participating local companies represent more than 5,680 employees at: BankFive, Banneker, Baycoast Bank, Beacon Mutual, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, Cintas, Dassault Systemes, EA Dion, G Lopes, GTECH, Neighborhood Health Plan of RI, St Anne’s Credit Union, Raytheon and Taco Inc.

The American Heart Association is offering a free fruits and vegetable resource guide to help people incorporate more fruits and vegetables in their diet. For more information on National Eating Healthy Day, to download the free resource guide, or to find recipes and other nutrition information, visit www.heart.org/NationalEatingHealthyDay.

 


Newport Restaurant Week Returns This November

More than 50 restaurants throughout Newport and Bristol Counties to participate.

Newport Restaurant Week November 7-16, 2014

Newport Restaurant Week November 7-16, 2014

Gourmands and casual diners unite this November 7-16, 2014 during the 16th celebration of Newport Restaurant Week to savor three-course prix-fixe lunches for $16 and three-course prix-fixe dinners for $35.

The popular, bi-annual tradition throughout Newport and Bristol Counties inevitably invigorates the palates of frequent restaurant goers and occasional diners alike with dishes catering to the season’s harvest. This fall, more than 50 restaurants round out the robust roster including first-time participants Sardella’s Italian Restaurant and Caleb & Broad, both located in Newport; Portsmouth Publick House in Portsmouth and the newly opened Christian’s Wood Fired Grill in Bristol.

“Newport Restaurant Week falls during our second week of service, which is a perfect opportunity for the community to experience our menu,” says Christian Ferreira of Christian’s Wood Fired Grill. “Our wood fired grill is the focal point of the menu and sets us apart from the wide variety of exquisite cuisine in area.”

To get to know some local restaurants, chefs and food purveyors better, Discover Newport has introduced four new “Restaurant Stories” videos on DiscoverNewportRestaurantWeek.org. The culinary clips highlight the techniques, sources and tools our local talent counts on to craft the dishes that grace their Restaurant Week menus.

This year, Newport Restaurant Week culminates with newly revamped Taste of Newport benefiting Child & Family, the largest and most comprehensive social service provider in Newport. Marking its 30th anniversary, the event on Nov. 16 will offer guests two mouthwatering and diverse experiences: The Taste Experience, an extended cocktail party with tasting stations presented by some of the most talented chefs, restaurants, caterers, bakeries and confectionaries from across Newport County; and The Dine Experience, an elegant seated dining adventure with eight of the area’s acclaimed chefs pairing to produce a four-course meal paired with meticulously chosen wines from around the world.

Visit DiscoverNewportRestaurantWeek.org for updated participating restaurants and menus, and DiscoverNewport.org for more information about lodging packages. Visit our social networks for up-to-the-minute conversation about the event. We encourage users to include #NPTRW for Newport Restaurant Week-related posts, images and Tweets to engage with other diners, restaurateurs and chefs.

 


Thirst Boston Showcases Providence Bartenders

Ed. note: Saturday’s State Lines Pop-Up will feature bartenders from Providence’s Cook & Brown Public House, Aurora, The Eddy and The Grange. Sunday’s New England Craft Showcase will feature Rhode Island’s own Sons of Liberty Spirits Co.

Brandy Rand, co-founder of Thirst Boston, “State Lines is a Portland/Providence popup that features who we thought were four of the top cocktail bars in each city. We’ve asked them to recreate what they do in a little day bar for us, essentially a popup of their own bar, and they’ll be making the kind of cocktails that show what they do in their respective cities, but with one specific portoflio ingredient.”

Andrew Deitz, co-founder of Thirst Boston, “The New England Craft Showcase was designed to bring together the best craft distillers in New England – we have participants from CT, RI, VT, ME, MA. New England is revered as one of the top regions for craft distilling and brewing. Everyone across the country knows that the brands that come out of this area are exemplary.”

After a wildly successful, sold-out inaugural cocktail festival last year, Thirst Boston returns once again on November 7th-10th. Hosted by industry professionals and founders Brandy Rand, Andrew Deitz, and Maureen Hautaniemi, Thirst Boston will serve up three major parties, 24 seminars, and tastings over the course of four days where guests can join some of the biggest names in mixology from across the country, experience a variety of educational and fun forums, and celebrate cocktails during one all-out weekend extravaganza.

Select stand-out events include but are not limited to:

The Thing: Kick off Thirst Boston at the now-legendary 3rd annual “The Thing” gala. Held opening night, Friday, November 7th, at The Fairmont Copley Plaza, this black tie optional party will celebrate all things grande old Boston and feature incredible craft cocktails from some of the city’s best bartenders.

Portland-Providence Pop-Up: On Saturday, November 8th, bartenders from eight leading cocktail bars will be shaking up their best concoctions, showcasing what they’ve got up their sleeves back in their home cities of Providence, RI and Portland, ME. Held at The Fairmont Copley Plaza, guests will have the opportunity to meet and interact with great talent from nearby cities.

Roadhouse: This year, Thirst Boston introduces a brand new shindig for Saturday, November 8th. A raucous throwdown of Southern-style cocktails and cut-offs, BBQ and rockabilly, and more, this is sure to become a fan favorite.

New England Craft Showcase: On Sunday, November 9th, join the region’s top distillers and brewers for a three-hour tasting event at The Fairmont Copley Plaza. With 12 confirmed brands and more to come, guests can experience what’s being made right around the corner from their own backyards.

Blender Bender: The grand finale to this year’s Thirst Boston, the 2nd annual 1980s tiki party will take place at Chau Chow City in Chinatown on Sunday, November 9th. Twelve of the city’s top bartenders will battle it out for best blended beverage as voted on by guests.

Bartender Brunch: Join friends and industry professionals for one last hurrah. On Monday, November 10th, The Hawthorne will host a sendoff brunch for Thirst Boston’s participants and attendees alike.

This year, The Fairmont Copley Plaza will host a majority of Thirst Boston events and offer accommodations at a special attendee rate.

Additional information on seminars, special guests & appearances, and more will be available in the next month.

For more information about Thirst Boston, please visit http://www.thirstboston.com/, follow @ThirstBoston on Twitter, and become a Facebook fan https://www.facebook.com/ThirstBoston.

November 5, 2014 0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinTumblrRedditStumbleuponWhatsappEmail
chefs & restaurantsfarmsnewswine & drinks

News Bites: Newport Vineyards Opens Restaurant, DEM Farm Viability Grants, Cook & Brown Public House Wins National Competition

by David Dadekian October 24, 2014
written by David Dadekian
Newport Vineyards' Brix Restaurant

Newport Vineyards’ Brix Restaurant

Current news releases—Eat Drink RI is not the source for these items—please follow any links for more information.

Newport Vineyards Announces Addition of Brix Restaurant

New Restaurant Part of a Multi-Million Dollar Winery Expansion

Newport Vineyards is pleased to announce the addition of Brix Restaurant to its winery location, as part of a multi-million dollar expansion. The former location of Nunes Motor Group, Andrew’s Restaurant and The Glass Union, has been transformed into a refined rustic space, including exposed industrial ductwork, wood beams and polished concrete floors. Preserving the history of the space, an original stone fireplace has been restored and serves as an area for guests to gather around. The space also features two walls of windows, overlooking the winery’s barrel room, tank room and views out to the vineyard, ideal for taking in all the action of harvest and winery activities.

Under the culinary direction of Andrew Gold, the Aquidneck Island restaurateur has come full circle to manage Brix Restaurant which is the same location he opened Andrew’s Restaurant in 1988. The nearly 100-seat restaurant will serve dinner daily, and Sunday brunch will be introduced in the coming weeks. Guests can enjoy Newport Vineyards wines, along with a selection of guest wines, beer and specialty cocktails. The space will also be available for daytime corporate and social group functions.

“We are very excited to announce the addition of Brix Restaurant to the Aquidneck Island community and beyond,” stated owner John Nunes. “The restaurant will offer both our local guests and winery guests a truly unique dining experience, coupled with views of our winery and vineyard.”

On the heels of its 20th anniversary, Newport Vineyards is renovating over 30,000 square feet of their building located conveniently on East Main Road, just minutes outside of Newport. Phase one of the expansion has been completed and includes Brix Restaurant, a new fermentation tank room and barrel room, as well as an outdoor patio and seating complete with wine by the glass and tasting bars. Slated for an early 2015 completion, phase two of the renovation includes a new tasting room, three-season porch, second patio, marketplace and new space for neighboring business Fatulli’s Bakery and Deli.

 


DEM Announces Award of $255,543 in Farm Viability Grants to Enhance and Promote Rhode Island Specialty Crops

The Department of Environmental Management has announced the award of farm viability grants totaling $255,543 for projects that will enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops grown in Rhode Island. The funds are from the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Specialty Crop Block Grant program. Specialty crops are defined by this federally-supported program as fruits and vegetables, dried fruit, tree nuts, and nursery crops including floriculture and turf grass production.

“These grants will help promote the long-term viability of agriculture in Rhode Island by strengthening markets for specialty crops and sustaining the livelihood of our state’s farmers,” noted DEM Director Janet Coit.

The farm viability grants will be used for a wide range of purposes, such as enhancing food safety practices among farmers and produce vendors at farmers’ markets; increasing the consumption of specialty crops by the Latino population and decreasing obesity rates among participating families; and supporting agricultural research at Rhode Island College on the honeybee population.

Following is a list of projects awarded funding through the grant round:

  • $37,752,000 for the Rhode Island Good Agricultural Practices Program, a partnership between the University of Rhode Island’s Nutrition and Food Sciences Department and DEM’s Division of Agriculture, to provide growers with training and support to become part of the state RIGAP certified grower program. The program has helped enhance food safety on farms for the past 12 years by providing farmers with information and resources about safe produce planting, harvesting and handling practices;
  • $40,000 to Farm Fresh Rhode Island for the RI Farm to Cafeteria Project, a collaborative effort designed to bring RI institutional buyers such as schools, hospitals, state agencies and worksites together with RI farmers to develop sustainable purchasing agreements. This project builds on the success of the RI Farm to School Program, taking best practices and techniques and applying them to other types of large-scale food buyers. Work will include educating food service buyers and chefs on local specialty crop availability and use through the development and dissemination of a “Harvest of the Month” print marketing campaign to promote local specialty crops in cafeterias, and enhancing the Market Mobile program to serve more institutional purchasers;
  • $10,300 to the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Rhode Island, to increase the production and consumption of certified organic specialty crops in Rhode Island by providing outreach, education, and technical assistance to farmers;
  • $35,400 to New Urban Farmers, to support a collaborative effort with the Pawtucket Housing Authority that promotes the use of specialty crops among Latino residents living in two family development complexes in Pawtucket. The project will include hands-on demonstrations and workshops, a mobile market to make specialty crops available from farm-to-table, and assistance for residents to establish community gardens;
  • $22,736 to the Rhode Island College Honey Bee Study, to conduct a rigorous survey of the health and size of the state’s honeybee populations along with the incidence of the small hive beetle (SHB). Survey data generated will represent baseline data for further monitoring of the bee population in Rhode Island. Educational outreach will be conducted to promote beekeeping and bolster bee populations, and mitigation strategies will be assessed to reduce the impact of the SHB. The goal of the study is to increase the size of the bee population and enhance the ability to pollinate specialty crops in the state;
  • $31,398 to the University of Rhode Island Division of Research and Economic Development to conduct a study entitled, “De-Tasseling Sweet Corn to Prevent Bird Damage: An Alternative to Cannons?” This project is designed to address bird damage to sweet corn, which is a major specialty crop in Rhode Island both in acreage and in value. Uncontrolled feeding by flocks of birds can result in the loss of entire plantings of sweet corn. Currently the most effective and affordable control option for farmers is propane-fueled bird cannons, which emit a sonic blast every 40 seconds to 30 minutes to frighten birds. It has been reported that removing the tassel from corn plants after pollination decreases bird damage and may be an effective alternative to bird cannons. The study will evaluate the effectiveness of de-tasseling at preventing bird damage, measure its effect on corn yield and quality, and determine if de-tasseling provides sufficient benefits to growers to justify the expense; and
  • $6,000 to Harvest New England Association, Inc. for an educational program designed to increase sales and consumption of regional specialty crops by New England consumer, specialty crop producers and wholesalers of specialty crops.

In addition to the grants, $71,957 in funding is provided to DEM’s Division of Agriculture, to continue to increase demand and consumption of Rhode Island-grown specialty crops by expanding on the “Rhode Island Grown Get Fresh Buy Local” initiative through produce preparation demonstrations featuring local celebrity chefs at all RI farmers markets and participating roadside stands; updating its RI agricultural display; and enhancing the marketing program by making point-of-purchase advertising material available to farmers.

Rhode Island has 1,243 farms, mostly family run, which occupy 68,000 acres. The state is a national leader in direct-sales to consumers, with 50 seasonal farmers markets in the state’s urban, suburban and rural areas, seven indoor winter markets, and numerous pick-your-own and farm stand operations. The recent Green Industry Economic Impact Study funded by DEM and conducted by URI conservatively estimates that total agricultural revenues in Rhode Island are $170.6 million.

 


Cook & Brown Public House Wins American Lamb Jam Finale

On Sunday, September 28, 2014, Chef Nemo Bolin of Providence’s Cook & Brown Public House was victorious in claiming the national title in the American Lamb Jam competition. The four competing chefs, all of who won Best in Show at their local area Lamb Jam competitions were: Chef Sophina Uong, Pican (San Francisco), Chef Sarah Lorenzen, Andaluca (Seattle), Chef Rodney Scruggs, Occidental Grill (Washington, D.C.) and Chef Nemo Bolin, Cook & Brown Public House (New England). Bolin’s winning dish was a merguez scotch egg with harissa, herbed yogurt, pickles & herb salad. More information on Bolin’s New England win can be found here on Eat Drink RI.

In celebration of the win Cook & Brown Public House will be hosting a limited dinner featuring local lamb and wines from Neal Rosenthal on Saturday, November 15th at 6 p.m. It will be five courses (with some additional treats here and there) of food and wine for $125 per person. Seating is limited and you don’t want to miss out. Call 401-273-7275 for reservations.

October 24, 2014 0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinTumblrRedditStumbleuponWhatsappEmail
chefs & restaurantsnews

Chef Nemo Bolin of Cook & Brown Public House Wins Two Trophies at 2014 Boston American Lamb Jam

by David Dadekian April 13, 2014
written by David Dadekian
Chef Nemo Bolin's Scotch Egg presentation plate. Photo by Front Row Eats

Chef Nemo Bolin’s Scotch Egg presentation plate. Photo by Front Row Eats

The American Lamb Board held their fifth annual Lamb Jam at the Royal Sonesta Boston tonight. Chef Nemo Bolin of Cook & Brown Public House in Providence, Rhode Island took the Best in Show prize, as well as winning the category of Best Ground dish, both for his Scotch Egg.

Another Rhode Island chef also won in the category of Best Shoulder dish. Chef Beau Vestal of New Rivers in Providence came out on top for his Lamb Merguez Hot Dog which bore more than a passing resemblance to a certain Rhode Island classic.

There were twenty-one chefs and restaurants represented at the event, including three from Rhode Island, each preparing one lamb dish using either a leg, shank, shoulder or ground cut of American lamb. This writer was one of the six judges for the event. All judging was done blind—we didn’t know which chef made which dish until judging was complete and the scores were tallied.

Bolin will go on to compete in September at Savor the Central Coast in San Luis Obispo, California with the winners of the other Lamb Jam competitions being held around the country. Congratulations to Chef Bolin and all the winners.

April 13, 2014 0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedinTumblrRedditStumbleuponWhatsappEmail
Newer Posts
Older Posts

Search:

Recent Posts:

  • Celestial Café June 2023 Local Farm Dinner

    May 27, 2023
  • News Bites: Sons of Liberty Spirits Co. Wins Whiskey Award / New Executive Chef and GM at TRIO Kitchen + Bar / Sons of Liberty Spirits Co. Grand Reopening / RI Food Businesses Featured by NIST MEP / Montauk Distilling Co. Wins at World Spirits Competition

    May 26, 2023
  • Coastal Wine Trail’s Wine, Cheese, & Chocolate Festival 2023

    May 23, 2023
  • Eating With The Ecosystem with Kate Masury at Newport Wine Cellar & Gourmet

    May 22, 2023

Advertisement:

Blackbird Farm

Advertisement:

Advertise with Eat Drink RI

Advertisement:

Advertisement:

Advertisement:

Advertisement:

Food Trucks:

Facebook
My Tweets

Four Time RI Monthly Best of RI Winner for the Eat Drink RI Festival

Four Time RI Monthly Best of RI Winner for the Eat Drink RI Festival

2019 Rhode Island Inno Blazer Award Winner & Two Time 50 On Fire Winner

2019 Rhode Island Inno Blazer Award Winner & Two Time 50 On Fire Winner

Rhode Island Foundation 2014 Innovation Fellow

Rhode Island Foundation 2014 Innovation Fellow

Instagram

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Linkedin
  • Tumblr
  • Youtube
  • Email

Copyright © 2010-2022 Eat Drink RI LLC. All rights reserved.


Back To Top
Eat Drink RI
  • Interviews
    • The Show
    • Subscribe as a Podcast
    • RI Small Business LIVE Forum on Facebook
  • Upcoming Events
  • Food & Beverage Jobs
    • Post A Job
    • Job Dashboard
  • Latest News
  • COVID Support
    • Restaurants with Online Ordering and Take Out
    • Shop Local Food & Drink Businesses Online
    • The Rhode to Recovery: RI Food and Drink, Part 1 of 4
    • The Rhode to Recovery: RI Food and Drink, Part 2 of 4
    • The Rhode to Recovery: RI Food and Drink, Part 3 of 4
    • The Rhode to Recovery: RI Food and Drink, Part 4 of 4
    • Resource Links for Small Businesses During COVID-19 Crisis
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
    • Shopping
    • About
    • Contact

Terms and Conditions – Privacy Policy