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News Bites: RI Community Food Bank Scouting for Food / Federal Hill Pizza Helps Launch New Craft Beer / New Menu Items from Mill’s Tavern & Red Stripe

by David Dadekian November 2, 2016

written by David Dadekian

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

Boy Scouts Kick Off the 29th Annual Food Drive, Ask Community to Give Generously

Rhode Island Community Food Bank

For the 29th consecutive year, the Narragansett Council, Boy Scouts of America is preparing for its annual “Scouting for Food Good Turn” drive. On October 29th, thousands of Scouts from across the state will be distributing door hangers to neighbors’ homes seeking donations of nutritional, non-perishable canned goods. The annual initiative, which is the largest food drive in New England, highlights one of Scouting’s primary focuses – doing a “Good Turn” daily.

More than 200 Scouting Packs and Troops will participate in the drive, collecting canned goods from families and individuals throughout Rhode Island, Southeastern Massachusetts and Connecticut. Donation pick-ups will take place the following Saturday, November 5 starting at 9 a.m., and will be delivered to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank.

“Every year the Scouts of the Narragansett Council are excited to participate in the food drive and eager to do their part and help make a difference,” said Joe DeStefano, Volunteer Coordinator for the annual Scouting for Food drive since it began in 1987. “This opportunity helps Boy Scouts learn first-hand the importance of helping people in need, and offers the chance for everybody to partake in the spirit of generosity.”

Each month, 59,000 Rhode Islanders seek food assistance through the Food Bank’s network of emergency food programs. 11.8% of Rhode Island households are food insecure, and 4.7% of Rhode Island households experience severe hunger. 146,000 Rhode Islanders are living in poverty. – These numbers probably have to be updated.

Over the years, the Scouts have collected more than 8.5 million pounds of food for the Food Bank.

“The hard work and dedication of everyone involved with the Narragansett Council and Scouting for Food is truly remarkable,” said Andrew Schiff, Chief Executive Officer of the Rhode Island Community Food Bank. “This food drive is so critical to our ability to serve the 1in 8 Rhode Islanders in need of food assistance, especially as we head into the winter months.”

For more than 25 years, the Narragansett Council, Boy Scouts of America’s commitment to this cause has inspired community members to get involved.

“Scouting for Food is a special annual event that asks individuals in the greater community to do their part and give what they can,” said Tim McCandless, Scout Executive/CEO. “In preparation of another successful drive, we ask the community to give generously.”

Scouting for Food is a cooperative effort supported by the Narragansett Council of the Boy Scouts of America, the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, WPRI-12 News, Fox Providence, the Rhode Island National Guard, The Valley Breeze and area fire stations.

Following the USDA’s guidelines for healthy eating, donors are encouraged to fill their bags with the Food Bank’s most needed items:

Canned Soup, Tuna, Canned Meats, Peanut Butter, Nuts
Canned Fruits & Vegetables, Dried Fruit, Tomato Sauce
Nutritious Breakfast Cereals, Whole Wheat Pasta, Rice
Granola Bars and other healthy snacks
Canned or Dried Beans

If the Boy Scouts are not able to cover your neighborhood, please visit your local food pantry or the RI Community Food Bank located at 200 Niantic Ave., Providence.

Federal Hill Pizza Welcomes Henry and Fran Brewing Company to Introduce Their First Craft Beer, “Pleasant Surprise”

Federal Hill Pizza Welcomes Henry and Fran Brewing Company to Introduce Their First Craft Beer, "Pleasant Surprise"

On Saturday, November 12th, Federal Hill Pizza in Warren, RI is thrilled to welcome Henry and Fran Brewing Company of West Boylston, MA to introduce their first craft beer creation. Craft beer lovers are in for a real treat as the brand new brewery launches their beer “Pleasant Surprise” for the first time ever to the public. While most products launch with distributors that then market the beer to individual establishments, Henry and Fran has chosen Federal Hill Pizza as the location for their exclusive launch before the product is available to anyone else.

Attendees are encouraged to show up early to get marked down for the first pour once the keg is tapped. The first pour will take home a souvenir glass. Other merchandise will be available for purchase. Henry & Fran co-founders Tim Westerman, Zach Laegel and Nick Schiebel will present the new brew and party with the guests. In addition to the pizza and beer, In Your Ear Records will be spinning live music starting at 7pm. The event is free and open to the public.

Saturday, November 12th | 6:00pm to 10:00pm | 495 Main Street, Warren, RI 02885 | 401.245.0045

New Menu Items at Mill’s Tavern and Red Stripe Restaurants

Mill’s Tavern, 101 North Main St., Providence, (401) 272-3331, has launched its new fall dinner menu. Starters include an autumn beet tasting salad featuring salt roasted and pickled beets served with roasted onion and goat cheese fondue finished with pickled fennel, blood orange segments and a dusting of hazelnut powder. For entrees, try a duo of sweet potato-marshmallow and brie mashed potato gnocchi with smoked turkey; harrissa glazed wild Alaskan king salmon served over vegetable a la Greque; seared Long Island duck breast with squash and mascarpone filled sage and squid-ink agnolotti served with roasted spaghetti squash; or an autumn harvest vegetable tasting from the wood-burning oven served with three bean cranberry salad. Desserts range from Portuguese bread pudding with currants and apple tart with pecan-oat streusel and bourbon-brown butter caramel to chai-spiced roasted white chocolate carrot cake with pistachio brittle and maple crème brulee with oatmeal cookies. Along with its extensive wine list, seasonal libations include the Downtown, made with rye vodka, cranberry liqueur, cinnamon and apples; and the West Side, a cocktail of tequila, hard cider, pomegranate and lime on the rocks. For the complete menu, go to millstavernrestaurant.com.

Red Stripe, in East Greenwich, 455 Main St., (401) 398-2900, and Providence, 465 Angell St., (401) 437-6950, have added seasonally inspired dishes to its regular menu for fall. Among new entrees are twin 8 oz. maple bourbon glazed pork chops, served with Dijon roasted fingerling potatoes and honey glazed rainbow carrots; roasted apple and sage gnocchi filled with maple mascarpone, butternut squash and caramelized onions, finished with cream and cinnamon; and oven roasted turkey, accompanied by mashed potatoes, apple and cornbread stuffing, cranberry-orange chutney and giblet gravy. On the lighter side, there is grilled salmon served over garlic pea puree and paired with a warm farro salad, beets and spinach; and beer brined roasted half chicken, with choice of house frites or greens. Dessert offerings include chocolate hazelnut cremeux and cardamom apple tarte tatin. For the complete menu, visit redstriperestaurants.com.

Disclosure: Federal Hill Pizza is a client of Eat Drink RI Marketing Services

November 2, 2016 0 comment

news wine & drinks

Travel + Leisure Names Providence Number Eight in America’s Best Beer Cities

by David Dadekian December 20, 2020

written by David Dadekian

Just in time for American Craft Beer Week, Travel + Leisure magazine’s “America’s Favorite Cities” 2012 poll has placed Providence at number eight on the list of America’s Best Beer Cities. The magazine made special mention of Trinity Brewhouse, Foolproof Brewing and Revival Brewing Company in their write-up of Providence brews.

Eat Drink RI contacted Sean Larkin, Brewmaster Consultant for Narragansett Beer, Trinity Brewhouse and Revival Brewing Company for his thoughts on the Travel + Leisure. Larkin has been at the forefront of Rhode Island’s rise to craft brewing greatness, as seen by where he currently produces beer, and he recently participated in a “Brewing in Rhode Island” panel at the Eat Drink RI Festival alongside Aaron Crossett, Head Brewer at Union Station Brewery and Dorian Rave of Ravenous Brewing Company.

Larkin had this to say about Providence’s place as number eight on the America’s Best Beer Cities list, “This is a big year for Rhode Island beer and Rhode Island breweries and this is a great step in the right direction. Thank you very much, Travel + Leisure. We are proud to be number eight.”

Also in the “America’s Favorite Cities” poll Providence has placed #1 in the country for “Food/Drink/Restaurants” overall as well as #1 for hamburgers, #2 for pizza, #2 for ice cream and #3 for cafes.

December 20, 2020 0 comment

chefs & restaurants news

Gracie’s Star Chefs Series with Chef Ciril Hitz – Monday, August 6, 2012

by David Dadekian August 2, 2012

written by David Dadekian

The wood burning oven on a trailer that Chef Hitz brings to Gracie’s for one special dinner each year.

It’s time again for one of my favorite dinners of the entire year, and I have some pretty spectacular dinners—just recently I tasted most of the items on 2012 James Beard Foundation Award semifinalist Chef Benjamin Sukle’s new menu at The Dorrance and had incredible wines with dinner at the Troquet wine cellar clear out sale, still going on through August. Maybe this upcoming Gracie’s Star Chefs dinner is my favorite because Chefs Ciril Hitz and Matthew Varga are friends of mine. Maybe it’s the impeccable service and atmosphere at Gracie’s that reminds me of New York. Or maybe it’s because I vividly remember how the lobster tail from last year’s Gracie’s Star Chefs dinner with Hitz was hands-down the best bite I had in 2011, and that includes putting it against some, again, very spectacular dinners of last year.

Here’s a few more accolades to entice you. The year before there was an astonishing dessert (let’s not forget Gracie’s Pastry Chef Melissa Denmark who studied under Hitz at Johnston & Wales University) and the year before that I recall one of the best lamb preparations I’ve ever had. I haven’t even mentioned the overabundance of delicious bread that Hitz, one of the world’s best master bakers, bakes for this annual dinner. Also, because of my work with Blackbird Farm, I happen to know one of the many dishes Varga and Hitz have planned for Monday and I can’t wait to taste the combination of Hitz’s bread and the Bouthillette’s beef. As if all that wasn’t enticement enough, this year’s dinner will feature pairings from award-winning craft brewery Smuttynose Brewing Company in New Hampshire (or wines if you prefer).

Chef Ciril Hitz adding wood to the wood-burning oven outside Gracie’s

I’ve said it before, I’ll say it unabashedly and unprompted again and again, this is not a dinner to miss. Not just if you love food like so many people trumpet nowadays as if food is a new discovery, but if you truly care about where your food is from, how it is thoughtfully prepared and what you put inside your body. Here’s the link to last year’s piece about the dinner, and here’s a story on Hitz’s baking classes that he gives at his facility in Rehoboth. I hope to see you at dinner on Monday.

Below is the text of Gracie’s press release with the Star Chefs dinner details.

Gracie’s Showcases Award-Winning Bread & Brews
Gracie’s to host Star Chef Dinner featuring nationally recognized Chef Ciril Hitz, Master Bread Baker, and Peter Egelston, founder and President of Smuttynose Brewery in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – For Chef Ciril Hitz’s fourth annual return to Gracie’s as part of their Star Chef Series, award-winning craft beers from Smuttynose Brewery will be paired with the tasting menu, as Smuttynose Founder and President Peter Egelston collaborate together with Gracie’s Chef Matthew Varga and his culinary team on a bread and brewery adventure for the first time at Gracie’s. This event will include the ever-present Gracie’s touch, offering unique and memorable culinary experiences with the utmost attention to detail.
“It’s a great opportunity to be working with one of my former instructor’s again, and see the return of Chef Hitz’s wood-fired ovens,” said Melissa Denmark, Pastry Chef of Gracie’s. “With the Summer season upon us, I’m excited to see craft beers being paired with the amazing dishes created by Chef Hitz.” This Star Chef Dinner will mark the fourth time we’ve had an opportunity to integrate his passion for creating dishes inspired by his wood-fired oven with our passion for surprising our guests with inventive, seasonal dishes.”
Details about this event are as follows:
Monday, August 6th, 2012
A true Star Chef of Gracie’s, Ciril Hitz returns to Gracie’s for his fourth appearance to the restaurant. This year, he will be joined by Peter Egelston, Founder and President of Smuttynose Brewery in Portsmounth, NH.
With his signature outdoor wood-fired oven parked on the sidewalk, guests will be enjoying a truly special menu highlighting some of his award-winning breads, dishes created in collaboration with Chef Matthew Varga of Gracie’s, and perfectly paired with the craft beers of Smuttynose Brewery.
Hitz has been recognized with numerous awards and accomplishments, both in the industry and as a faculty member at Johnson & Wales. In 2007 and 2008, he was selected as Top Ten Pastry Chefs in America by Pastry Art & Design magazine. In 2010, he was named to Dessert Professional’s annual list of the Top Ten Bread Bakers in America.
Peter Egelston originally opened what is now the oldest brewpub in the northeast: The Northampton Brewery. Peter was head brewer there until 1991. That year, he and his sister opened the Portsmouth Brewery, the Granite State’s first brewpub. In 1993, he purchased the brewery that was to become Smuttynose. In 2011, out of over 10,000 breweries rated, Smuttynose was ranked 28th – in the top 0.3% – on Ratebeer’s 2011 Best Brewers in the World list.
The Star Chef Series, now in its fourth year, combines the talents of extraordinary chefs from around the country and pairs them with the Gracie’s team. Working collaboratively, the Star Chef and the team create a five-course menu that is expertly paired with wine. The informal and intimate setting allows the chefs to step out of the kitchen from time to time to talk with guests about the meal and their experience. The cost for a Gracie’s Star Chef Dinner (paired with wine) is $100. To make reservations call Gracie’s at 401-272-7811.
To learn more about these events, visit www.graciesprov.com. You can also follow Gracie’s on Facebook at http://bit.ly/GraciesProv.
About Gracie’s
Established in 1998, Gracie’s in downtown Providence, R.I., provides guests with a culinary experience that is anything but expected. The 70-seat restaurant, located at 194 Washington Street just steps from Trinity Repertory Theater, entices guests with seasonally inspired American cuisine that is fresh and inventive. In addition to the main dining room, Gracie’s also offers a private wine cellar for up to eight guests and a private dining room that can accommodate up to 70 people. In addition to award-winning food, guests can enjoy five-star cocktails and a wine list of more than 200 wines. Gracie’s can also cater a wide and unlimited range of events through Grace, Events by Gracie’s. For more information, visit www.graciesprov.com or call 401-272-7811.

August 2, 2012 0 comment