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2018 Eat Drink RI Festival Grand Tasting, photo by Brad Smith Photography

ExpiredEat Drink RI Festival 2019 Grand Tasting

by David Dadekian April 19, 2019

written by David Dadekian

2018 Eat Drink RI Festival Grand Tasting, photo by Brad Smith Photography

The Eat Drink RI Festival Grand Tasting features samplings of over fifty locally produced beer, wine & spirits, as well as an abundance of local food artisans in the Rotunda & Ballroom of the Rhode Island Convention Center.

During the Tasting there will be all-new local food & drink presentations and this year we’re going for maximum interactivity with our presentation areas set in-the-round for attendees to enjoy.

Rotunda Lobby Presentations:

1 p.m. Nicks on Broadway’s Chef Derek Wagner on Seafood
3 p.m. Renaissance Providence Downtown Hotel’s Chef Rebecca Lentrichia and Blackbird Farm’s Ann Marie Bouthillette on Meatballs

Ballroom Presentations:

12:30 p.m. Newport Vineyards’s Executive Chef Andy Teixeira on Ricotta
1:30 p.m. Great Northern BBQ Co.’s Chef Jimmy James Caruso on BBQ
2:30 p.m. Basta and Bettola’s Chef Antonio Franco on Prosciutto

For the full list of Grand Tasting tables and participants, please see the Exhibitors page (continually updated).

Grand Tasting tickets are $75 and includes all food and beverage samplings offered and Local Food & Drink Presentations

2018 Eat Drink RI Festival Grand Tasting, photos by Brad Smith Photography

April 19, 2019 0 comment

Eat Drink RI Festival 2017 Grand Tasting

ExpiredGrand Tasting

by David Dadekian April 27, 2018

written by David Dadekian

Eat Drink RI Festival 2017 Grand Tasting

The Eat Drink RI Festival Grand Tasting features samplings of over sixty locally produced beer, wine & spirits, as well as an abundance of local food artisans in Hall D of the Rhode Island Convention Center. During the Tasting there will be all-new local food & drink presentations on the Frigidaire Professional Presentation Stage sponsored and provided by Wickford Appliance featuring Rhode Island’s top chefs paired with a local producer to wow attendees with some of the best food in the country, all included with admission to the Grand Tasting.

Easy Entertaining’s Chef Ashley Vanasse and Narragansett Creamery’s Pattie & Mark Federico
Nicks on Broadway’s Chef Derek Wagner and Blackbird Farm’s Ann Marie Bouthillette
Tallulah’s Taqueria’s Chef Jake Rojas and American Mussel Harvesters, Inc.

We’re adding a 2nd food & drink presentation area at this year’s Festival Grand Tasting. Get a floor-level, up-close look at the detail work & techniques of these chefs and artisans with this more interactive and intimate show area.

Basta’s Chef Antonio Franco on Pasta
Ellie’s Bakery’s Chefs Melissa Denmark and Caitlyn McGuire on Decorating Desserts
El Rancho Grande’s Co-Owner Joaquin Meza on Cocktails

For the full list of Grand Tasting tables and participants, please see the Exhibitors page (continually updated).

Grand Tasting tickets are $75 and includes all food and beverage samplings offered and Local Food & Drink Presentations

April 27, 2018 0 comment

news wine & drinks

Newport Storm Annual Release ’11 Is Rhode Island’s First Major “Collaboration” Beer

by David Dadekian December 20, 2020

written by David Dadekian

On Friday evening, November 11, Newport Storm Brewery is holding a “Celebration of ’11” to showcase the release of their newest annual release. This year’s brew is particularly special as well as particularly Rhode Island having been bottle-conditioned with Aquidneck Honey, hopped with locally grown hops from Ocean State Hops, aged in Thomas Tew Rum barrels and brewed through the collaboration of all six of Rhode Island’s professional brewers: Derek Luke of Newport Storm, Dave Sniffen of Mohegan Café and Brewery in Block Island, Sean Larkin and Tom Tainsh of Trinity Brewhouse in Providence, Aaron Crossett of Union Station Brewery in Providence, and Marshall Righter of the Coddington Brewing Company in Middletown.

Derek Luke, brewmaster at Newport Storm, explains the motivation behind the beer, “Collaboration beers are a great chance for brewers to exchange knowledge, pool strengths and come up with a beer that’s greater than the sum of its parts. Since we come from the smallest state, the Rhode Island brewers often don’t get enough exposure for the great beers they’re making. For the ’11, we want to make an awesome beer together. When you drink it, it will be obvious exactly how great Rhode Island beer can be.”

Jeff Mello, beekeeper owner of Aquidneck Honey, added, “I loved the clip, especially when it mentions only RI’s best ingredients and there we are: a jar of Aquidneck Honey is bee-ing poured into the brew. Hopefully it will catch on, more breweries will use Aquidneck Honey and bee a regular item available on the East Coast. You know me, and our passion, 1039 hives strong as of this fall and not one penny collected for pollination services to RI and Southern Mass. You know my slogan . . . “No Bees = No Farms = NO FOOD.” The amended one is going to read more like this . . . “NO Bees = No Farms = NO BREW!”

The beer has been bottle-conditioning since its February 5th brew date. A “Celebration of ’11” is planned for 11/11/11 at the Newport Storm Brewery. Brews from all of RI’s breweries will be on tap, as well as the ’11. Tickets are $11 and are available at www.NewportStorm.com. Newport Storm ’11 will be on sale in CT, MA, and RI liquor stores, as well as on draft at each Rhode Island brewer’s establishment and select venues around the Ocean State. Below is the “Newport Storm Annual Release ’11” promo video.

December 20, 2020 0 comment

chefs & restaurants wine & drinks

Gracie’s “Wines of the World” Tasting on Rooftop Garden

by David Dadekian July 10, 2011

written by David Dadekian

Gracie's Rooftop Garden

On Sunday, July 31, Gracie’s is holding their second Wines of the World event, this time on the roof of the Peerless Building in downtown Providence where Gracie’s rooftop garden is located. The first Wines of the World was held this past January and presented a broad selection of wines from France, Italy, the United States, Spain & Portugal and Argentina & Chile. The upcoming event is Gracie’s Grand Summer Tasting and will include samples of 50 wines from selected wine regions around the world, artisan craft beer selections by Berkshire Brewing Company, and a special spirits tasting led by DonQ Rum Distillery. Guests will also enjoy an array of hors d’oeuvres, prepared by Gracie’s Executive Chef Matthew Varga, and live entertainment.

“We’re looking forward to creating a spectacular evening for our guests on our rooftop garden,” said Ellen Gracyalny, owner of Gracie’s. “They’ll be able to enjoy a summer night sipping wines from around the world while taking in the Providence skyline, a setting sun and our beautiful garden!” Gracie’s Wine and Spirits/Private Events Director Brendan Chipley Roane will be on hand to answer questions about the featured wines and to highlight some of the rooftop garden ingredients he uses for specialty cocktails.

“We’re very excited to bring this opportunity to our guests,” said Roane. “They can learn about the wonders of wines from around the world and taste for themselves how the same grape variety will change in different regions of the world—creating unique gems for wine making. They’ll also be able to savor these wines—along with spirits and beer—in a remarkable setting.”

Gracyalny added, “By holding this event on our rooftop garden, we’re accomplishing two goals. We’re bringing our guests to an aesthetically pleasing setting for an enjoyable and educational evening, and we’re showcasing our garden, which is an extension of our commitment to sourcing foods locally. Guests will see first-hand where some of the vibrant flavors in our dishes come from.”

The event is from 7 – 10 p.m. on Sunday, July 31. Tickets are $75 and may be purchased at Gracie’s, 194 Washington St., Providence, or at The Savory Grape, 1000 Division Rd., East Greenwich. Below are photos from the January Wines of the World along with some images from the rooftop garden.