food and wine seminars tastings and demonstrations

Tastings and Demonstrations

A Taste of Elegance
Join in the fun as twelve of Boston's top chefs compete to showcase their creativity and the versatility of cooking with pork. Each chef will present their best pork dish for participants to try. At the end of the evening, chefs will win awards for "best pork dish" and "crowd favorite." Competing restaurants include Coriander Bistro, The Fireplace, Gargoyles on the Square, KO Prime, La Morra, Orinoco Kitchen, Pigalle, Rialto, Top of the Hub, Tremont 647, Winchester Country Club, and ZSquare. Live music and two glasses of wine or beer are included.
$40
Monday, January 28
6 p.m. — Sold Out

Wine and Food Pairing Series at Legal Sea Foods
Join Master of Wine Sandy Block for this fun, educational, and tasty series of classes on pairing food and wine, held in the exquisite wine cellar of the flagship Park Square Legal Sea Foods, surrounded by 16,000 bottles of wine. Over three evenings, Sandy will introduce multiple wines paired with each course of a meal, and discuss how their attributes change with food. You are sure to leave each evening with a newfound appreciation of wine and food, and the interplay between them.
$110 per class/$300 for the series
Three Tuesdays, 6:30 p.m.
January 29: Organically Grown and Biodynamic Grapes — Canceled
March 11: Wines of the Loire Valley
May 6: Alsatian Wines

The Food and Wine of Asti with Jeannie Rogers and Friends
Jeannie Rogers, co-owner and sommelier of Il Capriccio in Waltham, and vintners Lorenzo Corino and Isabella Peverati from the Piedmont region of Italy, present an evening of food and wine. Lorenzo's vineyard, Costiglione d'Asti, specializes in the traditional Barbera d'Asti—bold yet finessed wines. Isabella, conversely, is known for her Moscato d'Asti—a light, sweet white wine—as well as her expertise in Piedmont cuisine. This special evening provides a taste of the celebrated wines and food that are influenced by the Ligurian alluvial plains and the Apennine mountains.
$65
Wednesday, January 30, 6-8 p.m.

The Georgian Banquet with Darra Goldstein
The Republic of Georgia stands at the crossroads of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. With both alpine and subtropical zones, Georgia has a fertile culinary tradition. Join Darra Goldstein, professor of Russian at Williams College, editor-in-chief of Gastronomica, and author of The Georgian Feast: The Vibrant Culture and Savory Food of the Republic of Georgia, for this special evening of food and culture. Darra will introduce the traditional flavors and dishes of Georgia, while describing the poetic society that inspires them.
$65 includes a copy of The Georgian Feast
Thursday, February 7, 6-8 p.m. — Sold Out

Pre-Wine Expo Wine Seminars
Prepare for Boston's 17th Annual Wine Expo with this series of educational pre-expo seminars. To help you get the most out of the Wine Expo, Boston University's wine educators will introduce the basics of wine tasting, wine pairing, and terroir. Classes will be held at the Seaport World Trade Center.
$50/class; $150 for all three (includes a ticket to the Sunday Wine Expo)
Friday, February 8 — Canceled
10-11:30 a.m.: Biodynamic and Organic Wines with Sandy Block, MW
Noon-1:30 p.m.: Wines of South America with Alex Murray
2-3:30 p.m.: Chocolate and Wine with Bill Nesto, MW

History of the Cocktail with Jackson Cannon
Explore the humble beginnings of the American cocktail with Jackson Cannon, acclaimed mixologist and bar manager of Eastern Standard Kitchen and Drinks. Demonstration of modern drink-making techniques will precede a spirited tasting, featuring seminal cocktails of bygone eras accompanied by bar snacks.
$40
Monday, February 11, 6-8 p.m.

The Kitchen Detective with Chris Kimball
Join Chris Kimball, host of TV's America's Test Kitchen and editor of Cook's Illustrated, for an informative evening investigating kitchen equipment. Discover the "must-haves" for every kitchen, as well as specific brands, new products, and things that just aren't needed. With kitchen supply stores and catalogs full of gadgets to buy, come learn from the expert where to best spend your hard-earned cash.
$25 includes refreshments
Tuesday, February 26, 6-8 p.m.

A Master Class with Master Winemaker Ricardo Cotarella
Ricardo Cotarella, master winemaker and professor of enology and viticulture at Università degli Studi della Tuscia, Viterbo, will offer an overview and tasting of his wines, while discussing his vineyards in the regions of Lazio and Umbria. His family has been in the winemaking business for many generations. Under the guidance of his father, he actively participated in the day-to-day operations of his family's business until deciding to earn his degree in winemaking sciences. In 1979, he and his brother Renzo founded the acclaimed Falesco winery in Montefiascone. Falesco's mission was to rediscover native varietals; identify areas in the region able to produce high-quality wines due to unique features of the local terroir; and to continually improve the quality and value of the Falesco wines. It is Falesco's philosophy to strike a balance between the unique features of native varietals and the versatility of "international" grapes.
$75
Wednesday, February 27, 6-8 p.m.

Bordeaux Wine Course: Left Bank, Right Bank
Bill Nesto—Master of Wine and Certified Bordeaux Educator—begins a series of seminars that delve into the diversity of Bordeaux wines. The first seminar explores the many appellations that comprise the region. Lectures include guided tastings of quality wines, and discussions covering geography, culture, and important Bordeaux characteristics for each appellation.
$225
Two Saturdays: March 8 and 15; 9 a.m.-Noon

What's Brewing with George Howell
Coffee drinkers know a great cup of coffee when they taste one. George Howell, founder of Coffee Connection and Terroir Select Coffees, will demonstrate the process of coffee cultivation, roasting, and brewing. Discover the difference between ripe and unripe beans, old crop and new crop—and experience the perfect cup. The class is sure to be abuzz (and not just from the caffeine)!
$30
Saturday, March 15, 9:30 a.m.-Noon

The Kosher Kitchen: Not Your Mother's Passover
with Michael Leviton
Join Michael Leviton, chef/owner of Lumiere in Newton, for an evening of foods of the Passover Seder. Michael, who learned to cook with his mother Roberta Leviton (author of The Jewish Low-Cholesterol Cookbook), will base his meal on traditional foods of the holiday, prepared with a contemporary twist. For this evening, the kitchen will be koshered, and food ingredients and wine served will be kosher—inspiring you to create your own Seder meal.
$70
Wednesday, March 26, 6-8 p.m.

Foodie Fight to Benefit the Jacques Pépin and Julia Child Scholarship Funds in Gastronomy
Put your food knowledge to the test in this fun-filled evening. Join a team or bring your own for "Foodie Fight," a food trivia game created by Boston University gastronomy program graduate Joyce Lock. Annie Copps, food editor of Yankee Magazine, will host, and Boston food celebrities will lend their knowledge to each team. Prizes will be awarded to the winning team. All attendees will have the chance to win: gift certificates to Boston restaurants; autographed copies of Jacques Pépin's cookbook, Chez Jacques, with original watercolor; bottles of wine; and more. Beer, wine, and snacks are included.
$25 tax deductible contribution per person/$150 for a team table (up to eight people). Registration for Foodie Fight must be made by phone: call 617-353-9852.
Friday, March 28, 7 p.m.

From the Caliph's Kitchen with Nawal Nasrallah
Nawal Nasrallah, author of the cookbook Delights from the Garden of Eden, and translator of the tenth-century cookbook Annals of the Caliphs' Kitchens, presents a delightful evening of Iraqi cuisine. While demonstrating typical techniques used in the millennia-old cuisine, Nasrallah will discuss the influences, cultures, and legacies that surround the food. Experience the exotic flavors of Iraq with its savory and sweet dishes.
$60
Wednesday, April 2, 6-8 p.m.

Côtes du Rhône with Clive Coates
Master of Wine Clive Coates is one of the world's leading experts on French wines, and an award-winning author, teacher, and publisher. Coates returns to Boston University to present an afternoon of good-value Rhône wines from the region's northern appellations—known for Syrah as well as whites from the Marsanne and Roussane grapes—and southern sub-region, where the Mediterranean climate is ideal for Grenache and blends. Participants will be guided through a tasting that includes wines from Crozes-Hermitage, Saint-Joseph, and Saint-Peray (to the north), and Gigondas, Vacqueyras, and Côtes du Rhône Villages (to the south).
$75
Thursday, April 3, 2-4 p.m.

The Story of Tea: A Cultural History and Drinking Guide
Join Mary Lou and Robert Heiss, tea importers and co-authors of The Story of Tea: A Cultural History and Drinking Guide, for this educational seminar on tea. Discover the origins, botany, cultivation, and spread of Camellia sinensis, as well as its development into the second most popular beverage in the world (after water). Sample the six great classes of tea, learning how they are manufactured and how each should be brewed. Scented and smoked teas will also be covered. The class will conclude with a traditional afternoon tea.
$75
Saturday, April 5, Noon-6 p.m.

Artisan Cheeses of the World with Ihsan Gurdal
Ihsan Gurdal, cheesemeister and owner of the famed Formaggio Kitchen in Cambridge, the South End, and New York City, will guide you through the world of artisan cheeses. Drawing from his years of experience ripening and selling farmhouse cheeses, he will discuss traditional methods of cheesemaking and the craft of "affinage," or cheese maturing. You'll taste samples of the cheesemaker's art at its best, accompanied by condiments and paired with wine—a perfect seminar for cheese lovers everywhere. This class is also the first class of the Cheese Certificate Program.
$75 includes copy of The Cheese Primer
Monday, April 7, 6-8 p.m.

Same Ingredients, Different Meal—with Jacques Pépin and Jean-Claude Szurdak
Celebrated chefs Jacques Pépin and Jean-Claude Szurdak once prepared meals for French president Charles de Gaulle. Since then, they have continued to cook together as friends and on Pépin's many television shows. During this entertaining evening, Pépin and Szurdack will be given identical ingredients, and each will create a meal in their own style. Of course, observers will be able to sample both culinary interpretations with wine, coming away from the evening with plenty of ideas and tips to use in the kitchen.
$80
Wednesday, April 9, 6-8 p.m. — Sold Out

Varietal Wine, Varietal Chocolate—with Bill Nesto
Chardonnay and Cabernet, Forastero and Criollo... What does it all mean? Join Bill Nesto, Master of Wine and wine instructor, as he explains varietalism and clonal selection in wine and chocolate. How does understanding these principles enhance the enjoyment of two things we all love? Nesto will demonstrate by leading a tasting of wines and chocolates.
$50
Friday, April 18, 7-9 p.m.

The Dark Side of Champagne: Blanc de Noir with Bill Nesto
Dark-skinned grapes, the Pinot Noir and the Pinot Meunier, make up more than two-thirds of the typical Champagne blend, adding richness and fruitiness. Bill Nesto, Master of Wine and wine instructor, will lead this informative tasting of exceptional Blanc de Noirs, from pale gold to pink, from dry to sweet.
$70
Friday, April 25, 7-9 p.m.

Winemaker's Cycle with Kip Kumler
Experience, first-hand, the process of turning grapes into wine. Kip Kumler, owner and winemaker of Turtle Creek Winery, leads this seminar series at his vineyard in Lincoln, MA. The four classes will follow the winemaker's cycle throughout the year, from vine to bottle.
$150
Four Saturdays, 10 a.m.-Noon
June 7: The Season Starts: Between Bud-burst and Flowering
August 2: The Beginning of Maturity: Veraison, or When Grapes Change Color
September 20: Approaching Harvest: How to Tell When the Grapes Are Ready
November 15: After the First Frost: Dormancy and Preparing the Vines for Winter

If you would like to be placed on a waiting list for a sold out event, please call our office at 617-353-9852.