Slow fall — At Eve in Ann Arbor, they're passionate about slow food, food that's produced locally, without the use of pesticides, hormones or genetic engineering. And what better way to learn about slow food than with a visitor from the land of the two-hour lunch break? At their Perrin Winemaker Dinner, Eve will be joined by Marc Perrin, one of three sons that form the fourth generation of Perrins at Beaucastel, a 450-year-old vineyard in Courthezon, in the southern Rhone Valley in France. Expect not only wine talk and wine tasting, but a six-course dinner, with seasonal fall delicacies paired with the wines of Chateau de Beaucastel. Make reservations by calling 734-995-1818. Arrive for dinner at 7 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 8; $84.50 per person.
Pick up your bun — For those who wonder whatever became of American civil rights activist and Black Panthers co-founder Bobby Seale, you may be interested to learn that he is still out there heating things up — with barbecuing. The 70-year-old ex-Panther has taken his passion for meaty discourse online. At bobbyqueseale.com, you'll find his cookbook, Barbeque'n with Bobby Seale, free recipes and his "Barbecue Bill of Rights," which aims to take back barbecue from the backward "bottle-back" crowd. So log on and turn up the heat, but don't burn, baby, burn.
Eat the Page
If you yearn for the spicy dishes that are indigenous to the Texas-Mexico border, Melissa Guerra's Dishes From The Wild Horse Desert Norteño, Cooking of South Texas ($29.95, John Wiley & Sons) awaits you. Recipes of the border region are prominent, many infused with the chiles which are readily available to spicy food lovers everywhere. From ceviche and cactus pear margaritas to asado de puerco (pork roasted in chiles) to desserts like grapefruit blossom cake with browned butter frosting, many of these dishes are unfamiliar to us, but tempt us to begin exploring.
A Tasty Beverage
A lava lamp is great for its warm glow. We think that the "Lava Lamp Martini" will provide an equally warm glow. The recipe was created by Chef Andrew Snow of Feastivities Events, a catering company in Philadelphia. He agreed to share it with us. To make one serving, blend 2 ounces of vanilla-flavored vodka with 1 ounce of white cranberry juice and a splash of Chambord in a shaker over ice. Blend a half tablespoon of honey with a pinch of paste (professional type) red food coloring. Immediately before serving, drizzle colored honey into a 4-ounce fluted champagne glass and pour in the martini mixture.
It Works
If you can't get the hang of chopsticks, you can't serve salad with one hand — and two utensils — either, despite numerous fumbling attempts. Snapi, the simple plastic-toothed clam-looking device, is the single-handed server to camouflage your clumsiness. Perfect for pastas and salads, especially when you don't want the dressing saturating everything else on your plate, this is the solution. Maybe there is a better mousetrap. Call 1-888-645-7772 or go to misto.com. While there, see the olive oil sprayer, a refillable canister designed to spray a mist of oil without any unwanted taste of propellants.
Know of any new restaurants, special dinners or food-related events? Let us know. Send materials two weeks in advance to [email protected].
