NYCWFF: Del Posto presents Murray's Cheese, Salami & Wine Party

Murray's Cheese Shop raffles a crate of goodies

Murray's Cheese Shop, pulled out all the stops this year, enhancing their NYC Wine & Food Festival event by adding cured meats to compliment their already vast assortment of gourmet cheeses. The event was hosted at the newly appointed NY Times 4 Star restaurant Del Posto whom supplied Italian wine tastings, in their lavish private basement dining room. The wines being poured this afternoon, made the lines queue up quickly, with everyone wanting to taste selections from Barolo. Murray's own, Liz Thorpe even needed a sip!

For starters, there was Antipasti consisting of Italian mixed Olives, Peppadews, Cipolle Onions and Roasted Tomatoes, Lioni Ciliegine Mozzarella and Focaccia and rustic bread.

Featured Fine Meats:

- Creminelli Fine Meat serving Barolo, Wild Boar and Americano Sausage.

- La Quercia serving Rossa Heirloom Prosciutto

-Vermont Smoke & Cure serving fresh ham, Natural Summer Sausage, Smoked

-Pepperoni & Natural Ham Sticks

Followed by an assortment of cheeses:

-Farms for City Kids Foundation serving Spring brook Farm Tartentaise

-Vermont Butter and Cheese serving Cremont, Bonne Bouche, fresh Creamy Goat Cheese drizzled with honey, Sea salt Butter

-Cellars at Jasper Hill serving their famous Cabot Clothbound Cheddar, Landaff Creamery Landaff, Jasper Hill Farm Moses Sleeper All aged in their 22,000 sqf 7 underground vaults.
-Forever Cheese serving Gran Bu Di Bufala, Cacio Di Roma, Rustico Black Pepper, Castelrosso, Stracapra, Genuine Fulvi Pecorino Romano, Susinata Plum Preserve, Casa Forcello Pear Mostarda, Pizzuto Almonds
-Atalanta serving Piave and Asiago dÁllevo
-Ciresa serving Taleggio, Mountain Gorgonzola, Fontina

NYCWFF: SWEET

NYCWFF SWEET 2010, a set on Flickr.

After a night of great food and wine, whom better than Godiva to satisfy your late night sweet tooth? Presenting the NYC Wine & Food Festival's aptly named "SWEET" event hosted by Food Networks resident dessert gurus, Ace of Cakes Duff Goldman & Semi-Homemade's Sandra Lee.

Upon entrance to La Venue, the confectionery conclave was revealed. SWEET! SWEET! SWEETNESS! were the only words I could conjure-up as I set my eyes on the dreamy desserts that filed the rooms. Okay, this event is no joke! Binging on beautiful, gooey, sticky cakes, pies, pastries and chocolate brings out a sense of power only a childlike innocence can evoke. So, I summoned up my inner child and put'em into warp speed!

But first, a little bubbly. Perrier-Jouet champagne was served in keepsake Waterford Crystal flutes. From there, the sucrose rush was on! I scurried through the rooms as only my 9 year old self would, grabbing the prettiest and stickiest looking desserts and indulging. Did I mention there were also eye-candy go-go dancers on scene shaking their own sugar to sweet tunes.

This really is a party like no other; adults run a muck their allowing their sweet tooth to lead the way towards every New York City restaurant's interpretations of the perfect desserts prepared masterfully by thier pastry chefs.

Everything from Gummy Bears (Dylan's Candy Bar), Salted Margarita & Gimmie S'more pies (Hill Country Chicken),

Assorted Cupcakes & Cookies (Billy's Bakery), Affogato Float with Ameretti Cookies (A Voce),

Dark Chocolate Cremeux/Burnt Orange Meringue/Chicory Ice Cream (Le Bernardin),

Sweet Potato Cheescake/Toasted Marshmallow/Pickled Cranberry/Candied Pecans (Colicchio and Sons)

Kahlua was on hand making coffee Martinins and Khalua flavored ice coffees for those who wanted some caffeine with a kick!

The nights winner of the SWEETest Challenge went to Clinton Street Baking Co. (yes, thee of delicious pancake fame) with their warm pear upside down cake, pecan ice cream, caramel sauce & pecan brittle yumminess. They really did deserve to win. Somehow I scarffed down almost three of those bad boys! Deeeelicious!

As if the crowd wasn't already on a high, Chef/Culinary Rock Star Guy Fieri showed up to lend support to Duff Goldman to the mob scene of fans delight, and sample some cake being dished out by the Ace of Cakes crew.

Spotted chatting in the VIP lounge, Lee Schrager, Chef Anne Burrell, Debbie, Mazar & Bethany Frankel.

NYCWFF: DeBragga at Dusk

One rarely thinks of "Meat" anymore when referring to New York City's Meatpacking District, but there still are some Wholesale Meat Companies that operate out of that location. However, none more famous than Debragga & Spitler.

As the sun set this Saturday, it was a perfect Autumn night to attend the DeBragga at Dusk in the courtyard of their facilities. The event paired some of New York City's top chefs with some of the nation's finest meat producers.

Niman Ranch Barbecue Pork Belly, Concorde Grape, Chipotle, Chicos & a crispy chicharon by Colicchio and Sons.

Even with all the culinary star power such as: Daniel Boulud, Restaurant Daniel and DB Bistro Moderne; Terrance Brennan, Artisanal and Picholine; Tom Colicchio, Colicchio & Sons, Tap Room and Craft; Michael Lomonaco, Porter House New York; Alfred Portale, Gotham Bar and Grill; and Laurent Tourondel, Brasserie Ruhlmann, it was the wide range of meat (wagyu beef, long island duck, leg of lamb and pork belly) from Niman Ranch Certified Angus Beef, John Tarpoff; Niman Ranch Pork, Paul Willis; Niman Ranch Lamb, Cody Hiemke; Imperial Wagyu Beef, Lawrence Adams; Joyce Farms Label Rouge Poultry, Ron Joyce; South Shore Farms, Long Island Duck, Tom Jurglewicz; that took center stage as the dishes were served alongside flowing glasses of Coppola wine and cool cocktails from Tommy Bahama Rum. Local Brooklyn band, The Blue Vipers, played a mix of Jazz, Swing & Blues as everyone enjoyed another successful NYC Wine & Food Festival event.

Niman Ranch Skirt Steak, Pickled Jalapeno/Green Tomato Chimichurri, Jalapeno Mashed Potatoes from Brasserie Ruhlman & Chef Laurent Tourondel with John "The Beef Guy" Tarpoff of Niman Ran.

It was a pleasure to "meat" the gracious hosts of the evening from Debragga & Spitler, George Faison -Partner/COO and Marc Sarrazin - Partner/President who discussed with us their philosophy on beef as being "Eat less, but eat better!" as the culture of meat has changed and now consumers know the product better, they pride themselves in providing the best meat, and supply it to these famous chefs at their world renown New York City restaurants.

NYCWFF: Thrillist's Bacon and The Blues

Chef Todd English gets ready to WOW!

Listen'n to Blues, drink'n whiskey and eat'n bacon... NOTHIN'S BETTER! The NYC Wine & Food Festival Thrillist's Bacon & Blues was "sow" good, it made people Hog Wild! Pork fat was taken to another level this year with gracious host Chef Todd English at the new beautiful Andaz 5th hotel. Pigs were flying, as popular restaurants catered their swinny servings to guests who were unashamedly pigging-out!

Crispy Pork Roulette Sliders created by Todd English, Executive chef,  ÇA VA Brasserie

The event was held at the Andaz 5th Hotel event space Apt #2E which is just that; a huge inviting apartment feel space with adjoining rooms, floor to ceiling windows with fabulous views of 5TH Avenue and the New York Public Library. Apt #2E had several bars where mixologists made different cocktails prepared with Michael Collins Whiskey. There were six cocktails with six bacon dish pairings. The porky products spread throughout the rooms were made by skillful pig obsessed chefs whose restaurants each had their own table presenting bacon inspired dishes to pork aficionados.

Latin Spiced Pork Morsels with Lime and Coriander created by Roberto Alicea, executive chef, ANDAZ 5th AVENUE.

Chef Todd English slices-up some pork belly.



A large kitchen was placed in the center of the main room where Chef Todd English held a cooking demonstration. Chef English, a pig fan himself showed-off different cuts of the animal, prepared a broth and sliders, then shared it with the salivating crowd who washed down the mouth fulls with cold beer at the Coors Light bar.

Pig Tail Cocktail - Garnished with bacon wrapped luxardo cherry, ANDAZ 5th AVENUE

Michael Collins Irish Whiskey was in abundance pairing drink recipes with each bacon dish:

The Woodlawn - courtesy of Albert Depompeis, mixologist for Todd English Enterprises
paired with Crispy Pork Roulette Sliders created by Todd English, Executive chef, ÇA VA Brasserie
The Collins Cooler - paired with Spicy Bacon Caramel Corn created by Agatha Kulaga & Erin Patinkin, Executive chefs, OVENLY
Irish Autumn - courtesy of Walter Roeder , bar manager, South Houston paired with Bacon Waffles with Peach Amaretto Whipped cream and Bacon Caramel Apples created by Omar Drammeh, Executive Chef, SOUTH HOUSTON
Sweet Sunshine - paired with Bacon Chunks created by Scott Smith, Pitmaster, RUB
Pig Tail - Garnished with bacon wrapped luxardo cherry, courtesy of Jeremy Osslund, ANDAZ 5th AVENUE paired with Latin Spiced Pork Morsels with Lime and Coriander created by Roberto Alicea, executive chef, ANDAZ 5th AVENUE and with Home Smoked Bacon with pickled Cauliflower, Dijon Mustard, Whole wheat crackers and Horseradish-Apple-Rosemary Sauce created by Maximo Lopez, Executive chef, WALL & WATER
Basil Julep - Courtesy of Meghan Love, Co-Owner and Beverage Director, MABLE'S STEAKHOUSE AND BANQUET HALL paired with Warm Pulled Pork & Bacon Baskets created by Jeffrey joe Lutonsky, Executive chef, MABLE'S STEAKHOUSE AND BANQUET HALL

Lazy Stars Blues Band played Blues and Soft Rock, periodically filling the room with sounds of the Harmonica which nicely complimented the emanating smell of bacon in the air. Guests seems to get their fill of everything this night had to offer and having a lot of fun with the bacon theme. Which is why the most famous porker of them all was quoted at last call and bite. "THAT'S ALL FOLKS!" Sir Porky Pig



Lazy Stars Band entertains greasy face spectators.