NYC Wine and Food Festival

The second annual Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival presented by Food & Wine Travel + Leisure magazines takes place October 8-11, 2009 and once again benefits the Food Bank For New York City and Share Our Strength. The 2009 Festival is set to turn up the heat in New York City this Columbus Day weekend.

For your chance to win two tickets to this festival click on the link below. Food & Wine Magazine will select two lucky winners - enter by July 31st!

http://www.grandinroad.com/jump.jsp?itemType=CATEGORY&itemID=5326

Family Fun this Summer

With the success from last year's Splash Bash event - family and youth community event - it will be held for the 2nd year on Saturday, June 27th. This fun in the sun event will be held at the Municipal Park next to the Perrysburg Pool from Noon - 4pm. Pre-school and elementary school aged kids will have a blast splashing around in numerous water focused games. There will be a performance by the Perrysburg Academy of Performaing Arts (www.perrysburgacademy.com), a Water Show, arts and crafts table from the YMCA, concessions and much more! Tickets will be sold onsite - Kids are only $5 and adults are free. Kids are encouraged to wear bathing suits and bring a towel. There will be dry areas for the adults who don't want to get wet.

Check out more about this event at http://www.perrysburgarts.org/programyouth.html

I look forward to seeing you on Saturday, June 27th in the afternoon!

15 days through Italy

My husband and I just returned from a fantastic holiday traveling from Venice through Tuscany and ending up in Rome. Italy is one of my favorite places to go with its unbelievable scenery, food, wine and culture. I would like to highlight some of our favorite parts so if you go you could possibly add them to your list of 'to-dos'!

There was no one particular site that we liked best in Venice (all are great). The thing we liked best was getting lost in all the winding streets and stumbling upon a fun shop or piazza to have a tasty meal. Venice is not like anywhere else of course being that is 'floating' on water and not a car to be seen. But there is also something magical about being there that I can't really describe besides saying that you have to go and see for yourself and you will know what I mean. An extravagance but fun thing to do is get a bellini (prosecco and peach nectar)from Harry's Bar. It is where the bellini was first created. There is a limited menu but I would just go for the bellini!

Florence had many changes from when I studied there in college five years ago. Much more populated and hate to say it a little bit dirty (lots of graffiti and so many cars). However it is still charming and fun to go back to some old favorite spots. Florence is known for its genuine leather goods and for a good price head to the Central Market (just make sure it is real leather). For great people watching and live music while enjoying aperitifs (Italian happy hour) head to Golden View. It overlooks the arno just down from the ponte vecchio. The small plates are free as long as you order a cocktail. For a lunch with magnificent panoramic views of Florence head to Piazzale Michelangelo. Before you go head to a Gastronomica for cured meats, cheeses, bread, olive oil and drink of choose for your picnic lunch. You will work up an appetite climbing up the steep steps and hill. For a bit of the countryside I highly recommend the 'Bicycle Tuscany' tour (www.bicycletuscany.com). You start off biking through the hills of Chianti and about halfway through stop at a winery for a tour and tasting. From there you head to a local trattoria for a slow relaxing lunch. I warn you not to drink to much vino as the last 30 minutes biking back is the hardest part!

After getting that taste of the countryside we wanted to explore more. So we departed the city for Castellina in Chianti. Hotel Belvedere di San Leonino was so charming and would like to stay at again if (when) we go back to Tuscany. The rooms are spacious, breakfast is included and location makes it easy to take day trips to the surrounding areas. Another plus was the pool as it was about 90 degrees (unseasonably warm for mid-May). You need to rent a car while you are in Tuscany so you can explore the local wineries and travel to neighboring areas like Greve, Siena and Radda. While in Italy I think it is essential to take a cooking class. The way the Italians cook and eat is such an insight to their lifestyle. For a non-classroom format we signed up for a class run by two ladies, Tina and Manuela. The class was held in their home which was an old villa in the middle of the surrounding vineyards. We made so much incredible food; homemade pasta that went into our lasagna, crostini with roasted peppers, roasted turkey breast with herbs and fennel, apple torte and biscotti. My non-cooking husband was amazed by how everything they make is from scratch - nothing comes from a box! Go to www.cooking-class-authentic-tuscany.com and sign up!

After relaxing by the pool and getting our energy back we headed to Rome for more sightseeing. Even though you see pictures of the Pantheon, Colosseum and Vatican seeing them in person is just breathtaking. The Pantheon is located in a popular piazza where you find several cafes to take in the views and enjoy a drink. I would recommend not eating there but heading to Piazza Coppelle just around the corner where there are several restaurants that would be hard to go wrong by. Campo de Fiori is another lively area for food and drinks. The Campo draws a younger crowd that stays out till the early morning so be aware if your hotel is in the area. Blue Ice down one of the side streets from the Campo hits the spot for a late night sweet treat with their banana and nutella crepes!

With one extra suitcase, 8 bottles of wine and so many amazing memories we boarded the plane for our 13 hour trip back to the States.

La Dolce Vita!

Pizza and Wine = Winning Combo

One of my favorite restaurants is a neighborhood gem in West Lakeview - Frasca: Pizzeria and Wine Bar (http://www.frascapizzeria.com). There are great deals/discounts Sunday - Thursday. The two deals that I can't resist are Mondays when bottles of wine are all half price and Wednesdays for buy 1 pizza get 1 free!

Frasca is casual Italian-inspired restaurant and wine bar featuring a large wood-burning oven and a 35-seat bar fitted with river-rock, and there's both booth and banquette seating. The menu features a selection of starters such as the antipasto board where you get to select from various cured meats, cheeses, bruschettas and accompaniments. For the main attraction choose from thin crust pizzas (the caponata being my favorite), homemade pastas or several meat and seafood entrees. I have never saved enough room for dessert but next time I will try as the homemade doughnuts and gelato sound fantastic!

I highly recommend you giving this place a try. Great for visiting family members or a group of your friends.

Parking is a little difficult but the el is convenient as the Paulina Red line is only steps away.

Frasca: Pizzeria and Wine Bar
3358 North Paulina St, Chicago, Il 60657
p 773 248 5222

Best Ballpark Food Picks

As major league baseball has evolved into a bigger business, its ballparks have come to offer smorgasbords of delight from which fans can select their game-time snacks. The better concession stands at today's big league yards reflect the local specialties of their surrounding cities. At U.S. Cellular Field, fans of Chicago-style deep dish can have their 'Za and their World Series trophy too. At PNC Park, beleaguered 'Burgh fans feast on pierogies while they wait for Steelers two-a-days to start. At Shea Stadium, cosmopolitan New Yorkers enjoy authentic deli sandwiches and knish.

But most always think of the hot dog which is why a list of the 10 top dogs was created...

1. Miller's Dog
McAfee Coliseum, Oakland
So juicy and snappy you'll swear it has natural casing.

2. The Fenway Frank
Fenway Park, Boston
A supple dog that always leaves you wanting one more.

3. Nathan's Hot Dog
Yankee Stadium, New York
Hate the Yankees, love their hot dog.

4. Hebrew National Dog
Safeco Field, Seattle
Good enough for the Rabbi, good enough for us.

5. Met Jumbo Dog
The Metrodome, Minneapolis
The biggest, baddest dog in MLB makes arena-ball almost tolerable.

6. Aaron's Hot Dog
Shea Stadium, New York
Lastings Milledge isn't the only hot dog making headlines in Queens these days.

7. The Hunter's Dog
New Busch Stadium, St. Louis
Spicy, juicy, and firm. This Hunter's dog was so good we expected it to roll over in its bun.

8. Grilled Blue Jay Dog
Rogers Center, Toronto
An all-beef frank slit several times during grilling and served on a poppy seed roll. And once you factor in the exchange rate, it only costs 40 cents.

9. Schweigert Hot Dog
Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City
Not sure if we got the spelling right, but we know good pork by-product when we taste it.

10. Hot Dog Heaven
Turner Field, Atlanta
Of the 21 different dogs served at "The Ted," our favorite is the Bison Dog. Our pal Jane prefers the Jumbo Georgia Dog... at least she used to.

10 hot dogs in the majors quoted from: Josh Pahigian and Kevin O'Connell are the authors of "The Ultimate Baseball Road-Trip: A Fan's Guide to Major League Stadiums

New Restaurants in Wrigley

Wrigley Field hasn’t been christened with a new name thanks to corporate sponsorship (yet), but the shiny new sports bar replacing the Friendly Confines Cafe has. Dubbed Captain Morgan Club and operated by the Harry Caray Restaurant Group, the bar opened Friday, April 10th, with Captain Morgan himself spreading the brand-name cheer. This open-air sports bar for up to 500 will stay open year round, putting up walls for winter. Don’t expect the same menu as Harry Caray’s Tavern, though—the brief lineup here includes five sandwiches, two salads, hot dogs and nachos. Find it at the stadium’s southeast corner, near Addison and Sheffield.

Quick hit: The bar’s few specialty drinks aren’t anything to cheer about (ready to order a $7 Captain Cubby made with the namesake rum and Pepsi?), but entrances from both the field and the street allow meet-ups between game watchers and their non-ticketholding pals.

Later this month look for a second more intimate Rockit Bar in the former Tuscany on Clark location. With a huge patio to seat 80+ guests for some great people watching and catching some rays!

Cubs logo courtesy of MLB.com

Spring Cookie Idea

These thin chocolate cookies with ganache icing dipped into grated coconut make the perfect nests for two or three miniature chocolate eggs.

Ingredients
* 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
* 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
* 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out dough
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted
* 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
* 1 cup heavy cream
* 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
* Gel-paste food coloring
* 2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
* 6 candy-coated chocolate eggs

Directions
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter and sugar.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, and cocoa powder. Add flour mixture to butter mixture; mix on low speed just until a stiff dough forms, about 2 minutes. Transfer dough to a piece of plastic wrap, wrap tightly, and chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
3. Place chocolate, heavy cream, and espresso powder in a medium heatproof bowl. Place the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, stirring occasionally, until chocolate has melted. Remove bowl from heat, and set the chocolate ganache aside to cool, stirring occasionally.
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll out chilled dough to a 1/4-inch thickness. Using a 2 1/4-inch-round cookie cutter, cut out 24 cookies; place them on lined baking sheets. Chill cookies until firm, about 20 minutes.
5. Bake cookies until set, about 14 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. For colored coconut, combine a few drops of food coloring with 3 tablespoons water in a medium bowl. Stir in coconut; mix until evenly colored. Spread on an ungreased baking sheet; bake just until dry, about 12 minutes, being careful not to brown. Let coconut cool; transfer to a small bowl.
7. When the ganache has cooled to room temperature, whisk until it becomes stiff enough to pipe. Transfer ganache to a pastry bag fitted with a 3/8-inch-round tip, and pipe around perimeters of cookies. Dip each cookie, ganache-side down, into plain or colored coconut. Fill "nests" with candy-coated chocolate eggs, 2 or 3 eggs per nest. Store cookies in an airtight container, refrigerated, up to 3 days.

Recipe courtesy of marthastewart.com