Purim in Providence, RI

I spent the weekend visiting family and friends in Providence, Rhode Island, in anticipation of Sunday’s Purim Parade. In spite of the cold, a fair number of families showed up for the yearly event.

The crowd gathering…

Children and adults alike dressed up for the occasion in very distinctive costumes, such as the Alice in Wonderland‘s Mad Hatter accompanied by Hulk Hogan (as bodyguard?).

Pluto and the Cookie Monster…

Garfield the Cat…

…a cute little kitten (one of my granddaughters)

The parade got under way with a uniformed marching band, under the asuperb direction of musical phenomenon Fishl Bressler (atop a truck), leading. Among the participants were the town’s Rabbonim, Rosh Yeshivos and the Rosh Kollel.  A non-Jewish Scotsman, with kilt and all, proudly played the bagpipes.

Though it barely lasted an hour, due to the brutal cold, the parade brought out the comraderie and the mirth of Providence’s frum community. It was my first attending the parade and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

CS

A Conversation with Walter Potenza

Chef, restaurateur, cooking school director/teacher, food historian Walter Potenza (from Providence, RI’s Potenza Ristorante) will be our guest on tonight’s BlogTalkRadio show at 10:00pm (Eastern Time). We pre-taped this evening’s show, on Sunday morning past, in Providence. Our conversation was truly fascinating; Chef Walter is a warm individual, passionate about food and its history, a true artisan in the kitchen, a superb conversationalist, and a great teacher – in spite of never having graduated from any culinary institution.

Photo by: Irving Schild

We spoke about his fascination with Italian Jewish cuisine, with the history of that cuisine, the research involved and the real reason he is so passionate about it.

Meanwhile, in case you missed it, please listen to our talk with Shaya Ostrov, On Dating and Marriage. It was an interesting, illuminating show on something that concerns every parent and every single Jewish person out there.

Please don’t forget to tune us in later this evening, at 10:00pm (Eastern Time), for a great conversation with Chef, restaurateur, food historian and superb teacher, Walter Potenza. We’ll be wait’n for ya!

CS

Sukkot Wine Pairing

[I have the pleasure of introducing you to my good friend Jeff Ingber. He lives in Providence, RI. A trained Chef and graduate from Johnson and Wales in RI, one of America’s top culinary schools, Jeff graciously agreed to share his menus and pairings. CS]

Rosh Hashanah is behind us and most of us Jewish households here in the North East are preparing to dine “al fresco” for a week, while enjoying good company in the Sukkah.  The change in temperature and the observance of the holiday offer us a chance to snuggle up to some bigger and bolder wines on these cooler nights. For over 20 years now here in Providence, people have long anticipated seeing and tasting what wine gems would be served in my Sukkah.

At the beginning of the Israeli Wine Revolution, I was still a student in college. I remember traveling to New Jersey on Sundays to pick up as many varietals of Kosher Wine I could get my hands on, at a store in Teaneck. I would arrive at 11:00am and the clerk would remind me that I could not complete a purchase until after 12:00 in Bergen County. I do not think she knew I had just driven 175 miles and 10 more minutes would not kill me.

Today, I manage a small Wine Store that is located inside my children’s school.  Yes, that is not a typo.  We are the largest retailer of kosher wine in Southern New England.  We carry over 100 labels and sell over 500 cases a year.

This morning I reviewed my menus to ensure some great pairings.

I am not a huge fan of wasting print with personal reviews. It is too refined a process for me.

I have become a huge fan of kosher wines coming out of Spain and Argentina.  Israel is running right behind them.  I try to do my pairing at this time of year with those countries offerings in mind so here goes.

Over the next 1o days or so I will be serving the following:

Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Chorizo and Jicama……….. Elvi Adar (Spain)

Arugula Salad with Sweet Potato Crisps and Dried Cranberries……….. Capçanes Peraj Petita (Spain)

Grilled Asparagus with Roasted Garlic Slivers……….. Arco Nuevo Shiraz (Argentina) $9.

Garlic Soup……….. I must say, this is a good time for my favorite Bourbon.  (Willet’s or W. H Harrison)

Jeff Ingber showing one of his catches

Black Sea Bass Ceviche (I catch it myself)……….. Barkan Classic Pinotage OR Carmel Shaal Gewürztraminer  (Israel)

Grilled Southwestern Style Salmon……….. Flecha De Los Andes Gran Malbec (Argentina)

Chicken with Apple and Fig Chutney……….. Or Haganuz Amukah (Israel)

Chicken with Roasted Sweet Chilies and Cilantro……….. Segal’s Single Vineyard, Dovev, Merlot (Israel)

I know , this is a wine Blog not a food blog but it is important to know what we are pairing with here.

There are many other super wines for the season.   Wines from the Dalton Winery like their Shiraz or Tepperberg Meritage a big and bold are just the thing on these cooler nights to keep your senses on high alert. Other great wines like Bynyamina’s Yogev  Cabernet Zinfandel blend or Binyamina Choshen label Ruby Syrah are dancing with a mouthful of Mediterranean flavors of mineral dark fruit.  Elvi’s EL26 Priorat and Ramon  Cordova Rioja remind you that you can sit in the sukkah with tapas, fine wine and great friends for a night under the stars. And, as my wife walks by and takes a look at my musings, she reminds me that Baron Herzog’s Late Harvest Chenin Blanc is her favorite accompaniment to fresh berries and custard. These wines are all in the $7.00 t0 $28.00 range, except for the bourbons which are around $40.00 Everyone can get in on the season of rejoicing!!!

Jeff Ingber