Nibble: Tasty Westchester Food Events for Week of March 9 - March 15

UnWined Winebar & Kitchen is collaborating with SANDRA MARINELLI of Brooklyn Organic Kitchen to bring you a plant-based and organic pop-up “blunch.” Every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday in March at the Unwined location, enjoy various grain bowls, salads, sandwiches, crepes, and more. Marinella makes mostly plant-based foods, with a focus on how powerful food can be, and how it affects more than just our physical health, but our spiritual and emotional wellbeing as well. Reservations are encouraged by calling or texting 914-384-4104 or emailing brooklynorganickitchen@gmail.com.

Campbell Meats and L’inizio return to the Zwilling Cooking Studio in Pleasantville on Monday, March 9 at 6 pm for a class of butchering, searing, smoking, making confit, and rendering meat. Matt Campbell will show you how to break down duck and chicken, and Chef Scott Fratengelo will demonstrate how to make three dishes that participants can join in on and enjoy. At $109 per person, click here to register for the class.

Westchester Community College’s Taste of Westchester series are classes where chefs from some of the county’s exciting eateries provide a private cooking demo, followed by a tasting. 

On Wednesday, March 11 from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm, Sambal Thai & Malay in Irvington will give your tastebuds a tour of Southeast Asia by way of Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Proprietor Navjot Arora and Executive Chef Rikhi Pandeya will share how they balance sour, sweet, salty, spicy and bitter flavors that make up the cuisines of this region. Enjoy some Thai iced tea, and then see demos  on chicken tom kha soup, steamed chicken and pork dumplings, drunken noodles and more.

The Dessertist of Croton-on-Hudson will host a class on Thursday, March 12 from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. Check out the redesigned studio while decorating cookies with Chef Samantha Benjamin. You can also sample more treats, and BYOB if you’d like! You’ll also get to take home the cookies.

On Monday, March 16 from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm, Risotto Restaurant of Thornwood will demonstrate how to make its namesake, from making mozzarella from scratch to flambéing the dish in a wheel of Pecorino Romano cheese. There is also a wine pairing option, ending with a lesson on panna cotta with a delicious twist. Patrons must be at least 21 years old. All four classes listed above take place at the respective restaurant. The cost is $20 to register plus a $25 food sampling fee (which includes nonalcoholic drinks), payable in cash to the instructor on the event day. To register, please call (914) 606-6830 and press Option 1. Demonstrations will begin at the times designated. Visit the Taste of Westchester website for more information.

On Thursday, March 12 at 7 pm, join IntoxiKate and 914PopUps for The Premier Party, a progressive, three-course experience prepared by renowned chefs Scott and Heather Fratangelo of L’inizio. Held at The Premier Collection location in Elmsford, the idea is to move through three unique spaces while enjoying various dishes including grilled octopus, flat iron steak, mushroom arancini, brown butter cake, and more. There will also be live music and a live painting demo. Tickets are $100 (including drinks and gratuity, plus Eventbrite fees) and can be purchased by clicking here.

On Friday, March 13, Dr. Karen Lee , a retired chiropractor turned food blogger, will host an Instant Pot cooking class from 6 pm to 8 pm at The Twisted Branch in Valhalla. Using her latest cookbook, “No-Thaw Paleo Cooking,” Dr. Lee will show you how to cook frozen meat in your Instant Pot. The Twisted Branch will also have the book on sale, as well as its naturally infused olive oils and other specialty goods. For more information, visit the Facebook event page, call The Twisted Branch at 914-437-8000 or email info@thetwistedbranch.com.

Baked by Susan is wasting no time on using her new space in Croton-on-Hudson to host The Big Easy Gumbo Smackdown on Friday, March 13 from 6 pm to 9 pm. Check out competitors Jon Pratt from Peter Pratt's Inn; Ralph Croteau from 105-Twenty; Eric Kupferberg from Black Rock Kitchen; Jordan Gaylor from Redline Roadhouse; and Michael Grant of The Black Cow, as they vie for their gumbo to the named the best in town. A $50 ticket will get you all-you-can-eat gumbo and a vote, plus Alewife Brew beer to wash it all down. Visit the Eventbrite page for your ticket and more information.

The Lenoir Preserve in Yonkers will hold a sugaring festival on Saturday, March 14 from 10 am to 1 pm. Visit the new sugar shack and see both the traditional and modern ways of making maple syrup. Learn the difference between real and fake syrup, and see how trees are tapped, and how the sap is boiled down. For just $5 per person, you can also enjoy a pancake breakfast, and if possible, enjoy the treat “sugar on snow” where maple syrup is served like candy. This is fun for all ages at a special time of year. For more information, visit the Facebook event page.

Sing Sing Kill Brewery will host the second annual Ossining JCYS Chili Cook-Off Fundraiser on Saturday, March 14 from 4 pm to 7 pm. All proceeds will benefit the Ossining Pride 11U Baseball Team to get to the to the annual Cooperstown tournament. Five local restaurants will stir it up to see who makes the best chili around. Patrons will have blinding tastings, and cast their vote for the crowd favorite. There will be a panel of judges to award the grand prize. Tickets are $10 per head, or $20 per family. Visit the Eventbrite page to purchase tickets, or pay at the door on the day of the event.

Zachys Wine & Liquor in Scarsdale is giving you a free taste of the wines of California. Enjoy icons and new faces on Saturday, March 14 from 1 pm to 4 pm from at least eight producers. Registration is required by checking out the Eventbrite page. 

The Beer Fest at the Westchester County Center in White Plains is back on Saturday, March 14 from 4 pm. Enjoy an all-you-can-drink evening with over 200 beers from craft breweries from near and far, all while enjoying the tunes of Irish band Shilelagh Law. Each guest will receive a complimentary glass to sample brews. To purchase tickets, including VIP and designated driver passes, visit the Ticketmaster page.