Nibble: Tasty Westchester Food Events for Week of March 2 - March 8

Dobbs Ferry’s The Parlor is hosting a pop-up called VEGANation on Monday, March 2, with seatings at 6:30 pm and 8:30 pm. Chefs Sanchez Salazar and David DiBari will serve up a six-course meal that has nothing to do with meat, along with an open bar and special cocktails with a focus on vegetables. The event tagline says “rock out with your veg out.” Click here for more information and to get your tickets at $85 per person.

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. 

Hudson Valley Restaurant Week is back for spring 2020! Be sure to check out The Valley Table site to see which restaurants are participating this season, which runs for two weeks from Monday, March 16 through Sunday, March 29. Westchester boasts the most participants, and this is a great way to visit some new delicious eateries or return to a favorite, and sample their goods at a steal: three courses at $22.95 for lunch and $32.95 for dinner. Reservations are strongly encouraged! Watch WestchesterBites for more information coming soon. 

On Monday, March 2 or Tuesday, March 3 (choose one session) from 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm, the Zwilling Cooking Studio in Pleasantville will demonstrate how to use its products to prepare a sit-down meal featuring tapas. Learn how to make various small plates, including lamb meatballs with cucumber yogurt and ham croquettes with pickled onion. Be sure to register as space is limited. Participants will receive a discount on Zwilling products.

On Wednesday, March 4 from 6 pm to 8 pm, Italian restaurant La Catena in Ardsley will show off its hottest dish: cheese wheel pasta, homemade pappardelle with mushrooms prepared tableside, flambéed with cognac in a wheel of aged Parmigiano-Reggiano. Chef Emilio Delija will also recreate clams casino and serve his famous cheesecake for dessert.

AJ’s Burgers in New Rochelle will hold a class on what makes the eatery so special — it has won New York’s Best Burger! Chef Alan Cohen is all about great ingredients making simple food, and will prepare a feast featuring marinara sauce and gravy. He’ll also share whatever special he’s cooking up that day.

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 Tuesday, March 3, celebrate National Irish Whiskey Day at the Westchester Wine Warehouse in White Plains from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. Join whiskey veteran Janice Snowden, the Irish brand ambassador for Beam Suntory in New York, as she walks you through tasting four whiskies while learning about the beverage’s history, culture, heritage and nature that goes into every single glass. Seating is extremely limited, so be sure to grab your $25 ticket here .

Get a lesson on British history through… cheesemaking. On Wednesday, March 4, the Second Mouse Cheese Shop in Pleasantville will host an evening where participants will learn about Cheddaring, territorial cheeses in Britain, traditional and contemporary cheesemaking styles, and the attempts to keep traditional methods alive today. Poppy Bethell Vickers, the U.S. export manager of the brand Quicke’s, spends an evening with us to share the whole brand’s story, from its inception almost 500 years ago during the reign of Henry VIII through modern times. Seating is limited, so click here to save your spot at $65 per person. 

The two-time winner of the best wine store in the county is uncorking (or unscrewing) 10 hidden gems. On Saturday, March 7 from 12 pm to 4 pm, Stew Leonard's Wines & Spirits of Yonkers will offer free tastings of some favorites picked by staff. Expect the store’s best-selling Portuguese wine, the popular Pinot Noir by Nic Rager in France, Siano Vodka from Poland, and more that have gained rave reviews from the world’s leading publications. Visit the store’s website for more information. 

Current Spirits, the newest distillery in Westchester courtesy of Captain Lawrence Brewing Company, will hold its grand opening on Saturday, March 7 from 1 pm onwards at the Elmsford location. There will be tasty treats, cocktail making demos, a tour of the intimate distillery, and more. There’s no tickets for this, just show up, bring a friend of five, and get ready to enjoy some seriously delicious cocktails in a cool little bar just off to the side of the brewery’s beer hall. Visit the Facebook event page for more details.

Beer Noggin in Bronxville is spoiling its patrons for choice next weekend. On March 7 from 3 pm to 6 pm, the craft beer store and taproom is partnering with Hudson North Cider for its Taps for Trails series. The  Newburgh cidery, known for its dry and hazy brews, is an advocate for maintaining and preserving the Hudson Valley’s waterways and trails. At this event, for every serving of Hudson North cider, $1 will be donated to its cause. Check out the Facebook event page for more details.

On Sunday, March 8 from 2 pm onwards, Beer Noggin will host a Northern Portuguese food pop-up: there will be oxtail made with red wine, bifana or pork sandwiches, crab prepared with Old Bay, and more. More information here.

La Botte restaurant in White Plains is tipping its hat off by celebrating International Women’s Day with wine and food for thought. On Sunday, March 8 from 12 pm onwards, there will be a brunch party for mothers and a special dinner menu; everyone is invited! Healthy dishes are promised, and music will play until 5 pm. The cost is $54 for adults, $25 for children under age 10. To save your spot, call the restaurant at (914) 461-2950.

Though February has come and gone, you can still celebrate black figures in the food industry any time of the year. The Westchester Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc, which aims to enrich the lives of families and children through various constructive activities, is hosting A Taste Of Culture: Celebrating Chefs Of Color on Sunday, March 8. Held at the ArtsWestchester gallery in White Plains from 2 pm to 5 pm, three local chefs and a sommelier will offer a food and wine tasting experience featuring black women. Chef-owner Estelle Lebbrecht of Estelle Gourmet in Larchmont serves up French cuisine; Chef Wanda Richardson of The Little Beet Table in Greenwich, CT offers vegetarian cuisine; and Chef-owner Iesha Williams of The Salty Heifer in Brooklyn specializes in pastries. Kelly Mitchell will serve as the sommelier and wine educator for the day. There will also be a local art exhibition, a silent auction, raffle prizes, and a DJ keeping things moving along. Don’t miss out on this unique experience at $157 per person. Click here for tickets and more information.