The Second Annual Epicurean Event Sid Jacobson, JCC, hosted its
Second Annual Epicurean Event – an evening of wine and food tasting, on Thursday, April 3, 2008, at The Metropolitan
(below left) in Glen Cove. This fundraiser raised $80,000 dollars for the JCC’s Young Onset Alzheimer’s, Autism and Special Needs programs by offering tastings of the finest cuisine on Long Island.
In addition to serving on the Committee, Mark Spiegel of Mark of Excellence Catering
(display-above right) joined these prestigious chefs by presenting his delicious cuisine and volunteered his culinary expertise to organize this event.
The Metropolitan prepared its Charred Chicken Wrap (above right). The wrap had many different flavors that will surely put any palette on overdrive. The charred taste gave a nice grilled flavor that was complimented by the accompaniment of a refreshing tomato salsa with fresh dill. Bernard’s Market and Café (below left), a specialty and gourmet food market located in Glen Head, offers full service catering for all occasions. The market brought an outstanding gourmet Manchego cheese, which they offered paired with quince, an Asian pear shaped fruit, and a variety of nuts. Together the tidbits had incredible textures and an extraordinary marriage of flavors.
Cirella’s Restaurant
of Melville (above right) has been a culinary landmark for the better part of two decades and is family owned and operated for two generations.
The Cirella family’s decades long culinary expertise shines through in each dish they prepare.
We were fortunate enough to taste two superb classic sauces from the kitchen of this classic Italian eatery.
Served atop al dente penne was a creamy vodka sauce, which had flavors that left a lasting impression on our taste buds.
The pomodoro sauce had generous amounts of chunky tomato representing this familiar Maroni Cuisine (below right), “home of the original hot pots,” is most known for the 100 year old recipe of Grandma Maroni. Grandma’s perfectly seasoned meatballs seemed to be straight from an old-world kitchen and were cooked to perfection and extremely juicy. The adorable presentation was also a notable mention. Each meatball had a small breadstick in the center as if it were a fork. The breadstick not only added a vehicle for serving, but also was a crunchy tasty treat.
A display that we can’t forget to mention is that of Bryant & Cooper Steak House (above left). Looking at this table made us feel as if we were peeking into the walk-in refrigerator at the restaurant itself. Boxes of fresh produce lined a shelf of the metal rack and enormous pieces of cured meats hung from its sides. The Prime Rib we sampled was as delicious as the display was intriguing. The exceptional steak, served in a mushroom, butter, and garlic sauce was fork tender and cooked flawlessly with a warm pink center.
One of the popular tastes of the evening was undoubtedly the sushi selection provided by Nisen Sushi (above). The beautiful arrangements of fresh fish were a sight that enticed the crowds. The fantastic classic spicy tuna roll was a treat for all sushi lovers. This roll finishes with just the right amount of spice to wake your taste buds. Wooden sushi boats (below) of vibrantly colored fresh fish were continuously filled and just as quickly emptied by the guests.
No night of tasting would be complete without coffee and tea. In this case, tea was the celebrity. Heavenly Tea (below left) brought “a fresh taste of heaven on earth” with their large assortment of organic and herbal teas from all over the world.
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