Last night was a great lesson for me on the art of just letting go. For some reason I was really stressed about the Passover Tasting we had planned for last night. In the car on the way to the store, TJ suggested that we run the event like a fun cocktail party and let people taste, mingle, eat and gather the information that they wanted without us presenting it in a more formal style. It was a great idea, so I just let go of any preconceived notions of the evening and what ended up happening was a really lovely, fun, congenial and intimate night.
We tasted through eight Kosher for Passover wines – a cava, two whites, a rose, three reds and a moscato. It was so nice to taste this many wines because there truly was something for everyone. At 20% off per case just for the evening, people were able to load up for all of the upcoming festivities.
An unexpected bonus was that many people bought rose and/or moscato for the younger members of their family so that they could have a sip of wine but have it be something that was more palatable for them. I thought that was a great idea.
Our new go-to girl for food, Sara from Whole Foods Brighton, arrived with a fantastic spread of traditional Passover treats to sample, and everyone raved about the food.
In addition, Robin from Doves and Figs and Lara from Good Cook Doris, two wonderful food writers, offered fun updates on traditional Passover recipes that people could take home with them. We still have some of the recipe packets at the store if you want to stop by and get one.
I’ve really come to enjoy our Sunday night events so much. We see such a nice mix of familiar and new faces, and it’s a chance to spend quality time with everyone in a cozy, relaxed setting. Which brings me to some really exciting news!
As you may remember, I wrote a blog about the Hitachino Brewery and their decision to stop brewing beer after the Earthquake and Tsunami and start distilling and bottling water for the surrounding neighborhoods. They’ve also been sheltering those without homes and using their cooking facilities to provide food for people that are struggling. We’ve been trying to think of a way to support the Kiuchi family (the owners of Hitachino) ever since we heard of the good work they are doing in Japan. Now we have it!
On May 22nd, we are honored and thrilled to present Nancy Cushman, the wonderful sake sommelier and one half of the husband and wife team behind O Ya, for an evening of sake education at The Urban Grape. The event will take place from 7-9 and will include a short reception at the beginning, about an hour of sake instruction from Nancy with a sake tasting, and then a chance to shop The Urban Grape’s sake selection with Nancy as your guide.
Nancy has studied in Japan under John Gautner, the world’s foremost sake expert. She has travelled extensively throughout Japan and has studied sake production at breweries throughout the country. One of her passions is pairing sake with food, which she often does in her role as co-owner of O Ya. Nancy and Tim are a husband and wife team that we greatly admire, and I particularly find inspiration in the way Nancy has embraced her husband’s dream and added so much value to their business.
We are asking for a $25 donation to secure your RSVP, all of which will go directly to the “Kiuchi Earthquake/Tsunami Fund,” a fund set up by Tigris Beverage Company to assist the Kiuchi family as they offer food, water, supplies and shelter to the communities surrounding their brewery. Donations above $25 will be accepted, but are at your discretion. More details about this event are to follow, but if you are interested in learning more about sake this is an evening you don’t want to miss. There are only 25 spots available, so get your RSVPs in soon by emailing me. PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR PHONE NUMBER so we may call you for your credit card number to secure your spot.
We have many fun Sunday nights coming up this spring, and of course, UG is available to book for private parties on Sunday nights. We hope to see you at an event soon!
