Classic Christine's Yellow Brunch at 62 Restaurant

On Sunday January 15th, 2012 from 11:00AM to 2:00PM, join our friends at 62 Restaurant and Wine Bar for a morning of beauty, food and music as we host “Classical Christine’s Yellow Brunch.” Guests will enjoy a special menu of à la carte brunch items as they listen to Baze perform Bach, Beethoven and other classical favorites, browse Glitterati’s newest yellow fashions, get their makeup done by celebrity make-up artist Debra Macki, and enter to win make-up, accessories and other fun prizes!

62 is hosting this brunch to show support for cervical cancer prevention and the annual week-long event, “Painting Salem Yellow.” From January 8th, 2012 to January 15th, 2012, participating Salem restaurants, businesses, politicians and local celebrities will partner with the “Yellow Umbrella Organization” to empower and educate women about HPV and cervical cancer prevention.

The “Yellow Umbrella Organization” was founded by Salem resident, musician and cervical cancer survivor, Christine Baze, as a means to bring hope and raise awareness for cervical cancer. Since 2002, Christine, with the “Yellow Umbrella Tour” has made over 100 stops across the United States and Canada, and now she’s bringing the cause back home with “Painting Salem Yellow.”

Reservations are recommended by calling 978-744-0062.

Painting Salem Yellow

Join the Yellow Umbrella Organization for Cervical Cancer Prevention Week in Salem next week!

January is Cervical Cancer Awareness month, and from January 8th, 2012 to January 15th, 2012 the city of Salem will join together to raise awareness of cervical cancer and its prevention during the annual, “Painting Salem Yellow” event.  Participating Salem restaurants, businesses, politicians and local celebrities will partner with the “Yellow Umbrella Organization” to empower and educate women about HPV and cervical cancer prevention.

The “Yellow Umbrella Organization” was founded by Salem resident, musician and cervical cancer survivor, Christine Baze, as a means to bring hope and raise awareness for cervical cancer. Since 2002, Christine, with the “Yellow Umbrella Tour” has made over 100 stops across the United States and Canada, and now she’s bringing the cause back home with “Painting Salem Yellow.”  

Throughout each performance the message is clear:  cervical cancer is preventable IF we use the tools - the HPV test (women 30+), the Pap test and the HPV vaccine (boys AND girls 9-26).

Once called “The Next Best Thing to Come Out of Boston” by mp3Boston.com, Baze will be performing eight different shows (with the help of many friends), sharing her music, story and message with all of Salem. The week will be filled with many fun and educational activities, such as Baze's one-woman show One Story, a special Comedy Club, and musical performances by Baze and other local musicians including Qwill, Erinn Brown, Ross Livermore and 80’s cover band, Safety. There will also be “yellow” markings through Salem that will guide you to local retailers who are showing their support for “Yellow Umbrella” and cervical cancer prevention.

Baze will start the week on Sunday, January 8th with a special matinee performance of One Story at the Griffen Theatre - sharing her story in full through classical piano, cover songs, and original Baze tunes.  On January 9th, 2012 “Painting Salem Yellow” will officially kick off with a press conference and luncheon at FINZ Restaurant with a special appearance by Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll, who will be reading a Proclamation for Cervical Cancer Awareness Week, with Baze sharing her music and message. In addition to several musical performances throughout the week, the week will close with a very special brunch on Sunday January 15th at the award-winning 62 Restaurant & Wine Bar as they host “Classical Christine's Yellow Brunch”, featuring celebrity make-up artist Debra Macki, and Salem’s unique clothing boutique, Glitterati. Chef Antonio Bettencourt is hosting the brunch to show support for cervical cancer prevention.  While Baze performs Bach, Beethoven and other classical favorites, guests can browse Glitterati’s newest yellow fashions, get their makeup done by celebrity make-up artist Debra Macki, and enter to win make-up, accessories and other fun prizes!

Schedule of Events

Sunday, January 8th, 2012
4:00PM-5:30PM - ONE STORY at The Griffen Theatre
Baze will share her story through classical piano, cover songs, and original tunes.
$20 - ALL proceeds go to The Yellow Umbrella Organization
Call 978.317.1169 for reservations

Wednesday, January 11th, 2012
8:00PM-12:00AM Guys for the Hooch! at Seaport Cafe
Qwill, Christopher Keating, Ross Livermore, HDJ, Jeff Buckridge, and David Bailin step up and sing for the cervix

Thursday, January 12th, 2012
9:00PM-11:30PM Girls for the Hooch! at In a Pig's Eye
Sarah Seminski, Erinn Brown, and special guest Jacyn from JADA will join Baze as sirens singing to save the cervix

Friday, January 13th, 2012
9:30PM-12:30AM BAZE BAND at Vic's Boathouse
The BAZE BAND rocks lots of your favorite chick cover songs for the Hooch

Saturday, January 14th, 2012
9:30PM-12:30AM SAFETY, an 80’s cover band will play for Yellow at Rockafellas with special guest Christine Baze

Sunday, January 15th, 2012
11:00AM - 2:00PM Classical Christine's Yellow Brunch at 62 Restaurant & Wine Bar
Hear a one-of-a-kind special performance by Christine Baze as she revisits her classical roots, have your makeup done by celebrity makeup artist Debra Macki and shop the latest fashion from Glitterati

Visit TheYellowUmbrella.org for more information. 

Late Night Eats Goes Small Plates at 62

I have some especially yummy news to report - just in time, I might ad, for the opening of The Woman in Black at Salem Theatre Company.  62 + STC = Great Date Night.  Here's (one of the reasons) why:


62 Restaurant & Wine Bar is launching a new Late Night Spuntini Menu that features some of Chef Tony's delicious small plates for $4 from 10pm - 11pm, Thursdays – Saturdays.

Those craving late night eats can now skip the drive-thru and make a beeline directly for the award-winning 62 Restaurant & Wine Bar on Pickering Wharf. Starting Thursday, September 29th, 2011, and continuing indefinitely, 62 Restaurant & Wine Bar will have a Late Night Bar Menu available in the lounge every Thursday – Saturday from 10:00PM – 11:00PM. Chef Tony Bettencourt will be offering a series of his small plates for only $4 each (See standard pricing below)! The special late night menu will always be evolving letting guests try many standard favorites as well as small plate items that are only available during this time slot.

Featured Spuntini, which are usually priced between $7-$12 each, will have a late-night price of $4 per plate.  Late night featured dishes may include: 

• Arancini Arborio rice fritters with mozzarella, tomato confit & basil 
• Chickpea Fritters Deep fried chickpea fritters & date compote
• Mushrooms Pickled trumpet royale mushrooms, sea salt & extra virgin olive oil 
• Polpette Beef, pork & ricotta meatballs, pomodoro & soft polenta
• Crudo Yellow fin tuna with citrus zest, wild fennel pollen, sea salt & extra virgin olive oil 
• Zucchini Blossoms Crisp-fried, stuffed with crab & ricotta with preserved lemon 
• Pork Belly Confit pork belly, spicy red cabbage salad with thai chile pepper and cilantro 
• Crostini Whole milk ricotta, black mission figs & chestnut honey  
• Baccala Potato and house-made salt cod fritters with lemon-caper aioli 

62 Restaurant and Wine Bar is located on Pickering Wharf at 62 Wharf Street. For more information please call the restaurant at 978-744-0062.

Set your DVR, or your alarm clock, for Wednesday night

Salem Chefs are taking over prime time! First there's Chef Jennifer Normant from the Hawthorne Hotel, who has made it to the Top 10 on Hell's Kitchen. Now, Chef Antonio Bettencourt from 62 Restaurant is going to be on Bravo's show, Rocco's Dinner Party.

Salem's foodie appeal is going up in leaps and bounds.

Set your DVR, or your alarm clock, to catch Executive Chef/Owner Antonio Bettencourt of 62 Restaurant & Wine Bar on Wednesday night August 17th (that's tomorrow!) as he makes his national television debut on Rocco's Dinner Party on Bravo at 10:00PM eastern/9:00PM central.

According to IMDb, the episode titled Liza with a 'B!', pits healthy caterer Frank Picchione, opera singer Lucia Palmieri and restaurant owner/chef Antonio Bettencourt against each other as they vie to throw the best bash ever for Liza Minnelli's 65th Birthday. There's $20,000 at stake; as well as some serious bragging rights- as the chefs compete to throw a fete worthy of the incomparable Liza with a Z!

If you watch the video - keep watching through the commercials to see clips of Tony.  

“62” is a Modern Italian trattoria serving contemporary versions of regional Italian classics in downtown Salem. Chef Antonio Bettencourt and his team are dedicated to using the best locally –sourced, all natural ingredients in season and at the peak of flavor. The cooking at 62 shows true soul and a commitment to the true "craft" of cooking.

North Shore Wine Week

More than forty restaurants and wine shops  are participating in North Shore Wine Week, a week-long celebration of food and wine north of Boston, August 21 - 27.  Six of the participating businesses are right here in Salem!

Participating restaurants and wine shops will be offering pairings, tasting flights, and tasting events.  There is a detailed calendar of events on NorthShoreWineWeek.com.

You can celebrate North Shore Wine Week in Salem at:

62 Restaurant & Wine Bar
Finz Seafood
Grapevine Restaurant
Nathaniel's (at Hawthorne Hotel)
Pamplemousse
Salem Waterfront Hotel

Short of Restaurant Week, this is the best excuse we've heard to get out and experience the great dining and shopping north of Boston, and especially in Salem. 

The Passport Series Returns to 62

It’s back! This summer join 62 Restaurant & Wine Bar for their three month-long Passport Series. Beginning June 7th, 2011 and continuing until August 25th, 2011 Chef Tony Bettencourt will offer a three-course, prix fixe menu for $33 highlighting both a different country each month, and traveling the sweet & savory inroads of the interior of each country selected. 

A great deal for diners, there is a new, fun twist to the series. Guests will be issued passports that will be stamped as they make their culinary journey visiting the various regions and cities as the month progresses. Guests that travel to every region within a country in a single month (4x in one month) will be given a free “trip” or “free prix fixe dinner” next time they come in with a guest to the series. 

Guests that visit just one country a month for the entire series will automatically be entered to win a 4-Day/3-night stay at the exclusive Elounda Gulf Villas & Suites in Crete Island, Greece. The five-star Hotel in Elounda, Crete is an award-winning, boutique villa hotel on the majestic Crete Island offering 18 exclusive luxury villas, each with its own private pool, and 10 stylish luxury suites. Opulence, charm and elegance are the hallmarks of this warm, welcoming family owned and run property on the Crete Island of Greece. The trip is provided by Sensational Travel in Salem.

To make reservations, visit 62Restaurant.com.

Learn to make pasta from a pro

At his one and only visit to 62, my son took one bite of the pasta and declared, "I shall never eat pasta from a box again."  Well, he hasn't been so lucky.  Here is a class, however, that could make pasta-lovers' dreams come true.  Learn to make pasta from a pro. 


A great way to spend a Sunday...

For more information, visit 62Restaurant.com.

A Festival where Roman dress is encouraged!

On Saturday, April 2^nd from 6 – 9pm , Salem Massachusetts will host the fourth annual SALEM SPRING FLING: A GARDEN OF EARTHLY DELIGHTS presented by Pamplemousse at Old Town Hall. The Festival, which is fashioned after the Bacchanalia - a religious festival in honor of the god of wine, Bacchus - will kick New Englanders out of a long hibernation and jumpstart Spring by celebrating the Arts and indulging in craft beer, fine wine, and mouth watering food from North Shore restaurateurs.

Historically, the Bacchanalia was held in the Spring and priests and priestesses adorned with garlands of ivy would carry wine, honey, and cakes throughout Rome, celebrating and expressing themselves freely through music and pleasure.

This modern day version - Spring Fling - will feature a tasting of craft beers and beautiful wines from around the world. Truly a party fit for Bacchus! Guests will sample fine wines from Pamplemousse and Market Wine & Spirits and craft beer from Magic Hat, Harpoon, Cape Ann, Mayflower, Cody, Narragansett, Ipswich, Stone Cat, Clown Shoes, Notch Session Brewing and Left Hand Brewing.

Spring Fling will kick off Salem’s Restaurant Week with tastings from Sixty2 on Wharf, Gulu-Gulu Café, Café Polonia, Greenland Café, Tavern In the Square, Victoria Station, The Lobster Shanty, Upper Crust Pizzeria, Comida, Lakay Island and Rockafellas. Enjoy coffee and ice cream from Café Valverde and Ben & Jerry’s. Salem Arts Association members will be on hand with fabulous hand crafted works and Art Throb will be launching their new art magazine!   Groove to the Beantown funk of Big Ol' Dirty Bucket and their unique blend of Funk, Rock, R&B, Soul, Jam Grooves, Trip Hop, Latin Step, and Blues.

Meet familiar characters from myth and legend and enjoy the goddesses and nymphs that wander the "Garden of Earthly Delights." Seek out The Oracle of Delphi to hear your fortune. Roman attire is encouraged! Experience the intoxicating power of this celebration on April 2nd from 6 - 9pm at Old Town Hall on the Pedestrian Mall in Salem, MA.

Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 at the door and are available at salemspringfling.com, in person at Pamplemousse, Salem Cycle, Roost and The Picklepot or by calling 978-745-2900.

Salem Spring Fling is presented by Pamplemousse (Purveyor of Fine Wines, Beer, Kitchen and Homegoods) in association with Magic Hat Brewing, Salem Chamber of Commerce, the Salem Arts Association and Art Throb.

Bienvenue au 62

Chef Antonio Bettencourt Revisits His Culinary Roots for Special Prix Fixe Wine Dinner at 62 Restaurant & Wine Bar

WHAT:                      Chef Antonio Bettencourt has been racking up accolades and awards for his modern take on regional Italian classics at his restaurant 62 Restaurant & Wine Bar in Salem, MA. But Bettencourt’s culinary roots actually began in regional French cuisine. Working with Chef Amanda Lydon, first at Metro Brasserie and then at Upstairs on the Square, where he served as the executive sous chef to both Lydon and Chef Susan Regis, Chef Bettencourt was distinctly French-focused before moving to Italian cuisine later in his career.

                                   

On Sunday, March 27^th, 2011 from 6:30PM-8:30PM, Chef Bettencourt will return to his culinary roots as he presents “Bienvenue au 62” a special Burgundy wine dinner in partnership with the French Cultural Center of Boston and Destination Salem. The three course food & wine pairing will take guests on a virtual gastronomical journey to the French culinary hub. Guests can learn more about French culture with information provided by the French Cultural Center, and for those new to Salem, MA, Destination Salem will be providing information to guests about what’s on tap this spring and summer for the seaside town.

This 3-course dinner includes all paired wines and is $75 per person + tax and gratuity. Reservations are required by calling (978) 744-0062.

                                   

MENU:                      First Course:

Seared sea scallops, haricots verts, warm hazelnut vinaigrette and lamb’s lettuce

Domaine William Fevre 2009 Chablis Champs Royaux Chardonnay

Second course:

Crispy pork trotters avec persillade, toasted baguette et moutarde

Domaine Heritiers Comte Lafon 2008 Macon Villages Chardonnay

Third Course:

Cote de Boeuf, sauce marchande au vin, wild mushrooms

Domaine Philippe Roty 2007 Cotes de Nuits Villages Pinot Noir

Fromage:

Assortment of cheese and accoutrements

Domaine Bouchard 2006 Savigny Les Beaune Pinot Noir

WHEN:                     Sunday March 27^th, 2011 from 6:30PM – 8:30PM

WHERE:                   62 Restaurant & Wine Bar, 62 Wharf Street, Salem, MA

INFO:                        $75 per person + tax and gratuity. Reservation can be made by calling (978) 744-0062