Monday, September 7, 2009

A Weekend’s Worth of Food, Music, Art, and Fun



By Pat Tanner

If you’ve been meaning to spend a day touring picturesque Princeton or roaming the lush, beautiful, sculpture-filled acres of Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, there is no more opportune time than this coming weekend, which features two of my favorite autumn events back to back.


JazzFeast


Princeton’s historic Palmer Square will be closed to traffic from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday, September 12, for the 18th annual open-air, rain-or-shine festival that features free performances by leading jazz groups. Food and drink is on offer by 17 Princeton eateries this year and among them are some of my local favorites. To whit: Scott Anderson’s new restaurant, elements, which is, in my opinion, currently the most exciting restaurant in the state; Mediterra, which last year brought on board the noted Spanish chef, Luis Bollo; and the very modest Tiger Noodles, which just happens to cook up the best home-style Chinese food for miles around. For more info visit palmersquare.com.


Epicurean Palette


Kevin Sbraga, the new executive chef at Rat’s Restaurant at Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, will be host chef on Sunday, September 13th for this year’s food and wine benefit for the 35-acre public sculpture park founded by Seward Johnson.


When the STARR Restaurants Catering Group took over management of the food facilities at Grounds for Sculpture earlier this year they recruited Sbraga, who has worked for some of Philadelphia’s leading chefs and restaurateurs, among them Georges Perrier, Stephen Starr, and, most recently, Jose Garces.


The sculpture park is closed to the public for the day, so only guests will meander the beautiful paths, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., as they sample fine wines and other beverages and fare from about 20 restaurants and food artisans, among them Rat’s, Bobolink Dairy, Brother’s Moon, Eli’s Bread, Miele, One53, Piccola Italia, Provence Catering, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Starr Restaurant Group, and The Yardley Inn.


Tickets must be purchased in advance, at $99 per person ($85 for Grounds for Sculpture Members). Visit epicureanpalette.org or phone 609.584.7760.

1 comment:

Patricia A. Patton said...

interesting post. Would like to let you know about ran upcoming event of possible interest to you. Andrea Beaman, from Season 1 of Top Chef and current host of the award nominated Fed UP! on the Veria network will be conducting a cooking demonstartion and dinner on the Asbury Park boardwalk September 18th at Sea Greens Live, the only healthy real fast food establishment on the boardwalk.
Please email me for more information as I am not certain this will reach you directly Pat at seagreenslive@gmail.com
Thanks
Patricia