Troy racking up its barbecue credentials

TROY, NY -- The restaurant scene, always a busy one in this riverside city, shows no signs of easing.

While the spotlight is on renovations of the former Castaway on River Street to become home to the newest Dinosaur Bar-B-Que sometime this summer, another barbecue spot is on the drawing boards.

The city Planning Board's April 7 agenda lists discussion of "a proposal to occupy a vacant branch bank with a Smokehouse BBQ restaurant."

That would be at 478 Fifth Avenue, across the street from Jimmy's Pizzeria in the Lansingburgh section of the city. It is a project headed by Zakian Khater of Guilderland. It would join the Dinosaur, which made its name with its original spot in Syracuse before expanding to Rochester and Manhattan, in spreading the gospel of barbecue.

The project is not particularly surprising. Troy has become a barbecue mecca since the inception of the Pig Out, an annual juried barbecue competition that draws professional teams for the New York State BBQ Championship.

This year's Pig Out is set for Saturday and Sunday, July 17 (11 a.m. to 10 p.m.) and 18 (11 a.m. to 4 p.m.) at Riverfront Park.

Even though chef Larry Schepici, one of the original movers and shakers behind the event and whose Tosca restaurant was a sponsor, has shuttered his Troy restaurants and taken a job at the Hollywood Brown Derby in Albany, the event should be as strong as ever.

"Larry certainly was a big part of starting the Pig Out, but we've been pretty much running it so I don't see any problem this year," Elizabeth Young of the Troy Downtown Collaborative told me today.

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ON THE WEB
• Troy Pig Out
• Dowd's Guides
• New York Drinks Calendar

Riesling Month will bustle in Finger Lakes

Summer always is a busy time in the Finger Lakes, but this year the region's community isn't waiting.

May has been designated Riesling Month in the Finger Lakes, and with that will come special tastings at many wineries as well as themed dinners, getaway packages and the like.

Here is a rundown of featured special events for the month:

May 1-9 -- Rockwell Museum of Western Art: Human / Nature: Artists as Explorers in the Early American West and The Photographs of Edward Sheriff Curtis

May 7, 5-7 p.m. -- Rockwell Museum of Western Art: First Friday. Kick off your weekend with an insider's look into the Rockwell Museum's fine art collection while enjoying Finger Lakes Rieslings and cheese tastings. Free.

May 13, 5:30 p.m. -- Heron Hill Winemaker, Bernard Cannac, will host a 5-course all Riesling dinner at the Lento Restaurant in Rochester. Each dish is specially crafted to pair with a Riesling from Heron Hill. The cost is $65 per person (plus tax & gratuity) and for reservations please call (585) 271-3470.

May 15, 4-6 p.m. -- Fox Run Vineyards will host a special six Riesling vertical tasting, featuring wines from 2001-2006 with winemaker, Peter Bell, at the New York Wine & Culinary Center in Canandaigua. Tickets are $40 per person and can be purchased by calling the Center at (585) 394-7070. Seating is limited to 36.

May 15, 3 p.m. -- Hermann J. Wiemer (Seneca Lake) will host a special "90+ Wine Spectator" tasting of five its Rieslings from this and last year's vintage in the company of winemaker and co-owner, Fred Merwath. All the featured wines have received scores of 90 or higher from Wine Spectator and are some of the highest quality Rieslings in the world. Tickets are $80 per person and only 25 seats are available. Please call 800-371-7971 to make your reservation.

May 19-31, 9-5 p.m. -- Rockwell Museum of Western Art: 21st Century Regionalists: The Art of the Next West Exhibition.

May 22 -- Lucas Vineyards at 6:30PM will host a two flight vertical tasting with winemaker Jeff Houck of Lucas Semi-Dry Rieslings: 2001-2009 vintages. Tickets are $30 per person or $50 per couple and include light hors d'oeuvres and a keepsake Riedel Vinum Riesling Grand Cru glass. To make reservations please call (607) 532-4825.

May 23, 3 p.m. -- Dr. Frank's Vinifera Wine Cellars (Keuka Lake) will host a special older vintage vertical tasting with wines from their extensive Riesling library. Tickets are $30 per person or $50 per couple and are limited. To make reservations please call (800) 320-0735.

May 27-30 -- GlassFest in downtown Corning's, the Gaffer District, will feature live glass-blowing seminars and neon-glass exhibits. In addition, attend a special wine and food tasting event on Friday, May 28 featuring Finger Lakes Rieslings and local breweries.

May 9-10 and May 23-24 -- Fulkerson Winery (Seneca Lake) will host free vertical tastings of many of their Riesling vintages.

May 8-9 and May 15-16 -- Atwater Estate Vineyard (Seneca Lake) will host a special cheese and Riesling paring.

May 15 -- King Ferry Winery (Cayuga Lake) will host a free special tasting from 10 a.m to 4 p.m. Come taste three vintages of Treleaven Dry Riesling: 2006-2008. These vintages will also be available for individual purchase or as a three-pack.

May 29 -- Anthony Road Wine Company (Seneca Lake) will host "Riesling in the Cellar," with Johannes and Peter. Try 6-7 Rieslings for $10, including a taste of 2008 Semi-Dry Riesling -- winner of the Governor's Cup, top prize in the New York Wine & Food Classic competition.

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ON THE WEB
• Finger Lakes Wine Country
• Dowd's Guides
• New York Drinks Calendar

Pride of NY Harvest Fest moving to bigger site

ALBANY, NY -- It's quite a way off, but it's worth marking on your calendar and noting the new venue.

The dates for the 15th annual Pride of New York Harvest Fest have been set -- November 13 and 14 -- and, for the first time, the site will be the Convention Center at the Empire State Plaza (above right) in downtown.

The sprawling event, which annually hosts literally dozens of New York State wineries and other dozens of food product makers and purveyors from around the state, has grown so much in recent years that it moved from its longtime home at The Desmond convention hotel complex in suburban Colonie to the larger Plaza.

Proceeds from Harvest Fest benefit the Classroom Enrichment Fund at the Community Foundation of the Capital Region, to help local teachers purchase curriculum and classroom.

Event coordinator Greg Stapleton says, "In celebration of our 15th anniversary, we’ll be moving the event to the Empire State Convention Center. This space will give you the chance to enjoy even more wine and food vendors from throughout the state. In addition, you’ll see a lower ticket price this year, as a special thank-you for all your years of support."

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ON THE WEB
• Pride of NY Harvest Fest
• Dowd's Guides
• New York Drinks Calendar

Glens Falls Brewfest on tap for April

GLENS FALLS, NY -- Beers from more than 20 different breweries will be offered to attendees at the Glens Falls Brewfest on April 10 at the Queensbury Hotel.

Breweries signed up so far include, in alphabetical order:

Adirondack Pub & Brewery
Brewery Ommegang
Cooper’s Cave Ale Co.
Davidson Brothers Brewery
Dogfish Head
Goose Island
Kona
Lake Placid Brewery
Long Trail
Otter Creek
Peak Organic
Red Hook
Samuel Adams
Saranac
Smutty Nose
Switchback
Widmer Brothers

Admission to the 4 to 8 p.m. event is $30 in advance, $35 at the door, $10 for designated drivers. Admission covers tastings and a souvenir glass. Complementary finger foods will be available.

Advance tickets are available at Cooper’s Cave Ale Co., 2 Sagamore Street, and Davidson Brothers Brewery & Restaurant, 184 Glen Street, both in Glens Falls.

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ON THE WEB
• Dowd's Guides
• New York Drinks Calendar

Navigating New York State's beer trails

[Double-click map to enlarge]

Wine trails and the new Hudson-Berkshires Beverage Trail have been getting the lion's share of the attention in New York State these days. But, it should not be forgotten that the state has a healthy and wide-ranging lineup of beer trails as well.

Here, in a section-by-section rundown, is the lineup. Just pick a trail or a member by number and scroll down for information:

SOUTHERN BREWERY TRAIL

(1) Black Forest Brew Haus
2015 New Highway
Farmingdale, LI, NY 11735
(631) 391-9500

(2) Blue Point Brewing Co.
161 River Avenue
Patchogue, LI, NY 11772
(631) 475-6944

(3) Brooklyn Brewery
79 North 11th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211
(718) 486-7422

(4) Captain Lawrence Brewing Co.
99 Castleton Street
Pleasantville, NY 10570
(914) 741-2337

(5) Chelsea Brewery
Chelsea Piers, Pier 59
New York, NY 10011
(212) 336-6440

(6) Gilded Otter Brewing Co.
PO Box 57, 3 Main Street
New Paltz, NY 12561
(845) 246-1700

(7) Heartland Brewery
127 West 43rd Street
New York, NY 10036
(646) 366-0235

(8) Heartland Brewery
35 Union Square West
New York, NY 10003
(212) 645-3400

(9) Heartland Brewery
1285 6th Avenue at 51st Street
New York, NY 10019
(212) 582-8244

(10) Heartland Brewery
93 South Street at Fulton Street
New York, NY 10038
646/572-2337

(11) Heartland Brewery
350 5th Avenue @ 34th Street
New York, NY 10118
(212) 563-3433

(12) Hyde Park Brewing Co.
4076 Albany Post Road
Hyde Park, NY 12538
(845) 229-8277

(13) John Harvard's Brew House
2093 Smith Haven Plaza
Lake Grove, NY 11755
(631) 979-2739

(14) Keegan Ales
20 St. James Street
Kingston, NY 12401
(845) 331-2739

(15) Skytop Steakhouse and Brewery
30 Forest Hill Drive
Kingston, NY 12401
(845) 340-4277

(16) Sixpoint Craft Ales
40 Van Dyke Street/234 North 12th Street, 1R
Brooklyn, NY 11231
(917) 687-1725

(17) Southampton Publick House
40 Bowden Square
Southampton, LI, NY 11968
(631) 283-2800

NORTHERN BREWERY TRAIL

(18) Adirondack Pub & Brewery
33 Canada Street
Lake George, NY 12845
(518) 668-0002

(19) Brown's Brewing Co.
417-419 River Street
Troy, NY 12180
(518) 273-2337

(20) C.H. Evans/Albany Pump Station
19 Quackenbush Square
Albany, NY 12207
(518) 447-9000

(21) Coopers Cave Ale Co.
2 Sagamore Street
Glens Falls, NY 12801
(518) 792-0007

(22) Davidson Brothers
184 Glen Street, Route 9
Glens Falls, NY 12801
(518) 743-9026

(23) Great Adirondack Brewing Co.
34 Main Street
Lake Placid, NY 12946
(518) 523-0233

(24) Lake Placid Pub & Brewery
14 Mirror Lake Drive
Lake Placid, NY 12946
(518) 523-3813

(25) Lake Placid Craft Brewing Co.
1472 Military Turnpike
Plattsburgh, NY 12901
(518) 563-3340

(26) Olde Saratoga Brewing Co.
131 Excelsior Avenue
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
(518) 581-0492

CENTRAL BREWERY TRAIL

(27) Brewery Ommegang
656 Route 33
Cooperstown, NY 13326
(607) 544-1808

(28) Butternut's Beer & Ale
4021 Route 51
Garrattsville, NY 13342
(607) 263-5070

(29) Cooperstown Brewing Co.
P.O. Box 276/River Street
Cooperstown, NY 13807
(607) 286-9330

(30) Empire Brewing Co.
120 Walton Street
Syracuse, NY 13202
(315) 256-7608

(31) Ithaca Beer Co.
606 Elmira Road
Ithaca, NY 14850
(607) 273-0766

(32) King Arthur's Steakhouse & Brewery
7 West Bridge Road
Oswego, NY 13126
(315) 343-6033

(33) Market Street Brewing Co.
63-65 West Market Street
Corning, NY 14830
(607) 936-2337

(34) Matt Brewing Co.
811 Edward Street
Utica, NY 13502
(315) 624-2401

(35) Middle Ages Brewing Co.
120 Wilkinson Street
Syracuse, NY 13204
(315) 476-4250

(36) Rooster Fish Brewery
223-301 North Franklin Street
Watkins Glen, NY 14891
(607) 535-9797

(37) Sackets Harbor Brewing Co.
212 West Main Street
Sackets Harbor, NY 13685
(315) 646-2739

(38) Syracuse Suds Factory
320 South Clinton Street
Syracuse, NY 13202
(315) 471-2253

(39) Wagner Valley Brewing Co.
9322 Route 414
Lodi, NY 14860
(607) 582-6450

WESTERN BREWERY TRAIL

(40) Buffalo Brewpub
6861 Main Street
Buffalo, NY 14221
(716) 632-0552

(41) Custom Brewcrafters Inc.
93 Paper Mill Street
Honeoye Falls, NY 14472
(716) 624-4386

(42) Ellicottville Brewing Co.
28A Monroe Street
Ellicottville, NY 14731
(716) 699-2537

(43) Ellicottville Brewing Co.
34 West Main Street
Fredonia, NY 14063
(716) 699-2537

(44) Flying Bison Brewing Co.
491 Ontario Street
Buffalo, NY 14207
(716) 873-1557

(45) Mac's Village Brewhaus
4246 North Buffalo Street
Orchard Park, NY 14127
(716) 667-2314

(46) Pearl Street Grill & Brewery
76 Pearl Street
Buffalo, NY 14202
(716) 856-2337

(47) Rohrbach Brewing Co.
3859 Buffalo Road
Rochester, NY 14624
(585) 594-9800

(48) Southern Tier Brewing Co.
2051A Stoneman Circle
Lakewood, NY 14750
(716) 763-5479

HV's culinary history, tour in a day

HYDE PARK, NY -- The rich culinary history of the region will be explored and celebrated during the 4th annual "Bon Appétit: Food and Dining in the Hudson Valley," a conference scheduled for Saturday, March 20, at the Roosevelt Library and Home.

The day-long event, organized by the Great Estates Consortium, will be held in the Henry A. Wallace Center. It was scheduled to coincide with Hudson Valley Restaurant Week, which this year will be held March 15-28.

The schedule will offer presentations on regional cuisine from Dutch colonial days to the present. Some of the highlights:

• Heidi Hill, historic site manager of Crailo and Schuyler Mansion State Historic Site, will open the conference by exploring 17th century food, using Dutch genre paintings and archaeological evidence.

• Valerie Balint, associate curator at Olana State Historic Site, will explore evolving mid-century dining tastes and trends using Olana and the daily practices of the Church family as an example.

• Frank Futral, curator of Decorative Arts at the Roosevelt-Vanderbilt National Historic Sites, will explore the food customs of millionaires during the Gilded Age, including the behind-the-scenes work of the 24 domestic servants needed to present a "Dinner of Ceremony" in a Gilded Age mansion.

• Lunch will be provided by Gigi Hudson Valley and will feature local food. Laura Pensiero, chef/owner of Gigi, will introduce the lunch and discuss how she uses local farm products for her business .

Conference attendees will have the opportunity to visit participating Great Estates where they will be given an opportunity to engage in special food related tours and activities. Each site will pair with a restaurant offering visitors a Hudson Valley treat. While there is no additional cost for visits to the historic sites, participants must pre-register for the sites they expect to visit.

They are the Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site, Staatsburgh State Historic Site, Locust Grove Estate and Clermont State Historic Site.

Space is limited, and meals and refreshments are included in the conference fee. The $60 per person registration fee includes coffee/tea in the morning, the catered luncheon, and afternoon Great Estates site tours.

Additional details and registration are available by phone at (845) 889-8851.

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ON THE WEB
• Hudson Valley Restaurant Week
• Dowd's Guides

You, too, can be a Golden Nose judge

CANANDAIGUA, NY -- Tired of hearing what the judges are saying about Finger Lakes wines and ready to render your own judgment? Then you qualify as a consumer-judge for The Golden Nose Award.

It is a one-of-a-kind competition that, as it resumes after a one-year hiatus, will allow consumers to select what they think are the region's best wines.

It will be held here at the New York Wine & Culinary Center on Friday and Saturday, April 17-18.

Consumers will learn techniques of wine judging from local winemakers, then award medals during a professionally-run competition. A special “Riesling Champion” will be crowned by the consumer-judges, indicative of the region's signature wine.

The Golden Nose Award had been sponsored by the Seneca Lake Wine Trail and held in Corning in 2006, 2007, and 2008. It was not held last year.

The weekend consists of Friday night's Golden Nose Kitchen Social and the two-day Golden Nose Judge Package. Admission is $25 per person. Go here for details and reservation information.

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ON THE WEB
• NY Wine & Culinary Center
• Dowd's Guides

'Visit the Vinter' offers facetime with winemakers

KING FERRY, NY -- If you want to get a little deeper into New York State wines, you may want to consider going deep into the Finger Lakes for a free 10-site event called “Visit the Vintner.”

The Saturday, April 3, event will allow visitors to get facetime with 10 different winemakers, each of whom has prepared a special talk on a topic of particular interest to him or her.

Geographically, says Cathy Zimdahl of King Ferry Winery, the event will help visitors “travel off the beaten path on the gorgeous east side of Cayuga Lake to the spectacular west side of Skaneateles Lake to spend the day relaxing and tasting some great wines, and learning a little in the process.”

The participating wineries and the topics:

1. Six Mile Creek Vineyard, “To Oak or Not to Oak.”
2. Chateau Dusseau, “French-American Hybrids.”
3. King Ferry Winery, “Stylistic Differences in Chardonnays.”
4. Long Point Winery, “The Many Faces of Zinfandel.”
5. Bet the Farm Winery, “Vintage Variations in Traminettes.”
6. Dill’s Run Winery, “Choosing Yeasts.”
7. Heart and Hands Wine Co., “Site Selection for Pinot Noir.”
8. CJS Winery, “Blending: When 1+1 = 3.”
9. Izzo’s White Barn Winery. “A Practical Approach to Small-scale Winemaking.”
10. Anyela’s Vineyards,” “Open forum: Customers’ Questions Answered.”

Visitors will be able to pick up a map and directions at any of the wineries, so they can begin their tour wherever they wish and visit as many of the participating facilities as they like. Visitors who hit at least six wineries will be eligible for drawing awarding winery gift certificates or a night’s stay at the Inn at the Finger Lakes in Auburn.

Additional information is available by calling King Ferry Winery at (800) 439-5271.

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ON THE WEB
• New York Wine Trails
• Dowd's Guides

'Three Sisters Project' to cross-connect wineries

Not everyone has the time to cruise New York State's wine regions to sample the various winemakers' crafts.

That's the beauty of the "Three Sisters Project," a mutual sampling program conceived by Carlo DeVito and David Jackson of the Hudson-Chatham Winery.

The "sisters" refers to three wine regions -- the Hudson Valley, Long Island and the Finger Lakes. The idea is for two wineries in each region to sample and sell wines from the other regions along with their own products.

The event is scheduled to begin on Saturday, April 3, and run for a month.

The participating wineries:

Hudson Valley: Hudson-Chatham and Benmarl.
Long Island: Lieb Cellars and Macari Vineyards.
Finger Lakes: Anthony Road Wine Co. and Fox Run.

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ON THE WEB
• Three Sisters Project
• Dowd's Guides