A burger battle to raise money for charities is one of the first eating competitions on the 2018 local calendar.
The sixth annual Brew City Charity Burger Relay will take place at 7 p.m. Jan. 16 at Brew City Grill & Brew House, 104 Shrewsbury St., Worcester.
Escape Games Worcester is presenter of the event. Sponsors include Amstel Light, Sentry West Lincoln-Mazda of Shrewsbury and Pepsi-Cola Worcester.
Brew City General Manager Jennifer Wright said the burger relay is a “fun event that has raised thousands of dollars for different charities over the past five years.”
Free to the public, Wright extends an invitation to “come cheer on several teams as they race to the finish to devour five of Brew City’s famous signature burgers.”
Participating teams include: Brew City, five-time undefeated champion; Worcester Police Department; Auburn Police Department; Escape Games Worcester; Atlas Distributing in Auburn.
Team charities: St. Jude’s Children Hospital, Alzheimer’s Association, Auburn Police Association, Worcester County Food Bank in Shrewsbury and the 365Z Foundation (www.365z.org).
Wright explained there are five members on each team, with the first two legs (or stomachs) sitting down at the same time. “Participant #1 consumes Brew City’s Signature Burger as fast as possible,” she said. “As soon as the last bit of food is in his or her mouth, participant #2 can begin eating their burger (five different burgers, all in the same order). When #1 gets up, #3 sits down, and it continues until one team has completed all five burgers,” said Wright.
“Everyone finishes, and all of the proceeds are divided among all of the teams’ charities, first by the team that wins, then by the order in which each team finishes, said Wright. “The participants are supplied with water, but if they take a sip of it, they have to finish it before the next person can begin eating.”
While the competitors eat their way through this friendly competition, the bystanders can enjoy raffles, prizes, giveaways and more. There also will be a DJ in the house.
Brew City’s drink, appetizer and dinner menus will be available. Get in on the fun and order a burger!
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A reminder: Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boylston will be closed Jan. 8-12.
Visit www.towerhillbg.org to learn about winter activities in January and February, including concerts, Sketching in the Conservatories, Yoga by Nature and New Member Night.
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The Wayland Winter Farmers’ Market at Russell’s Garden Center, 397 Boston Post Road, Wayland, reopens for the season Jan. 6. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The season will continue through March 10.
More than 50 vendors participate weekly in the market. Breakfast, lunch and beverages are available in the plant-filled greenhouse at Russell’s Garden Center.
This season, Farm Fiber Days will take place Jan. 27 and Feb. 24; Massachusetts Farm Wineries Day, Feb. 10; New England Cheese Day, March 3. Author appearances, cooking demonstrations and workshops are also planned.
Enjoy the tropical setting of the greenhouses on a winter’s day, and meet and schmooze with new growers and farmers.
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Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts will have its annual Fork It Over fundraiser March 8 at the Event Center at The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts in Worcester.
The “Call for Chefs” commitment deadline is Jan. 13 and recipes will be due Feb. 8.
Participating chefs will be provided with a full selection of Girl Scout cookies to experiment with. When recipes are ready, chefs will be provided all the cookies necessary to create the final product.
The finished “creations” will be presented to a panel of judges and guests at the Fork It Over event.
Chefs are asked to create approximately 250 bite-size portions of their creation(s) for guests to taste. Tables and linens will be provided to all chefs to display their food and advertise their business.
Tickets to the March event are $50 each; two tickets, $80, if purchased in advance. Visit www.gscwm.org for more information. Tickets, $50 per person, will be sold the night of the event.
Chefs who want more information or cookies to experiment with can contact Melissa Sherry at (508) 749-3617 or at msherry@gscwm.org.
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B.T.’s Smokehouse in Sturbridge was one of Yankee magazine’s pick in its “The Best Comfort Food in New England,” which appears in the January/February issue of the magazine.
Writer Amy Traverso credits chef/owner Brian Treitman’s “sixth sense for smoke” as making B.T.’s a destination restaurant. She also singled out the brisket Reuben at B.T.’s, winning the prize for being an “inspired marriage of two nostalgic classics.” Lucky us, we don’t have far to travel for truly great barbecue!
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America’s Test Kitchen has published a variety of great cookbooks. “Healthy Slow Cooker Revolution” ($26.95) is one of them.
Chicken With Warm Potato and Radish Salad is among the 200 recipes in the book. It’s a fresh take on the classic chicken and potato dinner. The procedure is simple. In the recipe, bone-in chicken breasts are seasoned with a simple mix of fresh thyme, salt and pepper. Quartered small potatoes are given a head start in the microwave before adding them to the slow cooker along with the chicken. The cooked tender potatoes are turned into a side dish by tossing them with a simple zesty dressing flavored with minced shallot, Dijon mustard and parsley. Fresh radishes add “great color and crunch.”
Recipe is courtesy of America’s Test Kitchen. Cooking is two to three hours on low; slow cooker size, 5 ½ to 7 quarts.
CHICKEN WITH WARM POTATO AND RADISH SALAD
1 ¾ pounds small Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled, quartered
4 (12-ounce) bone-in split chicken breasts, skin and ribs removed, trimmed of all visible fat
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 shallot, minced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons juice
¼ teaspoon sugar
5 radishes, trimmed and sliced thin
Microwave potatoes and ¼ cup water in covered bowl, stirring occasionally, until almost tender, about 15 minutes; transfer to slow cooker. Season chicken with thyme, salt and pepper and nestle into slow cooker. Cover and cook until chicken registers 160 degrees, two to three hours on low.
Transfer chicken to serving platter. Whisk oil, parsley, shallot, 2 tablespoons water, mustard, lemon zest and juice, sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt together in large bowl. Measure out and reserve ¼ cup dressing. Drain potatoes and transfer to a bowl with remaining dressing. Add radishes and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve chicken with potato salad and reserved dressing. 4 servings.
Enjoy!
— If you have a tidbit for the column, call (508) 868-5282. Send email to bhoulefood@gmail.com.