October, 2012

This month food blogger and recent law school grad Sarah Woo shares the many tastes and sights as she travels through Spain. Here are her photos of some of her most memorable meals so far.

For her full story on her food adventures in Spain go to her delicious food blog at www.winnercelebrationparty.com 

Excerpts from Sarah's blog: "I watched carefully as Oscar, the owner and my waiter, held a kettle of mint tea high in the air, pouring the tea into a glass, pouring the tea back into the kettle,

and repeating the process several times. Para mezclar, he said."

"I dropped into a chair in a nondescript place where a few Spanish men were chatting with the female owner behind the bar. She walked me over to the bar and showed me some of the hot tapas available: Albondigas, mushrooms, pork in tomato sauce. I got it all, with some cheap white wine. It was a perfect meal-the closest I’ve felt to “homemade” since coming to Spain."

 The best albondigas dish Sarah had ever tasted was at this Tapas bar in Spain. A perfect meal on a rainy day.

 For more of Sarah's travels in Spain go to her official website: www.winnercelebrationparty.com
 Sarah also is a contributing food writer for www.seriouseats.com

Manu Narayan Photo by Lia Chang

After much-acclaimed success with Varli Magazine, the Varli Food Festival, and the Varli Cook-Off, the Varli brand continues to expand its reach with the first annual Varli Culinary Awards on November 15, 2012, at The Altman Building, 135 W. 18th St. in New York.

The evening will be hosted by internationally acclaimed Master Chef Sanjeev Kapoor, along with Bombay Dream star Manu Narayan (The Love Guru), fresh from his electrifying turn as Richard Roma in La Jolla Playhouse’s revival of Glengarry Glen Ross, and Pooja Kumar (Vishwaroop, Man on A Ledge).

Vikas Khanna (Photo by Lia Chang)

The highly esteemed panel of judges includes celebrity judges, renowned food correspondents, and culinary experts such as Vikas Khanna, Jehangir Mehta, Monica Bhide, Rajesh Bhardwaj, Prasad Chirnomula, Hari Nayak.

This revolutionary concept will be the first global awards event honoring the best culinary talent in an array of categories related to Indian cuisine. “It was time to give credit where credit’s due. We really wanted to recognize and applaud the contributions and amazing achievements of Indian chefs, restaurateurs, and key influencers on the international culinary stage,” says Varli Singh, founder of the Varli brand.

Columbus, Ohio

Friday November 9, 2012 renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz will have a conversation with Rolling Stone's co-founder, publisher, and editor Jann S. Wenner at the Wexner Center for the Arts Mershon Auditorium in Columbus, Ohio.

Their collaboration at Rolling Stone in the 1970s is legendary. Their subsequent—and independent—roles are also legendary as interpreters and shapers of the social, cultural, and political history of America. This event is part of a public celebration of the prestigious Wexner Prize which will be presented in a ceremony to Ms. Leibovitz on Saturday November 10. 

Annie Leibovitz Photo by Nick Rogers courtesy of Leibovitz Studio © 2012 

Annie Leibovitz is the 2012 recipient of the prestigious Wexner Prize which recognizes an artist whose work reflects exceptional innovation and the highest standards of artistic quality and integrity.  

A major presentation of work of more than 200 photographs by Annie Leibovitz is on view now through December 30, 2012 at the Wexner Center for the Arts on the Ohio State University campus in Columbus, Ohio.

Karen Lowe's Pig Tales are scrumptious hand-decorated sugar cookies-spotted pigs and golden pigs- with notes of fragrant Meyer lemon and rich Madagascar Bourbon vanilla.

Over dinner with Karen Lowe of six persimmons, inc., a New York based cookie company dedicated to creating iced cookies with a chic artisanal edge, I discovered that for the Year of the Boar, she has created Pig Tales, a collection of cookies in the shapes of spotted pigs and golden pigs (painted with edible gold leaf.) Scrumptious, freshly baked, hand-decorated sugar cookies with notes of fragrant Meyer lemon and rich Madagascar Bourbon vanilla, Karen packages them in a boxed set of 18 for $75. (plus delivery) Each cookie measures approximately 2 3/4" w x 2 3/8" d. They are marvelous for gifts and will add a special touch to your Chinese New Year festivities.

To order, visit www.6persimmons.com or call six persimmons, inc. at 646.265.0015.