Culinary genius Alton Brown is making his way across America to promote his recent book, Good Eats:  The Early Years.  This is the first of two volumes, with the second one making it’s way to store shelves in fall 2010.  His book tour starts this Friday in New York City, with his final destination being Norcross, GA.

Book tour dates, location, and times:

New York City
Friday, October 9
Barnes & Noble – Union Square
7PM

New York City
Saturday, October 10
Food & Wine Festival
12:30PM

New York City
Sunday, October 11
Food & Wine Festival
12PM

Boston
Tuesday, October 13
Brookline Booksmith at Coolidge Corner Theatre
6PM

Arlington VA
Wednesday, October 14
Sur La Table – Pentagon Row
12PM

Washington DC
Wednesday, October 14
Smithsonian (not sure which, check altonbrown.com later for verification)
5PM

Chicago
Thursday, October 15
Borders – N. Michigan Ave
7PM

Seattle
Friday, October 16
Third Place Books – Lake Forest Park, WA
7PM

San Diego
Saturday, October 17
Costco – Fenton Pkwy
1PM

Austin
Sunday, October 18
Location TBD
12PM

Norcross GA
Saturday, December 5
“Lunchtime”
BJ’s Wholesale Club – Norcross

It’s October already, and where has the time gone?  Fall is in full swing and I’m loving the breezy and semi-chilly weather.  Time to bust out the hoodies and get the camera lenses polished for some spectacular fall foliage photography.  October is a great time for foodies as it’s time to celebrate the following  food events!

Celebrate October!

Source:  foodreference.com

I seem to miss this event ever since I’ve come to known about it.  Even though I’m not a big fan of chocolate, I’m always impressed by the many different types of chocolate concoctions and by the chocolate art.  Details below:

Where

Metropolitan Pavilion
125 West 18th Street – New York, NY 10011

When

October 30th to November 1st, 2009 – Chocolate Show
Friday, October 30: noon to 8pm
Saturday, October 31: 10am to 8pm
Sunday, November 1: 10am to 5pm

Tickets
Now available for $28 per adult.
Website : www.ticketmaster.com
The price will be $30 when purchased at the door
General admission is free for kids under 5 and free for kids 5 to 12 with a 2 child per adult limit. The price for any additional child is $8.
Tickets are only available by internet.

Complete details here.

Today kicks off the 82nd Annual Feast of San Gennaro in New York City.

New York City’s longest-running, biggest and most revered religious outdoor festival in the United States, will be held Thursday, September 10, through Sunday, September 20, 2009, on the streets of historic Little Italy, the lower Manhattan neighborhood which served as the first home in America for hundreds of thousands of Italian immigrants who came here seeking to improve their lives beginning in the early part of the 20th century.

Hit up the link for event schedules, maps, and other types of information related to the event.

This year, the Hoboken Feast of the Madonna dei Martiri will be held from September 10 to 13 on Sinatra Drive in Hoboken, NJ.  There’s nothing like stuffing your face with Italian sausage sandwiches and cannolis while enjoying a view of the Manhattan skyline.  Here’s the schedule of events:

Thursday, Sept. 10

5:00 — 7:00: Heroes of the State (H.O.T.S.) — classic cock cover band

7:00 — 10:00: The Benjamins

8:30: Annual pizza-eating contest

Friday, Sept. 11

5:00 — 7:00: Monte’s Pythons — cover band, back by popular demand

7:00 – 11:00: Mirage, one of New Jersey’s most popular Italian-American wedding bands.

Saturday, Sept. 12

12:30 — 1:30: Johnny Maggio sings Sinatra, Bennett, Martin

1:30 — 2:30: R3 Bros., the area’s newest Italian-American sensation

2:30 — 3:30: Aaron Caruso — Unique show with songs from Sergio Franchi, Andrea Bocelli, Jerry Vale, and a special tribute to Mario Lanza

3:30 — 4:30: R3 Bros

4:30 — 5:30: Aaron Caruso

5:30 — 6:30: R3 Bros.

7:00 — 11:00: Oro Puro, “Sensational” Italian show band

8:30: Annual cannoli-eating contest

9:00: Fireworks Extravaganza

Sunday, Sept. 13

12:30 — 3:30: Jersey Kidz, New Jersey’s hottest young rock/power pop band

3:30 — 4:30: Hannah Montana as portrayed by Courtney Searle

4:30 — 5:30: Annual grape-stomp contest: Hoboken Police Dept. vs. Hoboken Fire Dept.

5:30 — 6:30: Krystal, Hoboken’s own rock band

6:30 — 7:30: The Bronx Wanderers — Tribute to Dion, Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons, Johnny Maestro & The Brooklyn Bridge and more

8:00 — 9:00: Lee Logan & The Legendary Drifters, singing The Drifters original hits “There Goes My Baby,” “Under The Boardwalk,” “This Magic Moment,” and more

9:00 — 10:00: The Bronx Wanderers

10:00: Grand 50/50 Raffle Drawing

Source

http://www.hobokenitalianfestival.com/

UPDATE:  Restaurant Week is extended through Labor Day.

Restaurant Week is underway in New York City again.  Over 250 NYC restaurants are participating in the event and it’ll be around until the end of the month.  Lunch is priced at $24.07 (odd pricing), and dinner is set at $35.00.  Drinks, taxes, and gratuities are not included.  Check out the list of participants here.

Become a fan of Cheesecake Factory through Facebook and register under the “Vegas” tab for a chance to win a trip to Las Vegas for you and 9 of your friends!  Become a fan here!

The package includes roundtrip airfare for the entire party, two nights at Caesars Palace, $1,000 spending money, and dinner at the Cheesecake Factory.

There are a number of events going on at Vintage Irving in New York City.  If you’re into fine wine and food, then check this place out.  The restaurant also hosts a number of events quite frequently.  Tickets for the events can be purchased online.  118 East 15th St. at Irving Place.

20 Wines for $20

Every Monday at 7pm

Taste a selection of 20 wines for only $20!

Try some reds and whites, and choose your favorite one!! Dinner will be available for purchase before and after event

Enjoy an evening in Union Square at one of New York’s finest wine bars. Vintage Irving is known for its enviable wine and absinthe selections as well as small plates from around the world!

Purchase tickets: www.going.com/20winesfor20

Signature Tuesdays

A palate pleasing evening at Vintage Irving

Enjoy our exclusive “Signature Vintage Menu” specially prepared for one night only!

Every week will bring new menus of all things sweet, savory and scrumptious

$25 Prix-Fixed Menu including Chef demonstration

Every Tuesday at 7pm

Purchase Tickets: www.going.com/signaturetuesdays

Vintage Culinary Series

Learn how to make gourmet meals from the chef himself!

Join us each month to learn how to prepare the most delectable dishes in New York

Q&A will follow every class along with a serving of the prepared meal

August 26th:

Trio of Ceviches paired with a Trio of Sangria

Tickets available:

$45 per person

$80 per couple

Purchase tickets: www.going.com/meetthechef

We also have Wine Cellar Sorbet on our menu:

Vintage Irving is proud to announce the new addition of Wine Cellar Sorbet © to their menu. Wine Celler Sorbet © produces the finest quality sorbets made from finished wines from around the world. With the initial intention of opening a wine bar in Brooklyn, David Zablocki and Bret Birnmaum instead focused on bringing this wonderful combination of food and wine to the people. Vintage Irving will be the first wine bar to feature wine sorbets. You can enjoy the unique and all-natural flavors whether dining in the restaurant or purchasing from the seasonal take-out window. With flavors such as mimosa, pinot noir, and sangria, you can truly eat wine ™.

One of New York City’s most popular annual outdoor food festivals, Taste of Times Square, presented by the Times Square Alliance, is your chance to sample “tastes” of delicious signature dishes from Times Square’s best restaurants, enjoy classic New York street performers, catch top-notch local entertainment on three stages, and show off your hottest dance moves all evening with help from a swing band and free dancing lessons from Swing46.

Food fanatics and music fans have long known that “Taste of Times Square” represents a great gastronomic and entertainment value, offering an impressive range of top-quality international cuisine for dollars per dish, and a diverse variety of musical morsels for no cost whatsoever.

Event Details

Attended each year by thousands of food fans, Taste of Times Square takes over West 46th Street between Broadway and Ninth Avenue, including historic Restaurant Row, guaranteeing a fun-filled evening of fine food and entertainment. From salmon caviar blinis to ribs to paella, the festival’s offerings reflect the neighborhood’s status as the Crossroads of the World.

“Nowhere else can you find such a diversity of chefs and cuisine from all around the world as you can in Times Square,” says Times Square Alliance President Tim Tompkins, “and it is this that makes dining out in Times Square such an adventure.”

WHEN: Monday, June 8, 2009 from 5pm-8:30pm

WHERE: West 46th Street between Broadway and Ninth Avenue, including historic Restaurant Row.

ADMISSION: Admission to the festivities is free.

FOOD TICKETS

DAY OF EVENT

Taste of Times Square food tickets can be purchased at the event and are redeemable for “tastes” and beverages at each of the booths. The main ticket booth at 46th Street and Broadway opens at 3pm; other booths throughout the neighborhood at 5pm.

PRESALE

Want to avoid the lines? Tickets can also be purchased ahead of time at the Times Square Information Center beginning Friday, May 29th located at 7th Avenue, between 46th and 47th Streets.

Website

Dates :: May 16 – May 17, 2009

Time :: 9:30AM – 6:30PM

Admission :: Free. Location: Ninth Avenue, between 37th and 57th Streets

Description :: Taste what Hell’s Kitchen is cooking at this annual food festival, where restaurants and outdoor vendors serve up food to suit every taste. The 20-block gastronomic extravaganza features cuisine from Greece, Brazil, Italy, Morocco, Senegal, Ukraine, Thailand and everywhere in between, with music and dancing to match.