Are you looking for a way to unwind this weekend? Grand Sierra Resort (GSR) and Charlie Palmer are hosting the first Napa’s Backyard May 14 – 15, a culinary event celebrating Sierra Nevada’s access to the country’s most abundant growing regions. In other words, it’s an event filled with great local food and wine.

Reno is just a short drive from the heart of wine country and also home to Tahoe Ridge Winery, a Nevada born and bred winery. The weekend’s event will feature 20 wineries from Northern California (T-W-E-N-T-Y!) and several events and competitions that will provide behind-the-scenes access for guests to toast and taste their way through Napa’s Backyard. Proceeds from the event and silent auction will benefit C*A*R*E Chest of Sierra Nevada, a northern Nevada nonprofit agency serving individuals in need by providing medical resources, free of charge.

Schedule:            Backyard Brawl

6 – 9 p.m. Friday May 14 in the Summit Pavilion at GSR

Tickets are $60 per person; VIP tables available by calling 1.829.CARE, prices vary.

The Backyard Brawl is a tasting match-up to award the best food and wine pairing. Sixty of the finest wineries from Northern California will be paired with 20 different dishes created by Charlie Palmer chefs. Join the brawl to see who wins “top pairing” in the People’s Choice and media categories. 

Backyard Crawl

11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Saturday May 15, poolside at The Beach at Grand Sierra

Tickets are $30

Fifteen local mixologists will blend their favorite libations for the Backyard Crawl competition sponsored by Tito’s “All American” Vodka. Rain or shine, guests will sample Hog Island Oysters, BBQ favorites and try their hand at mastering the art of the perfect cocktail with a build-your-own fresh-market Bloody Mary bar.

Did someone say THREE scoops of Baskin-Robbins® ice cream for UNDER $1?

AND proceeds benefit a great cause! Sign me up!

Just in time for dinner tonight, Baskin-Robbins® is featuring their 31 Cent Scoop Night (limit three scoops per person) and the Baskin-Robbins Community Foundation is donating $100,000 to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation™(NFFF).  The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation remembers America’s fallen heroes and assists their families. The organization provides firefighters with training to prevent deaths in the line of duty and offers the public information to prevent fires in our communities. At some locations, you may also have an opportunity to make a donation to your local fire charities.

The event runs from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 28, 2010.

Here is a list of our local Baskin-Robbins®

2875 Northtowne Lane
Reno, NV 89512

5150 Mae Anne Ave
Reno, NV 89523

1145 N. McCarran Blvd
Sparks, NV 89431

18120 Wedge Pkwy
Reno, NV 89511

3947 South Carson Street

Carson City, NV 89701

11260 Donner Pass Road

Truckee, CA‎ 96161

Squaw Valley is known worldwide as a bastion of athletic extremism. On Friday, April 23rd, extremists of another sort showcase their talents at the Mamasake Sushi and Wasabi Eating Nationals.

Mamasake, the hip, popular Squaw Valley eatery located at Fountain Court in the heart of the Village at Squaw Valley, is known for its daily $5 happy hour special “Beer and a Hand Roll.”  They also offers a fantastic sushi menu and a large variety of beers on tap as well as 15 different types of sake, and innovative sake cocktails. Serving modern and traditional sushi, sashimi, and hand rolls, nigri, and cold and cooked tapas. This is a popular spot for local’s and visitors alike.

The restaurant’s annual spring competition consists of two categories. The sushi-eating contest pits the contestant against the clock and a lot of sushi. The competitor who devours the most handrolls within five minutes running time claims the top podium.

During the wasabi eating event competitors go head to head chewing increasing amounts of wasabi until a winner has left his opponent crying in their sake.

Celebrity judges have not been announced yet but usually consist of very notable Ski, and Snowboard personalities add to the festivities.

The event starts at 4:20 p.m. on the Mamasake patio. Registration begins at 3:30 p.m. Entries are limited in each category. Prizes are awarded to finalists. The public is invited to attend this eye-watering competition. All ages are welcome. Libations and food are available, including an all-day $5 beer and hand roll and other specials.

Mamasake opens daily at 11:30 p.m. For more information call Mamasake at (530) 584-0110

The popular Food Network show Diners, Drive-ins and Dives will feature Reno’s very own DISH café this Monday, March 29 at 10:00PM ET/PT. (That’s 7PM Pacific Time for those of you still doing the math.)

Food Network Host Guy Fieri’s perpetual search for the best fresh and funky restaurants in the country, landed him in three Reno restaurants in January; DISH Café, The Gold ‘N Silver Inn and Louis’ Basque Corner.

Monday’s episode will feature one of Fieri’s favorite San Francisco spots, a diner in North Carolina serving up whole turkeys and DISH Café in Reno, making home-made granola.

DISH Café’s road to national TV started way back in 2008, when show producers began their search for candidates. A DISH Café employee happened to be near the production headquarters in Minnesota at the time, and delivered samples of granola and baked goods. It wasn’t until January of 2010 that Guy Fieri waltzed into the café and spent two days filming.

“It took a lot of preparation. I wanted it to be perfect, but once they were here, even though they were on a tight schedule, it was easy to relax because the crew was so laid back,” said Nancy Horn, owner of DISH Café. “It was definitely a dream come true. I’ve known that I wanted a restaurant since I was six years old. Cooking is my passion and my dream is to teach on TV and write cookbooks. This was a very informative and exciting experience.”

DISH Café & Catering is known for its upscale comfort food made from fresh, local organic ingredients. They are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. See why Fieri thought they were worthy of the national spotlight and check them out at 855 Mill Street, Monday through Friday.

Gary and Misty Young’s Squeeze In eatery is the talk of the town in Reno, NV and Truckee, CA. This popular breakfast spot has people crossing state lines for a taste of one of Misty’s world-class omelets. Misty’s four-egg omelets are eggstra special and have quirky names like: Racy Tracy, Hot Sweaty Busboy, Katastrophy, Benson Burner and Hot Weed. All of their dishes are packed with farm fresh ingredients and made to order.

Weekdays you can get in without a horrendous wait, but on the weekends, come early, or late, or wait. Loyal customers who frequent the joint are just as die-hard as the chef who owns it!

When Misty decided to throw a Love-In party at her Squeeze In, in Reno, NV, she’s in for a wild ride when Chef Flay crashes and is fired up to go head to head in a classic, all-American Omelet Throwdown! 107 quadrillion omelette possibilities didn’t seem to scare away Food Network’s “Throwdown with Bobby Flay”.  Misty took Flay’s challenge whipping up the Squeeze In’s 300,000th #37 Racy Tracy, the most popular omelette on the Squeeze In menu, packed with avocados and mushrooms sautéed in a white wine sauce and folded in with crisp bacon and Monterey Jack cheese. Flay’s creation is top secret until the program airs, but the Squeeze In has created a tribute omelette dubbed the “Spanish Flay” that debuts on the menu March 4.

Watch the results of this throwdown on the Food Network; March 03 @ 9:30 PM – March 04 @ 12:30 AM – March 14 @ 11:00 PM

Acclaimed baker and teacher Peter Reinhart; author of 8 cook books, winner of 4 James Beard awards on bread and world renowned baking instructor and author from Johnson & Wales University in Charlotte, NC, will be visiting Reno for his first time, to teach a class based on his new, best selling book.

The new book, Artisan Breads Every Day, features classic artisian breads, but in an easy to make method using what Reinhart calls his “delayed (refrigerated) fermentation technique,” which process which allows you to make the dough on one day and then use it over an extended period of days at your own convenience.

During this special class he will make 9 different products from four distinct doughs: Lean dough (French bread); multi-purpose sweet dough (3 different types of sticky buns, cinnamon buns, crumb cake, and fruit filled thumb print rolls); braided challah and chocolate-cinnamon babka.

Come hungry as there will be lots of tasting going on.

Where: Nothing To It! Cooking School – 225 Crummer Lane Reno, NV 89502
When: Saturday, March 6 at 10 am
Contact: (775) 826-2628
http://www.nothingtoit.com

The spirit of abbondanza prevails at Briscola, Charlie Palmer’s newest restaurant at Grand Sierra Resort. Under the direction of Executive Chef Dave Holman, small plate offerings, including Parmigiano rice cakes, and hand-cut fresh pastas accompany main course dishes that take a light approach to classical Italian cooking, from grilled lamb chops with eggplant caponata and creamy polenta to crispy barramundi with fennel and tomato stuffing.

Briscola, a traditional Italian card game, inspired the club-like comfortable decor.  A creamy, off-white paint palette softens rustic exposed brick walls, and scattered lighting diffused through linen shades creates a warm, welcoming ambiance. In characteristic Roman-style, the dining room with vaulted ceiling is almost like eating in a wine cave, where an over-sized wooden table used as meat station takes center stage. The fire-truck red replica of a vintage manual Berkel meat slicer guarantees that salume and prosciutto are hand-cut and arranged to order.

Palmer, known for his support of small label wine makers, carries out the la dolce vita theme with a selection of Italian wines as well as California bottlings of grapes with Italian descent.

Bricola’s menu includes Italian favorites at affordable family prices. Pastas start at $7 and entrees at only $15. Kids will love the spaghetti and three-cheese lasagna, while you enjoy a glass of classic Chianti with your Crispy Chicken or Veal Parmesan.

House Specialties:

• Antipasti including a house salad (mixed baby greens and Balsamico), arugula (asparagus, tomato and Parmigianino), caprese burrata, heirloom tomato, basil and 18-year Balsamico and Caesar (romaine, marinated tomatoes and white anchovies).
• Hand-cut fresh Pasta dishes include pappardelle (braised rabbit and apricots), chitarra (shrimp, scallops, mussels and clams glazed in a spicy lobster broth) and fettuccini.
• Main Course options take a light approach to classical Italian cooking, like grilled lamb chops (eggplant caponata and creamy polenta), crispy barramundi (fennel and tomato stuffing) and a Florentine-style sirloin.

Hours:
Dinner
Sunday to Thursday: 5:30pm to 9:30pm
Friday to Saturday: 5:30pm to 10:30pm

Lounge
Monday to Sunday: 5:00pm to 12:00am

Phone: 775.789.2456
Reservations: OpenTable.com (recommended)

Video: Pasta Making in Briscola’s Kitchen
Briscola sous chef Rocky Woods demonstrates fresh pasta making techniques

Sterling’s Seafood Steakhouse at the Silver Legacy Resort Casino presents a Ferrari-Carano Jazz Dinner featuring music from CeCe Gable on Thursday, July 9 at 6 p.m.

Chef Neil Campbell will pair the five-course meal with selections from Ferrari-Carano vineyards. The inclusive meal is $99 per person.

The first course is a Lollipop Colorado Lamb Chop surrounded in blueberry, a balsamic butter sauce (PreVail, West Face, ’04.) The second course is a Chilled Leek, Chive and Potato with English Clotted Cream (Fume Blanc, ’06,) followed by a Butter Lettuce and Double Cream Roquefort Cheese Salad (Alexander Valley, Chardonnay ’06.)

For the main course, guests will enjoy a Filet of Fresh Chilean Sea Bass with Lobster Crust, Butternut Squash Risotto and Caviar Sauce (Tre Terre, Chardonnay. ’06.)

Dessert is an Apricot Chocolate Ganache, Almond Pecan Nougatin and Chocolate Mascarpone Cream in a Hazelnut Sweet Dough Shell (Eldorado Noir, ’06.)

For reservations, guests can call Silver Legacy at (775) 329-4777.

Last night I needed to pay back my wife for all the late hours at work and at home, so I recommended we try a localfondue establishment called The Melting Pot.

We arranged for a babysitter and headed out.  Upon arriving, I was first amazed at the scale of the restaurant – from outside The Melting Pot looks pretty modest, but it’s actually quite large; two stories with tables that were set for two to 10. We also noticed a large contingent of high school kids … apparently it was prom night.

After being escorted around a great bar and wine cellar, we sat in a comfortable booth near the back. Drinks were ordered and we reviewed the menu. Our waitress walked us through the menu, and made a few suggestions about her favorites. We decided to try the “Big Night Out” which includes your choice of a cheese fondue, any salad, choice from three different selections of meats and, of course, a desert fondue.

We chose the Spinach & Artichoke Cheese Fondue, which includes: Fontina and Butterkäse cheeses, spinach, artichoke hearts and garlic.  It was accompanied by three different breads, Grannysmith apples and a selection of different raw vegetables.

As we started to finish the cheese fondue, a busboy named Pablo quickly cleared our plates and refilled our drink order.  Our waitress brought or next course, two Insalata Caprese salads, and helped us decide how to cook our meats. We chose to use oil so that we could also tempura a few items, but other options include infused broths.

Meats and vegetables included lobster, teriyaki-marinated sirloin, white shrimp, marinated pork tenderloin, filet mignon, breast of chicken, potstickers, mushrooms, a spinach cheese filling, two types of tempura batter, melted garlic butter, and a variety of sauces – bleu cheese, spicy cocktail, light mustard sauce, plumb sweet-and-sour and teriyaki. For desert we indulged in fondue called the Flaming Turtle, made mostly of milk chocolate, caramel and chopped pecans, which were flambéed tableside, accompanied by several types of cake, brownies, fruits and marshmallows.

All in all the meal took a little over two hours to complete, so make sure you plan accordingly. For what we received, in both ambience and food, the price was within what I would expect.  The service was wonderful – everyone was helpful and knowledgeable about the establishment.  I would also note that this is not necessarily family friendly … not due to the restaurant, but having hot oils and broths with skewers can’t be a safe option for smaller children. I would suggest you try out this if not for dinner, then for at least a special dessert for you and your significant other.  Also I would suggest making reservations, especially if it is a special day for you.

The Melting Pot
6950 S McCarran Blvd, Reno 89509
(775) 827-6500
www.meltingpot.com

Lunch Hours
Daily 11 AM to 2 PM

Dinner Hours
Sundays 4 PM to 9 PM
Monday to Thursday 5 PM to 10 PM
Friday and Saturday 4 PM to 11 PM

A new donut shop just opened up in Reno, and it deserves to be talked up, not just because they make donuts, but that their donuts are made with the best ingredients and oils, and some are over a foot long.  Something also to note is that you can get a fresh cup of Joe and a glazed for only $2.

This family run business got its start in Camarillo, Ca, where they have been making donuts for over 30 years at the sister store “Rolling Pin Donuts”.  DoughBoys is run by Bob, Marge and Jay (whom you may remember from his UNR baseball days) Kenny, and every once in a while you can find even younger generations behind the donut case.   DoughBoys gets its name from the Army enlisted soldiers and non-commissioned officers in World War 1.

One thing to note is the donuts and pastries at DoughBoys are not small, even the donut holes are larger than the fist of most children.  The Tigertail is over a foot long and the Bearclaws could really fit on a bear.  They even have specialty donuts like; the Wolf Pack Paw (a smaller claw dipped in frosting and either chocolate chips or sprinkles – just right for kids), the Chocolate Chip Roll (just like a cinnamon roll, but topped and filled with chocolate chips and chocolate frosting) and even 8 different filled croissants.  Also don’t forget their good coffee and colder options of juices, milk and sodas.

Make sure you stop by when the urge arises and try one or a dozen.  You won’t be sorry!

DoughBoys Donuts
57 Damonte Ranch Parkway
Reno, Nevada 89521
775-85DOUGH (36844)

Open daily from 5am to 10pm

“Donuts. Is there anything they can’t do?” – Homer Simpson