Taste of the Nation, Share Our Strength

Spike
I have been going to the Taste of the Nation event for the past 4 years.  Last year I brought Jess and Josh and this year Em joined along.  Unfortunately for Fred, he is in San Francisco this week.   

There are many things I like about this event.  All the proceeds, due to the sponsors, go directly to their mission which is feeding and educating the hungry.  The event in NYC is also put on in other cities around the country so Share Our Strength is a national organization.  They don’t try to reinvent the wheel.  Every year the event is a success and they stick with a formula that works. 

The formula is getting high level sponsors to underwrite the event, get top restaurants and chefs to set up a table and give away tastes from their establishment, have a live and silent auction and above all, enjoy and eat.  It completely works.

My kids loved it.  Going with them is a serious outing.  They go to every single table (there are a lot) and try and discuss each thing.  First we begin with the savory and then make the lap around again for desserts.  The hardest thing is finding water because most of the refreshment tables are liquor.  Josh and I thought the best two dishes were from Union Square Cafe and Kobe Club.  Kobe Club served a beef cheek ravioli covered in a brown sauce with a slight hint of truffles.  I think Josh ate three if not more which is why he was ill by the time we left.  Union Square served a mini thin layered beef lasagna covered with a pea risotto with large peas through out the sauce.  We were happy to see Ricks Picks giving out prosciutto wrapped smokin’ okras and sliced baguettes smeared with goat cheese and layered with phat beets.  Right near Rick was Greyston Bakery giving out their brownies. 

Highlight of the night, the kids hanging and chatting up Spike from Top Chef.  They love the show and have watched all four seasons.  Spike is the chef at Mai House which had a table there.  A very cool guy.