On Wednesday, the Brooklyn Restaurant Association
and the New York Wine and Grape Foundation will present "New
York Wines & Dines in Brooklyn," an evening of wine
and food-tasting at the Sacred Hearts/St. Stephen Catholic school
in Carroll Gardens.
As of this date, eight members of the Brooklyn Restaurant Association,
including DUMBO’s River Cafe and Bay Ridge’s Pearl Room and Paneantico
Bakery Cafe will be participating.
Great food needs great wine, so Anthony Road Wine Cellars, Bedell
Cellars and Castello di Borghese, just a few of the 15 participating
New York State wineries associated with the foundation, will
be on hand to offer sips from their latest bottles.
Proceeds from the tasting will benefit the Sacred Hearts/St.
Stephen School, which has been in operation in Carroll Gardens
since 1866. In February, the pre-kindergarten through eighth
grade institution was deemed one of 26 struggling Catholic schools
in the borough that could no longer be supported by the Brooklyn
Diocese. Parents of students, church parishioners and concerned
neighbors banded together and wrote a creative business plan
that persuaded Bishop of Brooklyn Nicholas DiMarzio to grant
a reprieve. Now the school needs contributions to keep its doors
open.
The event is the brainchild of Joe Chirico (pictured), owner
of Marco Polo Ristorante on Court Street. He wouldn’t divulge
the dishes his chef, Francesco Insingo, plans on serving that
night, but Chirico said, "The food and wine will be great.
No one will leave unhappy.
"In Carroll Gardens we all stick together. So when I heard
that the school needed money, I knew I had to do something to
help them."
Chirico, president of the Brooklyn Restaurant Association, convinced
several of the association’s members, and those of the foundation,
to donate their time and products for the evening.
While diners graze on small plates of international delicacies,
they’ll be serenaded by a string quartet of local musicians.
Authors Tony DiDio, of the "Renaissance Guide to Wine &
Food Pairing"; Carlo DeVito of "East Coast Wineries:
A Complete Guide From Maine to Virginia"; and Keith Young
of "Cooking with the Firehouse Chef," will be on hand
to autograph copies of their books.
"When you have a wonderful school like Sacred Hearts, whose
teachers have done such a great job educating so many of Brooklyn’s
students, you just have to try to help them out," said Chirico.
"I hope we get a huge turnout."
"New York Wines & Dines in Brooklyn" will be held
at Sacred Hearts/St. Stephen School (135 Summit St. at Hicks
Street) on Sept. 28, from 7 pm to 10 pm. Tickets can be reserved
for $50 by calling (800) 442-5959 or pay $65 at the door. For
more information, call (718) 625-2267.
