This week and weekend

Chef Matt Gennuso of Chez Pascal Restaurant in Providence gives a demonstration Saturday, June 27, at the Coastal Growers’ Market at Casey Farm, 2325 Boston Neck Rd. (Route 1A), Saunderstown. Chef Matt will select produce and artisan foods and create dishes for visitors to sample while they shop at the market.

Coventry Historical Society has its annual Strawberry Crepe and Pancake Breakfast Saturday, June 27, 8:30 to 11 a.m. at the Coventry Senior Center, 20 Wood St., Coventry. Crepes and pancakes with strawberries and whipped cream will be served. The cost is $5 for adults and $3 for seniors and children 7 and younger.

Greens Day is set for Saturday, June 27, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at the Richmond Farmers’ Market, Town Hall, Routes 138 and 112, Richmond. Organic lettuce varieties will be available for sampling, from peppery red arugula to the mild mustard taste of mibuna to sweet lettuce mixes and the heirloom variety, speckled bibb. The Richmond Farmers’ Market is also selling vegetable, herb and flower transplants for spring and summer gardens. Beef and pork, local artwork, local cheese and local honey are also available for purchase.

Langworthy Farm Winery, Route 1A, Westerly, is hosting an Oysters on the Deck event on Saturday, June 27, noon to 5 p.m. Oysters, provided by Watch Hill Oyster Co., are by the plate served with a glass of wine or guests may take the oysters home. Rain date is Sunday, June 28.

Williams-Sonoma, Garden City Center, Cranston, and Providence Place Mall, Providence, hosts a Taste the Best of Summer special event Saturday, June 27, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Attendees can sample tastings of easy-to-prepare summer food and drink ingredients. The event is free. For more information, call (401) 942-7255

News

Lyle and Cindy Morse of Cindy’s Country Café, Portsmouth, have opened their second restaurant in The Newport Beach Hotel and Suites located on Easton’s Beach in Middletown. It will feature fresh regional seafood, locally grown produce and Angus certified steaks. Breakfast and dinner will be offered daily. (401) 846-0310.

Kevin DiLibero is the new executive chef at Trio, 15 Kingstown Rd., Narragansett. He was most recently executive chef at Trio’s sister restaurant, 22 Bowen’s Wine Bar & Grille, Newport. His new position marks his return to Narragansett, where he began his hospitality career at the age of 15 at Twin Willows. His background includes two years as executive chef at Pane e Vino on Federal Hill, Providence. He lives in East Providence with his wife, Erin.

The Saint Mary Academy-Bay View Choral group filmed an appearance for a segment of Ciao Italia, a PBS television cooking series with host Mary Ann Esposito. The group performed an old Neapolitan number to accompany a show about cookies. The show airs at a later date for next season’s series.

Farmstead, the cheese shop at Providence’s Wayland Square, has been closed a few weeks now as major renovations are under way to create a street level cheese cave and cheese bar. It will remain closed until late August as Kate and Matt Jennings focus on La Laiterie, the Wayland Square restaurant, and Farmstead Lunch, 225A Westminster St., Providence. The Downcity cheese shop has a new artisan sandwich menu including albacore tuna, white anchovies, black olive and lemon tapenade; roasted Massachusetts turkey, fresh chevre, and pickled scallions; housemade Porchetta and Rhode Island prosciutto with local strawberry-rhubarb mostarda and Gorgonzola Dolce.

Monica Gerard announced her last day at Ferns and Flowers Tea House, 1094 Centreville Rd., Warwick, on June 28. She will become events coordinator for Aspire Media. The restaurant will be closed for vacation from June 28 to July 12 and reopens with the same staff and menu favorites.

Mohegan Sun is opening a series of new dining venues as part of their renovated Winter Entrance. Opening July 1 are Bobby Burger Palace, chef Bobby Flay’s grill in a casual setting; Jasper White’s Summer Shack Express with chowder, lobster rolls, clam rolls, fish and chips and raw bar (the first in the food court with a selection of oysters as well as cherrystones, littlenecks, shrimp cocktail and crab claw); and Fidelia’s Market, which includes Woodland Wok (Asian cuisine) and Chief’s Bagels, Subs and Sweets. Pepe’s Pizza (from New Haven) and the Original Soup Man both open in August.

Coming up

Up River Cafe, 37 Main St., Westerly, (401) 348-9700, theuprivercafe.net, hosts a New England Clambake, Monday, July 20, at 6:30 p.m. Smuttynose Brewing Company, Cottrell Brewing Company, Shipyard Brewing Company and Berkshire Berkshire Brewing Company will participate. The event features local beer, brewers, food and bluegrass music by the Impossibles. The cost is $55.

Hotel Viking’s Top of Newport roof-top terrace, One Bellevue Ave., Newport, kicks off its summer season with a fundraising event for The Firehouse Theatre, Tuesday, June 30, at 6 p.m. Guests can sip wine and taste chef Kevin Theile’s samples from the hotel’s summer menu. The ticket price is $25. Reservations are required and can be made by calling the theater at (401) 849-3473 or by sending a check to the theater at 4 Equality Park Place, Newport.

The World of Flavors Competition on Sunday, July 12, from 1 to 6 p.m. at the Bank of America Skating Center at Kennedy Plaza, Providence, has announced its lineup of local restaurants. Serving to guests and competing for a prize package are: Aqua & Bluefin Grille, Blaze Eastside, Capital Grille, Cortland Place, DeWolf Tavern, Hemenway’s, Jolly Roger Cafe, Temple Downtown, Texas Roadhouse, Ebisu, India, Kabob & Curry, Ken Wok, MuMu Cuisine, Twist, Waterplace Restaurant and Lounge, CAV, Efendi, Federal Hill Pizza, La Creperie, North End Cafe, RiRa Irish Pub, Rosinha’s, The Melting Pot, Cactus Grille, Don Jose Tequila’s, Los Andes, Rue Bis, Tazza Caffe and Tortilla Flats. They will serve samples of their food to attendees who will pick winners in each of four categories: Americana, South of the Border, European & Mediterranean and Asian & Indian. The event will hosted by Shawn Tempesta of Fox’s Rhode Show and features music by Spogga. Resler said the date was chosen to tie in with Providence Restaurant Weeks, July 12 to 25. Tickets to the event cost $50 but there is a $10 discount for those who use the code ProJo when buying tickets on riworldofflavors.com.

Wine event

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, 1 West Exchange St., Providence, (401) 533-9000, presents an Art of Food and Wine dinner Friday, July 17, with artist Thomas Arvid, whose work is in Fleming’s restaurants throughout the country. Chris Watson, Fleming’s wine manager, will lead guests through each selection of Far Niente wines as paired with chef Michael Civalli’s four-course menu. The event starts at 6:30 p.m. with a reception and dinner at 7. Miso Glazed Striped Bass will be served with Far Niente, Chardonnay Napa Valley, 2007. Cumin Crusted Pork Tenderloin is paired with Far Niente, Chardonnay Napa Valley, 2006. Cabernet and Rosemary Marinated Ribeye will pair with Far Niente, Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley, 2005.

On the menu

Blue Grotto Restaurant, 210 Atwells Ave., Providence, (401) 272-9030, bluegrottorestaurant.com, has named Kory Ferrier executive chef. He also holds that post at sister restaurant Vintage. His new seasonal menu features classic Italian dishes with contemporary twists including an appetizer of prosciutto con melone (proscuitto di parma served with melon balls and drizzled with a super Tuscan reduction) for $9 and ravioli di spinaci e ricotta (homemade ravioli stuffed with spinach and ricotta cheese, finished with a white wine and lemon sauce with spring vegetables), $18. Its lobster ravioli and veal and peas remain unchanged and gnocchi Casalinga (made with homemade, tomato basil dumplings) is back for the summer.

Vintage, 4 South Main St., Woonsocket, (401) 765-1234, vintageri.com, has a new menu of New American cuisine from executive chef Kory Ferrier. Each entree is less that $20, with sandwiches and pizzas ranging from $6 to $11. New to menu are paella (chicken, shrimp, clams, white fish, mussels, calamari, Spanish red rice and vegetables) for $18; an eight-ounce filet mignon (coffee seared, chimichurri emulsion, garlic mashed and grilled asparagus) for $20; vanilla seared sea scallops (citrus couscous and summer vegetables) at $17; Buffalo Statler chicken (blue cheese dressing and blue cheese stuffed celery appetizer) for $7; and a shrimp po’ boy (fried shrimp, chiffonade romaine and creole remoulade on ciabatta) sandwich, at $8.

Bravo Brasserie, 123 Empire St., Providence, (401) 490-5112, bravobrasserie.com, offers a Monday Night Dinner Special for Two for $29.95 that includes a choice of Bravo or Caesar salad, an entree for each guest and a bottle of wine to share. On Fridays, between 4 and 7p.m., jumbo shrimp and oysters are only $1 in the lounge. The restaurant also serves brunch from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Sundays. Bravo offers a new late night patio and lounge menu starting at 11 p.m. until 1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

Bravo Brasserie hosts a dinner theater production of Who Killed Simon, based on television’s American Idol, and presented by Murder on Us Dinner Theatre, Saturday, June 27, at 8 p.m. The cost is $42.95 for a choice of grilled top sirloin, Statler chicken breast or lemon pepper salmon, served with mashed potatoes and green beans and dessert. A vegetarian option is available. Reservations required. For information, visit murderonus.com.

The Coachmen’s Lodge, 273 Wrentham Rd., Bellingham, Mass., (508) 883-9888, coachmenslodge.com, has a Wine and Dine for Two special for $35 that includes an appetizer (chef’s choice), garden salad, choice of entree (beef, fish, fowl or veal), house bottle of wine, coffee and dessert. The special is available Wednesday through Friday, 4:30 to 9:30 p.m., and Saturday, 4 to 6 p.m., excluding holidays. Regular dining hours are Wednesday through Friday, 4:30 to 9:30 p.m.; Saturday, 4 to 10 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 8:30 p.m.

Garden Grille, 727 East Ave., Pawtucket, (401) 726-2826, has a new summer menu that features more raw foods, including a raw beet ravioli and cashew cheese topped with vegan pesto and orange pepper coulis. The new lunch menu has added a vegan “BLT” sandwich with arugula and chipotle sauce. Under the guidance of Shura Baryshnikov, a local certified raw foods chef, the garden grille will be serving raw food dinner entree specials and desserts every Wednesday evening. Saturday is farm-to-table day featuring specials with produce from the Hope Street Farmer’ Market. In addition, the garden grille now procures 100 percent of its produce from Sid Wainer and Sons, which specializes in organic and locally grown produce. Sunday brunch now features vegan tofu bacon and eggs or tofu scramble with house made vegan hollandaise sauce. New Sunday brunch hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Old Grist Mill Tavern, 390 Fall River Ave., Seekonk, (508) 336-8460, ogmtavern.com, celebrates its 20th annual Lobster Feast during lunch and dinner through Labor Day. Guests can enjoy lobster entrees starting at $14.95 as well as a selection of lobster appetizers. The Grist Mill is open daily.

Tavern by the Sea, 16 West Main St., Wickford, (401) 294-5771, is offering a coupon for a free appetizer at the counter inside Green Ink, 89 Brown St., (401) 294-6266, which opens Friday, June 26, 5 to 9 p.m. There will also be a 2009 VW Beetle Rally that evening, and most stores are open until 8 p.m. all summer.

Contests

The Blackstone Valley Tourism Council is hosting its first French Meat Pie Cook-Off. The tourtière is a meat pie originating from Quebec, usually made with ground pork and/or veal or beef. It is a traditional part of the Christmas and New Year’s Eve meal in Quebec. They are also hosting the third annual Blackstone River Valley Dynamite Cook Off, which pays tribute to the sandwich of fried ground beef, pepper, onions and tomato paste and served on a special roll. The sandwich is found in Woonsocket. Both contests take place Sept. 12 during the French Farmers’ Market Festival presented by the Northern Rhode Council on the Arts at River Island Park, Market Square, Woonsocket. Contestants for both contests must register. For more information, visit tourblackstone.com or call (401) 724-2200.

Farmers’ market opens

Charlestown Farmers’ Market has opened for the season at Cross’ Mills Public Library, 4417 Post Rd., Charlestown. Sponsored by the South County Conservancy (Charlestown’s Land Trust), it is open Fridays, 9 a.m. to noon, through Sept. 11. Shoppers can find locally grown and produced fruits, vegetables, eggs, beef, cheese, breads, flowers, honey, oysters and more. Other features include alpaca and sheep demonstrations, live music and dancing, food tasting, a tour of the schoolhouse and other activities.

Save the date

Harney Tea Tasting, Book Signing and Holiday Event will be sponsored by Granite State Vacations, Sunapee, N.H., and Harney & Sons. The events will be held Dec. 5, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Dec. 6, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. They will be hosted simultaneously at a selection of inns. Master tea blender John Harney, founder of Harney & Sons, and his son, Mike Harney, will be at the inns to demonstrate the art of brewing the perfect cup of tea, tea gift basket making and to sign Harney Tea books. The cost is $25 per person. Tickets for the tea tasting, as well as special packages for the weekend are available at granitestatevacations.com or by calling (603) 735-6426.

On TV

Cooking with Class features chef Frank Terranova, an associate instructor at Johnson & Wales University, cooking cold summer soup recipes next week during the noon and 5 p.m. newscasts on Channel 10.

On radio

Dining Out with Bruce Newbury broadcasts live from the White Horse Tavern in Newport, Saturday, June 27, noon to 2 p.m. Guests will include executive chef Rob Coutu, general manager Gary Swanson and other Newport guests. The tavern’s new brunch menu will be featured. The show is on 920AM WHJJ.

gciampa@projo.com