There is no shortage of special dining events in the area.
Robin Lamothe of Steaming Tender Restaurant in Palmer sent word of two events being held this month.
Sunday will be Steaming Tender’s observation of National Waffle Day, with a variety of waffle toppings at the restaurant’s breakfast buffet and gourmet waffle sandwich specials on the menu all day.
On March 19, Robin and her husband, Blake, will be giving a presentation on the history of the station that houses the restaurant, a late nineteenth century landmark designed by the renowned Boston architecture Henry Hobson Richardson. A cash bar and complimentary cold hors d’oeuvres will be served. The presentation starts at 6:30 p.m.; reservations are requested.
The Easter Bunny will be making a special appearance at Steaming Tender on March 30 as part of a holiday-themed Bunny Breakfast event. The breakfast starts at 9:30 a.m. Contact Steaming Tender at (413) 413?283?2744 to make reservations for either event.
In addition to promoting the above, Lamothe also wanted to spread the word that the restaurant was now offering gluten-free chocolate torte, pasta, and bread.
The March calendar of events at Chandler’s Restaurant in South Deerfield includes a variety of fun dining experiences.
On Saturday and again on March 23, the restaurant will be offering an Afternoon Tea. Served at the traditional hour of 4 p.m., the tea begins with fresh fruit and cheese before proceeding on to a selection of tea sandwiches such as chicken salad with tarragon and avocado and brie.
Assorted miniature sweets, scones, and cream puffs will also be offered, as will a selection of teas, coffee, and spring water. Tea is $20 plus tax and gratuity.
Fancy Nancy Luncheons are scheduled for March 16 and 30. A chance for “girls“ of all ages to “dress fancy“ and order off Chandler’s menu, the luncheon parties, which start at 11 a.m., include a reading of the modern children’s classic “Fancy Nancy.“ Reservations for these events can be made by calling (413) 665-1277.
On March 18 Berkshire Grown will be celebrating the first harvest of the season with its annual March Maple Dinner. Held to benefit Berkshire Grown and its Share the Bounty project, the dinner is being hosted by the Mansion at Cranwell Resort in Lenox.
A five-course celebration of maple’s versatility, the evening is a collaboration that brings together Jeffrey Thompson, the Executive Chef at Wheatleigh in Lenox and Carl Deluce, the Executive Chef at Cranwell Resort.
Joining them in putting the dinner on will be a number of “alumni“ from those two kitchens who are now practicing their craft across the region. Tickets, which are available by advance purchase only, are $125. For reservations, call the Berkshire Grown office at (413) 528-0041. Special lodging rates are available at Cranwell Resort for the event night.
Chef-Owner Michael Anderson of Tuckers Restaurant in Southwick sends word that he’ll be serving his traditional corned beef and cabbage during both lunch and dinner starting Friday and continuing through March 30.
Anderson’s Irish soda bread, made using a recipe originally popularized by the now-defunct Golden Lemon in Holyoke, is another St. Patrick’s Day tradition at Tucker’s. Tucker’s Restaurant can be reached at (413) 569-0120.
The fifth annual Full-Belly Benefit Dance Party will be held Saturday, March 23, at the Jewish Community of Amherst’s Social Hall in Amherst.
A celebration of locally raised and produced foods and drink, the Dance Party will music provided by the No-Nos.
Benefiting the Amherst and Northampton Survival Centers as well as the Kestrel Trust, the Dance Party will feature hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar. Price of admission is $10 at the door.
The Lisa Ekus Group of Hatfield, an agency that represents chefs, cookbook authors, and food manufacturers, is holding a “So You Want to Write a Cookbook?“ contest this month.
As part of an effort to sign new talent, the Lisa Ekus Group is conducting a Twitter contest that’s inspired by the NCAA’s March Madness.
From March 11 to March 13 the Ekus Group will be accepting cookbook concepts tweeted to #SignMeSal. On March 14, Sally Ekus, the group’s literary agent, will solicit more detail from a “Sweet Sixteen“ of semi-finalists; on March 25 two finalists will engage in a Twitter chat to discuss their proposals.
Previously eliminated contestants, as well as the Twitter community in general, can also ask questions of the final two contenders. More details about the competition are available at lisaekus.com; the agency answers at (413) 247-9325.
Warm days and chilly nights over the past week have made for near-perfect maple sugaring conditions. By this weekend sugarhouse restaurants across the Pioneer Valley will be offering up the amber sweetness of spring in amazingly varied forms, from pancakes with syrup to locally produced maple walnut ice cream, in dining venues that typically reflect rustic sensibilities.
The Massachusetts Maple Producers Association maintains a listing of sugarhouse restaurants at its website, massmaple.org/sugarhouse.
The Munich Haus In Chicopee will be holding its March Hops Club dinner on March 20 at 6 p.m.
Featured beer is to be Hofbrauhaus Traunstein Helles, a medium-bodied, drinkable brew well suited to the German style buffet that’s a part of a every Hops Club evening.
Tickets for the event, which includes a stein of beer and a buffet of the restaurant’s most popular menu selections, are $15. Advance reservations should be made by calling (413) 594-8788.
Hugh Robert is a faculty member in Holyoke Community College’s hospitality and culinary arts program and has over 35 years of restaurant and educational experience. Please send items of interest to Off the Menu at the Republican, P.O. Box 2350, Springfield, MA 01102; Robert can also be reached at OffTheMenuGuy@aol.com