Contests

Wedge + Fig (160 N. Third St.) is giving everyone an excuse to get a little cheesy with its first-ever pairing contest. The Old City cheese/light fare shop invites all to submit their own original cheese-and-something-else combo; they give playful examples like roasted rutabaga with roquefort and peanut buter with Pierre Robert. The judges — Wedge + Fig chef Rebecca Torpie, cheese blogger Tenaya "Madame Fromage" Darlington and Melanie Fortino of Di Bruno Bros. — will select the three pairings they deem most worthy, prepare them according to your specs and select the most delicious one. The cheese-off champion will receive a Wedge + Fig gift basket complete with a selection of cheese and crackers, One Village Coffee, Gilda's Biscotti and various accoutrement. In addition, the winning pairing will get on the menu during the shop’s Friday/Saturday dinner service throughout the entire month of December. All submissions are due by Friday, Nov. 18 via pairingscontest@wedgeandfig.com.
Photo: Drew Lazor

Last week we challenged y'all to answer a very simple question — If you spotted Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert sitting at your local bar, what drinks would you buy for them and WHY? — for the chance at a pair of tickets to this Wednesday's chef-blabbing event at the Merriam. This was a super-tough one that required an impromptu City Paper straw poll, but we've concluded that Meal Ticket commenter rb215 had the winning response (based more on the reasoning than the actual beverage choice):
"the citywide special (pabst and a shot of beam) 1) because i'm broke 2) they don't need to be impressed 3) WHY WOULDN'T YOU?!"
Congrats, rb215, and see you there.

We here at CP have been talking a lot about next week's highly anticipated POPPED! lately — we're official media partners for the music and food fest, and lent a hand in curating the sure-to-be-dope Food Bazaar. (See Critical Mass for daily coverage of all the POPPED! acts.)
To prove that we're not all talk and no walk, we've got pairs of tix for both days — that's two for Friday and two for Saturday — that we want to give away. Entering to win is easy: Simply write ONE SENTENCE about why you deserve this sweet prize and leave it as a comment on this post before 2 p.m. tomorrow, Sept. 15. Make sure you register with an email address that you check frequently, as that's how we'll alert the winner.
Good luck and happy sentencing! We'll see you at the show. Somewhat relatedly, here is a picture of POPPED! artist Kreayshawn eating a popsicle:

UPDATE [16sept11]: I gotta say, guys — I'm a little disappointed in the sentence selection for this contest! You have to know that "I love food and music" is not going to win you these tix, right? You gotta bring it a little, say something creative, outlandish, funny, scandalous, something that stands out! That's why Meal Ticket commenter gme928 wins with this gem: "These shows make me feel like a disco angel in a rainbow heaven." You'll be flapping your rhinestone-studded wings all over both days of POPPED!, sir/madam. Congratulations!

Today happens to be National Watermelon Day, and City Tap House (3925 Walnut St.) will salute the fruit with a seed-spitting celebration. The event, which kicks off at 4 p.m., will feature $5 watermelon cocktails and $4 watermelon beers on tap, including Roy Pitz Lovitz Watermelon Lager and 21st Amendment's Hell or High Watermelon. The highlight, though? A full-on watermelon eating contest. The competition will be $5 to enter, and it ain't just for play-play — Phillies tickets are on the line. Contestants will start with a base time of 4 minutes to stuff as melon as they can into their mouths. If they come wearing face paint or a partial costume, that's good for an extra 30 seconds. A full costume will get you an entire extra minute. (Proceeds from the contest will benefit Ronald McDonald House.) Things may get sloppy, but at least you'll be well-hydrated.
The Philadelphia Daily News, which just relaunched with a new look and approach earlier this week, has made the counterintuitive decision to put its two top editors in extreme physical danger. That danger will come in the former of the 5-Pound Philly Challenge at Jake's Sandwich Board (122 S. 12th St.), a feat of great gustatory valor that top editor Larry Platt and managing editor Pat McLoone will separately tackle tomorrow night at 6 p.m. "Man vs. Food is one of my favorite shows," says Platt, realistically noting that it's unlikely he or McCloone will polish off the challenge's 2-foot sandwich, four soft pretzels, 12 Tastykakes, 24 Peanut Chews and one Champ Cherry soda in the allotted 45 minutes. "Neither of us is going to be able to [complete] it," says Platt, "but we can compete with one another." The stipulations of the wager between the two editors are TBD.
What element of the behemoth spread is Platt — who describes himself as an "absolute hedonist" of an eater — most concerned about? "The fucking Peanut Chews," he says. "That just seems mean. There's no way. It just doesn't make sense."

"A force for global mischief and global good," the UK-based Adventurists strive to make the world a little less boring by hunting down thrills in extreme locales, all while raising money for charity. While it's their job to test out adventures (rickshaw runs through the Rajasthan Desert? Mongolian horse derbies?), it's your job to sign up for the vetted wildness and earn cash for organizations of both the Adventurists' and your own choosing. So far, they have seven international challenges to choose from, and team members are selected at random, meaning you could very well end up trekking through miles of jungle in Southeast Asia with complete strangers.
This Saturday, July 9, the Adventurists will gather in Philly at The Union League (140 S. Broad St.), along with Hendrick's, to host a gin-infused tea party from 4 to 9 p.m., with speaker Charles Brewer-Carias (pictured) taking the podium around 5. The grandson of an British diplomat who calls Venezuela home, Brewer-Carias is quite possibly the model for The Most Interesting Man in the World — he's an accomplished author, discovered the world's largest quartzite cave and has dozens of species of plants and animals named after him. Throughout the event, they'll be serving high-end teas (Earl Grey, Lapsang Souchong, Darjeeling) and a selection of Hendrick's cocktails. Bring your best etiquette; appropriate tea attire is required.
Tickets to the event can be purchased here, but Meal Ticket has a pair to give away. Entering is easy: Before tomorrow evening at 5 p.m., simply detail your most impressive food adventure in the comments. (If you're not yet registered to comment, please do so with an email address you check regularly — that's how we'll alert the winner.) Happy adventuring!
UPDATE [08jul11]: Cheers to Meal Ticket commenter Sarah Aileen, who wins two tix to tomorrow's event for her anecdote, which you can read after the jump.

Tonight at 7 p.m., Brauhaus Schmitz (718 South St.) is celebrating its second anniversary in business. To mark the milestone, all draft beers will be poured for $2 off and there will be a free food buffet, too. Chef Jeremy Nolen has decided to switch it up a bit and will be serving smoked brisket and roast pork sandwiches, stuffed clams, a cheese platter and pasta rather than the more traditional German fare he's known for. Co-owner Doug Hager said there's nothing else specific planned besides "partying our asses off." No reservations required, just show up and expect a good time.
Photo: Drew Lazor

Last week I had a really fun time sitting in on guest Quizzo round at Johnny Goodtimes' Wednesday-night gig at Black Sheep. JG has posted the I wrote for the wrote over on his blog — head over and try your hand. I don't think they're too difficult. If you do not know what movie the image above is from you are not allowed to play, sorry.


This weekend I had the great pleasure of sitting in as a judge at the first-ever A Full Plate Chili Cook-Off, held on Saturday, June 4 at Liberty Lands in NoLibs. Us judges — Taylor High from Mac & Cheese, Lily Cope from Cook, Anne Karlen of Fair Food, Anna Goldfarb of Shmitten Kitten, and radio personality Bill Anderson — were tasked with picking the best amateur and professional entries in the categories of red chili, white chili and vegan chili. Full rundown of winners after the jump; check out Mac & Cheese's recap, too.
Photos: Drew Lazor

All this week, Philly pub quiz king Johnny Goodtimes has been working off a food/drink theme for his various Quizzo nights around town. Tonight at 8 p.m. at Black Sheep (247 S. 17th St.), I'll be sitting in to read a guest round of food-centric queries for the crowd. Come through, say hi and try your luck! Here's the format of Johnny's games in case you're wondering; prize is a Black Sheep gift certificate, plus the people's ovation and fame forever.* Oh and your pic on JG's website too of course. See y'all there.
* POP QUIZ HOTSHOT. Which food show is that quote from?
UPDATE: Did a quick Q&A on JG's site.
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