Fun Picnic Facts
| picnic |ˈpikˌnik|
noun
· an outing or occasion that involves taking a packed meal to be eaten outdoors.
· a meal eaten outdoors on such an occasion.
· The Picnic Society was formed in London early in the 19th century by a
group of fashionable people for purposes of entertainment.
Each member was expected to provide a share of the entertainment and of
the refreshments.
This idea of mutual sharing or cooperation was fundamental to the
original significance of the picnic.
Later the word
took on the additional meaning of an outdoor pleasure party. The word "Picnic" as
now used, includes almost every type of informal, outdoor meal or
festivity, such as clambake, barbecue ,
or fish fry. This custom of cooperative dining is ancient; Greek men held
symposia where the guests ate and discussed important matters.
· In 2000 in France, a 600-mile-long picnic took place from coast-to-coast
to celebrate the first Bastille Day of the new Millennium.
· In the United States, the 4th of July celebration of American
independence is a popular day for a picnic.
· In Italy, the favorite picnic day is "Angel's Monday" also known as
Pasquetta (little easter) which is the day after Easter.
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Weird Lobster Facts
| What's the green stuff?
It's the lobster's liver or more accurately, its digestive system.
Although many people like to eat the "tomalley" it probably isn't a good
idea because this is where pollution in the lobster's own meal choices
would become concentrated in the lobster's body.
What's the red stuff?
It's the roe, the unfertilized eggs of the female. Lobster eggs were
once considered a delicacy, like caviar. The roe is also called "coral"
because of its bright red color.
What is the nutritional value of lobster?
Nutrition studies show that 3 1/2 ounces of lobster meat (without
the butter) contains only 90 calories, compared to 163 calories for the
same amount of chicken and 280 calories for sirloin steak. Lobster also
contains omega-3 fatty acids, the "good " cholesterol that seems to
reduce hardening of the arteries and decrease the risk of heart attacks.
Can you eat lobster when there is a shellfish ban?
Yes. Lobsters, unlike mussels, oysters, and clams, are not "filter
feeders." Filter feeders pump sea water, and any plankton or pollution
it carries, through their bodies. Any toxins in the water will be
concentrated in their flesh.
Meat eaters like lobsters, crabs, and fish do not filter plankton
from sea water, so they are safe to eat during an outbreak of red tide.
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D I T C H P L A I N S
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M A R C M U R P H Y
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 Mangia Bene with
Chef Marc Murphy
May 10, 2010,
7pm cocktails, 8pm dinnerAstor Center399 Lafayette St. (E. 4th St.)J oin us for a special dinner party hosted by Chef Marc Murphy of Landmarc and Ditch Plains. At this exclusive hands-on evening at the Astor Center, Chef Murphy will take to the kitchen to cook some of his favorite Italian dishes. Beginning with a cocktail hour full of hors d'oeuvres and prosecco, you'll be able to munch and mingle with Marc and his sous-chef as they prepare the night's meal. Then you'll enjoy the fruits of their labor in an Italian family-style feast with dishes like fritto misto with calamari, clams, spearing, zucchini, cauliflower and herbs; veal sweetbread agnolotti with sweet onions and Parmesan; and sautéed fluke served with fennel and olives amongst others. Also on hand will be beverage director David Lombardo who will be selecting wines, beers and a specialty cocktail for your imbibing pleasure. As Marc always says,
"Chi Mangia Bene, Mangia Italiano"
(those who eat well, eat Italian!).Event Details: $150 for hors d'oeuvres, four courses, wine, beer and a specialty cocktail;
includes tax and gratuity.To Reserve, call us at 212-625-8271 or e-mail zagat@landmarc-restaurant.com
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S P E C I A L E V E N T S : M E E T C H R I S T A W E A V I N G
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Please join us in welcoming our new Events Director, Christa Weaving. Having managed special events and marketing for Chef David Burke, Christa comes to us with extensive event experience in the New York City restaurant industry. At Anvil NY, she'll be managing both our special events at our three NYC restaurants as well taking the lead with Landmarc's catering program. And speaking of catering ... don't forget that our restaurant locations are unique and festive venues for hosting your special event, whether it be a birthday party, a client dinner or a unique wine tasting experience. Our events team offers full service event planning from specialized floral design to detailed audio-visual services. And Landmarc Catering offers its varied, delectable cuisines and stylish, fun concepts beyond the restaurants. Whether hosting a wedding in a unique art gallery or an intimate dinner in the comfort of your own home, Landmarc Catering will ensure a fabulous event. We have extensive relationships with area event venues and offer our seamless event planning services from proposal to completion. To inquire about your next event, contact Christa at christa@anvilny.com or at 212.625 8270.
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T I P S F R O M D I T C H
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 At Ditch Plains we happily pre-crack each lobster for you, but use these
tips when you find yourself in need of some cracking expertise.
HOW TO
EAT A LOBSTER IN LESS THAN 10 STEPS
1. Most people start
by breaking off the legs. Holding the lobster by the
back, gently pull off the legs with a twisting motion.
Don't throw these away: there are delicious. 2. Take off the
claws, which are also called chelipeds.
Tear them off at the first joint with a gentle
twisting motion, and note that the crusher claw usually is bigger than
the tearing claw. 3. Gently remove the loose part of the claw.
Again, check for especially
tasty morsels in small parts!
4. Using a nutcracker, break off the tip of the large section of
claw,
revealing the meat. 5. With your forefinger, push the meat from
the tip of the claw out the
larger open end. 6. Notice the mouth parts, antennae, antennules,
and rostrum or beak, all
of which are inedible. 7. Grasp the tail portion with one hand,
and the back with the other hand.
Twist to separate the two sections. 8. After that, turn to
end of the tail which has small flippers, or
telsons, at the base.
These provide tasty if miniscule chunks of meat to those who
don't mind a little extra work. 9. Insert your thumb into the
flipper end of the lobster tail. Unless the
tail is enormous, you should be able to force the meat out with one
push. If you run into trouble, you can use a sharp knife to slit the
underside of the tail shell. The dark, vein-like structure that runs
the length of the tail should be discarded.
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