Who: Palate Partners & Dreadnought Wines
What: Spain By The Glass
Where: The Cork Factory, 2401 Smallman Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
When: Thursday, September 6, 2007, 6:00 – 9:00 PM
Cost: $40.
For more information: 412-391-8502, or
www.palatepartners.com
Detail:
Palate Partners, Dreadnought Wines, and The Cork Factory join together for an evening of wine tasting and Spanish themes with "Spain By The Glass" on September 6, 2007.
Palate Partners and Dreadnought Wines in the Strip District, well know for their wine tastings, wine expertise and unique shop full of wine accessories, bring their collection of fine Spanish wines, a few 'porrones' and 'petos', a flamenco guitarist and a couple of dancers, and a fiesta of palate pleasing yummies to the Cork Factory for a Spanish celebration.
One may ask: 'Porrones and Petos?'.
A porrón is a traditional glass wine pitcher, typical of Catalonia but famous throughout Spain. It resembles a cross between a wine bottle and a watering can. The top of the bottle is narrow and can be sealed off with a cork. Stemming upwards from the bottom of the pitcher is a spout that gradually tapers off to a small opening. To drink from a porrón, start by bringing it very close to your mouth and tilt it back slowly so the beak points towards your teeth. Once liquid starts coming out, simultaneously pull the porrón away from your face and look up. Lower the porrón back close to your mouth before stopping so you don't spill any on yourself.
For those who are inexperienced with the proper use of porrones, the 'petos' will be a necessity, depending on the elegance of their attire. Peto = bib.
Wine expert Mike Gonze of Dreadnought Wines will sample several Spanish wine selections, and patrons will have the opportunity to sample them from traditional porrones if they choose (glasses will be available for the bashful). Mike will also pair Spanish wines with a variety of Spanish foods demonstrating the best flavor combinations for patrons to consider. All In Good Taste and the Big Burrito Group will be providing the Spanish delicacies for the evening.
In between tastings, guests will be entertained by Flamenco guitarist John Marcinizyn and dancers Carolina Loyola-Garcia and partner. Guitarist, composer, banjoist John Marcinizyn performs frequently as a soloist, with the Ferla-Marcinizyn Guitar Duo, flautist Tom Godfrey, contralto Daphne Alderson, and groups ranging from The Bach Choir of Pittsburgh to his jazz trio Acoustic Swing. His versatility as an acoustic and electric guitarist allows him to perform in many styles including flamenco, classical, jazz, rock, blues, and folk. John has also performed guitar and banjo for many theater companies including Quantum Theater, Open Stage Theater, Pittsburgh Irish and Classical Theatre, and Pittsburgh Playhouse Repertory Company. His playing can be heard on six CDs and one DVD. John's original music compositions have received numerous performances and include a guitar concerto, string quartet, orchestral music, music for theater, and pieces for solo guitar and guitar with mixed ensemble, as well as a number of jazz and rock pieces. His "Sonata for Guitar and Marimba" received critical acclaim following its premiere at the Guitar Foundation of America International Festival and Competition held in Buffalo. The Westmoreland Symphonic Winds commissioned a piece, "Song for the Sparrows," which premiered to acclaim in 2005 at Seton Hill University. John holds a Ph. D. in music composition and theory from the University of Pittsburgh, and teaches guitar at Carnegie Mellon University and guitar and composition at Seton Hill University. He is also on the advisory board of the Guitar Society of Fine Art.
Carolina Loyola-Garcia is a media artist from Chile interested in cultural and sociopolitical issues and how they affect people's lives. She is interested in Flamenco as an expression of the struggle of a persecuted and discriminated community, and as the proof that those voices cannot always be silenced.
This Fiesta will take place at The Cork Factory, a one-of-a-kind residential loft and soon-to-be retail venue in Pittsburgh's Strip, fusing bold design with energized surroundings and breathtaking views of the Pittsburgh skyline. The Cork Factory is a true historic landmark. Rarely have the past and present co-existed so beautifully in one place.
Tickets for Spain By The Glass are available for $40 per person, and may be purchased directly from the Palate Partners by calling (412) 391-8502, or by stopping into their shop in the Strip District at 2013 Penn Avenue. For more information on other events, classes and tastings, call, or visit
www.palatepartners.com.
