Scenes From Flavors Of Fall

A couple weeks ago, I had the opportunity to attend the 8th Annual Flavors of Fall event. I had actually attended this event back in 2008 with Jeff and one of our friends. I really enjoyed it then and thought it was a great way to get to know some of the restaurants in the neighborhood that I hadn't yet been to (not to mention that it supported a great cause: CitySprouts), so I was looking forward to checking it out again this year.

Flavors of Fall, held at Regattabar at the Charles Hotel in Cambridge, is a food-filled event that celebrates New England's fall harvest and raises funds for a different organization each year. The proceeds from this year's event went to Tutoring Plus, which supports and encourages the academic, personal, and social growth of Cambridge youth.

When I saw the list of participating restaurants for the event this year, I couldn't help but feel proud of my little neighborhood and how much the restaurant scene has grown here over the past year or so. Bergamot, Catalyst, Area Four, and Bondir were all there among old favorites like Henrietta's Table and The Blue Room. Here's just a sampling of what I tried at the event.

Apple, peanut praline, caramel powder, and Maldon salt (a sort of deconstructed caramel apple)
Garden at the Cellar

Brussels sprout popcorn with guanciale salt
The Blue Room 

Lucky 7 Farms Berkshire pork terrine with fall fruit chutney (my favorite!)
Area Four

Braised beef, Taleggio cheese, arugula, truffle oil panini
Bergamot

Pigs in a blanket
EVOO

Caramel budino
Harvest

Maple créme brûlée
Sandrine's Bistro

Flavors of Fall truly showcases some great food and supports great causes, so if you have a chance to check it out next year, I highly recommend it.

I was given a complimentary ticket to the event this year.

Have you been to any fundraising events lately?