Should I dilute my whisky with water? If so, how much is appropriate? Worcester’s Whisky Witch shows us her tried and true method of adding just the right amount of water to enhance her whisky’s flavor and smell.

While cigars have always been a traditionally man-driven activity, the fact of the matter is when you have a great setting like Victory Bar & Cigar combined with some great options and alternative accessories, the act of smoking a cigar can be preferred by women and men alike!

According to an article in the Telegram, the Miss Worcester Diner on Southbridge Street will be the focus of an episode of a new series on The Learning Channel. According to the article, The Learning Channel was there shooting video for a show about unique dining destinations in America. Congratulations to everyone at Miss Worcester Diner…and don’t forget, the Miss Worcester Diner is one of many unique and affordable dining destinations in our great city. Almost every neighborhood in the city has unique dining options including our share of diners, intimate BYOB mom and pop restaurants, ethic offerings, small bistros, cafes and more. So get out and enjoy the city’s small, owner-operated dining establishments…you won’t be disappointed.

With Worcester’s Best Chef quickly approaching, we were thrilled to not only hear that Michael Giletto—as seen on Iron Chef America, Chopped, Ultimate Recipe Showdown and The Tyra Banks Show—but also Kiss 108/NECN’s TV Diner’s Billy Costa will be playing prominent roles at this years event.

Tickets are going very fast and can be purchased on the Worcester’s Best Chef web site for a nominal fee. WorcesterScene.com, as media sponsor, will also be giving out free tickets to the event to random people on our e-mail list! To be considered, please sign up for our list here: SceneAlerts.

Who doesn’t want to win a trip to Las Vegas!? For your chance to win, please visit Brew City on Sunday, January 24th! The drawing begins at 3:30pm.

Can’t make it to the Las Vegas drawing? Don’t fret, you should still plan on joining Brew City for their Super Bowl party, Sunday, February 7th at 4:00pm to watch the game on one of their 18 TVs!

Super Bowl Party Ticket includes:

• Entries to win great prizes including Miller Lite Beer Gear, framed Patriots photos and more
• Giveaways during the game
• Shrimp cocktail, salad and choice of Seafood Casserole or All You Can Eat Prime Rib, potato and vegetable.
• “Stadium Snacks” will be served throughout the game
• Complimentary appetizers at half time

Each party ticket also includes 10 raffle tickets for two great prizes:  37” Vizio LCD TV or a Full Size Gas Grill!

Tickets are $25.00 per person purchased in advance or $30.00 on Super Bowl Sunday (not including tax & gratuity). Reservations are required…call space is limited so plan early! Separate winners for the LCD TV and Grill.  Some restrictions apply.

Can’t make either of those events? Then just stop in for dinner and be certain to check out their great deal by printing the coupon below!

The Worcester’s Best Chef culinary competition will take place Sunday, January 31, 2010, at historic Union Station, from 4 to 8 p.m., with some exciting developments. “Some Iron Chef elements, like a live Mystery Basket final round, will be added to the event,” said Alina Eisenhauer, one of the competition’s judges and a featured chef on Food Network’s Chopped. Michael Giletto, a celebrity chef from Iron Chef America, Chopped, and the Tyra Banks Show, is one of many highly-accredited chefs that will sit on the panel this year alongside other culinary greats and food critics.

Last year’s winners included Judges’ Choice champion Laddavanh “Anna” Bouphavichith from Yama Zakura in Northboro and People’s Choice champ Wilson Wang from BABA Sushi in Worcester. They will be joined by several other top chefs, all competing in one of three categories, Fine Dining, Asian, and Dessert. The gourmets will all be preparing their very best, as this is no ordinary food show—”The chefs are coming to win and they are bringing their ‘A’ game,” said judge Stanley Nicas from the Culinary Institute of America and The Castle Restaurant. The judges’ criteria are based on those of the Culinary Institute of America, and results are audited and announced by Worcester-based CPA firm, Houssan Ojerholm, PC. Last year’s event saw the likes of stuffed lobster, King Crab, a fully skewered and slow-roasted lamb, caviar-filled sushi, stuffed fillet mignon, and much, much more.

The Worcester’s Best Chef culinary competition also features a full tasting of wines from throughout the world. Guests will also be trained in the art of “Champagne Sabering” by Sir Jeremy John Bell of Scotland, a master of uncorking $80 Perrier-Jouet French Champagne with a 4-foot saber. Sir Jeremy will also indulge guests in the history and tasting of Absinthe, an ancient liquor known as “The Green Fairy”, which inspired world-famous artists like Picasso and Matisse, as well as author Ernest Hemmingway. Guests will witness a Salsa, Cha-Cha and Merengue dance exhibition by the kings of Latin Swing, Salsa Storm, then they will cast their votes via text messaging after tasting the extraordinary delights, but not before they get some relaxing massage therapy courtesy of Theracopia of Soutboro.

Net proceeds will be donated to Worcester Technical High School’s College Scholarship Fund. The intent is to reward young culinary students who are talented and work hard, but don’t have the economic means to continue on to higher culinary education. Students are also paired with mentoring chefs during the competition for training purposes. “Supporting the culinary arts is a very important aspect of this event,” said Peter Crafts, director of technical education at Worcester Technical High School’s $93 million facility in Worcester. Mercury Media & Entertainment, the organizers of the event, plan to introduce a competition this year between the students of the many technical schools from throughout Massachusetts, called Massachusetts Best Student Chef. Worcester’s Best Chef will sell out, as it did last year. Sponsors include United States Army, Percy’s, WorcesterScene.com, Quality Business Graphics, Vantage Printing, WXLO, WCRN, and WSRS. Check out T&G press features and other information, and get $10 off when you buy 2 tickets at WorcestersBestChef.com.

Buy your tickets now, see pricing information at the Worcester’s Best Chef web site.

If you follow anything that Christina Andrianopoulos talks about in her Style & Vibe segment for WorcesterScene, you would know that the city boasts some fantastic boutiques for all styles and interests. In fact, in July of 2009 the Miss America Organization, held the preliminaries to the Miss Massachusetts competition at Worcester’s Hanover Theatre. To help solidify the idea of Worcester really establishing itself as a fashion conscious city, the Hanover Theatre is going to be presenting the Miss Latina competition. According to a press release from the organization running the event, they are looking for some Local Latinas that want to take home the crown.

Latinas Needed for local pageant

Applications are now being accepted for the Miss Latina Worcester County cultural and scholarship pageant. Young ladies and adult Latina women ages 6 through 40 are eligible to participate. Applicants will be chosen to compete in four title divisions: Little Miss Latina Worcester County, Teen Latina Worcester County, Miss Latina Worcester County, and Señora Latina Worcester County.

Contestants will compete in four contest categories on July 24, 2010 at the majestic Hanover Theater for the Performing Arts in Downtown Worcester. As part of this magnificent event, contestants will participate in various seminars and workshops, such as, proper etiquette, self-esteem enhancing discussions, modeling, health and wellness, career path orientation, and much more. There will be scholarships, prizes, and awards for the title winners and the top finalists, as well as for some of the competing contestants.

For more information on how you could become the next Miss Latina Worcester, we invite you and a parent or guardian to attend a pageant informational session to be held at the Worcester Public Library’s Saxe Room located on 3 Salem Square, Worcester on January 9, 2010 at 11:00 AM.

Contact Annette Gonzalez at (508)854-0768 for more information or visit http://misslatinaworcester.com/

On November 17th, Brew City Grill & Brew House officially introduced their newly updated menu with a three course Cask Ale dinner featuring local craft breweries.  Participating in the event were Central MA’s own Wachusett Brewing Company, Shipyard Brewing Company from Maine and Harpoon Brewery based out of Boston.

In a tradition of excellence that has kept Brew City Grill & Brew House on top of the “Best of” list in Worcester, Massachusetts, Brew City now features forty beers on draft and a phenomenal bottle selection exceeding 120 beers.  The highlight of the bar experience is three newly installed Angram beer engines, imported directly from England.  This elegant centerpiece delicately delivers the beer into your glass through the use of a hand pump.  “As poured in England, it’s truly the most natural way to drink beer,” says co-owner, founder and genuine beer enthusiast Jerry Azzarone.  “We spared no expense having this system custom built to suit out customers needs.”  On a typical night you will find yourself amazed by the display of beers running through this hand-crafted system from craft breweries across the country.  Recently featured breweries include Allagash Brewing Company out of Portland, Maine, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery from Milton, Delaware and Smuttynose Brewing Company out of Portmsouth, New Hampshire.

With the draft beer selection well covered and an ever growing bottle list, Jerry and his team are dedicating more and more time to the food at Brew City Grill & Brew House.  “Our restaurant has a great reputation for accommodating the sports fan or the businessman, but we didn’t want to get away from the core values which have made us so successful,” states Azzarone, “that’s our family atmosphere and eclectic menu.”  A trip to Brew City will have you amazed at the menu which includes items such as the ever popular Smoked Chicken Baked Macaroni, Grilled Mediterranean Tuna and Beer-BBQ Brisket.  Be sure to try Brew City’s “burger bar concept” menu…there are over 38 trillion possibilities.  Beer dinners will also be conducted on a regular basis to increase awareness about beer’s place at the dinner table.  “Beer and food is the perfect match, sometimes people don’t stop to think about it,” he adamantly expresses. “That’s where we come in.”

Brew City Grill & Brew House is located at 104 Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, Massachusetts and has been an integral part of the community of restaurants which give the city so much character.  Open seven days a week for lunch and dinner, Brew City Grill & Brew House is the premier place in the city to meet up with friends, take a colleague to lunch, watch the game, have a beer, or enjoy a night out with the family.  Visit Brew-City.com to join the email club for news, events and promotions as well as special offers and discount coupons.