FOOD ARCHIVES Best Weekend Food Events: Scrabble and Sazeracs, the Cider Rider, and Culinary Kids Weekend
by Billy Lyons
Scrabble and Sazeracs, Botanica, 220 Conover Street, Brooklyn, Friday, 7 p.m.
Spell out the words Valentine’s Day and you might just walk away with a bottle of bourbon. Botanica is hosting Scrabble night. The highest score of the night receives a bottle of bourbon from Red Hook’s Widow Jane distillery.
Caribbean Valentine Pop-Up Dinner, Happy Lucky No.1 Gallery, 734 Nostrand Avenue, Brooklyn, Friday, 7 to 9:30 p.m.
Heat up Valentine’s Day weekend with Scotch-bonnet pepper sauce and other West Indian favorites at this five-course dinner at the art gallery. Guests will enjoy vegan and nonvegan courses paired with a signature cocktail. Dishes will be served family style. Reservations are $53.74 and include all food and drink; reserve here.
Chinese New Year, Fung Tu, 22 Orchard Street, Friday and Saturday
Say a festive goodbye to Chinese New Year at Fung Tu, where the offerings will include a few special dishes in honor of the Year of the Monkey. Dishes like scallops wontons in mushroom-celery broth and chestnut mooncakes with cashew ice cream correlate with traditional signs of prosperity, as do special cocktails like the Chang Pau, named after the golden robes of Buddhist monks.
The Cider Rider, Penn Station, 234 West 31st Street, Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Looking to escape the city this weekend? Hop aboard a hard cider tour of the Hudson Valley. And yes, drinking starts on the bus! Guests will visit Bad Seed Cider, Pennings Farm, and Doc’s Draft Hard Cider at Warwick Valley Winery. All transportation, tastings, tours, and lunch are included in the cost of a ticket ($150 per person). Reserve here.
Culinary Kids Weekend, New York Botanical Garden, 2900 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Families are invited to learn the science behind kitchen chemistry with recipe demonstrations, activities, and tastings. Workshops include kid-friendly recipes and learning how to use kitchen tools, with a focus on healthy dishes. Tickets are $20 for adults and $8 for kids from 2 to 12 years old; reserve them here.