PA’s Top Chefs

By Karen Hendricks, PR/Marketing Director

“Bricco,” an Italian word describing the top of a hill where the best grapes grow, is an appropriate label for one of downtown Harrisburg’s premium restaurants. Of course you won’t find a vineyard along Chestnut Street, but you will find plenty of fresh, seasonal produce incorporated into the innovative menu. Chef Jason Viscount, in partnership with Harrisburg Area Community College Chef Michael Finch, were both awarded the 2010 Governor’s Award for the Culinary Arts, at the Gettysburg Festival. This award, in its third year, recognizes outstanding Pennsylvania chefs who spotlight locally sourced foods with artistic flair, while educating consumers about the state’s agricultural industry.  (Click here for a YouTube clip from the award dinner.)

And during a recent lunch outing, it was obvious that Chefs Viscount and Finch are the Picasso’s of their trade. Their “palette” of fresh Pennsylvania produce was not only colorful, but flavorful at every Italian-inspired bite. Ordering from the fall menu, our party shared a trio of appetizers: Beet Salad including the unexpected but delicious combination of local goat cheese and pistachios; Caponata, featuring Sicilian eggplant with an amazing combination of raisins, pine nuts and roasted peppers; and Fire-Roasted Peppers bursting with the flavor of two-year aged balsalmic vinegar.

Sweet Potato Ravioli

We appreciated the warm, coppery interior, including views of the fiery stone oven where pizzas were being created. But the highlight for me personally, was my main dish, Sweet Potato Ravioli. It was the perfect blend of fall comfort food with an innovative twist, as each puff of sweet potato filling seemed to melt in my mouth. Everyone around the table agreed Bricco’s French Fries were some of the tastiest fries we’d ever had, especially when dipped into the accompanying truffle aioli. Other dishes ordered at our table included a beautiful Seasonal Salad with fennel, orange and pumpkin seeds, and Tuscan Chicken Salad sandwiches with a savory combination—almonds, dried cherries, red onion and a sweet butter lettuce.

Pizza Fritta

We even took time for dessert, sampling the huge Pizza Fritta, with delicious banana foster gelato and chocolate curls atop a warm, deep-fried pizza base. In contrast, the adorable, miniature Chilled Apricot Soup packed a refreshing, fruity punch.

Bricco certainly lived up to its name-sake as the pinnacle of culinary experiences, one that should be revisited as the season changes, to experience a full range of peak Pennsylvania flavors merged with Mediterranean inspiration. Which gives us “food-for-thought” for future culinary adventures at the 2011 Gettysburg Festival…

Fabulous French Fries

The Joy of Gingerbread

By Rob Levesque, Festival Intern, Gettysburg College Class of 2010, Management Major

Walking into the Gingerbread House Celebration at the Gettysburg Hotel, the first thing to catch my eye was the crowd of people admiring the magnificent houses on display.  As I tried to absorb the carefully planned details of each house, I couldn’t help but hear children laughing from a room around the corner.  I peeked in and immediately saw what all the commotion was about: the children were in the process of creating their very own gingerbread houses at the Gingerbread House Workshop.  I couldn’t help but smile, seeing the joy of this creative process, and even though as much candy ended up in their mouths as on their houses, a wonderful time was had by all.

 

Gingerbread Auction

The 2010 auction has concluded, and the votes have been tabulated in the People’s Choice Awards for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place.  Check below to see which houses won.  Congratulations to the winners!

Many thanks to each and every gingerbread house creator.  All of the houses are truly works of art and the Festival is thankful for your creativity and support in this first endeavor.   The Festival also thanks the wonderful crowd and generous bidders who attended the 2010 Gingerbread House Celebration.  Happy Holidays!

House #1 Winning Bid $250 Created By:  Gettysburg Day Spa	House #2 Winning Bid $50 Created By: Joyce & Carrie Mayer
House #3 Winning Bid $50 Created By:  Anthony Messano	House #4 Winning Bid $50 Created By:  Barbara Ernico
House #5 Winning Bid $30 Created By: The Historic Gettysburg Hotel	House #6 Winning Bid $75 Created By:  Colleen Porcaro
House #7 Winning Bid $185 Created By:  Chelsea Walton	House #8 Winning Bid $10 Created By:  Dinorah Jerez
House #9 – 3rd Place Winning Bid $50 Created By:St. Francis Xavier Kindergarten	House #10 – 1st Place Winning Bid $250 Created By:  Mary Elliott
House #11 – 2nd Place Winning Bid $250 Created By:  Team Robinson	House #12 Winning Bid $45 Created By:  Terry & Elizabeth
House #13 Winning Bid $100 Created By:  Eva’s Inspiration	House #14 Winning Bid $20 Created By:  Herff Jones
Centerpiece Winning Bid $50	Art Piece  Current Bid $75 Snowy Cottage by Dianne Lorden:  Pen & Ink with Colored Pencil.    Value:  $75 / Minimum Bid:  $35