OMG - He's doing it again. Berserkerfest 10.2 in the Burbs, White Plains, NY on July 27. Now with food poll!!

What food would you like - vote for up to five choices, no guaranties.

  • Oxymoron sandwiches - smoked pulled pork on a challah roll with choice of creamy or vinegar slaw
  • Smoked brisket with caramelized onions
  • Ratatouille (suitable for vegans)
  • Mushroom risotto (suitable for vegetarians)
  • Dry aged red meat (TBD - steak or roast) (suitable for meatatarians)
  • Make your own pizza on the Big Green Egg with assorted fixings
  • Deep fried Cajun brined turkey
  • Home made citrus cured graavlax (suitable for pescatarians. or whatever they call themselves)
  • Brett Favre’s Mother’s (really!) Recipe Jambalaya
  • Seafood paella
  • Fresh ground Moroccan spices lamb sliders with Tzatziki Sauce
  • Spicy Ma Po Tofu with ground pig
  • Spicy Ma Po Tofu with ground turkey (you can only choose one of these two Ma Po choices)
  • Fettuccine Alfredo (taught to me by the chef who introduced it to Jackie Kennedy) with optional spicy Italian Sausage for the non-vegetarian
  • Assorted beef and pork ribs - smoked, grilled, dry rubbed, sauced, etc.
  • Fresh roasted vegetables - peppers, onions, eggplant, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, whatever.
  • Sous Vide jumbo carrots in butter with herbal infusion. The only thing I have made that is worth the sous vide trouble.
  • Tomatoes and onions and fresh mozzarella (if I can replicate the fresh mozz they taught me to make at the CIA AND I can get real fresh tomatoes not injected with helium to ripen them)
  • Belgian fries in duck fat (!)
  • Potato Latkes in duck fat
  • Deep fried matzoh balls - a side dish I invented for the Long Island Kosher BBQ championship.
  • Chicken marinated in oil and spices and then fire grilled - a jerk chicken version ONLY if Salil comes!
  • Rolled stuffed whole pork loin roast stuffed with mushrooms, truffle if I can get it, cheese and assorted herbs and other stuff then grilled or maybe spit roasted if I can work that out - see my Facebook page for photo.
  • Other. Describe below. But only if I know how to make it. I have discarded spit roasted whole lamb and roast suckling pig because they are beyond my current skill set.

0 voters

For decades, people will be talking about and reminiscing about this event so DO NOT miss it. The last time we had a smaller group, so there were only 61 bottles.

Berserkerfest 10.2 FAQs

Where? – My house

When? – July 27, 2019 starting at noon and going until after dark. Come whenever you want. There will be plenty of food and wine all day.

I’m new, what is a Berserkerfest? Berserkers from all across the country come together for comradery, food and . . . to share great wine.

Why 10.2? The original naming convention, developed by The Toddster, was sequential. However, somewhere around #7, which was years ago, we lost track, so Todd decided that Berserkerfests should be numbered with the Berserkeryear (this is year #10), followed by the sequential fest during the year (DiFaras was 10.1 so this must be 10.2).

Have you done this before? Yes. Berserkerfests 2.5, 7.0 and 1000 (like I said, we lost track so I restarted with 1000) were at my house. The threads are here:

Recycling for BF 2.5 the following Wednesday - NOTE - this excludes the 30-ish partially completed bottles we used for the best Beef Bourguignone ever made.:

A smaller group, so we only had 61 bottles:


Are you crazy? Yes, but that is another issue. I will be almost 68 years old by the time of the event. I figure I have one more over the top event left before I am too old, so I might as well share it with friends.

What are the important rules?

  1. You must bring at least one wine that you think is really good and that you want to share with friends.
  2. Immediately upon opening your wine, you must offer a short pour to the host (me) because when we cleaned up after 2.5, I found some really great bottles that I had never seen before. I will probably taste your offering, so the pour will be short, except for the wines expressly mentioned below.
  3. You may not drive after the event if you are even slightly inebriated. I have taken keys away from people more than once. When Amy Locane of Melrose Place got drunk and T-boned a car in New Jersey and killed someone, that someone was the wife of a colleague of mine who I had appeared with as co-counsel only a few weeks earlier, so I am very serious. I will pay for cabs to the White Plains train station and you can come back and get your car on Sunday.

Food? I will provide lots of food. For 2.5, the menu was five full dinners, one every two hours – (a) choice of wild mushroom or saffron risotto; followed by (ii) oxymoron sandwiches (smoked pulled pork on a challah roll with choice of cream or vinegar slaw); followed by (iii) deep fried Cajun turkey; (iv) followed by smoked brisket with homemade mole sauce and caramelized onions; followed by (v) Flannery hangar steaks, generously provided by BF himself, who was unable to attend due to an alleged USDA inspection that weekend. For dessert, I rented a chocolate fountain, giving rise to the photos of Todd eating fresh chocolate dipped bacon. If you absolutely positively want to bring food, IT SHOULD BE FLANNERY BEEF, LOBELL’S, LaFREIDA or something comparable to grill, but please advise in advance so we can plan.

I’m a Vegan. What can I do? I’m very sorry for your bad taste, but we will accommodate if warned in advance. We will have fire roasted vegetables, cole slaw and if you tell me in advance, I will make something else appropriate. I make a wicked Ratatouille or I can make risotto with no cheese or cream. I am also perfecting vegetarian Ma Po Tofu with Pixian fermented flat beans and shitake mushrooms, which might make an appearance. However, you may have more fun as your evil twin from the alternate universe. I won’t tell if you won’t tell.

Kids? Your choice, BUT, only if they are vaccinated. I expect my grandson to be here and although you may want to expose yourself to the lawsuit your kids bring against you for negligent parenting, I prefer to protect my grandson from bad decisions by others. There is a swimming pool in the back yard and by late July, the solar heater should have it toasty warm, so the kids can swim. You may also swim in it if you want to.

Stems? TBD. We have a lot, so it all depends on how many people come. If you can, PLEASE bring one of those charms to put around the stem of your glass so you can keep track of it. We only have a few dozen of those.

Berserkers only? No. Anyone who understands the idea of “A really good bottle of wine to share with friends” qualifies.

Cost? I will ask a VOLUNTARY charitable contribution to a charity I will select and add to this post – in an amount you can determine. I wanted to have an event similar to Falltacular for the East Coast, but the ASSHOLES at the New York State Liquor Authority will not give me a license waiver and will not sell me a one day permit because they are available only for hard liquor. They won’t even talk to me about it and don’t get me started on my opinion about our governor, whose stupidity I have been dealing with for over 30 years since he was a really bad lawyer. I will select a charity and post it here BUT the contribution is 100% voluntary and I will not match up attendees with contributors.

Why no event on Friday night like in the past? Leo moved out to Walla Walla because he elected to follow his wonderful wife Connie instead of staying here with his FKALBTG friends in New York and Abooboo, who also occasionally organized the other day, is God knows where. If anyone wants to step up for a Friday night or Sunday event, let me know.

Can you define, “really good bottle?” Any wine that you think is really good and that you want to share with friends will qualify. If you bring anything from DRC or Petrus, that will unquestionably qualify, as I’ve never had either of those. Anything vinified before 1840 will also qualify, because that’s the oldest Madeira I’ve had. BUT there are thousands of other great wines that will also qualify and there is no need to try to bring something you think I will like. I own enough of that already.

Hey, you idiot! “My house” is not a good enough description. Can you do better? If your Google-fu is that weak, I’ll give you a hint. 52 Sammis Lane.

House gifts? NO WAY! I AM BEGGING YOU. I certainly don’t need more wine and I am in a de-accessioning mode, so please be sure to leave with everything you come with except for food or wine that we consume.

How about members of other wine discussion groups, like the WS Forum, E-Bob, CT Forum, FTLOP and The Port Forum? All I will say is that if you post something about this event on E-Bob, it will come out as *********fest because they can’t take a joke and they still hold a grudge against Saxon, but you are welcome to try.

What should I do now? List your attendance and +1s and +2s, etc. below. You can list your wine(s), or not, at your option.

Attendance list, through post 72
Jonathan Sirot + 1
Jacqueline Stewart + Some guy she made the mistake of marrying
Dan Hammer +1 +?
Jay Miller +1 + 2 dogs
Tantina Allaire +2
Daniel Cohen +1 + Jenga
Brent Clayton
Chris Savino
Clifton Dong maybe
Merrill Lyndquist
Brig Campbell - maybe
Steve Gelman - maybe
Hip Hip Jorge Henriquez +1
Phil Lukeman
T. Melloni +1
Greg Kahn +1
Carlos Delpin
Chris Landoin
Josh Scribner - Will bring Port since he thinks it’s a shanda that we had no port at BF 1000
Mike Reff
Matt Citrang and Judy
The Count, the Countess, and Zachary
Francis Jay Facciolo +1
Gil Bauer +1
M. Grammer (maybe)
M. Mahle +1
P. Panzika +1
Clifton + his much better half
Chris Kravitz +1
Hugh Sauer +1
Chris Koyster +1
Professor V + 1, 2 or 3
Matt Billet +1

Greetings Jay
I am particularly surprised and very excited to see that you are reviving your proud tradition of being the east coast representative of this quite large and festive event. I do recall you mentioning the enormous time and energy required, to arrange events of this stature. it seemed that you were no longer were able to do them. I would totally concur as I used to do huge parties at my home with huge amounts of great food, raiding my wine cellar continually and even live music provided by yours truly !

Okay enough of the back story and comments on the past. This IS the here and now ! Welcome back Jay ! I am proud to be the First Person to respond to the affirmative that I will be there, and will bring AT LEAST 2 nice bottles of great wine that I will be happy to share… I MIGHT bring a few others along with me. These would be members of MY own little group that meets every two months or other folks that I am friends with, in the wine community. I have good friends in both Tampa and Philly whom I get together with, whom I might persuade to travel North and join the gala !!

I will as the event gets closer look at the specific menu and see if there is any amazing entrée that might enhance the event. I might bring some Wagyu Pave cuts from Bryan Flannery or something much bigger but easy to cook to feed a larger group. That decision I have plenty of time to ponder as well as expend of thought to decide on a few perfect btls that would be a blast to share.

I remember fondly the last Berserker Blowout that you arranged not last time, but either the one before that, or three events ago. Either way the memories are priceless. See you and the NY gang soon !!

Jay,
" Anyone who understands the idea of “A really good bottle of wine to share with friends” qualifies." . . .“ay, there’s the rub”. As I noted to you once before, “you play a game with which I am not familiar”. But I admire and enjoy your whirlwind spirit of action and carpe diem that flows through your posts and this planned event.
champagne.gif -Jim

I deliberately do not set a dollar amount or give recommendations. At BF 2.5, someone brought a bottle of 2005 Cru Bourgeois Bordeaux that I know cost $5 because I had just bought a case of it for an event. That was just fine from someone I had never met and it was a correct thing for him to bring in the context of his then situation. I happen to be friends with that person to this day. I will revise my write up above to make it clear that it is a matter of a wine that YOU think is a really good bottle of wine to share with friends.

As long as the wine is from California, you’ll be ok. neener But seriously, with such a diverse crowd attending, whatever wine you bring will have an appeal to many.

Jay, I’ll get back to you with a number after I consult a few local wine friends. For now, it’s Dan and Janice.

Put me down for a tentative 2 humans. Maybe +2 dogs if that’s still okay.

Does anyone have a contact for Peking Duck House from when Michel organized those dinners? Maybe I’ll give it a try for Friday. Or I could do something local if people are willing to hop on a PATH train.

sounds really fun - good excuse for me to get back up to NY and see family too
put me down for + 2

Jay,

OK, 'nuff said and thanks. Please put us down as coming. -Jim (& Jacqueline)

P.S. Once you meet Jacqueline it will be Jacqueline (& Jim) from then on. Or Jacqueline (and what’s his name) [cheers.gif]

I thought it was Bank? PM Michel.

I am going. Will be plus 2 more than likely ( jenga and my wife aka the designated driver) jenga is a big fan of yours after the port tasting last month.

In. Let me see who else I can rustle up.

Will plan on this

I may be out of town but will try my best to make this!

[quote=“Jay Miller” post_id=2706339 time=1554127274 user_id=337

Does anyone have a contact for Peking Duck House from when Michel organized those dinners? Maybe I’ll give it a try for Friday. Or I could do something local if people are willing to hop on a PATH train.
[/quote]

Jay, Alex Low is the owner. You could start by asking for him.

Put me on the list, please.

oh my… I might be in NJ at that time.

Let me discuss with the warden

How does the warden feel about outdoor sculpture gardens? We have what is one of the largest or most significant in the world at the Pepsico world headquarters less than 5 miles from my house. She can spend the time amusing herself there.

Hotel info:

White Plains and White Plains area hotels

If you stay in Manhattan, you can take Metro North to White Plains (on the Harlem line). 2 trains per hour. I suggest taking the express. One way weekend fare is $9.25. Senior fare is $6.00. Buy your ticket from the machine or agent on on the web. If you BOB (buy on board), it will set you back $15.00. FYI, seniors can BOB without penalty.

…or take the New Haven line to Mamaroneck NY. They have 2 trains per hour. Fares are the same.

Downtown White Plains hotels

The Ritz
Cambria
Crowne Plaza
Residence Inn (at the train station) and a 5 minute walk to town.

If you have a car
Hyatt House
Hilton Westchester fka Rye Town Hilton
Westchester Marriott in Tarrytown/Elmsford
Extended Stay in Elmsford
Hampton Inn White Plains/Elmsford
Spring Hill Suites Tarrytown
Doral Arrowwood in Rye Brook
Renaissance in Harrison
Courtyard by Marriott in Rye
Courtyrad by Marriott Tarrytown
Sheraton Tarrytown
Doubletree by Hilton in Tarrytown

None of the above are more than 15 minutes away by car. Jay lives on the southern end of White Plains.

Have a question, I’m here to help.

Hilton at rye is a nice hotel with indoor pool and hot tub.

If schedule permits I’d love to join