The food coma show with joe ricchio premiere: this sunday at space gallery!
“This is an experiment. This is another aspect of the coma experience.” -Joe Ricchio
This Sunday you’ll find me at the premiere of The Food Coma Show with Joe Ricchio, Portland’s doyen of food and drink and Master of the Bacchanalian Universe. This new iteration of Joe’s popular web series is essentially a pared down version of his original concept, and it places the focus more squarely on the dining experience. And while it sheds the getting there, getting home, and–at least in Joel’s case–getting lost parts, in true Food Coma fashion, the getting wasted part is still very much a part of the deal.
In August I was lucky enough to hang out during the Portland taping, shot over the course of a four hour private meal prepared by chef Krista Desjarlais at her restaurant Bresca. Had Joe been able to predict the crazy mashup of thoughtful food commentary and 90s-era hip-hop freestyling that ensued, he could’ve sold tickets to the taping and funded the entire project. A few PBRs and a couple of wine pairings into it, Spose had dropped enough new rhymes to cut a new album.
“We really wanted to showcase one particular dining experience,” Ricchio explains. “It’s basically the opposite of the former concept.” And judging by the successful and often hilarious outcome from an unlikely combination of guests–friends Jon Dietz and Joel Beauchamp, rapper Spose, and Maine alpine skiing legend Julie Parisien–it seems Joe’s ability to put people at ease is the real key to his continuing success as host. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for him and this exciting new effort.
Joe and Joel will be whipping up some tasty nibbles, including the best Chinese meatballs in the world that actually were worth the three month-long autoimmune allergic reaction they triggered last time I ate them (I’m pretty damn allergic to oyster sauce). But you can have mine on Sunday.
Date: Sunday, November 4, 2012
Time: 6:30pm
Place: Space Gallery
Cost: $5 + cash bar. Tickets available in advance here or at the door on Sunday night.
https://www.facebook.com/TheFoodComaShow
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// About the Author
Erin Dow
Erin Dow is a caterer who used to cook for rock stars. Now she finds herself desperately trying to persuade her three kids to just try one bite of what she made for dinner. She's the Expert Chef for Maine-based Guiding Stars® and she consults with the state's public schools on how to serve healthy whole foods that kids will actually eat. And when Erin’s not researching, preparing, serving, photographing, teaching, or writing about food, you’ll probably find her in a restaurant eating a meal cooked by someone else. So she just might be the girl you need to know if you're looking for recommendations, advice, or insight into Maine's food scene. She's also very knowledgeable about firearms, in case you were wondering if she's a real Mainer.