Tag Archive for: Lamb Jam

Pop-up Crowned National Lamb Jam Tour Champion

As this year’s Lamb Jam Tour crisscrossed the country stopping in Austin, Boston, Washington D.C., Seattle and San Francisco, a doughy trend emerged: with over 60 chefs competing nationwide, each of the best-in-show winning chefs took home the gold by serving some style of dumpling.

The recent Lamb Jam Finale was ultimately a dumpling showdown, featuring Italian tortellini and tortelloni as well as Indian manti, Chinese dumplings and Filipino empanadas. And amidst the first snow of the season, on a small farm in Lyons, Colorado, Chef Danica Aviles of San Francisco pop-up Pinoy Heritage took home the national title of Lamb Jam Tour Champion with her Lamb Adobo Empanada.

In addition to awarding the 2018 championship trophy, the event provided the occasion for an exciting announcement: Denver will be added as an official stop on the Lamb Jam Tour in 2019, the 10th year of the tour.

To view photos  from the Lamb Jam Finale, visit the Lamb Jam Tour Facebook and Instagram— @LambJamTour.

 

2018 Lamb Jam Finale Competitors

  • Austin: Chef Jacob Weaver of Juliet – Neck Sugo with burrata tortelloni, broccoli rabe, fresno chile

  • Boston: Chef Lars Taylor of The Honey Paw – Lamb Dumplings with aromatic broth, matsutake, leeks, annatto oil

  • Washington, DC: Chef Dimitri Moshovitz of CAVA – Braised Lamb Shoulder with goat cheese tortellini,  pressed roasted lamb belly, lamb fat celery root puree, lamb demi, pickled mustard seeds, truffles, chives

  • Seattle: Chef Jason Stoneburner of Stoneburner/Bastille – Lamb Manti with lovage yogurt, aleppo pepper, mint

  • San Francisco: Chef Danica Avilas of Pinoy Heritage – Lamb Adobo Empanada with corn, peppercress, pickles

About Lamb Jam Tour

Made possible by the American Lamb Board,  Lamb Jam Tour is an epic chef competition and culinary experience that brings together the most talented chefs at each of the tour stops (Austin, Boston, Denver, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington D.C.)  to celebrate the 80,000 family operated farms and ranches raising sheep in the U.S.

This year’s Tour Finale brought together fifty of Denver’s most respected food media, chefs, ranchers and industry professionals for a blind tasting at The Farmette in Lyons, CO.  The tasting was accompanied by wines from Infinite Monkey Theorem (Denver, CO), beers from  Funkwerks (Fort Collins, CO), and cocktails created by Kayla Arrigo (Bar Manager at Hilton Garden Inn, Boulder, CO) featuring spirits from Spirit Hound Distillers (Lyons, CO).

 

Wine Picks at the Fifth Annual Lamb Jam

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Wine was flowing from several excellent vineyards at the 5th Annual Lamb Jam in San Francisco, a national event produced by the American Lamb Board. The event spotlighted a number of local restaurants and their signature lamb-based dishes.

We found not only some old favorites, but also some new ones as well.

Among our picks:

 

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Truett-Hurst White Sheep 2012 Pinot Noir

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Madame Truchard presents Truchard

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Gary Miller of Miller Wine Works pours his Syrah

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Vina Moda 2010 Petite Syrah

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E16 Wine Company

 

 

 

 

The Lamb Jam adds a Summer Picnic Party to its Culinary Recipe

general's residence, fort mason

general’s residence, fort mason

 

Recently San Francisco hosted the 5th Annual Lamb Jam, a national event produced by the American Lamb Board. The event spotlighted a number of local restaurants and their signature lamb-based dishes for the enjoyment of lovers of the meat.

IMG_4991This year the Jam was also part of the Eat Drink SF food festival, which was just rebranded from the former title, “SF Chefs.”

Unlike in previous years, this time the Lamb Jam took place at a new venue, the General’s Residence at the Fort Mason Center. The views provided on this beautiful warm and sunny day created the atmosphere of a giant, lamb-infused picnic.

Another great aspect, aside from the food, wine, beer and cider, were the People’s Choice Awards, in which attendees voted on their top picks from the following participating restaurants: Bluestem Brasserie, Chino, Hog & Rocks, Pican, Scala’s Bistro, The Restaurant at Wente Vineyards, La Urbana, Thirsty Bear Brewing Co., Dosa, Gaspar, Bartlett Hall.

Overall we found almost all of the selections delicious, though some of the spicier ones tended to drown out the tasty flavor of lamb in exchange for tongue-burning heat.

Chef John Fink of the Whole Beast unveiled an experimental new lamb sausage product, which judging from how quickly they were eaten, and how many times we went back for “seconds”, it should do quite well.

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Chef Francis of the Bluestem Brasserie

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Chef Sophina Uong (right) and staff of Pican (Oakland)

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Chef Sophina Uong of Pican’s lamb dish, Koren-influenced Smoked Lamb Bulgogi

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The Whole Beast’s lamb sausages

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Chef Emmanuel Eng of Bartlett Hall (SF)

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Bluestem Brasserie lamb sliders

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Bartlett Hall lamb dish, Braised Lamb Shank with Taro and Cumin, Napa Cabbage, Sour Szechuan, Peach Jam, and salad

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Chef John Fink of the Whole Beast

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Chef Matt Greco of the Restaurant at Wente Vineyards and his Smoked Leg of Lamb, Bourbon, Hay and Green Romesco

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Chocolate tasting

 

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Scala’s Bistro lamb dish, by Chef Larry Finn