Giveaway: Tickets to Sake and Burger Night at Tasty Burger

Update: THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. 
CONGRATS TO AMY OF MAC&CHEESE&PEAS!

From Todd Bellomy of BostonSake.com:

Love burgers? Love sake? 

The Japan Society of Boston, Todd Bellomy of BostonSake.com, Kikusui Brewery, and Tasty Burger have put together a casual evening enjoying Japan's classic drink at a true American burger joint. Tasty Burger is known not only for great tasting burgers but also for having one of Boston’s best selections of canned craft beer and superb canned wine. For this event we are going to explore the addition of canned sake to a successful burger menu. We will start the evening with an introduction to sake as a laid-back summer drink by Todd of BostonSake.com, followed by cool conversation, wonderful burgers, and of course, great sake.

The event will take place next Monday, August 13th, from 6:30 to 8:30 PM at Tasty Burger, which is near Fenway. (Learn more about the event here.)

Want to win your way in? You're in luck (well, one of you). We've got a pair of tickets to give away to a lucky blogger and guest. You have until noon on Friday, 8/10, to enter, after which I'll choose the winner via a random number generator. Ways to earn entries - #1 is mandatory; #2 and #3 are optional:

1. Leave a comment on this post. You can write anything related to sake, burgers, or both! Be sure to include the name of your blog. [Mandatory]
2. Tweet about this giveaway. Please include a link to this blog post and be sure to mention @BostonFoodBlogs. You might also want to mention @BostonSake and @TastyBurgerUSA. For example, "I want to win tickets to Sake and Burger Night at @TastyBurgerUSA from @BostonFoodBlogs and @BostonSake! http://bit.ly/P5MSpj"
3. Post publicly on Facebook about this giveaway (and leave the link to your post as a comment here so I know you've done it). Please include a link to this blog post.

If you don't win, you can still get a discount. Check out this post on BostonSake.com for information about saving $10 on your ticket to Sake and Burger Night and receiving a six-month complimentary membership to the Japan Society of Boston.

Biscoff Spread Giveaway Winners

Sorry for the delayed announcement! It was so long ago you probably forgot, but we're giving away two Biscoff spread gift sets (with waffles) and three Biscoff spread two-jar sets! Woohoo! Here are the winners (and their responses to the question of how they'd eat Biscoff spread):

Waffles and Biscoff Spread Gift Set

• Erin (Erin Cooks) - "This just sounds bizarre. I have to try it. I guess I'd stick to toast initially until I figured out what it would truly taste best on."
• Lara (Good Cook Doris) - "Yum! I would probably start with a taste out of the jar before something more civilized like spreading it on toast or pancakes."

Two Jars of Biscoff Spread

• Nicole (I am a honey bee) - "I'd love to add that to ice cream."
• Jo (The Hungry Crafter) - "OK, if this tastes anything like the cookies on the airplanes, then sign me right up! I actually saved a wrapper from one of those flights because I was going to try and hunt down those cookies. Yum yum. To be fair, despite intentions otherwise, I would probably end up eating most of it with a spoon :)"
• Kerstin (Cake, Batter, and Bowl) - "I'd put it on a bagel for sure first :)"

I'll be emailing each of you momentarily to request your mailing address. Congratulations!

Updates and a Biscoff Spread Giveaway!

First, just a quick note about BostonFoodBloggers.com since I've pretty much disappeared off the face of the earth over the last month or so:

tl;dr version
As many of you know, this is not my full-time or even part-time job. (Actually, I guess it doesn't even fit the definition of 'job' at all since it is not a money-making endeavor!) Lately I've been spending most of my time at a full-time science writing job by day and prancing around the Boston music scene playing with my band and photographing friends' bands by night. The food stuff - this site and my own blog - gets squeezed in the middle somewhere, or, as the case has been recently, mostly neglected. My full-time job is becoming very part-time as of next week, so depending on what other job(s) end up filling the spaces, I might have more time to work on the site. I do have a lot of plans/ideas for BFB, so I just wanted to let you know that I haven't disappeared and updates will hopefully become more frequent in the near future! If you've emailed me or signed up for the site within the last few weeks (or months, even...) and haven't heard back, I will get to you as soon as I can. Many of you emailed with amazing ideas for neighborhood tours, and I don't think I've responded to any of you yet; I apologize. The calendar will eventually be updated, the store will be launched, the giveaway page will be updated, more events will be organized...

short version
I've been neglecting the site while working a full-time job by day and pretending to be a rock star by night. I still exist, and I still have lots of plans for this site. My job situation is changing, so I might have more time to devote to the site soon. Everything will be updated eventually.

Ok, onto to the fun stuff...a giveaway!

biscoff spread
A new treat from Lotus Bakeries is coming to Boston-area Roche Bros. and Market Basket this month: Biscoff Spread, "Europe's Alternative to Peanut Butter." Invented by a Belgian mother, Els Scheppers, it's a nut-free creamy spread made with no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. Scheppers defeated 2,000 contestants on a Belgian prime time reality TV program, “De Bedenkers” (“The Inventors”) to win the competition with this recipe, which contains Lotus Bakeries' Biscoff Cookies (which you've probably tasted if you've ever been on a Delta flight).

in-store demos
Even if you don't win the giveaway, you can try out the product at two Boston-area in-store demos next Monday, March 7, 2011:

10:00am - Market Basket, Tewksbury, MA
1:30pm - Roche Bros., Westboro, MA

Scheppers will be there.

the giveaway
What's up for grabs? Two Waffles and Biscoff Spread Gift Sets (one jar of spread and eight waffles) and three two-packs of Biscoff Spread! That means there'll be five lucky winners! The giveaway will end on Friday, March 11, at noon; I will use a random number generator to pick five winners from all of the eligible entries. The first two numbers drawn will get the waffle gift sets and the next three will get the two-jar spread sets. How to enter (#1 is required; the rest are optional):

(1) Required: Leave a comment on this post describing how you'd use Biscoff Spread. Eat it out of the jar with a spoon? Spread it on a bagel? On a sandwich?  (one entry)

(2) Tweet or retweet about the giveaway. You must include @BostonFoodBlogs and a link to this post in your tweet. (one entry per tweet or retweet for a maximum of three)

(3) Tweet or retweet about the in-store demos. Please leave a comment on this post telling me that you have done so. (one entry per tweet or retweet for a maximum of three)

(4) Attend one of the in-store demos and blog about it. Please leave a comment on this post with a link to your blog post. (four entries)

(5) Become a fan of Boston Food Bloggers on Facebook. The page is located here. (one entry)

Good luck! You have until Friday, March 11 at noon to enter!

the fine print
The photos in this post were supplied by Lotus Bakeries. The five prizes are being provided by and will be shipped directly by Lotus Bakeries. BostonFoodBloggers.com received a product sample but did not receive any monetary compensation for this post. At times, BostonFoodBloggers.com works with brands to put together giveaways or events; all sponsorships, advertisements, freebies, etc. will always be fully disclosed on BostonFoodBloggers.com.

Giveaway: Geoff and Drew's Cookies and Brownies

Between the December cookie tasting at Clover and the BFB launch party earlier this month, I know a lot of you have had a chance to try Geoff and Drew's delicious cookies and brownies. Headquartered in Malden, Geoff and Drew's - formerly a late night cookie and milk delivery service - now specializes in gourmet gift boxes of cookies and brownies.

"Hands down the best chocolate chip cookies I have ever tasted," raves Daisy of Indulge Inspire Imbibe.

"It's the type of cookie you wish you could make all the time," declares Katie of The Small Boston Kitchen. "Heck, it's the type of cookie that you wish you could eat all the time. This is the way cookies should taste."

Hungry? You're in luck! It's giveaway time!

One lucky winner is going to receive a tasty Valentine's Day gift box of cookies and brownies...but ONLY IF Geoff and Drew's gets 50 new Twitter followers AND 50 new Facebook "likes" by February 7, 2011, at 10pm. So spread the word, cookie lovers, spread the word!

Here's how to enter, one entry for each:

1. Follow Geoff and Drew's on Twitter (@GDcookies), and leave a comment on this post telling me that you have done so. (Please include your Twitter username in the comment.)
2. Like Geoff and Drew's on Facebook (here), and leave a comment on this post telling me that you have done so.
3. Tweet (or retweet) about this giveaway. Include @GDcookies and @BostonFoodBlogs in your tweet. This gets you an extra entry only if you have also done at least one of the other two entry options.

If you don't win, all is not lost...Geoff and Drew's has provided us with a discount code so that you can get 25% off of your purchase: VALBLOG25

Enjoy your shopping! And eating!

Event (and Giveaway!): SeamlessWeb and Boston Food Bloggers Happy Hour

Couldn't make it to the launch party? Well, here's your second chance to mingle with countless numbers of your newest blogger buddies! This time, we'll be enjoying free apps and drinks at The Lansdowne, courtesy of SeamlessWeb, online food ordering/delivery site extraordinaire. SeamlessWebbers will also be on hand with giveaways. Woohoo!

I'm not sure exactly what The Lansdowne will be offering as far as apps go, but you can take a peek at their menu here. Crispy potato skins! Blue cheese potato cakes! Chicken bites!

So, the details:

When: This Thursday, February 3, 2011, from 6:30pm to 8:30pm.
Where: The Lansdowne, 9 Lansdowne St, Boston, MA 02215 (along one edge of Fenway Park, just past the House of Blues. Your best bet public transportation-wise is to take the T to Kenmore and  walk 10 minutes. The Fenway T stop is actually a bit further away - about a 15 minute walk.)
Who: Food/drink bloggers, plus one guest per blogger!
How much: Free! (Thanks, SeamlessWeb!)
How: Please register here, and be sure to put '2' as the quantity if you plan on bringing a guest.

Wait, there's more! Free coffee! A contest! A giveaway! Read on:

After two successful years in New York City, SeamlessWeb is bringing its Free Coffee Days promotion to Boston!  From February 1st – 4th, the online food delivery and takeout ordering service will hand out over 10,000 free cups of coffee all around the city from a SeamlessWeb branded truck:

To coincide with this promotion, SeamlessWeb is launching a social media photo sweepstakes where people can Tweet or post to Facebook a photo of their free coffee to win $100 in food. In addition, SeamlessWeb is offering new customers $5 off by using the code FREECOFFEE ($10 minimum purchase). Visit the Free Coffee Days site to find the locations to receive your complimentary cup of joe and the full details about the photo sweepstakes:

Besides handing out free coffee, SeamlessWeb is always available for people to order delivery and takeout from over 380 restaurants in the Boston metro area.

We're also running a giveaway right here on BostonFoodBloggers.com. Two of you will win $25 online gift cards to SeamlessWeb! Ways to enter (the first is required; the rest are for optional additional entries):

• Required: Browse SeamlessWeb and leave a comment on this post about which restaurant you'd order from first.
• Tweet (or retweet my tweet or someone else's) about this giveaway and/or the happy hour. Please make sure to include @BostonFoodBlogs and @SeamlessWeb in your tweet. One entry per tweet; maximum three.
• Enter the SeamlessWeb photo sweepstakes described above. (Please leave a comment here with a link to your tweet, or tell me if you entered on the SeamlessWeb Facebook page.)

This giveaway ends at 6:30pm on Thursday, 2/3. I'll announce the two winners in my event recap post, which'll go up a day or two after the party.

Whew, I think that's everything. Party - register here. Free coffee + sweepstakes - info here. Giveaway - info above.

Hope to see you at the event!

Giveaway: $50 to Audubon Circle

Happy New Year! Hope yours was relaxing and/or exciting!

Here at BostonFoodBloggers.com, we're starting off the new year with a lovely giveaway from our friends at Audubon Circle, part of the Tigers and Bears restaurant group! Up for grabs is one $50 gift card, which should nicely cover a romantic dinner for two (or a feast for one!), some cocktails with friends, or however else you'd like to spend it.

From the website:

"Opened five years after Miracle of Science, Audubon Circle reflects a refinement in the owners' taste, bearing a more contemplative menu and expertly-mixed cocktails. Catering to young professionals, Audubon Circle exudes ample energy, particularly during Red Sox season. Enjoy the stylish bamboo lined outdoor patio in the warmer seasons."

Audubon Circle - a sister restaurant to Tory Row, Cambridge, 1., Middlesex, and Miracle of Science - is located at 838 Beacon Street, Boston, and it's very easily accessible from the B, C, and D branches of the Green Line.

To whet your appetite, here's a round-up of blogger opinions:

"...the pork schnitzel, arugula, and pickled onion entrée was the star of the show. The pork was deep fried into a palatable crunchy treat that wasn’t over greasy and didn’t leave me with an oily headache after consumption. The arugula also helped to balance to the heaviness of the pork (plus gave me my serving of fresh vegetables for the day)!" - Forays of a Finance Foodie

"Audubon Circle only offers one dessert, focusing on quality over quantity for a restaurant with no pastry chef. The chevre cheesecake with oreo crust is a knockout. I usually don't like cheesecake, but this was light and fluffy, with just enough tang from the goat cheese to be interesting. Definitely a good way to cap a delicious meal." - Cave Cibum

"Overall, the food is great, the cocktails ($10 each) are exceptional and it's a quiet, intimate setting. A great alternative to more boisterous locations in Kenmore Square with plenty of on street parking available." - The Boston Foodie

"The inside had a really funky vibe- it definitely looked like a great after work place for dinner or drinks.  The restaurant also had a nice outdoor space! If it wasn't so cold, I would have definitely wanted to sit out here.  I love nice outdoor space in the middle of the city!" - Food to Run For

"I love bars that don’t serve food as an after-thought. Audubon Circle’s menu is well thought out with high quality, mostly seasonal, ingredients." - Healthy and Sane

"Highlights of the evening for me were the New England crab cakes with chipotle aioli and the white bean purée with grilled bread. Both were excellent." - Carrots 'n' Cake

Now aren't you hungry? Time to enter the giveaway!

Ways to win - do any or all of these! The first one is required; the rest are for extra fun (and entries)!

1. After checking out the menu, leave a comment on this entry telling me how you'd spend the $50. Date night? Cocktails with friends? What drinks and dishes do you most want to try?  -> 2 entries (no additional entries for additional comments)
2. Retweet any tweets from @BostonFoodBlogs regarding this giveaway, and/or tweet about it on your own. (Please include @BostonFoodBlogs in your tweet so I see it!) -> 1 entry per tweet or retweet (maximum 3)
3. Blog about this giveaway (and leave a comment here linking to your post). Please be sure to include a link to this giveaway, a link to the Audubon Circle website, and a link to the Tigers and Bears website. -> 3 entries

You have until Monday, January 10th, at 9pm EST. Good luck, and have fun!

UPDATE: The winner of this giveaway is Elina (Healthy and Sane). Congrats! Enjoy your dinner!
 

Giveaway Winners Announced: Around the World at the BCAE

Congratulations to the four winners of the Around the World at the BCAE giveaway!
Winners were chosen using a random number generator.

• Tuesday, January 4th (Germany, Spain, France): Tales From A Kitchen Misfit ("My hubby and I went to Germany for our honeymoon so I would be all over that session!")
• Wednesday, January 5th (Monaco, China, USA): Good Cook Doris ("I'd love to 'take a trip' to Spain, Morroco or China!")
• Thursday, January 6th (Argentina, Italy, Morocco): A Thought for Food ("I would love to learn a little Italian while chowing down on some Tuscan cuisine. That would be my pick!")
• Friday, January 7th (India, Greece, Cuba): Eating Places ("I would LOVE to attend the Indian food class because I eat it all the time, but have no idea where to start when it comes to cooking Indian cuisine!")

Winners, please email me your address ASAP! All classes run from 6pm to 8pm on the night indicated. While your prize guarantees you admission to one of the classes on your specific night, space might not permit admission to your preferred class, but I'll let BCAE know which one you'd like to attend if you indicated one in your comment.

Thanks to the Boston Center for Adult Education for providing the prize and Image Unlimited Communications for coordinating the giveaway!

All About Giveaways

Have you checked out our shiny new Giveaways page?

Any giveaways that take place here on BostonFoodBloggers.com will have some type of blogging component that'll challenge you to cook, photograph, write, etc. Blog posts written for giveaways will be featured in a round-up after the giveaway is complete. (There will also be a variety of other ways to enter - retweeting, commenting, and such - but because this site is meant to be a resource for bloggers, I'd encourage you to participate in the blogging challenges!)

On the Giveaways page, you can also view a list of giveaways currently occurring on other local food blogs. These may or may not fulfill our mission to encourage blogging - they may just involve retweeting or something like that - but I'll list them all in hopes that you will have more chances to win great food-related stuff to enjoy and maybe write about. Are you currently hosting a giveaway? Let me know by filling out this quick form, and I'll make sure to add it to the list.

Are you a Massachusetts-based food or drink brand, restaurant, teacher, etc.? If you'd like to offer a product, service, gift certificate, class, etc. for a giveaway, email me. Check out our very first giveaway as an example.

Well, what are you waiting for? Go win stuff! :)

Giveaway: Around the World at the BCAE

TSA pat-downs got you down? Don't worry, these trips around the world won't require a flight! The Boston Center for Adult Education is livening up that cold first week of January with a series of classes highlighting the culinary and cultural aspects of twelve different countries. Each country's class has one portion about food or wine (such as German Cooking or Argentinean Wine) and one cultural portion (such as Two-Step Dancing or Feng Shui). These classes are being offered for $15 each - register here by clicking on the appropriate country name - and we have four admissions to give away, one for one class each night!

Check out the schedule below, and keep reading to find out how to win!

We're giving away one class admission (that's one class, two hours, about one country) for each night, so if you enter, please check the dates and let me know if there are any nights you definitely cannot make and any classes you'd prefer to attend if possible. I'll choose the four winners using a random number generator and then assign the nights as best as possible based on your preferences.

Ways to win - do any or all of these! The first one is required; the rest are for extra fun (and entries)!

1. Leave a comment on this entry telling me which class(es) you'd love to attend and why (and include a note if you are not available on any of these nights)  -> 2 entries (no additional entries for additional comments)
2. Retweet any tweets from @BostonFoodBlogs regarding this giveaway -> 1 entry per retweet (maximum 3)
3. Write a blog post about one of your favorite recipes from any of these twelve countries. Please mention the BCAE, BostonFoodBloggers.com, and this giveaway in your post, and leave the link in a comment here. I will feature all of these recipes in a round-up after the giveaway is over. (If you'd like to give me permission, in advance, to feature your photos in this round-up and others, please fill out this form.) -> 5 entries (no additional entries for additional blog posts)
4. Add photos to our Facebook page of foods that you've made from any of these countries. These can be from blog posts you've already written. -> 1 entry per photo (maximum 3)

You have until Friday, December 17th, at 9pm EST. Good luck, and have fun!

UPDATE: This giveaway is now finished. View the winners here, and check the Giveaways page for more opportunities to win cool stuff!