Exploring Italy: Wine Pairing Dinner, Wednesday, July 14, 7:00-9:00 pm

Join us for our first wine pairing dinner! This month we will explore the food and wine of Italy. More details are here.

Sam Borrello & Peter Krag, Thursday, July 15, 7:00-9:30 pm

Sam Borrello is an evolving guitarist whose show will be a mixture of jazz standards, funk and original compositions. Locally, he has studied guitar with Paul Asbell in Burlington and Helmut Kagerer at The Vermont Jazz Center. He also studied the clarinet for many years with Betsy LeBlanc and piano with Carl Recchia. Sam is currently enrolled at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia where he is working on a dual degree in jazz performance and a master’s in music education. He studies with NYC-based jazz guitarist, Matt Davis in Philadelphia.

Peter Krag is a jazz musician from South Burlington, Vermont.

Eames Bros., Friday, July 16, 9:00 pm – 12:00 am

“You’d be hard-pressed to find a harder working act than Vermont’s Eames Brothers Band. The Eames’ music is rooted in tradition, from sparse delta blues to stinging electric shuffles.” “Their original blues tunes are remarkably soulful… The Eames Brothers album “Open Road” was voted one of Vermont’s top ten best by Seven Days! …”These dudes have passion, chops and an abundance of flavor.” …”their moody, dynamic tunes have a vibe all their own.”

They Might Be Gypsies, Saturday, July 17, 9:00 pm – 12:00 am

“THEY MIGHT BE GYPSIES” is the high energy Gypsy swing guitars of father & son Greg & Aidan Ryan. These two have to be seen to be believed…  A gypsy at heart, Greg grew up traveling the country and playing music with his family. He draws from influences including Folk, Jazz, Bluegrass, & World Music. Young Aidan has been performing since he was six and has recorded two CD’s of original music.

On Special: Beer Pairing, Tuesday, July 6

Tonight at 51 Main we will have a special menu featuring organic beer paired with delicious fare whipped up by The Chef!

Middlebury Arts Walk ft. Momtaz Ghalamzan, Friday, July 9, 5:00-7:00 pm

Join us for the monthly Middlebury Arts Walk! This month, 51 Main will feature the work of Momtaz Ghalamzan, an art therapist and educator living in Vermont. Of her exhibition, Momtaz writes:

An Adirondack chair, on a lawn, with a backdrop of fall foliage initiated this series of paintings.  A fireworks of sorts, colors less what I actually saw, more what I felt. … The subject of these paintings is familiar to any Vermonter: trees, flowers, barns, cows, meadows and mountains.  Their treatment is only somewhat representational, often gestural, often in vivid colors that express more my emotions than my actual perception.  Many pieces are started in one season and completed in another, mixing spring with winter, fall with summer.

Guitarist Ben Silton will play during the opening.

Italian Piano Bar, Saturday, July 10, 9:00 – 11:00 pm

51 Main continues the Italian theme this week with an Italian Piano Bar performance by Danesi. Sponsored by the Middlebury School of Italian.

Back in April, Alice Levitt of Seven Days (perhaps Vermont’s most popular newspaper) reviewed 51 Main. We are excited to share some of the details of her experience with us:

The meal’s greatest hit was Moroccan Spiced Lamb Kebabs. The middle eastern spice mix was authentic tasting, the lamb optimally tender and the sides were gorgeous surprises. Though listed as cous cous on the menu, a mound of far more substantial Israeli cous cous was wonderfully seasoned and filled with golden raisins and almond slices. Carrot salad was made ultra-refreshing with lots of cilantro and slices of orange. The chocolate shake was huge, creamy but not too thick and perfectly chocolaty.

Be sure to check out Ms. Levitt’s full review and visit us soon so you, too, can enjoy our Moroccan Spiced Lamb Kebabs with a side of chocolate shake!

Join us this month for our beer and wine pairings! Our first beer pairing will be on Tuesday, July 5 with organic beer on special. Our wine pairing dinner will be on Wednesday, July 14 at 7:00 pm. This month, we will explore the wine and food of Italy:

-Caprese Salad-

Vine ripened tomatoes & maple-brook cherry smoked mozzarrella with balsamic reduction and fresh basil.

Pico Maccario Chardonnay, Piedmont, Italy

-Eggplant Caponata-

Sicilian antipasta served with grilled toast points, fennel, olives, sultana raisins, pine nuts,

Tola Nero d’Avola Barrique, Sicily, Italy

-Bistecca-

Italian style grilled steak with fig steak sauce, black pepper, coriander, cumin, paprika,

brown sugar

Pieri Rosso di Montalcino, Italy

-Buttermilk Panna Cotta-

with blueberry rhubarb compote

Perrone “Sourgal” Moscato d’Asti, Italy

$50 per person

Pewter Club Members $35

Call 388-8209 to reserve your seat as space is limited.

51 Main Manager: Carl Roesch

51 Main Chef: Starrin Ricupero

Wine Tasting Representative: Kris Nelson, Vermont Wine Merchants

Start the Fourth of July holiday weekend off right with…

Lokum, Friday, July 2, 9:00 pm – 12:00 am

The word ‘lokum’ literally translates as Turkish Delight and the sound of this five piece Near Eastern music ensemble is certainly sweet.  Lokum performs music of the Balkans, Turkey and Armenia using authentic instruments and oriental modes. The music is driven by beautiful, complex melodies, artistically woven improvisation and tight percussion. Lokum masterfully puts a fresh contemporary spin on traditional world music.

Italian School Dance Party, Saturday, July 3, 9:00 pm – 12:00 am

Every summer, Middlebury College is host to the world renowned Language Schools. Nearly every school will be having a special event with us this month, but tonight 51 Main brings a little Rome to Home with Italian music and conversation. Fear not: those who do not speak the words of Tuscany will still have a great time. After all, dancing transcends language!

Doug Keith, Thursday, June 24, 9:00 pm – 12:00 am

Doug Keith weaves truths into understatedly eloquent songs, which he delivers with a weathered, expressive voice, nimble, blues-rooted guitar work and organically layered arrangements that effortlessly convey the emotional immediacy of his compositions.  The material on his critically acclaimed second solo album, The Lucky Ones, ranges from the acoustic starkness of “We Left Everything” to the surging electricity of “The Lucky Ones” to the buoyant textures of “Skip James Radio”; the common threads are the warmth and insight that the artist brings to every track. A consummate road warrior, Keith spends most of his time on the road, both solo and with his band in tow. For the summer of 2010, Keith is touring completely solo, playing stripped down versions of the songs on his records. In 2009, Keith co-founded The Village Label with NASCAR champ Jimmie Johnson and his wife Chandra to release his own records (including The Lucky Ones) as well as the work of others in an artist friendly environment.

Robert Wuagneux, Friday, June 25, 9:00 pm – 12:00 am

Dr. Robert Wuagneux is an amazing local musician.   Wuagneux has traveled around the world performing around Europe and the Balkans.  This singer song writer has a soulful jazz, blues, and pop style leaving nothing to be desired.

David Bain, Saturday, June 26, 9:00 pm – 12:00 am

David Bain, English and American Literature lecturer at Middlebury College is our own piano man – playing the keyboard in a way that makes your toes tap and your spirits rise.