What's Cooking

The Week In Eats

by Amy Strauss

Whether it's scotch, bourbon, cognac, Canadian or Irish, your first swig of whiskey is unlikely to be your last. At this year's Whiskey Festival, master distillers, brand ambassadors, founders and executives from 60 spirit companies will taste their way through more than 150 different brands. Sip some Royal Salute Scotch or Jameson Master Selection in the Crystal Tea Room, play a key hand with Johnnie Walker by your side at one of the many poker tables, or smoke a Private Reserve hand-rolled stogie. Proceeds benefit the Philadelphia Zoo. Crystal Tea Room, The Wanamaker Building, 100 Penn Square East, 800-595-4849, www.phillymag.com/whiskeyfestival.

Culinary archaeologists Marilynn and Sheila Brass are on a mission to preserve history—one dish at a time. They dug through yard sales and garage dumps to pull source material for their latest cookbook, Heirloom Baking with the Brass Sisters: More Than 100 Years of Recipes Discovered From Family Cookbooks, Original Journals, Scraps of Paper, and Grandmother's Kitchen. With recipes for brandied raisin teacakes, Cuban flan, cranberry-orange cream scones and Chattanooga chocolate peanut butter bars, the home bakers make sure historical sweet treats aren't lost in time. Stop by the sisters' cooking demo and book signing to see if you grandmother's favorite recipe made the cut. Di Bruno Bros., 1730 Chestnut St., 215-665-9220.

Growing up in Philadelphia, Rojo Roastery's J. David Waldman has spent entire evenings making Turkish coffee. Blending the grinds by hand, Waldman prepared cups in a 100-year-old ibrik, which produced a much finer blend than the average steam brew. To celebrate the common Turkish phrase, "To drink one cup of coffee together guarantees 40 years of friendship," the roastery will host an afternoon of fellowship over shared food and drink. Enjoy freshly roasted cups paired with baklava, lokum, figs, dates and grapes. Rojo's Roastery, 243 N. Union St., Lambertville, N.J., 609-397-0040, www.rojosroastery.com.

With ingredients like Parmigiano-Reggiano and prosciutto di Parma, Giuliano Bugialli's Parma: A Capital of Italian Gastronomy spans more than 100 dishes, including pasta, veal, pork and tons of luscious desserts. Parma-cured ham, potato torte and vanilla sauce are just a few of his featured concoctions. Fountain Restaurant executive chef Martin Hamann will join Bugialli as he discusses the essential components of Italian food, while preparing a three-course luncheon from the new book. French sommelier Thierry Lesparre has selected wines to accompany the Italian delicacies. Price includes food, wine and the book. Fountain Restaurant, Four Seasons, One Logan Square, 215-963-1500.