Eating for Good at Taste of the Nation New York City

By: Finance Foodie

Inspired by a passion to fight childhood hunger, over 75 of New York’s hottest chefs, restaurants and mixologists gathered last Monday night for Share Our Strength’s Taste of the Nation benefit, the city’s premier culinary charity event. Taste of the Nation New York City, held in the heart of SoHo, raised critical funds needed to support Share Our Strength’s efforts to end childhood hunger in NYC and across the nation. Team Finance Foodie is a supporter of anything culinary and charitable, so of course we had to attend! Below are our "Best Of" during our evening.

The Liquid Chef's smoking cocktail 

Best Interactive - Voila Chocolat Make Your Own Truffles

Voila Chocolat is a new chocolate-making concept that will open this summer on the Upper West Side. This gourmet choco shop put the magic of hand-crafting personalized, one-of-a-kind chocolates that were as delicious as unique in attendees' hands. Guests got to enrobe their own artisanal chocolate truffles with sprinkles, edible glitter and other goodies - how fun and yum!

Best Comfort Food - The Meatball Shop's Pizza Balls

Among the sea of exotic cheeses and complex deconstruction, The Meatball Shop's simple and classic pizza style meatballs were just what the doctor ordered for hearty deliciousness.

Best Vegetarian - Dirt Candy's Broccoli Hot Dogs 

It was green all the way for this hip East Village resto's creative and delicious spin on an All-American classic.

Best Drink - Clover Club's Charlotte's Web Cocktail

There were many a ways to imbibe that night (by 9pm, it was obvious that a good portion of the crowd was ready for the after party), but it was the Clover Club's Hendrick’s gin, Campari, lemon, mint, raspberry syrup and soda concoction that kept my thirst at bay all night.

Best Crowd Pleaser - Dominique Ansel Bakery's Waffle Ice Cream 

Saving the most buzzed about for last, it was the Cronut King of NYC's newest dessert creation that kept the crowds at his table all night. Although the Waffogato, ice cream in the shape of a waffle with espresso maple syrup, was creative in aesthetics and a cool play on breakfast, I sorta wished he had brought a cronut.

About Share Our Strength:
Share Our Strength® is the leading national organization working to make sure no kid in America grows up hungry. We weave together a net of community groups, activists and food programs to catch children at risk of hunger and ensure they have nutritious food where they live, learn and play. We work with the culinary industry to create engaging, pioneering programs like Share Our Strength’s Taste of the Nation®, Share Our Strength’s Great American Bake Sale®, Share Our Strength’s A Tasteful Pursuit®, Share Our Strength’s Great American Dine Out ®, and Share Our Strength’s Cooking Matters®. Visit Strength.org for more info.