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Amidst all of the sadness and uncertainty of the past week-and-a-half, there were some bright moments that really made things feel a little normal again. Taste of the Nation is one of my favorite events of the year, I actually thought about not going this year, but I was happy I celebrated this amazing cause instead of spending another night glued to the news.

Taste of the Nation has a very important goal, No Kid Hungry, and they are doing incredibly important work across the country to reach that goal.

Share Our Strength’s Taste of the Nation® is the premier culinary benefit dedicated to making sure no kid grows up hungry. Each spring and summer, the nation’s hottest chefs and mixologists donate their time, talent and passion at nearly 40 Taste of the Nation events across the United States and Canada, with one goal in mind: to raise the critical funds needed to end childhood hunger in America by 2015.

I didn’t know that school breakfast is free to all Boston Public School students, but I was glad to hear it. It does make you realize though, that kids don’t go to school every day or year-round. So many are wondering where those meals are going to come from when they are not in school, and that just breaks my heart. Once again, Boston’s supportive culinary community came together to do good, and it’s never felt as healing and helping as it did this year.

This year’s Taste of the Nation Boston was held at a new location, the Cruiseport Boston at Black Falcon Pier. Beautiful sea views, plenty of light, and a grand space made for the best Taste of the Nation yet. Here are just a few of the favorite tastes of this event.

{Garlic Soup from Trade – hot and comforting, just the cure for a dreary, cold day}

           {One Hope California Brut Sparkling Wine – with both citrus and brioche notes and plenty of bubbles, this bubbly is outstanding, and even better, $3.00 a bottle goes to Share our Strength.}

{Cheese Gougeres, AKA Bistro – I have the recipe for these and keep meaning to make them, perhaps when life evens out a bit.}

{Crispy Tuna Tostada – Highland Kitchen}

{Polenta, greens, chickpeas and all sorts of good stuff – Tavolo – I have always been a fan of Chef Chris Douglass and the work he’s done in Dorchester. Chef Douglass’ restaurants are both in the Ashmont area of Dorchester, home to Martin Richard, the youngest Boston Marathon bombing victim. When I saw Chef that night, I just wanted to give him a hug; despite being in a place of so much hurting, he was there to help.  I <3 my neighborhood. }

{Raspberry Rhubarb Shortcake – Flour Bakery – Chef Joanne Chang’s baking is delicious, and her warm smile is infectious. It’s always wonderful to see her, whether at Flour or at Myers + Chang.}

In addition to the above, I also loved the oysters served up in the VIP area of the event. If you’re an oyster and sparkling wine lover, it’s definitely worth it to go the VIP route. It also makes it easy to grab a table or a couch to do your chowing down.

Taste of the Nation offers such a tasty variety of bites from the best chefs around, and the driving force behind it is crucial to our nation’s future. There’s a reason it’s one of my favorite events of the year, and I can’t wait to support it again next year. Share our Strength has many opportunities to help throughout the year, and I hope that this is the year I become more involved with this lifesaving organization.

I was provided a complimentary ticket to Taste of the Nation but was not required to write about it. All opinions are my own.