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Boston Food and WhineBoston Food and WhineThe hip, the happening and the date-night-worthy of the Boston food world. Restaurant reviews, recommentations and news as well as kid-friendly suggestions. Articles
I'm talking turkey...
2008-05-09 23:07:00 Trader Joe's Turkey Meatballs with Marinara Sauce that is. TJ's has always had a yummy assortment of frozen, pre-made meatballs; however, now they have added fresh meatballs and other Italian classics to their arsenal.At $3.99 for a package of six, these meatballs are not quite as low calorie as their frozen companions... but MAN, are they GOOD! I decided to try these goodies a few weeks ago and I was pleasantly surprised. The meatballs taste homemade, with just the right amount of Italian seasoning and the marinara sauce is a wonderful addition. I do wish there was more sauce though, as you get perhaps 1-2 tbsp of sauce per ball.When I say I love these meatballs, it's an understatement. They are ridiculously delicious. I am the type of person that gets sick of a meal after once or twice... so I don't do well with leftovers. I ate two of these meatballs for lunch three days in a row last week and bought two more packages on Wednesday and have eaten them the last two days in a r... More About: Talking
Roche Brother's Spring Cooking Series
2008-05-08 19:47:00 Begins tonight at the Roche Brothers in Wellesley. Click here to book you reservations online or call 781.235.5112.Tonight's class focuses on Indoor Grilling, begins at 7pm and is hosted by Chef John Marcellino of Cape Cod Cooking . More About: Series , Spring
Food Drive
2008-05-08 19:25:00 My post from this past Saturday talked about how the Boston area food banks and pantries are hurting. I talked about a few ways to help, including a food drive.Funny enough, if you haven't already heard, the National Association of Letter Carriers, branch 34, is conducting their (annual) "Stamp Out Hunger" food drive, by collecting non-perishable food (for the Greater Boston area) on May 10th -- that's THIS Saturday! Just leave a paper bag by your mailbox --filled with non-perishables. What could be easier??? More About: Food , Drive
Sugar Pie Honey Bunch
2008-05-08 16:53:00 First there was The Bee Movie, which gave us a 'bee's eye view' of how critical the pollination process is to our world. Then there was the Honey Latte at Starbucks. Which showcases honey as a premium ingredient.Burt's Bees, which has been around for quite some time, made a public service announcement in November.And now, Haagan Dazs has joined the ranks. "...more than 40 percent of Häagen-Dazs all-natural ice cream flavors include ingredients dependent on honey bees for pollination..."What am I referring to? A honey trend in foods -- but more so, a campaign to protect the honey bees -- "...whose fertile touch is behind one-third of what the world eats..." (International Hearld Tribune, 2/25/2008)I'm not the only one who has noticed. It seems that our honey bees are in trouble, and if we don't do something to help, it could significantly impact many agricultural crops. Almonds, for example, rely 100% on honey bees to pollinate their flowers.According to a Haagan Dazs press re... More About: Sugar
100
2008-05-05 02:16:00 Wow... I hit 100 countries that have visited my blog (as of today). Pretty cool...Country number 100? Guam! Number 99 was Bahrain.
The 5th of May
2008-05-04 14:08:00 Also known as Cinco de Mayo, this holiday is observed in the US to celebrate Mexican heritage and pride. A common misconception is that the 5th of May is Mexico's Independence Day, but it's not. But what this day is, is a reason to eat and drink and have some fun with friends.As usual, there is no lack of places to celebrate in the Boston area. Here is a list of activities that City Search compiled. One that caught my eye is the first annual Mi Casa Beecasa event at The Beehive (which by now, you know I am a huge fan of) -- featuring the music of Mariachi Fantasia from 8pm to Midnight and a special menu featuring aptly-themed appetizers, entrees, desserts and cocktails.Also beginning on May 5th is Boston Bakes for Breast Cancer. Not Cinco de Mayo themed, but note worthy (and a good cause) none the less. "Join participating restaurants, bakeries, and cafes in Boston and the Greater Boston area during the week of May 5th through May 11th for the 9th annual Boston Bakes for Breast Ca...
Boston Food Banks in Trouble
2008-05-03 13:49:00 In today's Boston Globe, a disturbing article discusses how the food banks and pantries in the Greater Boston area and Massachusetts in general, are really feeling the pinch of inflation. The Husband read an article that said the cost of food is up 45% globally. What are we doing to ourselves???The Greater Boston Food Bank supplied this image that illustrates how the [wholesale] price of Turkey has increased over the past five years (up 38%). It has almost doubled. According to the article, the price for a case of canned peaches has gone up 57%. This is not good news for the needy. Local food banks received about 39% less food from Federal funding last year and they expect even less this year (thanks GWB). The article states "They want lawmakers to raise emergency food assistance by $1 million this fiscal year, to a total of $12 million, as it was last fiscal year. They are also urging lawmakers to increase emergency food assistance to $12.6 million for fiscal 2009." But this is wi... More About: Banks
No longer Lost
2008-05-02 18:32:00 SPOILER ALERT! I am about to discuss the last two weeks of Lost . I am two weeks behind on Lost. I am sitting here right now watching last week's episode of Lost. Last night's episode is lined up for next. Nothing like an overcast, Friday afternoon of DVR shows!------------------ WTF?!?! This show is crazy... and I LOVE it! I'm going to freak out if Claire or Sawyer dies in this episode. I already read that the Ben's daughter is killed... and The Husband told me several people die.------------------Right now, Ben, Hurley, Locke, Claire, Sawyer and Aaron are locked up in the house, waiting for "them" (the people after Ben) to attack. What will happen??? What will happen I say?!------------------Flash Forward (8 years!)... Ben is in Iraq and sees Sayeed on TV -- whose wife was just killed. He's there to tell Sayeed that it's the same person who staged their airplane on bottom of the sea (Charles Whitmore). How the hell is this series going to end???------------------If you have n...
Need some gift-giving ideas?
2008-05-01 21:20:00 I just happened upon this site today and I cannot believe I have not heard of it before now.Etsy -- "Your place to buy and sell things handmade"It's great... some really beautiful pieces. Enjoy!psst -- Hey Husband... don't forget Mother's Day is just around the corner!!! :)UPDATE: (7:51pm) I just spent some time surfing this site. I can confidently say that I will never buy a gift from a 'normal' store again! This place is AMAZING!!!! More About: Ideas , Gift , Giving
No plans for tomorrow night?
2008-05-01 14:50:00 Then head to Roslindale Square. According to this week's Bulletin, an "Art Jam" fundraiser is being held in the Roslindale Congregational Church... alongside the Jazz in the Square concert, featuring the Grace Kelly Band from Brookline. The fundraising event starts at 6:15pm and the concert begins at 7:30 and requires a $10 donation that goes toward the fundraiser -- which, by the way, is raising money for a cool sculptural art piece -- called "Traffic" -- for the square. The installation is a George Greenamyer kinetic sculpture and is being sponsored by the Roslindale Main Streets Committee, Roslindale Public Art Council and Jazz in the Square. The fundraiser will feature works of art from Boston-area artists... with each piece going for $200. While you're there, head to one of my favorite places... Sophia's Grotto, or one of the other great dining places in Rozzie. More About: Night , Plans , Tomorrow
Restaurant News
2008-04-29 23:32:00 According to Boston Chefs, there are a few interesting food events coming up.The Nantucket Wine Festival is Wednesday May 14th through Sunday May 18th this year.Masa is having a month long Cinco de Mayo celebration.Tomorrow night (April 30th) at Chiara in Westwood, Sommelier Thomas Tietjen is offering a Rosé tasting.For all the local restaurant news, click here. More About: News , Restaurant
Today's Box
2008-04-29 22:56:00 It's that time again... the 3-yo and I were very excited to see that familiar green Boston Organics box sitting on the porch when we got home today. Like two little kids (okay, one of us IS a little kid), we rushed inside to see what our bi-weekly box contained.We were psyched to see:2 Braeburn Apples2 Cameo Apples1 Haas Avocado9 Bananas4 Ears of Corn1 Cucumber1 Head of Fennel (fronds included)1 Mango2 Oranges1 Bosc Pear3 Green Pears5 Red Potatoes1 Tomato1 Bag of Loose SpinachI am most excited about the fennel. I have definitely been craving a shaved fennel salad... perhaps with a little celery. We'll see...
Oishii is "Delicious"
2008-04-28 17:27:00 Literally. A common Japanese adjective (日本語) meaning "tasty" or "delicious", Oishii not only denotes this restaurant’s namesake but also describes -- quite accurately -- what you are bound to experience when you eat at this spacious, interesting and popular sushi bar.Oishii is not new to the Boston sushi scene. With their original location in Chestnut Hill -- which is always jammed beyond capacity, these savvy business owners decided to expand and open a second location in one of the largest restaurant Mecca’s in Boston: the South End.If either the difficulty in obtaining a reservation or the number of diners present is any indication of their popularity and success, I would say they made the right move with this new venture. This despite the fact that no signage hangs outside the inconspicuous location… with the several patio tables located out front the only indication that a restaurant exists.The Husband, his Brother, Brother’s Girlfriend (who were in town from Seat... More About: Delicious
"Kid-friendly" -- If you want to kill yourself...
2008-04-26 02:38:00 No, I shouldn't say that. Masona Grill (in West Roxbury) is definitely kid friendly... it's just that MY kid is not always "restaurant-friendly". Granted, I have a healthy buzz going right now, so in addition to making phenomenal typos (I'm sure), I may also be *exaggerating* a little. The 3-yo is a good kid. He's funny, he's dynamic, he's full of energy... (read: hyperactive). I just hate it when my kid doesn't listen, when he crawls under the table, when he climbs over my back -- trying to get to the other 3-yo and when he eats the salt directly out of the shaker. Aside from that, we had a great meal and a good time... and the staff was very forgiving of the chaos we created.The husband, myself, a girlfriend and two 3-yo's all decided last minute to head down to Masona Grill for a little dinner. I called down (at 6:30 on a Friday night) and despite the fact that they had a mostly full restaurant and a bunch of people coming in at 7 (including a wheel chair), they made some... More About: Friendly , Kill
No Grotto for us tonight...
2008-04-25 23:06:00 Unfortunately we had a babysitter cancellation issue -- so no date night. We're still heading to Oishii tomorrow night though, so look for the review this weekend.However, maybe we should stay away from sushi... seeing how WBZ is reporting that tuna sushi tested from several local restaurants (including high-end ones) had mercury levels higher than acceptable/healthy. They're not naming names though... dammit. More About: Tonight
In case you don't know how to help...
2008-04-23 01:39:00 Just one of many resources to provide you with tips and information on Earth Day and what you can do. If that's not enough, just Google "environmental awareness", "global warming", "save our planet" or "going green". More About: Case
Be good to your mother...
2008-04-22 22:26:00 Mother Earth that is. Today is Earth Day. What did you do?I planted lots of perennials and did some composting. I also cleaned out my refrigerator... making sure to recycle everything I could.Lastly, I pondered what else I could be doing to help the environment and our existence on this planet. I feel like we could be doing more (not only as a family, but as a species), so I am committing to making an even bigger effort than we are now.I hope to join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) or Coop this summer for our vegetables and if we are too late for that, then we are going to try to eat "local" for the summer... at least as much as humanly possible -- including growing our own herbs, tomatoes and cucumbers. I also vow that my next car with be more economical and fuel efficient than what I have now (a Honda Pilot). More About: Mother , Good
We're off like a prom dress...
2008-04-20 22:21:00 Well, it's our last night in the Sunshine State and rather than writing individual posts on the remaining places I haven't talked about yet, I thought I would just do a little summary.On Tuesday, we went to Hana Sushi, located at 397 E. Altamonte Drive in Altamonte Springs. As you can guess by it's name, this is a sushi place -- a strip mall sushi place. It was pretty good though. Not as good as our favorite sushi place here (Amura), but tasty none the less.D. tried the Kizakura Sake ($8.75) and I just had a house Chardonnay ($4) for drinks. We started with salads... a house Ginger Salad ($1.75) for me and the Tuna Tataki Salad ($8.95) for the Husband.Both were fresh and tasted good... and as you can see by the picture above, the Tuna Tataki salad was huge! For dinner, we got Salmon Sushi, Eel Sushi (both $4), and an assortment of rolls: Asparagus Tempura Roll ($3.25), Fiji Roll ($9.95), Crunchy Tuna Roll ($4.95), Florida Roll ($5.50), Walker Roll ($8.75) and a Crab and Salmon Ro... More About: Prom , Dress
GREAT SUBS
2008-04-20 19:47:00 That's what the sign reads at Kappy's Submarine Shop -- at 501 North Orlando Avenue in Maitland, Florida. And great subs they were!This hidden gem is definitely worth a visit.A 50's-style drive-up from bygone days, Kappy's offers their famous Philly cheese steaks, all beef hot dogs, burgers, submarines, sandwiches, waffle fries and milkshakes -- at picnic table seating or at the vintage stainless steel counter inside. Remembering visits as a child, the Husband suggested that we try this place out for lunch. We arrived and I was excited to see this 'rough around the edges' find. I knew immediately that we had stumbled upon something special.Kappy's has a walk-up window where you can order your goodies. The counter staff is very friendly and ensures that your order is accurate. You can also sit inside at the counter or call your order in for pickup. They offer everything from foot-long hot dogs to 4 to 8 feet party subs.Most of menu appears to be fairly meat-centric; but what s... More About: Great , Subs
A little Spice in Winter Park, FL
2008-04-19 14:06:00 Due to the availability of "babysitters" (a.k.a. Grandparents), the Husband and I have been able to go out to eat and do whatever we want most nights this week. Friday night, we went to one of my more favorite destinations in this area... Park Avenue in Winter Park -- which is just North of Orlando. Park Avenue is about as close as it gets to Newbury Street around here.After a difficult departure (think screaming, crying, child -- who will not let go of your leg), we opted to just 'wing it' and head to Park Avenue to see if we could find a place to eat. It was taking a chance, since it was Friday night, but neither of us was in the mood for anything in particular.There are only a handful of places to choose from (maybe 5 or 6 that I know of), so we were psyched to see an empty outside table at Spice , a "modern steakhouse" with a three locations throughout central Florida.With several awards under their belt, Spice's wine list has been recognized by Wine Enthusiast, Wine Spectator...
Food Blog... Food Blog... Any One??
2008-04-18 22:31:00 So I did a Google search for "Orlando Food Blog " and there's like zero food bloggers around here. Funny enough, this is what appeared at the top of the 3rd page of search results:Boston Food & Whine: We're heading to Orlando...Apr 9, 2008 ... Any Boston food bloggers out there that would like to make a "guest appearance" on my blog? All applicants considered... ;) ...bostonfoodandwhine.blogspot.com/2008/0 4/were-heading-to-orlando.html - 95k - Cached - Similar pages - Note thisThen I did a search on "Orlando Food Blogs"... and sure enough, I showed up again... but toward the top of page 2 this time -- and this was on page 5:Boston Food & Whine: Planning a trip to Orlando?Nov 28, 2007 ... My in-laws live just outside of Orlando, so we head down to Florida several times a year for some family time. ...bostonfoodandwhine.blogspot.com/2007/1 1/planning-trip-to-orlando.html - 96k - Cached - Similar pages - Note thisVery amusing and hey, I'm not complaining! But why no food blogg...
Ron's Gourmet Ice Cream
2008-04-18 14:44:00 As mentioned in Adam's post below... Ron's Gourmet Ice Cream is definitely good. However, did you know that it made National Geographic's "The Ultimate Guide for Travelers" and was listed as the 3rd Best Ice Cream in the World!!! Bet you didn't know that!
We all scream for ice cream
2008-04-18 03:51:00 The news that Centre Street in West Roxbury is getting not one, but two ice-cream shops ends a two-year ice cream drought on the street. But even before iScream and Champs open, West Roxbury is already the nexus of an ice-cream/frappe constellation. Here's what's available just a short ride from Centre Street:JP Licks, 651 VFW Parkway, West Roxbury. Same great ice cream as the original JP Licks, but in a fraction of the space - not the place you want to go with a crowd.Emack and Bolio's, 2 Belgrade Ave., Roslindale. Ice cream plus sandwiches, free WiFi and a couple of comfy couches.Friendly's, Dedham Plaza, Rte. 1 (or whatever they call it these days), Dedham. Good ice cream and the same slow service that was probably a big part of the reason the Centre Street Friendly's closed back in 2005.Ron's Gourmet Ice Cream and 20th Century Bowling, 1231 Hyde Park Ave., Hyde Park. Combines both things Centre Street now lacks: ice cream and bowling. What more could you ask? Possibly the ...
A Twinkie for The Missus
2008-04-18 02:04:00 One last post before BFW Tammy comes back! Blog-sitting is so fun!Anyway, I had every intention of writing up a review of Cuchi Cuchi (Tuesday's GNO) just like BFW Tammy does with links and details and everything. However after one Dancing with Ginger, one Black Dahlia, and a third of a bottle of wine, I had no real recollection of eating.I know that we ate and that it was expensive. And probably I will only go back for the drinks. It just seemed a little to overwrought or something. Maybe it was just Tuesday. But the company was excellent and the drinks potent, and fortunately this Friday is payday, so I am not so worried.Oh, and yeah, back to the non-review which meant that I had to shift gears on this post. And inspiration came to me in a funny way.I was walking home today just by Dudley Square and ran into a nice lady I used to volunteer with. We were shooting the breeze and she said she was heading to the market so I strolled along with her.And lo and behold what I found to th...
Globe's Best of the New 2008
2008-01-27 16:20:00 In today's Sunday edition Boston Globe, the Globe Magazine lists the Best of the New for 2008 . This includes restaurants, shops, people and things to do. Included in this list is 51 Lincoln... on my wish list and on my agenda for 2/8. Jeff Fournier, 51 Lincoln's owner and chef, who just celebrated his 1st anniversary with this successful endeavor -- also just secured the purchase of West Roxbury's Vintage. He is also the consulting chef on a new restaurant opening in Hyde Park called Townsend's... across the way from Albert Winestein's -- a rather new cheese and wine shop.In fact, several of my "wish list" entries made it on this list... Clink, Gaslight (which I had to reschedule due to baby sitter issues), Haru Sushi (which we've been to and thought was "okay"), Myers + Chang, O Ya and several others I was unaware of, but that sound great. It's worth a look, so pick up today's paper and check it out.Mmmm... the choices are getting better and better!
Shag me baby!
2008-01-27 14:02:00 I'm one of "those girls". You know the kind... one who religiously visits her hair salon every six weeks (sometimes every five -- depending on the season) to have her hair colored. One who would not even consider "cheating" on my colorist -- despite the fact I have dropped upwards of $250 on a visit (more than one time) in the past.Where, you ask... is this coveted salon and team of stylists I love so much that I am willing to blow my measly part-time salary on something that needs to be "re-done" every five weeks??? Shag Salon in South Boston... that's where!Since July 2005, Sandy Poirier has been promising and delivering "rock star hair". I have been going to Shag since [almost] the beginning and have loved every minute of it. They have gotten a lot of press over the last few years as well. My colorist, Tasha, even had her own Internet TV show on the TLC Channel's website... it's called The Makeover Train -- which was filmed on the MBTA Red Line! In addition to all the hype, S... More About: Baby
I scream, you scream, we all scream, for ice cream
2008-01-27 00:17:00 Apparently, some Cambridgians were so eager and starved for their favorite Central Square ice cream, that they actually banded together to raise more than $30,000 to help Toscanini's pay the Massachusetts Department of Revenue delinquent taxes -- taxes they owe dating all the way back to 2000. Toscanini's has been closed -- keys taken away by the state -- until today that is. While the Toscanini supports were ecstatic, reader's of the website http://www.boston.com/ were mixed on this "noble" gesture. Personally, I find it ridiculous as well. Why should a business owner be excused from paying taxes that ALL of us have to pay??? Very annoying... More About: Ice Cream , Scream , Cream
Oh Brother...
2008-01-26 15:06:00 Well, it's final! I'm off to Sibling Rivalry Thursday night... which, won the voter's poll -- beating out The Beehive 38% to 33%. To all who participated -- Thanks for voting!As quoted on their website:Sibling Rivalry combines the simple elegance of classical cooking with the rich, bold flavors of Modern American cuisine. Chef's David and Bob Kinkead created a 'dueling' menu that showcases their talents with different interpretations of seasonal ingredients. The Kinkead brothers' philosophy of providing fresh, straight-forward cuisine is at the core of their menu. Warm colors of copper, beet, and red provide a warm and inviting atmosphere which reflects the hospitality of the restaurant and staff. Diners can experience a 'Chef's Bar' where patrons can watch the hustle and bustle of the kitchen while dining. A creative cocktail list and extensive wine selection are top of the list of reasons to visit this posh Boston dining hot spot. More About: Brother
Is the SCD right? Well, they are definiltely not LEFT!
More articles from this author:2008-01-25 16:12:00 SCD -- Support Community Decency, Inc. is a new non-profit based in West Roxbury. An ad in this week's Bulletin explains how the SCD is "embarking on a crusade against the Boston Phoenix" -- a Boston-based, free, arts-and-entertainment alternative newsweekly. The SCD claims that the adult section in the paper, is "indecent, sexually exploitative, and potentially harmful to community members" and they are trying to completely eradicate the publication from West Roxbury all together, stating that the paper's ads for "soliciting local young women in need of cash to become escorts", will be attractive to "single mothers, young women with drug problems, or one whose mother or father is in need of an operation."Are you bleeping kidding me???? I haven't read a line of bulls**t like that in a while (well, except when I read anything quoted by Bush or Mittler). I mean, what are we coming to? If you think a news paper ad is going to corrupt a person -- brain washing them in such way that t... More About: Left 1, 2, 3 |
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