Fork it over, Boston!

Escape to the Cape: Pain d'Avignon (Hyannis, MA)

rachelblumenthal625@gmail.com (Rachel Blumenthal) — Fri, 7 Jun 2013 09:28:00 -0400

I grew up in Massachusetts, but we weren't one of the many families who regularly vacationed on the Cape. Trips to see New Hampshire's Old Man in the Mountain (may he rest in peace, crumbled in a gorge somewhere) and the Flume were more our style, so my only real exposure to the Cape growing up was a quick trip to P-town in a friend's four-seat plane. So when I was invited to sneak out of Boston on an April evening to take a media field trip to Pain d'Avignon in Hyannis, I was immediately on board. We'd get the chance to tour the facilities, taste a sampling of products, and meet the new executive chef, Matthew Tropeano, a native of Randolph, Massachusetts (right near my hometown of Sharon). Before coming to Pain d'Avignon, Tropeano had been in New York for a decade, including a stint as executive chef at La Grenouille.

The French-style bakery and cafe/bistro is known in particular for their gorgeous handmade breads, many of them meant for display purposes (followed, of course, by eating). When Valentine's Day comes around, for example, they create a heart-shaped chocolate and hazelnut bread. Even if you don't frequent the Cape, you've probably already spotted their bread closer to Boston; Pain d'Avignon's goods appear at many local farmers' markets and grocery stores.

When we arrived at Pain d'Avignon, we spent some time perched around high tops in the bar area sipping cocktails. A popular choice was the Snowbird, a collaboration with Bully Boy Distillers and Bonnie's James. This description is snagged from a press release, but it's rather lovely:

"Just as snowbirds chase warmer weather, this drink evokes a feel of spring and summer year-round. The butterscotch and banana undertones in Bully Boy’s White Rum mixed with the cardamom tincture and the Peach Ginger Jam create a combination of tropical fruit flavors and spice to warm things up as we part ways with the snowy winter."

We then placed our food orders for the evening before being whisked around the production area for a tour. Second only to vanilla extract, the smell of bread baking is one of my favorites, so I could have stayed in their forever amongst the seemingly infinite loaves and rolls.

When it was time to eat, we finally had the chance to taste some bread, and it was just right: soft and springy on the inside, crunchy and full of character on the outside, and perfectly complemented by a small spread of butter.

I decided to go a stereotypical bistro French route for my meal, starting with French onion soup - the best in recent memory. There were generous amounts of the best part, the crispy melted cheese clinging to the side of the bowls, just waiting to be peeled off indelicately and popped in my mouth, table manners be damned.

Next, the steak frites. (See? I warned you I went the stereotypical route.) Full of cocktails, wine, bread, and cheese, I couldn't make much of a dent here, but the fries were irresistible - just a little bit flexible and precisely the right amount of salt.

And finally, the heavenly crêpes Suzette, two delicate crêpes swimming in a cloud of citrus and caramelized sugar.

Pain d'Avignon also serves breakfast and lunch (soups, salads, grilled pizzas, sandwiches), and there's a small patio outside, perfect for the warmer days ahead. I'm not sure when I'll find myself in Hyannis again, but I'd certainly make a point to return to Pain d'Avignon if I were in the area. Until then, I'll be adding the loaves I find at the market to my standard rotation.

Disclosure: This meal was complimentary, but all opinions expressed are my own.

First Impressions: Bronwyn

rachelblumenthal625@gmail.com (Rachel Blumenthal) — Thu, 16 May 2013 10:07:00 -0400

As a Union Square resident, I've been eagerly keeping an eye on Bronwyn's progress in the old Ronnarong space for months now. It's finally open, and I was fortunate to be able to get reservations last night to see if it would live up to everyone's expectations. I had a great experience, and I'll definitely be back. My detailed opening night report is posted on Eater, and my photos with a few quick thoughts are right here:

Brot: Oat-honey Challah, Rye Roggenbrot, Bauernbrot, juniper-sesame crisp, butter, sea salt. We were really curious about the "Giant Haus Bretzel," but we ended up settling on the bread basket to try a few different things. The clear winner was the challah, and if they packaged and sold it separately, I would buy a loaf every Friday. And I'm not even much of an observer of Shabbat.

Augustiner Brau Lager. When I almost ordered the Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier Dunkel, which I've enjoyed in the past, the waiter recommended that if I wanted to try something new in the same vein, this was the one. It was a perfect recommendation. I was also a fan of the wide honeycomb-like beer glass, which I had to hold with two hands!

Knödel (bacon bread dumpling, fiddlehead purée). Quick, go and try this before fiddlehead season is over. They describe it as a dumpling, but it's really more like bread pudding, and it is absolutely amazing. I'm still thinking about this one. And the fiddleheads were sauteed just right.

Bavarian Roast Chicken (citrus-pineapple cure, grilled red cabbage). This was my mom's dish, and she said it was the best chicken she's had in recent memory. They were kind enough to substitute sauerkraut for the cabbage on request. There's grilled pineapple as well, which is my favorite thing to eat from the grill. This dish is not only delicious but will even appeal to the most picky member of your party, most likely.

Blutnudeln (Trentino blood pasta, spring onion, citrus). Stunning colors and flavors. There were small, tender bits of pork in there as well. Even if you're a little weirded out by the blood, this is worth a try.

Kaiserschmarrn. The Kaiser's pancake! This Austrian dessert was a surprisingly small portion, but every bite was full of delicious apple flavor. It paired perfectly with an apple Schnapps that came in a tiny stein-shaped shot glass.

German chocolate cake. Or whipped cream with a side of cake? A little dry for my taste; I'd get the Kaiserschmarrn again or try out the Berliner (doughnut) next time.

Overall impressions: Welcome to the neighborhood, Bronwyn! I can't wait to bring Joel and others here, and I really can't wait for the biergarten to open. There are plenty more things on the menu I'd love to try, too. My mom and I didn't even get to the Wurst section because there was so much else we wanted to eat. Based on the huge, excited crowd on opening night and the high quality of everything I tried, I'm guessing Bronwyn will do quite well in Somerville.

Click here to read my full report of opening night on Eater.

Catch Me on TV This Friday on the Better Show's 'License to Spill' Tour

rachelblumenthal625@gmail.com (Rachel Blumenthal) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 08:55:00 -0400

Since wrapping up production of TEN back in December (which is now in post-production - check out the teaser trailer!), I've jumped at the chance to get back on camera as much as possible, so I readily agreed to an appearance with the Better Show, a nationally syndicated lifestyle TV program. In March, the Better Show embarked on a cross-country tour dubbed 'License to Spill,' which involves stopping by food events in various cities and partnering with a chef to provide samples of a messy local dish that spectators try...and then spill on a carpet provided by sponsor Mohawk. Fun! (I'm not being paid to say this: the carpet was actually amazingly stain-resistant.)

Boston was actually the first stop on the tour, and the License to Spill van came to the Home Show at Patriot Place, where Chef Ben Lacy of Tastings was participating in the Home Show's Chef Fest. The day of the event, I reviewed my email exchange with the show producers and realized I had missed one key feature: the signature dish was baked beans! Now, I've gotten a lot less picky over the last few years, but I still really don't like beans and hadn't tasted baked beans in probably more than 20 years. But my rule for blogging-related events is that I'll try whatever I'm offered, and as it turned out, I did enjoy the beans. I'd had Lacy's cooking once before at a visit to Tastings and was impressed by his emphasis on local ingredients and beautiful presentation.

Aside from eating beans, I spent some time chatting on camera with charming host JD Roberto about Boston's classic foods, particularly seafood. I think I said something about how scrod isn't an actual species of fish - like gefilte fish - and babbled about the molasses trade, which was hopefully accurate. I dutifully mentioned that Boston baked beans are the ultimate signature dish of the city because the script - and the fact that baked beans were the signature dish of the event - called for it, but to be honest, I don't think they're really a thing anymore. People who live here don't eat them all the time (well, I certainly don't), and I suspect that tourists don't really look for them. Tangentially related, no one who is from here calls Boston "Beantown." Just don't do it.

Beans aside, I had a blast shooting the segment, although I didn't actually get to spill anything on the carpet. Too bad! It'll air this Friday, April 19th, on the following stations:

Boston (Manchester) - WBIN (IND Channel) at 1am
Springfield-Holyoke - WBQT (CW Plus) at 5am
Springfield-Holyoke - WSHM (CBS) at 6am

It'll also be on www.better.tv. Check it out! ...and if I sound like an idiot, please never mention it again :)

Lamb Duo: Harissa and Date "Lambanadas" with a Lamb Sous Vide Spring Salad

rachelblumenthal625@gmail.com (Rachel Blumenthal) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 01:17:00 -0400

Update: Please vote for this recipe in the American Lamb Pro-Am Boston contest between now and April 26th, if you'd be so kind. VOTE HERE!

Let's hope this post is coherent; creating this lamb recipe culminated in a last-minute feast with nine friends and a baby, and as these evenings always do, it ended with many rounds of drinks and a rousing game of Cards Against Humanity. I'm thrilled to participate in this year's American Lamb Pro-Am challenge alongside some of my favorite local bloggers and food-loving friends. (Well, I guess we're temporarily enemies since we're competing against each other!)

When I first started brainstorming what to do with the gigantic leg of lamb I was provided for this contest, I kept thinking about stuffing lamb into things - ravioli, maybe? Dumplings? - and incorporating some spring vegetables into the mix. But these ideas required ground lamb, and it seemed like a shame to just grind up such a beautiful cut of lamb. As a compromise, I decided to use the lamb two ways: ground in one part of the recipe and cooked in a different way for the other half.

The first draft: harissa and lamb empanadas (eventually dubbed "lambanadas" by one of my dinner guests) with a spring salad topped with sliced, roasted lamb. With some input from Joel, my dining companion/boyfriend/lamb slicer, I settled on adding dates to the harissa and lamb empanadas and using our makeshift sous vide (inspired by Cooking for Geeks) to prepare the lamb for the salad. For the ground lamb, I actually went out and bought the food grinder add-on for my newish KitchenAid stand mixer. Now I want to grind everything! For the salad, I raided every last bit of the final Somerville Winter Farmers Market of the season and came away with a gorgeous selection of late winter/early spring root vegetables. To tie the two pieces of the dish together, I used a Turkish spice blend in both lamb preparations.

This lamb duo pulls together fairly easily timing-wise. Allow at least 90 minutes for the lamb in the sous vide - but the nice thing about the sous vide is that you can actually leave it there all day and it'll still come out perfectly. The empanadas can also be made ahead of time; just warm them in the oven right before serving.

HARISSA AND DATE "LAMBANADAS"
Makes 20 empanadas

Ingredients

2 lbs ground lamb
1 tbsp Turkish spice blend
1 tbsp caraway seeds
20 empanada shells (such as Goya Discos)
1 1/4 cups harissa
6-8 Medjool dates, chopped coarsely
1 egg (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400F.
Season raw ground lamb with the Turkish spice blend and caraway seeds.
Brown lamb over high heat on the stovetop until fully cooked, approximately 6-8 minutes.
Spread empanada shells on a lightly greased baking sheet.
On the lower half of each shell (leaving a half-inch border all around), spoon about two tablespoons of cooked lamb. Top with about a tablespoon of harissa and 5-6 chopped date bits.
One shell at a time, use your finger to wet the bottom half of the circumference of the shell and fold over the top half, pushing down to seal.
Using the tines of a fork, make indentations along the edge to reinforce the seal.
Optional: In a small bowl, use a fork to whisk an egg until well-blended. Brush onto the top of each empanada for a shiny finish.
Bake empanadas for 15 minutes.

LAMB SOUS VIDE SPRING SALAD

Makes 6-8 servings

2 lbs leg of lamb
1 tbsp Turkish spice blend
1 head red leaf lettuce or other greens
selection of root vegetables (I used 6 parsnips, 1 moon radish, and 2 sweet potatoes.)
olive oil
salt and pepper (optional: garlic salt)
Optional: honey (Our root vegetables were sweet enough on their own because the time of year is just right, but add a drizzle of honey if you'd like.)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400F and sous vide to 135F.
Slice lamb into large (steak-sized) chunks and rub with Turkish spice blend before vacuum sealing for the sous vide.
Cook the lamb in the sous vide for at least 90 minutes or up to a whole day.
Meanwhile, slice the root vegetables, season with salt and pepper (add garlic salt if desired), drizzle with olive oil, and bake for 45 minutes at 400F.
Remove lamb from sous vide, sear at the highest possible heat for no more than 2 minutes per side, and then cut up into small slices.
Arrange lamb and roasted vegetables on top of a bed of lettuce or preferred greens; serve with Harissa and Date "Lambanadas."

Disclosure: I was provided a leg of lamb to use in the development of this recipe, courtesy of BostonChefs.com and the American Lamb Board, for the purpose of participating in a contest to decide which six out of fourteen local bloggers will compete at the 2nd American Lamb Pro-Am Boston.

Update: Please vote for this recipe in the American Lamb Pro-Am Boston contest between now and April 26th, if you'd be so kind. VOTE HERE!

Passover Treats from Rosie's Bakery

rachelblumenthal625@gmail.com (Rachel Blumenthal) — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 12:18:00 -0400

I didn't grow up in a Kosher family. A little bit in the spirit of keeping Kosher, we didn't cook pork products in the house, but you can bet we were eating bacon and sausage at restaurants - and especially Alice's inimitable pork-filled Peking ravioli at Mandarin Taste. But every year when Passover rolled around, we'd dutifully celebrate two Seders and eat only Kosher-for-Passover food for eight days. I don't remember doing a strict removing and burning of all the chametz in the house - the forbidden leavened foods - but we'd keep all the kitchen cabinets closed and slowly eat our way through the boxes that accumulated across the counter: boxes of matzoh, egg kichel, those little jelly fruit slices, and other traditional Passover goodies of questionable quality.

My favorite Passover food is undoubtedly my mom's breakfast fried matzoh. Others call it matzoh brie and make it mushy, but we'd keep the matzoh fairly solid and crunchy with just a quick swipe under a running faucet. Now that I don't live at home, I can never make it quite as well on my own, and there's no one around to force me to drink a tall glass of apple juice with every portion. (I'll leave you to piece together that connection on your own.) But whenever I smell eggs frying, even if it's French toast being cooked, I immediately think of fried matzoh.

I'm also a fan of egg kichel - airy little cookies with sugar on top. In general, though, Passover foods - and especially baked goods - are notoriously bad. I won't go into a whole discussion of foods that are prohibited during Passover, but in a general sense, most leavened things are out, and many Jewish families (mostly Ashkenazi) also omit rice and corn. This knocks out everything containing corn syrup, which, in the processed food world, is pretty much everything.

When a representative from Rosie's Bakery reached out to me to see if I'd sample their line of Passover goods, I was a little worried that I'd be disappointed, but I like Rosie's and figured that if anyone can make Passover desserts taste great, it'd be them. Fortunately, they succeeded, so I wanted to share my recommendations based on the products I tried. Rosie's Passover menu is available in stores for the duration of the holiday, but to pick up an order on Sunday 3/24 and Monday 3/25, you must place it by 5 PM tomorrow, Monday 3/18.

First up, the Passover Brownie ($2.75 each): not only is this brownie outstanding for Passover, it is the best brownie I've had in ages. (This isn't too surprising to me as I had previously found Rosie's non-Passover brownies to be excellent as well.) From the cracked, crispy bits on top to the fudgy, melty interior, the Passover brownie thoroughly impressed me. You will probably not regret ordering a whole platter of these - unless you eat them all at once, that is.

At first glance, I thought this was a Passover version of a half-moon (aka black-and-white) cookie, but one bite in, the extreme almond flavor (and lack of white icing) gave it away: it's a Chocolate-Dipped Almond Macaroon ($2.65 each). Nope, it's not one of those chewy little mountains that Manischewitz sells in large tins that people either love or hate, and that's a good thing. This soft, sweet cookie reminded me of the almond cookies I occasionally get at bakeries in Chinatown, and the chocolate dip added a little something extra. Like the brownie, this macaroon made me think, "This is delicious!" rather than "This is delicious...for Passover food."

The Chocolate Coconut Macaroon ($2.65 each) may not be the most attractive baked good, but its taste makes up for it, provided you like coconut (I do). This one tastes most like a Passover item to me and does conjure up thoughts of those Manischewitz macaroons, but not in a bad way. If you like fudgy cookies packed with coconut, you'll love this.

The Chocolate Caramel Matzoh Crunch ($19.95/pound) was the only one in the bunch that didn't completely wow me, but I think that has more to do with the fact that I'm not a huge caramel fan. I did manage to eat quite a lot of it, and it went something like this: "Too sweet! But wait, I need another bite to make sure." (And repeat.) The texture's great, a gradient that starts chewy on the caramel side, gets crunchy in the middle, and ends with the smooth chocolate on the opposite side. I'd probably be happier with just plain chocolate-covered matzoh, but those with a sweet tooth for caramel will adore this.

The Chocolate Delirium ($5.50 small, $32 large) is appropriately named as its richness will make your eyes roll back in your head as you slowly take a bite, and then another, and then another...at least that's what happened to me. This flourless cake is decadently rich, and I could only handle a few bites at a time. True chocolate lovers may sneak away from the table with this only to be found later whimpering in a corner and covered with melted chocolate.

So, I guess it's possible to make excellent Passover baked goods after all. I'll definitely still be found munching on box after box of commercially-produced egg kichel, but without hesitation, I can also recommend Rosie's Bakery's Passover menu.

Disclosure: Rosie's Bakery provided me with complimentary samples of several of their Passover menu items. While I agreed to post a review of the products, positive coverage was not guaranteed, and all opinions expressed in this post are my honest thoughts.

New Eats in Union Square: Donuts and Ramen

rachelblumenthal625@gmail.com (Rachel Blumenthal) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 08:00:00 -0500

I've now lived in Somerville for more than two-and-a-half years, the last six months of which I've spent in Union Square. I've loved the food in this neighborhood since before I lived here, and I'm excited that a couple of new treats have popped up in the last few weeks.

Two tenants of the Kitchen Inc. community cooking space, Josh Danoff (Culinary Cruisers - my kombucha obsession - and Ocean Ave Pops) and Heather Schmidt (City Chicks), began baking donuts a few months ago and selling them at farmers' markets, and they just opened up a retail shop in the front of Kitchen Inc., right across from Target on the outer edge of Union Square.

Union Square Donuts opened on Valentine's Day, and I was there right at opening to grab some photos for Eater Boston. Of course, there was no way I could go home empty-handed, so I bought two chocolate chipotles, a maple bacon, and an orange ginger cream to split with Joel. The chocolate chipotle was my favorite: light and airy with just the right amount of chocolate. I'd love more heat, but as you probably know, I'm a bit addicted to spicy things. The others were great as well, although a little more decadent, so I wouldn't recommend trying too many at once!

At $3 a pop ($3.50 for the maple bacon), these aren't your average Dunkin' Donuts donuts (but there's one of those down the street if that's what you're after). I found them to be worth the splurge, but I wouldn't make a frequent habit out of it. If you want a taste, be sure to keep an eye on their Facebook page for announcements as they've been selling out pretty early most days. They're open from 9 AM until selling out on Thursdays through Sundays, and they also carry dulce de leche cinnamon rolls, Ocean Ave Pops (fun-flavored popsicles!), coffee, and Spindrift sodas.

The other new treat is at Backbar (which itself isn't new): ramen! It's available between 4 PM and 6 PM every day (except for Tuesday, when the bar is closed). The catch is that there are only 10 portions available each day. Kathy and I checked it out Saturday, arriving about 15 minutes early with one couple ahead of us in line. By 3:58, eight of the 10 portions had been claimed.

From Backbar's website:

"One of the head chefs of Journeyman Restaurant, Tse Wei Lim, has been working on this ramen recipe for many many months. Although he’s constantly in the pursuit of perfection, he has finally deemed it good enough. And let me tell you this far exceeds my definition of “good enough.” I personally think it is the best ramen in Boston. The broth is made from pork and duck stocks, with scallops, miso and soy sauce. The noodles are made fresh daily and topped with shredded pork, runny duck eggs, scallions, and bamboo shoots. Then you can personalize by adding on kimchee, pork lard, garlic, extra noodles or just some bacon!"

I haven't had nearly every ramen in Boston, so I can't verify Backbar's claim that it's the best, but it was certainly enjoyable (not to mention close to home). The egg was absolutely perfect, and I loved the housemade noodles, which had just the right amount of chewiness. I'm not sure if I'll be willing to battle hungry customers for one of just 10 helpings once the secret's out, but I'm glad I got to try it. Plus, I love spending time with Kathy, and I love Backbar, so this was a triple-play of an afternoon!

Meanwhile, more delicious ramen lurks less than two miles away. My go-to spot is Sapporo at the Porter Exchange, and I suspect that I will fall in love with YumeWoKatare, also in Porter Square, once I finally get around to trying it.

But getting back to Union Square, there's more excitement on the horizon as well. Bronwyn, from the owners of T.W. Food, is getting ready to open in what used to be Ronnarong, plus the adjacent space. I miss Ronnarong terribly (Thai tapas!), but it sounds like Bronwyn could be pretty awesome, from a beer garden to hand-twisted Bavarian sausages to artisan breads. Here it is in its under-construction glory:

And it looks great under a few feet of snow, too!

Peanut Butter and Banana Smoothie Recipes (Vista Magazine)

rachelblumenthal625@gmail.com (Rachel Blumenthal) — Sat, 1 Dec 2012 20:07:00 -0500

I recently started doing a little bit of food writing for Vista Magazine, a "leading Latino publication celebrating 25 years in print. Focusing on family, food, entertainment and lifestyle, Vista highlights Hispanic life. Plus, it reaches about 2 million readers per issue." Check out my first post, "Simple Smoothie Recipes with Peanut Butter and Bananas," for a ridiculously easy set of variations on a banana smoothie. Frozen bananas really make an awesome smoothie because they give it a thick, velvety texture that you don't really get from other fruits. Plus, testing these recipes gave me a chance to perfect my banana-opening technique! Turns out most of us open it from the "wrong" side. Monkeys do it from the other side, and it's actually easier. You don't squish the end, and you get a convenient handle. Life-changing skill right here, folks.

Cauliflower "Risotto" (TEN Recipes)

rachelblumenthal625@gmail.com (Rachel Blumenthal) — Sat, 1 Dec 2012 19:47:00 -0500

Lately I've been spending most of my time preparing for TEN, an independent horror film that begins shooting next week. I'm acting in it as well as doing some behind-the-scenes work, particularly documenting the whole experience through photography and blogging. Since we have a cast and crew with varied dietary needs, it's easiest for us to maintain a vegetarian diet while we're all on set 24/7 for a week. There are some great cooks amongst the group, so I'll be sharing some recipes during the process. The first recipe is a cauliflower "risotto" (with vegan and non-vegan options) by Porcelain Dalya, who is playing a co-ed. Visit the TEN blog to see the recipe.

An Evening at Moxy in Portsmouth

rachelblumenthal625@gmail.com (Rachel Blumenthal) — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 18:43:00 -0500

Joel and I don’t go out to dinner much anymore; for budget, health, and schedule reasons, we often find it preferable to cook at home. That’s not to say that we don’t love a nice restaurant date night - or at least I do! - but it’s just not a frequent occurrence anymore. So when we were invited to try out Moxy up in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, I was thrilled for the opportunity to take a quick road trip and spend an evening away from our home and our usual routine.

I had already heard great things about Moxy from a few other bloggers who had made the trip up for an earlier press dinner, so I suspected it was worth the drive. Richard, the Passionate Foodie, gave an exceptionally glowing review. I was also intrigued by chef/owner Matt Louis’ impressive background (more on that in a bit) and the restaurant’s commitment to local sourcing, and I’m a sucker for shareable tapas-style meals. More things to taste!

Hasty pudding "frites" and fried tomatillos with a house molasses barbecue sauce

We met Matt briefly on the way in and were amazed by how humble he is, considering his beyond stellar background. Since we didn't have much of a chance to talk, he took the time to fill me in on his background via email afterwards. It began when he was just a kid and his dad managed a hotel. By age twelve, he was working in the kitchen there and found the chef to be a great mentor. The chef was also a huge advocate of the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) and took Matt to visit it when he was fifteen years old.

Poached hen egg with fingerlings, bacon, and lobster

"That was it," Matt wrote to me later. "There was no other option, and I pursued it like a football player getting into the NFL." When he began studying at the CIA, his eyes were opened to a level of fine dining he had never experienced, and he began obsessing over Thomas Keller’s legendary French Laundry. "It was like something out of a myth," Matt wrote. "Is this place real? Can a restaurant like that really exist? I honestly didn't believe it."

Grilled apple and pear with chili-scented crispy kale, pumpkin-sunflower seed granola bites, melted Vermont chevre, caramelized onions

Matt was traveling to California for a wine program portion of his studies, and he asked an instructor for help getting a reservation for The French Laundry. He got the reservation but also handed Matt a letter of recommendation, saying that he could only go dine there if he also brought the letter and a resume. He did, and he never expected to hear anything, but the restaurant asked him to come in for a tryout.

Fried clams with pickled peppers, cocktail onions, Raye's mustard aioli

"It was extremely hard," wrote Matt. "So hard that I just wanted to get through the day and get out of there. It was on the flight home that I remember waking up, and when I did, when my head cleared some, I immediately knew that I had to work there. All the reasons it was so hard were all the reasons I needed to be there." Matt started emailing Chef Keller telling him that he needed to work there. He knew he wasn’t up to the level of the others yet, but that was why he needed to go so badly. "I think I basically bothered him to the point that he told me he would give me a job at Bouchon and go from there."

Pan-seared pork tenderloin with cranberry marmalade, collard greens, marinated pear

He spent about a year working at Bouchon, Keller's bistro, and spending every free minute staging at The French Laundry, finally transitioning to full-time at the Laundry - the first one to make that transition from Bouchon. He later traveled to New York City to be part of the opening team for Keller’s Per Se. Of working for Keller, Matt writes: "There is so much you learn working for him, it can't even be documented. But most important: true leadership, passion, dedication, hard work, and that anything is possible if you are committed to achieving it. He is an incredible human being who is a role model for everyone, not just cooks."

Apple cider lacquered pork belly with roasted pearl onions and poached apples

Before opening Moxy, Matt also completed stages at other notable restaurants, including Clio, Momofuku Ko, Eleven Madison Park, and Noma (in Copenhagen), and he spent time as a culinary teacher in his home state of New Hampshire, plus five years running the culinary operations at The Wentworth by the Sea Hotel, a New Hampshire resort.

Romanesco cauliflower and Brussels sprouts with sugar pumpkin puree and crispy sunchokes

While time spent with Keller and other world-renowned chefs certainly influenced Matt in the opening of his own restaurant, Moxy is something different, something that is not meant to be an imitation of the places he has been already.

Roasted tomatillos

Wrote Matt: "I feel that many cooks (myself included) go through the process of working for great chefs, great restaurants, gaining great skills, and then the time comes to do their own thing, and in a lot of ways they want to try to simply replicate where they have been in some sense, many times bringing the 'city' to a smaller town, where they immediately set themselves apart because they are doing things no one in that town is. Cooking fancy food on fancy plates, plating in fancy ways...but is that cuisine??? Is that your voice?? Is that your identity??? I didn't even realize all this until I was doing some serious stages at Torrisi, Ko, EMP, and Noma before opening Moxy."

Monkfish with sunflower-arugula "pesto"

"This process, being exposed to a lot of great restaurants, especially Torrisi and Ko, made me realize that I had no idea what my identity was," he continued. "I had no soul, no personality, no thread bringing it all together. I was setting up simply to cook fancy food, on fancy plates, plating it fancy, wearing a fancy chef coat, just because that is what I thought you did. Torrisi has soul, Ko (and all Chang's places, for that matter) have identity, have personality. Noma has a vision, and everything is directed towards that vision. I realized I had none, which was awesome, because it made me find it."

Beef short rib marmalade with grilled bread, pickled onions, Great Hill bleu

So what exactly did he find? "I love tapas-style dining," he told me. "I love small plates, I love sharing, I love the non-pretentious vibe, I love the energy, I love trying many things, I love the music a little louder. I realized that my two favorite restaurants are Toro and Ssam Bar, so why don't I do a restaurant in the style of places I want to eat? Well, I'm not Spanish (though I did travel to Spain to make sure I fully understood the true tapas culture and history of it), and I’m not Korean. I actually don't know much about truly cooking either cuisine."

Accoutrements for johnny cake community

"But I am American," he continued. "And I live in New England. So why not a true tapas-style restaurant, all American, with a strong focus on New England. THAT WAS IT! The identity, personality and soul were there. I knew what I had to do! Everything to do with the restaurant would come from this thread. Tapas in style, American in execution. All food would be driven by the history and culture of New England, twists on traditional tapas to make them American, the bounty of local farmers and producers. As long as a dish comes from at least one of these sources, if not more, than we have it. Nothing ever hits the menu that doesn't fall into one of these categories. Keep the price point low (true tapas), keep the music loud, keep the vibe totally warm, relaxing, comfortable, and non-pretentious. That’s where I want to eat."

Misty Knoll Farms pan-seared chicken thighs with creme fraiche, pickled ginger, cilantro, and lettuce for wraps

The verdict? I think Matt achieved exactly what he had hoped. We weren’t sure what to expect from the vibe ahead of time, so we were probably the only people not in jeans. It was casual, fun, loud, and full of energy, all great things as far as I’m concerned. I don’t know much about the Portsmouth dining scene, so I can’t definitively say whether it’s bringing something new to the table, but on its own, it’s outstanding all around. It could certainly hold its own in a bigger city like Boston, but it’d be shame, because it would probably end up with higher prices and more pretension. It’s perfect for a place like Portsmouth, because it blends a laid-back attitude and solid dedication to local produce with influences from far and wide.

Johnny cake community: cornmeal pancakes, brown sugared pork shoulder, house sauces, crispy onion, pickled cucumbers

Matt treated us to a tasting menu which drew from the "great eight" experience, plus a number of supplemental dishes. (I'm not sure if the eight-course line-up is still available; now the website shows a "fab five" menu.) We loved everything, but the poached hen egg and apple cider lacquered pork belly really stood out. The plating was consistently pretty and fun; many courses were served on a wooden slab with a thick flourish of an aioli or similar sauce. I was delighted to find some tasty fall ingredients repeated in multiple dishes, like delicate roasted pearl onions, apples, and pears.

Whoopie pie slider with chocolate dipping sauce

If you’re already in the Portsmouth area, you have no excuse not to give Moxy a try right now. Even from Boston, it’s absolutely worth the drive.

Indian pudding

This meal was complimentary, but all opinions expressed in this post are my own.

30 Under 30 (Zagat)

rachelblumenthal625@gmail.com (Rachel Blumenthal) — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 10:08:00 -0500

Over the last few months, I've had the immense pleasure of working on a project for Zagat that features 30 local restaurant industry folks under the age of 30 who are all doing great things. (I wrote a bio about each honoree and took photographs of ten of them who didn't have recent headshots.) From a food truck owner to the general manager of one of Boston's most high-end restaurants to bar managers honing the craft cocktail scene, the list represents a wide variety of fun, interesting, and talented young people.

Last night, Zagat held an event at the Boston Public Library to announce all of the honorees, and I had the opportunity to do a live broadcast where I spoke with a Zagat blogger from New York about the people on the list, their restaurants, and the Boston food scene in general. Here's the footage, in which I spend some time talking and a lot of time standing awkwardly, kind of able to hear what's going on from the simultaneous broadcast on the other side of the room. It was a little nerve-wracking; while I love performing and acting, it's kind of terrifying to do unscripted things!

It ended up being really fun, though, and I was glad to be able to get in a few mentions of some of my favorite spots that weren't represented on the list, like 3 Little Figs and Highland Kitchen.

And here are some of my favorite outtakes from the photo shoots with some of the honorees:

Jason Kilgore, Beverage Manager, Catalyst

Kurt Gurdal, General Manager, Formaggio Kitchen

Marcos Sanchez, Executive Chef, Tres Gatos

Selena Donovan, Restaurant Manager, Towne Stove & Spirits

Meredith Devinney, General Manager, Menton

Mike Smith, Chef de Cuisine, Toro

Patrick Gaggiano, General Manager, Trina's Starlite Lounge and Parlor Sports

Samuel Monsour, Executive Chef, jm Curley

First Impressions: Fogo de Chao

rachelblumenthal625@gmail.com (Rachel Blumenthal) — Mon, 5 Nov 2012 10:14:00 -0500

"You had me at 'Meat Tornado,'" said Joel (quoting his hero, Ron Swanson) when I asked him whether he'd like to partake of an evening of endless meats on sticks, a preview dinner for the newly opened Boston location of Brazilian steakhouse Fogo de Chão. For the record, I said nothing about meat tornados or tournedos, but anything after the word "meat" is generally a blissful blur anyway.

The 26-location chain was founded in Brazil in 1979, and the 320-seat Boston location opened to the public this past Friday in the The Palm's former space at the Westin Copley (plus a little extra on the side). The total renovation and build-out cost? $8 million. On Wednesday, I stopped by to shoot some interior photos for Eater - the place looks pretty snazzy - and on Thursday night, Joel and I joined hundreds of diners for a complimentary preview dinner.

As I've admitted in the past, I generally don't have high expectations for most chains, but I was cautiously optimistic that this would at least equal the one Brazilian steakhouse experience I'd had in the past at a different chain (delicious but overwhelming). If you're a meat lover, it's hard not to enjoy it. The details vary amongst restaurants like this, but in general, servers (who are also the chefs) bring skewers of various meats to your table and slice portions off right onto your plate. You guide the timing by flipping a card to green or red to request more meat or to take a break. There's a salad bar and sides to help fill you up with non-meaty things as well.

I was particularly impressed with a few things at Fogo de Chão (keeping in mind that this was a complimentary press/friends/family dinner, of course). First, the salad bar - it was actually good. Forget Iceberg lettuce and wilted, unappetizing veggies. Everything was fresh and colorful, and there were even some nice cheeses and cured meats. The salad bar is included in the all-the-meat-you-can-eat price ($46.50/person for dinner), which also includes a bunch of side dishes. If a vegetarian somehow gets stuck going here with you, he or she can eat from the salad bar for $28.50.

Secondly, the service was like a well-choreographed dance. It all seemed effortless. We hardly saw the same server twice; different people handled drinks, sides, and clean plates, while an endless stream of chefs handled the different cuts of meat. Perhaps there were a few too many times when a server showed up to check on us, but we always had what we needed (and more), and everyone was friendly and knowledgeable about the menu.

Thirdly, the caipirinha, a traditional Brazilian cocktail...well, I'm a sucker for a good caipirinha. It's like a mojito, but even better. These were the perfect mix of sweet and sour and boozy, and by the middle of the meal, I couldn't tell if I was lightheaded from the drinks or if I slipping into a meat haze. Probably a little bit of both.

Finally, and most importantly, the meat was outstanding. I can hardly recall which cuts we tried at this point, but I remember particularly loving a perfectly rare bottom sirloin (fraldinha) and lamb (cordeiro). The chefs ask which temperature you prefer and then slice off the appropriate portion. We were told that the chefs get a feel for which tables like which cuts of meat and meat temperatures, and as the night progressed, we did have more chefs approach us with the rarest cuts still available.

The sides were great, too. I was a huge fan of the caramelized bananas and easily could have made a meal of those. I also loved the pão de queijo - warm cheese bread - a Brazilian treat that is fortunately (or dangerously) also available right in my neighborhood at Fortissimo Coffeehouse. And we were given the most heavenly toasted cheese at the start of the meal. That one doesn't seem to be on the menu, but hopefully it'll make a repeat appearance.

My advice for health and comfort - but not for getting more than your money's worth of meat, if that's what you want to do - is to start the meal leisurely with a nice big salad. Enjoy the pão de queijo and side dishes liberally, and flip your card to red after each portion of meat arrives rather than loading up your plate with every meat in the room, devouring it all quickly, and then getting even more. And skip dessert. It's unnecessary and forgettable.

Fogo de Chão is definitely not an experience I'd recommend for frequent visits, but it's a fun special occasion place. Maybe not for date night, though. You won't feel romantic after participating in this meat orgy. There's no way to avoid the meat coma. It'll probably become a meat hangover the next morning.

Next month, I'm playing a small role in an independent film as well as doing a lot of behind-the-scenes work, so in preparation for the very intense week of shooting in early December, I'm spending November getting into peak physical condition, which includes cutting way back on my meat intake. Fogo de Chão was the perfect farewell-to-meat dinner.

Hot Wiener Special: A Night in Providence with Balkan Bands

rachelblumenthal625@gmail.com (Rachel Blumenthal) — Mon, 8 Oct 2012 10:30:00 -0400

Last month, we drove to Providence for a great line-up of Boston-based Klezmer/circus/Balkan bands; Joel's band, the Somerville Symphony Orkestar, opened the night, followed by the Klezwoods (on their latest CD release tour), followed by Emperor Norton's Stationary Marching Band. Lots of friends, lots of fantastic music. Unfortunately, although the club (Fête) was a gorgeous steampunk-y space that was perfect for the line-up, it was located in a pretty isolated part of the city, and very few people showed up that hadn't come with one of the bands. Nonetheless, it was a great night of music and an enjoyable change of scenery.

After loading in the equipment at the beginning of the night, Joel and I were ready for dinner, but due to the middle-of-nowhere location, there weren't many options. At the corner of the street, we had seen a diner that looked kind of run-down, but we were intrigued by a sign outside of it that advertised a "hot wiener special." Maybe 'amused' is more accurate than 'intrigued.' After joking about it for awhile, we realized that it actually sounded like a pretty great dinner adventure. It was either going to be amazing or terrible. Either way, how could we not give it a try?

Olneyville New York System has been doling out late night hot wieners to the people of Providence since 1946 (but not pizza, pasta, pastry, poultry, or peppers, apparently). The restaurant - a long counter along one side and take-out-joint-style booths filling the rest of the space - was full of intimidating instructional signage that gave the place a Soup Nazi-esque vibe, but the signs must have just been for decoration as the men working behind the counter were ridiculously friendly. We suppressed giggles and inquired about the hot wiener special, which we learned includes two hot dogs, fries, and a soda. The hot dogs, served in a steamed bun, are topped with a seasoned ground meat, chopped onions, and - the magic ingredient - celery salt. Celery salt is one of those seasonings that's always been lurking in the back of the spice rack, but I've never used it. In fact, I don't think I really knew what it tasted like until I tried it on these hot wieners. (No real surprise: it tastes like celery. And salt.)

The ground meat "sauce" gave me a flashback to my time in Rochester, New York, home of a "delicacy" known as the garbage plate. While there are many variations, classic garbage plates have a few components. First, the plate is half covered with mac salad and half covered with home fries, or completely covered with one of those. (In some places, other options are available too, like beans.) Then, the diner has a choice of meat for the top. In many places, the plate includes two meats, so a diner might get two hot dogs (red hots or white hots), two hamburgers, or one of each. (Some restaurants have even more options, like chicken or fried fish.) The whole mess is topped with various condiments and a "hot sauce" that is actually spicy ground meat, not really a liquid sauce. And finally, white bread is provided to sop up whatever's left on the plate.

The hot wiener special wasn't quite as overwhelming as a garbage plate, but it was still pretty impressive. While the hot dog itself wasn't my favorite - I vastly prefer grilled to steamed - I loved the whole combination of flavors, especially that celery salt, not to mention the overall charm of the old-fashioned greasy spoon ambiance. The crispy, salty fries were the perfect accompaniment.

The hot wiener special adventure was a success, and then we headed back to Fête for the show. Nights in Providence always turn out to be pretty fantastic.

Sweet Basil

rachelblumenthal625@gmail.com (Rachel Blumenthal) — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 07:30:00 -0400

The best type of restaurant for me is the kind where you walk in and feel special, not in a VIP way but rather the way in which every single guest feels like a regular, from the actual regulars who have been going there since opening day decades ago to the tourists who will probably never have the occasion to stop by again. At Sweet Basil in Needham last night, while Joel and I did receive some special attention as we were there on an invitation from the PR rep, it was clear that every single person in the restaurant (and it was packed) had either been going there for years or might as well have been; attention was lavished throughout the cozy room by chef/owner Dave Becker, who is without a doubt the warmest, most genuine restaurant owner I've met. While plenty exude friendliness, you can still feel the sales pitch underneath, but as Dave glided around the room chatting with guests and manning the host stand and presenting us with plate after plate of food (on pottery he actually made himself), it was clear that he was there simply because he absolutely loves it and wants every guest to love it just as much as he does.

I had been to Sweet Basil once before, on a lunch expedition during my stint at Tasted Menu last year. The team would occasionally go out to random destinations and order as much of the menu as possible, partly with the intention of seeding the website with some thorough reviews and photos (but mostly because we all genuinely loved to eat). We hungrily ate our way through quite a few of the sandwiches, and I fell in love with the food as well as the quirky/rustic ambiance, from the turquoise walls (with coat hooks by each table!) to the hanging plants threatening to overflow their pots.

But from the location (Needham, a half hour from Somerville if there's absolutely no traffic) to the menu (Italian, not Thai, although the name could go either way), I knew it'd be hard to drag Joel out there for a future visit. He just doesn't get excited by pasta like I do. I figured I'd probably never get the chance to head back out there.

When Sweet Basil's PR rep recently contacted me to see if I'd like to meet Dave and try out dinner, though, I was able to convince Joel that it'd be worth the drive. Now that we're home digesting the epic feast (and with Dave's beautiful cookbook in hand as well, along with plentiful leftovers), I don't think he regrets the trip, despite the painstaking rush hour trek that took an hour.

As the meal began, Joel, as usual, immediately took note of the music. It was a great and eclectic selection - everything from classic jazz to Jane's Addiction - and the level wasn't disruptive but could still be heard even as the restaurant filled up. And a wall in the back was even covered with records, again a great mix: Curtis Mayfield, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Simon & Garfunkel, and Crosby, Stills and Nash. (It pains me to leave out the Oxford commas in two of those, but I looked them up, and that seems to be the standard way of punctuating them. I'm a nerd, and I drive myself crazy.) Aside from the records, the walls were mostly decorated with a beautiful mix of art by Dave's late grandfather.

We soon broke into our half-bottle of wine (Sweet Basil is BYOB), a lovely 2007 Italian Barolo that was given to me by Central Bottle as part of a package promoting their new sister venture, Belly Wine Bar. We figured it'd be the perfect fit for a place like Sweet Basil, and it was.

And then the food began to arrive. So much food. Big portions have become almost a gimmick there, like at Vinny T's, Dave said, admitting that he ate a lot more in the beginning, but even now that he watches his own portions more, regulars probably wouldn't appreciate the restaurant portions shrinking. (Keep in mind when viewing the photographs in this post that some of these portions were merely sample sizes, not the real thing.)

As with most Italian restaurants, Sweet Basil sends out a basket of bread to start the meal, but instead of plain old olive oil, there's pesto for dipping. Really good pesto. Next, we tried the sweet corn agnolotti (with sautéed vegetables in lemony broth, topped with arugula salad and herb aioli), beet risotto, Greek lamb meatballs (simmered in spicy tomato sauce and topped with tzatziki), and steamed mussels (in a garlic and wine broth with tomatoes, olive oil, and crostini). While everything was delicious, it was the meatballs that nearly made me moan inappropriately. It was an unexpected Greek-Italian fusion - tzatziki with tomato sauce?! - but it worked surprisingly well, resulting in a flavor that was bold yet comforting and nearly sinful. They'll soon be replaced with a fall meatball, though - most likely a pork and chicken liver combination, maybe in a preparation including Armagnac, said Dave. The agnolotti will also be gone soon. I asked how often the menu changes, and Dave replied, "Not often enough! It's a constant battle to the keep the regulars happy and the chefs from getting bored."

We continued with the rosemary chicken (with crispy pancetta and asparagus in a creamy parmesan cream sauce with ziti), a bestseller. "Not my favorite," admitted Dave, "and I think it's going to be solely responsible for shortening people's lifespans."

My lifespan, though, is more likely to be threatened by a good bolognese, and Sweet Basil's was no exception. Even the inclusion of mushrooms, typically a mortal enemy of my tastebuds, barely bothered me, and the housemade pappardelle was outstanding. At the end of the evening, we got to see the giant pasta machine in the basement, and Dave told us about the person who makes the pasta, but I got confused because he employs several brothers (and an uncle, I think) whose names all rhyme: Nilson, Admilson, and I think the other two were Jilson and Jailson, although I'm probably butchering the spelling. (I verified the first two in the cookbook but couldn't find mention of the others.) In any case, one of them makes the pasta, and one of them - maybe the same one - is constantly mistaken for being the owner of the restaurant because of the aura he exudes in the dining room, one of authority, pride, and some good-natured grumpiness.

Just as we were about to explode, the final dishes arrived. First, a gigantic hunk of phyllo-wrapped baked gouda, oozing its seductive insides all over a mixed greens salad, which was embellished with slivers of dried apricots and strawberries. Then, a tender slow-cooked lamb shank with roasted vegetables and amazingly fluffy polenta.

This was last night and Yom Kippur is still a day away, but I have a feeling this year will be an easy fast, because I won't really feel like eating for quite some time!

A few details to note: Sweet Basil accepts cash or check only (no credit cards) and does not serve alcohol (but you can BYOB for a $5 corkage fee). And no reservations. You'll likely have to wait during peak times, but there are often snacks coming out of the kitchen for people who are waiting, and we saw at least one party getting into their first bottle of wine before getting seated.

After we ate, Dave enthusiastically swept us down to the basement for a tour of the inner workings, including the aforementioned pasta machine as well as bottles of housemade vinegars. We left with a bag full of leftovers and the gorgeous Sweet Basil cookbook , which I began to skim through as soon as I got home. It's packed full of relatively simple recipes as well as stories and photographs, and I'm looking forward to trying out some of the recipes. Perhaps even more useful than the recipes themselves are the pieces of advice Dave offers in the introduction. My favorite: "Have fun, cook for people you love, and drink lots of wine."

Even though this dinner was a special complimentary tasting and therefore leaves me at least a little biased, I have no hesitation wholeheartedly recommending the restaurant based on the way I saw other patrons treated, as well as based on my very positive lunch experience last year. On our way out, we spoke to a woman who has been going to the restaurant since the very beginning, and from her enthusiasm and that of the other patrons, many of whom talked to Dave as if they'd known each other forever, it's clear that everyone who walks into the door at Sweet Basil gets that special feeling that comes along with exceptional food and service.

A Bacon-y, Cake-y, No. 9 Park-y Birthday

rachelblumenthal625@gmail.com (Rachel Blumenthal) — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 07:30:00 -0400

The dreaded September 1st move has kept me away from the blog for a few weeks; there are still boxes to unpack, but we're making progress! Aside from unpacking and cooking a lot, we've been playing as much Cards Against Humanity as humanly possible, because we're horrible people. (Think "Apples to Apples" but offensive. It's pretty much the best game ever.)

Since I've been gone awhile, I'll use the next couple weeks to catch up on some long overdue posts and some very long overdue posts. I had a very delicious birthday weekend back in June, so I might as well start there and relive the glory.

On the day before my birthday, I was invited to attend a bacon competition and judge a cake competition. Not a bad way to kick off the celebration, right? Here are some photos from the Bacon Takedown in Somerville, part of a series of nationwide "takedown" events. (More recently, Somerville also hosted the Heaven and Hell Takedown - ice cream and hot sauce, two of my favorite things. I'm not sure how I didn't manage to squeeze this one in my schedule.) It was great to run into some other bloggers there: Sarah from Can You Cookie, Jessica from Oh Cake, and Leah from Oh Baby, Boston, who were all competing, as well as Katie and Rich from The Skinny Beet, who were judging the bacon dishes.

In the end, it was a bacon caramel that won both the people's choice and the judge's first place award. It was definitely one of my favorites. (In fact, in general, I definitely preferred the dessert uses of bacon.)

Just a few hours later, I found myself on stage at the Middle East Downstairs, being presented with cake. Lots of cake. Happy birthday to me. It was the Boston Cake Experiment, part of another national tour of cook-offs, and it was kind of insane being a judge as I had to sample something like 20 cakes.

Photo from Brooklyn Food Experiment on Flickr

I've been on stage at the Middle East Downstairs one other time, but under very different circumstances: my band was releasing our debut album to a sold-out crowd in early 2011.

Both experiences were pretty awesome.

That wasn't it for the birthday festivities, though. The real feast was still to come. A few days earlier, I had heard that Google+ was giving away some tickets to a Zagat-sponsored six-course cocktail dinner at No. 9 Park, one of those restaurants that's always been on my "I'd-really-like-to-try-this-but-it's-out-of-my-budget-and-there-are-probably-other-fancy-restaurants-I'd-try-first" list. I got to work on a reviewing spree on Google+ in order to enter the contest and ended up winning a pair of tickets to the event, which conveniently took place on my actual birthday. (Joel was really let off the hook planning anything this year!) Turns out our dear friends Jon and Kathy (Kathy Can Cook), also horrible Cards Against Humanity-loving folks, were also attending.

The menu was challenging for me; one course, for example, was a terrine of foie gras. Ethical issues aside, I really don't like the taste or texture of foie gras, and more generally I can't get by the revulsion I feel towards the texture of terrines, pates, and the like. I think it might have something to do with the time my grandfather tricked three-year-old me into trying a scoop of chopped liver. He told me it was chocolate ice cream. It did not end well. Overall, though, the food was quite good. My favorite course was dessert #1 - or a palate-cleanser, I suppose - a Pimm's Cup-inspired concoction of sorbet and gel. The pig's tails were also amazing.

The cocktail pairings were intense. Some of my favorite ingredients made an appearance in the earlier drinks (Hendrick's gin, Chartreuse, mescal, root beer). With later courses, the drinks entered into the brown, bitter realm, which seemed very appropriate for the restaurant and the menu; I'm just not really into the ryes, bourbons, and bitters.

LANGOUSTINE EN GELEE ~ American caviar, summer vegetable consomme, XO sauce
Paired with a cocktail of Hendrick's gin, tomato, Chartreuse, Bisol Prosecco

TERRINE OF LABELLE FARMS FOIE GRAS ~ hops granola, bacon jam, pain au moutard
Paired with a cocktail of Del Maguey Vida mescal, root beer, falernum, Helles Schlenkerla Lagerbier

GLAZED PIG'S TAILS ~ macerated watermelon, fresh chili, hibiscus
Paired with a cocktail of Tequila Ocho Reposado, truffled sangrita

GRILLED VERMONT QUAIL ~ corn, chicken-fried duck liver, buttermilk dressing
Paired with a cocktail of bourbon au foie gras, bittered Old Monk rum cordial, Campari

VEAL LOIN EN CREPINETTE & WILD BLUEFIN TUNA ~ artichokes en barigoule, sauce tonnato, olive oil crushed potato
Paired with a cocktail of "La Gitana" Manzanilla sherry, Willett rye, Velenosi Visciole, Cynar, ponzu

PIMM'S CUP ~ lemon, cucumber, ginger

AMARETTI CHEESECAKE ~ strawberry, rhubarb, tarragon
Paired with a cocktail of Old Overholt rye, Kubler Absinthe, Peychaud's bitters, egg

Not a bad way to celebrate the unexciting, non-milestone birthday that puts me squarely in the mid-to-late twenties zone.

Disclosure: My admission to each of these events was free. I was invited to attend the Bacon Takedown as a blogger and the Cake Experiment as a judge, and I won my way into the No. 9 Park dinner by writing a large quantity of reviews on Google+ Local. Nonetheless, everything expressed in this post reflects my honest opinions.

My Feature Film Debut...Maybe

rachelblumenthal625@gmail.com (Rachel Blumenthal) — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 17:40:00 -0400

One night a little more than two years ago, I went to a show at the Middle East Upstairs. Joel was sitting in for a song with a band called Humanwine.

You can listen to the song, Wake Up, here. (It's pretty great!)

Also on the line-up for the evening was a bass and drums duo that, quite frankly, scared me a little bit. Called Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling, they played dark, loud songs based on episodes on the 1960s spy-fi show The Prisoner. Due to the style of music, they seemed rather unapproachable.

You can hear some of their songs here:

Turns out I was 100% wrong; they're ridiculously nice and not scary at all, and the fact that Joel met them that night (and I guess I probably briefly met them as well) has impacted my life in ways I never expected. Joel became friends with them on Facebook, and a few weeks later, he saw a post from the bass player, Michael J. Epstein, who was recruiting female musicians for a new band. I've been a serious musician my whole life, but during college and after moving back to Boston for grad school, I didn't have much time to play, and I definitely didn't have an outlet. Meanwhile, Joel was playing frequently with his own band, and I was starting to feel a little sad about not having anything musical going on, so Joel told me about Mike's post and encouraged me to contact him. At first I was doubtful that an all-girl band was something I'd want to do, but the musical itch got to me and thus The Michael J. Epstein Memorial Library was born with me as the flutist and seven talented female musicians on other instruments, plus Michael J. Epstein himself on vocals and guitar. (Sophia, pictured above in Do Not Forsake, also plays drums in the Library. She is also married to Michael, and they have a zillion side projects going on at any given time. I don't think they sleep.)

Photo by Kelly Davidson - That's me on the far right with the red glasses!

Two years later, the band is going strong. We've toured twice, released an album and a couple of EPs, collaborated with ballerinas, and a lot more. Honestly, I never expected to be in my mid-20s touring with a band and recording albums and having fun on stage in front of hundreds of people; I thought I missed the boat on the whole rock 'n' roll thing. Or baroque-folk-pop, as the case may be. Here's our debut album, Volume One:

Through getting to know Mike and Sophia via the band, I've gotten roped into a variety of their strange video projects, and usually I die. On a horrifically freezing day in January, for example, we shot most of the footage for a 25-minute silent film that we've shown at several performances as the Library plays live in sync with it. I don't want to give too much away, but...I die. Here's a teaser trailer for the film, which we have not yet released online. You might recognize me as the freezing beggar:

Later, I participated in a music video for one of their other projects, Darling Pet Munkee, in which all songs are based on items you could order off the back of old comic books. In it, I die. Again.

To make a long story short - or I guess it's too late for that, huh? - a few months ago, they decided to participate in a trailer competition at the Brattle Theatre, in which teams make trailers for fake movies based on a variety of specifications. As usual, I volunteered to participate, because at this point I'll pretty much go along with whatever crazy things Mike and Sophia are doing. It's always an adventure. Here's the trailer:

Kind of creepy, right? Well, Mike had kind of a crazy idea: what if he could make a full-length feature film based on the fake trailer? Obviously I said yes as soon as I was asked if I'd participate, and now I'm officially signed on for both the cast and the crew.

As the plan starting coming together, it became clear that a bare minimum of $11,000 would be required to make this happen, so like so many artists with crazy projects they want to do, he took to Kickstarter. If the Kickstarter campaign fails, this movie will not be made, and I will be sad, as this is my first-ever (and maybe only?) chance to be in a feature film. As usual, I'll probably die...but we'll never know for sure unless the movie gets made. We're currently nearing the $4000 mark, so we have over $7000 left to raise in less than a month. Every single dollar helps, as does every reshare, retweet, etc. Please help this crazy idea come to life. Mike and Sophia work tirelessly to create fun, magical things and to support the music and creative arts scenes, locally and beyond, and this is possibly the biggest and most exciting project they've tackled to date. Even if I weren't involved, I would love to see it happen. Here I am talking about it (with a guest appearance by my ultra-creepy basement steps):

So here's where I beg you for money. Please, please, make me a movie star! Even a dollar helps! Give Mike and Sophia the chance to kill me off in yet another video! (Should I be worried?) The Kickstarter campaign also comes with a wide variety of neat rewards - including some of Mike and Sophia's musical instruments. Really.

And since this is primarily a food blog, I'll keep you updated on my "movie star diet plan" in the coming months. As this will be a grueling production, and since the camera allegedly adds ten pounds, I want to be in peak physical condition by the tentative shoot dates in early December. (I'm not actually dieting - I'm working on making healthy, permanent changes. I'm also one week into a couch to 10k running program.)

That's all for now. If the Kickstarter campaign is successful, I look forward to sharing all about the experience in the coming months. Thank you for any support you can provide, including spreading the word!

Mango Lime Ghost Chili Tofu Bites at Peace o' Pie

rachelblumenthal625@gmail.com (Rachel Blumenthal) — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 08:30:00 -0400

After lobster rolling around Harvard Square on Sunday, I had an extra hour to kill before a friend's birthday festivities at Deep Ellum. Earlier that day, I had seen an intriguing Facebook post from Peace o' Pie, the vegan pizza place right by Deep Ellum. They had a special: tofu bites in a mango, lime, ghost chili sauce. Serendipity. Always on the lookout for ways to bring my taste buds' hatred of me to fiery new levels, I knew how to kill the hour.

I walked to the counter and ordered my tofu bites, eliciting a slight eyebrow raise from the cashier. "They're very spicy," she warned. I was excited.

There were no open tables, so upon receiving my food, I wandered outside and crossed over to the mostly-concrete "park" in front of the fire station. Sitting alone and surrounded by construction and traffic, I gingerly picked up the first battered, bited-sized piece, making sure to keep one hand absolutely clean for the inevitable nose and eye-wiping that would soon take place.

The first bite: exceptionally light, tasty batter. Perfect tofu texture. A slight hint of mango. Then, the familiar caustic burn of the pepper, not too bad at first, but lingering, then building. After a few deep breaths, trying to cycle some non-existent cold air into my mouth, I moved on to a second bite, and then I grabbed for my iced tea. Liquid, of course, actually makes spicy pain worse as it spreads the heat around, but the cool temperature of the tea provided some relief, albeit brief.

As I slowly made my way through several more bites, I waited for the familiar euphoria to set in, the light-headed high and feverish chills that make ultra-spicy food worth it for those who crave it. It didn't happen. The bites were strong enough to burn, but not so strong that they brought about the euphoric relief. They were trapped somewhere in the frustrating middle ground, somewhat painfully spicy with very little payoff. That's when I realized that I was sitting alone in a sad-looking park, torturing myself for no good reason. Extreme spiciness requires three things for an optimal experience: good flavor behind the burn, the aforementioned euphoria, and people with whom to share the challenge. These were pretty tasty (and I'd definitely recommend trying them if you're into ghost chili), but since I stupidly grabbed these alone and on-the-go, the experience lacked the fun of trying East Coast Grill's Pasta from Hell with a table of friends or serving my super spicy dark chocolate peanut butter cookies to (willing) victims.

Then it was time for drinks at Deep Ellum, and all was good. The only lingering memory of the ghost chili bites was a slight persisting tingle on my lips. No signs of pain.

...until 3 AM, at which point I woke up feeling like this:

If you do happen to venture to Peace o' Pie to try these out, I highly recommend also ordering the cheesy bread (not real cheese - everything there is vegan). I didn't get it this time (although I should have), but from a previous visit, I remember loving it.

Google+ Local Harvard Square Lobster Walk 'n' Roll

rachelblumenthal625@gmail.com (Rachel Blumenthal) — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 08:46:00 -0400

When Google+ first debuted, I waited excitedly for my invitation and got on board as soon as possible, only to find that after the initial burst of enthusiasm, it kind of became a ghost town. I swing by every know and then to see what's changed. It's still kind of on the dead side, but it's a shame, because the design is really quite elegant. There's a lot that I like about it. Fortunately, the Boston community management team is doing a great job building up activity, so I at least try to leave restaurant reviews on Google+ Local when possible. And it doesn't hurt that "power users" get invited to some pretty spectacular events.

Such was the case this past weekend, when I was offered a pair of tickets to a lobster roll crawl around Harvard Square. My first reaction was OMG YES, immediately followed by OMG I HOPE THERE'S NO MAYO. Mayo/aioli/etc. has been one of my most persistent and strong food dislikes for as long as I can remember, but I'm very gradually learning to deal with it. I've been seen, on a few recent occasions, slightly enjoying an aioli or two. So, I figured a lobster roll crawl would be the perfect place to push myself further into the mayo discomfort zone. (As it turned out, none of the three lobster rolls had any mayo, or at least none that I noticed!)

Even though I'm forcing myself to get over the mayo thing - I think it's more in my head than an actual taste issue at this point - I still think this anti-mayo rant on Bon Appetit is perhaps the funniest, truest thing every written.

Anyway, back to the lobster! We began at Upstairs on the Square. I've never been, although I recently read a nice memoir about growing up in the restaurant (in its original location) by the daughter of one of the owners. We walk in, and it's pink and purple and zebra print everywhere, my childhood dream come true. (Ok, even at this age, I find it pretty awesome.) We're led into the Zebra Room, and it's pink walls and pink tables and zebras painted all over the walls, and I'm really wishing I had been brought here when I was six years old.

But at six, I guess I wouldn't have been drinking this lovely glass of Sauvignon Blanc.

The mini lobster roll was simple and wonderful, hot and buttery. The bread looked like a hot dog bun, but upon biting into it, I found that it was something more elaborate. The top tasted almost sweet, like pastry, and it was a bit heavier than a standard hot dog bun.

Onwards to stop #2, Russell House Tavern, where I've been on a few occasions. Here we were able to choose a cocktail from a list of tempting options. I was swayed by the housemade ginger beer in the Tempest, which also contained Bacardi 8, lime shrub, lime juice, and orange bitters.

Meanwhile, Joel decided on the Vieux Carré: Old Overholt Rye, cognac, sweet vermouth, Benedictine, Angostura, Peychaud's.

While the other locations on the tour just (just?) included alcohol and lobster, Russell House also threw in some baskets of fries. Fantastic fries. With the potato skin still present. Because I had yet to encounter mayo on the tour and I was determined to eat it, I began dipping fries enthusiastically into the aioli, which was quite garlicky. And I liked it.

Joel really liked the fries.

The lobster slider had no noticeable mayo but a lot of delicious flavor, particularly from the Old Bay seasoning and the buttery brioche.

Finally, we made our way to the final stop, First Printer, where'd I'd been only once before for cocktails, but I'd never had food. I really enjoyed the cocktails and ambiance that one time, but First Printer has been suffering from fairly mediocre food reviews, so I was curious to try their version of a lobster slider. (Apparently the menu and chef have changed very recently, so things might be improving!)

First, though, I came upon the best bathroom sign ever. (This was inside the bathroom, right by the door.)

Of a choice of three cocktails, Joel and I both opted for the Pimm's Creole Cup: British gin liqueur, ginger beer, Creole bitters, and a cucumber.

And the final slider arrived:

This tasted pretty similar to the Russell House Tavern slider, although this one drew a lot of its flavor from the celery remoulade rather than the Old Bay of the RHT version. And still, no mayo, as far as I could tell.

The event also featured some photography tips and tricks from Kristin Teig, who, among other projects, shoots gorgeous food photography for Boston Magazine. While her talk was focused mainly on using phones to take photos (due to the nature of the event, which was meant to encourage use of the Google+ app), I definitely picked up some useful lighting info that I'm excited to add to my repertoire.

Disclosure: This event was sponsored by Google. While the food and drinks were free to attendees, the opinions presented in this piece are my own.

The Day We Got Too Much Ice Cream

rachelblumenthal625@gmail.com (Rachel Blumenthal) — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 08:30:00 -0400

I grew up about a 30-second walk from Crescent Ridge, where the ice cream is eighth best in the world, according to National Geographic, or at least among the top 25, according to Food & Wine. Here I am on a chilly March day in 2007, steadfastly drinking a mint chocolate chip milkshake at Crescent Ridge:

Don't let the cold weather fool you; they're always open:

While working at Crescent Ridge would have been the ideal high school job with practically no commute necessary, I could never bring myself to consider it. What if there's such a thing as "too much ice cream?" What if working at an ice cream place ruined all future enjoyment of ice cream? Even so, I was never really convinced that there's a such thing as "too much ice cream" until earlier this summer.

It started a few months ago when a representative of 2nd St. Creamery reached out to me. The ice cream brand was new to the Boston area, and they wanted to send over eight pints of assorted flavors of their "super premium" ice cream that I could share with friends. Obviously I'm not going to say no when someone offers me ice cream, but I was especially impressed by the charming stories behind all the flavors. On the surface, it seemed like a local, boutique brand. Turns out it's actually owned by Wells Enterprises, known especially for the ubiquitous Blue Bunny brand of ice cream. I was a little disappointed to find that it was actually part of huge non-local company, but still - ice cream. I'll eat it.

On the day of the delivery, the doorbell rang, and I rushed down the stairs to find a tired-looking UPS man. "You got it from here?" he asked, already nearly back in the truck. I looked down to find two huge boxes, sixty pounds each, resting on my porch, as the delivery man sped away. A little shocked, I tried to drag one upstairs but realized I'm a bit too out of shape to make much progress. I settled back on the porch and called and texted Joel for help, but he didn't answer right away. It was a hot day, so I wanted to get the ice cream inside as soon as possible. I decided to open a box in order to carry the pints up on their own, and it wasn't until I realized I was holding a shrink-wrapped pack of eight pints in each hand, with two more packs like this in the one open box, that it was clear a mistake had been made. After I posted a panicked/overjoyed Facebook post, it quickly became clear that several other bloggers received the same extra-large shipment.

Finally Joel appeared, and we managed to fit half in my freezer - 32 pints - and he planned to bring the other half back to his freezer. And then I asked a really silly question: "How do we get rid of all this dry ice? Can it just go down the drain?" Joel stared at me like I was crazy, because obviously we had to play with the dry ice.

Now, just over a month later, we've finally, um, disposed of all 64 pints. I swear I didn't eat them all myself. We gave away a ton to confused yet happy neighbors, had some people over for an ice cream party, served it at a lamb party, swam in a kiddie pool full of it, and yes, ate a substantial amount ourselves, hence my conclusion that there is a such thing as too much ice cream. (One portion of that sentence is a lie.) I'm taking an ice cream break for awhile.

We tried three flavors: Copper Kettle Caramel, Black Hills Strawberry Rhubarb, and Tons of Brownies. I obsessed over the caramel, even sneakily resorting to eating it for a few gluttonous breakfasts. Topped with classic Hershey's chocolate sauce and even some Fat Toad caramel, it was irresistible. Most of the people with whom we shared the ice cream were really into the strawberry rhubarb, particularly impressed by the chunks of pie crust. (Except for Joel's roommate's drunk friend, that is. He was more impressed by the fact that strawberry rhubarb is a flavor combination that exists outside of the South.) Most agreed that Tons of Brownies was the weakest link. It wasn't bad, but it didn't live up to the excitement of the other flavors.

Not that I'm going to buy ice cream anytime soon, but the bottom line is that these were pretty outstanding as far as big supermarket brands go. If my wallet allowed it, I'd rather go for a high-quality (but high-priced) local ice cream like batch, but at a lower price point and still fairly delicious, 2nd St. Creamery is a more likely addition to the regular repertoire. If I were going to have a regular ice cream-eating repertoire, that is.

Now, I see 2nd St. Creamery everywhere. It's being advertised on the sides of MBTA buses. One of the round tourist kiosks in Harvard Square is wrapped up like a pint of it. And they were even handing out samples outside of Shaw's when I walked by a few days ago. I just couldn't take one, but I'll probably eat more soon. There are seven more flavors to try, after all...

Disclosure: 2nd St. Creamery provided me with 64 complimentary pints of ice cream for sampling purposes, along with a gift card to buy accoutrements for an ice cream party. I was under no obligation to write a positive review or any review at all. All opinions expressed in this post are my own.

The Bearded Pig: First Impressions

rachelblumenthal625@gmail.com (Rachel Blumenthal) — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 18:14:00 -0400

After shooting some interior photos at The Bearded Pig yesterday for an Eater story, I knew I wouldn't be able to stay away for long. It soft-opened today at 11 AM, and by just past noon, I had dragged Joel there. We currently each live about a mile away, but in September, we're moving in together just minutes from Union Square, so news of a new nearby barbecue spot was particularly exciting for us, especially considering that there's really no good barbecue in Somerville. (Don't get me wrong; Redbones is a fun place for a drink, but my meals there have ranged from uninspired to downright disappointing. I'd rather drive out to Blue Ribbon, Black Strap, or beyond. My reigning favorites for barbecue, though, are even farther away: Dinosaur Bar-B-Que in Syracuse and Rochester (can't vouch for the newer locations), Fette Sau in Brooklyn, and Franklin Barbecue in Austin.)

It's not really fair to review a place on opening day, so I'll write more once I've returned in a month or so, but I will say that there's a lot that we liked. The sides, in particular, blew Redbones and even Blue Ribbon out of the water. (We got the mac and cheese, cornbread, and collard greens.) For now, I'll just leave you with the food porn. For the less-sexy-but-still-snazzy interior shots, check out my story over on Eater.

Giveaway: Sour Patch Kids Candy and T-Shirts

rachelblumenthal625@gmail.com (Rachel Blumenthal) — Sun, 29 Jul 2012 10:46:00 -0400

For the most part, I prefer to write about local brands on here, but hey, I have a soft spot for Sour Patch Kids, and I bet some of you do, too. A rep reached out to me recently with some candy and shirts to give away in promotion of their current marketing campaign, Sour Patch Justice, and because Sour Patch Kids are delicious and the campaign actually made me chuckle, I readily accepted. Apparently Sour Patch Kids have been going around wreaking havoc on honest, hard-working people (and cats!), and a sleazy lawyer has been brought onboard to defend the Kids. Users can upload their own evidence of Sour Patch Kids' wrongdoings, and the lawyer will respond through the end of the month. Here's the official video to get your creative juices flowing:

Don't care about uploading your evidence? Just want to win some tasty, tasty candy? No problem. I've got some prizes to give to (a few of) you: three Fork it over, Boston! readers will each receive a snazzy Sour Patch Kids t-shirt and a bag of candy.

The winner will be picked randomly from all eligible entries, and you can earn entries in any/all of the following ways:

Leave a comment on this post - tell me what you think of Sour Patch Kids. Have they wronged you? Do you eat them by the giant bagful? Have you made any weird recipes involving them? (One entry for leaving a comment. Two entries for leaving a comment that makes me giggle.)
Tweet about this giveaway. Please include a link to this post and my Twitter username, @blumie, so I can keep track. (One entry.)
Publicly post on Facebook about this giveaway. Please include a link to this post, and tag the Fork it over, Boston! Facebook page in your post so I can keep track. (One entry.)

Good luck! I'll draw a winner around 9pm on Wednesday evening, August 1, so get your entries in before then.

Recipe: Sweet 'n' Spicy Lamb Gyroti

rachelblumenthal625@gmail.com (Rachel Blumenthal) — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 08:15:00 -0400

In December of 2009, Joel and I spent a glorious week on the island of Antigua, eating Caribbean and French food, playing with lizards and baby donkeys, ziplining, and enjoying the tropical weather. While most of the food was extraordinary, one of the dishes that has really stuck with us is roti. In Indian cuisine, the word "roti" refers specifically to a round, unleavened bread frequently served with curry, but in parts of the Caribbean, it refers to a more complete dish: bread that resembles Indian roti, wrapped around a curry-coated filling, generally meat, poultry, or seafood. It's often topped with a fruit marmalade, particularly mango. As I mentioned in a previous post, we had no idea what roti was, but as we sat in a restaurant and overheard a nearby diner raving about how the roti was the best he'd ever had, we ordered it immediately. It was fantastic, indeed.

Back in Boston, we've been unable to find roti within our general Somerville/Cambridge dining radius, but there are apparently a few roti shops in Dorchester, Mattapan, and Roxbury. Meanwhile, we frequently make our own version. It's incredibly easy, and it's definitely a go-to dish on nights when we're not in the mood to exert much effort on dinner. In most cases, we grab a ready-to-go rotisserie chicken from Shaw's, shred it up and mix it with Kikkoman Thai Yellow Curry Sauce, and add some pan-fried potato chunks. Then we wrap it up in warm tortillas, which Joel toasts directly on the stovetop gas burner (which terrifies me a little bit), and we top it with a dollop of an orange or mango jam, whatever we have on hand.

Last year, the Tri-Lamb Group (no, not that one) reached out to me to see if I'd host a series of lamb dinner parties in order to help spread the word that lamb is a lean and delicious meat that is easy and versatile. Over the course of six months, they provided me with recipes, lamb, and other ingredients to host three different parties. Here's a video I created after the first party:

While the original plan involved just those three parties, they recently reached out again with one more challenge: this time, we'd have to create our own recipe and serve it at another dinner party. After scratching our heads for a few minutes, we decided we wanted to do a play on our beloved roti. We didn't love the idea of mango or orange with lamb, so the jam morphed into a blackberry sauce that we've used on duck and goose. We also moved away from curry, instead opting for a spicy yogurt sauce for the interior of the roti. Once we decided on yogurt, we realized we were heading in the direction of a gyro, so we decided to call our creation a "gyroti."

Sweet 'n' Spicy Lamb Gyroti
Serves 8-12

Hands-on time: 30 minutes
Marinating time: 2 hours minimum; overnight if time allows
Cooking time: 40-50 minutes

Ingredients

1 boneless leg of lamb, butterflied
12 whole wheat tortillas
18 oz plain Greek yogurt
3 tbsp harissa (with extra on hand for increased spiciness)
1/4 cup + 3 tbsp light brown sugar
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp brandy
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
6 oz fresh blackberries
3 tbsp olive oil-based butter substitute, such as Olivio
salt and pepper

Ingredient Notes

Ask your butcher to butterfly the lamb for you to save preparation time.
If you can't find harissa, a Tunisian chili paste, substitute any other hot red chili paste. The Asian aisle of any supermarket will have several options.
Suggested additions: include cucumber and/or tomato inside the wrap, or serve a tomato and cucumber side salad.

Utensils
This recipe requires no special utensils, although a potato masher comes in handy when preparing the blackberry sauce.

Directions

Marinate the Lamb
Start at least three hours prior to serving but preferably a day in advance.

Butterfly the lamb if it isn't already butterflied, and carefully cut some of the fat off for a leaner meal.
Sprinkle salt and pepper over all sides of the lamb, and then rub light brown sugar all over, patting it in gently. Place lamb in a container or bag for marinating.
Make the marinade by combining 1/4 cup brandy, 1/4 red wine vinegar, and 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce. Pour over the lamb. Let marinate in the refrigerator for at least two hours, but preferably overnight.

Prepare the Blackberry Sauce

Begin at least two hours prior to serving so the sauce has enough time to thicken and cool. For best results, do this the day before and store in the refrigerator overnight. The sauce is best served at room temperature.

Melt 3 tbsp light brown sugar into 3 tbsp butter substitute on the stovetop at low heat. Once melted, raise to high heat.
Add 2 tbsp red wine vinegar and allow the mixture to come to a boil.
Add blackberries; mash. (A potato masher is helpful here, but you can also just use a spoon or spatula.)
Return heat to low, and add 2 tbsp brandy.
Let reduce for 45 minutes to an hour; the final consistency will be runnier and thinner than a berry jam.
Set aside to cool until serving. (Refrigerate overnight if prepared a day in advance, and allow it to warm to room temperature before serving.)

Cook the Lamb

Start cooking at least an hour before serving. After the lamb finishes cooking, you'll want to let it rest for several minutes before carving. You can prepare the yogurt sauce while the lamb rests.

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Brown the lamb in an uncovered pan on the stovetop, about 6-8 minutes per side.
Cook uncovered in the oven for 25-35 minutes.
Let rest while you prepare the yogurt sauce.
Carve the lamb into small chunks.

Prepare the Yogurt Sauce

Combine the yogurt and harissa to taste, starting with three tablespoons of harissa. Add more if desired to reach your optimal level of spiciness.

Assemble the Gyroti

Warm the tortilla in the oven, toaster oven, or carefully directly on top of a gas burner on the stove. Place on plate.
Put a serving of lamb on the center of the tortilla and add any other optional mix-ins, like tomato and cucumber chunks.
Spoon a generous dollop of yogurt sauce over the lamb.
Wrap up the tortilla burrito-style.
Spoon a generous serving of blackberry sauce on top of the tortilla.

You're gonna want a knife and fork for this. Or a lot of napkins.

Disclosure: The Tri-Lamb Group provided me with enough lamb for recipe testing and for hosting a dinner party with eight guests, as well as a gift card to help cover other ingredient costs.

Strawberry Rhubarb Dinner at Summer Winter

rachelblumenthal625@gmail.com (Rachel Blumenthal) — Sun, 15 Jul 2012 11:49:00 -0400

A few nights ago, Joel and I arrived home to find one of his roommates entertaining several quite intoxicated friends, so we broke out our surplus of 2nd Street Creamery ice cream to share the wealth. (Long story short: I was supposed to receive a sample of eight pints of ice cream. Instead, they accidentally sent eight batches of eight pints. More on our 64-pints-of-ice-cream adventure in a future post.) When we brought out a pint of strawberry rhubarb, one of our new friends was shocked. "No!" he yelled, somewhat belligerently. "I'm from Georgia. Strawberry rhubarb doesn't exist outside of the South!" He refused to believe we were truly holding a pint of strawberry rhubarb until he tasted it, and even then he was suspicious. Then, I told him about a dinner I attended back in May at Summer Winter in Burlington: every course was built around strawberry and rhubarb. "Who ARE you," he asked incredulously, "aside from my new best friend?"

Tucked inside a rather unattractive Marriott hotel in a suburban industrial complex, Summer Winter is truly a hidden gem. The crowning feature is the on-site greenhouse, which is tended by gardener Rachel Kaplan. A greenhouse hidden on a roof deck of a hotel that's part of a huge chain? Practically unheard of, right? Chefs Clark Frasier and Mark Gaier (also of Arrows Restaurant and MC Perkins Cove) sprinkle fresh herbs and vegetables liberally throughout the menu, and on a drizzly evening back in May, they shared their bounty of strawberries and rhubarb with us in a creative multi-course meal with fantastic beer pairings.

We began with a tour of the greenhouse, where plenty of herbs were starting to peek out from the soil. While the chefs and the gardener walked us through their process and philosophy, we sipped strawberry rhubarb margaritas and snacked on strawberries wrapped in Arrows vintage 2010 house-cured prosciutto and fresh mint.

Then, we headed back into the restaurant for the rest of the meal, starting with a strawberry and rhubarb gazpacho with Vietnamese coriander and red onion. It was paired with Allagash White, already one of my preferred light ales. The beer itself is spiced with coriander, so it paired seamlessly with the chilled soup.

In terms of presentation, the next course was quite impressive: cured rhubarb-glazed salmon cooked on a rock with strawberry tea and a rhubarb, daikon, and carrot salad. The salmon was cured but uncooked before touching the hot rock, which was "cooked" in the oven. When the dish was served, the waiters poured hot strawberry tea over the salmon from tiny teapots. While the presentation was beautiful, the taste was also exceptional - plenty of sweetness from the strawberry tea, cut by the tartness of the rhubarb glaze and the coolness of the salad. This course was paired with Cape Ann Sunrise Saison from Gloucester.

The third course had a lot of different things going on, all delicious and all centered around duck (and strawberry and rhubarb, of course): (1) smoked duck breast with duck cracklings, rhubarb chips, and a miners' lettuce salad; (2) duck confit "cube" with strawberry rhubarb gelee and port wine sauce; and (3) saucisson of duck with pickled rhubarb with a strawberry-tarragon mustard and potato pancake. In addition to the beer pairing (Clown Shoes Miracle IPA), this course also came with a small glass of a sparkling sake and strawberry mimosa.

We ended with rhubarb and strawberry gratin with champagne sabayon and a snicker doodle crumble, along with some assorted strawberry and rhubarb treats, paired with Allagash Black, a deliciously dessert-y Belgian-style stout.

I was really pleased with all of the courses, and I wasn't surprised to hear that chefs Mark and Clark have been chosen to compete on the upcoming season of Bravo's Top Chef Masters, which begins later this month. If I find myself in Ogunquit, I plan on trying out one of their other restaurants, Arrows, which has a large garden that influences much of the menu. My dad, who is an extremely picky eater, accompanied me to this dinner and ate every bite of every course, which shows that the chefs' dishes were still accessible despite the creativity, sometimes a difficult balance to strike when picky eaters are concerned. They succeed, though, and it ends up feeling like the right balance for a restaurant that's in a hotel. The menu at Arrows looks a little bit more daring, and I hope I have a chance to try it at some point.

This dinner was complimentary and presented to a group of food writers, bloggers, and their guests. As such, it may not be representative of a normal experience at this restaurant. That said, all opinions expressed are my own, and I was under no obligation to write about the experience.

Amsterdam Falafelshop: First Impressions

rachelblumenthal625@gmail.com (Rachel Blumenthal) — Mon, 9 Jul 2012 13:58:00 -0400

About three weeks ago, I met a friend for dinner at Diva in Davis Square, and I noticed that Diva's former lounge space was under construction. Signs on the window indicated that a Washington, DC-based restaurant called Amsterdam Falafelshop would be opening soon, and a posted menu confirmed that the shop would (obviously) specialize in falafel. I had just begun contributing to Eater Boston and figured the opening would make a good first story, so I went back the next day to shoot a photo of the exterior and see if I could find anything out. Conveniently enough, the door was wide open and the friendly-looking owner was inside, perfectly willing to answer questions and allow me to shoot some photos of the near-complete construction. (Check out the photos and my initial Eater post here.)

Over the next couple weeks, I wrote updates as the opening grew closer, got delayed, and grew closer again. It wasn't until recently that I realized I even liked falafel, and even then, I wouldn't consider it a dish I'd regularly crave, yet I found myself growing increasingly excited at the prospect of devouring falafel and fries at Amsterdam Falafelshop.

Finally, according to posts on the Amsterdam Falafelshop Facebook page, they soft-opened this weekend, allowing in people who had tried the original location in DC. Today, they opened to the public, and I knew I had to go.

We got there just in time to beat the rush; as we ate, the line grew until it was more than 30 people deep and quite literally out the door. Everything is dropped in the fryer when you order it, which is great for taste but maybe not so great for moving through such a long line quickly. People ended up waiting quite awhile, but since this was the first day, I assume they'll figure out a good way to speed up the flow. In any case, it was worth the wait.

There are two choices to make when you get in line: how many falafel do you want (three or five)? And do you want your falafel in a pita (whole wheat or white) or on a salad? At this stage of the process, you can also place an order for fries (two size orders available, small or regular). Joel and I both opted for a wheat pita with three falafel balls (plenty for lunch), and we split a regular order of fries. After a few minutes, we were each handed our falafel-filled pita, and then we were free to move through the DIY toppings bar, which features more than 20 toppings, most made in-house. I opted for a yogurt sauce, tomatoes, parsley, and a few other things. At the start of this section, you can get garlic cream sauce and tahini; if you want more of these two later, they're also located beyond the line, by the fountain drinks and fry sauces.

I'll admit my falafel experience is limited since I've only just recently begun to eat it, but this was definitely the best I've had so far. While some falafel tends towards dryness, not at Amsterdam Falafelshop. No, these balls were moist and flavorful, the toppings were fresh, and the pita was soft and pillowy. Two big thumbs up.

The fries were decent on their own; they're twice-fried in the Dutch style, the owner told me when I barged onto the construction site a few weeks ago, so they're pretty crispy. It's the sauces that really elevate them to the next level, though. I was particularly fond of the peanut sauce (ever so slightly spicy) and the curried ketchup.

Overall, I was ridiculously pleased with my meal. The place is small, but it was still navigable even with the out-the-door line. There are a few tables, and the decor is quite nice (large photographs of Amsterdam scenes), but this is perfect on-the-go food if you don't want to stay. Amsterdam Falafelshop is open seven days a week, from 11am until midnight, although if they were ever to stay open even later, I have no doubt the bar crowds would be all over this on the way home. Fries and falafel are perfect late night foods.

I do hope they figure out a way to speed up service during peak times, and I'd love to see signs next to all the toppings so I know what I'm eating, but otherwise, everything was outstanding for the first day in business. I think this will become a very popular spot, and I will definitely return. Probably embarrassingly soon.

Preview: Cafe Burrito in Belmont

rachelblumenthal625@gmail.com (Rachel Blumenthal) — Mon, 2 Jul 2012 17:51:00 -0400

A few days ago, Joel and I had Dan from The Food in My Beard over for dinner to discuss a top secret event we're planning for the fall (more info soon!) and to force him to taste-test a recipe we're working on for a lamb contest (more on that soon too!) He told us about his latest gig, developing the menu for an upcoming burrito and coffee shop in Belmont in the space of a gelato store at which he worked until its recent closure. He encouraged us to swing by and check it out, which we promptly did the next day. I shot some interior photos and did a little write-up for Eater Boston, which you can read here. Since Eater's not really into food porn photos, I'll share those with you here.

Dan shows off his magical chili powder spice blend. It'll be available for sale in jars.

Carnitas taco with salsa, cheese, and pickled carrots and radishes (yum)

Barbecue chicken taco with peach salsa and lettuce (more yum)

Joel tried a burrito. This is all you'll see of it because there's nothing attractive about the interior of a burrito, no matter how delicious it tastes.

I contemplated eating this entire bowl of peach salsa. Amazing.

This is one of Cafe Burrito's "quesos a la plancha," hybrids between quesadillas and grilled cheese. This particular one is modeled after a Cuban sandwich, featuring ham, mustard, and whatever else goes into a Cuban. (Cuban sandwiches are clearly not my area of expertise.)

Just a bird's-eye view of the aforementioned sandwich

While Belmont isn't really in my usual territory, I definitely plan on going back once Cafe Burrito opens up. (The goal is August 11, currently.) Dan's ridiculously good at developing recipes, and I need to eat more of that peach salsa, or whatever other fruit he's using by then. There will always be five salsas available, all made in-house, and one will be a seasonal fruit that rotates monthly. Plus, I'm always up for awesome tacos, and these were quite good.

By the way, Cafe Burrito will also feature a wide range of tea, coffee, and smoothies, as you might have guessed from the "cafe" part of the name.

M3: First Impressions

rachelblumenthal625@gmail.com (Rachel Blumenthal) — Sat, 23 Jun 2012 13:33:00 -0400

I walked by Alfresco, a small Italian restaurant on the edge of Davis Square, many times; it was one of those places I always wanted to try, dining in candlelight at a table for two on the sidewalk. Joel rarely craves Italian food, though, so we never made it over there. (Me? I could eat pasta for every meal for the rest of my life.) It's closed now, and the founder of South Boston's Local 149 has recently opened M3 in the space. M3 is apparently Southern code for "meat 'n' three sides." I can get behind that.

I met Tasted Menu colleagues around 7 PM on Friday, unsurprisingly facing quite a wait for a table in the relatively small space. Four stools at the counter opened up quickly, though, so we settled for that instead of a table. For noise reasons, I wouldn't recommend a party larger than two or three taking a seat at the counter; I could barely hear the conversation the entire night. It was fun, though, getting a peek into the kitchen and chatting with various staff members as they passed by.

The ambiance is lively and cozy - and by that I mean loud and cramped - but in a good way. It feels a bit like the lovechild of Highland Kitchen and Trina's Starlite Lounge, two of my absolute favorites, so I feel right at home. The walls and even the tables are covered with chalkboard paint, and food and drink specials are scrawled in pastels, different sections set off by empty picture frames. Funky chandeliers hang from the ceiling, and the lighting is enhanced by a string of mason jar lamps.

Amongst the four of us, we covered a good deal of the menu, which features charcuterie, appetizers, small plates, entrees, sides, and desserts. The entrees, all in the $18 range, include three sides; sides alone are $4 each. I was particularly attached to the lime garlic chili fries, but I was pretty happy with everything overall. Since the restaurant has just barely opened, I won't review it fully until it has had a few months to settle in, but my first impression is quite positive. I will definitely be back, and I think it will do very well in the neighborhood. And now, a peek at the food:

fried cheese curd: state of Maine cheese, flash-fried, red gravy

duck drumsticks: duck legs, superberry bbq, apple jicama slaw

peaches & cream: frisee, soft goat, arugula, walnut, pistachio, blackberry vin

crab deviled eggs: farm fresh, blue crab

hot water cornbread

brussels sprouts

macaroni 'n' cheese

lime garlic chili fries

thin pan-fried catfish: fresh water, cornbread, white harissa

beer can hen: porkslap ale, garlic & herbs, honey butter

strawberry cake

coconut cream cake

derby pie