It was so wonderful to be back at Cider Days in western Massachusetts this past weekend. This festival of apples and apple cider (hard and sweet) has become a touchstone. I only wish I could’ve stayed longer! Here’s a shot of me demonstrating how to make cornbread dressing with sausage and apples, courtesy of my […]
Tis the season for parties and get-togethers. With so much going on during the holidays, there’s a lot to do to get our kitchens and pantries ready for the arrival of guests. When thinking about the menu, my mind immediately goes to the dessert course. To add some diversity to the offerings, I have decided […]
Escape to a distant time at one of these New England historic inns, where 18th century ambience is preserved with style and comfort.
When my husband and I got married, there was one thing we were certain about: We didn’t want a traditional wedding reception. Arrive in a limo? Not our thing. Play the garter game? No way! Force the thirtysomething single ladies to line up to catch — and possibly destroy — my bouquet? Not a chance! […]
Several weeks ago, I received an email from Keith Davis, a Maine entrepreneur who has devoted the past few years to reviving a beloved Maine treat called the Harbor Bar. Harbor Bars are chocolate-dipped ice cream sandwiches filled with either vanilla or mint ice cream. They were first created in the late 1970s as a […]
I’m haunted by a pickle. The kitchen shelves glimmer with jars of homemade preserves after a summer’s worth of gardening, harvesting, and putting up. Clove-scented beets glow deep garnet, and the cauliflower sparkles crystalline, bejeweled with tiny bright-red–and lethally hot–Thai peppers. Zucchini pickles stack up right next to the oven-roasted tomato sauce. Strawberry and wild-blueberry […]
There is nothing like a good old-fashioned New England Strawberry or Blueberry festival. Though there are hundreds of fruit festivals, which celebrate just about any fruit imaginable throughout the New England area, blueberries and strawberries are two of the very few fruits that are native to our part of the United States. Because of this, […]
First, on the matter of last week’s ricotta tart, I did make it and the reviews were mixed. My Aunt Joan said, “This is good enough to make you slap your mother!” (she has collected some great Southern expressions from a Virginia-born friend). But I found the tart too sweet and one-note. I had substituted […]
BEST CHOCOLATE INFUSION Chocopologie Cafe, South Norwalk No apologies for sweet-tooth temptations from breakfast to bedtime: cocoa-intensive baked goods for dessert and candies such as ginger-passion fruit. There are savory offerings, too, and a French-accented menu that includes cocoa-braised short ribs. Entrées: from $15. 12 South Main St. 203-854-4754; chocopologie.com BEST CITY CHIC Firebox, Hartford […]
BEST POND-TO-PLATE Matunuck Oyster Bar, East Matunuck Dine a stone’s skip from where the oysters are cultivated by the bar’s owner. Try the “Buck a Shuck” ($1 oysters and littlenecks) from 4 to 6 p.m. weekdays. No reservations, but it’s worth the wait. Entrées: from $13.95. 629 Succotash Road. 401-783-4202; rhodyoysters.com BEST EXOTIC MENU Los […]
BEST BAKERY Sofra, Cambridge It doesn’t sell French breads or chocolate layer cakes, but this Mediterranean-inspired pastry shop from Oleana’s Ana Sortun and Maura Kilpatrick has elevated the Boston sweets scene with orange blossom-scented morning buns and the best falafel wraps in town. 1 Belmont St. 617-661-6131; sofrabakery.com BEST CHINESE East by Northeast, Cambridge Phillip […]
BEST BEACH SNACK Tripoli Pizza Cannolis, Seabrook Although Tripoli is known mostly for its pizza–and justifiably so–the kitchen’s cannolis get rave reviews, too. These creamy tubular confections are just the thing to reward yourself with after a vigorous day of swimming. Three flavors: traditional ricotta, chocolate pudding, and vanilla pudding ($1 each). 418 Route 286. […]
