a night out

As much as I adore Newport,it is so nice to go adventuring beyond the bridge when the Gestapo is not watching. As luck would have it, I was able to sneak out without detection and head to Boston. Have you heard of this town? It is fantastic, to put it plainly. You may detect a little sarcasm in my voice, but that is directed at myself. I grew up in Massachusetts, in a small nearly rural town called Oxford. We went to Boston on rare occasion for one of two things: a Red Sox game and/or a meal in the North End. Now, in my parents defense, both are a worthy day trip, by themselves, and when done in tandem, well that is a damn good day. That said, I grew up thinking of Boston as a sport's town with a damn good plate of pasta....but there is much more to this dynamic city, and I am beginning what I think will be a long love affair with its culture, history, beauty, food, and people.

Today, I returned to the city after a brief hiatus, and I felt the energy and strength of a city aware of its recent events and defiant of the possibility that such an event would slow it down. The sun shone lavishly on the Commons, where the trees are in bloom, the street buskers are playing music, the children are playing sports that involve a wide variety of balls and wheels and an abundance of shrieks of pleasure (yes, for those that know me, I found that part mildly annoying, but I was trying to move through the world in a spirit of love and peace), and the dogs were....well, it is spring, enough said.

So, I walked, as this city calls one to do. From the far reaches of the North End to the Urban Outfitters on Newbury...meandered through Beacon Hill, and who would not want to live there with its comforting brick brownstones, and narrow passages, sweet boutiques, oh, and that sandwich at the Paramount piled high with fresh roasted turkey and avocado...yes, I am inspired, which is why I do this, so I will add this sandwich to the menu for summer! mostly because I want to eat it! Did I mention the sweet potato fries? yeah, that good, and it gave me the energy to complete my French homework (okay, I was close to done...but I did not skip!).

After walking till the blisters were unbearable, I found a stool at Drink, a lively bar with a small but interesting wine list, a ver accommodating staff, and a delicious menu of bar-bites.

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To borrow from Fletch, if this phot were at all legible....you would see a fabulous glass of languedoc white, yes I will find it, and a plate of smoked salmon pierogies....yummmmm... a great day in beantown...

just a quick update

The truth is that I installed a kitchen in the gourmet shop because I thought that I could relieve myself of the stress, expense, and hassle of finding decent prepared foods for my customers, but what I did, in reality, was create a third job for myself.  Okay, we live and learn.  Good news is that people seem to like it, but ( and, of course, there is always the other part, right?) I am seriously overwhelmed by how much work this is.  I am just barely getting the stuff cooked in time for the afternoon lunch, so I will have to take a hall pass temporarily on the posts that I promised.  I am going to get there, but for now I better just get the food cooked, and try to do that well.  Always new challenges that keep me striving to do all of this better for you and for myself....all for the love of food and wine, it is my mission;)  

I am about to revise the menu for spring veggies...send me your favorite soup recipes.  Please, keep it simple!  I won't make anything with more than 7 ingredients( two of which are salt & pepper), and if making it requires that I hunt for days for some esoteric ingredient only found in the underbelly of the dragon, save that one for someone more courageous than me!

 

cheers, m