Taste of the Nation

I grew up in a very small, very poor town.  This meant that I frequently saw kids I knew hungry and in need of a good meal.  It also meant that I saw the kids that came to school with a lunchable everyday as kids to be envied.  I was a kid on that cusp growing up – I was never hungry but I was never the kid with the Lunchable and Capri Sun in my bag either.  I was one of the kids who got lunch for free but never mentioned it.

Over the past couple of years I have seen many people that either went to Taste of the Nation or were telling their story of childhood hunger to raise money for Share our Strength.  Being a food blogger means my world revolves around food, which means I take it for granted quite frequently that I always have food – whether it be a PR dinner or a press pass to a grand tasting event, I tend to luck out.  So it was that I found myself at Taste of the Nation – taking the No Kid hungry pledge and sampling gourmet fare from all over Boston and it’s suburbs.

Going to events like this as “Press” can be a bit overwhelming – you show up looking nice but then have a garish camera dangling off your arm or else ther’s an awkward bag to hold said camera.  And of course there’s the fact that you are probably wandering around this crowded space with a friend (or two).  And that you have to make said friend be patient and NOT EAT THE DELICIOUS FOOD while you photograph it and make sure you got just the right shot while hoping that it stays warm.  It’s tricky.  Also its a matter of pacing yourself.  We started the night out right – sleeping baby and quiet sips and nibbles in the VIP area (a Privateer cocktail (created by John – the head bartender for Drink), a glass of champagne, and some raw oysters with mignonette). Then we wandered “farther afield” into the greater tastings – as our tiny companion woke up we wandered, attempting to pace ourselves while still stuffing our faces.

The highlights of the night:
-The Korean BBQ Pork Sloppy Joe at Myers and Chang (How have I now gotten over here yet?!?)
Turkey Shore Distilleries Ipswich Rum, both in cocktail form and straight-up delicious! I need their spiced rum in my life full time please.
Citizen Public House’s Ice Luge which shot a perfectly created Strawberry Cobbler cocktail into a glass for me. Swoon. Their crispy fried pigs ear was quite good as well!
Trina’s Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese, comfort food to the MAX.
-And Glutenus Minimus‘ Gluten Free Maple Bacon Cupcake – it may have been my favorite bite of the evening.

And, of course, running into some of my internet favorites – among them Brian, Bianca, David, and Pam.

Attending Taste of the Nation was definitely the highlight of last week for me – and it reminded me to be appreciative that I am not food insecure. It also reminded me to be more food conscious.

I attended this event free of charge on a press pass but all of the opinions listed here are my own. Thanks to all the chefs for a wonderful evening.

A little food for thought.

 

Dinner Right Around the Corner

As most of you know, I live in a suburb of Boston known as Watertown and I love it. I’ve been living here for about three and a half years and the longer I live here the less I want to leave. From small family businesses to well traveled streets where I feel safe walking home after a midnight showing of The Hunger Games Watertown has welcomed me and I love it.

I love the family of eveything here. From my favorite market, Arax, to my new favorite restaurant, Maximos, Watertown is all about family. Maximo’s is rapidly becoming the place I order from for delivery when I don’t want pizza. They have it all, from garlicky bruschetta to fantastic salads and marvelous burritos they produce delicious food that is unique and inexpensive. Upon first glance the menu seems a bit all over the place but after talking to Betsy and Phil about it I learned that they just wanted to serve what they make for themselves at home.

This was a good turkey burger, though I just am not a turkey burger girl.

Perfectly dressed and cooked steak salad.

My favorite sandwich and the one thing I come back to.

My least favorite dish of the meal, I prefer my tuna still splashing.

Maximo's Takeout

 

I was provided this meal free of charge after winning a contest through The Boston Brunchers but all opinions here are solely my own.

Barrio is Popping Up

I know, I know it’s a cheesy title.  But it’s true!  Last Thursday I had the privilege of attending a dinner at Barrio.  Barrio is Chef Wheeler del Torro’s vegan-Cuban street food pop-up that is set to soon descend on the Boston area.  I went into this pop-up a little warily, if you read this blog much you know how great my affinity for all things butter and (in general) not vegan.  I found the idea hard to grasp.  I shouldn’t have worried.

The dinner was awesome, though.  From our secret meeting place (shhh, you’ll know if you go!) to the fantastic champagne to the world class dessert (I can’t tell that either, it’ll give too much away) I was in love. Check out my awesome visual recap! If you want to go, you should probably go put your name on the email list!

Getting to chop up a pineapple and play in the kitchen with a chef! #dreamsihavehad

The wild blueberry, goat cheese Ice cream.  Megan would have died for this!

The plantains – how is it I have gone 27 years with eating so few plantains????

The pork taco (made by a chef friend of Wheeler’s), it was juicy and delicious

Perfect champagne. A great end to a great evening.

Discalimer: I attended this pop-up dinner (my first, and definitely not last) for free, but all opinions posted here are my own.

Scenes from events

I am a very busy girl –  over booking myself more often than not to come home in a stupor late at night to a BF that desperately misses me (after working late nights at HIS job).  So sometimes I attend pretty amazing events and just don’t have the time to write about them in depth here – but I still have pictures of these events, because I go with the best of intentions to share them.  Below are some highlights of meals I’ve eaten over the past few months because these are plates you simply MUST try if you are around these restaurants when they are serving them.

September saw me attend a blogger dinner at Lil’ Vinny’s in Somerville (which is sadly closed now) where I had a stunning bolognese and a truly fabulous ceasar salad (I know, I was surprised too).

October was truly packed with events that I just didn’t have the time to share but, again some highlights!

Remember when I went to Harbor Sweets and then told you all about the awesome Sweet Sloops?  I also went to Adriatic Restaurant and Bar that night where I was blown away by Goat Cheese Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms, the best pumpkin Ravioli I have ever tasted, and a wonderful almond tart stuffed with nutella and topped with house made hazelnut gelato.  I also managed to convert Megan into a crispy fried sage leaves convert here ;).

My second big event of October was with the lovely Renee when the Boston Brunchers turned 1!  This event was a huge success, where we came away with lovely (read GIANT) swag bags packed to the gills with some of the best gifts I’ve ever been given.  Seriously our sponsors for that event were FANTASTIC and they all gave us very generous gifts, from cookbooks to cookies to gift certificates.  It was fantastic.  And the food wasn’t bad either 🙂  The highlights of the meal for me were the amazing oyster shell wall at Island Creek Oyster Bar and the pastries.

My last little ode to fall happened at the tail end of October on a sunny Saturday with the fantastic Bernadette (old and very dear friend, she’s known BF since pre-school!) and a great many other fabulous bloggers.  We all went for a grand adventure at the Privateer Rum Distillery in Ipswich.  It was here that I fell hopelessly in love with this rum and their handcrafted cocktails, the Light and Stormy and the William Tell.  Both are addictive and refreshing cocktails, which I could drink a lot of.  Seriously.  See my previous post on dark and stormy cookies to read about my ginger obsession.  And the Privateer rum is sippable.  Look for it, try it you’ll see, and probably be a convert like me.

A Visit with Vianne Chocolates

I love chocolate of all sorts. I will eat chocolate anytime, its familiar and comforting in a nostalgic way.  I love that first bite into a handmade chocolate that makes my mouth want to do a jig, or the soothing way chocolate melts at body temperature.  I am convinced that chocolate would solve most problems and that nothing else calms most ills.  I have been lucky enough to test this theory time and again in all situations and at all times. I love it.

I periodically get the opportunity to eat chocolate like this, decadent dark chocolate with additions that make me swoon and one weekend day I had an opportunity like that.  On the afternoon of July 30th I was given the fantastic opportunity to sit down with the totally charming Valerie, owner and chief candy-maker-extrordinaire of Vianne Chocolates.  Vianne Chocolates is one of the specialty vendors at last year’s Boston Local Food Festival and then I only briefly met her as I showed her to her booth.  As I sat down to interview Valerie she gave me a marvelous linen bag full of goodies!

I immediately fell in love with the sketch on the bag and all of the packaging.  Made by a South End artist these little sketches are a fun and creative way for Valerie to show her local love, and does she have local love.  This girl hails from the wilds of New York and tries as hard as possible to incorporate local produce, jams, herbs, whatever into her chocolates.  From using Kate’s of Maine butter (yay, totally rocking the Maine pride) to using mint she grew herself (!) and sourcing her more obscure spices from Christina’s Spices in Inman Square, Valerie is all about keeping as much as possible local and sustainable!

I also love when companies and businesses choose pet charities that they are passionate about, this is especially true with Vianne and the Pug Bars.  These pug bars, aside from being insanely cute, are for a GREAT cause.  Of every bar that is sold Valerie donates 25 cents to the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, how great is that?  So not only does Vianne source as much as possible locally, they support a local charity too!  And if saving animals doesn’t lessen the guilt of eating this fantastic chocolate than nothing will.  😉

Now, then onto the best part.  Let’s talk about the chocolate.  As I sit here eating the beautiful pieces of candy that were to lovingly stashed in my snazzy bag I am abuzz with excitement.  My first chocolate is the Strawberry Balsamic (one of Valerie’s favorites), with it’s creamy white chocolate center, rich dark chocolate coating and generous sprinkle of strawberry dust I am in heaven, glowing with the thrill of perfect chocolate that only enhances the flavor of strawberries with each savored bite.  Chocolate number two is the Green Fairy, an entirely different chocolate than the strawberry balsamic but still totally swoon worthy and, by far, my favorite.   The green fairy is, as the history of it’s name would suggest, an Absinthe spiked truffle that is one of those tongue-dancing-a-jig sort of chocolates.  The crisp chocolate shell followed by the spicy and herbal ganache is a totally mesmerizing experience.  I could sit here and give you a play by play of all the chocolates that were bestowed on me but instead I will encourage you to come to the Boston Local Food Festival on October 1st and try them yourself.  And if you see me around grab me a green fairy 🙂

  
I wrote this post for the Boston Local Food Festival blog back in the fall, however if you are struggling for a some good Christmas gifts Vianne Chocolates will definitely fit the bill of that person with a sweet tooth.

*All photos in this post are courtesy of www.viannechocolat.com.