Foodies of New England Summer 2012 by Foodies of New England

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Spring/Summer 2012 Contributors Publisher: Mercury Media & Entertainment, LLC Managing Editor: Domenic Mercurio Contributing Editors: Julie Grady Jodie Lynn Boduch Mariel Kennison Director of Social Media: Jodie Lynn Boduch Much Ado Marketing Writers and Contributors: Matt Webster, Alina Eisenhauer, Ellen Allard, Richard Beams, Elaine Pusateri Cowan, Jodie Lynn Boduch, Peggy Bridges, Ryan Maloney, Christina Whipple, Greta Methot, Sandy Lashin-Curewitz, Michelle Collin, David Kmetz, Scott Giordano, Matthew Jones Professional Photography: Scott Erb & Donna Dufault Erb Photography Art Director: Rick Bridges Richard Bridges Design Website: Jodie Lynn Boduch Much Ado Marketing Mobile App Developer: Dawn Lang Account Managers: Carol Adlestein, Gerry Stickles Foodies of New England Magazine Box 380 Sturbridge MA 01566 domenic@mercurymediallc.com scott@erbphoto.com jodie@muchadomarketing.com rick@richardbridgesdesign.com All content ÂŠ2012, Mercury Media Entertainment All Rights Reserved Printed in USA Foodies of New England assumes no ďŹ nancial responsibility for errors in advertisements. No portion of Foodies of New England, advertising or editorial, may be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written permission of the publisher. The information contained in this publication is believed to be accurate, however the publisher does not guarantee its accuracy. The opinions expressed by others within this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher or its employees. By accepting advertising neither Foodies of New England nor Mercury Media Entertainment is endorsing or guaranteeing the quality of service or products within those advertisements. Every effort is made to ensure that the advertisements come from reputable companies, however we cannot take responsibility for how an advertiser deals with the public.

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Dolphin Striker - Gelato Trio

Foodies of New England

Contents Features

14 The Original Foodies Today’s Specialty Stores

40 Travels with Family Introduction to Roadie Food Fare

48 Devon Point Farm Life Lived on ‘Point’ in Connecticut

60 New England Seafood Ahhhh!

Sustaining the Seas Three Ways You Can Make a Difference

92 Whiskey Dinner Kilting Up at Go!

112 Hungry Mother The Second Time’s a Charm

119 Eat Your Antihistamines Mother Nature’s Allergy Cures

Cover: Sole Proprietor Steamed Lobsters

Foodies of New England

112

Departments

44 History of

Basil - The People’s Plant

56 Gluten Free Summertime Favorites

76 Food for Thought There’s Nothing Fishy About Good Seafood

86 Desserts Belgian Ale Poached Pears

88 Beer Review Belgian Strong Ale

96 Healthy at Home Ahi Tuna Tacos

108 Whiskey Whisk(e)y and the Sea(food)

116

Wines of Distinction The Torrent of Argentina’s Torrontés

120 Something to Drink A New ‘Ritual’ in Cocktail Greatness

108 Foodies of New England

Foodies of New England

Dolphin Striker - Cucumber Salad

Foodies of New England

LETTER

FROM THE

EDITOR

Dog Days for Foodies New England is famous for many things gourmet, but the most-of-the-most is deﬁnitely seafood. As if you didn’t already know, let me further delay your trip to your favorite seafood restaurant by stating the obvious: New England’s seacoast is loaded with the best white ﬁsh, salmon, tuna, clams, mussels, lobster, shrimp, and scallops to be found in this or any other world. But, before you go lunch or dinner, be sure to peruse the pages within, as they will properly pave your epicurean excursion.

Summer is ofﬁcially here, foodies! Warm breezes, the waft of charred veggies and grilled meat coming from an outdoor ﬂame, ocean breezes, and the permeation of vitamin D through our skin, courtesy of that big orange ball in the sky!

In an effort to reward your senses, we have explored a multitude of New England’s best seafood establishments, including Portsmouth, New Hampshire’s Dolphin Striker, a rustic dining establishment located in the heart of the oldest seaport in the United States. Then, there’s the North Shore’s swanky, elegant answer to seafood dining – Alchemy - located in a true fisherman’s haven, Gloucester, Massachusetts. Ye Olde English Fish & Chips in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, pays homage authentically to the English heritage of our region, bolstered by an expansive menu of New England delights. Finally, The Sole Proprietor in Worcester delivers the goods in sea spades, with fresh lobsters daily, set in a contemporary atmosphere. But if you want to stay home and show off your culinary prowess, this issue will lead you to the freshest ingredients for all of the summertime recipes gracing our pages. We’ve uncovered the greatest New England Specialty Stores, all stocked to the rafters with the most fragrant herbs, spices, vegetables, freshly-prepared foods, wines, and oils – just to reduce your hunting time so you can spend more time in front of the grill. Along the way, we’ve toured Hyder’s Mediterranean Market in Worcester and met with the Sultan of Spice himself, Ed Hyder, who offers the most extensive selection of herbs and spices in Central Massachusetts. On to Locke Stock & Barrel in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, a natural food lover’s delight offering an impressive selection of fine cheeses and other foodie goodies. We followed the sweet scent of bee nectar to Cambridge’s Follow the Honey. Conveniently situated right in Harvard Square, this honey haven is laden with all things sweet, natural, and bee-related – if you’re looking for a sweet and organic excursion, this place is the ‘bee’s knees.’ Down to New Bedford, Massachusetts, where we sampled our way through unique, authentic, and hard-to-get ethnic and New England tidbits at Sid Wainer & Son’s Specialty Foods, while Isador’s Organics in Oxford, Massachusetts, offered a sensational selection of kosher, organic, raw superfoods and minerals of the highest quality. We stopped to check out The Hungry Mother at Kendall Square in Cambridge, and boy, will you be glad we did. This delightfully comfortable and quaint spot offers spectacular Virginian-Appalachian and French-inspired cuisine, as well as cured meats, smoked fish, juicy pork sausage, and tender confit duck legs. Tastiness abounds at the Mother, but we definitely checked our hunger at the door when we left. Our Farm Feature spotlights Devon Point Farm in Woodstock, Connecticut, where we encounter the freshest field-grown vegetables and flowers we’ve seen to date, as well as the rarest breed of grass-fed cattle around – the English ‘North Devon’ cattle, now known in America as ‘American Milking Devon’ cattle. (Continued on page 13)

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Sole Proprietor Steamers

Foodies of New England

(Continued from page 10)

Our Foodies team takes you down many roads of culinary curiosities in this issue, including such insightful stories as Julie Grady’s Eat Your Antihistamines. She then tells us about Sustaining the Seas – Three Ways You Can Make a Difference. See how to make an incredible Ahi Tuna recipe, step-by-step, with Elaine PusateriCowan in our Healthy at Home feature. Then, let Jodie Boduch take you through The History of Basil, giving you insight into this intriguing, healthy, and very important herb. Check out Peggy Bridges’ Food for Thought, as she explains why there’s ‘Nothing Fishy about Good Seafood,’ and our Gluten-Free Diva Ellen Allard’s summertime gluten-free recipes, including Stackable Seafood Sushi, Miso Soup, Romaine Salad with Sesame Dressing, and Pineapple Coconut Sorbet. In Sandy Lashin-Curewitz’s feature, Travels with Family – an Introduction to Foodies Road Fare, foodies are taken on a real Foodie Road Trip to New England’s most interesting and family-friendly foodie locations. I’ll take you to Argentina for a glass of wine, where the terriﬁc and tasty Torrontes wine is produced, a tropically-fruited, aromatic, summer necessity on the boat, the deck, or during dinner along with your favorite New England seafood. Matt Webster, our Grand Chancellor of Beer, tours Europe for the Best Belgian Strong Ale to accompany Sweet Genius winner Alina Eisenhauer’s dessert, which just happens to be Belgian Ale Poached Pears. Typically crafted with wine, Alina incorporates Matt’s bodacious brew into this sensational summer pleaser. Rich Beams, our Master Mixologist, uncovers a refreshing, quenching, Cucumbertini recipe at Worcester’s exciting nightspot, Ritual, in our Something to Drink department. Ryan Maloney offers a great Bourbon & Bacon-wrapped Shrimp, along with Oysters, Salmon and Lobster – all for your Whiskey enjoyment, in our Whiskey… Under Loch & Key department, while Matthew Jones takes us to a very inviting Whiskey Dinner at the prestigious International Golf Club in Bolton, Massachusetts, in Kilting Up at Go! Whether you’re on the move with the family, relaxing outdoors, in the mood for that special dish made with an eclectic herb or spice, or looking for a sensational seafood spot, this issue of Foodies of New England is your resource to great summertime recipes, destinations, and libations. Be sure to ﬂip through all of our virtual issues of Foodies of New England magazine on your tablet or mobile device at: www.FoodiesofNewEngland.com. Enjoy the summer, foodies...New England-style!

Domenic Mercurio, Jr. Editor/Publisher

Foodies of New England

Sid Wainerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fresh Produce

Foodies of New England

The

Original Foodies Written by Domenic D. Mercurio, Jr. Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

The specialty store is a vital, yet waning, piece of our local economy, not to mention an incredibly nostalgic element that once shaped our neighborhoods and solidiďŹ ed the identity of what we knew as Main Street, USA. That was when food was pure, and life was, wellâ&#x20AC;Ś life.

Foodies of New England

(Continued from page 15)

Nowadays, most of those specialty markets have been shadowed by big-box markets that buy in bulk and more closely resemble warehouses than the quaint, corner stores with hand-painted, wooden signs over their front doors, and small, brass bells that alert the store owner when a customer comes in. While many of these larger stores infuse signiﬁcant taxes into their surrounding communities, they have successfully removed much of the personal element that once existed. You’d never know it, however, by viewing their television commercials, which paint a picture of attentive customer service, personalized interaction with consumers, and lots of happy faces. The reality is different, and very simple to understand: How many of us, upon entering one of these chain stores, have heard our name as part of a warm, enthusiastic greeting? How many of us have had to traverse aisle after aisle to have a question answered, versus just looking up from a product in our hands and making eye contact with a nearby clerk or associate? How many of us have had the smell of spices, cheese, and other enticing items permeate our nasal passages as we leisurely make our way through the mammoth, towering shelves of our local box stores? And, lastly, how many of us have had our groceries carried out to our cars by a clerk who not only knows our name, but also knows our children and lives in the same neighborhood as we do? Superstores are trying fervently to connect with consumers by spending millions of dollars on warm and fuzzy television ads that feature the imagery of “those days.” They know, through intensive market research and focus group meetings headed up by their marketing directors and ad agencies, that Americans appreciate quality products and personalized service, attention, and advice when they shop. The only difference is, the man that owned the specialty store in my neighborhood when I was a kid never had a focus group; he never had a market research ﬁrm at his disposal, and he never had computerized consumer polling data that told him what his customers wanted. No, he just asked them what they liked, and gave it to them... with a smile and a handshake, and maybe a pat on the back. Those were grocers; those were real, local people; those were merchants who cared about their communities and the people in them… Meet the original foodies, present day. -Editor.

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Oxford’s Organic Oasis Written by By David G. Kmetz Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

Justin Szostakowski is energy. His eyes dart furtively left then right. He’s multi-tasking at his market in downtown Oxford, Massachusetts. There’s a lot to keep tabs on and Justin is very much a hands-on owner and, well, things have been busy—his store is Isador’s Organics. Making a Market Established in 2006, Isador’s continues to grow, as does its reputation. So much so, Justin was inspired to seek out a larger space late last fall. Not far from its original site, the new market is a vast improvement in terms of ﬂoor plans, natural light, more work areas and storage for his dedicated crew of four to operate. Though prices are generally higher there than at big box stores and national chains, his loyal customers know that better, fresher and purer goods cost a bit more and, with good planning and foresight, they can still craft cost effective healthy meals from their selections. Justin is hard at work towards buying staples in bulk, such that he can lower costs and sell for less. He also shuns foods with GMOs, Genetically

Modified Organisms. Home cooks can even bring their own food-safe containers and re-fill, leaving the store with no waste. The market is rife with whole grains, beans, rice, pastas, baked goods, juices, teas, coffees and a wide assortment of organic dried herbs and spices, plus short-dated specials that offer significant discounts every week. One popular offer is the 2 for $20—a complete dinner for two available several times per week that includes a large salad, entree and dessert. It sounds simple, but it’s so much more. Take, for example, one of last spring’s selections: a salad of tween spinach, feta cheese, cucumber, red onion, roasted peppers, tomatoes and sprouts tossed in a zinfandel vinaigrette served alongside a mixed grill entrée of Atlantic salmon and swordfish, rice pilaf and organic spring vegetable medley and capped off with a lovely Limoncello mascarpone cake. To sweeten the deal, Justin’s vauled customers can also get a 10% discount on the recommended wine just up the street at the Oxford Package Store with their receipt from Isador’s. (Continued on page 20)

Foodies of New England

Tri-colored Pasta Salad

Foodies of New England

(Continued from page 18)

Those customers represent a broad mix—folks who shop there once a week for everything they need, busy parents popping in to pick up meals to-go for dinner and even regulars who stop in almost every day for the freshest items. “We now do a heck of a lunch business and we serve dinner take-out at night,” says Justin of the latest group of patrons. “Being so close to downtown on Main Street and a short hop from 395, we get a lot of local business people in for lunch and kids on the way home from school stop in for a quick snack.” But with such an eclectic following, how does Justin what items make it to his shelves? “I have to feel good about the products I carry because at the end of the day, it’s my responsibility. I have to stand behind the items I offer. I also have a quirky chef ﬁlter; I don’t like fancy labels on cans or jars of a simple ingredient, over-improved with another ingredient driving up the price. I really target the simple elements. That is a constant theme both with me and the store.” With eggs from U-Conn, honey from Hebert Honey, milk from Cooper’s Farm, ﬂour from Four Star Farms and pickled vegetables from Real Pickles, Justin certainly strives to use as much local produce and artisanal offerings as possible. But, one challenge remains: the relatively short growing season here in central New England. “What I can get and offer in late summer and early fall is miles beyond what’s available in the winter months,” admits Justin. Good Food Fever Isador’s went organic in 2008, along with offering delivery to many neighboring towns, but Justin’s vision appeared much, much earlier. He had good food fever from an early age, but had to wade though culinary

Foodies of New England

purgatory for many years before his vision came to fruition. Working shifts at MacDonald’s in Webster, then as sous chef at Barber’s Crossing in Worcester, followed by a stint at Tatnuck Booksellers, his experience compounded as his yearning for a better place formed in his mind. When Tatnuck Booksellers closed its doors, putting Justin out of work, he acted on the urge to open his own creation: Isador’s Fruit & Deli. Leasing the space of what had once been an old barn off Route 12, he established his business as one of the few local markets in town, offering many items not found in a typical supermarket. According to Justin, “It is important to be different and we started carrying items requested by our customers right away. That’s still the case today.” Isador’s also carries everything from nutritional supplements to health and beauty products. It was a “Why not?” decision. “If I want to offer something new, I realize I’ll have to stand with it a while. Some of the more interesting products that have had a strong ovation have been food staples, such as coconut oil, Celtic sea salt, ghee, honey and maple syrup.” When asked what’s next, Justin was quick to reply: “We are looking at doing sautés and pasta dishes this summer. Now that we have more prep and

display areas, it allows us to offer a greater variety of prepared foods and we can make them fresh every day, unlike supermarkets that ship food in from out of state in heated or refrigerated trailers.” And if you come in early, you might even get a show. “You’ll see those meals prepared right in front of you.” With increased awareness of the locavore movement, Isador’s Organics is continuously putting itself on the map as a small business and Justin wouldn’t have it any other way. “I enjoy the challenges of running a small owner-operated store. It keeps me on top of things and I’m grateful for the opportunity.” Isador’s Organics 261 Main Street Oxford, MA 01540 508-987-1211 www.myorganicdelivery.com Justin’s blog and tweets can be found from the catering link at http://www.atservicetothepotato. blogspot.com

Justin Szostakowski, Proprietor

Foodies of New England

The Sultan of Spice Written by By Domenic D. Mercurio, Jr. Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

“It took me about 20 years to become an overnight sensation.” - Ed-ism #33 You have just been exposed to an “Ed-ism,” as they are affectionately referred to in the Worcester foodie community. These expressions are periodically coined by none other than the Sultan of Spice himself, Ed Hyder, whose neighborhood specialty market reﬂects all of the charisma, nostalgia, and culinary curiosities one expects from a bona ﬁde foodie playground.

“Food’s in our blood; we like bringing quality to people.” - Ed-ism #39 With over 3,000 fresh, indigenous ingredients in stock, including more than 60 European cheeses, freshly-made Middle-Eastern appetizers, a wide assortment of nuts and dried fruits, daily homemade soups, fresh vegetables, green salads, bean salads, marinated meats, specialty teas from around the world, fine chocolates, fresh Greek cookies and pastries, hundreds of herbs and spices in bulk (Whew! Ok, onward we go…), over 500 restaurant-quality wines featuring the largest selection of vintage Bordeaux in Central Massachusetts, and countless culinary offerings from South America, Africa, Israel, Asia, India, and Western Europe, is it any wonder why foodies from all over plug Hyder’s Mediterranean Market into their GPS?

Yes, the old-time neighborhood market still exists, foodies; it’s alive and well at 408 Pleasant Street in Worcester, Massachusetts. Upon entering the shop, one’s senses are permeated by the sights and aromas of all-natural ingredients. Even the soups are the most flavorful and naturally-made around, with no MSG, no preservatives, and just a pinch of salt or citric acid for flavor. Old-fashioned customer service is also thriving at Hyder’s. In fact, during our interview with Mr. Hyder (Ed, as he prefers to be called), an older gentleman arrived and was met with an enthusiastic and jovial, “Hey, how have you been?” from Ed, who took leave from us to pay the requisite care and attention to his customer. The gentleman came all the way from Boston to see Ed and to pick up some spices and wine, which tells us a lot about Ed and how he runs his store. As a matter of fact, Ed’s staff is instructed to simply yell, “Ed!” when a customer mentions, “This is my first time in.” Ed drops what he is doing at the moment, and leads the new customer around the store for a guided tour of nearly everything, landing (of course) right on the very item sought by the customer. In Hyder’s Mediterranean Market, it’s always the customer who comes first. (Continued on page 24)

Foodies of New England

(Continued from page 23)

“It’s a poor craftsman that blames his tools.”

“Travel in comfortable shoes and carry a ton of business cards.” - Ed-ism #23

- Ed-ism #14 Ed’s day starts early every morning. He’s washing, cleaning, scrubbing, chopping, trimming meat, marinating tenderloin, and mixing Tabouli. For Ed, this is a very enjoyable experience. As he skewers chicken and fresh peppers and onions, Ed’s son, Greg, summarizes just what it’s like to work with Ed Hyder: “After 10 years of working with someone, you get to that place where you can laugh and say just about whatever you want to each other.” Having worked with his father for 17 years (since the age of 10), Greg has witnessed many colorful examples of Ed’s personality. He recalls one occasion, however, that highlights in a brief and simplistic way Ed’s modus operandi for a specialty retail store. It seems a customer called to bring to light the fact that she had just purchased a bottle of sparkling Shiraz wine that “… wasn’t sparkling when (she) got it home.” Although it would have been easy to do, Ed, true to form, didn’t blame someone else (like his wine vendor) for the inconvenience. His reply was short and comforting, and it accomplished its assigned task in an old-school way, which was to quietly resolve the customer’s problem: “Bring it back, ma’am; we’ll get you one that sparkles.”

“Sometimes in a small business, you can make money by not losing money and by paying your bills.” - Ed-ism #17 Ed grew up in the specialty store business, stocking and selling at the store his father opened. It all started when his grandfather came from Lebanon in 1906. A farmer from the old country, his grandfather grew apples and grapes, mostly. He then sold his carts, mules, and leased-out his farm and house at age 18, married his young bride, and moved to New York, where Ed’s father, George, was born. George moved to Worcester around 1912 and began work as a produce wholesaler, then retailer, then took over a store on the ﬁrst ﬂoor of a three-family apartment house.

Foodies of New England

Ed’s father instilled in him an appreciation for quality produce, meat, spices, and other food items. Ed learned how to recognize good quality items and, more importantly, was tenacious about tracking them down for his customers. On one occasion, Ed wrote to several grocery and food vendors in New York, Chicago and Boston to get information on their product lines. Sometime after, a salesman came to Ed’s house, took out his catalogue and marked all the items with the letters ‘A’, ‘B’, or ‘C’. Then, he proceeded to explain to Ed, “As of now, I’ll only sell you items marked ‘A’ – they sell well and you won’t get stuck if you buy those from me. Those items marked ‘B’ I’ll sell you after you’ve been in business for at least 6 months, and items marked ‘C’ I’ll sell you after you’ve been in operation for at least a year.” “That salesman came a long way to see me and took me a long way with the advice he gave me,” says Ed. Since then, Ed has put a lot of belief in sourcing the right product for the right customer.

“Anybody can get into business, but it’s even easier to get out!” - Ed-ism #56 In 1975, at age 25, Ed opened his own store on Park Avenue in Worcester. At just 400 square feet, it was small, but perfect for Ed’s liking. It allowed him to see his customers, keep an eye on his shelves so that they stayed well-stocked, and still work in the back room without being too far away from the front door, just in case a customer came in. Since that simple start, the market relocated to several different neighborhoods until 1994, when Ed finally found a home at the former Winslow Street Fire Station, which Ed finds to be a terrific spot. “This building was by constructed fire captains, in order to protect their homes on nearby Crown Hill,” Ed informs us. He and his crew— including Greg, Alexis, Miriam, and Chef Nick Perrone, a Johnson & Wales University graduate who has been working at Hyder’s since his days studying culinary arts at Worcester Technical High School— have been happy at this location ever since. Pictured; Ed and Greg Hyder

(Continued on page 83)

“People eat with their eyes ﬁrst, nose second, and mouth last.” - Ed-ism #43

Foodies of New England

Sweetly A-“Buzz” in Harvard Square Written by Jodie Lynn Boduch Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

There are shops that are places for merchant-consumer transactions and little else. There are shops that are quirky and chic yet somehow establish a certain distance. Then there are shops that, despite being spaces where things are bought and sold, are so much more: an experience, an education, and a means of sharing connections and insight. Follow the Honey in Harvard Square is the epitome of the third type. A family-run business situated in an erstwhile dining room, the shop envelopes customers with, “the feeling of coming home to something,” says owner Mary Canning.

Foodies of New England

It is home to an incredible selection of honey, and the variation in flavor profiles can be attributed to geographical location and the physical attributes of the land. Canning, who has a background in journalism and is wonderfully eloquent, calls her shop the “Willy Wonka Land of Honey.” Getting honey from the tap (honey!) underscores that description. The shop alternates between two local sources: the apiaries of Dan Conlon, President of the Massachusetts Beekeepers Association, and George O’Neil of Autumn Morning Farms in Barre, MA. The tap honey is the shop’s bestseller (and popular with patrons for its novelty aspect, too). Follow the Honey has four hives at the moment and hopes to harvest honey this summer from its fledgling farm in Warwick, MA near the Quabbin Reservoir. The shop has something for everyone (including artisan jewelry) and truly engages the consumer with the culture of honey and beekeeping. It’s a fun spot for families, and educational opportunities, such as “meet the beekeeper” nights, abound. Boston Foodie Tours, which Foodies of New England profiled in Winter 2012, delights their guests with a stop as part of their Harvard Square tour. The Cambridge YMCA has brought in preschoolers to see the “best bees” observation hive, while nearby restaurant Upstairs on the Square has teamed up with the shop to offer honey-themed dinners. Follow the Honey always seems to have an interesting, informative event—forgive us—on tap. The story behind Follow the Honey, which has been open since November 2010, is rather like the path of an exploratory bumblebee. It’s unlikely that anyone, including Canning herself, would have guessed that a former producer of Frontline at WGBH would one day own a honey shop. Back-to-back illnesses in the family and the untimely death of Canning’s first husband reframed her perspective in the poignant fashion such life-altering experiences often do. In the midst of coping, she spent time reflecting in the countryside. This eventually led to some work as a beekeeper. “I was touched,” Canning says, “by how life-affirming it is to be around bees.” A trip to South India left a powerful impression on her as she saw how widows and farmers carved out an existence through beekeeping and honey. The experience highlighted for her the relationship people can have to the “phenomena of an ecosystem”—a true connection to the landscape. The journey of self-discovery and a deep appreciation for a “magic carpet ride of the palate by honey” led to the brickand-mortar business of bees on Massachusetts Avenue in

Foodies of New England

Cambridge. Everything just seemed to fall into place for Canning, who has since remarried. She and her husband decided to go for it when the space opened up and Canning’s daughter showed interest in taking part in the business. No one in the family had retail experience, but there was a sense of excitement and bonding as they came together to create Follow the Honey. One of Canning’s goals with the shop is to bring honey “out of the realm of commodity and into the realm of elixir.” Everything from building relationships with vendors throughout the country to sharing stories at farmers’ markets about beekeeping, farming, and feeling connected to the land contributes to that purpose. In essence, Follow the Honey’s products come with a story. Take, for example, the honey procured from Louisiana beekeeper Avery Allen. He keeps his bees in the wetlands, and some hives are only accessible by boat; he often has to move them around the bayou to ensure their safety. It is Allen who assured Canning that once people tasted the honey procured with this kind of care and attention, they’d notice the difference…and come back for more. They do, to be sure, but Canning explains that curation is ongoing. Because of the nature of harvesting honey, it’s only available as long as it’s available—traditional inventory rules don’t apply. Follow the Honey has forged other connections, too, with beekeepers and cultivators of honey (such as the restaurant Miel in Boston—the name means “honey” in French). There’s a lot of collaboration within this culture, Canning says, and community-building among like-minded people. She speaks with pride about Travels in Blood and Honey, Elizabeth Gowing’s book about beekeeping in wartorn Kosovo and the use of honey in Balkan cooking, as she does about a number of nonproﬁts involved in honey production to people in need. Sweet Beginnings, for instance, is a Chicago-area organization that teaches beekeeping and product creation to former inmates. Canning absolutely loves what she does, and her enthusiasm is contagious. She remarks more than once on the beauty of honey as a ray of sunshine pours through the bottle. It’s enough to make you want to go to Cambridge, buy a jar of honey, and hold it up to the sunlight to see for yourself. Follow the Honey 1132 Mass Ave. Cambridge, MA 02138 617-945-7356 www.followthehoney.com

Foodies of New England

Sid Wainer & Son: New Bedford’s Gourmet Haven Written by Greta Methot Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

Tucked away in a ubiquitous New Bedford mill building (home of the Beacon Blanket factory back in the heyday of south coast textile manufacturing), hidden behind an unremarkable shopping strip, you’ll find the New England Mecca of gourmet provisions, Sid Wainer & Son. From this unlikely site, Wainer’s fleet of distinctive pink-striped refrigerated trucks pull away from the warehouse loading docks laden with delicacies and foodie essentials destined for the top restaurants and hotels in the nation. On any given day, deliveries of Spanish capers, Californian mushrooms, Tuscan artichokes, or Massachusetts-grown lemon thyme are making their way from New Bedford and into the hands of the country’s finest chefs. 30

Foodies of New England

Since its founding in 1914, the Wainer family’s grocery venture has matured into a massive operation now boasting 300,000 square feet of storage space and a dozen climate-controlled rooms which provide a stopping place for the daily influx of supplies from local farms and faraway artisans. In order to safeguard the quality of the hundreds of food items he provides to restaurants, Dr. Henry Wainer, third generation business owner, cultivates personal relationships with farmers and food producers from around the globe. Wainer sources more than 600 fresh varieties of produce directly from growers in California, South and Central America, Israel, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand; these are then packaged under Wainer’s Jansal Valley First Pick label. Much of the produce comes from Wainer’s own network of proprietary Jansal Valley farms. What sets Sid Wainer & Son apart from other produce and grocery suppliers is the company’s commitment to sustainable agriculture and passion for quality and freshness. A proponent of the “slow food” movement, Dr. Wainer continues to increase the company’s Massachusetts farm acreage and greenhouse space and experiments with bringing new varietals to the region. His aim is to cultivate locally those crops once only available seasonally or through import and ensure that perishable inventory does not languish in transit for days before appearing on a market shelf or restaurant dinner plate. Those special and rarified ingredients demanded by the country’s best chefs are also available to the public through Sid Wainer’s retail Gourmet Outlet. Hoping to procure some micro-orchids, lavender wands, or nasturtium blossoms for garnish? Want to get your hands on some pastel hued heirloom eggs or locally milled flour? Need to stock up on lychee puree, truffle butter, Tuscan lemon oil, lobster ravioli, kaffir lime leaves,

Foodies of New England

tiny patty pan squash, Osetra caviar, or duck sausage? Search no further than New Bedford. An abundant bounty for food lovers, the Outlet has an entire room devoted to cheese from around the world and another stocked with exotic fruits, flowers, herbs, and vegetables. Refrigerated cases offer packaged appetizers (Kobe beef hot dogs, anyone?), fresh pastas, Scottish smoked salmon, foie gras, and a wealth of other delicacies. There’s also an antipasto bar with a vast selection of marinated olives, cippolini onions, roasted red and yellow tomatoes, and mini artichokes. On Saturdays the Outlet is a local hotspot drawing crowds of foodies from far and wide. On these days Wainer’s own staff chefs offer cooking demonstrations and tastings showcasing the store’s products. Customers can sample house-made truffle risotto and artisanal cheese fondue or pick up a recipe card and the necessary ingredients to make their own butternut squash bread pudding or spicy smoked salmon mousse. Eager to taste that pricey balsamic vinegar before purchasing or do a taste test from among the hundreds of cheeses? Wainer’s staff is happy to accommodate. They’ll also make up gourmet food baskets to order. In general, you won’t find bargains at the Gourmet Outlet; however, the selection and the quality are simply outstanding. If you’re serious about food, Sid Wainer’s is worth a visit. Sid Wainer & Son Gourmet Outlet is open Monday-Saturday, 9am to 5pm. See page 104 for some recipes from Sid Wainer & Son

Sid Wainer & Son Gourmet Outlet 2301 Purchase Street New Bedford, MA 02746 1-800-249-0447 www.sidwainer.com

Chef Andre Arsenault and GM Tom Furtado

Foodies of New England

Nearly Half a Century of Specialty Food Greatness Written by By David G. Kmetz Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

After almost 45 years in business, you can feel pretty conﬁdent that your market model is solid and sound and such is the case at Locke Stock & Barrel in Great Barrington, MA. Started in the late 60’s by owner Locke Larkin and a few college buddies, LS&B was an alternate career path to building construction. And four decades later, it remains a small family-run operation of the classic mom & pop genre. When hippies, foodies and counter-culture types alike were ﬁrst looking for a source for true, natural foods in place of corporate processed items, LS&B answered, fueling that desire. While expanding over the decades, Locke never lost sight of those alternative roots. “We try to carry a little bit of everything and if we don’t have it, we can usually get it.”

Get it they can. Great—and obscure—wines are one of their specialties. LS&B started carrying wines about 15 years ago, sourcing growers who produce lower volumes. Locke has long and well-established relationships with these growers. “We have made so many connections with suppliers both here and all over the world through the decades, that we rarely come up empty.” Such history is just one added beneﬁt to the customer— these growers offer their rare fare at very competitive prices. He often carries Bordeaux from one of the very best chateaux in France, Haut-Bailly. (Continued on page 37)

Foodies of New England

Locke Larkin

Foodies of New England

(Continued from page 35)

Though French and Italian goods prevail, other Eastern European and Middle Eastern countries are also represented. LS&B offers teas, jams and jellies to suit any taste plus over 85 different types of honey are available. A stocked salumeria is filled with cured meats and aged cheeses, including Locke’s Cheddar, a stellar five-year-old cheddar Locke is aging himself. Of course, besides the rich offerings of global goods, LS&B carries a great variety of locally produced artisan eats, some from producers boasting over four decades in business. Susan Sellew, of Rawson Brook Farm in Monterey, MA, has known Locke and Pat Larkin since she was a teenager and has been making her signature fresh goat cheese since 1979. She produces 500 lbs. a week explaining that 85% of her yield goes to local retailers, while the other 15% is distributed to Boston and New York. Susan isn’t the only Massachusetts producer at LS&B. Ira Grable of Berkshire Blue Cheese in Dalton drops off his award winning wheels personally. Sourdough baguettes from Great Barrington’s Daily Bread, maple syrups from Turner Farm and Roger Tryon Farm and apples, peaches and jams from Barbara Field’s Berkshire Preserves in South Egremont are but a few of the many purveyors who supply LS&B with the goods that keep customers coming back. “With the resurgence of the locavore movement these last several years, we get new suppliers and offerings throughout the year—the Berkshires are a great place for that, with a lot of sophisticated palates and strong desire for the best and highest quality. That’s what we like to offer,” clarified Locke. Unlike large corporate retailers, Locke, Stock & Barrel will stay open after normal closing hours if customers are still in the store. They also make deliveries: “Our customers are very loyal and we do everything we can to provide top service. We’re happy to do that and it has been a tradition of our business since we opened all those years ago.” The future of the enterprise is not set in stone; Locke is in his early 70s and looking forward to having a younger generation come forward to take the reigns. An establishment of such legacy and dedication has certainly earned that right. Locke Stock & Barrel 265 Stockbridge Street Great Barrington, MA 01230 413-528-0800

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Travels with Family – An Introduction to Foodie Road Fare Written by Sandy Lashin-Curewitz Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

Ah, the summer road trip. The traditional family vacation. Did the blood just drain from your face and your palms go sweaty? You know what is in store for you and your family on a long highway road trip. Home-made trail mix, mini carrots, celery sticks, and water pouches can only buy you two hours at the most. Whether you have been planning a non-stop drive to Disney for months, or just decided to visit Mount Washington on a whim, there is no excuse for not taking a moment to find a foodie-friendly alternative just a few miles past the golden arches (my spouse has successfully branded those arches to our daughter as, “yucky food”). Smartphone users can select from numerous apps to satisfy their appetite for the delicious and nutritious. You might even find an app to save you a bit of money: “Where,” for the iPhone, allows you to find restaurants based on your map location and search for special offers and cheap gas prices. Despite his lack of love for the value menu, my husband is not the most adventurous when it comes to food, or pulling off the highway. There may be someone in your hybrid who is equally as reluctant to stray from the path of least resistance.

Foodies of New England

The trick to avoiding the rest stop oases of frozen chicken and fries bathed in the oil-of-the-month, and pink slime burgers on processed buns, is simply a little advance planning. Just ﬁre up your favorite virtual map. Here are a just a few singular stops to get you started. Travel safely (and sanely)! Maine New Morning Natural Foods Café 230 Main Street, Biddeford 207-282-1434 www.newmorningnaturalfoods.com Take exit 32 off I95 in unassuming Biddeford for a surprising eat-in or take-away experience. The café menu and the store are ﬁlled with fresh, local ingredients (scroll through a long, tantalizing list online—and recipes), including organically grown produce from the owners’ Sweetwater Farm, as well as vegan and gluten-free options. Salads and soups have made an impression on repeat customers—people have said they dream of the fresh salads (garden, Greek, chef, and Caesar), and I have never had a better West African peanut soup.

Sandwiches are made daily, on wraps and Borealis Bread’s Aroostook (Maine) organic whole wheat, and are available all day in the café’s grab and go case, or made to order, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Choose from the familiar (turkey or tuna), or the hardcore (marinated Italian style tofu with Nayonnaise and veggies). The menu always offers a different burrito, frittata, hot lunch special, stir fry, and gourmet pizza, and other entrees that change daily. If you’re worried about timing, call in your (cold) order, and they will keep it for you in the fridge. Stonyfield Café* 240 U.S. Route 1, Falmouth 207-781-8889 www.stonyfieldcafe.com Fans of Stonyfield products can take a quick detour off of I295, to Route 1 in Falmouth for “a whole new kind of fast food,” and free wi-fi, at the Stonyfield Café (formerly O’Natural’s). Many regular menu items are gluten-free or vegetarian; and soups of the day include a vegan option. A diverse collection of sandwiches—from Maine bison meatloaf to the chicken T.M.B. (tomato, mozzarella, basil)—are served on freshly baked flatbread, made with organic unbleached and unbromated flour, with plenty of extra toppings to choose. Ingredients for build-your-own rice and noodles bowls include wild Alaskan salmon, organic tempeh, and quinoa. Kids’ fare includes a hummus and veggie plate, and a turkey dog; with veggies, applesauce, or flatbread for sides; and milk, all-natural juice, or homemade lemonade to drink. There is even a barnyard-theme play area to expend some pent-up energy before returning to the car seat.

The salads do not skimp on the protein—wilted arugula salad with baked tofu; taco salad with refried beans; and Cajun Caesar salad topped with Cajun tempeh strips. Sandwich staples include the ubiquitous veggie burger, the supportive Portobello mushroom, and hummus; and entrees feature the sweet potato enchilada, noodle bowl, fried rice, and potato spinach pierogis with apple butter, caramelized onions, brown rice, garlic greens, and tofu sour cream. If you’re holding out for meat, you might still have a divine dessert—velvet cake, cocoa cake with velvet frosting, coconut cake, chocolate hazelnut cake—and I.O.N. organic, locally roasted coffee, or a chocolate peanut butter banana smoothie. Who says you can’t have dessert ﬁrst? Massachusetts b.good Eight locations www.bgood.com/ourlocations.php Three of eight b.good bright, open-design locations can be found not far from highways: Dedham (at Legacy Place, I95 exit 15), Hingham (98 Derby Street, about 10 minutes from the I93/Rt. 3 interchange), and Burlington (82 Burlington Mall Road, I95 exit 32B). Walk in and see fresh produce, happy people grinding and grilling burgers, and attractive photos of the local farmers who grow, raise, and make the fresh food about to be piled high on your plate. (Continued on page 42)

The Stonyﬁeld Café may win the virtual “Best Road Food” award for their pledge, “Our food is all free of chemicals, preservatives, additives, hormones, antibiotics, and all other synthetic junk.” If they only delivered. Connecticut It’s Only Natural 386 Main Street, Middletown 860.346.9210 www.ionrestaurant.com Veggie-friendly families traveling Route 91 would do well to take exit 18 to It’s Only Natural—known to locals as I.O.N.— just a short jaunt down Route 66 (No, not that Route 66.). There are so many not-to-be-found-anywhere-else items at I.O.N. Allow yourself to be dazzled and let go of your bias for animal protein. (No, that would not work on my husband.) The I.O.N. experience starts with the appetizers—freshbaked whole wheat bread and organic carrot-miso spread, southern fried tofu (spicy, breaded, fried tofu bites with Caesar dip), tempeh “crab” cakes (seasoned, fried tempeh cakes served with Caesar dressing—tempeh is SO versatile!). Foodies of New England

(Continued from page 41)

For the main event, order your burger—beef, turkey, veggie, or chicken breast. Choose toppings—simple local cheese, bacon, or avocado, or discover adventurous combos with such colorful names as The Rocket, El Guapo, and Cousin Oliver. Even select a whole wheat or gluten-free bun. On the side, toss real, hand-cut fries (russet or sweet); crisp, stir-fried veggies; or seasonal vegetables from Dick’s Market Garden in Lunenburg. Uncommon salads, like the Hatchback (baby spinach, sharp cheddar, apples, sweet potatoes, toasted pecans, dried cherries, maple-mustard vinaigrette) can change with the season. Wash it all down with homemade teas, lemonades, or ice cream or fruit shakes. Foodies can thank friends Anthony and Jon of b.good for reinventing the fast food burger joint for a health-conscious generation, and for venturing past Boston and Cambridge. The owners are inventive, community-minded, and treat people well. Every detail—nutrition, ingredients, and more— about the food at b.good can be found at bgood.com. Be prepared to become part of the b.good family, or maybe customer of the year.

Vermont Vermont Country Deli 436 Western Avenue, Brattleboro 802-257-9254 www.vermontcountrydeli.com Off Exit 2 of I91, road-weary travelers will be energized by the wave of savory and sweet aromas of home cooking and fresh baked goods, and the bevy of colorful private label and locally produced wares displayed on rugged wooden tables and overflowing from baskets and barrels. The Vermont Country Deli is strictly take-out, so leave extra room in your cooler. You’ll want to grab some picnic fare (try Highway Ham, I91 Italian, or create-your-own sandwiches) and stock up on fresh salads (local, seasonal fresh fruit or fresh vegetable of the day), or homemade entrees (secret recipe macaroni and cheese or maple barbecue pulled pork) to share with family and friends once you reach your destination. The friendly owners and staff offer directions to nearby parks and rest areas for dining. New Hampshire The Friendly Toast 121 Congress Street, Portsmouth 603-430-2154 www.thefriendlytoast.net Portsmouth is a great stop to find a variety of wonderful local restaurants, but none is like this—eclectic fare and an oasis of vintage décor. They may not have gas pumps, but they are open 24-hours on weekends. The menu is dotted with 1950s-style drawings and reads like a novel; you cannot put it down until you have finished the last quirky, delicious combination. It is filled with such lovable characters as the Hanzel & Gretel waffle (gingerbread topped with pomegranate molasses), anadama bread (made with cornbread and molasses), Sklarmageddon (meat omelet with red-chile pecans, topped with zesty maple sour cream), vegan Valhalla (veggie and brown rice-stuffed wrap with Asian sesame tofu and tahini), Mr. Haegar (makes one wonder just who is this Mr. Haeger), the Moxie milkshake, and nine flavors of cocoa. In addition to landing on a number of “best” lists, including Good Morning America, the Toast also assures patrons that the food is trans-fat-free and mostly made from scratch, they support other small businesses, compost, recycle, and use bamboo- or starch-based take-out utensils and containers.

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Congratulations to Executive Chef/Owner Chris Rovezzi

Winner of the Iron Chef Round of the Worcester’s Best Chef Competition 2012! Chris will be elevated to the Judges Panel at Worcester’s Best Chef 2013 The Worcester’s Best Chef charitable culinary competition is the premier culinary event throughout Central New England and boasts the most exclusive, creative, & ﬁnest epicurean masterpieces to be found anywhere.

Worcester’s Best Chef

“History of”

The History of

ǸɕȨȵ Written by Jodie Lynn Boduch Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault Food Styling by Dona Bourgery

Jodie Lynn Boduch, owner of Much Ado Marketing, serves as Social Media Director and Staff Writer for the Foodies team. She’s an adventurous explorer of the culinary landscape and enjoys writing about food. Educated in both business and history, she has big plans to put the latter to good use for this column.

Foodies of New England

Saint Basil. Sir Basil Henry Liddell Hart, Basil Rathbone… You know an herb has earned its place in the foodie ﬁrmament when people start naming their baby boys after it. Nothing says pesto fan quite like that. Actually, the link between basil and Basil (and it’s Eastern European equivalent, Vasily) is simply one of etymological origin: The Latinized Greek word basileus, meaning king or kingly. Basilica and basilisk—Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, anyone?—are also derived from the same word. Just as some words far removed from one another in meaning sprout from the same root (double metaphor intended), so, too, does basil have connotations all along the spectrum of cultural signiﬁcance.

The People’s Plant Although available as a dry herb, the native-to-India basil is most often used fresh; sweet basil and Thai basil are two of the most popular varieties. Green, leafy, and lavishly fragrant, basil is known for its versatility. It pairs well with tomato, plays nice with strawberry, and has a long-standing relationship with chicken, beef and soup in Asian cuisine. The liquids get some love, too— think basil gimlet, basil julep (sorry Cousin Mint) and vodka lemonade with a basil twist. Despite its linguistic implication of royalty, basil is quite common and found in many herb gardens. It’s so popular among everyday cooks that plants are available for purchase in just about any large grocery store. Yet, as any amateur grower of basil knows, the herb isn’t one for embracing the cold or catching too many rays. It won’t go the alchemical route, Lord Bacon’s claim that too much sun exposure changes basil into thyme notwithstanding, but basil is as Goldilocks prefers: not too hot, not too cold, not too wet, not too dry. It’s sensitive, so be good to it.

A Love/Hate Relationship Culturally speaking, basil represents both emotions anchoring the love/hate seesaw. Supposedly in ancient Greece and ancient Rome, people believed that basil would only grow if the planter shouted and cursed while sowing the seed. (Note: Foodies does not recommend this practice.) As a result, it became associated with hate and misfortune. A nod to this afﬁliation exists today in the French expression semer le basilic. Literally it means, “to sow basil,” but the idiomatic use means “to rant.” (Continued on page 47)

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Salutes Iron Chef Finalist Worcester’s Best Chef 2012 Wilson Wang from Baba Sushi • Ranked #9 in the USA Top 100 Asian Restaurants in America, 2012 AsianMenu.com

• Best Sushi Worcester Magazine, 2012

• Best Asian Fusion – 2nd Place Worcester Magazine, 2012

• Best Chef – 2nd Place Worcester Magazine

Scan with your Smartphone to visit our website

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Baba Sushi 309 Park Ave. Worcester, MA 01609 508-752-8822 www.babasushi.com

(Continued from page 45)

On a more spiritual note, Hindus revere basil. They consider it a protective and sacred herb, plant it around temples and rest it with the deceased. The Greek Orthodox Church, in contrast to the ancients, holds basil in high esteem and includes it in the preparation of holy water. On the sweeter side of things, basil can also represent love. Suitors in Italy signaled their affection with a sprig of basil in their hair and, in Mexico, a little basil in the pocket expressed hope for love eternal to be reciprocated. In Iran, Egypt and Malaysia, basil is often left on graves as a token of love.

Need a Scorpion? No, this header has nothing to do with a Scorpion Bowl to go with some basil-enhanced Asian fare. (But hey, if you’re so inspired, who are we to say no?) Rather, in medieval Europe, basil was linked to scorpions, perhaps because of the “basilisk” connection.

Thanks Karen Cunningham-Anderson, one of our FB fans, for suggesting the article on Dolphin Striker.

One superstition maintained that basil left under a pot or brick would eventually turn into a scorpion. Another bizarre superstition held that basil-snifﬁng would breed a scorpion in the brain. No word as to whether or not wild and crazy medieval teens tried that… Polarizing historical associations and creepycrawly folklore aside, the abundance of basil in cuisine throughout the world suggests that we do, in fact, love it.

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Life Lived on ‘Point’ in Connecticut Written by By David G. Kmetz Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

Foodies of New England

evon Point Farm in Woodstock, Connecticut, is home to a new breed of American farmer. It is not an inherited farm. It also isn’t owned by a corporation, leased from a trust, or sponsored by an endowment. The owners, Patty and Erick Taylor, are selfﬁnanced (savings from their corporate-world earnings prior to building their farm four years ago), and now they live solely off of what they produce. Their existence is squarely dependent upon the quality of the product they provide for their customers.

cides. The Taylors’ CSA has expanded membership each year and the program will feed up to 200 families this season.

The farm is immaculate, warm, inviting and everything you would imagine if you could paint the picture perfect place to grow food—a far cry from the abandoned farm property it was four years ago. At that time it was completely covered with brush, saplings, invasive species, dead apple trees, and old farm machinery. In just four years this husband-and-wife team managed to clear 60 acres of pastures, install ﬁve miles of fence for their Devon cattle, build a home, carve out of the woods the timbers used to build an amazing post-and-beam barn, plant 11+ acres of vegetables for their all-natural CSA Vegetable Farm Share program, and deliver their second child in their home. Phew! Sound like pioneers to you?

This brings us to the ‘Devon’ in the name Devon Point Farm. The Cattle raised by the Taylors hail from Devonshire, England. They’re as rich in history as they are in flavor, making them the finest grass-fed beef money can buy. The Devons’ secret lies in the genes of the cattle: They can fatten on a traditional diet of grass and forbs during the growing season and survive harsh winters off their fat reserves. Devon Point’s cattle thrive on grass, sunshine, clean water, and fresh air; at Devon Point Farm, that’s all they are given. Beef raised the natural way has health benefits, given that it contains omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E, healthy (and tasty) fats, and anticancer compounds called Conjugated Linoleic Acids (CLAs). Devon cattle are a tri-purpose breed, making the best oxen, producing high butterfat milk sought after by cheese makers, and grass-fed beef so distinguished that in England, the finest restaurants serve “Red Ruby Devon” Steaks. It’s no surprise, then, that the Pilgrims brought them to the New World.

The Taylors’ motto is “Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food.” Devon Point’s 100% all-natural, grass-fed and grass-ﬁnished beef has no antibiotics, no hormones, and no grain, and it’s only available for purchase on the farm. Their CSA Vegetable Farm Share Program’s healthy vegetables (over 35 varieties) are grown without synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, or herbi-

Foodies of New England

In addition to high-quality food, Devon Point Farm also offers visitors an amazing experience. The ﬁelds abound with the sounds of children laughing and crunching down a freshly picked snow pea and the distant melody of mother cows calling their young. From the mouth-watering heirloom tomatoes to purple carrots, you will always ﬁnd something special during a visit to the farm, including a summer farm camp for kids and a pick-your-own Pumpkin Patch in the fall.

So, when you take your next bite of beef, consider how you can best nourish your body, soul, and community. Devon Point Farm is truly a bright spot in the rebirth of small-town America and healthy eating. FNE. Devon Point Farm will offer a harvest dinner in August 2012. They invite all foodies to enjoy a â&#x20AC;&#x153;farm eatingâ&#x20AC;? experience that showcases the food they produce. For details please visit their website.

Devon Point Farm 93 Pulpit Rock Road Woodstock, CT 06281 860-974-9004 www.devonpointfarm.com

Foodies of New England

Patty Taylor

Lexi, 6 yrs old

Julia, 3 yrs old

Foodies of New England

Interns, Tara Tranguch, Abbey Percibal with owner Patty Taylor

Foodies of New England

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Everybody loves food, but not everyone knows how to prepare it. Foodies TV will help make you a Culinary Rock Star! • Featuring New England’s best, award-winning chefs and their signature recipes • Show reaches 500,000 viewers and 51 cities and towns throughout Central N.E. and Metro West • Perfect venue for exposure and advertsing your restaurant or business • For more information contact Mercury Media and learn what we can do for you! • Airs on Charter TV3 Saturdays at 3:30 PM, Sundays at 5 PM, and Mondays 5 AM and 9:30 PM. Mercury Media & Entertainment, LLC • Box 380 • Sturbridge MA 01566 • 508.479.1171 www.foodiesofnewengland.com

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Gluten Free

Summertime Favorites! When I decided to develop a gluten free sustainable seafood recipe for the summer issue of Foodies of New England, I had every intention to use fresh seafood, but then “reality” hit like a gluten-free brick. No fresh wild salmon at my local ﬁsh market, no time to drive across the city to Trader Joe’s in the hope of ﬁnding frozen wild salmon. So, what’s a Gluten Free Diva to do? Well, I decided to use sustainable wild canned salmon. Why wild? If it’s not wild, your can of salmon might contain unwanted high levels of PCBs, dioxins and pesticides. This gives true importance to the expression, “Giving in to the wild side.”

Written by Ellen Allard Gluten Free Diva www.glutenfreediva.com Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

Ellen Allard, Gluten Free Diva (www.glutenfreediva.com) is a recipe developer, food writer, food photographer and food videographer who frequently posts on her upbeat blog about gluten-free and dairy-free recipes. She is completing her training as a Holistic Health & Wellness Coach at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in NYC. Ellen is passionately dedicated to helping others achieve optimal health through informed gluten-free and dairy-free food choices as well as a whole foods approach to eating. She loves all things food and is happy to talk to you about the same!

One of the great things about salmon is that it has plenty of essential omega-3 fatty acids, which are necessary for good health. Not manufactured by your body, they must be obtained through food sources or supplements. What’s the big brouhaha about omega 3’s? They reduce inﬂammation and lower risks associated with chronic disorders like heart disease, cancer and arthritis. They have been shown to lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure and play an important role in treating diabetes. I could go on and on, but this is a food magazine, after all, so let’s get on with the recipes, shall we?

Stackable Seafood Sushi Ingredients: 1 clean empty can (from can of beans or can with no have ridges on inside), top and bottom removed cooked short-grain sushi rice (see recipe below) 1 avocado, diced 1 can wild salmon (you’ll only use some of it), mashed with a fork 1 carrot, diced ﬁne several pieces of nori paper (use scissors to cut so the pieces match diameter of can) pickled ginger wasabi, if desired wheat-free tamari or gluten-free soy sauce To make rice for sushi stack: 1 ¼ cups short-grain sushi rice 1 1/3 cups water 2 tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar 1 ½ tbsp sugar ¾ tsp kosher salt Put rice in sieve, rinse numerous times until water runs clear, then drain completely. Transfer to medium-sized saucepan. Add water and bring to boil. Cover and cook rice over low heat for 12 minutes. Remove from heat and let rice stand, covered, for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, combine vinegar, sugar and salt until dissolved. Spread hot rice on large rimmed baking sheet in even layer. Sprinkle vinegar mixture evenly over rice. Gently move rice around pan while fanning until rice is glossy and cool.

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To make Sushi Stack, ﬁrst spray inside of can very lightly with vegetable spray. Place can on plate on which you’ll serve Sushi Stack. One at a time, place ingredients in can, alternating to create a pattern of your choice. For example, starting at bottom of the can: Rice Nori Salmon Rice Nori Avocado Rice Nori Carrots Rice Black Sesame Seeds After placing an ingredient into stack, use either your ﬁngers or bottom of a small glass to press ingredient into ingredients beneath it. Repeat for each new ingredient. Sprinkle black sesame seeds on top of stack. Do not press these into place. Very slowly, lift can up so that Sushi Stack sits on plate without can to hold it in place. Serve with pickled ginger, wasabi and wheat-free tamari or gluten-free soy sauce.

Miso Soup Dashi Stock (for miso soup) Ingredients: 1 - 2 tsp sesame oil ½ medium onion, chopped 1 celery stalk, diced 1 carrot, diced 1 garlic clove, minced 4 c. water ½ c. dried shitake mushrooms 2 tbsp crumbled wakame 1 4x3” piece kombu 1 tsp ginger, minced pinch crushed red pepper Saute onion, celery, carrot and garlic in sesame oil until onion is translucent. Then add remaining ingredients and bring to boil, then simmer 15 minutes. Strain stock and use to make Miso Soup. Miso Soup 1 c. dashi stock, strained 1 tbsp sweet white miso ¼ - ½ c. cubed tofu 1 – 2 scallions, chopped To dashi stock, add miso and heat until miso is dissolved. Add cubed tofu and continue to heat until tofu is warmed through. Serve topped with chopped scallions.

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Romaine Salad with Sesame Dressing Ingredients: romaine lettuce cucumbers carrots white sesame seeds Dressing: 1 tbsp sweet white miso 3 tbsp rice vinegar 1 tbsp sesame oil 1 tbsp mirin 1 tbsp wheat-free tamari 1 tbsp agave 1 tsp minced ginger Combine dressing ingredients and mix well. Combine salad ingredients on individual plates. Serve with sesame dressing.

Pineapple Coconut Sorbet Ingredients: 1 cup fresh or canned pineapple chunks, frozen 1 cup coconut milk (full fat) Âź c. pineapple juice 2 tbsp agave syrup 2 tbsp shredded coconut Optional: add 1 tbsp chopped cilantro or mint to blender jar and mix with other ingredients Blend frozen pineapple chunks, coconut milk, pineapple juice and agave syrup in blender and mix until blended. Taste and adjust for additional sweetness by adding more agave syrup, one tablespoon at a time. Pour into container and freeze until frozen solid. Remove from freezer and allow to sit on counter until you can scoop it into serving dishes. Top with shredded coconut.

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Alchemy Restaurant: A Panacea for the Palate Written by Jodie Lynn Boduch Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

“This is why alchemy exists,” the boy said. “So that everyone will search for his treasure, ﬁnd it, and then want to be better than he was in his former life...That’s what alchemists do. They show that, when we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better, too.” –Paul Coelho, The Alchemist

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lthough taken from an allegorical novel about finding one’s destiny, this quote also applies to the culinary creations at Alchemy in the seaside town of Gloucester, MA. The innovative cuisine here, which combines intriguing flavors and cross-cultural pairings, does indeed make everything around it better. This restaurant both influences and is influenced by the community of which is it a part—a truly “local” fusion. Alchemy’s sense of community begins, of course, with the food. The small plate offerings, ranging from bite-sized tapas to large appetizers, are a trademark. Think semolina and corn rock shrimp with napa cabbage slaw, cumin, and sriracha aioli; blue cheese stuffed dates with applewood smoked bacon; or, one of general manager Matt Rose’s favorites, spiced chickpeas with olives and tzatziki. Diners enjoy small plates, says Rose, because they’re a great way to try several kinds of dishes in one sitting. This type of dining appeals to the “let’s try something new” crowd, the daring diner. Rose adds that small plates promote a sense of community and sharing— the overarching theme at Alchemy. Entrees are similarly adventurous. The domestic boar Bolognese, another menu item Rose considers a highlight, is a slow-braised boar with mushrooms, tomatoes, and pappardelle. The chefs fold the boar meat in at the end, so it’s not just a component of the sauce; it peels away like a short rib and doesn’t get “lost” in the sauce, so to speak. (Continued on page 62)

Grilled Black Pearl Organic Salmon sautéed garlic spinach, grilled endive, potato galette, and lemon dill sour cream

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(Continued from page 61)

As a result of the varied dining demographic in Gloucester, the restaurant aims to please most every palate. Traditionalists can also find more familiar items on the menu: baked haddock, long-time favorite mac & cheese with scallops and shrimp, and a fabulous burger with beef sourced from Tendercrop Farm in Newburyport. Newburyport, for those unfamiliar with the region, is another town on the North Shore and not too far from Gloucester. Locally sourced ingredients, therefore, are another way in which Alchemy connects to the community. “Organic,” “local,” and “sustainable” aren’t just words; they’re three concepts key to how the restaurant does business. Almost all the seafood is local—as in, get-it-off-the-boat local (on occasion) and via distributors within walking distance of the restaurant. Rose notes that the fishing industry faces a number of challenges and that Alchemy is mindful of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch list, careful only to purchase seafood sustainable by that standard. Given that Gloucester is the oldest fishing port in the United States, Rose maintains, it’s important to meet the expectations of both quality and sustainability. Fishermen aren’t the only ones who benefit from Alchemy’s dedication to keeping it local. Farmers’ markets often serve as a “grocery” store for the chefs. In fact, co-owner Mark McDonough started the Cape Ann Farmers’ Market. These relationships inspire seasonal menu changes, a process Rose describes as “fun” and “fluid” for the culinary and management teams. One might even say, with a nod to alchemy, that it’s the process of changing silver into gold.

Herb baked whole trout, Maitake mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, salsa verde benrre blanc

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Fennel Crusted Seared Blue Fin Tuna

Complementing the menu at Alchemy is a superb cocktail lineup—or should we say elixir lineup? About a year ago, Alchemy’s cocktail list of eight items or so underwent four months of R & D. The result: over 20 cocktails, a selection including “antiques” (classic cocktails, such as the “Toronto” cocktail of mysterious origin) and “innovations” (Alchemy’s own creations, such as the bacon-infused bourbon “League of Nations”). The bar uses fresh-squeezed citrus, fair trade vodka, and local distillery products as much as possible, in keeping with the same credo that guides the restaurant’s food-related practices. Alchemy even has its own barrels in order to barrel-age certain kinds of liquor in-house. The ambiance, too, stems from a commitment to the community. There’s an art gallery in the “brick room” featuring the work of local artists. The works ro-

tate on a monthly basis and are for sale, with a contract stipulating that 10% of sales are earmarked for the Gloucester Education Foundation, a nonproﬁt dedicated to enhancing the learning activities of students and promoting a “culture of excellence” as a supplement to the public school experience. What does a great night at Alchemy look like? A nice hustle-and-bustle, says Rose: people sharing food with one another, patrons who want no-frills fare as well as diners seeking to try something new, and a sense that the restaurant is successful in embracing all palates. There may be no philosopher’s stone for that, but an evening at Alchemy just might be the next closest thing. Alchemy Café & Bistro 3 Duncan Street Gloucester, MA 01930 978-281-3997 www.alchemybistro.com Key Lime Pisco Sour

Managers Clayton Belanger and Mathew Rose

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Jumbo scallops seared golden and served with roasted butternut squash sauce

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Flavor of Portsmouth Written by Scott Giordano Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

The Dolphin Striker restaurant nails culinary Church in Market Square, resist the temptation to vie for onembodiment of this eclectic, historic, undeniably street parking and head instead for the municipal garage only a block away at the corner of Fleet and Hanover streets. romantic New Hampshire seaport. Foodies tend to love not only great cuisine and fine wine, but also all things art, history, and beautiful locales. We are suckers for romance. We are predisposed to savor all those experiences that serve to enrich our daily lives to some extent. When we discover a place like Portsmouth, NH, steeped in lovingly preserved history, flourishing in the arts, and dripping with seaside romance, our foodie senses start to tingle; we are soon seeking out that one gem of an eatery that best exemplifies the flavor of the town. Welcome to the Dolphin Striker.

“Circumambulate the city of a dreamy Sabbath afternoon.” – Herman Melville When you arrivein the center of Portsmouth, clearly identiﬁed from any direction by the soaring white steeple of North

You will likely not need your vehicle for the rest of the day. This is a delightfully walkable city. When your wanderings along brick sidewalks have carried you past shops of every description and alleyways lined with galleries, parks, theatres, a 10-acre outdoor historic museum, some and one of the fewer than 20 remaining athenaeums in the nation, you will inevitably end up at the corner of Bow and Ceres streets, less than a block from where you parked. There you will enjoy a commanding view of the Piscataqua River and the iconic, hard working tugboats of Moran Towing. You are standing at the site of the original town market place and the door to the Dolphin Striker. At the foot of the stairs descending Ceres Street is the street level entrance to the establishment’s “Spring Hill Tavern.” (Continued on page 67)

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Maryland Style Crab cakes with Olde Bay aioli

Saffron orzo Paella with lobster, shrimp, scallops, mussels, chorizo, and vegetables

Three Way Tuna,: Carpaccio, Seasoned Tartare and Blackened Rare

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Beef Wellington topped with mushroom duxell

(Continued from page 65)

Cross over either threshold and you will step back in time to the early 1800s when much of the city was reconstructed in brick following three devastating fires within a ten-year period. This is the reason many of the commercial blocks in the downtown area are so pleasingly congruous. When you enter the foyer, you may well be greeted by longtime owner Peter DiZoglio. With an old school Italian upbringing, Peter is a family-focused, cheerful man who delights in providing a comfortable and welcoming experience for his guests. Peter jumped at the opportunity to have an ownership stake in the already successful restaurant back in the early 80s despite having a demanding career as a local high school guidance counselor, a position he still holds and cherishes today. This ain’t no corporation newly drawn to town by acceptable tourist traffic numbers. Chef/Owner Scott Massida became involved just four years ago, drawing on his passion, training and extensive experience to propel the well-respected venue to even greater culinary acclaim. In addition to classical culinary school training, Chef Massida benefits from personal study of world cuisine via frequent travel to four continents and former ownership experience of two country inns in the Chesapeake Bay area, one offering traditional regional seafare and the other fine French cuisine. Throughout the dining and tavern areas of the Striker you are enveloped in the traditional comfort of pine floors, exposed timber ceilings, true wood paneled wainscot and built-ins, walls of brick and natural stone, and dining surfaces of colonial pine and polished granite. Ah, genuine New England charm! Belly up to the glass topped well that is the end of the tavern bar and you are peering down at the same spring fed water source that sustained

the original market and filled the casks of wooden trade ships, even prior to the birth of our nation. Beware: three large koi fish may be peering back at you. Read through the Dolphin Striker menu and you will find Chef Massida’s local by global mark throughout. Thoughtful combinations of elements, textures, and flavors describe a broad array of regional and international cuisines. Under appetizers, fresh local oysters on the half shell and PEI mussels coexist with exquisite salads, Ahi Poke, and a gourmet lobster mac and cheese that is to die for. Frequently changing entrée selections currently include the bonanza of colors and flavors that is the Saffron Orzo Paella, the distinctly different raw preparations that are the 3-Way Tuna, the out-of-this-world Seared Scallop, and surprising nods to the past like the Beef Wellington and seldom seen Italian favorite, Bracioli. The knockout punch, though, comes on the final page, “Fish Offerings.” Here, there are seven varied seafood options available for the guest to pair with one of seven deliciously divergent preparations. This can be attributed in part to the influence of Chef Kyle Fuhs. Only in his twenties, Chef Fuhs is an early rising star in the local culinary scene. Combining real world experience by the side of Chef Massida and others, with classic culinary training and regular “foodie field trips” to Boston, New York, and other cities, Fuhs marries impressive skills with youthful pursuit of fresh industry trends and new inspirations. He is a driven individual with a customer experience focus who excels at leading his staff like a maestro conducts an orchestra. He is particularly proud of the Thai Curry and Tortilla Encrusted preparations that have most recently been added to the cast of available characters. Dessert receives no less attention, with typically two or more fresh seasonal offerings being created in-house and

thoughtfully presented. Locally sourced favorites like the exceptionally ﬁne trio of gelatos are also on the menu. Completing the core members of the staff are Massida’s wife, Michelle; his nephew Chad Massida, who handlesmany of the management responsibilities; and bar manager Ray Brandin. With 22 years of involvement at the Dolphin Striker, Brandin has been on board longer than even DiZoglio and is responsible for the extensive listings of available ﬁne wines and specialty cocktails as well as a stream of live musical entertainment offered in the tavern seven nights a week. All involved share the same ideology concerning service to the customer, which stems from Massida’s upbringing in a large, close family where dinners were “celebrations.” A meal at the Massida household “was always an event, characterized as much by the liveliness of the occasion as the delicacy of the meal. Food was an expression of love, art, happiness, and companionship.” In Chad’s words, “Above all else, we want our customers to have a memorable experience. It’s not just about the food, it is about the service, and warmth, and sharing this moment in time.” Visit Portsmouth and be sure to stop in at the Dolphin Striker, you won’t soon forget it. The Dolphin Striker 15 Bow Street Portsmouth, NH 03801 603-431-5222 www.dolphinstriker.com

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32 Years of Heart and “Sole” Written by Michelle Collins Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

In New England, seafood lovers are a fortunate group of people. Fresh clams, haddock, mussels – you name it – are almost always readily available to us. But, some restaurants across these Northeastern states know how to do seafood better than others. The Sole Proprietor is one such restaurant.

Spring Seabass Special

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(Continued from page 69)

Serving the Worcester, MA area since 1979, The Sole Proprietor has been named one of America’s top 10 seafood restaurants. Their motto: “The earth is 75 percent water. Grab a fork.” “In the late 70’s…there really wasn’t a viable seafood restaurant in the Worcester area,” said Madeleine Ahlquist, coowner of The Sole Proprietor and its two sister restaurants, 111 Chop House and VIA Italian Table. “Seafood seemed like a wonderful choice for a restaurant. We were fortunate to be connected to the most reputable seafood supplier in the region - the MF Foley company. We have had a relationship with the Foleys for over 37 years.” Ahlquist, with her husband, Robb, strive to provide their diners at the Sole with as much seasonal – and even local – fish as possible. Unlike chefs who prepare dishes with in-season produce and beef, however, seafood is a little bit trickier when it comes to menu planning and improvising dishes. The menu at the Sole changes weekly, due partly to weather conditions, which can strongly affect what fish is readily available here in New England. “Catch limits that are now regulated by the federal government can also be a factor, so we have to be aware of those circumstances,” Ahlquist said. Ahlquist also ensures that the dishes Sole offers are priced consistently and affordably, to keep patrons coming back. “If a species is too expensive, we make decisions not to offer [a] product that does not fit into the consumer’s budget,” Ahlquist said. In addition to making an effort to obtain seasonal, fresh fish, the Sole also tries to source local seafood as often as possible. Their menu can typically boast fresh-caught seafood from waters along the New England coast, such as Nantucket Scallops. Ahlquist also makes sure their most popular dishes are always available – whether they’re sourced locally or not. “For species such as [swordfish] and tuna, when out of season in New England, we source these fish wherever they are swimming. The guests have high demand for these two fish all year long so we must go fishing elsewhere,” Ahlquist said. Along with swordfish and tuna, some of the most popular seafood items at Sole are lobster, sushi, haddock, and scallops. In the summer months, Cape Bluefish, striped bass, and fried clams also reign supreme.

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In addition to the quality put toward their food, the Ahlquists also have high standards regarding their staff. “We believe that an educated staff working harmoniously together is the best path for our restaurants to deliver great hospitality for our guests,” Ahlquist said. “Education is a constant in our restaurants. We run seminars for management, front of the house staff, and kitchen staff.” Few restaurants make it 12 months in the business, let alone over 32 years. With a dedication to quality, seasonal food, and a polished staff, it’s clear how The Sole Proprietor has made it this long. The Sole Proprietor 118 Highland Street Worcester, MA 01609 508-798-3474 www.thesole.com

Steamed Clams

Executive Chefâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Joseph Wong and Brian Flagg

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Ye Olde (New England)

Fish and Chips Written by Christine Whipple Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

In 1906, 23 year-old Harry Sowden arrived at Ellis Island from Yorkshire, England with a ﬁsh batter recipe that remains secret 106 years later. In 1922, he and his wife, Ethel opened Ye Olde English Fish and Chips in Market Square, Woonsocket, RI. In 1932, they purchased the British-American Club across the street where the restaurant remains today. Four generations later (with a ﬁfth generation in-training), the only change to the recipe has been to use a shortening with less cholesterol and no hydrogenation. “Everything at Ye Olde English Fish and Chips is fresh; nothing is frozen,” Says fourth-generation Steven Robinson. “Potatoes are hand cut each day into fresh ‘chips’.” Ye Olde English

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Fish & Chips serve approximately 1,400 pounds of fish fillets and 4,500 pounds of potatoes each week, all from local wholesalers. Friday is the busiest day at the restaurant; a daily favorite, red and white clam chowder, can sell out in hours. A standalone chowder station prevents a bottleneck at the counter. Michael Gawronski of East Blackstone, MA, remembered, “Back in ’84, I drove down from college in Worcester and filled my Pinto with 95 orders of fish and chips to feed my fraternity brothers, on a Friday, of course.” (Continued on page 74)

Lobster Roll, Chicken Fingers and Fish and Chips

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(Continued from page 72)

When asked what customers like besides fish and chips, Steven smiles like he was waiting for that question, “We recently added fried clams and clam strips to our menu. Customers kept asking for it. Now clam platters are one of our best selling menu items. Fish cakes are popular as well.” A fish cake is a filet of fish in between two thin slices of potato, fried to a golden brown. I might make this my personal favorite! Other things you might try would be the fish burger, a thick piece of fried fish placed in a thick, fresh egg roll, scallops or a lobster roll (seasonal). Customers remembered and shared other foodie favorites. Joanne Vandal Masury of Oxford, MA, recalled, “Vinegar! There were bottles of Red Vinegar on every table (no ketchup). It was mom’s and my special treat on errand day. We would get fish and chips to go, wrapped in newspaper on cardboard plates and eat them in the park.” For anyone who is unsure of what to do with the vinegar, it’s for the “chips”. Red Cider Vinegar is the traditional English condiment (vs. ketchup). It adds a distinctive taste and aids in digestion. Lisa Desjarlais of Greenwich, RI laughed as she said, “How about those HUGE pickles and the Peppermint Patties that you get after dinner?” Lisa’s sister, Jeri Desjarlais Beckwith from Adams, MA, added, “I’ve tried every ‘fish and chips’ sold in Western Mass., from diner to high-end restaurant since moving here in ’84. It’s never done right. Just can’t

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replace Ye Olde English Fish & Chips.” There are three generations of Dejarlais’ who eat at the restaurant when mom and dad are home from Florida. While I was there, Diane Robinson Durand, who runs Ye Olde Fish and Chips with her brother, greeted a customer, “Hey Sunshine, how are you?” I asked Ron McMinn from Cumberland, RI, if we could talk for a few minutes. He was brief, since his meal came out quickly, “I’ve been eating at Ye Olde English Fish & Chips since the late 1960’s. The scallops make it worth any trip and the prices are great!” A Dallas, Texas, newspaper article, in 1984, stated that the largest known ﬁsh and chips restaurant in the world was Harry Ramsden’s in Guiseley, England. The article went on to say, “The only place we have found on this side of the Atlantic that approaches the quality and popularity of Ransden’s is Ye Olde English Fish and Chips Restaurant in Woonsocket, Rhode Island.” Perhaps lifetime customer, Eileen Snodgrass-Fairbanks of Onset, MA, sums it up, “Ye Olde English serves the very best ﬁsh and chips in the WORLD!” Ye Olde English Fish & Chips 25 South Main Street Woonsocket, RI 02895 401-762-3637

Steve Robinson & Diane Robinson Durand

Red Manhattan Clam Chowder with Hush Puppies

Gordon & Elaine Robinson

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There’s Nothing Fishy About Good

Food for Thought

Seafood

S Written by Peggy Bridges Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

Peggy Bridges is a high school Business and Graphic Arts teacher. She is a Yearbook Advisor and Editor, and her writing has also been published in a national educator’s magazine. Peggy is a ﬁrm believer in healthy living and an active lifestyle. She enjoys many outdoor activities with her husband and children. Her recipe for a perfect afternoon is a hike with her family and lunch on a blanket served from a picnic basket packed with great food and bottle of good wine.

ummer is upon us, and so are the many things that come with it. Most of us look forward to the multitude of pleasures the season brings – sun, sand, surf, and of course, lots of fresh seafood. Especially in New England, summertime is a time to enjoy all your favorite fruits of the sea. Whether you’re in the mood for a tasty fish filet, freshly steamed lobster, or the classic fish and chips, they’re all plentiful and delicious this time of year. Not only is seafood delicious, it’s high in protein, low in fat, easy to digest, and it cooks very quickly. Most fish cooks in 12-15 minutes in the oven, and even faster on the grill. Going out for your favorite seafood can be a real treat, but it can also become costly if you do it often. With all the information out there telling us how healthy seafood is for us, it’s a shame to limit our intake to occasions when we can go out to a restaurant. So what’s stopping you from cooking it at home? Many people shy away from cooking fish and seafood at home simply because it’s unfamiliar territory. They don’t know how to choose good seafood, and even if they had help, they have no idea what to do with it once they get it home. Fish and seafood are unlike most meats when it comes to cooking. The flesh of fish and shellfish is extremely delicate, so it doesn’t take long periods of time for it to cook. Because the delicate flesh of, seafood is much easier to digest than meats, so you don’t need to worry about feeling weighed down with a heavy meal after eating seafood. It’s also not necessary to do a lot to seafood in order to bring out the flavor. In fact, usually the less you do, the better it tastes. Keep your cooking ventures simple and you’ll get the best results.

A Good Place to Start If you’re a beginner, one of the best resources for information about how to select and prepare seafood is The Legal Sea Foods Cookbook. It includes an introduction to why fish is good for you, as well as discussions of many of the most popular types of fish, what cooking methods are best for preparing them, and what kind of foods are good complements. Particularly handy is a section that explains basic cooking techniques to use in preparing fish, from steaming, baking and frying, to sautéing and grilling. There’s even an

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explanation of how to clean and ﬁlet ﬁsh. Of course, there are some excellent and easy to prepare recipes in the book as well. If you can’t get your hands on this book, there’s a wealth of information and recipes available online.

Choosing the Right Fish So, are you ready to give it a try? The first step in preparing a good fish recipe is getting a good piece of fish. A good piece of fish is a fresh piece of fish, and it should never smell bad. If fish smells bad, don’t buy it. The flesh should be firm and clean, and if there’s any liquid on the meat it should be clear, not milky. If it still has skin on it, the skin should be shiny and metallic. To make preparation easy, the best cuts of fish to buy are filets or steaks. The advantage of filets is that they are boneless; steaks come in convenient serving size portions, but there will be bone in the center. You can usually count on needing about 1/3 to ½ pound of fish per person. In general, wild caught fish is always a better choice than farm raised, which can often come from less than sanitary conditions and doesn’t have the same flavor. A good example is salmon. If you’ve ever seen a piece of wild caught Alaskan sockeye salmon next to a piece of the farm raised equivalent in the display case, the difference is obvious. Sockeye salmon has a much deeper red color and the flavor is superior. Try to purchase your fish and seafood at reputable markets. If you haven’t heard much about it being a good place to shop for fish, chances are, it’s not. If fresh fish is not available, fish or seafood that has been frozen at sea is your next best alternative. Most fish that is sold frozen is now cleaned, filleted, and frozen right on the boat within a few hours of being caught. The majority of fish you’ll find in our local markets comes from the North Atlantic and Alaska. Common varieties will include cod, haddock, salmon, tilapia, and pollock, to name a few. Most of these can be the basis for a simple, delicious recipe that you can make at home. If you buy fresh fish, put it in a cooler for the ride home.

Cooking and Handling Now that you have the fish you need for your recipe, just make sure you handle it properly. If the fish is fresh, then you’re ready to go. If you opted for frozen fish, make sure you allow it 24 hours to thaw in the refrigerator, not on the counter. If you’re really in a hurry and need to speed up the process, you can run it under cold water (not warm). The most important thing to remember when you’re cooking seafood is don’t overcook it! Don’t be fooled into thinking you should cook the fish until it flakes. This actually is an indication that it’s starting to dry out. Fish is fully cooked when it turns from translucent to opaque, usually white. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suggests cooking fish to an internal temperature of 145 degrees, which you can test with a thermometer if you’re not sure. Whether you bake a simple piece of haddock with lemon, butter, salt and pepper, or peel and boil up some delicious shrimp, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how easily and quickly you can prepare delicious seafood. Once you’ve tried some basic recipes, you might feel a bit more adventurous and move on to something a little more challenging. Just remember, it’s healthy, it tastes great, and you’ll feel great after you eat it. Here are a couple of quick and easy seafood recipes to get you started. Sources: www.fishcooking.about.com, www.whatscookingamerica.net. Recipes on page 78

Shellfish What about shellfish? Shellfish is sold alive, so the key to choosing fresh shellfish is looking for life. Do lobsters scurry around in the tank? Do clams or mussels press closed when you tap them? If there are any left closed after you cook them, that means they’re dead. Throw them away. Scallops are a little different. They’re almost always sold shucked, and are often stored in brine, which looks like a white, milky substance in the container. Wet scallops are not good. You’re better off buying frozen, vacuum sealed scallops. Shrimp are easy to select. Buy them whole and frozen. You want them whole because the shell protects them from the freezing process; you want them frozen because shrimp cook, and rot, very quickly. Foodies of New England

Swordfish Kabobs with Lemon, Garlic, and Olive Oil Swordfish can be prepared in many ways, but grilling it on skewers is among the most popular. Serve with rice pilaf or roasted potatoes, accompanied by broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, or eggplant.

Harvest Shrimp Salad with Apples, Cranberries, and Walnuts The sweet flavors of the season are captured in this richly textured shrimp salad. It makes a great sandwich on thick slices of toasty bread or just serve it on baby greens for an exciting lunch, brunch, or snack. You can use any size shrimp, but this salad is especially good when made with Extra Large or even Jumbo shrimp. Choose an apple with a nice sweet/tart ratio, such as Macintosh or Fuji. You can also substitute pecans for the walnuts if you prefer. Ingredients: 1 pound cooked, peeled shrimp 1/4 cup chopped celery 1/4 cup dried cranberries 1/4 cup chopped apple 2 tablespoons chopped scallions (green and white parts) 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts 1/4 teaspoon ground sage 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/8 teaspoon celery salt Mayonnaise Combine shrimp, celery, cranberries, apple, scallions, walnuts, sage, black pepper, and celery salt in a bowl. Add just enough mayonnaise to bind the ingredients. Taste for salt, pepper, and sage (you want just a hint of sage; too much will overwhelm the flavor) Serve over greens, in a wrap, or as a sandwich filling.

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Ingredients: 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 ¼ pounds swordfish filets, cut into 1 inch cubes Cherry tomatoes Salt and freshly ground pepper 1 tablespoon minced garlic 2 teaspoons dried oregano (optional) 1 red onion 18 lemon slices and/or 18 bay leaves, plus lemon slices for garnish 6 wooden skewers, soaked for 30 minutes, or metal skewers Preparation: In a bowl, combine lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and oregano. Place swordfish cubes in a shallow glass dish and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Pour about 1/3 cup of the olive oil and lemon mixture over the fish and toss to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate 2-4 hours. Set aside any remaining marinade to use as a sauce. Preheat the grill. Cut the onion through the stem end into quarters and separate each quarter into individual “leaves” or thin pieces. Alternate the swordfish cubes with the onion pieces, tomatoes, lemon slices and/or bay leaves on the skewers. Arrange the skewers on the grill rack. Grill, turning once, until the fish is opaque throughout when pierced with the tip of a knife, about 3 minutes on each side. DO NOT OVERCOOK! Serve hot, garnished with lemon slices and accompanied by the reserved sauce. Photo on previous page

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White Fish with Tomato-Orange Salsa Any white fish is suitable for this simple, fresh tasting dish. Use anything from cod to haddock, sole, or even flounder, topped with the salsa and accompanied by a fresh vegetable such as asparagus or a summer squash. Ingredients: Fish 1 ½ pounds white fish (cod, haddock, sole) 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 teaspoons lemon juice Salt and pepper to taste Tomato-Orange Salsa 12-ounce can Mandarin oranges 1 ½ cups chopped, seeded tomatoes (or cherry tomatoes cut in half) ¼ cup minced red onion ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 2 teaspoons minced garlic 1 teaspoon minced, peeled fresh ginger 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice 2 teaspoons rice vinegar 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Preparation: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread olive oil in the bottom of a glass baking dish. Divide fish into three or four individual servings, place fish filets on top of olive oil and drizzle with lemon juice. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Bake for 12-15 minutes, depending on thickness of filets. While the fish bakes, prepare the salsa. Combine oranges, tomatoes, red onion, parsley, garlic, and ginger. Add the orange juice, vinegar, and cayenne pepper. Mix well, then taste and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Remove cooked fish filets to serving plates and spoon salsa over each serving. Add any accompaniments to each plate and serve immediately.

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Sustaining the Seas Three Ways You Can Make a Difference Written by Julie Grady Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

Like any of nature’s resources, the sea and its bounty are ﬁnite. But where does one start to even begin to think about sustainable seafood? It’s region-dependent, season-dependent, and market-dependent. Luckily, the Monterey Bay Aquarium has an app for that, and a mobile site, and a regional pocket guide. Just visit www.seafoodwatch.org. But, if you’re looking for a few quick tips, Foodies and Monterey Bay Aquarium have got you covered.

Seal of Approval One way to be sure that you’re eating sustainable seafood is to look for the Marine Stewardship Council blue eco-label in stores and in restaurants.

Inquire Within When you’re buying seafood or eating out and you can’t ﬁnd the blue-eco label, don’t worry. All you need to do is ask. Just be sure you remember to ask where it comes from and if it was farmed or wild-caught.

Foodies of New England

Word of Mouth This may be one of the most important steps to remember— spread the word! Eating sustainable seafood is on trend at the moment, but it’s more than a fad. The global demand for seafood is increasing. According to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the U.S. imports over 80% of its seafood to meet the demand. Such needs have resulted overfishing and destructive practices in fishing and fish farming. This summer, when you’re enjoying your fish and chips, clam chowder, lobster rolls, sushi, or any other delicious seafood dish, do your part by purchasing fish that have been caught or farmed in an environmentally friendly way. Each time you do, you’ll be directly promoting and protecting our oceans. Who says you can’t have your fishcake and eat it, too? For more information on sustainable seafood, regional guides, and even a list of what to buy, go to www.seafoodwatch.com.

Lobster Bisque

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(Continued from page 24)

Ed’s day starts early every morning. He’s washing, cleaning, scrubbing, chopping, trimming meat, marinating tenderloin, and mixing Tabouli. For Ed, this is a very enjoyable experience. As he skewers chicken and fresh peppers and o nions, Ed’s son, Greg, summarizes just what it’s like to work with Ed Hyder: “After 10 years of working with someone, you get to that place where you can laugh and say just about whatever you want to each other.” Having worked with his father for 17 years (since the age of 10), Greg has witnessed many colorful examples of Ed’s personality. He recalls one occasion, however, that highlights in a brief and simplistic way Ed’s modus operandi for a specialty retail store. It seems a customer called to bring to light the fact that she had just purchased a bottle of sparkling Shiraz wine that “… wasn’t sparkling when (she) got it home.” Although it would have been easy to do, Ed, true to form, didn’t blame someone else (like his wine vendor) for the inconvenience. His reply was short and comforting, and it accomplished its assigned task in an old-school way, which was to quietly resolve the customer’s problem: “Bring it back, ma’am; we’ll get you one that sparkles.” No matter which new neighborhood Hyder’s Market called home over the years, customers would always walk into Ed’s newest spot, take a great big sniff, and say, “Good, you brought the smell with you.” Behold the Sultan of Spice. In fact, Ed proudly proclaims that his spice selection is comprehensive, including everything from “Allspice to Zatta.” These days, foodies can also go online to www.EdHyders.com, ﬁnd the Spice Order Sheet, and place their very own spice order.

Even after all these years in business, Ed still has a strong desire to succeed, but no plans other than to continue to be Ed Hyder to every customer or curious foodie who drops in at Hyder’s Mediterranean Market. After all, “If

you couldn’t ﬁnd the time to do it right the ﬁrst time out, how are you going to do it again?” Ed-ism #28

When we asked Ed what his favorite food was, he instinctively blurted, “Kibbeh Nayeh (Kib-ee N’eye-ay) – it’s a little slice of Heaven.” Here’s a simple Kibbeh Nayeh recipe:

Kibbeh Nayeh Ingredients 1 leg of lamb, de-boned 3/4 cup of bulghur wheat (#2) per pound of meat 1 white onion 1 tbs. cinnamon 1 tbs. all spice 1 tsp. salt per pound of meat DIRECTIONS 1. Remove all of the fat from the meat, discarding the fat. 2. Rinse the bulghur thoroughly, then soak for 30 minutes in water. 3. While the bulghur is soaking run the lamb meat through a meat grinder once.

“In the last 20 years,” Ed says, “there’s been an increase in want for ready-made, ethnic food, and the interest transcends so many different ethnicities – Greek customers buying Italian cuisine, Italian patrons looking for Lebanese delicacies, etc.” Ed credits innovators like Emeril Lagasse and Julia Child for much of this change: “Because of people like them, stores like this can succeed and thrive. They taught people that they could make food for taste and enjoyment, not just for nutrition.”

4. Cut an onion into small pieces and mix it with the meat. Mix in the cinnamon, all spice, and salt.

And, since Ed places so much emphasis on his selection of wines, customers frequently come in seeking Ed’s advice on a great wine, and then ask which food to pair it with, instead of the other way around!

9. Serve with pita or ﬂat bread, olive oil, and thinly sliced onions.

“If a job’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right.” - Ed-ism #12

5. Run the meat mixture through the meat grinder a second time. 6. Squeeze all of the water out of the bulghur using your hands or, a sieve or cheesecloth. 7. Mix the bulghur in with the ground lamb. 8. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Ed Hyder’s Mediterranean Marketplace 408 Pleasant Street Worcester, MA 01609 508-755-0258 www.edhyders.com Foodies of New England

Coming in the next issue of Foodies of New England!

New England Diners

'RHV \RXU JOXWHQ IUHH GLHW QHHG VRPH DWWHQWLRQ" $UH \RX XQVXUH KRZ WR UHDG JOXWHQ IUHH IRRG ODEHOV" ,V HDWLQJ JOXWHQ IUHH DW UHVWDXUDQWV RU ZKLOH WUDYHOLQJ VWUHVVIXO" Ellen Allard (aka Gluten Free Diva) is a Holistic Health Coach who shows people with Celiac Disease or Gluten Intolerance how easy and delicious gluten free food is so they can fall in love with their new way of eating without spending countless hours ﬁguring out how to be healthy! Enter to win a complimentary “Gluten Free Get Results Strategy Session” ($75 value). Go to Gluten Free Diva’s facebook page (http://tinyurl.com/7wn43t4) and post: “Please register me for a Gluten Free Get Immediate Results Strategy Session with the Gluten Free Diva Health Coach!”

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Desserts

Written by Alina Eisenhauer Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

Belgian Ale Poached Pears There are very few desserts that are decadently delicious, elegant, and sophisticated yet still manage to be healthy and virtually fat free. If there were a “poster child” for this type of dessert, it would have to be Poached Pears. Poached Pears are a very traditional dessert that has been served for centuries in Europe and around the world. Besides being easy to make, delicious, and healthy, they look amazing and there are endless options for garnishing. This is the type of recipe everyone should have in their dessert recipe arsenal. Traditionally pears are poached in a wine and sugar syrup but in this recipe I have chosen to switch it up a bit and replaced the wine with Belgian Ale – I am partial to Allagash. If you prefer to leave out the alcohol, cranberry juice can be substituted for the beer or wine.

Alina opened Sweet Pastry Shop and Dessert Bar in the summer of 2008 and has been winning awards and critical acclaim ever since, including the 2008, 2009 &

Ingredients: 2 ﬁrm ripe pears, peeled & halved 2 12-oz. bottles of Belgian ale (or ale of choice) 3 cups simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water) 1 star anise

2010 Worcester Living Magazine “Best Dessert”, the 2008 City Living Magazine “Best Bakery” and the 2010 Worcester Magazine “Best Dessert.” Sweet was also featured on TV Diner and Phantom Gourmet and Alina has appeared on season one of Food Network’s Chopped and was featured on season two of the network’s Cupcake Wars. Her

Garnish Suggestions • Ice cream, Greek yogurt, frozen yogurt, sorbet, crème anglaise, caramel sauce, chocolate sauce • Fresh berries DIRECTIONS Peel and slice pears in half. Place them in a pot and add 2 12-oz. bottles of ale and 3 cups of simple syrup, just enough to cover the pears, add 1 star anise. Simmer for 20 minutes or until fork tender but still hold shape. Let cool then remove seeds. Make slits from the widest part of the pear to just shy of the tip and splay slightly on the plate. Serve with ice cream, yogurt, or sorbet and fresh berries. Enjoy!

recipes have even been featured in The National Culinary Review. Sweet 305 Shrewsbury Street Worcester MA 01604 508-373-2248 www.sweetworcester.com

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Beer Review

Major Beer Category: Ale Major Style Category: Belgian Strong Ale Sub Style Category: Belgian Tripel What is a Belgian Strong Ale? This category of beer as defined by the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) includes Belgian Blonde Ales, Belgian Dubbels, Belgian Tripels, Belgian Golden Strong Ales and Belgian Strong Dark Ales. The color spectrum for each of these respective styles ranges from deep to medium yellow, deep gold, dark amber and deep copper. They also display distinct aroma and flavor qualities. Blonde Ales are smooth and spicy with subtle hope bitterness. Dubbels feature raisins, plums and dried cherries on the palate. Tripels and both Strong Ales have similar flavors of spice, dried fruits and malt sweetness. The alcohol contents range from 6% - 11% ABV and they are traditionally bottle conditioned. Brewed to suite the characteristics of individual brewers, these beers are complex, with a rich malty, full-bodied sweetness and showcases pronounced alcohol esters and a moderate spiciness.

Written by Matt Webster Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

Matt Webster is a craft beer enthusiast, educator, event goer, blogger, restaurant adviser, private dinner consultant, celebrity video show host and above all, proudly passionate about all things beer.

What is a Belgian Tripel? A deep golden color clearly differentiates this ale from its Belgian counterparts and when poured correctly into a chalice a magnificent pillowy, soft white head forms – leaving the signature “Belgian lace”. One should expect to find a nice well-rounded sweetness up front featured notes of citrus flavor, coupled with a subtle spicy hop character in the midpalate and somewhat dry finish. This style of beer is traditionally bottle-conditioned, wherein yeast is left inside the bottle after packaging to add stability and enhance the flavor profiles as the beer ages. Hence, when pouring this beer into a glass, the goal is to empty the bottle three quarters into, swirl the remaining liquid inside the bottle to agitate the yeast at the bottom and then dispense into your glass. The alcohol content on this style ranges for 7.5% to 9.5%. Serve at 40 – 55 degrees. Our Choice: Allagash Brewing Company Tripel (Portland, Maine) Why did we choose this beer? Aromas and mouthfeel of this beer are highlighted by banana, yeasty bread, and wildflower honey with a hint of fresh hay, lavender and sage. Making it a perfect pairing for Vanilla Poached Pears. Where can you find it in a 6-pack or 750 ml oz. bottle? KJ Baarons, Mass Liquors, Austin Liquors, Julio’s Liquors, Marlborough Wine & Spirits, Wine Nation. Where Can You Find It On Draft or In The Bottle*: The Dive Bar, The Boynton, The Horseshoe Pub, The Armsby Abbey, and Sweet. ***Note: This beer may not always be available at the above locations at all times.

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Kilting Up at Go! Whisk(e)y Weekend 2012 Written by Matthew Jones Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

Traditional whisky distillers probably hear the word artisanal and raise their eyebrows, smiling knowingly. With many of Scotland’s famed distilleries operating for over 200 years, artisanal is just daily operations.

Hosted by Julio’s Liquors Owner Ryan Maloney, the evening consisted of a ﬁve-course dinner, a Scotch whisky tasting and an awards ceremony for distinguished members of the growing whisky club the Loch & K(e)y Society.

Douglas Laing & Co. is an independent Glasgow-based bottler and blender of Scotch whisky and has been vouchsaﬁng the best Scottish single malt, single cask whiskies for decades, offering them to us in their unadulterated splendor.

In a room of kilted whisky dignitaries, Chef Joe Brenner plated up a classic tableau of appetizers, salad, flank steak and potatoes finished off with a chocolate bread pudding. Each course was paired with whiskies from Douglas Laing & Co. and the first taste was a new, special blend: the Douglas XO.

This year, the night of February 24 wasn’t just any typical Friday. It was the ofﬁcial kick off of the eight annual Go! Whisk(e)y Weekend at Bolton’s International Golf Club and Resort.

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Foodies of New England

(Continued from page 93

Served with bitters and fresh lime juice, I felt it my duty as a whisky fan to also try the XO straight up. Delightful and assertive, this is a stand out for its maltiness and complex flavors. Rumor has it Whisky Ambassador for International Wine & Spirits and Old Malt Cask Brad Jarvis had a strong hand in creating this unique blend. The coveted Key Holder Award, presented by the Loch & K(e)y Society, went to Fred Laing, one of the company directors of Douglas Laing & Co., for his services to the world of whisky. Fred and his brother Stewart, company’s other director, have been in the business 60 years after taking over for their father Fred who founded he company in 1948. The brothers Douglas continuously offer an ever-increasing treasure trove of classic single malts and the event showcased some of their finest offerings. A 13-year-old Aran opened the evening as an aperitif. The nose, it was immediately apparent—soft and bourbon-like, it contrasted brilliantly with the oaky finish. It was the perfect way to tuck into the evening. The aged Gouda salad that followed was paired with a Bowmore 11, Old Cask Malt. Floral, stony and with a hint of peat, its earthiness complimented the course beautifully. Ribbons of hand-carved flank steak accompanied by buttery gold potatoes were the main course. Its pairing was a chewy, crisp, dry Mortlach 18, Speyside. Dessert was delightful—dark chocolate bread pudding paired with a hot, intense and almost peppery 20-year Rosebank Lowland. The gloves came off midway through dessert as a 50-yearold grain spirit from Clan Denny arrived. A dizzying balance of spiciness and sweetness, carried in smooth velvety goodness that finished with a hint of toasted marshmallow. Any whisky fan would be lucky to sip such alchemy. Other offerings included a 33-year-old Macallan, an Old Malt Cask Glen Grant 36 finished in brandy casks and finally a Cao Ila 25, which was hands down one of the roundest Islay whiskies I’ve ever had the good fortune to try. Sweet and smoky were beautifully balanced presented without the medicinal phenolics. At only $60, the start to the Go! Whisk(e)y Weekend was amazing and a bargain. With some of the best whiskies available from Douglas Laing and Old Malt Cask being showcased, Ryan Maloney and Julio’s Liquors of Westborough proved to be a true asset to whisk(e)y fans everywhere.

Foodies of New England

For more information on Douglas Laing & Co., Julioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Liquors and the Loch & K(e)y Society visit, www.douglaslaing.com, www. juliosliquors.com and www.lockandkey.com respectively. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to know more about the International Golf Club and Resort in Bolton go to www.theinternational.com.

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Healthy at Home

Recipes by Elaine Pusateri Cowan Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

www.elaineslife.com Elaine strives to create beauty everyday. Whether sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s designing web pages or interiors, preparing appetizers or entrees and even reďŹ nishing furniture or making art, she always looks to satiate her appetite for all things artistic. As an artist, foodie, interior designer and amateur photographer, Elaine believes in the quality of a sustainable life, not just living well. Her strong sense of duty to integrate such sustainability into every aspect of domestic life begins with perhaps the most basic of all elements: diet. She believes that anyone equipped with a stocked pantry and local produce can whip up quick, fresh, and delicious meals every night.

Foodies of New England

Ahi Tuna Tacos I wanted to make a tuna taco that was ceviche-like, but conventional enough that you might try it at home, so I came up with Ex·pe·di·tious Fishes: Ceviche for the Circumspect. Essentially it is an Ahi Tuna Taco with a zesty kick. Have fun with plating this dish; serve the steaks whole, slice them on the bias, or break them up, it is so moist and flaky that you have options. I like to serve them as shown; in or over grilled corn tortillas, accompanied by a grilled corned, tomato, pepper and mango salad. The colors are so bright and beautiful, the flavors so fresh, zesty and light, perfect for a summer night. The lemon and lime juice in the marinade literally begin the ‘cooking’ process, so on those sizzling summer nights you aren’t leaning over a hot grill for a more than 5 minutes! You can make the marinade up to a couple of days ahead of time. Let the Ahi marinate for at least an hour, but this is definitely a case of the longer the better, but it is fish after all, so cook it within 24hrs. Paired with the Ahi is my a-MAIZE-ing Ensalada A grilled corn, tomato, pepper and mango salad. The salad also can be made well ahead of time, it gets better every day, although it’s never made it past two days in my home. I say that it will serve four, but that is generous. It’s so versatile that you can pair it with, chicken, fish, and steak, even tofu! So make a little more, you will definitely want the leftovers. Since this is the Summer issue of Foodies, I thought a fun and fruity drink was in order. First I thought of making a Tequila Sunrise, but I didn’t like the fact that it had syrup in it, yuck! Keeping sunrises in the back of my mind, got me thinking of other sunrises, specifically, The Sun Also Rises and this dish does have a Latin influence which led me to The San Fermin’ , Hemingway and alcohol...etc. Naming things isn’t my strong suit, I tend to free associate my way into titles--makes perfect sense in my mind! This frosty beverage is pretty refreshing. Enjoy.

Foodies of New England

Ahi Tuna Tacos Serves 4 Ingredients: 4 Ahi tuna steaks 2 boiled lemons, juiced 2 limes zest and juice 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper 2-3 pinches of Kosher Salt a generous pinch of Saffron threads DIRECTIONS Marinade: 1. Bring 2 lemons to a boil, approximately 3 minutes. 2. While still hot; juice the 2 lemons into a small bowl add a generous pinch of saffron to the hot lemon juice- this will ‘blossom’ the saffron, drawing out all of its saffrony goodness. I’m just wild about saffron. 3. Add to a shallow baking dish- (I like to use a glass dish with raw fish so that I can toss it into the dishwasher) - the zest and juice of two limes - cayenne pepper - dash or two of kosher salt - blossomed saffron and lemon juice stir with a fork to combine. 4. Place the Ahi steaks in the dish flip a few times, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, flip and refrigerate for an additional 30 minutes. 5. Grill for 4 minutes on one side and barely a minute on the second side basting with marinade as you gril. Because the marinade is a ‘ceviche-like’, the fish is actually mostly ‘cooked’.

Foodies of New England

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Foodies of New England

A-maiz-ing Ensalada! Ingredients: A few ears of corn* 2 mangoes 2 avocados pint of tomatoes* 2 bell peppers- orange, or red for color a swirl of olive oil 1 lime zest and juice 1/2 cup chopped cilantro* dash or two of salt * if corn isn’t in season Trader Joe’s carries a good frozen grilled corn * I used Campari and Zima tomatoes-not bad off season *people either love or hate cilantro if cilantro isn’t your thing, you may use flat Italian parsley DIRECTIONS 1. Brush corn ears with oil and grill until slightly charred-set aside to cool. 2. Chop mangos into cubes. 3. Quarter camparis and halve the Zimas if using whole tomatoes-cubes. 4. Slice avocado into cubes. 5. Take the corn off the cob by cutting each end so it sits flat on your cutting board, while holding the knife blade firmly against the cob, simply slide the blade in a downward motion until all of the kernels are removed. 6. Chop about a 1/2 cup of cilantro. 7. Combine all of the fruit and corn in a large mixing bowl. 8. Add the zest and juice of one lime. 9. A couple of dashes of kosher salt.

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Grilled Tortilla Shells Ingredients: package of corn tortillas olive oil for brushing- approximately 1/4 cup DIRECTIONS 1. Brush the tortilla shells with oil. 2. Grill until slightly crisp. 3. Drape over a rolling pin to hold shape.

The San Ferminâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Serves 2 Ingredients: 1 1/2 oz. Tequila 3 oz. apricot nectar 1/2 oz. lime juice DIRECTIONS 1. Fill a Goblet with ice. 2. Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice. 3. Add 1 1/2 oz. Tequila 4. Add 3 oz. apicot nectar - or guava or peach. 5. Add 1/2 oz. lime juice. 6. Shake and pour. 7. Slice a lime thinly to garish glass.

102

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103

The Gourmet Outlet Recipes from Sid Wainer & Son

Grilled Asparagus Tomato Tapenade and Quinoa Salad Ingredients: 8 oz. Domaine De Provence Tomato Tapenade Jansal Valley Quinoa 1# Jansal Valley Fancy Mixed Nuts 10 oz. Jansal Valley Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1/4 cup 3 Garlic Cloves (peeled and diced)

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12 oz. Asparagus (clipped and grilled) DIRECTIONS Boil Quinoa with a good amount of water. Boil on a low ï¬&#x201A;ame for about 5 minutes. Shut ï¬&#x201A;ame off and let Quinoa absorb water. Strain Quinoa of excess water, and place in a large bowl. Marinate asparagus in garlic and oil. Grill asparagus until tender but not fully cooked. In a large bowl with Quinoa, add asparagus, nuts and dress with tomato tapenade.

Tangerine Sorbet Ingredients: 2 1/2 Cups water 1/4 Cup Jansal Valley Whiskey Sugar 3/4 Cup Sugar 2 Cara Cara Orange Peels 2 2/3 Cup Jansal Valley Tangerine Juice 1/3 Cup Jansal Valley Lemon Juice Jansal Valley Candied Orange Peel (for garnish)

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DIRECTIONS Bring to a boil fresh orange peel in sugar and water. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Strain and let water mixture cool. Add tangerine juice and lemon juice. Freeze. Scoop into serving dishes and garnish with candied orange peel.

ɄɄȇȨȐɕ Ȩɕ ѻLɜȨȃȰɴѼ “Did

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Americans read magazines, and that the most popular magazine category in the world is Epicurean (food)? Did you also know that when Americans pick up food magazines, they read them for an average of 43 minutes – uninterrupted by cell phones, conversations, or anything else?” If you want to give your brand the attention it deserves, then ask our Foodies designers to customize an ad for you, wrapping it in the recipes and features of Foodies Magazine to

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From The Kitchens of... Caribbean Conch Fritters Recipe by Al Maykel, EVO Photography by Pete Lapriore Ingredients: oil (for frying) 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 egg 1/2 cup milk ground cayenne pepper , to taste red pepper flakes , to taste salt , to taste (optional) ground coarse black pepper , to taste 1 cup chopped conch 1/2 onion , chopped 1/4 green bell pepper , chopped fine 1/4 yellow bell pepper , chopped fine 1/4 red bell pepper , chopped fine 2 stalks celery , chopped fine 2 garlic cloves , chopped fine

Dipping Sauce: 2 tablespoons ketchup 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1 tablespoon mayonnaise 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce salt, to taste fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Heat the oil in large pot or deep fryer to 365F (185 degrees C). In a bowl, mix the ﬂour, egg and milk. Season with cayenne pepper, salt, pepper and red pepper ﬂakes. Mix in the conch meat, onion, red & yellow & green pepper, celery and garlic. Drop the batter by rounded tablespoons or ice cream scoop into the hot oil and fry until golden brown. Remove the basket or with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Now, is the time to slightly season, again. In a bowl, mix the ketchup, “lime” juice, mayonnaise, hot sauce, salt & pepper. Serve dipping sauce on the side with Visit us at: www.foodiesofnewengland.com the fritters.

Grilled Grouper with a Tropical Slaw Salad Recipe by Al Maykel, EVO Photography by Pete Lapriore Ingredients Caribbean Slaw: 1 mango , peeled and cubed ¼ fresh pineapple diced, 2/3 cup mayonnaise 2 tablespoons cider vinegar 1 teaspoon of sugar 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, chopped ½ sweet onion thin julienne cut 1 small scotch bonnet peppers or 1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced 4 cups shredded cabbage 1 cup shredded carrot Salt and pepper to taste Jamaica jerk seasoning to taste Combine vinegar, sugar, mayonnaise, jerk seasons, salt and pepper and incorporate. Combine onions, cabbage, carrots, cilantro, minced pepper, mango and pineapple. Mix together well and refrigerate. Directions for Grouper: Season with salt and pepper, spray grill surface with a non-stick (gluten-free, if desired) cooking spray, apply fish to grill and flip only once, if possible, allowing the fish to cook evenly without drying out. Remove when slightly charred on each side.

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Foodies T V ’s Master Chefs Fennel, Orange and Olive Salad Recipe by Christiana Ernst, Via Alto Photography by Pete Lapriore Ingredients: 2 rounded, rather than flat, fennel bulbs 1 blood orange or flavorful regular orange Salt and white pepper 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil About 24 Gaeta olives or other flavorful brine-cured black olives, pitted Trim off the stalks and fronds from the fennel bulbs. Remove the outer layer from the bulbs and cut away the tough core. Using a sharp knife, cut the bulbs lengthwise into slices about 1/8 inch thick. Using a sharp knife, cut a slice off both ends of the orange to reveal the flesh. Place the orange upright on the cutting board and using the knife, cut downward to remove the peel and pith, following the contour of the fruit. Cut the orange in half through the stem end, then slice each half crosswise as thinly as possible. Eliminate any seeds and visible pith. Salt causes fennel to throw off water, and for many people the olives provide sufficient saltiness for this salad. But if you want to be able to add salt to the salad, a few minutes in advance of serving, place the fennel slices in a colander, sprinkle them with salt, and let stand to drain off any water before proceeding. Divide the fennel slices among 4 plates. Lay the orange slices on top of the fennel, again dividing evenly, and drizzle the olive oil evenly over the top. Season with salt if desired and white pepper, and scatter about 6 olives on each plate. Let stand for a few minutes before serving, to give the orange slices time to release some of their juice onto the fennel layer.

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Gnocchi Caprese Recipe by Christiana Ernst, Via Alto Photography by Pete Lapriore Ingredients: 2.2 lbs potatoes pinch of nutmeg 3 cups all purpose Flour 2 eggs 3 tbsp parmesan cheese pinch of salt ½ stick of butter

Filling: 6 plum tomatoes diced ½ lb. fresh mozzarella cheese diced fresh basil salt & pepper Combine all ingredients and set aside.

Boil, peel and mash potatoes. After the potatoes have cooled, add the flour, a little at a time, a pinch of salt, a pinch of nutmeg, parmesan cheese and eggs. Mix together until firm. (if it is too wet add a little more flour) Do not over mix or you will have tough dough. Roll the dough using a little more flour as necessary to avoid sticking. Cut into 1 inch pieces, fill each piece with ¼ teaspoon of the tomato filling. Close them to seal. To cook, drop them into lightly salted, boiling water (It is important to use ample water to cook gnocchi) until they rise to the surface. Remove from the water gently with a sieve or slotted spoon. Serve with melted butter sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve with Chopped Tomato Sauce.

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Whiskey

Whisk(e)y and the

Sea(food) Written by Ryan Maloney Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault Food Styling by Dona Bourgery

Ryan Maloney has over twenty ﬁve years experience in the spirits

Traditionally, the fresh catches New England has to offer wouldn’t be paired with Whisk(e)y and that’s just missing the boat. Whisk(e)y has

industry. He has appeared in and on the cover of several international whisk(e)y and trade publications. He is the “go to” guy for all things alcohol related for the Phantom

a long maritime tradition, so when I was told Foodies’ summer issue would be focused on seafood, I was delighted.

Gourmet T.V. and radio show. He has done consulting work for

Whether it’s at the picnic table or on the beach

major players in the beverage ﬁeld. He is the founder of The Loch & K(e)y Society and the creator of www.lochandkey.com a forum based whisk(e)y website.

where the local ocean fare is being served, whisk(e)y deﬁnitely has its place. Instead of cracking open a light beer this summer,

However, Ryan is most recognized as the owner of Julio’s Liquors in Westborough MA, where amongst other accolades he has been twice awarded “Retailer of the Year”.

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try some of my favorite pairings.

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Bourbon with Grilled Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp When I travel to Kentucky, my companions and I always joke about not ordering seafood in a landlocked state. However, I do love the bacon. (In fact, one of my life’s truths is “Everything is better with bacon.”) The combination of bacon, butter-coated shrimp and the vanilla of a single barrel bourbon is perfect. I like Eagle Rare 10-year on ice for this pairing.

Oysters and Talisker 18-year Single Malt The one is from Brad Jarvis and we mention this pairing every time we talk about whisk(e)y, the ocean, sailing, trips, food, the weather, the price of tea in China… Brad pours small drops of the whisky onto fresh-shucked oysters and that’s it. This whisky has a sweet smokiness that compliments the brininess of the oysters, making this combo not just easy to prepare, but fantastic.

Cedar Planked Salmon with Glen Garioch 1797 Founders Reserve A good friend of mine, Jay Scenti, told me about this classic pairing. Glen Garioch, pronounced Glen Geery, is a traditionally styled Highland malt. You need one to stand up to the bolder salmon flavors and this whisky fits the bill. With hints of green apple and a citrus finish, it helps cut the oil of the fish.

Steamed Maine Lobster with Ardbeg 10-year Islay Single Malt Whoever created this last pairing is a bit of a mystery. I do know that it originated in Maine at a good friend’s house. The rest is a bit hazy. This pairing calls for a half-cup of whisky— a quarter-cup for the steam water and the rest for the chef (hence the hazy). In this case, the whisky is an untamed Islay with a good amount of smoke and almost medicinal iodine quality to it. It might not sound great, but trust me, it is. The rich lobster meat plays very well to the more earthy ﬂavors of the whisky. With these amazing pairings in your repertoire, now you can enjoy some whisk(e)y with your seafood all summer long.

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Bourbon with grilled bacon wrapped shrimp

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‘Snappy’ Scallops, smoked collar bacon, pommes purée, micro greens & scallions

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The Second Time’s a Charm And if at ﬁrst you don’t succeed…open another restaurant. That’s what the folks behind The Hungry Mother did. Written by Michelle Collins Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

Rachel Miller Munzer, Alon Munzer, Barry Maiden, and John Kessen are the masterminds behind The Hungry Mother in Kendall Square. Each one of them brings something different and valuable to the table: Rachel and Alon have experience running their own business (the former Rachel’s Kitchen in Bay Village),Barry’s the chef, and John takes care of service and management. Several years ago, before opening the Hungry Mother, the Munzers, Maiden, and Kessen joined forces to try to open The Village Table in Bay Village in order to ﬁll a neighborhood void for a locally-owned restaurant. However, after 18 months of working to get the eatery up and running, the four restaurateurs decided to call it quits. Shortly thereafter, a former Irish pub located in Kendall Square came into their view, lifting their spirits – and conﬁdence – in terms of giving their restaurant idea one more go. With their

combined vision of a locally-sourced, French- and Southerninspired menu, cozy and rustic interior, and an overall dedication to quality and value, Hungry Mother was born in 2008. Four years later, the Munzers, Maiden, and Kessen’s shared dream has become a popular local eatery with an obvious passion for local, sustainable fare. “Quality local sourcing is a primary factor in choosing ingredients and products,” said John Kessen, co-owner of Hungry Mother. “We feel a part of many communities – the world as a whole, and those that are in…smaller circles: the Northeast, Massachusetts, and Cambridge.” Maiden, who was born in Marion, Virginia, brings a lot of his traditional Southern roots to his cooking (the restaurant actually got its name when Maiden discovered Hungry Mother State Park in his town of origin). (Continued on page 114)

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“We choose to promote other small local businesses and to showcase excellent local products. Because of Chef Maiden’s Virginia roots, we also highlight some specific unique products from areas of the South,” Kessen said. To put it in perspective, Hungry Mother gets all of their seafood from fisheries and fishermen that are committed to seafood raised or caught sustainably. Places like Virginia Cobia Farms, Snappy Lobster in Scituate, and Woodbury Clams on Cape Cod are just a few of the sources whose fish grace the Hungry Mother’s plates. “In choosing products, whether local or ‘Southern local,’ sustainability is a determining factor, as this ties us to the world community and the responsibilities for its health that we embrace,” Kessen said. Some of the sustainable seafood dishes one might find on the Hungry Mother’s menu include Catfish Pecan Meuniere with Carolina Rice Pilau, Sea Island Red Peas, and Lemon Brown Butter, as well as Grilled Virginia Pompano Benne Seed Tahini with Pea Shoots, Radish, Grapefruit, and

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Kentucky Soy Ponzu Sauce. As a result of the attention paid to seasonal ingredients, however, don’t expect to see the same menu every time you return. “The menu changes often, due in part to the Northeast’s seasonal limits of local produce, and the availability in quantity that is intrinsically tied to sustainably raised animals and ﬁsh,” Kessen said. Since opening their dream restaurant in 2008, the Munzers, Kessen, and Maiden have helped their open-minded community discover and taste sustainable, locally-sourced food. Maiden’s unique blend of classic culinary training with his Southern roots has also made this eatery stand out in a neighborhood full of established, popular restaurants. To put it simply, it’s a good thing the foursome decided to give the restaurant business one more go. Hungry Mother 233 Cardinal Medeiros Ave. Kendall Square Cambridge, MA 02141 617-499-0090 www.hungrymothercambridge.com

Anson grits, tasso ham, cheddar cheese

Skillet cornbread, sorghum butter

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Wines of Distinction

The Torrent of Argentina’s

Torrontés S Written by Domenic Mercurio, Jr. Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

Known in restaurant circles as The Wine Guy, Domenic is focused on food and wine education. Domenic’s enthusiasm and passion for food and wine, propelled him into a local TV wine education series, The Wine Guy, in which he took viewers on a tour of California and Italy’s wine regions and historic destinations. In addition to being the editor and publisher of Foodies of New England magazine, Dom is the host of Foodies of New England, a dynamic and educational TV show. The show features New England’s best, award-winning chefs, and their signature recipes.

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ome call it “the new Pinot Grigio,” others say it offers the tropical richness of a German Gewurztraminer and the crispness of a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. We just call it delicious. Hailing from the Mendoza and Salta regions of Argentina, Torrontés is a relatively new wine on the scene in America, and it has won over white wine drinkers who were eager to try something unique and different from the routine, mainstream line-up of Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay. And unique and different it is. While some Torrontés is grown in Chile, at the time of this writing, Torrontés has the distinction of being grown nearly entirely in its indigenous territory of Argentina. This is a noteworthy point, given the fact that it has become customary in the viticulture world to grow grape varietals in multiple regions worldwide, each producing their own taste characteristics based on terroir and wine-making styles. A good example of this is Torrontés’ “brother,” the Malbec. Once native only to France and used as a blending grape, Malbec can now credit its meteoric rise to popularity to Argentine winemakers who have turned it into the most popular red wine on the scene today. Still, it was originally from France, while Torrontés was from Argentina, and its production is nearly entirely in that country. Consumers may ﬁnd the Torrontés name on some Spanish wine labels, but it has been proven through DNA analysis that there is no relationship between Torrontés from Galicia, Spain, and the original Torrontés from Argentina. In fact, it is said that Torrontés is related to the Malvasia grape of Western Europe. Still, for many years it was believed that the Torrontés of South America was the same variety as the Torrontés grape from Galicia, also known as Albillo Mayor. Because of the frequent migration of workers from Galicia to Argentina, it was thought that workers brought the Torrontés with them to Argentina.

Sporting a strong, floral nose, most Torrontés wines are abundant with both tropical and citrus fruit essence, a somewhat unusual flavor combination for white wines (many have either tropical notes or citrus qualities, but not often both). Prominent flavors found in Torrontés mirror the fragrant pineapple, apricot, guava, and orange aromas that permeate the sinus. In fact, pulling the cork on a Torrontés can be like slicing open a fleshy guava or peach. The experience is exuberant, to say the least, with heady floral and herbal notes that balance the prominence of fruit and bright acidity. But, as aromatically intriguing as it is, Torrontés has, in its early days on the scene, sometimes failed to deliver on the palate, with a rather dull and sometimes flabby character. In recent years, however, most versions of Argentina’s most popular white wine tend to deliver the proverbial goods, and Lanzarini’s Torrontés hoists the value flag high in its price category. For between $10 and $12, this wine leaves you feeling a bit guilty of getting too much for your money, as if you’ve just realized you were given too much change by the cashier or inadvertently walked away with someone’s expensive pen after scribbling your name and number for them. In its native Argentina, there are two main areas for the production of Torrontés: one is around Salta in the Northwest, and the other is in the hotter, aforementioned region of Mendoza, 600 miles to the south. Salta produces wines that are less flamboyant, but tend to be more on the crisp side, while those from Mendoza are intense, fruit-forward, and ‘bigger’ wines. (Continued on page 118)

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True, the mountainous regions of most countries are known to produce wines of superior quality, given the clean, crisp, humidity-free air, the hillside-sloping vines that encourage water runoff, thereby reducing the occurrence of musty vines, and the direct exposure to strong sun, which increases the sugar content in the fruit. In terms of food pairings, Torrontés goes incredibly well with white ﬁsh like baked haddock or grilled tilapia with a citrus lime and mango salsa, either mild or spicy (the subtle sweetness of the wine balances out the spicy ﬂavors). Interestingly, it goes quite nicely with certain desserts, particularly those with cream and fruit. But, if you want a great wine to drink by itself or with some light cocktail snacks, then Torrontés has a lot to offer. Ease into a glass with some lightlysalted cashews or Macadamia nuts, cold chickpea salad, or soft cheeses. Whatever your choice, Torrontés will be a warm-weather pleaser, and you’ll impress your foodie friends with a less-than-common, truly delicious and versatile white wine this summer! -FNE.

Lanzarini’s ‘Montecepas’ Torrontes is Foodies-approved at 89 Points: Bright citrus notes, juicy apricot, pineapple and white peach flavors, and a crisp, floral finish.

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Eat Your Antihistamines Written by Julie Grady Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

Say Sianara Sudafed, Adios Afrin and Catch you later Clartin! This summer, why not try some of Mother Nature’s tried and true allergy cures.

anti-oxidants. Just remember, no more than two drinks a day, otherwise the health beneﬁts begin to unravel.

Butterbur

Flavonoids

Allergic rhinitis, perhaps better known as hay fever, can be taken down with this little gem. Butterbur is a rhubarb-like plant found waterside in the Northern Hemisphere and according to a study penned by Andreas Schapowal, M.D., Ph.D., it’s believed to treat typical allergy symptoms without the drowsiness that comes with antihistamines. In fact, after two weeks butterbur was comparable in treating hay fever to the antihistamine cetirizine. So, if you’re tired of being tired during allergy season, butterbur is the way to go.

We’ve all heard of flavonoids in some capacity, but what are they? Flavonoids are organic compounds found in plants that have lit up laboratories for years. Also known as bioflavonoids, these naturally occurring compounds have flexed their anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-histamine muscles in countless studies. Although, their real-world capacity is a topic of conflict, in the lab flavonoids have displayed greater anti-oxidant function than vitamins C and E. One flavonoid to look for: quercetin. It’s found most in apple peels, red onions, raspberries, capers, black and green tea and even honey.

Wine & Beer Everyone loves a drink and it’s a good thing. Not only is wine consumption alongside a meal good for you heart, it may help to protect your immune system. Dr. Javier Romeo Marín’s article in the British Journal of Nutrition concludes polyphenolic-rich alcoholic beverages like beer and red wine have a protective effect over the immune system and even antiinﬂammatory qualities. Beer and red wine also are packed with

Whether you’re drinking red wine or grape juice, taking butterbur or raspberry ketone supplements or pouring eucalyptus-derived honey over everything in sight, it all seems to come down to antioxidants, anti-inﬂammatory and anti-histamines. If you’re battling allergies this summer, just remember your three A’s.

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Something to Drink

A New ‘Ritual’ in Cocktail Greatness It was a rainy Tuesday night and I was in the mood for a good cocktail. Little did I know I was about to discover my new favorite summer cocktail at Worcester’s Ritual. As soon as I walked in the door and shook off the dampness, I was glad I chose this spot. Immediately, I was transported to another place. The décor is almost Buddist in nature and the whole place oozed a calm and cool vibe. From the impressive drink list, I choose the Cucumbertini, a perfect marriage of vodka, Thatcher’s Cucumber Liqueuer, and cucumber syrup. Since vodka is not my friend, I asked for mine made with Hendrick’s Gin (a gin that actually has cucumber as one of its’ ﬂavoring components).

Written by Richard Beams Photography by Scott Erb and Donna Dufault

Rich Beams has been a bartender for 20 years at places such as Tweeds Pub, Jillians, Holiday InnWorcester, Nuovo, and is currently The Grill on the Hill at Green Hill Golf Course. He is also an instructor at DrinkMaster Bartending School in Worcester, Framingham, and Boston. With his passion and knowledge for wine, Rich has written many articles sharing his thoughts and suggestions. He is currently a member of The Taste of the Nation comittee.

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The most important thing about a great Martini is the temperature – ice cold – and Ritual nailed it. It was delivered to me cold, smooth, refreshing, and without delay, with just a hint of sweetness from the syrup—complete with a garnish of fresh cucumber. I perused the menu and found a new favorite appetizer to go with my new

favorite cocktail: chocolate bacon. It piqued my interest: thick slices of bacon covered in a rich chocolate sauce and dusted with crushed nuts. The smokiness of the bacon played well with the clean, fresh cucumber essence in the Martini, and the chocolate was a very subtle accompaniment. I was not disappointed.

A side note: before I left, I had the best Mojito I had ever tasted. In short, for great food, great atmosphere and certainly a great Cucumbertini, Ritual in downtown Worcester is the place you need to be.

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