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OYSTERS AT HOME SPIRITS RISING JULIEN DE CASABIANCA
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CONTENT
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WHAT THE PHO?
OYSTERS AT HOME
THIS SEASON’S COCKTAIL
PAGE 02 \ GUIDE TO RESTAURANTS IN DORCHESTER, CHINATOWN, ALLSTON, AND SOMERVILLE SERVING WARM, DELICIOUS BOWLS OF PHO.
PAGE STEP THE BACK
PAG E 16 \ A S P I C E D P E R S I M M O N B O U R B O N C O C K TA I L T H AT I S S U R E TO M A K E T H I S S P R I N G O N E TO R E M E M B E R.
06 \ JULIE QIU SHOWS US A BY STEP WAY OF BRINGING HALF SHELL EXPERIENCE HOME.
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JULIEN DE CASABIANCA
48 HOURS
DIY
PAGE 22 \ BRINGING THE MUSEUM TO THE STREET. THE OUTINGS PROJECT BRINGS MUSEUM ARTWORKS TO URBAN STREETS.
PAGE 28 \ HERE IS HOW WE WOULD SPEND TWO DAYS IN CHARMING FARO, PORTUGAL.
PAGE 32 \ BEAUTFUL AND SIMPLE EGG SUCCULENTS THAT ARE PERFECT FOR ANY SMALL HOME.
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WHAT THE PHO?
01 RESTAURANT GUIDE By Alex Lau
What the Pho? A guide to Six Standout Vietnamese Restaurants in Boston in Dorchester, Chinatown, Allston, and Somerville serving warm, delicious bowls of pho and other delicious Vietnamese noodle soups.
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The spring in Boston is no joke. When temperatures is still a little nippy, it’s time to start looking for meals to help you recover from the colder weather. While chicken noodle soup and, more recently, ramen are the obvious choices, try ditching these for a staple of Vietnamese cuisine: pho. Not only do pho (pronounced fuh, not foe) and other tasty Vietnamese noodle soups warm you up, but they’re served in a number of ways that can appeal to a variety of tastes. Not sure where to look? Here’s our guide to seven of Boston’s finest establishments along with their specialties from Chinatown to Dorchester and beyond.
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Pho Hai San Pho So 1 at 23 Adams St., Dorchester Not a fan of meat? Give Pho Hai San a try. No chunks of beef or chicken in sight, this seafood version of pho is a testament to Vietnamese cooking. Despite including squid, shrimp, and fish balls, the soup isn’t overly fishy, but rather has a sweet and herbal aftertaste. This might not be in your standard pho repertoire of typical beef or chicken, but it’s just as delicious.
Mi Hoanh Thanh Pho Pho ’n Rice at 289 Beacon St., Somerville Here’s a Vietnamese take on a Chinese dish, starring shrimp and pork wontons, sliced roasted pork, and egg noodles in chicken broth. The dish is simple to make, but hard to get right. Mi Hoanh Thanh Pho is a perennial favorite among Pho ’n Rice regulars.
Bun Bo Hue Pho Viet at 1095 Commonwealth Ave., Allston While pho is a derivative of Northern Vietnam, Bun Bo Hue’s origins lie within the central region of the country. A spicy pork bone-based stock with beef shank, shrimp paste, pig’s blood cubes, and lemongrass, the soup takes on a hue of bright red, but don’t worry it’s not as tongue-numbing as it looks.
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WHAT THE PHO?
Bun Rieu Anh Hong 2 at 91 Adams St., Dorchester Crab enthusiasts, meet Bun Rieu. Freshly cracked crab legs, pork spare ribs, and shrimp are the major players in a standard bowl. Complemented by tomato broth and crab paste, this is Vietnamese comfort food at its best. The flavors of crab aren’t too dominant, so your taste buds won’t miss out on the sweet and tangy golden-red broth.
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Bo Kho Pho 2000 at 198 Adams St., Dorchester Bo Kho is a beef stew that is normally served with rice or a loaf of French bread. What makes this dish so good is its star ingredient, braised oxtail. Slow cooked for eight hours, the oxtail meat ends up tender and falls off the bone. Not only does Pho 2000 have the best Bo Kho in town, but they have an option where you can opt for noodles instead of rice.
Pho Tai
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Pho Hoa at 1370 Dorchester Ave., Dorchester For all you pho rookies out there, this is the dish for you. Pho Tai may be just a plain beef noodle soup, but it has the triumvirate of necessary requirements for successful pho: thinly sliced flank steak that melts in your mouth, al dente noodles to soak up all the flavors, and a rich broth with a hint of herbs to compliment the steak. Toss in a couple of squeezed limes and jalapenos, and you’ve got yourself a real fine meal.
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OYSTERS AT HOME BY JULIE QIU WE ALL LOVE TO ORDER RAW OYSTERS WHEN WE ARE DINING OUT, BUT HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED BRINGING THE HALF SHELL EXPERIENCE BACK HOME? IT’S SURPRISINGLY EASY, AFFORDABLE, AND FUN! I WILL EXPLAIN HOW.
OYSTERS AT HOME
Step 1: Buy the Oysters I must have gotten my taste for oysters from my parents, because they love them as well. The last time when we all got together, we went out for oysters in their area. For my mom’s birthday this year I wanted to do things a little bit differently; I wanted to bring the oyster bar experience to them and into their home. So I ordered four dozen York River Oysters from Tommy Leggett and had them delivered to their doorstep in (the middle of nowhere) Connecticut. From my experience, the best place to buy oysters are through the farmers themselves. Oyster farmers are the keepers of the freshest goods and tend to offer the lowest prices. You should be able to find East Coast oysters for $1 a piece or less and West Coast for $1-2 a piece. Farmers also are intimately familiar with their products so you know exactly where your seafood is coming from, and that is rarely the case at your local supermarket. A downside is that most growers only sell a few varieties, if any at all to consumers. If you want to sample a variety of oysters, investigate seafood distributors or retailers. Here are some oyster growers who sell directly to consumers: 08
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-Alaska Kachemak Shellfish Growers -Cotuit Oyster Company -Fishers Island Oyster Farm -Glidden Point Oyster Sea Farm -Hama Hama Oyster Company -Hood Canal Seafood -Island Creek Oyster Company -Rappahannock River Oysters -Thimble Island Oyster Company (CSF) If you’re not planning to consume the oysters immediately when you receiving them, store them in the fridge and cover them with a wet towel. Try your best to keep all of them cup side down. They can be kept happy and alive for several days in that state. I’d still suggest opening at least one or two to check the quality upon arrival. Be careful if you want to keep them over ice. As the ice melts and temperature rises, the freshwater can kill the oyster if they’re submerged for an extended period of time, and decide to open back up. Fresh and live oysters will glisten in their shells and should also contain a good amount of liquor. To test its “alive-ness,” scrape a fork prong along its mantle (outermost circumference of flesh). It should/might slowly shrink back.
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OYSTERS AT HOME
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Step 2: Gather the Equipment You don’t need to be equipped with much to enjoy raw oysters, but it’s important to be safe and use the right tools.
All you need to be is: -An oyster knife (not to be confused with a clam knife or kitchen knife, santoku knife, butter knife, etc). -Some form of hand protection such as a kitchen towel or shucking glove
As an elegant alternative to a wearing clunky glove, consider the Littledeer Half Sheller (the maplewood egg-shaped board as shown on the bottom right). I love using this shucking board to stabilize the shell and collect any runaway juices. It’s a must-have for the at-home
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shucker. Also doubles as an oyster coaster. Win!
If you’re looking to make a good presentation, you’ll also need: -Crushed ice or rock salt – to place the oysters over -Deep plate, platter or pan – to place the oysters in -Trash bag – to discard the shells -Accoutrements – lemon wedges, lime wedges, mignonette sauce freshlyground pepper
I brought my trusty oyster knife (Dexter-Russell Sani-Safe 4 Inch Boston “Stabber” Knife), glove (Kevlar-coated, but I still managed to puncture it once), and Half Sheller with me for the occasion. Charlie Williams of BBQ Oyster Grill also graciously expedited over one of his fantastic oyster grilling racks for us to experiment with.
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OYSTERS AT HOME
Step 3: Shucking the Oysters When they proclaimed, “The world is your oyster,” they forgot to also disclaim, “if you know how to shuck.” Once you learn how to shuck them, the doors to enjoying fresher, cheaper oysters will open easily for you. In reality, if you want to savor them raw and intact without paying a restaurant premium, you must shuck them yourself. How much of a premium do restaurants charge for shucking, you wonder? Well, take the York River Oyster for example. In 2012, Aquagrill in NYC charges $2.15 per piece for them, whereas I bought them for about $1 per piece and that’s mostly the cost of shipping! $0.25-$1.00 per piece is the range of fees for having someone else shuck them for you.
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A few practical tips to make the shucking experience run smoothly: -Make sure to have a platter of ice near you to transfer the opened oysters to. -Have a clean towel on hand to wipe off mud or shell bits. -Plan your oyster to plate ratio ahead of time so you don’t run out of display space. I learned how to shuck oysters from Chef Laurence Edelman from Left Bank and have been passing down that knowledge to anyone who asks. I even taught my dad how to open them, and being the skillful engineer that he is, he immediately got the hang of it. My mom hanged back and just enjoyed the fruits of our labor.
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Step 4: Prep the Accoutrements I’m a naked kind of girl. As in I like to eat my oysters without any condiments at all. My parents, like many people, like a few drops of lemon on theirs, so that’s what we did. On occasion I enjoy drizzling a little bit of spicy and tart mignonette on top to liven them up. But seriously, try one without anything at all before you top them off. Do the right thing. By now you should be enjoying the oysters. The York River Oysters were fantastically plump, buttery and simply beautiful to look at. They are grown by Tommy Leggett and his crew in the lower York River at York Town, near the Chesapeake Bay. The liquor was mildly briny and the chewy meat possessed a clean aftertaste. The white bellies were mildly sweet and delivered a depth of flavor that is unique for Virginia oysters. My mom, who is usually picky about her seafood (she’s quite sensitive to “fishiness”) claimed that she could taste the freshness. The four of us slurped up half a dozen each in no time at all. Amidst the oyster bellies, we found a few stowaways. A few of the oysters had “cute” little translucent oyster crabs hidden inside. They’re known as pea crabs and they are completely normal to see. They are simply using the oyster for protection and help themselves to the oyster’s food, but they don’t gnaw at the mollusk themselves. Back in the day, these little critters were considered to be a delicacy among epicureans. Despite being a little freaky looking, they’re quite tame. They can barely lift their little legs. Bryan had the guts to eat one alive. I don’t know why I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I’ve definitely consumed more adventurous things before… like live (moving) octopus.
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OYSTERS AT HOME
Step 5: Firing up the Grill It’s not over yet! I purposefully saved the biggest and most formidable oysters for last — to grill. Given their size (4+ inches), they would do well barbecued or oven-roasted. I couldn’t wait to try out the BBQ Oyster Grill rack. It’s a simple and efficient sheet of perforated, accordion-bent steel that allows for the oyster to be held upright no matter what the shell is like. I tried a combination of cooking them on the half shell and also leaving them completely closed. After a few minutes on the fire, they popped open with ease. I can’t even imagine how grilling without this rack would work. On a flat or even grated surface, the oysters would most likely tip over and spill its juices. I suppose you could always make a ghetto rack out of aluminum foil, but who really has the time? This was definitely the way to go. With grilling comes a whole new set of sauces and recipes. Hot sauce is a trusted standby, but I would highly recommend experimenting with others. I created a savory garlic butter sauce for our batch. The next time around, I’d opt for bolder concoction for this kind of oyster.
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THIS SEASON’S COCKTAIL
03 THIS SEASON’S COCKTAIL
Recipe by Athena Calderone & Jenny Huang
Spiced Persimmon Bourbon 16
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INGREDIENTS
THE PREP
For the spiced maple simple syrup:
1. Using a mortar and pestle, roughly crush the cloves, peppercorn, and cinnamon stick.
7 cloves 10 black peppercorns 1 cinnamon stick ½ cup maple syrup ½ cup water
For the persimmon puree: 3 ripe Fuyu persimmons 2 ounces lemon juice ½ cup water
For one cocktail: 1 ounce bourbon ½ ounce brandy 1 ½ ounces persimmon puree 1 ounce spiced maple simple 3-4 drops Angostura bitters Club soda, to finish
2. In a small saucepan, combine the maple syrup and water together, bring to a boil, and stir the maple syrup so that it fully combines with the water. 3. Add the spices, turn off the stove, and cover to cool completely. 4. In a blender, purée the persimmons, lemon juice, and water together until smooth. Vigorously mash through a strainer. After straining, you will have about 1 cup of liquid.
5. To make the cocktail, combine the bourbon, brandy, persimmon purée, spiced maple syrup, and bitters in a cocktail shaker with ice. Cover and shake for about 15 seconds. 6. Strain the cocktail into a coupe glass. Top with a splash of club soda. Garnish with persimmon slice. - Makes 4 drinks
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JULIEN DE CASABIANCA BY AMY VERNER A DAY WITH JULIEN CASABINCA AND WHO HE CAME TO STARTING THE OUTINGS PROJECT WHICH BRINGS MUSEUM ARTWORK TO THE URBAN STREETS FOR THE PUBLIC TO VIEW.
JULIEN DE CASABIANCA
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Solore, te dolore simpos ilis prae cusam eossus esequi inull
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In 1877, William-Adolphe Bouguereau
painted “Le Jeunesse et l’Amour,” a sensuous nude shouldering a playful angel, a work now hanging on the main level of the Musée d’Orsay. In early June, Julien de Casabianca pasted an oversize simulacrum of the figures on the wall of a nondescript building in the 18th Arrondissement. The wall just so happened to be between two food distribution businesses run by Muslim men. “I asked if it bothered him and he said no,” said de Casabianca, referring to one of the owners. “I often ask for their thoughts. It’s always a discussion. This time, one of the employees said, ‘Yeah, it’s a bit shocking.’ But then, voilà, it becomes a discussion about art. ” Since last August, de Casabianca, 44, has been embellishing the streets of Paris and beyond (17 cities in seven countries) with largely unknown painted people who seemingly appear as if they’ve escaped from their institutional homes. What began as a lark upon seeing Ingres’s Caroline Rivière at the Louvre — “I wanted to help her get out, like Prince Charming trying to rescue the girl in the museum castle” — has evolved into the Outings Project, a full-time mission to merge the disparate perceptions of canonical and street art, all while punctuating neglected spaces with beauty. De Casabianca, who was a journalist and then a filmmaker before embarking on the project, pays no attention to artist or provenance.
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JULIEN DE CASABIANCA
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On a recent sweltering weekday, he arrived at the
Sepulchre (by Eugène Burnand, 1898). As he took
d’Orsay in a heavy yet daintily ornamented sweater
their photo with his iPhone 5C, he revealed his plan
coat, and eschewed the Impressionists in favor of
to enlarge them to the scale of a mural and place
Bourguereau’s vision, plus two lovers inspired by
them on the side of an abandoned station along the
Arabian legend (by Étienne Dinet, painted around
defunct Petite Ceinture (the decommissioned railway
1900) and the disciples Peter and John running to
that circles the city). T magazine followed him to this
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site in the 19th Arrondissement; unlike the locations
brick — makes one appreciate the contrast. For de
where he’s previously placed his work, the building
Casabianca, the concept is only complete once he
was removed from street traffic but in direct view of
photographs the collages, which not only elevates
lower income housing. To see the recontextualized
the work beyond street art but becomes permanent
disciples — not against a pastoral sunrise but emerging
proof of his creations. Not long after realizing the
from layers of graffiti scrawled across the weathered
Outings Project’s potential, de Casabianca invested
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JULIEN DE CASABIANCA
in a professional Canon iPF8400SE printer. His pasting technique has nothing to do with magic: a mix of wallpaper and wood glues, which he mixes with water from the fountain outside his artist’s squat on rue Saint-Honoré. Centuries ago, it served as the water tower for the Palais Royal. From the main level of his gallery, where he currently sells photos of his installations, you can see his take on Rivière. But de Casabianca, who does not sign his creations (“It’s the work that speaks. And anyway, I couldn’t sign the work of someone else”) gravitates to the quartiers populaires, the ordinary neighborhoods, no matter the city. On a two-week American installation blitz not long ago, he hit Chicago, New Orleans, Los Angeles and Dallas, always using portraits from local museums.
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“I don’t want to impost a sense that people are uncultured,” he said. “But I observe the rapport of people in these areas with the museums. I am aware that it’s something they feel is not for them.” Which perhaps explains why institutions such as the Louvre Lens and the Musée d’Ixelles in Belgium have invited de Casabianca to expose their lesserknown treasures to a wider audience. It also explains how the Cummer Museum in Jacksonville began appropriating his idea without his participation. Either way, the collaborations are not to be confused with promotion, he insisted. “It’s neither publicity for the museum nor for me. It’s neutral.” Except that within minutes of posting the lovers at street level on the highly trafficked Avenue de Flandre, people began taking photos. To everyone who paused, he said: “They came from the Musée d’Orsay.”
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48 HOURS
05 TRAVEL GUIDE
Photography By Erin Nikaido
48 Hours What if you only had 48 hour to have an adventure? Here is how we spent two amazing days in charming Faro Portugal.
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Located on the southern tip of Portugal, this
coastal resort city enjoys both the balmy climate of the Mediterranean and the surf-ready waves of the Atlantic. Rich in history, it boasts a medieval quarter packed with museums and cultural sites, but stays up late into the night thanks to its large student population. What’s more, Faro doesn’t let things go to its head—this low-key gem flies under the radar, meaning you’ll always find a spot on the beach or at the cafe.
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DAY ONE 9am: Breakfast on the Go When Portuguese beaches are on the itinerary, we like to keep breakfast short and sweet. Stop by Padaria Urbana for a quick coffee, fresh pastry, and snacks for later. Don’t miss the pão de sal, a traditional salted roll that’s the very definition of a simple pleasure. 10am: Beach, Please! As mild as Faro’s temperatures tend to be, it’s not quite sunbathing weather in January. Experienced surfers take advantage of the off-season to enjoy some quality wave time, but you might prefer a scenic beach stroll or bike ride. Easily accessible by bus, Praia de Faro, the town’s main beach, has miles
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of powdery golden sand.
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48 HOURS
1pm: Lunch with a History Seating since 1925, Dois Irmãos is Faro’s oldest restaurant and one of the oldest in Portugal. Originally a bare-bones tavern popular with bartering port merchants, it became a see-and-be-seen destination in the ’60s and has been bustling ever since. Keep it simple with a grilled catch-of-the-day, or cozy up to the bar and sample your way through the tapas menu, a favorite among locals. 3pm: Afternoon at the Museum Located in a domed 16th-century convent, Faro’s 28
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Museu Municipal is a work of art itself. Inside, you’ll find 2,000-years worth of Portuguese art and history, from salvaged Roman mosaics to contemporary works. 8pm: Dinner with the Locals Local favorite A Venda has earned a loyal following with its trendy take on Portuguese comfort food and a cozy, casual atmosphere. Although the hearty tapas and seafood dishes are popular, the menu also includes vegan-friendly specialties using house-made seitan. If you’re lucky, you’ll drop by on a local music night.
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DAY TWO 10am: Start Off Sweet The Portuguese are known for their cakes, meaning you get a pass on a healthy breakfast. Swing by Pastelaria Gardy for coffee, pastries, and doces finos, a local marzipan specialty. 11am: A Walk in the Park One of the “Seven Natural Wonders of Portugal,” the Ria Formosa Natural Park is a sprawling, amazingly diverse coastal nature reserve that’s not to be missed. Serious birdwatchers flock here to spot rare aquatic birds enjoying their winter holidays, and flamingos have even been known to drop by. Other high-profile park residents include endangered chameleons, the world’s largest population of seahorses, and Portuguese water dogs, who work the docks along with the fishermen. Explore it on your own by foot, bike or kayak, or book a guided tour.
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48 HOURS
2pm: Culture at the Cathedral History buffs and architecture enthusiasts will want to pay a visit to the Faro Cathedral. Built in 1251, it has since endured fires, raids, ransackings, and an earthquake, making for a quirky mix of Renaissance, Gothic, and baroque styles. Today, it’s open to the public, and its towers offer sweeping views of the city and coast. 8pm: A Treat-Yourself Dinner
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Tucked away in Faro’s historic Old Town, Faz Gostos serves up gourmet Portuguese cuisine with a French wink. Opt for one of the set menus to get a true taste of the classics, including salted codfish, tomatada, and almond cake. 11pm: Farewell Drinks Every good trip deserves a good sendoff. Raise a glass at Columbus, a cocktail bar in the heart of Faro’s nightlife district. Grab a seat on the terrace for views of the city gardens and marina, and plan to arrive fashionably late—things don’t get started until around 11pm. Cheers, Faro! I wish you safe travel.
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DIY
06 HOW TO GUIDE
Photography by Jenna Saraco
DIY Easter Eggs offer a fun and playful way to get crafty this time of year. Turn your leftovers into something new again with this supereasy DIY.
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Carton of eggs A butter Knife Mini Succulents Moss
TO BEGIN 1.) Using a butter knife carefully make a crack around the top of the eggshell. Start small and high, then empty the contents into a bowl. 2.) Carefully chip away the shell to create an opening large enough to fit your mini succulent. 3.) Rinse and drain before placing back in the egg carton. 4.) Utilize your egg carton by trimming away the top and side flaps.
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TO ASSEMBLE Once you’ve chosen your mini succulents (with so many varieties have fun with color, height, and texture!) loosen from their pots, and gently place into each eggshell using the carton as your vessel. Using the moss, gently pull apart and fill in the gaps around each egg, or create a nest for your eggs to rest.
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THANK YOU
Photo by: Matthew Schenning