Ed, Author at bostonzest - Page 133 of 150

Author: Ed

Boston Street Food App: Food Truck Tracking

Back in March, Toby left a comment on one of our Food Trucks/Street Food posts. He wrote, "Hi Penny & Ed, I think you might like my iPhone app for finding the Boston trucks: Street Food Boston. It's updated daily with the latest hours, closures, etc. Enjoy! Toby"

We downloaded this free app to our phones, tested it out, watched it grow, and now we are recommending it as our Friday link today. As you can see in the screengrab above, they also have apps for some of our Canadian readers and for Bostonians headed for Vancouver, Calgary, and Toronto.

This app lets you find food trucks on a map with red or green pins signaling who is open and who is not. Or, you can switch to a list to look for a particular truck. Once you have a truck in mind, you can swipe to see a screen telling you about the food and giving you the current schedule and links to their homepage, twitter, and email.

You can sort trucks by those nearby you, a-z list, popular, or your own favorites. If you love food trucks, give this app a try and let us know what you think.

But, remember, for in depth information on the Boston food truck scene, photos of the food, and tales of the food truck community, always come back to the BostonZest Food Truck/Street Food collection.

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Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Screenshot: courtesy of Tatlow Park Sofware, Inc.

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often those add a great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

May 18, 2012
Cover Up: Keep It Simple in the Kitchen

My history with chef jackets began as a joke gift from Ed, many years ago. He gave me a black jacket with "Chef Penny" and "Cherubino Cafe" enbroidered on it. It was a joke that turned into a time and money saver. I quickly learned that wearing it prevented stains and spatters on my clothes.

My jacket hangs at the entry to the kitchen, ready to grab on the way in.

This design of a long sleeve, double-breasted, heavy, cotton coat for food preparation has evolved over the years. Here's a bit of history of the chef's uniform.

Today, you'll see jackets on many people, like me, who are home cooks but who enjoy going along with a bit of practical fun. With grilling season approaching, you might order one for your favorite grill master.

Aprons are great and a help at protecting your clothes but they cover less than a jacket. And, those long sleeves have saved me from oven rack burns more than once.

If you add a baseball cap when your're cooking a food with a lot of spatter, the brim will protect your eyes and glasses (if you wear them).

As you can see in the photo, my jacket has had dozens of washings and is still in everyday use. I even have an older version packed in our traveling kitchen bag. What? You don't have a travel kitchen? We'll have to tell you about that item before the summer rental season begins.

Related Posts:

Use Your Lid: Keep it Simple in the Kitchen

Cabbage & Kielbasa Stir-Fry: Keep it Simple in the Kitchen

Guacamole, Hand Made: Keep It Simple in the Kitchen

And, here's a link to all our Tips & How To posts

What's on your kitchen shopping list? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Chef Works Basic Chef Coat

Chef Works Striped Bib Apron

Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often those add a great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

May 17, 2012
What’s Open on Memorial Day 2012 in Boston & MBTA Schedule Changes
UPDATE: Here's a link to our latest post on "What's Open and Closed on Memorial Day in Boston + MBTA Schedules, Parking, Trash & More"

Here's a run-down of what's open and what's closed in Boston and the MBTA schedules for Memorial Day–Monday, May 28, 2012.

We publish these reminders a couple of weeks before a holiday to give our readers a nudge to finalize their holiday plans. This is the first big weekend of the summer. Get going on some fun plans! And, plan your shopping for adult beverages because this is one of those Blue Law holidays!

Out on or along the Charles River is a great place to spend a holiday!

Restaurants, bars: Open

Convenience stores: Open

Supermarkets: Open

Retail stores: Are allowed to open if the owners choose

Liquor stores: Closed (See this page from the Secretary of State)

City, Town, State, and Federal offices and facilities are closed: This includes Schools, Libraries and the Postal Service (express mail will be delivered). Only emergency services are available.

Financial Services: As the British would say, this is a Bank Holiday with both Banks and the stock markets in the U.S. closed. Some international markets are open.

Boston Parking: You don't have to feed the meters on Monday. Other parking rules apply.

Street Sweeping: The city site says: "Daytime street sweeping is suspended on city holidays, but nighttime sweeping schedules remain in effect. Constituents are advised to call 617-635-4500 for exact details."

More information after this ad

Save storage space with these collapsible coolers. Perfect for small city homes. We have an older version of the Arctic Zone 30 model, and it's amazing at keeping things chilled. We not only use it for picnics but also grab it to go grocery shopping.

Boston Trash Collection: The announcement from Public Works covering May 28, 2012 states:

"Delay trash and recycling pickup 1 day only if you live in Allston, Brighton, Dorchester, East Boston, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain*, Mattapan, Roslindale, or West Roxbury.

*If you live in Jamaica Plain and your trash is picked up 2 times per week, do not delay."

MBTA Schedule Changes: Here is their press release as of 05/16/12. Note the Special Commuter Rail trains operating for a special event at Gillette Stadium.

"The MBTA announced its service schedule for Memorial Day, Monday, May 28, 2012.
- The Red, Orange, Blue, and Green Lines will operate on a Sunday schedule.
- Buses and trackless trolleys will operate on a Sunday schedule.
- Express bus service will not operate.
- The Silver Line will operate on a Sunday schedule.
- The Commuter Rail will operate on a Sunday schedule.
- Special event Commuter Rail trains will be operating to Gillette Stadium for the 2012 NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship. For more information, click here.
- Inner Harbor Ferry service from Charlestown to Long Wharf will operate on a weekend schedule.
- Commuter boat service between Hingham/Hull and Boston will not operate.
- Quincy commuter boat to Long Wharf and Logan Airport will operate on a Sunday schedule. Due to the Sunday schedule, there will not be a 10:15 P.M. trip made on Monday, May 28, 2012.
- THE RIDE will operate on a Sunday schedule."
For more information:
Go to www.MBTA.com Contact the MBTA Customer Communications Department at (617) 222-3200, TTY: (617) 222-5146.

Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photo:© 2010 Penny Cherubino
May 16, 2012
Farmers’ Markets Opening Dates Spring 2012

Our weekly calendars are marked with the dates when we can go and see our farmers' market friends at their summer spots. SOWA and Jamaica Plain have already opened for the season, and today is opening day for the Copley Square Market.

With additional food trucks located nearby, many stands offering lunch items, and the Boston Public Library outdoor seats and courtyard nearby, Copley Square is a great place to meet someone for lunch on Tuesdays and Fridays.

The Prudential Center Market has been open all winter, indoors, but will move outside to the Boylston Street Plaza on May 17th.

Here are the opening dates for some of our favorite markets. The links are to maps of the locations.
South End/SOWA: May 6th (Sundays)
Jamaica Plain (677 Centre Street): May 12th (Saturdays), (Saturdays & Tuesdays in mid-June)
Copley Square: May 15th (Tuesdays and Fridays)
Cambridge Center (Kendall MBTA) Cambridge: May 16 (Wednesdays)
Prudential Center: May 17th (Thursdays)
Cambridge/Charles Square: May 20th (Sundays)
Boston City Hall Plaza: May 21st (Mondays and Wednesdays)
Central Square, Cambridge: May 21st (Mondays)
Davis Square, Somerville: May 23rd (Wednesdays)
South Station/Dewey Square: May 24th (Tuesdays and Thursdays)
Kendall Square (500 Kendall Street): May 31st (Thursdays)
Union Square, Somerville: June 2nd (Saturdays)
Roslindale/Adams Park: June 2nd (Saturdays)
Cambridgeport: June 9th (Saturdays)
Swirl & Slice: Union Square Gourmet Market: June 14th (Thursdays)
Brookline/Coolidge Corner: June 14th (Thursdays)
Harvard University Farmers' Market, Cambridge: June 19th (Tuesdays)

We'll be telling you more about some of these markets in the weeks ahead!

Watch for our upcoming review of The Boston Homegrown Cookbook: Local Food, Local Restaurants, Local Recipes. It's full of chefs, farmers, and food producers you know, and we highly recommend it. Remember, always click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often those add a great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

A Sunday Dog Salute to Geese Wranglers at Work

Recently, we had the opportunity to photograph two geese dogs and their human teammates at work in the Boston Public Garden. They were trying to make Canada Geese understand that the lagoon is not a place to settle down for the summer.

If you should see this pair with their yellow vests off-leash in this park, please understand that they are there to do an important job. They are trained to voice commands and obey instantly when asked to stop, stay, or change their position.

One of their handlers works on the lagoon from a kayak and the other (the woman in the yellow jacket) stays along the shore. The dogs work both in and out of the water.

The object of the game is to keep the birds from feeling safe in this park without hurting them. This is called site aversion by the GeesePeace model program.

PMC_2535 - Version 22012-05-03-geese-dogs-boston-public-garden-canada-geese-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

"You can take a break, I've got this one," said one dog to the other!

These pups were working so hard we never did get their names. If you are in a park where you see Border Collies working on geese control, please keep your own dog on leash and away from them. These herders move very fast and it would be easy to get in their way. They might also tempt your dog to chase them.

We were worn out just watching them as we said so long to two very tired dogs.

Thanks to this team and the Friends of the Public Garden for making the park a cleaner and safer place to walk. And, thanks to other teams working in other parks, golf courses, and open spaces. It will take a sustained and combined effort to undo the human mistakes that caused the overpopulation of these birds.

Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

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Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Classic “Art” Gone Punk

The classical statue representing art outside the Boston Public Library took on a punk look for a few days.

This work was created by Boston sculptor Bela Lyon Pratt, who was a teacher at the School of the Museum of Fine Art. When his mentor, Augustus Saint-Gaudens, could not complete the commissioned artwork for this area, Pratt was selected to create two statues representing Art and Science.

Here's a photo of a model for the statue from the Boston Public Library Collection. (Used under this creative commons license.) I wondered if those two lamps were ever part of the finished work and checked through photographs on file from the time the libary was completed. They never appear.

It's never too late to give an Amazon Gift card. Need a Mother's Day Gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Penny & Ed Cherubino

TerraVino Wines: Places We Shop

We live a city lifestyle. Our shopping trips are more likely to take us to three or four small shops than to one big box store. Here in Boston, and on the road, we'll share our great shop finds with you. -The BostonZest Team!

Update: Alas we can't shop here any longer because the store closed a few months later.

Name: TerraVino Wines

Address: 234 Harvard Street, Brookline, MA 02446 (Map & Reviews)

Phone: 617-232-1180

Do you have a roster of small, well-curated shops where you find the best selections? Let us know in the comments below or send us an email. We're always ready to add new resources to our list.

(Click on any photo for a larger image)

Shop Description: Calm and soothing. You can see the thought that was put into designing the shop. What you may not see is that it is also very green– environmentally responsible that is! Here are the details about that aspect of this store.

People: Christopher and Rayna Carbone are the owners. Christopher (above) is a Certified Specialist of Wine. But, more important than the letters after his name is his ability to communicate his love of the wines he stocks to customers with any level of wine knowledge. He asks the right questions, tries to figure out what you like, what food you are matching, offers tastes, and refines his recommendations from there.

What makes this shop special: A very warm welcome. Great wine knowledge. A carefully curated selection. Plus, a great location right off the Green Line in Coolidge Corner. You know you'll be going there soon, for something, so stop by and explore this new shop while you're there.

They say: "We believe in wines that are Real, honestly made, in the most Natural way. We offer wines that we truly believe in, allowing them to express their origins, the talent and commitment of the producers, and the inherent quality of the vintage. We put our dedication to work through our commitment only offering exceptional Natural wines that are sustainable, organic and biodynamic. "

We Say: Our first visit was like walking into a room filled with old friends. As we circled the selection, we took turns saying, "Look they carry…." followed by the name of a longtime favorite wine, producer, or importer.

Nice Touch: They have four reds and four whites available for tasting. This allows you to try wines that might be a bit out of your comfort zone and helps guide the staff to offer better recommendations for you.

Regulars say: Richard Auffrey, The Passionate Foodie said, "This is very much a hand sell store where customer service is key. Many of these wines will be unfamiliar to the average consumer, and even the avid wine lover is likely to find plenty of wines they have not tasted before. It is a very intriguing selection of wines, and there were plenty of wines which interested me."

Gretchen (@MoralBeast) and Urban Wine Dweller wrote: "The brilliant Thierry Triolet Champagne Brut from @terravinowines. Really great stuff. Perfect with sushi." Our thanks go to Gretchen for recommending TerraVino Wines.

Did you know? Another part of this couple's green and natural lifestyle is a gluten-free, vegetarian diet.

Don't Miss: Their sparkling wine selection on the center table. Here's a Grower Champagne we bought from TerraVino. You know how we love sparkling wines!

Phone: 617-232-1180

Website: www.terravinowines.com

Twitter: @TerraVinoWines

Facebook: Terra Vino Wines

While you're in the neighborhood: Coolidge Corner is home to many great, local businesses, and a fabulous farmers' market on Thursday afternoons from mid-June to late October.

Here are reports on a few of our favorite places in the area:

Michael's Deli

When Pigs Fly Bakery

Party Favors

Brookline Farmers' Market

While we love to support local shops, we also hope you'll support us when you shop on Amazon. When you click over to Amazon from one of our links, they put some change in our tip cup. It doesn't cost you anymore, but it helps keep BostonZest coming your way.

Fine wine glasses that are dishwasher safe? While Ed insists on washing our stems, I can't swear to it but the manufacture says that, the Schott Zwiesel Tritan Crystal Forte Collection can go in the dishwasher. We do put our barware from the same line through the dishwaser all the time. How about this Stemless Snifter?

Brebirousse d’Argental Petit: Soft Ripe Sheep’s Milk Cheese from France

Standing in front of the cheese case at South End Formaggio, a pile of softly bulging, Brebirousse Argental Petit cheese gently called to me.

DSC_3413 - Version 22012-04-06-Brebirousse Argental Petit-soft-ripe-cheese-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

"You know I'm ripe and you know I'll be soft and runny," it said.

My nose did a few exploring sniffs in the general area of the pile of cheeses and detected no tell-tale scent of overripe.

There were sheep on the label, so this was one to learn more about. When asked, our cheesemonger said, "There's nothing about it not to like."

He knew I liked strong, sheepy cheese and warned me that this one has a more moderate flavor. But, I figured sheep milk will show its personality and richness and added one to my order. I also like to have some great, mild cheese for friends who don't like my stinky finds.

This piece of art sat on the kitchen counter, tempting the two of us with its lovely, fuzzy rind, and bright orange glow until we finished our day's work and were ready to enjoy a glass of wine and bit of cheese. I could already see it as a show-stopper on a cheese tray.

Yesterday, we showed you how we opened this plump prize with a cheese harp. Here's what it looked like about 90 seconds later.

The taste was mild in a brie-like way, but the rind was perfect and most certainly added to our enjoyment of this cheese. We continued to cut smaller wedges with the wire cutter and enjoyed every inch of our find.

Micah Shull at Fromaggio e' Meraviglioso reviewed it and said, "The interior paste looks like vanilla pudding. It is rich, creamy and thick on the tongue. Brebirousse tastes buttery, salty, with a little sweetness and hints of meadow, but not obviously a sheep's milk cheese."

The Smelly Cheese Club will provide more details on the production of this little gem.

Here are more of our post about cheese.

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