Author: Ed

High Back Booths or Irish Snugs, a Solution to the Noise Problem?

Are there restaurants you don't go to because of the noise level? I have a long list of places I've put on my, "not worth it because of noise level" list.

Do you miss those old high back booths that gave you some protection from the sounds crashing around the interior of an otherwise great place to dine?

Photo: iStockphoto photo

I saw a link between two discussions over on the Boston Board of Chowhound. One was about "Great Booths." Someone was looking for the highest back booths they could find. Members of the community gave a few suggestions like Doyle's Cafe in Jamaica Plain.

From the answers, came an interesting twist to Irish Snugs. These were small rooms within Irish Pubs where you could have a tipple in private if you were a woman or perhaps a policeman on duty.

Here is one sample image.

Here's one for sale on eBay should you want your own.

There are also ongoing discussions about the noise levels in area restaurants.

Ideas for good food and quiet conversation?

Let’s make a list of obnoxiously loud restos (This one ran to 48 replies as of last check.)

Good, Quiet Restaurant in Back Bay? (only 6 replies here)

If you put the word "quiet" into the Chowhound Boston seach box, you'll find dozens of conversations.

While I know that it's not going to happen, wouldn't it be nice if a few spots were set aside in some of the unreasonably loud restaurants so that those of us who would like to try the food could reserve a snug or high backed booth with no speakers nearby or a private volume control for the nearest ones?

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: iStockphoto.com

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 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.

Related articles

Urban noise 'reduces bird diversity'

Acoustical Solutions Releases Noise Pollution Infographic

It's Irish Soda Bread Season!

March 15, 2013
When Saint Patrick’s Day, Evacuation Day (March 17, 2013) Falls on a Sunday…
This year, Saint Patrick's Day falls on a Sunday so I'm curious – will city and state workers in Suffolk County be off on Monday, will City Hall and the State offices in Suffolk County shut down, and will parking, trash, and liquor sales be impacted for the day? You'll find the answers below.

For the latest information go to our 2015 Post on this topic.

I do know that a lot of people will be taking advantage of the weekend date to come to Boston. Questions about where to stay, which Irish Pub to visit, and how to get around the city have popped up over on the Boston Trip Advisor forum. It looks like visitors are coming here from all over the country and especially from Ireland.

Do you celebrate Saint Patrick's Day?
- What are your traditions for his yearly festival of all things Irish?
- Who makes your favorite brown bread or Irish soda bread? Scones?
- Are you going to the parade on Sunday?
- (Here's how to get there via the MBTA.) This link will disappear after the holiday.
- Will you be wearin' the green?
- (Here's a post on where to buy or rent all sorts of wearables!)
About your holiday questions…

According to the Secretary of State's website,

"All holidays falling on Sunday must be observed on Monday, under state law. Saturday holidays are observed on Saturday."

A call to the Secretary of State's office confirmed that State Government no longer shuts down on Evacuation Day. State offices will be open.

The day is not listed on Boston's list of holidays that change parking regulations or trash pick up, but the meters are free on Sunday anyway (details here), and there is no trash pick up scheduled. A call to city hall confirmed that it will be open on Monday!

Basically, everything is open. But, in the past, the city has asked South Boston liquor stores and bars to cut off sales early. Here's the city's press release from last year. And, Boston.com reported that Police Superintendent William Evans said they would be doing the same this year.

Some MBTA routes in South Boston will be changed because of the parade. Here's the list. (This link will disappear after the holiday.)

We'll update as press releases come out from around the city.

Update: 03.16.13: Here's the City Traffic Advisory to St. Patrick's Day Events.

Related Posts:

Irish Breakfast at the Squealing Pig

Matt Murphy's Pub Saves the Day

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

Details:
Words: Penny Cherubino
Photography: © 2008-2011 Penny 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.

Related articles

It's Irish Soda Bread Season!

Why Green for Saint Patrick's Day

Ireland, I Love You So Much It Hurts
March 14, 2013
When Saint Patrick’s Day, Evacuation Day (March 17, 2013) Falls on a Sunday…
This year, Saint Patrick's Day falls on a Sunday so I'm curious – will city and state workers in Suffolk County be off on Monday, will City Hall and the State offices in Suffolk County shut down, and will parking, trash, and liquor sales be impacted for the day? You'll find the answers below.

For the latest information go to our 2015 Post on this topic.

I do know that a lot of people will be taking advantage of the weekend date to come to Boston. Questions about where to stay, which Irish Pub to visit, and how to get around the city have popped up over on the Boston Trip Advisor forum. It looks like visitors are coming here from all over the country and especially from Ireland.

Do you celebrate Saint Patrick's Day?
- What are your traditions for his yearly festival of all things Irish?
- Who makes your favorite brown bread or Irish soda bread? Scones?
- Are you going to the parade on Sunday?
- (Here's how to get there via the MBTA.) This link will disappear after the holiday.
- Will you be wearin' the green?
- (Here's a post on where to buy or rent all sorts of wearables!)
About your holiday questions…

According to the Secretary of State's website,

"All holidays falling on Sunday must be observed on Monday, under state law. Saturday holidays are observed on Saturday."

A call to the Secretary of State's office confirmed that State Government no longer shuts down on Evacuation Day. State offices will be open.

The day is not listed on Boston's list of holidays that change parking regulations or trash pick up, but the meters are free on Sunday anyway (details here), and there is no trash pick up scheduled. A call to city hall confirmed that it will be open on Monday!

Basically, everything is open. But, in the past, the city has asked South Boston liquor stores and bars to cut off sales early. Here's the city's press release from last year. And, Boston.com reported that Police Superintendent William Evans said they would be doing the same this year.

Some MBTA routes in South Boston will be changed because of the parade. Here's the list. (This link will disappear after the holiday.)

We'll update as press releases come out from around the city.

Update: 03.16.13: Here's the City Traffic Advisory to St. Patrick's Day Events.

Related Posts:

Irish Breakfast at the Squealing Pig

Matt Murphy's Pub Saves the Day

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

Details:
Words: Penny Cherubino
Photography: © 2008-2011 Penny 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.

Related articles

It's Irish Soda Bread Season!

Why Green for Saint Patrick's Day

Ireland, I Love You So Much It Hurts
March 14, 2013
March Is Zeppole Season

Ready, set, let the drooling begin because the Zeppole di San Giuseppe are ready to float off the trays at your favorite Italian bakery. And, to us, if they aren't light and airy, they don't meet the test. After all, they are named for the famous airships!

The very best are filled to order like this one from Modern Pastry in Boston's North End.

But, while we remind you about these each year, we want to know where your favorites are sold.

What is your source for Zeppole and what style do you love? Add your thoughts in the comments below, Tweet it to @BostonZest or send us an email and we'll add your suggestion to this post as an update.

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List? Shop Amazon for all your kitchen & dining needs and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino

March 13, 2013
March Is Zeppole Season

Ready, set, let the drooling begin because the Zeppole di San Giuseppe are ready to float off the trays at your favorite Italian bakery. And, to us, if they aren't light and airy, they don't meet the test. After all, they are named for the famous airships!

The very best are filled to order like this one from Modern Pastry in Boston's North End.

But, while we remind you about these each year, we want to know where your favorites are sold.

What is your source for Zeppole and what style do you love? Add your thoughts in the comments below, Tweet it to @BostonZest or send us an email and we'll add your suggestion to this post as an update.

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List? Shop Amazon for all your kitchen & dining needs and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino

March 13, 2013
Irish Soda Bread Recipe Collection

Over the years, I've collected some favorite recipes for Irish Soda Bread.

Here from Epicurious is a simple, classic Irish Soda Bread recipe. It ran in Gourmet in 1991 and I think I still have the clipped page somewhere. This one is very close to the one I was taught by my Irish cousins.

An even simpler version is the one I've seen perpared on Rachel Allen: Bake. Ballymaloe Irish Soda Bread has just 5 ingredients for the basic bread and then dozens of ways to make it your own.

The real proof that anyone can make this type of bread is the fact that before he could cook anything else, Ed learned to make his favorite "super bread" as he called it. And, he used to make it almost daily! Here's the recipe for Ed's Super Bread also callled Brown Oatmeal Soda Bread.

Another version of an Oatmeal Soda Bread comes from Simple Recipes. I like the photos with this one because they give you a good idea of how the batter should look. Don't over mix!

Technique is a very important part of learning anything in the kitchen. Traditional ways of preparing foods with family recipes used to be handed from generation to generation. I remember my mother's cousin Sally showing me how to make the bread for dinner.

Today, we have Youtube and some wonderful people who have had the foresight to capture the way things are done. I went looking for a video to include here and found a gem. It shows how to make a brown soda bread like the one above. But, I picked up some tricks from this lovely woman and I liked her son's commentary. Enjoy!

Related Posts:

It's Irish Soda Bread Season!

Greenhills Irish Bakery, Adams Village Dorchester

Clear Flour Bread– Clearly Artisan, Clearly Charming…

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List? Shop Amazon for all your kitchen & dining needs and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2012 Penny 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 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.

Related articles

Irish,soda bread easy St. Patrick's Day dish

Walnut and Honey Soda Bread

Cook's Treasure: Sautéed Onions and Garlic

Flour Has Sandwiches … I Knew That!

Blizzards and Irish Soda Bread

March 12, 2013
Irish Soda Bread Recipe Collection

Over the years, I've collected some favorite recipes for Irish Soda Bread.

Here from Epicurious is a simple, classic Irish Soda Bread recipe. It ran in Gourmet in 1991 and I think I still have the clipped page somewhere. This one is very close to the one I was taught by my Irish cousins.

An even simpler version is the one I've seen perpared on Rachel Allen: Bake. Ballymaloe Irish Soda Bread has just 5 ingredients for the basic bread and then dozens of ways to make it your own.

The real proof that anyone can make this type of bread is the fact that before he could cook anything else, Ed learned to make his favorite "super bread" as he called it. And, he used to make it almost daily! Here's the recipe for Ed's Super Bread also callled Brown Oatmeal Soda Bread.

Another version of an Oatmeal Soda Bread comes from Simple Recipes. I like the photos with this one because they give you a good idea of how the batter should look. Don't over mix!

Technique is a very important part of learning anything in the kitchen. Traditional ways of preparing foods with family recipes used to be handed from generation to generation. I remember my mother's cousin Sally showing me how to make the bread for dinner.

Today, we have Youtube and some wonderful people who have had the foresight to capture the way things are done. I went looking for a video to include here and found a gem. It shows how to make a brown soda bread like the one above. But, I picked up some tricks from this lovely woman and I liked her son's commentary. Enjoy!

Related Posts:

It's Irish Soda Bread Season!

Greenhills Irish Bakery, Adams Village Dorchester

Clear Flour Bread– Clearly Artisan, Clearly Charming…

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List? Shop Amazon for all your kitchen & dining needs and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2012 Penny 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 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.

Related articles

Irish,soda bread easy St. Patrick's Day dish

Walnut and Honey Soda Bread

Cook's Treasure: Sautéed Onions and Garlic

Flour Has Sandwiches … I Knew That!

Blizzards and Irish Soda Bread

March 12, 2013
It’s Irish Soda Bread Season!

Every March, Irish Soda Bread starts showing up everywhere. We've seen it at Trader Joe's and Whole Foods Markets. But, we prefer the versions from a few favorite area bakeries.

Where do you buy your favorite Irish breads? Tell us in a comment below or send us an email and we'll add your ideas as an update.

Clear Flour Bread had both white Soda Bread with raisins and traditional whole wheat brown bread (above) last weekend. They hope to have it Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through St. Patrick's Day. We recommend getting there early before they run out of the day's supply. And, call ahead on weekdays to see if they happen to have some.

Clear Flour Bread, 178 Thorndike St., Brookline, MA 02446 (map & reviews) Phone: 617.739.0060

Any time of year, you can find a full line of exceptional Irish Breads at Greenhills Irish Bakery in Adams Village, Dorchester. They add caraway seeds to their Irish Raisin Soda Bread (above). It tastes just like the recipe Penny learned to make with her Irish cousins.

They also make this Irish Brown Soda Bread that's perfect with meals, a Treacle Soda Bread for those with a sweet tooth, and Irish Barm Brack – a raisin yeast bread.

Greenhills Irish Bakery, 780 Adams St, Dorchester, MA (map & reviews) Phone: 617- 825-8187 ‎

We even took one for the team and taste-tested this "Trader Joe's Blarney Scone Irish Soda Bread." It was not a superlative version but, that said, soda breads are forgiving and there was none left a day later.

Over on the Boston Chowhound board, a couple of trusted hounds recommended Hi-Rise Bread Company in Cambridge and Keltic Krust in West Newton as their favorite spots for soda bread.

(Update: Keltic Krust closed in 2014)

Tomorrow, we'll help you learn to make your own soda bread with a great collection of recipes, one of Ed's all time favorite carbo-loading versions, and a great video that shows the technique for Brown Bread that no recipe can completely capture!

(Update: Here's a link to that post. Irish Soda Bread Recipe Collection.)

Related Posts:

Greenhills Irish Bakery, Adams Village Dorchester

Clear Flour Bread– Clearly Artisan, Clearly Charming…

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List? Shop Amazon for all your kitchen & dining needs and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: © 2011- 2013 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 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.

Related articles

Blizzards and Irish Soda Bread

Soda Bread Knows No Season

Wholesome Irish soda bread recipe especially for St. Patrick's Day

Irish Soda Bread Scones

March 11, 2013
It’s Irish Soda Bread Season!

Every March, Irish Soda Bread starts showing up everywhere. We've seen it at Trader Joe's and Whole Foods Markets. But, we prefer the versions from a few favorite area bakeries.

Where do you buy your favorite Irish breads? Tell us in a comment below or send us an email and we'll add your ideas as an update.

Clear Flour Bread had both white Soda Bread with raisins and traditional whole wheat brown bread (above) last weekend. They hope to have it Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through St. Patrick's Day. We recommend getting there early before they run out of the day's supply. And, call ahead on weekdays to see if they happen to have some.

Clear Flour Bread, 178 Thorndike St., Brookline, MA 02446 (map & reviews) Phone: 617.739.0060

Any time of year, you can find a full line of exceptional Irish Breads at Greenhills Irish Bakery in Adams Village, Dorchester. They add caraway seeds to their Irish Raisin Soda Bread (above). It tastes just like the recipe Penny learned to make with her Irish cousins.

They also make this Irish Brown Soda Bread that's perfect with meals, a Treacle Soda Bread for those with a sweet tooth, and Irish Barm Brack – a raisin yeast bread.

Greenhills Irish Bakery, 780 Adams St, Dorchester, MA (map & reviews) Phone: 617- 825-8187 ‎

We even took one for the team and taste-tested this "Trader Joe's Blarney Scone Irish Soda Bread." It was not a superlative version but, that said, soda breads are forgiving and there was none left a day later.

Over on the Boston Chowhound board, a couple of trusted hounds recommended Hi-Rise Bread Company in Cambridge and Keltic Krust in West Newton as their favorite spots for soda bread.

(Update: Keltic Krust closed in 2014)

Tomorrow, we'll help you learn to make your own soda bread with a great collection of recipes, one of Ed's all time favorite carbo-loading versions, and a great video that shows the technique for Brown Bread that no recipe can completely capture!

(Update: Here's a link to that post. Irish Soda Bread Recipe Collection.)

Related Posts:

Greenhills Irish Bakery, Adams Village Dorchester

Clear Flour Bread– Clearly Artisan, Clearly Charming…

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List? Shop Amazon for all your kitchen & dining needs and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: © 2011- 2013 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 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.

Related articles

Blizzards and Irish Soda Bread

Soda Bread Knows No Season

Wholesome Irish soda bread recipe especially for St. Patrick's Day

Irish Soda Bread Scones

March 11, 2013
Is Your Sunday Dog a Snow Lover?

Does your canine companion drool at the thought of a walk in the snow? Or do the four-paw brakes go on when the door opens onto a scene wet with wintry white?

Our 10-month-old puppy, Poppy loves playing "Queen of the Snowbank!" You can see the smile on her funny little face in this photo.

But, some of her neighbors are not fond of wet or snow.

For example, our pal Smudge loves to Pose but not on wet days. Then, he will do his business in record time and try to get back inside. He thinks kids like Poppy, who like being out in it, are a bit looney tunes.

Elvis Lives Next Door, and that's where he prefers to stay on snowy days. He doesn't like wet. He's not even into cold and declines to go out and play in the wet with Poppy.

What do the dogs in your life think of snow? What do they do that makes you laugh when confronted with a few inches of the white stuff? In her first year, Poppy has become a champion "snow hopper" and that makes all three of us smile.

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

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny Cherubino
Photography: © 2011-2013 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 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.

Related articles

Spread the Word on The Yellow Dog Project & DINOS!

Dear Poppy, Should I Let Humans Brush My Teeth?

Winter Weather Safety Tips for Pets from Canine Company

Sunday Dog "Baloo" Is a Little Bear!

Make a List of Your Dog's Words!

March 10, 2013