Author: Ed

Nino Franco Rustico: A Wine for Holiday Gifts & Celebrations

Nino Franco Rustico has been one of our favorite sparkling wines since we first sipped a glass in a Boston restaurant many years ago.

Recently, we enjoyed a bottle of Nino Franco in Provincetown and couldn't resist doing a photo shoot with the fantastic light and wonderful backdrops we found at Chandler House.

We bring you these photos today with a message.

Please don't give your clients, business associates, and friends the wines you see in TV ads as holiday gifts. A good wine shop can recommend a good wine value that you can give with pride. And, it will be one that will please both the occasional sipper and wine aficionado.

If you buy a good wine by the case, you can save even more. Stock up on "just-in-case gifts for the season" and be ready for a party at a moments notice.

This classic sparkler bottle and elegant label will show your good taste from the moment you hand it to a host, pop a cork for a pre-dinner toast, or when a client unwraps your gift. A second round of applause will come with the first taste of this prosecco.

"The golden color and peach nectar scent predict this to be rich, but a potent, nutty savor keeps it balanced. It finishes clean, tight and grippy – a mouthwatering aperitif," is how Bauer Wine describes Nino Franco Rustico.

And, should you find that after the holidays you have a bottle or two left, we assure you this wine is the perfect match for a chair-for-one, on a deck by the ocean.

Or, an evening for two by a fireplace in a mountain cabin or a city apartment.

Always give a wine you will be happy to have in your own wine rack for a special moment.

Want to learn more about wine? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site! Here are three of our favorite Wine Books.

The Food Lover's Guide to Wine

The New Wine Lover's Companion

The Wine Bible

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2009-2012 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 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.

November 7, 2013
Bitters for My Birthday from Brooklyn Hemispherical Bitters

One of my favorite birthday gifts this year was a selection of Brooklyn Hemispherical Bitters to dose the SodaStream seltzer I drink all day long. Rhubarb has always been a favorite flavor for me and who wouldn't love Black Mission Fig, but the standout is the Sriracha bitters.

My current afternoon pick-me-up mixture is a slice or two of local, young ginger from Old Friends Farm with a few drops of Sriracha bitters – just the thing to keep you going through a long session of photo editing.

I'm also tinkering with bitters as a flavor enhancer in my cooking. When I master a use, I'll tell you about it right here.

My supply came from Formaggio South End. But, if you're one of our readers from elsewhere in the country, the Brooklyn Hemispherical Bitters website has a list of places where you can buy their products.

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

Details:

Words: Penny Cherubino
Photography: © 2013 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.

November 6, 2013
Bitters for My Birthday from Brooklyn Hemispherical Bitters

One of my favorite birthday gifts this year was a selection of Brooklyn Hemispherical Bitters to dose the SodaStream seltzer I drink all day long. Rhubarb has always been a favorite flavor for me and who wouldn't love Black Mission Fig, but the standout is the Sriracha bitters.

My current afternoon pick-me-up mixture is a slice or two of local, young ginger from Old Friends Farm with a few drops of Sriracha bitters – just the thing to keep you going through a long session of photo editing.

I'm also tinkering with bitters as a flavor enhancer in my cooking. When I master a use, I'll tell you about it right here.

My supply came from Formaggio South End. But, if you're one of our readers from elsewhere in the country, the Brooklyn Hemispherical Bitters website has a list of places where you can buy their products.

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

Details:

Words: Penny Cherubino
Photography: © 2013 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.

November 6, 2013
Thanksgiving 2013 Dining Out in Boston
It's time to make Thanksgiving dinner reservations, especially if you want to enjoy your holiday meal at one of the Boston area's great restaurants.

UPDATE: Thanksgiving 2015 Dining Out in Boston

Most places have special menus and sometimes set seatings for major holidays. Many will require a deposit or credit card number to place a reservation.

We publish these holiday reservation reminders early so that our readers can get a head start and grab a reservation at a worthy spot. We'll keep adding updates as more places announce their intention to open and menus.

What Boston Area Restaurants Are Open on Thanksgiving?

Hotel restaurants are normally open on all holidays. In Boston, this means some excellent choices including:

Asana at the Mandarin Hotel
L'Espalier at the Mandarin Hotel
Rialto at the Charles Hotel in Cambridge
Bristol Lounge at the Four Seasons Boston
Brasserie JO at the Colonnade Hotel
Meritage at the Boston Harbor Hotel

More recommendations after this word on supporting BostonZest when you shop at Amazon. Here's a link to some of the best deals they have today. Once this link takes you to Amazon, we'll be credited for any shopping you do during this session.

Master Lists of Boston Restaurants Open for Thanksgiving.

The reservation site Open Table is maintaining a list of restaurants with Thanksgiving menus. Listings include a price and information on offerings beyond traditional holiday fare. Remember, there are many more restaurants open that day. Put a time and number of guests into the system to see exactly what is available.

Here are a few that we can recommend from the long Open Table list.
- La Voile on Newbury Street always plans a special meal for the neighbors who love this small French charmer.
- If you have been a fan of Upstairs on the Square, this will be their last Thanksgiving because they are closing. It might be a fun choice for a final fling.
- Bistro du Midi always serves a wonderful meal and if you want lighter fare their Café will be open at 11 AM.
Open Table even includes some places outside the city if you are meeting up with family and friends who live in the suburbs. And, they can help you find a place to enjoy the holiday meal if you'll be away for the long weekend.
- Sel de la Terre has always had a wonderful holiday menu and the Natick location would be good for meeting people from that part of the area. We certainly miss their Boston locations.
Bostonchefs.com has some information on its members' offerings. For example, here are a few options we'd consider if we were looking for a great menu.
- Eastern Standard in Kenmore Square will be open all day starting with breakfast and will serve Thanksgiving dinner from 1-8 PM
- L'Espalier in the Back Bay will showcase the harvest from Chef McClelland's Apple Street Farm and will offer a three course prix fixe menu or for a special holiday treat a degustation menu.
- Harvest in Cambridge's Harvard Square.
- Top of the Hub at the Prudential Center in the Back Bay comes with a view!
- One recommendation for a lower cost option with good food would be Petit Robert in Boston.
Update: 11/20/13

Boston Magazine has published their list of dining options

They'll Be Open! 26 Boston-Area Restaurants Serving Thanksgiving Dinner

Over on the Boston Chowhound Board the hounds came up with Durgin Park as the perfect solution for a group of trainees who found themselves in Boston over the holiday. (Bad Website warning: the Durgin Park site has cheesy music and you have to click events to get to the holiday offering.)

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? 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.
November 5, 2013
Thanksgiving 2013 Dining Out in Boston
It's time to make Thanksgiving dinner reservations, especially if you want to enjoy your holiday meal at one of the Boston area's great restaurants.

UPDATE: Thanksgiving 2015 Dining Out in Boston

Most places have special menus and sometimes set seatings for major holidays. Many will require a deposit or credit card number to place a reservation.

We publish these holiday reservation reminders early so that our readers can get a head start and grab a reservation at a worthy spot. We'll keep adding updates as more places announce their intention to open and menus.

What Boston Area Restaurants Are Open on Thanksgiving?

Hotel restaurants are normally open on all holidays. In Boston, this means some excellent choices including:

Asana at the Mandarin Hotel
L'Espalier at the Mandarin Hotel
Rialto at the Charles Hotel in Cambridge
Bristol Lounge at the Four Seasons Boston
Brasserie JO at the Colonnade Hotel
Meritage at the Boston Harbor Hotel

More recommendations after this word on supporting BostonZest when you shop at Amazon. Here's a link to some of the best deals they have today. Once this link takes you to Amazon, we'll be credited for any shopping you do during this session.

Master Lists of Boston Restaurants Open for Thanksgiving.

The reservation site Open Table is maintaining a list of restaurants with Thanksgiving menus. Listings include a price and information on offerings beyond traditional holiday fare. Remember, there are many more restaurants open that day. Put a time and number of guests into the system to see exactly what is available.

Here are a few that we can recommend from the long Open Table list.
- La Voile on Newbury Street always plans a special meal for the neighbors who love this small French charmer.
- If you have been a fan of Upstairs on the Square, this will be their last Thanksgiving because they are closing. It might be a fun choice for a final fling.
- Bistro du Midi always serves a wonderful meal and if you want lighter fare their Café will be open at 11 AM.
Open Table even includes some places outside the city if you are meeting up with family and friends who live in the suburbs. And, they can help you find a place to enjoy the holiday meal if you'll be away for the long weekend.
- Sel de la Terre has always had a wonderful holiday menu and the Natick location would be good for meeting people from that part of the area. We certainly miss their Boston locations.
Bostonchefs.com has some information on its members' offerings. For example, here are a few options we'd consider if we were looking for a great menu.
- Eastern Standard in Kenmore Square will be open all day starting with breakfast and will serve Thanksgiving dinner from 1-8 PM
- L'Espalier in the Back Bay will showcase the harvest from Chef McClelland's Apple Street Farm and will offer a three course prix fixe menu or for a special holiday treat a degustation menu.
- Harvest in Cambridge's Harvard Square.
- Top of the Hub at the Prudential Center in the Back Bay comes with a view!
- One recommendation for a lower cost option with good food would be Petit Robert in Boston.
Update: 11/20/13

Boston Magazine has published their list of dining options

They'll Be Open! 26 Boston-Area Restaurants Serving Thanksgiving Dinner

Over on the Boston Chowhound Board the hounds came up with Durgin Park as the perfect solution for a group of trainees who found themselves in Boston over the holiday. (Bad Website warning: the Durgin Park site has cheesy music and you have to click events to get to the holiday offering.)

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? 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.
November 5, 2013
Holiday Decoration That Keeps Boston Green and Shaded

When you see a truly stunning holiday wreath on a Boston doorway or in someone's home, there is a good chance it was created by the talented volunteers from The Garden Club of the Back Bay.

Each year, members of this organization decorate and deliver hundreds of wreaths and poinsettia and use the funds raised to provide grants that maintain and protect Boston's trees and parks.

Recently, the Garden Club sent out a reminder that a late Thanksgiving means placing your order early for one of these beauties or for simple greens and poinsettia to decorate your home or business.

"Ordinarily we don't begin to worry about wreath orders until much later in the season, but this year we need to remind everyone that Thanksgiving is late– November 28, and that day is our wreath order deadline date.

Yes, if an order comes in on Friday we will certainly accept it, but the danger is that many people wait until Thanksgiving is over to begin thinking about Christmas or Hannukah, and this year that is not an option. No extra week between Thanksgiving and wreath week means your orders must be in the mail before you carve that turkey.

We will be setting up for decoration on the Sunday following Thanksgiving, and decorating from Monday through Thursday, December 2 – 5. We don't accept orders for fully decorated wreaths during wreath week, so please click here and print your order form today."

Take a few moments to place your order. Here's their gallery of wreaths for more ideas when ordering.

And, as you walk around the city and enjoy the trees, parks, and shaded sidewalks, give thanks to a dedicated group of volunteers who raise thousands of dollars by giving their time during a busy time of the year.

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

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: Courtesy of the Garden Club of the Back Bay

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.

November 4, 2013
Holiday Decoration That Keeps Boston Green and Shaded

When you see a truly stunning holiday wreath on a Boston doorway or in someone's home, there is a good chance it was created by the talented volunteers from The Garden Club of the Back Bay.

Each year, members of this organization decorate and deliver hundreds of wreaths and poinsettia and use the funds raised to provide grants that maintain and protect Boston's trees and parks.

Recently, the Garden Club sent out a reminder that a late Thanksgiving means placing your order early for one of these beauties or for simple greens and poinsettia to decorate your home or business.

"Ordinarily we don't begin to worry about wreath orders until much later in the season, but this year we need to remind everyone that Thanksgiving is late– November 28, and that day is our wreath order deadline date.

Yes, if an order comes in on Friday we will certainly accept it, but the danger is that many people wait until Thanksgiving is over to begin thinking about Christmas or Hannukah, and this year that is not an option. No extra week between Thanksgiving and wreath week means your orders must be in the mail before you carve that turkey.

We will be setting up for decoration on the Sunday following Thanksgiving, and decorating from Monday through Thursday, December 2 – 5. We don't accept orders for fully decorated wreaths during wreath week, so please click here and print your order form today."

Take a few moments to place your order. Here's their gallery of wreaths for more ideas when ordering.

And, as you walk around the city and enjoy the trees, parks, and shaded sidewalks, give thanks to a dedicated group of volunteers who raise thousands of dollars by giving their time during a busy time of the year.

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

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: Courtesy of the Garden Club of the Back Bay

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.

November 4, 2013
Weighty Matters: Is Your Sunday Dog Overweight?

Weight matters!

Just as in humans, there is an obesity epidemic in companion animals. And, the people who love them are responsible for it.

“Over the past five years,” according to a national survey of 2.5 million pets by Banfield Pet Hospital, “overweight and obesity have increased by 37 percent in dogs, affecting approximately 1 in 4 pets.”

Start with Your Veterinarian

Any weight reduction program should begin with an assessment by your veterinarian to be certain a health or medication issue is not responsible for the weight gain. You should discuss what type of exercise and diet might work best, and if any medical support is needed to succeed.

I sat down with in-home, mobile veterinarian Brian Bourquin, DVM of Dr. B Concierge Veterinary Clinic to learn how your veterinarian can help. He explained that first you need to have, “…a realistic goal of where the dog should be.” To do this, he takes into account the breed characteristics and recommends an ideal weight for that particular dog.

Log that Food

Next, he asks the client to figure out what they are actually feeding. “Everything that is ingested by the dog counts as calories,” he said. That includes food, treats, chews, and table scraps. And, he requests actual measurements in cups, pieces, or ounces.

It may not be just what YOU are feeding your dog. How about the rest of the family? Dog lover, Lynne Schneider told me how she finally got the cooperation of her husband and three sons who were overfeeding their Golden Retriever, Prince. “When I couldn't make one of the vet appointments, my husband filled in and took the dogs – and was told that Prince needed to lose a lot of weight or he would die very early.”

Apparently, the doctor was able to convince the guys to change their ways and Prince is now a trimmer, healthier dog. So make it a family vet visit and family project for best results.

Regular Weight Checks

Do a regular weight check on your animal and keep track of it. Not only is it a way to track progress, but it also can alert you to anything that might be going wrong. “It happens rarely,” Dr. Bourquin said, “but, you can actually lose weight too fast. It needs to be a slow gradual loss.”

More on this Topic

We'll hit this topic again soon with tips on increasing the exercise and calorie burning half of the weight loss equation.

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: Previously published as one of Penny's City Paws newspaper columns.
Photos: Courtesy of Pooch Hotel

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.

November 3, 2013
Weighty Matters: Is Your Sunday Dog Overweight?

Weight matters!

Just as in humans, there is an obesity epidemic in companion animals. And, the people who love them are responsible for it.

“Over the past five years,” according to a national survey of 2.5 million pets by Banfield Pet Hospital, “overweight and obesity have increased by 37 percent in dogs, affecting approximately 1 in 4 pets.”

Start with Your Veterinarian

Any weight reduction program should begin with an assessment by your veterinarian to be certain a health or medication issue is not responsible for the weight gain. You should discuss what type of exercise and diet might work best, and if any medical support is needed to succeed.

I sat down with in-home, mobile veterinarian Brian Bourquin, DVM of Dr. B Concierge Veterinary Clinic to learn how your veterinarian can help. He explained that first you need to have, “…a realistic goal of where the dog should be.” To do this, he takes into account the breed characteristics and recommends an ideal weight for that particular dog.

Log that Food

Next, he asks the client to figure out what they are actually feeding. “Everything that is ingested by the dog counts as calories,” he said. That includes food, treats, chews, and table scraps. And, he requests actual measurements in cups, pieces, or ounces.

It may not be just what YOU are feeding your dog. How about the rest of the family? Dog lover, Lynne Schneider told me how she finally got the cooperation of her husband and three sons who were overfeeding their Golden Retriever, Prince. “When I couldn't make one of the vet appointments, my husband filled in and took the dogs – and was told that Prince needed to lose a lot of weight or he would die very early.”

Apparently, the doctor was able to convince the guys to change their ways and Prince is now a trimmer, healthier dog. So make it a family vet visit and family project for best results.

Regular Weight Checks

Do a regular weight check on your animal and keep track of it. Not only is it a way to track progress, but it also can alert you to anything that might be going wrong. “It happens rarely,” Dr. Bourquin said, “but, you can actually lose weight too fast. It needs to be a slow gradual loss.”

More on this Topic

We'll hit this topic again soon with tips on increasing the exercise and calorie burning half of the weight loss equation.

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: Previously published as one of Penny's City Paws newspaper columns.
Photos: Courtesy of Pooch Hotel

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.

November 3, 2013
Discovering November Bubbles! Canard-Duchêne Comes to U.S.
One sip of Canard-Duchêne Authentic Brut and we knew we had discovered a special Champagne. Toast on the nose and luscious Pinot fruit on the palate – not overwhelming, just right.

The blend of 45% Pinot Noir, 35% Pinot Meunier, and 20% Chardonnay captured our attention and never let go. Canard-Duchêne Cellar Master Laurent Fédou puts it best with the words “intensity … complexity … and balance” to describe their Champagnes.

He characterizes the Authentic Brut as having …
- “A straw-yellow appearance and delicate mousse."
- "Intense aromas of fresh fruit typical of the Pinot varietals."
- "Fruity flavours [that] jostle with pastry notes, a sign of excellent maturity.”
We always like to taste through the temperatures of our first glass of wine. In this case, moving from the initial chilled sip to that warmer last splash brought out more of the Chardonnay.

After lingering over the rest of the bottle, our only question was, “Why haven’t we heard about this Champagne before?” Well, it hasn’t been readily available in the U.S. until recently, but has been well-known and respected for more than a century in other parts of the world.

We found our bottle of Canard-Duchêne for $38 at The Urban Grape, South End

Clinking glasses to toast each new month has never been more enjoyable – à votre santé!

Watch for a few extra wine posts this month. We'll be telling you about some of our favorite value sparklers that are perfect for holdiay entertaining or as great value gifts.

Here's more about Our Sparkling Resolution

And, Our Sparkling Resolution Winner’s List

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: © 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.
November 1, 2013