Category: We recommend!

Toasting February with Another Longtime Friend, Raventos i Blanc de Nit

We will welcome February 2018 with a delightful cava, Raventos i Blanc de Nit. This will be a year of welcoming each new month with longtime friends. This cava was a gift from one of the first friends we made after we moved to Boston. He's also one of the friends who has joined our sparkling resolution to toast each new month with a glass of bubbles.

Our friend discovered Raventos i Blanc de Nit at a Bauer Wine & Spirits tasting, loved it, and decided it was something we would also love. However, when he placed his order, there was only one bottle left in stock. Being the sweet person he is, he bought the bottle and gave it to us.

We enjoyed our New Year's bottle of a longtime favorite so much that we have decided to make 2018 a year of rediscovering some of our favorite sparkling wines from across the years. (It will also help us enjoy the wine gathering dust in our collection. In our attempt to live a healthier life, we are drinking far less wine than we used to and our collection of sparklers keeps growing.)

The last time we enjoyed this wine, we were relaxing in Provincetown and enjoying the views from a special place on a rainy day.

Whether you have seen these sparklers before or are new to our monthly feature, we'll be linking to our past posts on each of them.

Join us as we raise a glass to celebrate the month ahead.

Related Posts:

Our first report on Raventos i Blanc de Nit

Our Sparkling Resolution is covered in this post: Join Us as We Toast …

A Few of Our Favorite Gifts for Wine Lovers

Here Are All the Wines We've Covered. Since this is a category, this post may appear at the top. Just scroll down for more.

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List?

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: © 2014-2018 Penny & Ed Cherubino

February 1, 2018
Acid Is a Good Food Word! Learn More from Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking

Since the publication of “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking” by Samin Nosrat, more attention is being paid to acid as an essential aspect of the cooking arts. It’s a tool that most chefs and many good cooks use to bring into focus the final flavor of a dish.

You already know that you like acid in connection to food if you add a squeeze of lemon to your fish or your favorite BBQ sauce is a North Carolina style with a vinegar base. You may have a preference for wines with a good acidity or feel pickles are essential when you have a sandwich piled high with pastrami.

Around here we had an ongoing editing duel over the word acid. Penny would use the word in a draft of an article and Ed would try to replace it with a “friendlier” word, e.g. tartness. To him the word acid was unappealing.

To Penny it was exactly what she meant to say. It represented the range of flavor balancing agents she used including citrus juices, vinegars, wines, beers, fermented vegetables, and dairy products like yogurt and crème fraiche to create our favorite dishes. Our duel ended as we explored the acid chapter in “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat” and we both gained a greater acceptance of the word acid as a positive part of cooking.

Exploring Acidity

The illustrations are an important part of this book. Penny thinks they should be sold as framed posters to add to kitchen decor and serve as references for cooks as they work. For example, as you can see above, acid is presented in a series of circles that lets you quickly explore the world of acid. The instructions say, “Use this wheel to help you choose which cooking acids (inner circle) and garnishing acids (outer circle) to use as you cook food from around the world.”

To add Vietnamese zest to your meal, you would cook with lime, rice wine vinegar, rice wine or beer, and garnish with fish sauce, hoisin sauce, or pickled shallots. The salad above took that Vietnamese route.

In Greece they cook with beer, wine, vinegar, or lemon, and finish with tomato, olive, yogurt, feta, or halloumi. Just knowing these selections for culture-after-culture can add excellent variation to something as simple as grilled chicken. The salad above took on that Greek character.

Recipes and Tips

In the “How Acid Works” section, you will learn how the chemistry of acid impacts things like color and texture along with tips for avoiding acid missteps. Next comes a recipe for Pasta Alle Vongole (spaghetti with clams) that demonstrates how acid works in a dish. That is followed by tips for using acid both within a dish and within a meal.

In addition to all of this, you are offered many variations. The recipe for Chicken and Garlic Soup has instructions for turning it into one of our favorite meals. Pho Ga or Vietnamese chicken noodle soup.

Remember, this is only one of four basic aspects of cooking that are explained in this book by the woman who taught Michael Pollan, New York Times bestselling author of The Omnivore's Dilemma, to cook.

In his foreword to the book Pollan wrote, “… I honestly can’t remember the last time I read a book on cooking that was this useful or unusual. I suspect that’s because reading SALT FAT ACID HEAT feels less like being in the pages of a cookbook than at a really good cooking school …" We highly recommend this book to both experienced cooks and those who are just beginning to explore the culinary arts.

SALT FAT ACID HEAT is available as an ebook, hardcover, or audiobook.

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List?

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino cover artwork courtesy of Salt-Fat-Acid-Heat

January 17, 2018
Acid Is a Good Food Word! Learn More from Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking

Since the publication of “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking” by Samin Nosrat, more attention is being paid to acid as an essential aspect of the cooking arts. It’s a tool that most chefs and many good cooks use to bring into focus the final flavor of a dish.

You already know that you like acid in connection to food if you add a squeeze of lemon to your fish or your favorite BBQ sauce is a North Carolina style with a vinegar base. You may have a preference for wines with a good acidity or feel pickles are essential when you have a sandwich piled high with pastrami.

Around here we had an ongoing editing duel over the word acid. Penny would use the word in a draft of an article and Ed would try to replace it with a “friendlier” word, e.g. tartness. To him the word acid was unappealing.

To Penny it was exactly what she meant to say. It represented the range of flavor balancing agents she used including citrus juices, vinegars, wines, beers, fermented vegetables, and dairy products like yogurt and crème fraiche to create our favorite dishes. Our duel ended as we explored the acid chapter in “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat” and we both gained a greater acceptance of the word acid as a positive part of cooking.

Exploring Acidity

The illustrations are an important part of this book. Penny thinks they should be sold as framed posters to add to kitchen decor and serve as references for cooks as they work. For example, as you can see above, acid is presented in a series of circles that lets you quickly explore the world of acid. The instructions say, “Use this wheel to help you choose which cooking acids (inner circle) and garnishing acids (outer circle) to use as you cook food from around the world.”

To add Vietnamese zest to your meal, you would cook with lime, rice wine vinegar, rice wine or beer, and garnish with fish sauce, hoisin sauce, or pickled shallots. The salad above took that Vietnamese route.

In Greece they cook with beer, wine, vinegar, or lemon, and finish with tomato, olive, yogurt, feta, or halloumi. Just knowing these selections for culture-after-culture can add excellent variation to something as simple as grilled chicken. The salad above took on that Greek character.

Recipes and Tips

In the “How Acid Works” section, you will learn how the chemistry of acid impacts things like color and texture along with tips for avoiding acid missteps. Next comes a recipe for Pasta Alle Vongole (spaghetti with clams) that demonstrates how acid works in a dish. That is followed by tips for using acid both within a dish and within a meal.

In addition to all of this, you are offered many variations. The recipe for Chicken and Garlic Soup has instructions for turning it into one of our favorite meals. Pho Ga or Vietnamese chicken noodle soup.

Remember, this is only one of four basic aspects of cooking that are explained in this book by the woman who taught Michael Pollan, New York Times bestselling author of The Omnivore's Dilemma, to cook.

In his foreword to the book Pollan wrote, “… I honestly can’t remember the last time I read a book on cooking that was this useful or unusual. I suspect that’s because reading SALT FAT ACID HEAT feels less like being in the pages of a cookbook than at a really good cooking school …" We highly recommend this book to both experienced cooks and those who are just beginning to explore the culinary arts.

SALT FAT ACID HEAT is available as an ebook, hardcover, or audiobook.

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List?

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino cover artwork courtesy of Salt-Fat-Acid-Heat

January 17, 2018
Cuvée Rosé from Laurent-Perrier Is Our Choice for a 2018 New Year’s Toast

Some years we do a long search for a special sparkling wine, finding a rare bottle that we will experience for the first time. This year, at our first shopping stop, we ran into an old favorite that brought back great memories of past toasts, so we went with it – a bottle of Cuvée Rosé from Laurent-Perrier!

This is a year when we want to think about past wines as we celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Sparkling Resolution we made back in 2007 and have kept ever since. We said New Years was not often enough to toast to the good things we had experienced in the past and what we looked forward to in the future, so we should raise a glass of sparkling wine for the first of every month. For 10 years we have happily kept that resolution and many of those wines have been featured here.

By the way, while some of our featured wines are hard to find, this one is widely distributed. If you are thinking of bringing this bubbly to someone special as a New Years gift, see if you can find a bottle in the impressive copper box with a magnetic cover. It will cost $70 – $95 but is definitely worth it!

We discovered this Cuvée Rosé from Laurent-Perrier years ago at Upstairs on the Square. (Sadly now gone from the great restaurant scene.) It was on the wine list at a price that was so reasonable that we asked one of our favorite bartenders to check that it was right. It was and we enjoyed this on a number of visits over the years. It will be great to toast 2018 and our memories of the great staff and collection of regulars who shared that bar with us.

About this wine from the winemaker:

Grape varietal: Pinot Noir 100%

Crus: 10 different crus located mainly in the South and North areas of the Montagne de Reims – including the famous Côte de Bouzy – notably from the finest crus of Ambonnay, Bouzy, Louvois and Tours-sur-Marne.

The grapes from carefully selected plots are sorted and destemmed before vatting. The maceration – lasting from 48h to 72h depending on the harvest – helps the extraction of the colour and the development of the full aromatic richness of the Pinot Noir.

Ageing: 5 years minimum.

What the reviewers say about Cuvée Rosé from Laurent-Perrier:

K&L Wines

"Made from 100% Pinot Noir grapes from a total of ten 100%-rated grands crus villages, this Champagne gets its glorious pink color and rounded red fruit flavors from a process known as "saigneé," in which the skins of the grapes are left in contact with the juice for three days. Laurent-Perrier's Cuvée Rosé not only makes a delicious apéritif, but is also a good match for a variety of different dishes. (Gary Westby, K&L Champagne Buyer)"

Wine Enthusiast

"Orange-pink in color, this dry wine has some good bottle age that has rounded the corners and allowed toast to join the red fruits and orange zest flavors. A complex background of acidity, structure and final tautness makes this wine ready to drink now."

Related Posts:

Our Sparkling Resolution is covered in this post : Join Us as We Toast…

A Few of Our Favorite Gifts for Wine Lovers

Here are all the wines we've covered. Since this is a category, this post may appear at the top. Just scroll down for more.

UpStairs On The Square Still A Well Rounded Favorite

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List?

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: Top photo ©2017 Penny Cherubino, Others courtesy of Laurent-Perrier

December 29, 2017
Cuvée Rosé from Laurent-Perrier Is Our Choice for a 2018 New Year’s Toast

Some years we do a long search for a special sparkling wine, finding a rare bottle that we will experience for the first time. This year, at our first shopping stop, we ran into an old favorite that brought back great memories of past toasts, so we went with it – a bottle of Cuvée Rosé from Laurent-Perrier!

This is a year when we want to think about past wines as we celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Sparkling Resolution we made back in 2007 and have kept ever since. We said New Years was not often enough to toast to the good things we had experienced in the past and what we looked forward to in the future, so we should raise a glass of sparkling wine for the first of every month. For 10 years we have happily kept that resolution and many of those wines have been featured here.

By the way, while some of our featured wines are hard to find, this one is widely distributed. If you are thinking of bringing this bubbly to someone special as a New Years gift, see if you can find a bottle in the impressive copper box with a magnetic cover. It will cost $70 – $95 but is definitely worth it!

We discovered this Cuvée Rosé from Laurent-Perrier years ago at Upstairs on the Square. (Sadly now gone from the great restaurant scene.) It was on the wine list at a price that was so reasonable that we asked one of our favorite bartenders to check that it was right. It was and we enjoyed this on a number of visits over the years. It will be great to toast 2018 and our memories of the great staff and collection of regulars who shared that bar with us.

About this wine from the winemaker:

Grape varietal: Pinot Noir 100%

Crus: 10 different crus located mainly in the South and North areas of the Montagne de Reims – including the famous Côte de Bouzy – notably from the finest crus of Ambonnay, Bouzy, Louvois and Tours-sur-Marne.

The grapes from carefully selected plots are sorted and destemmed before vatting. The maceration – lasting from 48h to 72h depending on the harvest – helps the extraction of the colour and the development of the full aromatic richness of the Pinot Noir.

Ageing: 5 years minimum.

What the reviewers say about Cuvée Rosé from Laurent-Perrier:

K&L Wines

"Made from 100% Pinot Noir grapes from a total of ten 100%-rated grands crus villages, this Champagne gets its glorious pink color and rounded red fruit flavors from a process known as "saigneé," in which the skins of the grapes are left in contact with the juice for three days. Laurent-Perrier's Cuvée Rosé not only makes a delicious apéritif, but is also a good match for a variety of different dishes. (Gary Westby, K&L Champagne Buyer)"

Wine Enthusiast

"Orange-pink in color, this dry wine has some good bottle age that has rounded the corners and allowed toast to join the red fruits and orange zest flavors. A complex background of acidity, structure and final tautness makes this wine ready to drink now."

Related Posts:

Our Sparkling Resolution is covered in this post : Join Us as We Toast…

A Few of Our Favorite Gifts for Wine Lovers

Here are all the wines we've covered. Since this is a category, this post may appear at the top. Just scroll down for more.

UpStairs On The Square Still A Well Rounded Favorite

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List?

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: Top photo ©2017 Penny Cherubino, Others courtesy of Laurent-Perrier

December 29, 2017
Fall for Braising! It’s One of Our Favorite Cooking Techniques

Braising is a great cooking method for fall and winter. With a little bit of preparation time and a few hours of letting a big pot of food slowly simmer, you can create a wonderful meal plus leftovers that can give you days of enjoyment.

We enjoyed three meals from one pot of braised chicken thighs. First we had them with brown rice and vegetables, then in a big batch of fried rice, and finally in a frittata.

What Is Braising?

The New Food Lover's Companion defines braise as, “A cooking method by which food (usually meat or vegetables) is first browned in fat, then cooked (tightly covered) in a small amount of liquid at low heat for a lengthy period of time. The long, slow cooking develops flavor and tenderizes foods by gently breaking down their fibers.”

Favorite Braises

Braised dishes can be as simple and homey as pot roast with potatoes and carrots. Or you can create zesty dishes like our favorite lamb shanks in a coffee chipotle sauce with carrots and onions or marinated chicken thighs flavored with ginger, garlic, soy, and scallions in the photo above.

That lamb is a dish we often make for company. Lamb shanks are a tough, bone-in cut of meat and are perfect for braising. The connective tissue and bone marrow melt into the braising liquid giving it an unctuous mouth-feel.

Penny always cooks the dish the day before and lets it sit in the refrigerator overnight. That lets her remove the fat that comes to the top before tucking it back in the oven to reheat. While the lamb bubbles away, she makes a big batch of cheesy polenta to serve alongside. The next day leftovers become one of the best lamb chilies you’ve ever tasted.

We enjoy braised chicken thighs more often as a way to stockpile good food for a busy week.

After the chicken has marinated, it’s cooked in the marinade plus some wine and Asian chicken stock. When the meat is meltingly tender, we enjoy a wonderful supper. In addition we have two great products to make other meals – the chicken thighs and a rich, Asian flavored chicken sauce. (Penny often freezes a bit of that sauce to enrich the next chicken braise.)

Second Acts!

A recent batch of chicken thighs was served the first night with brown rice and fresh vegetables. The following day, leftover rice and shredded chicken became a wok full of fried rice (shown above). As a last act, the remaining chicken appeared in a frittata for Sunday brunch (shown below).

Bonus Points for Braising

It can make entertaining a breeze because a braised dish is often better a day or two after you make it. The cook can spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying guests.

One year we made braised turkey for the holidays and cut back the work on the day of the meal.

The best cuts of meat for braising are the inexpensive ones. If they're on the bone, it adds to the flavor and, by the end of cooking, the meat will be falling-off-the-bone tender.

Removing excess fat can make a braise a healthier option allowing you to include a lot of vegetables to balance your plate.

A braise fills your home with lovely, warm, comforting aromas – just what you need on a stormy day.

Finally, as Michael Ruhlman writes in his book Ruhlman's Twenty, “Another great facet of braising is that it’s easy. Anyone can do it and do it well. It’s not like decorating a cake or boning a chicken in one piece. Everyone can get a pan hot, get a good sear on a piece of meat, add some liquid to the pan, slip it in the oven, and then find something else to do for hours.”

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List?

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2008-2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino

(Adapted for BostonZest from one of our Fresh & Local newspaper columns.)

November 29, 2017
Fall for Braising! It’s One of Our Favorite Cooking Techniques

Braising is a great cooking method for fall and winter. With a little bit of preparation time and a few hours of letting a big pot of food slowly simmer, you can create a wonderful meal plus leftovers that can give you days of enjoyment.

We enjoyed three meals from one pot of braised chicken thighs. First we had them with brown rice and vegetables, then in a big batch of fried rice, and finally in a frittata.

What Is Braising?

The New Food Lover's Companion defines braise as, “A cooking method by which food (usually meat or vegetables) is first browned in fat, then cooked (tightly covered) in a small amount of liquid at low heat for a lengthy period of time. The long, slow cooking develops flavor and tenderizes foods by gently breaking down their fibers.”

Favorite Braises

Braised dishes can be as simple and homey as pot roast with potatoes and carrots. Or you can create zesty dishes like our favorite lamb shanks in a coffee chipotle sauce with carrots and onions or marinated chicken thighs flavored with ginger, garlic, soy, and scallions in the photo above.

That lamb is a dish we often make for company. Lamb shanks are a tough, bone-in cut of meat and are perfect for braising. The connective tissue and bone marrow melt into the braising liquid giving it an unctuous mouth-feel.

Penny always cooks the dish the day before and lets it sit in the refrigerator overnight. That lets her remove the fat that comes to the top before tucking it back in the oven to reheat. While the lamb bubbles away, she makes a big batch of cheesy polenta to serve alongside. The next day leftovers become one of the best lamb chilies you’ve ever tasted.

We enjoy braised chicken thighs more often as a way to stockpile good food for a busy week.

After the chicken has marinated, it’s cooked in the marinade plus some wine and Asian chicken stock. When the meat is meltingly tender, we enjoy a wonderful supper. In addition we have two great products to make other meals – the chicken thighs and a rich, Asian flavored chicken sauce. (Penny often freezes a bit of that sauce to enrich the next chicken braise.)

Second Acts!

A recent batch of chicken thighs was served the first night with brown rice and fresh vegetables. The following day, leftover rice and shredded chicken became a wok full of fried rice (shown above). As a last act, the remaining chicken appeared in a frittata for Sunday brunch (shown below).

Bonus Points for Braising

It can make entertaining a breeze because a braised dish is often better a day or two after you make it. The cook can spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying guests.

One year we made braised turkey for the holidays and cut back the work on the day of the meal.

The best cuts of meat for braising are the inexpensive ones. If they're on the bone, it adds to the flavor and, by the end of cooking, the meat will be falling-off-the-bone tender.

Removing excess fat can make a braise a healthier option allowing you to include a lot of vegetables to balance your plate.

A braise fills your home with lovely, warm, comforting aromas – just what you need on a stormy day.

Finally, as Michael Ruhlman writes in his book Ruhlman's Twenty, “Another great facet of braising is that it’s easy. Anyone can do it and do it well. It’s not like decorating a cake or boning a chicken in one piece. Everyone can get a pan hot, get a good sear on a piece of meat, add some liquid to the pan, slip it in the oven, and then find something else to do for hours.”

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List?

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2008-2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino

(Adapted for BostonZest from one of our Fresh & Local newspaper columns.)

November 29, 2017
Winter & Holiday Preparations for Families that Include Dogs
When you think about preparing for winter, your first thoughts might be about snow tires or weatherproofing windows, but there are some dog related items you might want to add to your winter preparation list.

Maxie looks great in her winter sweater!

Before all the de-icing supplies for your building are purchased, you might ask that pet safe de-icer be used rather than salt or other toxic chemicals. This will not only benefit your dog, but also all the dogs who pass your home. It may even help some inside kitties since the people in the family won’t track in potential poisons.

Poppy loves winter more than we do. This is her response when we say she's been out too long.

If your winter gear is in storage, it’s time for a switch. Put away the beach gear, life jackets, and sun shades. If you haven’t taken a good look at your dog’s winter supplies, such as jackets, boots, sweaters, and your own cold weather walk equipment, now is a good time to assess and resupply before a sudden storm calls for full winter gear.

If you have a car and your dog travels with you, winter requires protection for seats from snowy, muddy paws. If you use car services, be sure to bring a towel or waterproof pad when your dog shares your ride. We always contact the driver to say we’re bringing a dog and something to protect your car seat.

Zipcar requires that members use a travel crate or bag when they take a pet along. In addition to the crate, we cover the back seat with waterproof pads so that Poppy can walk to her crate without leaving behind paw prints, sand, mud, or salt.

Here are a few more of our winter tips for dog families:
Marley is a well-traveled dog and a perfect guest in any home.

Travel Plans

The holiday season often requires special arrangements if you plan to travel or spend time with nearby family or friends.

Even with hotels and other lodgings you have visited with your pets in the past, confirming current policies and fees can prevent a nasty surprise when you arrive. We find that some fees are unreasonable. For example, Disney recently decided to allow pets in some of their hotels. However, they are charging a $50 per night cleaning fee.

Should you plan to have your favorite pet sitter, boarding kennel, friend, or family member take care of your critter while you are away, it’s a good idea to discuss this now before all spots are filled or other plans are made.

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

Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino

(Adapted for BostonZest from one of our City Paws newspaper columns.)
November 12, 2017
Winter & Holiday Preparations for Families that Include Dogs
When you think about preparing for winter, your first thoughts might be about snow tires or weatherproofing windows, but there are some dog related items you might want to add to your winter preparation list.

Maxie looks great in her winter sweater!

Before all the de-icing supplies for your building are purchased, you might ask that pet safe de-icer be used rather than salt or other toxic chemicals. This will not only benefit your dog, but also all the dogs who pass your home. It may even help some inside kitties since the people in the family won’t track in potential poisons.

Poppy loves winter more than we do. This is her response when we say she's been out too long.

If your winter gear is in storage, it’s time for a switch. Put away the beach gear, life jackets, and sun shades. If you haven’t taken a good look at your dog’s winter supplies, such as jackets, boots, sweaters, and your own cold weather walk equipment, now is a good time to assess and resupply before a sudden storm calls for full winter gear.

If you have a car and your dog travels with you, winter requires protection for seats from snowy, muddy paws. If you use car services, be sure to bring a towel or waterproof pad when your dog shares your ride. We always contact the driver to say we’re bringing a dog and something to protect your car seat.

Zipcar requires that members use a travel crate or bag when they take a pet along. In addition to the crate, we cover the back seat with waterproof pads so that Poppy can walk to her crate without leaving behind paw prints, sand, mud, or salt.

Here are a few more of our winter tips for dog families:
Marley is a well-traveled dog and a perfect guest in any home.

Travel Plans

The holiday season often requires special arrangements if you plan to travel or spend time with nearby family or friends.

Even with hotels and other lodgings you have visited with your pets in the past, confirming current policies and fees can prevent a nasty surprise when you arrive. We find that some fees are unreasonable. For example, Disney recently decided to allow pets in some of their hotels. However, they are charging a $50 per night cleaning fee.

Should you plan to have your favorite pet sitter, boarding kennel, friend, or family member take care of your critter while you are away, it’s a good idea to discuss this now before all spots are filled or other plans are made.

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

Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino

(Adapted for BostonZest from one of our City Paws newspaper columns.)
November 12, 2017
Assistive Devices for Dogs with Injuries or Disabilities

Almost a decade ago, we were introduced to Eddie’s Wheels for pets when we met a senior Weimaraner named Kepler rolling along the Commonwealth Avenue Mall. His hind legs were gently harnessed into a wheeled cart. Kepler had always been a very active, athletic dog. At age 13, his wheels gave him the freedom to stay that way.

Eddie’s Wheels is a company based in Shelburne Falls, MA. They build custom wheelchairs for dogs and cats and improve the quality of life not only for companion animals with disabilities, but also for the people who love them.

We were reminded of all the progress that has been made with assistive devices for dogs and cats when we spotted Bernie, a young Samoyed, wheeling his way along the mall in a far more streamlined rig.

Ramps, Stairs, and Lift Assistance

Cha Cha is a dog Penny sees on her morning walks. She's 16 years old and, like many a little old lady, needs a bit of help with her daily activities. Her guardian has added a lift assist harness to her walking gear. Cha Cha moves at her slow pace and when she needs a bit of an assist, a gentle sling around her belly allows her person to add support.

We had a visit from one of our rescue Westies, Swiffer, in his later years. He was having problems getting into the right position to relieve himself. We tore a wide strip off an old beach towel and used it exactly the way Cha Cha’s lift assist works. Assistance can be simple and homemade or something designed for that purpose.

This is one of our favorite portraits of our little pal Swiffer. How we all miss him!

Small footstools have been used by our dogs, as they aged, to get up on chairs and sofas. But there are also ready-made stairs and ramps that help a disabled or injured dog or cat reach a favorite spot. For example, there are special ramps designed to make getting a large dog into a car easier for everyone.

Tools for Special Needs

While we can hold an ice pack on our own sore spots, we need help to use ice to heal an injured animal. Now there are purpose-made, physical therapy icing devices that wrap around and stay secured on a leg, shoulder, neck, or paw.

Special splints, wraps, and booties can protect injured paws or skin and fur. Around the house, where wheels might not work, there are drag bags for paralyzed pets.

Today we address incontinence in pets with indoor puppy pads, diaper suspenders, disposable diapers, belly bands, and sometimes medication.

A halo harness for blind dogs protects their heads by bumping into things before the dog does.

For a deaf dog, you can use a vibration collar to help train the pup to recognize that you want their attention. (Since we have always been vehemently opposed to shock collars as training devices, we want to be clear that this assistive device emits a simple vibration like the one you have on your phone when you put it in silent mode.)

Before you decide to struggle along and make the best of a difficult situation, check with your pet care pros. Your veterinary team may suggest physical therapy where some of these products are commonly in use. A local pet shop may stock or be willing to special order the right assistive device. And pet sitters see the problems that others have solved, so be sure to ask their advice as well.

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

Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino

(Adapted for BostonZest from one of our City Paws newspaper columns.)

November 5, 2017