There are a few great stories to tell you about our choice of a sparkling wine to toast the month of March. This month we picked Dibon Cava Brut Rosé, another great value with bubbles. This one is 100% Garnacha!
Its sibling, the Brut Reserve (with the orange label behind this month's choice), is a longtime favorite of ours and of a bunch of people we rely on for great wine guidance. When Penny spotted the Rosé on her monthly shopping stop on Cambridge Street, she grabbed a bottle.
This wine is brought to our area by one of our favorite importers, Oz Wine Company from Haverhill, MA. We've learned over the years that the Oz name on a wine is a pretty good indication that we are going to like it.
We've noticed one of our favorite dining spots with a noted cocktail program uses Dibon as a mixer for their sparkling wine cocktails. Smart move! And, at around $12 a bottle, one you could copy.
While she was at it, Penny grabbed a bottle of our original Dibon as a thank you gift for a great gentleman who has given us wonderful service for the past few years. He has mentioned to her that he loves sparkling wines and wants to learn more about them. What better lesson than a great wine that costs about the same as some beers.
Dibon is widely available. The Rosé is a bit harder to find. We picked up ours at City Liquors, 620 Cambridge St., Cambridge, MA, 617-945-0095, Price: ~ $12.
In writing about this book for the James Beard Foundation, Maggie Borden praised it as a, “… masterful exploration of the contributions of African-American women to our nation's culinary landscape. Pages after pages of reproduced archival materials and recipes upend the historical stereotype of black women in the kitchen as illiterate ‘Aunt Jemimas,’ proving how instrumental these oft-ignored chefs were to our dinners and diets.”
Toni Tipton-Martin said about her research, "I eventually owned nearly 300 African American cookbooks …" dating back to 1827. Her work set me on my own search for food writing and cookbooks that would help me better understand the African American contribution to our shared food culture.
Building Houses Out of Chicken Legs
Building Houses Out of Chicken Legs by Psyche A. Williams-Forson examines the roles that chicken, both as the bird and the food, has played in the lives of black women from the past to the present. For some women, chicken led to economic freedom and independence.
This one is not a cookbook but is a fascinating read and, in some ways, connects the others on this list with one food, chicken. This connection with the food lore of the past came to my attention in a contemporary cookbook, Red Rooster by Marcus Samuelsson.
Samuelsson’s cookbook is about far more than recipes, just as his Harlem restaurant Red Rooster is as much about community as it is about food. Each section begins with an essay about some aspect of the multi-dimensional mission that Red Rooster represents to him and his team.
Chicken plays a starring role in his restaurant and his book as he tells of his two year obsession with creating the perfect fried chicken dish that would be worthy of the Harlem chicken tradition.
In an interesting connection to the The Jemima Code, the basement supper club is named Ginny’s after a woman from Harlem who worked for his partner’s family. He wants it to be a place where all the Ginnys would feel welcome.
No list on this topic would be complete without a book by chef and food writer Edna Lewis. Her New York Times obituary recalled an earlier interview in which she said, "As a child in Virginia, I thought all food tasted delicious. After growing up, I didn't think food tasted the same, so it has been my lifelong effort to try and recapture those good flavors of the past." With this in mind, I suggest you read her book, “The Taste of Country Cooking.”
While this column was introduced as a reading list, it is also a cooking list, and I hope you will try some of the recipes and/or menus you come across. All of these books are available from the Boston Public Library.
As a bonus for this online version of this Fresh & Local newspaper column, we have not only linked to the books on Amazon, but also to each author's page, making this a more extensive reading list in case you already know the specific books we selected to feature here.
In writing about this book for the James Beard Foundation, Maggie Borden praised it as a, “… masterful exploration of the contributions of African-American women to our nation's culinary landscape. Pages after pages of reproduced archival materials and recipes upend the historical stereotype of black women in the kitchen as illiterate ‘Aunt Jemimas,’ proving how instrumental these oft-ignored chefs were to our dinners and diets.”
Toni Tipton-Martin said about her research, "I eventually owned nearly 300 African American cookbooks …" dating back to 1827. Her work set me on my own search for food writing and cookbooks that would help me better understand the African American contribution to our shared food culture.
Building Houses Out of Chicken Legs
Building Houses Out of Chicken Legs by Psyche A. Williams-Forson examines the roles that chicken, both as the bird and the food, has played in the lives of black women from the past to the present. For some women, chicken led to economic freedom and independence.
This one is not a cookbook but is a fascinating read and, in some ways, connects the others on this list with one food, chicken. This connection with the food lore of the past came to my attention in a contemporary cookbook, Red Rooster by Marcus Samuelsson.
Samuelsson’s cookbook is about far more than recipes, just as his Harlem restaurant Red Rooster is as much about community as it is about food. Each section begins with an essay about some aspect of the multi-dimensional mission that Red Rooster represents to him and his team.
Chicken plays a starring role in his restaurant and his book as he tells of his two year obsession with creating the perfect fried chicken dish that would be worthy of the Harlem chicken tradition.
In an interesting connection to the The Jemima Code, the basement supper club is named Ginny’s after a woman from Harlem who worked for his partner’s family. He wants it to be a place where all the Ginnys would feel welcome.
No list on this topic would be complete without a book by chef and food writer Edna Lewis. Her New York Times obituary recalled an earlier interview in which she said, "As a child in Virginia, I thought all food tasted delicious. After growing up, I didn't think food tasted the same, so it has been my lifelong effort to try and recapture those good flavors of the past." With this in mind, I suggest you read her book, “The Taste of Country Cooking.”
While this column was introduced as a reading list, it is also a cooking list, and I hope you will try some of the recipes and/or menus you come across. All of these books are available from the Boston Public Library.
As a bonus for this online version of this Fresh & Local newspaper column, we have not only linked to the books on Amazon, but also to each author's page, making this a more extensive reading list in case you already know the specific books we selected to feature here.
This weekend, as I jumped over puddles on poorly drained corners and climbed over unshoveled snowbanks on others, I spotted this fashionista slowly falling back to the rear of her large group as they moved en mass down Boylston Street. Let's hope she doesn't have to walk on any of the less maintained residential streets of the city.
"Fashion as King is sometimes a very stupid ruler." E. T. Bell
About Photo Tales & Quotes: We keep hearing that people miss our cover photos that ran for years in the Back Bay Sun. That assignment was to provide a photo that showed what the week was like in the neighborhood. Often the photos illustrated favorite quotations. Photo Tales & Quotes is an occasional offering to our BostonZest readers featuring photos along the same theme but taken wherever we happen to be.
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!
This weekend, as I jumped over puddles on poorly drained corners and climbed over unshoveled snowbanks on others, I spotted this fashionista slowly falling back to the rear of her large group as they moved en mass down Boylston Street. Let's hope she doesn't have to walk on any of the less maintained residential streets of the city.
"Fashion as King is sometimes a very stupid ruler." E. T. Bell
About Photo Tales & Quotes: We keep hearing that people miss our cover photos that ran for years in the Back Bay Sun. That assignment was to provide a photo that showed what the week was like in the neighborhood. Often the photos illustrated favorite quotations. Photo Tales & Quotes is an occasional offering to our BostonZest readers featuring photos along the same theme but taken wherever we happen to be.
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!
Duchess Poppy Whitehead here! (Once we're friends, you can call me Poppy.)
Here is something you need to put on the to-do list of your human servants.
GET YOUR 2017 DOG LICENSE
In Boston it's so simple even a human can do it. I nagged a bit when I spotted the envelope from Inspectional Services in the mail pile, sat Penny down at her computer, and I already have an official 2017 dog tag from the city.
License
Because I already had all my information in the system, the city sent a reminder to my staff. But, this year, it arrived early in February instead of late March or April. Good work dog license crew.
My new tag arrived in a week!
Just like you have to make sure your chauffeur has a valid driver's license, you have to be sure one of your human staff members gets you a Boston dog license. (If Boston is your main residence and you are more than six months old.)
Please don't come running up to me on one of those long, thin, dangerous strings with a pulley. I'm a bit shy and I don't trust those things. You'll make me stamp my little paw down!
Boston's leash law is clearly stated on the city’s site, “When your dog is off your property, it must be on a leash.” City ordinance calls for a leash of 10-feet or less. That makes most retractable leashes technically illegal in Boston. If a person tries to attach one to you, g-r-o-w-l at them.
One more interesting aspect of Boston’s dog rules is that while out with you, your retainers, if asked, must be able to show that they are carrying something to pick up dog waste. This makes city dog walks a prime reason to attach a roll of pick-up bags to your leash.
Even if your people use recycled bags to do the majority of clean ups, the roll will give them a back up supplies if you are stopped after your business is done, but the walk isn’t.
Sir Felix is one of my special knights. He prefers a leather leash or halter when he escorts me around the pond.
Dog Parks
I must admit, I'm not much of a dog park dog. I prefer a nice chat on a park bench or a picnic lunch under a shady tree.
But, for those who like to romp, the legal exceptions to the leash law are: the “official off-leash hours” on the Boston Common, and inside the fences at dog parks like Peter’s Park in the South End, DeFilippo Park in the North End, and Ronan Park in Dorchester.
Emergency Services
The one bit of guidance you must be sure your humans note is that Angell Animal Medical Center Emergency Services are available, as they say, “… every day of the year, 24 hours each day.” My people have their number on all our cell phones in case of an emergency. And it can't hurt to have your chauffeur practice a drive to the location so he or she will know where you are going during a stressful time. You don't want to be giving the driver directions if you have an upset tummy.
Questions?
If you have questions about living in Boston, have your people send them to my people and I'll try to dig out answers. (I do love to dig.) Add your thoughts in the comments below. Tweet them to @BostonZest or send us an email.
Get to know all of the wonderful 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!
Duchess Poppy Whitehead here! (Once we're friends, you can call me Poppy.)
Here is something you need to put on the to-do list of your human servants.
GET YOUR 2017 DOG LICENSE
In Boston it's so simple even a human can do it. I nagged a bit when I spotted the envelope from Inspectional Services in the mail pile, sat Penny down at her computer, and I already have an official 2017 dog tag from the city.
License
Because I already had all my information in the system, the city sent a reminder to my staff. But, this year, it arrived early in February instead of late March or April. Good work dog license crew.
My new tag arrived in a week!
Just like you have to make sure your chauffeur has a valid driver's license, you have to be sure one of your human staff members gets you a Boston dog license. (If Boston is your main residence and you are more than six months old.)
Please don't come running up to me on one of those long, thin, dangerous strings with a pulley. I'm a bit shy and I don't trust those things. You'll make me stamp my little paw down!
Boston's leash law is clearly stated on the city’s site, “When your dog is off your property, it must be on a leash.” City ordinance calls for a leash of 10-feet or less. That makes most retractable leashes technically illegal in Boston. If a person tries to attach one to you, g-r-o-w-l at them.
One more interesting aspect of Boston’s dog rules is that while out with you, your retainers, if asked, must be able to show that they are carrying something to pick up dog waste. This makes city dog walks a prime reason to attach a roll of pick-up bags to your leash.
Even if your people use recycled bags to do the majority of clean ups, the roll will give them a back up supplies if you are stopped after your business is done, but the walk isn’t.
Sir Felix is one of my special knights. He prefers a leather leash or halter when he escorts me around the pond.
Dog Parks
I must admit, I'm not much of a dog park dog. I prefer a nice chat on a park bench or a picnic lunch under a shady tree.
But, for those who like to romp, the legal exceptions to the leash law are: the “official off-leash hours” on the Boston Common, and inside the fences at dog parks like Peter’s Park in the South End, DeFilippo Park in the North End, and Ronan Park in Dorchester.
Emergency Services
The one bit of guidance you must be sure your humans note is that Angell Animal Medical Center Emergency Services are available, as they say, “… every day of the year, 24 hours each day.” My people have their number on all our cell phones in case of an emergency. And it can't hurt to have your chauffeur practice a drive to the location so he or she will know where you are going during a stressful time. You don't want to be giving the driver directions if you have an upset tummy.
Questions?
If you have questions about living in Boston, have your people send them to my people and I'll try to dig out answers. (I do love to dig.) Add your thoughts in the comments below. Tweet them to @BostonZest or send us an email.
Get to know all of the wonderful 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!
It's time to keep your eyes open for this second issue of To Market. This is a second great publication from the same folks that bring us Edible Boston.
Here's the cover that you want.
In my preview copy, I found a fun set of connections. I wrote a recent Fresh & Local newspaper column on following recipes. As I was looking for the perfect thought to wrap up my article, an online conversation with award-winning food writer Maria Speck contained the perfect quote and she gave me permission to use it. (Thanks, Maria!)
I curled up in my chair with the new To Market and found a great article, The Revival of New England Grains by Maria Speck. In it, she gives a bit of history, an outline of the grains that are finally being grown locally, and a list of farms that are adding a missing link to our local tables.
One more link was seeing Four Star Farm on the list of suppliers. This farm gave me my introduction to the great taste of our local grains. A few years ago, they made a guest appearance at the Copley Farmers Market and I was able to buy their whole wheat and Barley.
Naturally, there is a lot more to discover in this issue, so get a copy and enjoy.
Here are Maria Speck's books, if you want to learn a lot more about all those ancient grains that are new again.
First, pick up a copy of To Market at one of these locations. In fact, pick up two copies and share one with a food-loving friend or leave it where someone might discover it among lesser publications and become a new fan.
May I suggest that you let their sponsors know you saw them in the magazine and grab an extra copy and get it to someone else who cares about supporting the local food movement. Also, if you have a blog, twitter account, or facebook page, write about them, link to them, follow them, retweet their tweets, like them on facebook, and in general, spread the word about this great asset to our community.
It's time to keep your eyes open for this second issue of To Market. This is a second great publication from the same folks that bring us Edible Boston.
Here's the cover that you want.
In my preview copy, I found a fun set of connections. I wrote a recent Fresh & Local newspaper column on following recipes. As I was looking for the perfect thought to wrap up my article, an online conversation with award-winning food writer Maria Speck contained the perfect quote and she gave me permission to use it. (Thanks, Maria!)
I curled up in my chair with the new To Market and found a great article, The Revival of New England Grains by Maria Speck. In it, she gives a bit of history, an outline of the grains that are finally being grown locally, and a list of farms that are adding a missing link to our local tables.
One more link was seeing Four Star Farm on the list of suppliers. This farm gave me my introduction to the great taste of our local grains. A few years ago, they made a guest appearance at the Copley Farmers Market and I was able to buy their whole wheat and Barley.
Naturally, there is a lot more to discover in this issue, so get a copy and enjoy.
Here are Maria Speck's books, if you want to learn a lot more about all those ancient grains that are new again.
First, pick up a copy of To Market at one of these locations. In fact, pick up two copies and share one with a food-loving friend or leave it where someone might discover it among lesser publications and become a new fan.
May I suggest that you let their sponsors know you saw them in the magazine and grab an extra copy and get it to someone else who cares about supporting the local food movement. Also, if you have a blog, twitter account, or facebook page, write about them, link to them, follow them, retweet their tweets, like them on facebook, and in general, spread the word about this great asset to our community.
Our readers are already searching our past posts to figure out where to dine on New Year's Eve in Boston. It's time for you to grab a reservation at a special place! (From now on we'll just update this post for future years, so you can come back here anytime for our latest information.)
And, since it was popular last year, we're adding a few places we think might be great for starting off 2017 with friends and family around a brunch table.
We all have our ideas of the perfect New Year's Eve.
Are you looking for a place to ring in 2017 with a happy crowd?
Will you be out and about dropping in on events or house parties?
Or will you make a reservation for a quiet dinner before popping a cork for a private celebration?
Is a walk to view skating on the Frog Pond more your style?
We'll leave the New Year's Eve reservation for those of you who like to be part of a bigger celebration, while we spend the evening with some sparkling wine, good food, and great companions. However, we have gathered resources to help you find a place for any kind of New Year's Eve you'd like.
You can put a time into the reservation box on the main page and see what's available. Remember, many places have special prix fixe menus for occasions like this and some may require a credit card to hold a reservation.
The site Boston Chefs always posts a listing of its member restaurants that have special plans for New Year's Eve. Here is their New Year's Eve list. And, here's the list for New Year's Day. We'll update this section as we spot new information from these sources.
We'll add updates with other lists, as they become available, from trusted sources around town. Please remember that when we provide a link to a list, we are just giving you a resource. It doesn't mean we are recommending the restaurants on that list. These summaries often include places we love, but since other publishers have different standards, their list may include restaurants we would never recommend.
We Do Recommend!
There are restaurants that have planned a special New Year's Eve menu but have built their reputations on high-quality food. These are places where you can expect to have a wonderful meal any day of the year.
Select Oyster Bar offering a 3 course New Year's Eve menu all day Saturday, December 31st alongside their full regular menu this NYE.
Coppa will be serving their regular a la carte menu throughout the evening for revelers who want to end the year with a meal full of familiar favorites.
Row 34 Chef Sewall will be serving the regular dinner menu with luxurious additions, like Ossestra caviar service or plates like potato latkes with caviar and salmon pastrami.
Bistro du Midi is offering two seatings at two prices with two prix fixe menus.
Craigie on Main early seating for a five-course prix fixe menu, with optional add-on wine pairings. Or, if you're ready to celebrate into night, choose the later seating for a six-course menu and Champagne toast.
Grotto on Beacon Hill, and Marliave downtown all join that list of places sticking with the food you love.
La Morra in Brookline will serve a three-course prix fixe menu with a glass of Prosecco!
Myers + Chang will add special items to their regular menu and serve it all Dim Sum style.
Where are you spending the evening? What's your favorite way to celebrate? Come back on January 1st and tell us about your New Year's Eve.
Open Table did not have a New Year's Day Brunch list when we prepared this post. We put a request in for a table at 11:30 a.m. to come up with our recommendations.
Craigie on Main decided to do away with their regular Sunday brunch, but they will have brunch on a few selected holidays like New Year's Day.
Petit Robert Bistro would be a great place to enjoy the beginning of a new year with a gang.
. 
to your leash.