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Concerts in the Courtyard at the Boston Public Library for 2016
Once again the Boston Public Library comes through with free entertainment for those of us who take advantage of the endless ways this Boston resource serves the public. The Concert in the Courtyard series for 2016 began this week and will continue through August 31st.

Here's what the folks at the BPL have told us about this season.

"Boston Public Library’s free Concerts in the Courtyard series returns June 1 and runs through August 31, featuring a variety of artists and musical genres in the library’s iconic courtyard at the Central Library in Copley Square, located at 700 Boylston Street. Concerts are held on Wednesdays at 6 p.m. and on Fridays at 12:30 p.m. All the concerts are free and last approximately one hour. Wednesday concerts are presented in partnership with Berklee College of Music."

June Schedule:
- Rodolfo Arteaga, Wednesday, June 1 ● 6 p.m. Rodolfo Arteaga is a singer-songwriter and cellist from Ciudad Ojeda, Venezuela.
- Cocek! Brass Band, Friday, June 3 ● 12:30 p.m. Cocek! Brass Band’s original music is based on the sounds of Eastern European brass bands and blends dance music with improvisation and inspiring melodies.
- Samuel Batista, Wednesday, June 8 ● 6 p.m. Samuel Batista is an alto saxophone player from Panama City, Panama.
- Moody Street Sound, Friday, June 10 ● 12:30 p.m. Hailing from Lowell, Massachusetts, Moody Street Sound is a sextet specializing in jazz, soul, and the blues.
- Harshitha Krishnan, Wednesday, June 15 ● 6 p.m. Harshitha Krishnan is a vocalist of Indian origin from Lagos, Nigeria.
- Duo Esplanade, Friday, June 17 ● 12:30 p.m. Duo Esplanade explores the flexible sounds of flute and clarinet, both as solo instruments and as part of different instrumental combinations in the various styles of standard classical repertoire, new music, and original arrangements.
- Eduardo Mercuri, Wednesday, June 22 ● 6 p.m. Born in Curitiba, Brazil, guitar player Eduardo Mercuri has performed at the Panama Jazz Festival, Beantown Jazz Festival, and the 2013 Latin Grammys.
- Properly Unprepared, Friday, June 24 ● 12:30 p.m. Properly Unprepared is a jazz combo made up of five members with an average age of 18.
- Kristin Corpuz, Wednesday, June 29 ● 6 p.m. Kristin Corpuz is a singer-songwriter, actress, and dancer from Tampa, Florida, who currently attends Berklee College of Music as a 2013 Presidential Scholar.
July Schedule
- Phil Berman, Friday, July 1 ● 12:30 p.m.
- luhx., Wednesday, July 6 ● 6 p.m.
- Castle of our Skins, Friday, July 8 ● 12:30 p.m.
- MIXCLA, Wednesday, July 13 ● 6 p.m.
- Amaryllis Chamber Ensemble, Friday, July 15 ● 12:30 p.m.
- Dear June, Wednesday, July 20 ● 6 p.m.
- Isabel Stover and Molly Flannery, Friday, July 22 ● 12:30 p.m.
- Shirhan Agabeyli, Wednesday, July 27 ● 6 p.m.
- Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras’ Intensive Community Program, Friday, July 29 ● 12:30 p.m.
August Schedule
- Kyle Thornton & The Company, Wednesday, August 3 ● 6 p.m.
- Kenn Morr Band, Friday, August 5 ● 12:30 p.m.
- Njoki Karu, Wednesday, August 10 ● 6 p.m.
- Hiroya Tsukamoto, Friday, August 12 ● 12:30 p.m.
- James Fernando, Wednesday, August 17 ● 6 p.m.
- Yi David Yang, Friday, August 19 ● 12:30 p.m.
- Honeysuckle, Wednesday, August 24 ● 6 p.m.
- Boston Lyric Opera, Friday, August 26 ● 12:30 p.m.
- Aliya Cycon Project, Wednesday, August 31 ● 6 p.m.
Concerts in the Courtyard are generously supported by the Library Programs Fund at the Boston Public Library Foundation. Concerts will be moved indoors in the event of inclement weather.

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: © 2008-2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino
June 3, 2016
Our Search Is on for the Best Jamaican Patties in Boston!

We are missing the Jamaican Patties we enjoy in Provincetown and are now on the hunt for the best of Boston's offerings of this savory meat pie.

In Provincetown, we pick up a few at Far Land Provisions and heat them as a quick snack or to accompany a salad as a meal.

The flaky example above is from Izzy's on the corner of Windsor and Harvard Streets in Cambridge (map). We grabbed a few to go and enjoyed a great, quick lunch after a morning round of food shopping in Somerville and Cambridge.

We're making a list of the places where we will order upcoming Jamaican Patties or as some people call them Jamaican Meat Pies. We've done our research and will report back, but we'd love your opinions.

Most of the Jamaican Patties served in Boston come from major suppliers like the Tower Isles version shown above. Look for lettering on them, which may be obscured by the flaking of the crust.

Even with the commercial versions, the way a particular place prepares and holds the patties does make a difference to the quality.

Who serves great versions of this Caribbean classic? Do you know of places that make their own from scratch? Do you have a favorite frozen version and where do you buy those?

What's on your Food Lover's shopping list?

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino

June 2, 2016
Our Search Is on for the Best Jamaican Patties in Boston!

We are missing the Jamaican Patties we enjoy in Provincetown and are now on the hunt for the best of Boston's offerings of this savory meat pie.

In Provincetown, we pick up a few at Far Land Provisions and heat them as a quick snack or to accompany a salad as a meal.

The flaky example above is from Izzy's on the corner of Windsor and Harvard Streets in Cambridge (map). We grabbed a few to go and enjoyed a great, quick lunch after a morning round of food shopping in Somerville and Cambridge.

We're making a list of the places where we will order upcoming Jamaican Patties or as some people call them Jamaican Meat Pies. We've done our research and will report back, but we'd love your opinions.

Most of the Jamaican Patties served in Boston come from major suppliers like the Tower Isles version shown above. Look for lettering on them, which may be obscured by the flaking of the crust.

Even with the commercial versions, the way a particular place prepares and holds the patties does make a difference to the quality.

Who serves great versions of this Caribbean classic? Do you know of places that make their own from scratch? Do you have a favorite frozen version and where do you buy those?

What's on your Food Lover's shopping list?

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino

June 2, 2016
Toasting June with Summer Sparklers, Like Nino Franco, on the Beach
Join us as we lift a glass of a favorite sparkling wine to toast our new month of June 2016. We'll be toasting with an old favorite, Nino Franco Rustico.

This is a great summer wine and will add some fizzy fun to any day or any event. It is extremely food friendly, light in alcohol (11% ABV), and refreshing. This wine makes you understand why a glass of Prosecco is the start of so many meals in Italy. And it will make believers of people who have been put off my lesser quality, semi-dry Proseccos.

It is a wine to enjoy in any summer location or at home to remind you of days at that beachside getaway. (Frankly, remembering our recent stay in Provincetown is one of our reasons for choosing to begin June with a glass of Rustico.)

Our Tips for Summer Sparklers!
- Consider serving one wonderful sparkling wine at your next party. Living in a tiny home, the only wine glasses we own in quantity are flutes. When we entertain, we serve sparkling wine!
- Summer heat calls for lower alcohol, check the labels to find crisp, refreshing sparklers under 12% ABV.
- As you fill a bucket with bottles of fun fizz, add an equal number of bottles of sparkling water. As you walk around refilling glasses, offer your guests a choice of water or wine. If you drink one full glass of water for each glass of wine, you'll stay hydrated and cut calories.
- You don't need a wine cork for most sparkling wines, but you can use a champagne stopper and a champagne chiller.
- Ask your wine merchant to guide you to sparkling wines made from different grape varieties and from countries and wine regions beyond the usual sources of Champagne, Prosecco, Cava, Cremant, etc.
Cin Cin to June! May your month be filled with good things. We plan to enjoy the quiet time in Boston and toast our life in the city, often, with a glass of bubbles.

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.

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: © 2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino

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Toast July with American Sparkling Wines – A Few of Our Picks
June 1, 2016
Toasting June with Summer Sparklers, Like Nino Franco, on the Beach
Join us as we lift a glass of a favorite sparkling wine to toast our new month of June 2016. We'll be toasting with an old favorite, Nino Franco Rustico.

This is a great summer wine and will add some fizzy fun to any day or any event. It is extremely food friendly, light in alcohol (11% ABV), and refreshing. This wine makes you understand why a glass of Prosecco is the start of so many meals in Italy. And it will make believers of people who have been put off my lesser quality, semi-dry Proseccos.

It is a wine to enjoy in any summer location or at home to remind you of days at that beachside getaway. (Frankly, remembering our recent stay in Provincetown is one of our reasons for choosing to begin June with a glass of Rustico.)

Our Tips for Summer Sparklers!
- Consider serving one wonderful sparkling wine at your next party. Living in a tiny home, the only wine glasses we own in quantity are flutes. When we entertain, we serve sparkling wine!
- Summer heat calls for lower alcohol, check the labels to find crisp, refreshing sparklers under 12% ABV.
- As you fill a bucket with bottles of fun fizz, add an equal number of bottles of sparkling water. As you walk around refilling glasses, offer your guests a choice of water or wine. If you drink one full glass of water for each glass of wine, you'll stay hydrated and cut calories.
- You don't need a wine cork for most sparkling wines, but you can use a champagne stopper and a champagne chiller.
- Ask your wine merchant to guide you to sparkling wines made from different grape varieties and from countries and wine regions beyond the usual sources of Champagne, Prosecco, Cava, Cremant, etc.
Cin Cin to June! May your month be filled with good things. We plan to enjoy the quiet time in Boston and toast our life in the city, often, with a glass of bubbles.

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.

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: © 2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Related articles

We Toast the Month of May with Nino Franco Faive Rosé Brut

Consult Our Wine Collection Before You Shop for Bottles of Bubbles!

Michael Serpa Selects Champagne Jacquesson Cuvée 736 as Our Sparkler for June 2015

Brix Wine Shop Makes Our Nino Franco Dreams Come True!

Toast July with American Sparkling Wines – A Few of Our Picks
June 1, 2016
Rhubarb, Ginger Crostata Recipe from Leite’s Culinaria
Okay, when you click on this link to Leite’s Culinaria to get the recipe, it will just say Rhubarb Crostata, but the ginger sets this simple tart on a rung high above similar recipes.

I'm sure a few long-time readers are surprised to see a recipe for baked goods here because I'm not a baker, I'm a cook. But this dessert is so simple and quick that it should be part of every cook's repertoire.

I had posted the recipe on social media when it popped up on my daily reading list. (As you know from this previous Friday Link post, Leite’s Culinaria is one of my favorite sites.)

A friend saw it and delivered a big bag of her own freshly cut rhubarb with a note saying, "I was totally inspired by your rhubarb post this week …"

Just imagine walking into a summer potluck with a tray of these beauties made with whatever fruit is in season.

My Version with a Major Shortcut

I used Trader Joe's frozen pie crust instead of making my own. Thanks to this excellent, flaky crust and the ease of making crostata, I do make these pastries from time to time.

I've been using it since back in 2010 when Erin Zimmer, one of my editors at Serious Eats, tested it. She was right, it is crumbly. But this is an informal dessert and a few crumbles are fine.

My work to make this dessert consisted of cleaning and cutting the rhubarb, grating the ginger, and tossing those with the other ingredients.

I also used less sugar as suggested by one of the recipe testers. And, because I thought it would add depth and round out the sharp notes of the rhubarb and ginger, I used half light brown sugar and half raw sugar.

A Few Tips:
- The frozen dough takes time to thaw. I moved it from the freezer to the refrigerator overnight and it still had to sit on the counter for an hour before it was ready to use without cracking and breaking.
- I used local, organic ginger from Old Friends Farm. I keep a supply of this zesty alternative in my freezer and just grate it in its frozen state.
- Once thawed, I left the pie crust between its layers of plastic and used my hands to reseal a few cracks. That meant no rolling pin or floury counter to clean.
- You can use the bottom piece of the plastic to help flip the pastry onto your prepared baking sheet. Pile on the filling then flip up the sides in your most casual manner.
What's on your Food Lover's shopping list? Be sure to add David Leite's wonderful cookbook, The New Portuguese Table.

Details:

Words: Penny Cherubino

Photos: ©2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino

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May 27, 2016
Rhubarb, Ginger Crostata Recipe from Leite’s Culinaria
Okay, when you click on this link to Leite’s Culinaria to get the recipe, it will just say Rhubarb Crostata, but the ginger sets this simple tart on a rung high above similar recipes.

I'm sure a few long-time readers are surprised to see a recipe for baked goods here because I'm not a baker, I'm a cook. But this dessert is so simple and quick that it should be part of every cook's repertoire.

I had posted the recipe on social media when it popped up on my daily reading list. (As you know from this previous Friday Link post, Leite’s Culinaria is one of my favorite sites.)

A friend saw it and delivered a big bag of her own freshly cut rhubarb with a note saying, "I was totally inspired by your rhubarb post this week …"

Just imagine walking into a summer potluck with a tray of these beauties made with whatever fruit is in season.

My Version with a Major Shortcut

I used Trader Joe's frozen pie crust instead of making my own. Thanks to this excellent, flaky crust and the ease of making crostata, I do make these pastries from time to time.

I've been using it since back in 2010 when Erin Zimmer, one of my editors at Serious Eats, tested it. She was right, it is crumbly. But this is an informal dessert and a few crumbles are fine.

My work to make this dessert consisted of cleaning and cutting the rhubarb, grating the ginger, and tossing those with the other ingredients.

I also used less sugar as suggested by one of the recipe testers. And, because I thought it would add depth and round out the sharp notes of the rhubarb and ginger, I used half light brown sugar and half raw sugar.

A Few Tips:
- The frozen dough takes time to thaw. I moved it from the freezer to the refrigerator overnight and it still had to sit on the counter for an hour before it was ready to use without cracking and breaking.
- I used local, organic ginger from Old Friends Farm. I keep a supply of this zesty alternative in my freezer and just grate it in its frozen state.
- Once thawed, I left the pie crust between its layers of plastic and used my hands to reseal a few cracks. That meant no rolling pin or floury counter to clean.
- You can use the bottom piece of the plastic to help flip the pastry onto your prepared baking sheet. Pile on the filling then flip up the sides in your most casual manner.
What's on your Food Lover's shopping list? Be sure to add David Leite's wonderful cookbook, The New Portuguese Table.

Details:

Words: Penny Cherubino

Photos: ©2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Related articles

Dogs in Danger from the Xylitol Around Your Home

Do You Have a Signature Dish that You Bring to Food Gatherings?

Daytrip to the Lobster Pool in Rockport, MA

How To Make A Fern Pie Crust
May 27, 2016
Opinel Knives Are Perfect for Picnic & Vacation Season

We love our Opinel Knives! If you have one (or more like us), it's time to take it out and take it with you.

Here is our oldest Opinel, a traditional #8 with a carbon steel blade. Yes, we have to make sure it's clean and dry when we put it away but it has provided a sharp edge for years and years with just routine home maintenance.

If carbon steel is not right for you, they now make these knives in stainless steel. You'll also find some specialty blades made for gardeners, fishermen, mushroom foragers, and wine lovers!

Because Opinel knives are inexpensive (considering how well they work), we keep a few of them packed and ready to go (in the travel kit shown above) for cooking in other people's kitchens. There's one in our roof deck dining bag so we always have a knife to share a bit of cheese with friends. Back in the days when we had cars, we had one of these in each vehicle.

They make great gifts for anyone who loves to enjoy an impromptu bit of food and fun.

What's on your Food Lover's shopping list?

Details:

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

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May 26, 2016
Opinel Knives Are Perfect for Picnic & Vacation Season

We love our Opinel Knives! If you have one (or more like us), it's time to take it out and take it with you.

Here is our oldest Opinel, a traditional #8 with a carbon steel blade. Yes, we have to make sure it's clean and dry when we put it away but it has provided a sharp edge for years and years with just routine home maintenance.

If carbon steel is not right for you, they now make these knives in stainless steel. You'll also find some specialty blades made for gardeners, fishermen, mushroom foragers, and wine lovers!

Because Opinel knives are inexpensive (considering how well they work), we keep a few of them packed and ready to go (in the travel kit shown above) for cooking in other people's kitchens. There's one in our roof deck dining bag so we always have a knife to share a bit of cheese with friends. Back in the days when we had cars, we had one of these in each vehicle.

They make great gifts for anyone who loves to enjoy an impromptu bit of food and fun.

What's on your Food Lover's shopping list?

Details:

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

Related articles

Blue Tape for Marking Newly Sharpened Knives

Simple Spring Supper: Asparagus & Eggs

May 26, 2016
Bountiful Selection at Early Season Farmers Markets

These days you'll find much more than seedlings and a few greens at the first farmers markets of the season.

Just look at what we bought on opening day of the Copley Square Farmers Market!

Clockwise we have scallops and shrimp from Red's Best; white rye bread from Iggy's; almond butter from Fastachi; apples from Stillman's Farm; radishes and asparagus from The Kitchen Garden Farm; plus carrots, cucumbers, and greens purchased with our Atlas Farm market share.

We could have bought a lot more but our backpacks were full and we'll be visiting the market again on Friday.

Stillman's Farm stand at the Boston Public Market supplied shoppers with fruit and vegetables over the winter months.

Thanks to Year-Round Markets

Part of the reason we have more early season offerings is the support that shoppers have given to year-round farmers markets and the Boston Public Market.

Having someplace to sell crops has encouraged investments in cold weather farming infrastructures such as hoop houses and greenhouses.

Photo © 2016 by Halley Terry Stillman, used with permission.

Farmers can also store produce under ideal conditions resulting in crisp, crunchy apples like the Honeycrisps we bought from Stillman's Farm or the sweet spring parsnips that inspired Gordon Hamersley's parsnip soup recipe in the Boston Globe this week.

New Additions to the Market

Early season markets are also good places to get to know new vendors like Caroline from Kitchen Garden Farms who will be at Copley on Tuesdays. We not only added their radishes and asparagus to our shopping bags, we also sampled the Sriracha sauces (regular and habanero) they make with their own peppers. We'll put those on a future shopping list.

Take advantage of these May market days and visit Copley today or Friday. If not Copley, stop by another local market. Here's our List of the Opening Days of Boston area Farmers Markets.

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!

What's on your Food Lover's shopping list?

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino except as noted the one of the Copley Square Stillman's stand is by Halley Terry Stillman.

May 17, 2016