Category: Books

Edible Boston’s Winter 2015 Issue Is Available

For me, the sure sign that the seasons are changing is the arrival of my review copy of Edible Boston.

This issue’s cover is another fabulous Michael Piazza photo of a fermentation pot by potter Jeremy Ogusky. Inside, you’ll learn how this man has spearheaded a local fermentation movement. From sauerkraut to kimchi, we are all eating more fermented foods and this article features some of the ways we can learn more about this age-old food preservation method.

Farmer’s Diary

I always turn to John Lee’s Farmer’s Diary. I love having this point of view from someone who spends their days on the farm and thinking about the present and future of farming. I had the great pleasure of interviewing John Lee for Serious Eats a while back and was so impressed with the thoughful and intelligent approach he takes to the farming life.

This issue, he will tell you a bit about the “50 x 60” New England Food Vision – a goal of supplying 50% of our food Requirements by 2060.

Cookbook Review

This issue also contains a timely Cookbook round up. For holiday giving or for yourself, it contains a great selection of titles.

You’ll meet another issue full of food makers, food growers, and food curators. And, the ads will give you lots of great ideas for holiday gifting. Of course, a gift subscription to Edible Boston itself would be the perfect holiday gift for anyone who is a lover of fresh, local food, and the people who bring it our way.

Support publisher, Ilene Bezahler and her talented team

First, pick up a copy of Edible Boston 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.

And, to be sure you never miss an issue, you can subscribe over on their website!

What’s on your Food Lover’s shopping list? Shop Amazon for all your kitchen & dining needs and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny Cherubino
Covershot: Courtesy of Edible Boston

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November 21, 2014
North Bennet Street School Open House in Their New Facility

We've told you about the open houses held at North Bennet Street School in the past. This Boston treasure trove is a place that turns dreams into reality. We have November 14 & 15 marked on our calendars because we can't wait to see the new facility at 150 North Street.

They say:

"Aspiring furniture makers, bookbinders, carpenters, jewelry makers – or those merely curious about the process of making beautiful things by hand – are invited to a special behind-the-scenes look at one of America's oldest schools of craftsmanship during a two-day open house at North Bennet Street School’s new facility at 150 North Street in Boston's historic North End."

We say:

This is a great way to spend some time meeting people who have gone after their dreams. Who knows, a door may open for you and you'll become a student. Or, perhaps you'll decide to explore one of the fine crafts they teach at a workshop or short course.

Or, you may decide to put someone's feet on the path to their dream with a North Bennet Street School gift certificate as a holiday gift.

Everything You Need to Know to Visit

As always, when the school provides us with information for an upcoming event, they think of all the little details that make it easy for our readers to get there and enjoy their visit.

Who: North Bennet Street School

What: Annual Open House and Open Studios

Where: 150 North Street, Boston, MA 02109 (North End, just off the Rose Kennedy Greenway)

When: Friday, November 14, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm; Saturday, November 15, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm

Cost: FREE

Handicap Access: Yes

Parking: Limited street parking (metered) and discounted parking at the Parcel 7 garage – http://www.nbss.edu/about/the-boston-area/visit/index.aspx#

Nearest T stop: Haymarket (Orange, Green lines)

Directions: via Google maps – http://goo.gl/maps/97sY4

More Open House details: www.nbss.edu/openhouse

More about NBSS full-time programs and workshops: http://www.nbss.edu

Contact: 617-227-0155 and admissions@nbss.edu

What's on your Artistic Shopping List? Shop Amazon for all your arts & craft needs, and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: by Maureen Cotton, Courtesy of North Bennet Street School

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November 14, 2014
The Book “Dirty Old Boston” Is Our Friday Link

Thumbing through our review copy of Dirty Old Boston: Four Decades of a City in Transition, one of the first photos I spotted was one we had used recently right here on BostonZest for our post: Where Is This Lion? Fun with Historic Photos!

If you love our posts that include photography from Boston's rich history, you could fill a rainy afternoon paging through Dirty Old Boston. We used this photo as a clue to one of our Attention to Detail searches were you have to try to remember where you saw an architectural detail.

Dirty Old Boston author Jim Botticelli used it as one example of the faces and places of Boston in the 1950s. His caption:

"All he wants are his two front teeth. Posing with the Stowe Lion on Columbus Avenue. South End, 1950s. Photos by Leslie Jones."

The book is divided by decades from the 1940s to the 1980s and is full of the people, places, events, and changes that left their mark on each era.

Here's Part of the Publisher's Description

"Rich and compelling, Dirty Old Boston chronicles the people, streets, and buildings from the postwar years to 1987. From ball games to dive bars, and amidst an ever-changing skyline, Dirty Old Boston captures some of the city’s most dramatic and tumultuous events including the wholesale razing of neighborhoods, Boston’s busing crisis, and the continual fight for affordable housing.

Photographs—assembled from family albums, student projects, institutional archives, and professional collections—reveal Boston as seen from the streets. What emerges is a narrative of a city tearing down and rebuilding, protesting and celebrating, fading and thriving. Illuminating Boston’s singular tenacity and spirit, Dirty Old Boston presents our proud moments and doesn’t shy away from our growing pains. Raw and beautiful, this book is an important and evocative tribute to the city and its people."

The Hancock Tower is shown under construction on one page and after (photo above) with the caption,"Slabs of plywood already plague I.M. Pei's design. Back Bay, 1973. Courtesy National Archives"

A Book to Share

My copy already has page after page tagged with Post-it flags marking sections I want to share with others. In fact, there are so many photos that I want to share with my friend Linda Cox, that I'm going to have to plan a long coffee hour just to talk about them. We both love historic photos.

Sharing the fun of exploring this book with others who love this city and learning from some of the people who have lived here through these decades will be half the fun of having it. It contains many photos from private collections that even a historic photo geek like me has never had the opportunity to view.

Some pages will hit emotional hot buttons. I found myself running my finger across the photo of Max Kaiserman at his newsstand in Copley Square where I used to buy my morning papers. It's that kind of book – one that will bring back memories for some and show others what was here before they were.

Dirty Old Boston: Four Decades of a City in Transition will also make a wonderful holiday gift for any fan of this city and its history.

Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny Cherubino
Photography: Courtesy of Union Park Press and Dirty Old Boston: Four Decades of a City in Transition.

November 7, 2014
More Ways to Save Money by Linking with the Boston Public Library

At the beginning of the summer, we received a press release from the Boston Public Library (BPL) full of great information. With lots of new residents joining the BostonZest readers each September, we decided to save this list of resources until now. We're turning the keyboard over to our friends at the BPL for today's Friday Link.

(These photos are from the BPL App-see #5 below.)

"Boston Public Library’s collections can be easily accessed from home, a local coffee shop, or even the beach. Anyone who lives, works, or goes to school in Massachusetts can have a Boston Public Library card. Many residents of the Commonwealth start with an e-card, available online at www.bpl.org/ecard, which grants immediate access to the BPL’s digital resources.

Here are seven ways to sync with the Boston Public Library’s collections and services – all while on the go:

1. Download e-books. Search for e-books – including Kindle titles – and audiobooks in the Boston Public Library’s catalog alongside printed books. Watch a brief tutorial about how to download the books to your e-reader, computer, or mobile device via www.bpl.org/collections/downloadable.htm.

2. Stream music, movies, television shows, and audiobooks. Use your library card to borrow videos, music, and audiobooks for your tablet, smartphone, or laptop. Get started via www.bpl.org/collections/hoopla.htm.

3. Read digital magazines. Enjoy more than 170 popular consumer magazines in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Portuguese via www.bpl.org/collections/zinio.htm. Find titles like Cosmopolitan, Us Weekly, Rolling Stone, and Newsweek.

4. Learn a new language. Boston Public Library offers free access to online language-learning tools such as Powerspeak and Mango, which includes a language-learning tool for children called Little Pim. Learn more via www.bpl.org/electronic/language.asp.

5. Use the BPL app. Renew books, place hold requests (and have them delivered to any BPL location), browse new items, view hours, and more. Download the app via www.bpl.org/mobile.

6. Discover electronic databases. Find newspapers, journal articles, classical music scores, and more. Electronic resources include everything from the archive of the Sunday Times (London) to National Geographic’s virtual library. Go to www.bpl.org/electronic/.

7. Get social. Follow the BPL via social media channels like Twitter, Instagram, Flickr, and Facebook for information on the latest library happenings and to view digitized images of the library’s collection. Boston Public Library’s Twitter and Instagram handle is @BPLBoston."

Related Posts:

How Much Money Have You Saved with Your Boston Public Library Card?

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7 Things We Learned at the BPL Conservation Lab!

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 and the BPL staff.
Photography: © 2014 Penny & Ed Cherubino with screenshots from the BPL app.

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September 5, 2014
Cheese Question: Do You Eat the Rind?

One question always comes up when discussing cheese. “Do you eat the rind?”

If it is a natural rind that developed as part of the aging process (like the one on the Rogue River Caveman Blue above), you can eat it. If it is an artificial coating like wax, you shouldn’t eat it. If it's a wrapping like the the grape leaves that Rogue River uses to wrap its award winning rogue River Blue, you can unwrap it, but I would recommend enjoying the flavor the wrapper has added to the cheese it abutted.

Cheeses may also be rubbed with something delicious and that may tempt you to taste the rind. The Vella Dry Jack above is rubbed with a mixture of oil, pepper, and unsweetened cocoa during the aging process.

One of the best suggestions I’ve heard over the years was in the The Murray's Cheese Handbook. “If you're not sure eat your cheese from the inside out. The flavors will be stronger the closer you get to the rind, and if you don't like the paste just beneath the rind, you probably won't like the rind itself.”

This is a great suggestion for the Twig Farm Mixed Drum above. In the photo you can see how the cheese texture and look changes from inside out. Ed would cut off all the rind. That's how he enjoys it. I will taste it before I decide. Sometimes it's too funky but other times it's like getting a second cheese flavor as a bonus for tasting the rind with some of your bites.

I may wash the rind on a stinky washed rind cheese (like the Brebirousse d'Argental Petit: Soft Ripe Sheep's Milk Cheese above) before I try to eat it.

For me, it depends on the type of rind and the condition of the cheese. I’ll normally eat the rind on Brie, Camembert, and a soft bloomy goat cheese like the Cypress Grove Truffle Tremor in the photo above. But, I only buy these cheeses when they are perfectly ripe and I use them right away.

Most of the time, I don’t eat the hard, crusty rinds on long-aged cheeses like Cabot Clothbound Cheddar. Tasting the rind and eating the cheese all the way to the rind can be one more way to explore cheese.

And, here are other posts from our Cheese Collection!

What's on your Cheese shopping list? Here are some great books about cheese. These make wonderful gifts for a cheese lover. And, when you shop Amazon from here, they put some coins in our tip jar.

Details:

Words: Penny Cherubino
Photography: © 2008-2014 Penny & Ed Cherubino, Cabot Clothbound Cheddar photo courtesy of Cabot Cheese.

July 22, 2014
Cheese Question: Do You Eat the Rind?

One question always comes up when discussing cheese. “Do you eat the rind?”

If it is a natural rind that developed as part of the aging process (like the one on the Rogue River Caveman Blue above), you can eat it. If it is an artificial coating like wax, you shouldn’t eat it. If it's a wrapping like the the grape leaves that Rogue River uses to wrap its award winning rogue River Blue, you can unwrap it, but I would recommend enjoying the flavor the wrapper has added to the cheese it abutted.

Cheeses may also be rubbed with something delicious and that may tempt you to taste the rind. The Vella Dry Jack above is rubbed with a mixture of oil, pepper, and unsweetened cocoa during the aging process.

One of the best suggestions I’ve heard over the years was in the The Murray's Cheese Handbook. “If you're not sure eat your cheese from the inside out. The flavors will be stronger the closer you get to the rind, and if you don't like the paste just beneath the rind, you probably won't like the rind itself.”

This is a great suggestion for the Twig Farm Mixed Drum above. In the photo you can see how the cheese texture and look changes from inside out. Ed would cut off all the rind. That's how he enjoys it. I will taste it before I decide. Sometimes it's too funky but other times it's like getting a second cheese flavor as a bonus for tasting the rind with some of your bites.

I may wash the rind on a stinky washed rind cheese (like the Brebirousse d'Argental Petit: Soft Ripe Sheep's Milk Cheese above) before I try to eat it.

For me, it depends on the type of rind and the condition of the cheese. I’ll normally eat the rind on Brie, Camembert, and a soft bloomy goat cheese like the Cypress Grove Truffle Tremor in the photo above. But, I only buy these cheeses when they are perfectly ripe and I use them right away.

Most of the time, I don’t eat the hard, crusty rinds on long-aged cheeses like Cabot Clothbound Cheddar. Tasting the rind and eating the cheese all the way to the rind can be one more way to explore cheese.

And, here are other posts from our Cheese Collection!

What's on your Cheese shopping list? Here are some great books about cheese. These make wonderful gifts for a cheese lover. And, when you shop Amazon from here, they put some coins in our tip jar.

Details:

Words: Penny Cherubino
Photography: © 2008-2014 Penny & Ed Cherubino, Cabot Clothbound Cheddar photo courtesy of Cabot Cheese.

July 22, 2014
How Much Money Have You Saved with Your Boston Public Library Card?

My Boston Public Library (BPL) card is old and grey! In the years since I moved to Boston, the cards have become brightly colored. But, I'm proud of my old, grey card. Because of it, I have saved thousands of dollars and hours of time. We are making the BPL library card our Friday Link.

I have a shelf in our living room reserved for the library materials I have out-on-loan. The only time you'll find that shelf empty is when we're going away and I have returned all my library goodies.

Right now, I'm auditioning Nigel Slater's Kitchen Diaries. This is the seventh cookbook I've borrowed this year. With each book, I have an opportunity to sit and really decide how this would fit into an overcrowded food reference library.

Does it offer enough new material that I don't already have in other books?

Are the recipes ones that I will use and recommend to my friends and readers?

Does the writing and photography offer inspiration?

Should I sell or donate another book and buy this one to take its place on the shelf?

Of course, reference books on the topics I write about are only part of the savings.

I use the electronic resources, download audiobooks, get help from librarians in specialized subjects, and use the digital books, photos, and maps the BPL offers to learners from Boston and beyond. I also attend educational programs, exhibits, and public meetings at the BPL.

How much money have I saved? I don't really know but I would estimate that the figure is substantial. What's more, using a shared resource is good for the environment. Using digital resouces is even better.

The BPL is a money-saving, green resource and should be promoted and protected by all who use and love this system of free lifetime learning.

Don't have a BPL card? Look what you're missing! Here's how to get one!

What's on your Artistic Shopping List? Shop Amazon for all your Arts & Craft needs and support this site!

Details:

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

June 27, 2014
How Much Money Have You Saved with Your Boston Public Library Card?

My Boston Public Library (BPL) card is old and grey! In the years since I moved to Boston, the cards have become brightly colored. But, I'm proud of my old, grey card. Because of it, I have saved thousands of dollars and hours of time. We are making the BPL library card our Friday Link.

I have a shelf in our living room reserved for the library materials I have out-on-loan. The only time you'll find that shelf empty is when we're going away and I have returned all my library goodies.

Right now, I'm auditioning Nigel Slater's Kitchen Diaries. This is the seventh cookbook I've borrowed this year. With each book, I have an opportunity to sit and really decide how this would fit into an overcrowded food reference library.

Does it offer enough new material that I don't already have in other books?

Are the recipes ones that I will use and recommend to my friends and readers?

Does the writing and photography offer inspiration?

Should I sell or donate another book and buy this one to take its place on the shelf?

Of course, reference books on the topics I write about are only part of the savings.

I use the electronic resources, download audiobooks, get help from librarians in specialized subjects, and use the digital books, photos, and maps the BPL offers to learners from Boston and beyond. I also attend educational programs, exhibits, and public meetings at the BPL.

How much money have I saved? I don't really know but I would estimate that the figure is substantial. What's more, using a shared resource is good for the environment. Using digital resouces is even better.

The BPL is a money-saving, green resource and should be promoted and protected by all who use and love this system of free lifetime learning.

Don't have a BPL card? Look what you're missing! Here's how to get one!

What's on your Artistic Shopping List? Shop Amazon for all your Arts & Craft needs and support this site!

Details:

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

June 27, 2014
Guy Larmandier, Cramant Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs, Our May Sparkler

This time, our Sparkler of the Month is a Champagne, Guy Larmandier, Cramant Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut NV to be specific. Happy new month!

Those of you who follow our sparkling wine posts may have noticed that we seldom choose a 100% Chardonnay wine. But, we did take this recommendation at Gordon’s because it was from one of our favorite importers, Neal Rosenthal.

We took this gem from our wine rack to Provincetown to sit and sip by the sea. Note that this is a Grand Cru Champagne from the Village of Cramant. It is not a Crémant from another part of France.

And, it lived up to our expectations! It’s a blanc de blancs that is playing in a different key. Penny couldn’t place the fruit she was tasting, so she looked up reviews and then asked Ed what he thought it was. His answer was one shared by experts, pear!

This is a celebration wine, a bit more expensive ($59.99) than some of our selections, but anytime we’re in Provincetown, we want to celebrate! We sipped this bottle over a couple of days and Ed thought it got better when it had more time in the glass and longer to breath. He reminds you not to serve it too cold.

And, we’ve learned, if you’re going to have a blanc de blancs, make it one from a great importer like Neal Rosenthal.

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: © 2014 Penny Cherubino

May 1, 2014
Guy Larmandier, Cramant Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs, Our May Sparkler

This time, our Sparkler of the Month is a Champagne, Guy Larmandier, Cramant Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut NV to be specific. Happy new month!

Those of you who follow our sparkling wine posts may have noticed that we seldom choose a 100% Chardonnay wine. But, we did take this recommendation at Gordon’s because it was from one of our favorite importers, Neal Rosenthal.

We took this gem from our wine rack to Provincetown to sit and sip by the sea. Note that this is a Grand Cru Champagne from the Village of Cramant. It is not a Crémant from another part of France.

And, it lived up to our expectations! It’s a blanc de blancs that is playing in a different key. Penny couldn’t place the fruit she was tasting, so she looked up reviews and then asked Ed what he thought it was. His answer was one shared by experts, pear!

This is a celebration wine, a bit more expensive ($59.99) than some of our selections, but anytime we’re in Provincetown, we want to celebrate! We sipped this bottle over a couple of days and Ed thought it got better when it had more time in the glass and longer to breath. He reminds you not to serve it too cold.

And, we’ve learned, if you’re going to have a blanc de blancs, make it one from a great importer like Neal Rosenthal.

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: © 2014 Penny Cherubino

May 1, 2014