Category: Food: Local/Farmers’ Markets

Daytrip to the Lobster Pool in Rockport, MA

June was a great month for us. We took a lot of time off to play tourist in our own area. One of the things we did was take a daytrip for lobster rolls at the Lobster Pool in Rockport, MA. (map)

Yes, those are baked beans in the cup on the side. The folks at the Lobster Pool believe in giving you choices. They were happy to make our lobster rolls with just lobster and melted butter, but they do offer a lobster salad version if you're a mayo fan. And, you can have a side of fries, onion rings, baked beans, and other choices with your sandwich.

We did get some fries but the onion rings at the next picnic table where getting rave reviews, so we'll opt for those next time.

We added a cup of clam chowder to our lunch – they do a very nice version with an abundance of clams and not too thick broth.

Often, when a dining spot offers spectacular views like the one above, you don't get the high quality food that the folks at the Lobster Pool are proud to serve. Everything is freshly caught, freshly prepared, and plentiful.

What's more, they even announce on their website that they are dog friendly at their outdoor picnic tables. We brought Poppy along and she enjoyed meeting the nice people at the next table and had a picnic of her own when we finished our lunch.

The next time you're looking for a destination out of the city, point your GPS to the Lobster Pool and relax with a great meal by the rocky shore.

And, if you want to make a full day of this adventure, explore Halibut Point State Park. It's just a half mile away and offers its own spectacular views!

Want more daytrip ideas? We have a collection here.

And, there's a book for that! Day Trips® New England: Getaway Ideas for the Local Traveler (Day Trips Series)

What's on your Summer Fun shopping list? Shop Amazon – Get Ready for Summer – Everything You Need and support this site!

Details:

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

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July 10, 2014
Toast July with American Sparkling Wines – A Few of Our Picks

Celebrate the happy new month of July with sparkling wines from the good old USA!

Gather a basketful from across the country. Above, you see Schramsberg Brut Rosé and Mumm Napa Brut Prestige from California, and Gruet Rosé from New Mexico.

Wine Spectator has a list of American sparkling wines that they rated in a 2012 tasting. One thing that may surprise you is that several of these are more expensive than some of the Champagnes we’ve featured in our wine selections.

But, you will also find value wines on this list. The Gruet family offers wines for many tastes at good prices. Our favorite is their Blanc de Noir. (shown above)

You can pick your favorite and serve it by the flute-full to happy guests who may not realize just how good American Sparklers can be.

This happened a few years ago at one of our July 4th parties with magnums of Argyle Brut. Our guests thought we had broken the bank with all that great wine but, back then, this little treasure from Oregon was an unbelievable value.

Times change and appreciation for American Sparkling wine has driven up the price, but Argyle remains close to our hearts. It’s a wine we associate with friends far and near. (Why we do is explained here.)

Of course, we in Massachusetts have our local, award-winning sparkling wines from Westport Rivers Winery to serve with pride.

As you travel this summer, be sure to add a local wine search to your trip planning. These days, you can Google “Long Island Sparkling Wine,” “Finger Lakes Sparkling Wine,” “Oregon Sparkling Wine,” or “Best Amercian Sparkling Wine” to create a list to scout.

Some, like the Soter Brut Rosé, we save for special occasions. Others are everyday roof deck and beach house fare. Explore, choose, sip, and enjoy buying American in July.

What’s your favorite American Sparkling Wine? Let us know!

Here’s More About Our Sparkling Resolution

And, Our Sparkling Resolution Winner’s List

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: © 2008-2014 Penny & Ed Cherubino

July 1, 2014
Toast July with American Sparkling Wines – A Few of Our Picks

Celebrate the happy new month of July with sparkling wines from the good old USA!

Gather a basketful from across the country. Above, you see Schramsberg Brut Rosé and Mumm Napa Brut Prestige from California, and Gruet Rosé from New Mexico.

Wine Spectator has a list of American sparkling wines that they rated in a 2012 tasting. One thing that may surprise you is that several of these are more expensive than some of the Champagnes we’ve featured in our wine selections.

But, you will also find value wines on this list. The Gruet family offers wines for many tastes at good prices. Our favorite is their Blanc de Noir. (shown above)

You can pick your favorite and serve it by the flute-full to happy guests who may not realize just how good American Sparklers can be.

This happened a few years ago at one of our July 4th parties with magnums of Argyle Brut. Our guests thought we had broken the bank with all that great wine but, back then, this little treasure from Oregon was an unbelievable value.

Times change and appreciation for American Sparkling wine has driven up the price, but Argyle remains close to our hearts. It’s a wine we associate with friends far and near. (Why we do is explained here.)

Of course, we in Massachusetts have our local, award-winning sparkling wines from Westport Rivers Winery to serve with pride.

As you travel this summer, be sure to add a local wine search to your trip planning. These days, you can Google “Long Island Sparkling Wine,” “Finger Lakes Sparkling Wine,” “Oregon Sparkling Wine,” or “Best Amercian Sparkling Wine” to create a list to scout.

Some, like the Soter Brut Rosé, we save for special occasions. Others are everyday roof deck and beach house fare. Explore, choose, sip, and enjoy buying American in July.

What’s your favorite American Sparkling Wine? Let us know!

Here’s More About Our Sparkling Resolution

And, Our Sparkling Resolution Winner’s List

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: © 2008-2014 Penny & Ed Cherubino

July 1, 2014
At the Market: Rhubarb’s in Season!

Fortunately, for those of us who love the ying and yang of a rhubard and strawberries combination, the season for the lovely tart conterpoint of rhubarb overlaps the local strawberry season.

Of course, there are also those, like me, who love rhubarb on it's own. I've always had a taste for tart. Perhaps this explains why I was the only kid in our extended family who would join Grandpa in chewing on stalks of rhubarb without the bowl of sugar for dipping he provided to those who needed the sweet to offset the bitter.

I wrote one of my Fresh & Local newspaper columns on the topic and also published it here a couple of years ago. It still rings true, so here's a link.

Romancing the Rhubarb

Below, you'll also find links to a rhubarb syrup and rhubarb brulee. I may try both of those this season. I'm also going to try simply floating pieces of rhubard in my seltzer as a flavor and see if it works as well as some of my other favorites.

What's on your Rhubarb shopping list? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Related articles

Recipe: Rhubarb Syrup – Pantry Recipes from The Kitchn

It's Rhubarb Season, So Here's What You Need to Know! – Ingredient Intelligence

National Vegetarian Week 2014 – Rhubarb Brûlée

June 12, 2014
At the Market: Rhubarb’s in Season!

Fortunately, for those of us who love the ying and yang of a rhubard and strawberries combination, the season for the lovely tart conterpoint of rhubarb overlaps the local strawberry season.

Of course, there are also those, like me, who love rhubarb on it's own. I've always had a taste for tart. Perhaps this explains why I was the only kid in our extended family who would join Grandpa in chewing on stalks of rhubarb without the bowl of sugar for dipping he provided to those who needed the sweet to offset the bitter.

I wrote one of my Fresh & Local newspaper columns on the topic and also published it here a couple of years ago. It still rings true, so here's a link.

Romancing the Rhubarb

Below, you'll also find links to a rhubarb syrup and rhubarb brulee. I may try both of those this season. I'm also going to try simply floating pieces of rhubard in my seltzer as a flavor and see if it works as well as some of my other favorites.

What's on your Rhubarb shopping list? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Related articles

Recipe: Rhubarb Syrup – Pantry Recipes from The Kitchn

It's Rhubarb Season, So Here's What You Need to Know! – Ingredient Intelligence

National Vegetarian Week 2014 – Rhubarb Brûlée

June 12, 2014
Parker House Boston Cream Pie, To Go Please!

Boston Cream Pie comes up as a frequent topic on Trip Advisor’s Boston Board.

Visitors see this as a bucket list taste of Boston. I added my two cents to a recent conversation, where someone planning a visit asked if it was possible to get a piece of pie without eating a full meal at the Parker House. However, I decided that more research was needed.

Ed, Poppy, and I took a walk to the Parker House and found the gift shop that was reputed to sell the pie to go. It’s called Morsel’s and is located next to the 60 School Street (map) entrance to the Omni Parker House.

As you may know, the Parker House is said to have invented this creation. It’s so popular, that they have it ready to go in the coffee/gift shop attached to the hotel. It’s priced at $8, at the time of this post.

It was not on display when I went in, but signs in the window said they sold it, so I asked the woman behind the counter. She asked how many I wanted. “One,” I replied, and she went to a refrigerator to get the dessert.

“And, how many forks?” She tucked the two requested forks and a supply of napkins into a small bag that was perfect for carrying the cake in its protective, domed container. She was charming and had obviously mastered “Boston Cream pie to go” hospitality.

We took our Parker House Boston Cream Pie to the Brewer Fountain Plaza (map) on the Boston Common for tasting.

This famous confection was lighter than you might expect with a nice moist cake, moist cream filling, and a good chocolate coating. Ed liked the addition of coconut to the sides. The portion was large enough for the two of us to happily share. And, we cleaned the container right down to the last flakes of coconut.

How does it compare to our favorite version of this dessert from Flour Bakery? We still rank Flour’s version as our #1 in this area. Their non-traditional addition of coffee syrup makes for an even moister cake.

But, the Parker House Boston Cream Pie will be a welcome snack when we are looking for a sweet downtown. And, we’re happy that those who come to eat it as a part of their Boston experience are going to enjoy a very good version of this historic dessert.

By the way, if you’re one of our readers from out of the area or a baker who would like to recreate this classic, the Parker House has shared their recipe. Download Parker House Boston Cream Pie Recipe.

Related Post:

Flour Bakery’s Boston Cream Pie, A Big Hit!

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 Cherubino
Photography: © 2014 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Related articles

10 Tips for Shepherd’s Pie

A Taste of History

Flour Has Sandwiches … I Knew That!

June 5, 2014
Parker House Boston Cream Pie, To Go Please!

Boston Cream Pie comes up as a frequent topic on Trip Advisor’s Boston Board.

Visitors see this as a bucket list taste of Boston. I added my two cents to a recent conversation, where someone planning a visit asked if it was possible to get a piece of pie without eating a full meal at the Parker House. However, I decided that more research was needed.

Ed, Poppy, and I took a walk to the Parker House and found the gift shop that was reputed to sell the pie to go. It’s called Morsel’s and is located next to the 60 School Street (map) entrance to the Omni Parker House.

As you may know, the Parker House is said to have invented this creation. It’s so popular, that they have it ready to go in the coffee/gift shop attached to the hotel. It’s priced at $8, at the time of this post.

It was not on display when I went in, but signs in the window said they sold it, so I asked the woman behind the counter. She asked how many I wanted. “One,” I replied, and she went to a refrigerator to get the dessert.

“And, how many forks?” She tucked the two requested forks and a supply of napkins into a small bag that was perfect for carrying the cake in its protective, domed container. She was charming and had obviously mastered “Boston Cream pie to go” hospitality.

We took our Parker House Boston Cream Pie to the Brewer Fountain Plaza (map) on the Boston Common for tasting.

This famous confection was lighter than you might expect with a nice moist cake, moist cream filling, and a good chocolate coating. Ed liked the addition of coconut to the sides. The portion was large enough for the two of us to happily share. And, we cleaned the container right down to the last flakes of coconut.

How does it compare to our favorite version of this dessert from Flour Bakery? We still rank Flour’s version as our #1 in this area. Their non-traditional addition of coffee syrup makes for an even moister cake.

But, the Parker House Boston Cream Pie will be a welcome snack when we are looking for a sweet downtown. And, we’re happy that those who come to eat it as a part of their Boston experience are going to enjoy a very good version of this historic dessert.

By the way, if you’re one of our readers from out of the area or a baker who would like to recreate this classic, the Parker House has shared their recipe. Download Parker House Boston Cream Pie Recipe.

Related Post:

Flour Bakery’s Boston Cream Pie, A Big Hit!

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 Cherubino
Photography: © 2014 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Related articles

10 Tips for Shepherd’s Pie

A Taste of History

Flour Has Sandwiches … I Knew That!

June 5, 2014
At the Market Report: What’s for Sale at Early Spring Farmers’ Markets

Thanks to winter markets, wholesale customers, farm stands, and CSA's, we are seeing more ready to eat produce at early spring farmers' market. Here are some of what we saw at the Copley Farmers' Market during the past two weeks.

Organic asparagus and scallions from Siena Farms.

Rhubarb (above) and potatoes (below) from Foppema's Farm.

And, there were some new vendors this year.

RI Mushroom Company had gorgeous, golden oyster and shiitake mushrooms. (Click on any photo for a larger view.)

River Rock Beef was on hand with their Grass Fed beef cuts. We bought a hanger steak.

And, of course, the specialty food folks were on hand with their wonderful products. From Crystal Brook Farm's goat cheese …

… to Fastachi's selection of artisan roasted nuts and nut products. We're addicted to their roasted almonds.

Here's what we bought on opening day at Copley this year. On Friday, we arrived too late for tomatoes and cucumbers from Atlas Farm. They were sold out before we arrived. With early spring markets, it's good to arrive at opening if you're hoping for scare crops like those.

Starters, Annuals, and Herb Plants, too!

Mint plants from Foppema's.

Many sage varieties from the Herb Lyceum at Gilson's.

Boston Public Market on the Greenway (North End)

We stopped by opening day of the new location for the former City Hall Farmers' Market. It is now called the The Boston Public Market on the Greenway and is located a few steps from the MBTA Haymarket Station in front of the building that will become The Boston Public Market. (Map)

We may have missed out on tomatoes at Friday's Copley Square Market, but Freitas Farm had both medium salad tomatoes and the lovely baskets of cherry tomatoes shown above.

Updates from Other Food Lovers:

Here's a great photo report on the opening of the Union Square Market in Somerville from that great resource Somerville Beat.

Here's a Boston Chowhound Conversation on Late May Farmers' Markets, Farm Stands, and CSAs

Our Related Posts:

Summer Farmers' Markets Opening Dates 2014

Here are more of our Local Food/Farmers' Market posts.

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List? Shop Amazon for all your kitchen & dining needs and support this site!

Details:

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

May 27, 2014
At the Market Report: What’s for Sale at Early Spring Farmers’ Markets

Thanks to winter markets, wholesale customers, farm stands, and CSA's, we are seeing more ready to eat produce at early spring farmers' market. Here are some of what we saw at the Copley Farmers' Market during the past two weeks.

Organic asparagus and scallions from Siena Farms.

Rhubarb (above) and potatoes (below) from Foppema's Farm.

And, there were some new vendors this year.

RI Mushroom Company had gorgeous, golden oyster and shiitake mushrooms. (Click on any photo for a larger view.)

River Rock Beef was on hand with their Grass Fed beef cuts. We bought a hanger steak.

And, of course, the specialty food folks were on hand with their wonderful products. From Crystal Brook Farm's goat cheese …

… to Fastachi's selection of artisan roasted nuts and nut products. We're addicted to their roasted almonds.

Here's what we bought on opening day at Copley this year. On Friday, we arrived too late for tomatoes and cucumbers from Atlas Farm. They were sold out before we arrived. With early spring markets, it's good to arrive at opening if you're hoping for scare crops like those.

Starters, Annuals, and Herb Plants, too!

Mint plants from Foppema's.

Many sage varieties from the Herb Lyceum at Gilson's.

Boston Public Market on the Greenway (North End)

We stopped by opening day of the new location for the former City Hall Farmers' Market. It is now called the The Boston Public Market on the Greenway and is located a few steps from the MBTA Haymarket Station in front of the building that will become The Boston Public Market. (Map)

We may have missed out on tomatoes at Friday's Copley Square Market, but Freitas Farm had both medium salad tomatoes and the lovely baskets of cherry tomatoes shown above.

Updates from Other Food Lovers:

Here's a great photo report on the opening of the Union Square Market in Somerville from that great resource Somerville Beat.

Here's a Boston Chowhound Conversation on Late May Farmers' Markets, Farm Stands, and CSAs

Our Related Posts:

Summer Farmers' Markets Opening Dates 2014

Here are more of our Local Food/Farmers' Market posts.

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List? Shop Amazon for all your kitchen & dining needs and support this site!

Details:

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

May 27, 2014
Market Report: Summer Farmers’ Markets Opening Dates 2014
Pull out your calendars and mark the dates when you can go and see our Boston area farmers' market friends at their summer spots.
Here are the opening dates for some of our favorite markets. The links are to maps of the locations.
- South End/SOWA: May 4th (Sundays)
- Copley Square: May 13th (Tuesdays and Fridays)
- Cambridge Center (Kendall MBTA): May 14th (Wednesdays)
- Jamaica Plain (677 Centre Street): May 17th (Saturdays), (Saturdays & Tuesdays after June 17th)
- Prudential Center: Not operating this year due to planned contruction
- Union Square, Somerville: May 17th (Saturdays)
- Cambridge/Charles Square: May 18th (Sundays), June 6th (Fridays) *not confirmed
- Boston City Hall Plaza: (moved to Boston Public Market due to construction)
- Boston Public Market on the Greenway: May 19th (Mondays and Wednesdays)
- Central Square, Cambridge: May 19th (Mondays)
- South Station/Dewey Square: May 20th (Tuesdays and Thursdays)
- Davis Square, Somerville: May 21st (Wednesdays)
- Cambridgeport: May 31st (Saturdays) *not confirmed
- Kendall Square (500 Kendall Street): June 4th (Thursdays)
- Roslindale: June 7th (Saturdays) (relocated from Adams Park due to construction)
- Egleston Jamaica Plain: June 7th (Saturdays)
- Allston Village, 500 Cambridge St.: June 7th (Saturdays)
- Harvard University Farmers' Market: Cambridge: June 10th (Tuesdays)
- Allston/Harvard Farmers' Market: (N. Harvard St & Western Ave) June 13th (Fridays)
- Brookline/Coolidge Corner: June 19th (Thursdays) (Winter Market is still operating until 6/15)
If you have confirmed dates for your favorite farmers' market, please tell us in a comment or send us an email and we'll add it as an update to this post.

We'll be telling you more about some of these markets in the weeks ahead!

Update: 05/14/14: Here is the great selection of food we bought at the opening day of the Copley Farmers' Market.

Bread, cookies, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, asparagus, baby arugula, scallions, and goat cheese.

See our review of The Boston Homegrown Cookbook: Local Food, Local Restaurants, Local Recipes. It's full of chefs, farmers, and food producers you know, and we highly recommend it. Remember, always click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino
May 12, 2014