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Eventide Fenway, Our First Look

Last week we made our first visit to the new Eventide location in the Fenway.

First and foremost let us say that the food was fabulous. We had the brown butter lobster roll, the burger, and the lobster stew along with some well-matched wine.

The brown butter lobster roll on a steamed bun is the dish that had the most pre-opening excitement. It adds one more option to our Boston lobster roll scene. It's smaller than some local options and doesn't include any sides, but that's fine because we knew it was a serving that would enable us to taste some other items like …

… the fabulous Maine lobster stew with coconut, carrots, curry, maitake mushrooms, and of course lobster! This was the absolute hit of the day. Penny says she can see herself walking over there just to get a bowl of this flavor bomb. It was served with some pieces of crisp, crunchy flatbread which we used as a palate cleanser to keep our taste buds ready for the next sip of that delicious broth.

Ed's order of the burger was a surprise. He's a fussy burger eater and seldom orders one in all but his favorite spots around town. Let's say he took one for the team! That said, he ate every bite and was impressed that, like many thin patties, it was not cooked to death. It had good beef flavor and he liked the roll. He might not order it again, but if we have a friend who is not a fish lover, we're very happy that this option is available.

Adult beverages here are wine and beer. The wine selection is well matched to the food and shows that some serious thought was put into it. Penny ordered a Manzanilla Sherry that we both agreed paired well with both the lobster roll and the lobster stew. Ed had a rosé with his burger. And while the servingware was not glass, these Govino flutes were interesting enough for us to look them up and consider buying them in quantity for an upcoming Irish whiskey tasting.

Oddly we never took a single photo of the place, probably because it didn't appeal to us at all. This food is so good it deserves a much warmer and more hospitable atmosphere. Our hope is that should this team decide to open a second Boston location, it'll be designed for those who would like to enjoy a comfortable sit down meal with friends.

We don't mind the counter service set up. If we had a comfortable table where our group could sit and spend time savoring the flavors that this food offers, we'd be back often. We would gladly go to the counter for second or third rounds of oysters, drinks, more lobster stew, or to add dessert, but we'd like to feel we're in a restaurant, not a cold, hard, clamorous, unwelcoming, fast food joint.

Our plan for a second visit is to order the food to go, (if they do take out) and walk down Jersey Street to the Fens and enjoy it as a picnic.

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

Details:

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

October 18, 2017
Eventide Fenway, Our First Look

Last week we made our first visit to the new Eventide location in the Fenway.

First and foremost let us say that the food was fabulous. We had the brown butter lobster roll, the burger, and the lobster stew along with some well-matched wine.

The brown butter lobster roll on a steamed bun is the dish that had the most pre-opening excitement. It adds one more option to our Boston lobster roll scene. It's smaller than some local options and doesn't include any sides, but that's fine because we knew it was a serving that would enable us to taste some other items like …

… the fabulous Maine lobster stew with coconut, carrots, curry, maitake mushrooms, and of course lobster! This was the absolute hit of the day. Penny says she can see herself walking over there just to get a bowl of this flavor bomb. It was served with some pieces of crisp, crunchy flatbread which we used as a palate cleanser to keep our taste buds ready for the next sip of that delicious broth.

Ed's order of the burger was a surprise. He's a fussy burger eater and seldom orders one in all but his favorite spots around town. Let's say he took one for the team! That said, he ate every bite and was impressed that, like many thin patties, it was not cooked to death. It had good beef flavor and he liked the roll. He might not order it again, but if we have a friend who is not a fish lover, we're very happy that this option is available.

Adult beverages here are wine and beer. The wine selection is well matched to the food and shows that some serious thought was put into it. Penny ordered a Manzanilla Sherry that we both agreed paired well with both the lobster roll and the lobster stew. Ed had a rosé with his burger. And while the servingware was not glass, these Govino flutes were interesting enough for us to look them up and consider buying them in quantity for an upcoming Irish whiskey tasting.

Oddly we never took a single photo of the place, probably because it didn't appeal to us at all. This food is so good it deserves a much warmer and more hospitable atmosphere. Our hope is that should this team decide to open a second Boston location, it'll be designed for those who would like to enjoy a comfortable sit down meal with friends.

We don't mind the counter service set up. If we had a comfortable table where our group could sit and spend time savoring the flavors that this food offers, we'd be back often. We would gladly go to the counter for second or third rounds of oysters, drinks, more lobster stew, or to add dessert, but we'd like to feel we're in a restaurant, not a cold, hard, clamorous, unwelcoming, fast food joint.

Our plan for a second visit is to order the food to go, (if they do take out) and walk down Jersey Street to the Fens and enjoy it as a picnic.

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

Details:

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

October 18, 2017
Keep it to Yourself, Don’t Spread Canine Diseases

Last summer as we approached Howie, one of our neighborhood’s sweetest, best-behaved dogs, his guardian stopped us from allowing our dog to get close to his. The gentleman told us he was keeping Howie away from others because the pup was being treated for kennel cough.

Naturally, we thanked him for being so proactive, considerate, and helpful. He is exactly the kind of person we all hope to have as part of our dog community. He has raised a dog to be a good citizen, he follows the rules that govern being out and about with a dog, and he is as careful with our dog as he is with his.

Happily, Howie made a quick recovery and our Poppy was able to have a sniff fest with him again.

It helped that Howie pays attention to his person when asked and we were able to slip by without contact.

Know What Is Contagious

You should not only know what is contagious among dogs, but also how the disease is spread and what you can do to prevent your dog from becoming sick. For example, Mary Fuller, DVM, writing about Kennel Cough for Vet Street wrote, “This extremely contagious respiratory disease, also known as canine infectious tracheobronchitis, isn’t always caused by a single organism.” Your dog can get it from inhaling the virus or bacteria left behind by a sick dog at places where dogs congregate.

Other highly contagious canine diseases include: distemper, adenovirus [hepatitis], parainfluenza, and parvovirus. These all have vaccines that your dog may have been given by your veterinarian. Once initial immunity is established, you can do titer testing for all but rabies to be sure your pup is protected from one year to the next.

Our cat friends should also be protected from contagious diseases. (photo courtesy of American Veterinary Medical Association)

You may be offered vaccinations for other contagious diseases including coronavirus, leptospirosis, bordetella, lyme disease, and canine influenza.

There are also parasites that one dog can pass to another. We know that fleas and ticks love to ride on one dog and jump over to another like subway riders switching from the Red Line to the Green.

Other unwanted guests like roundworms, hookworms, sarcoptic mange, and giardia can be transmitted via feces, on soil, or in standing water including shared bowls.

Puppies like this one plus elderly and frail dogs need special protection from contagious diseases.

Doing Your Part in Prevention

In general, it’s a good idea to keep your dog away from other dogs when he is not feeling well and ask your friends to return the favor when their dogs are a bit under the weather. Something that a very healthy pup can shake off could be a death sentence for a frail or elderly dog.

We are often alerted when some sort of canine gastrointestinal issue that may be contagious is going around the area. You just have to observe the smears on the sidewalk where people with the best intentions try to pick up after a sick dog.

While our little Poppy has been a very healthy girl, we did face more health issues with our last dog Maggie Mae. Because of this, we know how difficult it can be to clean-up after your dog if they are suffering from an upset tummy or diarrhea.

We found that slipping a newspaper or a couple of paper towels under her would often catch most of the what she released. We’d then deposit the mess in a plastic bag and take it to the trash.

Today we still carry small absorbent puppy pads to do this sort of job just in case we ever need one. We have used these at home and in rental places to keep from soiling furniture and carpets, just as when Maggie was ill.

Thanks to all who do their best to alert us to sick dogs and clean-up as best they can when out and about.

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.)

October 15, 2017
Put This Chinatown Food Tour on Your Calendar and Shopping List

Back in September I received an email from one of my favorite social media friends, Jacqueline Church. She wrote:

"I'm inviting you to experience my "Chinatown Experience" tour, which is the full tour including a bit of history about Chinatown's founding, its immigrant origins, Chinese/American food, and more.

We'll walk through Chinatown sampling some favorites, both traditional and modern; visit a traditional Chinese herbalist shop, taste fantastic barbecued pork and more. Finally, we'll enjoy dim sum at Hei La Moon."

As the guests for her tour group gathered at our designated meeting spot, I realized I would be touring with one new friend and a three men who have supported people and programs I care about over the past few years. Adam Castiglioni from Boston Hospitalilty and Tourism Industry Blog, Max Grinnell from The Urbanologist, Richard Auffrey from The Passionate Foodie, and Chanie from Life By Zen made up a fun group to enjoy this tour that proved to be very true to its title Food, Fun and Fables.

We gathered as a group of food lovers but, as anyone who reads BostonZest or our newspaper columns knows, I'm also an architecture, history, and Boston details fan. I'll never look at the Chinatown Gate again without thinking about all the little tidbits that Jackie fed our minds as she described its background and details to us.

I'll never visit this neighborhood again without appreciating my better understanding of its foundation, evolution, and continuing cultural traditions.

As we walked we learned about these tiles in the sidewalk as Jackie pointed a toe and translated some for us.

Why do some gamers in the park play alone, while others have a crowd of coaches? Jackie knows and she shares.

Now I know exactly where to go when I want fabulous Chinese barbeque pork, a whole roast pig with crackling skin, or a roasted duck that may be from the same batch that was delivered to area restaurants.

Don't worry about sticky fingers, Jackie has this magic bag of goodies that assures her guests have what they need when they need it. From toothpicks to snag a piece of pork, to wipes to clean your hands before eating pastries with them, to smaller cups to share a bubble tea – she has you covered! And, you don't have to take notes. She'll provide handouts with the highlights and some extra tips.

As bakery samples are passed around, they are followed by stories. You'll learn how each item is made, how authentic this example happens to be, how seasonal, and where it fits into this culture.

As a Tai Chi student, I realize how important Traditional Chinese Medicine is in this culture. I had been to Jackie's favorite herbalist before. She had taken me there when we met for lunch one day. I think she knew I was having problems with asthma and the shop owner, Patrick, recognized it right away and suggested a ready-made tea that would help.

On the tour Jackie explained how you would consult Patrick and his staff of traditional Chinese herbalists and how your prescription would be filled by the experts in front of their drawers of healing products.

Jackie is a fun person and our visit to a Chinatown grocery shop was filled with laughter as she tried to convince one member of our tour he might even like those lovely green things, if he would only give them a chance.

Along the way all of us learned that she chose this shop because there was more likely to be someone on staff who spoke English should we have questions. And, as we walked the aisles, she pointed out a few of her favorite items among the brands on offer.

Then came dim sum with our expert guide explaining the etiquette of using our chopsticks or pouring tea in a communal setting, ordering from the carts as they passed, explaining how the bill is tallied and how to pay it.

Jackie also divided large portions, gave details of the dishes selected, and made sure everyone was offered a taste of everything. (She even made sure a plate of greens was available for our reluctant produce eater, just in case…)

As you may have noticed, I didn't give you the details of the shops or the answers to the questions that you might have from the photos posted here. Those tales are Jackie's to tell and she tells them far better than I would.

If you have always wanted to learn more about Boston's Chinatown, I highly recommend you gather a few friends, click over to Jacqueline Church Central, and schedule a tour.

Or, if you find yourself in Boston for a day or two by yourself or with a friend, join a tour that she has already scheduled. This is something you can enjoy on your own or with a group. I asked Jackie about a shorter tour with dim sum that would accommodate a friend with limited mobility and she was happy to work with me to figure out what we could include.

As it turned out, that friend was so interested in the tour I had, we are planning to gather a group and enjoy the full three hour Chinatown Experience! She'll take her cane and her friends will help out as needed.

With the holidays ahead, you might consider giving a gift certificate for a tour as a holiday gift. It has been said that many of us today would rather have a great shared experience to remember than something that will add to the things in our lives.

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

Details:

Words: Penny Cherubino
Photos: ©2017 Penny Cherubino ( I was Jackie's guest on this tour here is a link to our disclosure policy.)

October 11, 2017
Put This Chinatown Food Tour on Your Calendar and Shopping List

Back in September I received an email from one of my favorite social media friends, Jacqueline Church. She wrote:

"I'm inviting you to experience my "Chinatown Experience" tour, which is the full tour including a bit of history about Chinatown's founding, its immigrant origins, Chinese/American food, and more.

We'll walk through Chinatown sampling some favorites, both traditional and modern; visit a traditional Chinese herbalist shop, taste fantastic barbecued pork and more. Finally, we'll enjoy dim sum at Hei La Moon."

As the guests for her tour group gathered at our designated meeting spot, I realized I would be touring with one new friend and a three men who have supported people and programs I care about over the past few years. Adam Castiglioni from Boston Hospitalilty and Tourism Industry Blog, Max Grinnell from The Urbanologist, Richard Auffrey from The Passionate Foodie, and Chanie from Life By Zen made up a fun group to enjoy this tour that proved to be very true to its title Food, Fun and Fables.

We gathered as a group of food lovers but, as anyone who reads BostonZest or our newspaper columns knows, I'm also an architecture, history, and Boston details fan. I'll never look at the Chinatown Gate again without thinking about all the little tidbits that Jackie fed our minds as she described its background and details to us.

I'll never visit this neighborhood again without appreciating my better understanding of its foundation, evolution, and continuing cultural traditions.

As we walked we learned about these tiles in the sidewalk as Jackie pointed a toe and translated some for us.

Why do some gamers in the park play alone, while others have a crowd of coaches? Jackie knows and she shares.

Now I know exactly where to go when I want fabulous Chinese barbeque pork, a whole roast pig with crackling skin, or a roasted duck that may be from the same batch that was delivered to area restaurants.

Don't worry about sticky fingers, Jackie has this magic bag of goodies that assures her guests have what they need when they need it. From toothpicks to snag a piece of pork, to wipes to clean your hands before eating pastries with them, to smaller cups to share a bubble tea – she has you covered! And, you don't have to take notes. She'll provide handouts with the highlights and some extra tips.

As bakery samples are passed around, they are followed by stories. You'll learn how each item is made, how authentic this example happens to be, how seasonal, and where it fits into this culture.

As a Tai Chi student, I realize how important Traditional Chinese Medicine is in this culture. I had been to Jackie's favorite herbalist before. She had taken me there when we met for lunch one day. I think she knew I was having problems with asthma and the shop owner, Patrick, recognized it right away and suggested a ready-made tea that would help.

On the tour Jackie explained how you would consult Patrick and his staff of traditional Chinese herbalists and how your prescription would be filled by the experts in front of their drawers of healing products.

Jackie is a fun person and our visit to a Chinatown grocery shop was filled with laughter as she tried to convince one member of our tour he might even like those lovely green things, if he would only give them a chance.

Along the way all of us learned that she chose this shop because there was more likely to be someone on staff who spoke English should we have questions. And, as we walked the aisles, she pointed out a few of her favorite items among the brands on offer.

Then came dim sum with our expert guide explaining the etiquette of using our chopsticks or pouring tea in a communal setting, ordering from the carts as they passed, explaining how the bill is tallied and how to pay it.

Jackie also divided large portions, gave details of the dishes selected, and made sure everyone was offered a taste of everything. (She even made sure a plate of greens was available for our reluctant produce eater, just in case…)

As you may have noticed, I didn't give you the details of the shops or the answers to the questions that you might have from the photos posted here. Those tales are Jackie's to tell and she tells them far better than I would.

If you have always wanted to learn more about Boston's Chinatown, I highly recommend you gather a few friends, click over to Jacqueline Church Central, and schedule a tour.

Or, if you find yourself in Boston for a day or two by yourself or with a friend, join a tour that she has already scheduled. This is something you can enjoy on your own or with a group. I asked Jackie about a shorter tour with dim sum that would accommodate a friend with limited mobility and she was happy to work with me to figure out what we could include.

As it turned out, that friend was so interested in the tour I had, we are planning to gather a group and enjoy the full three hour Chinatown Experience! She'll take her cane and her friends will help out as needed.

With the holidays ahead, you might consider giving a gift certificate for a tour as a holiday gift. It has been said that many of us today would rather have a great shared experience to remember than something that will add to the things in our lives.

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

Details:

Words: Penny Cherubino
Photos: ©2017 Penny Cherubino ( I was Jackie's guest on this tour here is a link to our disclosure policy.)

October 11, 2017
Three Meals from One Pot of Braised Chicken Thighs

The best way to avoid tiring of something you take the time to cook ahead is to have your initial cooking session create a product you can use to make other meals. In this case Penny braised a pan of chicken thighs in white wine, ginger, garlic, soy, and scallions. (Here are a bunch of recipes to help you find one to your taste.)

For our first meal, we enjoyed the thighs with brown rice, pea pods, and tomatoes. Penny cooked up a big batch of brown rice in our Instant Pot for us to use during a week with a lot of things on our to do lists.

On day two, the chicken was shredded and became part of a wok full of fried rice. This was a big batch so that second act for the chicken became two extra meals ready to go. (Just like when we order more takeout than we need for one meal.)

The third meal from our pot of braised chicken was a frittata with chicken, pre-cooked sautéed onions, a bit of the rice, a few scallions for color, and some grated pecorino. (Check out this post to learn about having sautéed onions on hand.)

Judith Jones in her delightful book "The Pleasures of Cooking for One" called this approach to using leftovers, "second rounds." We like that concept!

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

Details:

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

October 5, 2017
Three Meals from One Pot of Braised Chicken Thighs

The best way to avoid tiring of something you take the time to cook ahead is to have your initial cooking session create a product you can use to make other meals. In this case Penny braised a pan of chicken thighs in white wine, ginger, garlic, soy, and scallions. (Here are a bunch of recipes to help you find one to your taste.)

For our first meal, we enjoyed the thighs with brown rice, pea pods, and tomatoes. Penny cooked up a big batch of brown rice in our Instant Pot for us to use during a week with a lot of things on our to do lists.

On day two, the chicken was shredded and became part of a wok full of fried rice. This was a big batch so that second act for the chicken became two extra meals ready to go. (Just like when we order more takeout than we need for one meal.)

The third meal from our pot of braised chicken was a frittata with chicken, pre-cooked sautéed onions, a bit of the rice, a few scallions for color, and some grated pecorino. (Check out this post to learn about having sautéed onions on hand.)

Judith Jones in her delightful book "The Pleasures of Cooking for One" called this approach to using leftovers, "second rounds." We like that concept!

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

Details:

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

October 5, 2017
Habits That Work in the BostonZest Kitchen

If you watch an experienced cook in the kitchen, you could pick up some good habits. There are things they do without thinking that should be part of all our cooking routines.

Work Clean

Wash your hands when you enter the kitchen to prepare to cook. This habit should be part of your food safety plan. As a person who prepares food for yourself and your family, you should be as serious about the topic of food safety as the restaurant chef who holds a Food Safety Certification.

If you are making a number of items, prepare the ones that will be used raw (such as the compound butter above) before you work with items that will be cooked, like the carrots and celery in this photo.

Beware of cross contamination. Use separate cutting boards and knives for meat and fresh foods or wash these items completely in hot, soapy water before changing what you are cutting. And, work on these raw proteins last. Keep them in the refrigerator until you are ready to cut them.

Cross contamination is also a factor if you are cooking for someone with a serious food allergy.

In our small space, we have to clean as we go or there wouldn’t be any counter space left. While involved in a major cooking session, you'll see a container with hot, soapy water for us to toss in soiled utensils as we work.

Hand wash and dry your knives as soon as you finish using them. Knives in a bucket of soapy water are dangerous. Knives sitting on a counter among other cooking detritus are just waiting to cut someone.

Mise en Place and "Meanwhile"

There are times, like when you’re making a stir-fry, risotto, or a complex new recipe, when you should set up a complete collection of ready-to-use ingredients. Chef Sara Moulton came up with the term “meanwhile” for times when you should gather all the ingredients and equipment you need to make a dish and then get started.

Moulton suggests you, “Decide in what order you should prep the ingredients. For a pasta dish, for example, you should start by getting a large pot of water on to boil; meanwhile you can heat the oil in a skillet slowly while you chop the onion. Add the onion to the oil and cook it while you mince the garlic. Add the garlic to the onion while you chop the tomatoes, etc.”

Do you have a favorite habit that works in your kitchen? Share with us and our readers in the comments below!

Related Post:

The Kitchn's "Kitchen Habits of Good Cooks" Series Is Our Friday Link

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

Details:

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

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

October 4, 2017
Habits That Work in the BostonZest Kitchen

If you watch an experienced cook in the kitchen, you could pick up some good habits. There are things they do without thinking that should be part of all our cooking routines.

Work Clean

Wash your hands when you enter the kitchen to prepare to cook. This habit should be part of your food safety plan. As a person who prepares food for yourself and your family, you should be as serious about the topic of food safety as the restaurant chef who holds a Food Safety Certification.

If you are making a number of items, prepare the ones that will be used raw (such as the compound butter above) before you work with items that will be cooked, like the carrots and celery in this photo.

Beware of cross contamination. Use separate cutting boards and knives for meat and fresh foods or wash these items completely in hot, soapy water before changing what you are cutting. And, work on these raw proteins last. Keep them in the refrigerator until you are ready to cut them.

Cross contamination is also a factor if you are cooking for someone with a serious food allergy.

In our small space, we have to clean as we go or there wouldn’t be any counter space left. While involved in a major cooking session, you'll see a container with hot, soapy water for us to toss in soiled utensils as we work.

Hand wash and dry your knives as soon as you finish using them. Knives in a bucket of soapy water are dangerous. Knives sitting on a counter among other cooking detritus are just waiting to cut someone.

Mise en Place and "Meanwhile"

There are times, like when you’re making a stir-fry, risotto, or a complex new recipe, when you should set up a complete collection of ready-to-use ingredients. Chef Sara Moulton came up with the term “meanwhile” for times when you should gather all the ingredients and equipment you need to make a dish and then get started.

Moulton suggests you, “Decide in what order you should prep the ingredients. For a pasta dish, for example, you should start by getting a large pot of water on to boil; meanwhile you can heat the oil in a skillet slowly while you chop the onion. Add the onion to the oil and cook it while you mince the garlic. Add the garlic to the onion while you chop the tomatoes, etc.”

Do you have a favorite habit that works in your kitchen? Share with us and our readers in the comments below!

Related Post:

The Kitchn's "Kitchen Habits of Good Cooks" Series Is Our Friday Link

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

Details:

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

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

October 4, 2017
We’ll Raise a Glass of Guidobono Extra Brut Segretevigne to Toast October
Later today we will get together with some of our favorite people and raise a glass of Guidobono Extra Brut Segretevigne. Trying wines from different places, made with different grapes, and produced by different methods adds spice to our monthly ritual. This Italian sparkler from Piemonte is made with 100% Nebbiolo grapes. This happens to be one of Ed's favorite varietals.

Here's what we have learned about Guidobono Extra Brut Segretevigne
- A retailer writes, "100% Nebbiolo (the name means secret vines because the wine laws in Italy for now do not allow for the name of the varietal to appear on the label for sparkling wines vinified with classic champenois method). Early harvest, 36 month on the yeasts, zero dosage. Bone dry, but rich and zesty. Fine mousse and long finish."
- The importer notes, "Guidobono is the creation of the Faccenda family, and reflects their obsession with terroir. They make a range of wines from the Roero and Langhe hills, all of them outstanding value. Their vineyards are scattered through the area, with Castellinaldo in the Roero and Monforte in Barolo being particularly prized. The family has a knack of outperforming in almost every vintage."
- One CellarTracker member – RICHARDP wrote: 90 Points
  "This is something unique: A sparkling white Nebbiolo. Yeast on the nose; on the palate, yellow apple cider and notes of flowers, yeast, and minerals on the medium finish, with strong acidity and a fine bubble. It would be interesting to put this up against a bottle of cheap Champagne to compare and contrast; this is better than most Champagnes at the same price point. Good value for a bit under $30."
We found our bottle at City Liquors in Cambridge.

What's your favorite sparkler?

One of our favorite assignments is finding a sparkling wine to toast the upcoming month. We have a few favorite places to look for sparklers that we have not tried before and reliable retailers we count on to know what we like, especially grower Champagnes and biodynamic bubbles. But, we are always open to suggestions. Do you have a favorite sparkling wine to suggest? Let us know in the comments below!

UPDATE: (10.01.17) While Ed’s fondness for the full, rich body and substantial fruit of a Nebbiolo influenced our choice of Guidobono Extra Brut Segretevigne, we didn’t expect this white, sparkling version of the varietal to be quite so un-Nebbiolo like.

We think the review above is most accurate, describing this wine as “Bone dry, but rich and zesty,” with a “fine mousse and long finish."

It’s a good sparkler for our friends who like extremely dry, Blanc de Blancs. If that’s you, drink it chilled to around 55º F. If you prefer a fuller-bodied wine, let it warm into the 60s.

We found Guidobono Extra Brut Segretevigne to be a particularly good match with our Vietnamese lemongrass chicken Saigon salad – a big pop of flavor followed by a sip of wine to cleanse the palate … a nice balance.

And, most importantly, guard against pre-judging this impressive sparkler. Take your time and enjoy!

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: © 2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino

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