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  • Ready for the Storm with Chicken Soup and Great Bread!

    We did make a supermarket walk to prepare for the storm. We bought the makings for a great big pot of chicken soup and a large loaf of Iggy's Francese!

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    We do enjoy watching Universal Hub's French Toast Alert System, but our storm food of choice is homemade chicken soup. 

    What's your favorite storm food? What did you buy on your pre-storm stock up trip?

    More Chicken Soup posts:

    This Is a Chicken Soup Week

    Chicken Soup for a Sick Friend

    Variations On a Soup Theme

     

    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: © 2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

  • Ready for the Storm with Chicken Soup and Great Bread!

    We did make a supermarket walk to prepare for the storm. We bought the makings for a great big pot of chicken soup and a large loaf of Iggy's Francese!

    IMG_6914 copy

    We do enjoy watching Universal Hub's French Toast Alert System, but our storm food of choice is homemade chicken soup. 

    What's your favorite storm food? What did you buy on your pre-storm stock up trip?

    More Chicken Soup posts:

    This Is a Chicken Soup Week

    Chicken Soup for a Sick Friend

    Variations On a Soup Theme

     

    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: © 2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

  • Admit It! Ice Tempts You to Test It and Break It!

    Many mornings my walks take me across the bridge over the lagoon in the Boston Public Garden. That means I often see someone, like this man with his dog, venturing out on the ice or at least tapping along the edge to hear it crack under his foot.

    Do you still stomp the ice forming on a puddle or at the edge of a pond, just like when you were a little kid?

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    "In skating over thin ice, our safety is in our speed." Ralph Waldo Emerson

    About Photo Tales & Quotes: We keep hearing that people miss our cover photos that ran for years in the Back Bay Sun. That assignment was to provide a photo that showed what the week was like in the neighborhood. Often the photos illustrated favorite quotations. Photo Tales & Quotes is an occasional offering to our BostonZest readers featuring photos along the same theme but taken wherever we happen to be.

    Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

    Details:

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

    Related articles
    A Weekend for Reflection – BostonZest
    The Witch Hazel Thinks It's Spring!
    Growing Fond of the Boston Public Garden Fence

  • Once-a-Block Dog Boot Check

    This was a week when Poppy's Pawz came off Our Improved Dog Boot Drying Hack and onto her paws.

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    As we walk along, we have a system to be sure she hasn't thrown a shoe. Salt is the reason she is wearing boots, so each time we cross a salty intersection, we do a mental boot count. 

    Once you get started on this habit, it becomes almost automatic. Road = Salt = Boot Check! Then if we count three boots instead of four, we only have to backtrack one block to look for the missing paw cover.

    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 

  • Once-a-Block Dog Boot Check

    This was a week when Poppy's Pawz came off Our Improved Dog Boot Drying Hack and onto her paws.

    IMG_6846 copy

    As we walk along, we have a system to be sure she hasn't thrown a shoe. Salt is the reason she is wearing boots, so each time we cross a salty intersection, we do a mental boot count. 

    Once you get started on this habit, it becomes almost automatic. Road = Salt = Boot Check! Then if we count three boots instead of four, we only have to backtrack one block to look for the missing paw cover.

    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 

  • Ciao Febbraio! We’re Pouring Dama del Rovere – a Fresh, Light Spumante from the Veneto

    February is a month that doesn’t stick around very long, so we’re not losing any time raising a glass of bubbly to welcome its arrival.

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    To help us maintain contact with this rapid mover, we’ve selected a fresh, light spumante from Verona in northeast Italy.  

    CHE_2678

    While spumante (sparkling wine) often brings to mind a very sweet holiday wine (as in Asti), the Durella (aka Durello) grape in our Dama del Rovere, Brenton Durello, Vino Spumante Brut is favored for its high level of acidity. 

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    Tasters describe a:

    • “Delicate and slightly fruity characteristic”
    • “The taste is dry, tangy, full-bodied”
    • “Pairs well with cheese, fish, sushi”  (italianwinelovers.it) 
    • “Fresh, easy going spumante, great for aperitivo”
    • “Dry, crisp, thirst quenching”
    • “Light acidity, not too sweet”
    • “Good for mimosas”  (vivino.com)
    • “Durella wines tend to be reasonably light and delicate"
    • "Floral, citrusy characters and mineral overtones”
    • “Food matches for Durella include: Tempura-battered prawns”  (wine searcher.com) 

    Alright! Enough with the temptation! We’re more than ready to un-cork. Here’s hoping you’ll select a bottle of bubbly and join our Sparkling Resolution as we toast February, day one. But, remember, do it soon! There are only 27 days remaining!

    We purchased our bottle of Dama del Rovere, Brenton Durello, Vino Spumante Brut (12% ABV) from: City Liquors, 620 Cambridge St., Cambridge, MA 617-945-0095, Price: ~ $15

     

    Related:

    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: Ed Cherubino
    Photography: © 2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

  • Ciao Febbraio! We’re Pouring Dama del Rovere – a Fresh, Light Spumante from the Veneto

    February is a month that doesn’t stick around very long, so we’re not losing any time raising a glass of bubbly to welcome its arrival.

    IMG_3500

    To help us maintain contact with this rapid mover, we’ve selected a fresh, light spumante from Verona in northeast Italy.  

    CHE_2678

    While spumante (sparkling wine) often brings to mind a very sweet holiday wine (as in Asti), the Durella (aka Durello) grape in our Dama del Rovere, Brenton Durello, Vino Spumante Brut is favored for its high level of acidity. 

    IMG_3411

    Tasters describe a:

    • “Delicate and slightly fruity characteristic”
    • “The taste is dry, tangy, full-bodied”
    • “Pairs well with cheese, fish, sushi”  (italianwinelovers.it) 
    • “Fresh, easy going spumante, great for aperitivo”
    • “Dry, crisp, thirst quenching”
    • “Light acidity, not too sweet”
    • “Good for mimosas”  (vivino.com)
    • “Durella wines tend to be reasonably light and delicate"
    • "Floral, citrusy characters and mineral overtones”
    • “Food matches for Durella include: Tempura-battered prawns”  (wine searcher.com) 

    Alright! Enough with the temptation! We’re more than ready to un-cork. Here’s hoping you’ll select a bottle of bubbly and join our Sparkling Resolution as we toast February, day one. But, remember, do it soon! There are only 27 days remaining!

    We purchased our bottle of Dama del Rovere, Brenton Durello, Vino Spumante Brut (12% ABV) from: City Liquors, 620 Cambridge St., Cambridge, MA 617-945-0095, Price: ~ $15

     

    Related:

    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: Ed Cherubino
    Photography: © 2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

  • Blooming Snowdrops Are Ready for Spring Instead of Snow

    As a rule, I look for snowdrops, signs of daffodils, and crocuses around Valentine's Day. Something made me check my favorite spots for early sighting this weekend. Here's what I saw.

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    Snowdrops in bloom in January.

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    Daffodil sprouts breaking through the mulch in a protected sunny spot. The grassy crocus sprigs that are usually nearby in this garden were not evident as of today.

    With snow flurries possible tomorrow night, these early bloomers may have a cold night or two. 

    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: © 2017 Penny Cherubino  

  • Blooming Snowdrops Are Ready for Spring Instead of Snow

    As a rule, I look for snowdrops, signs of daffodils, and crocuses around Valentine's Day. Something made me check my favorite spots for early sighting this weekend. Here's what I saw.

    IMG_6660

    Snowdrops in bloom in January.

    IMG_6629

    Daffodil sprouts breaking through the mulch in a protected sunny spot. The grassy crocus sprigs that are usually nearby in this garden were not evident as of today.

    With snow flurries possible tomorrow night, these early bloomers may have a cold night or two. 

    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: © 2017 Penny Cherubino  

  • To Market (Issue 2) Is Out and It’s a Great Asset to the Local Food Scene

    It's time to keep your eyes open for this second issue of To Market. This is a second great publication from the same folks that bring us Edible Boston. 

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    Here's the cover that you want.

    In my preview copy, I found a fun set of connections. I wrote a recent Fresh & Local newspaper column on following recipes. As I was looking for the perfect thought to wrap up my article, an online conversation with award-winning food writer Maria Speck contained the perfect quote and she gave me permission to use it. (Thanks, Maria!)

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    I curled up in my chair with the new To Market and found a great article, The Revival of New England Grains by Maria Speck. In it, she gives a bit of history, an outline of the grains that are finally being grown locally, and a list of farms that are adding a missing link to our local tables. 

    One more link was seeing Four Star Farm on the list of suppliers. This farm gave me my introduction to the great taste of our local grains. A few years ago, they made a guest appearance at the Copley Farmers Market and I was able to buy their whole wheat and Barley.

    Naturally, there is a lot more to discover in this issue, so get a copy and enjoy.

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    Here are Maria Speck's books, if you want to learn a lot more about all those ancient grains that are new again.

    Simply Ancient Grains: Fresh and Flavorful Whole Grain Recipes for Living Well
    Ancient Grains for Modern Meals: Mediterranean Whole Grain Recipes for Barley, Farro, Kamut, Polenta, Wheat Berries & More

    Support the To Market Team

    First, pick up a copy of To Market at one of these locations. In fact, pick up two copies and share one with a food-loving friend or leave it where someone might discover it among lesser publications and become a new fan.

    May I suggest that you let their sponsors know you saw them in the magazine and grab an extra copy and get it to someone else who cares about supporting the local food movement. Also, if you have a blog, twitter account, or facebook page, write about them, link to them, follow them, retweet their tweets, like them on facebook, and in general, spread the word about this great asset to our community.

    And, to be sure you never miss an issue of To Market, 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 & photos: Penny Cherubino- Use Courtesy of To Market