Tag: tips

Mastering Hamersley’s Roast Chicken Recipe

I’m sure Ed and I are not the only Hamersley’s fans missing that restaurant’s fantastic roast chicken. I plan to master that recipe over the next few months. I’ve made it once or twice. But, as long as I could just take a walk to Tremont Street to enjoy the finished product, I let the Hamersley’s kitchen do the work.

Start with the Recipe

First, of course, you need the recipe. It's in the cookbook Bistro Cooking at Home By Gordon Hamersley. And, while this is currently out of print, you can buy used or even a few treasured new copies on Amazon. You can also check local, used bookstores. I highly recommend having a copy of this book on your shelf and I look forward to the next publication from this great food champion.

If you just want a copy of the recipe, Boston University posted it online after one of Gordon Hamersley's cooking classes at the Seminars in Food and Wine. Here's a link to that posting.

And, if you prefer visual instruction, here is a link to Gordon Hamersley's appearance with Julia Child as a part of her Master Chefs series.

There are many steps to this signature dish. Fortunately, the process that Gordon Hamersley (and his first sous chef Jody Adams) developed to serve a perfectly roasted chicken with a crispy skin and moist interior also makes it a great party dish for a home cook.

The chicken is roasted ahead of time and popped under a broiler for heating and crisping before it is served. I love dishes like this that I can make a day ahead because they let me spend more time with my guests.

Begin With Shopping

Of course, to come out with a result like the dish served at Hamersley’s, you have to begin as the chef did with the finest ingredients you can find. In his tips for choosing chicken, the chef suggests trying chickens from smaller producers or kosher brands.

In 2003, when Gordon Hamersley wrote “Bistro Cooking at Home,” he said what many locavores are saying now, “… getting a more flavorful bird that has also been raised free of antibiotics and hormone injections seems to me to be worth the price.”

Stepping Along

You begin this dish by preparing an herbed lemon pesto marinade. You rub this all over the clean and dried chicken and let it marinate 2-4 hours in the refrigerator.

Next, the chicken is roasted to an internal thigh temperature of 165-170 degrees and rested before cutting and deboning. The final step in this part of the preparation is to make the sauce from the pan drippings.

When it’s time to serve the chicken, you broil it with lemon slices on top and the sauce in the pan below until the skin is crisp and the meat is heated.

This dish requires many steps with a good bit of waiting time for some of them, but it is not a difficult recipe. Dozens of Hamersley’s cooks mastered it over the years. And, I can’t wait until I can make it without glancing at the cookbook just as they did.

If I master the chicken, next up on my list will be the perfect duck confit that was so tempting on the Hamersley's menu and is often such a disappointment when I order it elsewhere.

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

Details:

Words: Penny Cherubino (adapted from one of her Fresh & Local newspaper columns)
Photos: ©2008 Penny Cherubino

June 29, 2015
Mastering Hamersley’s Roast Chicken Recipe

I’m sure Ed and I are not the only Hamersley’s fans missing that restaurant’s fantastic roast chicken. I plan to master that recipe over the next few months. I’ve made it once or twice. But, as long as I could just take a walk to Tremont Street to enjoy the finished product, I let the Hamersley’s kitchen do the work.

Start with the Recipe

First, of course, you need the recipe. It's in the cookbook Bistro Cooking at Home By Gordon Hamersley. And, while this is currently out of print, you can buy used or even a few treasured new copies on Amazon. You can also check local, used bookstores. I highly recommend having a copy of this book on your shelf and I look forward to the next publication from this great food champion.

If you just want a copy of the recipe, Boston University posted it online after one of Gordon Hamersley's cooking classes at the Seminars in Food and Wine. Here's a link to that posting.

And, if you prefer visual instruction, here is a link to Gordon Hamersley's appearance with Julia Child as a part of her Master Chefs series.

There are many steps to this signature dish. Fortunately, the process that Gordon Hamersley (and his first sous chef Jody Adams) developed to serve a perfectly roasted chicken with a crispy skin and moist interior also makes it a great party dish for a home cook.

The chicken is roasted ahead of time and popped under a broiler for heating and crisping before it is served. I love dishes like this that I can make a day ahead because they let me spend more time with my guests.

Begin With Shopping

Of course, to come out with a result like the dish served at Hamersley’s, you have to begin as the chef did with the finest ingredients you can find. In his tips for choosing chicken, the chef suggests trying chickens from smaller producers or kosher brands.

In 2003, when Gordon Hamersley wrote “Bistro Cooking at Home,” he said what many locavores are saying now, “… getting a more flavorful bird that has also been raised free of antibiotics and hormone injections seems to me to be worth the price.”

Stepping Along

You begin this dish by preparing an herbed lemon pesto marinade. You rub this all over the clean and dried chicken and let it marinate 2-4 hours in the refrigerator.

Next, the chicken is roasted to an internal thigh temperature of 165-170 degrees and rested before cutting and deboning. The final step in this part of the preparation is to make the sauce from the pan drippings.

When it’s time to serve the chicken, you broil it with lemon slices on top and the sauce in the pan below until the skin is crisp and the meat is heated.

This dish requires many steps with a good bit of waiting time for some of them, but it is not a difficult recipe. Dozens of Hamersley’s cooks mastered it over the years. And, I can’t wait until I can make it without glancing at the cookbook just as they did.

If I master the chicken, next up on my list will be the perfect duck confit that was so tempting on the Hamersley's menu and is often such a disappointment when I order it elsewhere.

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

Details:

Words: Penny Cherubino (adapted from one of her Fresh & Local newspaper columns)
Photos: ©2008 Penny Cherubino

June 29, 2015
What’s Happening Around Boston in April 2015
April is a busy month with the Boston Marathon and other events making hotel rooms expensive and restaurant reservations scarce.

Easter Sunday April 4th & Passover April 4th-11th

On Easter Sunday, you'll find special menus in many restaurants. If you have suggestions for places not doing this or alternative dining suggestions for Easter, please add them. And, Passover is a great time to enjoy some of the special kosher foods that are easier to find at this time.

Related BostonZest Post: Where to Dine in Boston on Easter, April 5, 2015

Do you have a favorite place to buy chocolate for Easter Baskets?

Patriots Day Weekend/Boston Marathon & other BAA races 18th to the 20th

The Boston Athletic Association is expecting 30,000 runners and half a million spectators for the Marathon on April 20th. There are other races and marathon related events all weekend.

There will be road closures and changes in MBTA routes surrounding the Marathon course. Here are some links to information on those aspects of the race.

If you need to get somewhere on Marathon Monday – before the roads close – try to place yourself on the side of the course that will allow you to get where you're going.

Related Posts: A collection of tips for Marathon Weekend, some from past years, that we'll be updating between now and Marathon Monday.
Other Events

For a long list of events for people with varied tastes, check out The Boston Calendar for April 2015.

For free and budget events, follow along with Kate from Boston On Budget.

For a curated list of historic events, you can depend on historian Liz Covart.
- April 1st – New Food Truck Schedules go into effect with a few new trucks and new spots for some of your old favorites.
- April 3-5 is the Anime Boston event at the Hynes Convention Center. This is a fun time to walk the area and take photos of the people dressed as their favorite characters. Most of them love to pose. If you're in town for some other reason, this is just a short lived event, not how Bostonians dress.
- April 18 – Greenway Spring Food Festival: Noon to 4:00 p.m. Some of our favorite food trucks will be on hand.
- April 18 – The Swan Boats will sail out from under the bridge onto the Boston Public Garden Lagoon
- April 26 – 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. - Fresh Paint, Sunday! "View Copley Society artist members at work creating their "fresh" canvases around the city."
Who Are all These Conventioneers?

Here are the dates of conventions that will impact hotel pricing and availability:
- April 9-10 – Boston National College Fair, estimated attendees – 15,000
- April 16-18 – National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Annual Meeting 2015, estimated attendees – 17,000
- April 29-May 2 – American College of Physicians Internal Medicine 2015, estimated attendees - 7,000
Graduation Season kicks off on April 25th

Every year, we publish a list of the spring graduation dates that make hotel and restaurant reservations harder to find in the weeks ahead. This year, we've added Wentworth Institute of Technology on April 25, 2015. If you need restaurant reservations or hotel rooms for friends and family from that date to June 5th, make them now.

You're up Next

What are your favorite April events or things you look forward to doing in Boston in April? Add your thoughts in the comments below. Tweet them to @BostonZest or send us an email and we'll add your suggestions to this post as an update.

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: © 2012-2015 Penny & Ed Cherubino (graduation caps are from istockphoto.com)
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March 27, 2015
Spread a Little Local Love for the Rest of Valentine’s Month

For the past week, there's been a lot of social media talk about getting out and supporting the local businesses who have been so badly hurt by the recent weather. We're adding our two cents to this message.

Pawsh Dog Boutique and Salon has toys for your four-footed valentines.

If you don't want to lose the small owner-operated businesses that are one of the best aspects of the Boston area, please get out of your homes and spend some money. Figure out what you need, or want to do, and then how you can do that with a local business.

We made the rounds of a few of our favorite shops this week. We restocked our wine rack at Bauer Wines on Newbury Street. They have a great selection of sparkling wines for your Valentine weekend celebrations.

At KitchenWares, Jim Hill says it's a great time to bring in your knives to be sharpened. He was telling us that some customers drop them off before heading away to warmer climes and pick them up upon return to Boston.

While we were there talking about the service, a local chef was picking out a new knife from their fine selection. He told us he had just had his very hard carbon steel knives sharpened at the shop and was very pleased. (Ed once gave me a knife for Valentines Day and I still smile when I use it.)

Onion Soup from Petit Robert Bistro

This week we had food delivered from a couple of local restaurants. Our meal from Petit Robert Bistro could have been a special Valentine's Day supper. We shared an assortment of pâtés, roast chicken, beef Bourguignon, tart tatin, and chocolate mousse.

Because we always think about how a menu item will travel before we order, our choices for delivery arrived in lovely condition. If you don't want to go out to dinner over the weekend, consider having a meal delivered.

However, we hope to get out and dine-in at some of our favorites. There are some foods like the Petit Robert onion soup and profiterole above that are better ordered and eaten at the restaurant. What's more, this will give you the opportunity to provide a tip for a member of the waitstaff who has been hurt by slow days and snow days.

If what you need is not local or if you are one of our readers from another part of the world, BostonZest is also a local business. When you are going to buy from one of the businesses that advertise here or pay us commission, we appreciate your support.

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: © 2015 Penny & Ed Cherubino

February 13, 2015
What’s Happening Around Boston in November 2014
For locals and visitors, it's time to start putting November happenings in this area on our calendars.

Fall foliage season continues with the color moving south, so daytrips to Rhode Island and Connecticut may still be photoworthy. The photo above was taken on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall in mid November, last year. Boston has beautiful foliage into November, most years.
- Frog Pond Skating is open in mid-November, weather permitting.
- A few seasonal farmers' markets continue until Thanksgiving and other indoor markets begin to open. Here's a link to days they open and closing dates for the summer seasonal markets.
- December 3rd Holiday Pops opens, but you should buy your tickets now if you want great seats or need a block for a group of family or friends.
- For those visiting from outside the U.S., November 11th is Veterans Day, a holiday. But since it is not a three day weekend holiday, there are fewer impacts on transportation and most stores, restaurants, and tourist attractions are open.
- Thanksgiving, November 27th is the other big holiday. For this one, almost everything is closed and the transit system is on a holiday schedule. For most lines, this means a Sunday Schedule. But, for some, it may mean no service.
- There is a large (19,000 visitor) convention the 16th to 19th. Other big convention dates are November 4th to 10th, 21st to 23rd, and 30th to December 3rd. Conventions have an impact on hotel prices and the availability of restaurant reservations.
Links to Information Updates

Here is our post on Dining Out on Thanksgiving.

Over on Trip Advisor's Boston Forum, the destination experts are adding to the initial post I began on this topic. The group has been keeping a running list of fun things to do, each month.

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 & Ed Cherubino
October 28, 2014
Things That Work, China Markers

We've used china markers for years. They come in handy for all sorts of writing projects. You can put a thank you note right on a wine bottle, scribble a reminder on the bathroom mirror, or mark the nail in a tire so you can find it at the service station.

These wax filled pencils (also called "crayon pencils," "grease pencils," or "wax pencils") write on glass, china, mirrors, tires, car windshields, etc. without damaging most surfaces. The markings rub off of slick surfaces with a dry cloth or you can use soap and warm water. (The wax is more difficult to remove from plastic.)

Read some of the reviews on Amazon to find how many ways people use the pencils. Department stores used to use them to mark chips on china or glass that was scheduled to be removed from inventory. You can use them to mark yard sale prices on anything like that.

Because they are wax, you can use them on plant markers and the label won't fade in the sun or wash away in the rain.

For a party, you can put everyone's name on their wine glass. This works much better than a wine charm or colored ribbon since you don't have to remember which one is yours.

Having an assortment of colors can be handy because this is a light mark, and opposing colors – like white on a green wine bottle or black on a clear container – will show up better.

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 & Ed Cherubino

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September 2, 2014
Tips for Photographing Your Own Sunday Dog

I read every pet photography advice article I find. One thing included in almost every one is to get down to the pet’s level.

This is one of my favorite photos of a very much missed old friend, Mr. Teddy. I put the camera on the ground to get this shot.

Pet Photography Tips

We all have many images of dogs and cats looking up at us from the ground. The magic happens when you drop to your knees or to the ground and shoot a picture at their level or from below.

Whatever level you shoot from, focus on the eyes. That’s where you’ll find the sparkle and personality. Most dogs will follow the camera or your hands with their eyes. Remy (above) has the most beautiful eyes.

Close-ups can be wonderful. You don’t have to show your entire pet to tell a story. You can zoom in and fill your picture with a beautiful face or crop a larger photo to show a dog’s unique expression. When you crop, try to include important characteristics like this Basset’s gorgeous ears.

For great candid shots, stand back from the scene and let someone else interact with the dog. Stay far enough away so the dog will sit back and relax and then take a restful photo. Then, crop that photo to give a sense of place. Here I included a statue with Nika to show she was on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall.

Shooting rapidly and getting down to the dog’s level means you can catch great moments like this little guy’s jump for joy at seeing another pup.

If your phone or camera has continuous shooting ability, use it. The photos you see in our Sunday Dog posts are often one of a series of 6-8 shots taken in a burst. Many of the series are blurs of a moving dog, but one or more will have the wonderful frozen moment that I was trying to capture.

Check the background color. Fur is hard for most cameras to figure out. It can be a blend of tones and it can blend into a background. You need some contrast to show off that wonderful texture and color. Zoe (above) shows up on the grass but would blend into the asphalt path. Pick your spot.

Finally, make it fun for everyone. Take a few photos but don’t make your friends or companion animals uncomfortable. Yes, you want some photo memories, but you also want to remember the non-photo elements of a wonderful walk with your dog.

Sometimes, a totally unposed shot (like the one above of Sollie watching a squirrel) can be the best memory of a day with your dog.

Do you have a favorite photo of your dog? What do you love about it?

Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs (and other critters) at Boston Dogs.

Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.

Details:
Words: Penny Cherubino, edited for BostonZest from her CIty Paws Newspaper Column.
Photography: 2008-2014 Penny & Ed Cherubino

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Ways to keep your dog still during a photo shoot

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July 20, 2014
Tips for Photographing Your Own Sunday Dog

I read every pet photography advice article I find. One thing included in almost every one is to get down to the pet’s level.

This is one of my favorite photos of a very much missed old friend, Mr. Teddy. I put the camera on the ground to get this shot.

Pet Photography Tips

We all have many images of dogs and cats looking up at us from the ground. The magic happens when you drop to your knees or to the ground and shoot a picture at their level or from below.

Whatever level you shoot from, focus on the eyes. That’s where you’ll find the sparkle and personality. Most dogs will follow the camera or your hands with their eyes. Remy (above) has the most beautiful eyes.

Close-ups can be wonderful. You don’t have to show your entire pet to tell a story. You can zoom in and fill your picture with a beautiful face or crop a larger photo to show a dog’s unique expression. When you crop, try to include important characteristics like this Basset’s gorgeous ears.

For great candid shots, stand back from the scene and let someone else interact with the dog. Stay far enough away so the dog will sit back and relax and then take a restful photo. Then, crop that photo to give a sense of place. Here I included a statue with Nika to show she was on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall.

Shooting rapidly and getting down to the dog’s level means you can catch great moments like this little guy’s jump for joy at seeing another pup.

If your phone or camera has continuous shooting ability, use it. The photos you see in our Sunday Dog posts are often one of a series of 6-8 shots taken in a burst. Many of the series are blurs of a moving dog, but one or more will have the wonderful frozen moment that I was trying to capture.

Check the background color. Fur is hard for most cameras to figure out. It can be a blend of tones and it can blend into a background. You need some contrast to show off that wonderful texture and color. Zoe (above) shows up on the grass but would blend into the asphalt path. Pick your spot.

Finally, make it fun for everyone. Take a few photos but don’t make your friends or companion animals uncomfortable. Yes, you want some photo memories, but you also want to remember the non-photo elements of a wonderful walk with your dog.

Sometimes, a totally unposed shot (like the one above of Sollie watching a squirrel) can be the best memory of a day with your dog.

Do you have a favorite photo of your dog? What do you love about it?

Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs (and other critters) at Boston Dogs.

Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.

Details:
Words: Penny Cherubino, edited for BostonZest from her CIty Paws Newspaper Column.
Photography: 2008-2014 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Related articles

Sunday Dog, Nika – A Stunningly Gorgeous Siberian!

Ways to keep your dog still during a photo shoot

7 Tips for Better Pet Photos

July 20, 2014
Poppy Says, “Keep Your Dog Safe and Secure in the City”

If our little Poppy looks a bit pensive in this photo, it's because she was thinking about what she needs to explain to all the new dogs she's meeting as we walk around Boston. She is especially worried about the ones who were country dogs, like her, before they came to live in the city.

We told her we'd be happy to pass along a few tips to help dog families with less urban experience.

City drivers may cut corners and run traffic lights. Stand well back from the curb and be sure all traffic has stopped before stepping onto the street.

And, speaking of cars, when maneuvering around cars, keep your pup clear of tailpipes. They may be hot – even on parked cars.

People on skateboards, bicycles, and inline skates can move dangerously fast. Try to position yourself between them and your pal.

On congested sidewalks, pups need observant and protective friends. When you can, put your pup between two people. Be careful rounding corners and avoid smokers swinging cigarettes and flicking hot ashes at doggie eye level.

City litter can be dangerous to paws. Guide your little one around broken glass, gum, and smoldering cigarette butts.

Horns and sirens can startle and frighten the most self-confident dog. Shorten your lead and provide lots of pats and reassurance.

And, feel free to ask the families you meet for referrals to the people and supplies you need for your dog. When you keep hearing good things about a shop, vet, groomer, or service, you can try it out.

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 Cherubino
Photography: © 2013 Ed Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers’ comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

September 29, 2013
Poppy Says, “Keep Your Dog Safe and Secure in the City”

If our little Poppy looks a bit pensive in this photo, it's because she was thinking about what she needs to explain to all the new dogs she's meeting as we walk around Boston. She is especially worried about the ones who were country dogs, like her, before they came to live in the city.

We told her we'd be happy to pass along a few tips to help dog families with less urban experience.

City drivers may cut corners and run traffic lights. Stand well back from the curb and be sure all traffic has stopped before stepping onto the street.

And, speaking of cars, when maneuvering around cars, keep your pup clear of tailpipes. They may be hot – even on parked cars.

People on skateboards, bicycles, and inline skates can move dangerously fast. Try to position yourself between them and your pal.

On congested sidewalks, pups need observant and protective friends. When you can, put your pup between two people. Be careful rounding corners and avoid smokers swinging cigarettes and flicking hot ashes at doggie eye level.

City litter can be dangerous to paws. Guide your little one around broken glass, gum, and smoldering cigarette butts.

Horns and sirens can startle and frighten the most self-confident dog. Shorten your lead and provide lots of pats and reassurance.

And, feel free to ask the families you meet for referrals to the people and supplies you need for your dog. When you keep hearing good things about a shop, vet, groomer, or service, you can try it out.

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 Cherubino
Photography: © 2013 Ed Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers’ comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

September 29, 2013