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Sherlock Bones: Cafe Dog in Training

We met little Sherlock, a dashing poodle mix, at a sidewalk cafe that will remain unnamed to protect it from the dog haters.

He and the gentleman with him were about to leave an ideal table where a good dog could sit on the sidewalk while the human half of the team could dine at a table.

At six months old, Sherlock or Sherlock Bones, as some of his friends and fans call him, has already learned that the primary task of a great cafe dog is to charm all the people around you. He even offered his paws to Penny for a dance. She was completely smitten with this fellow.

He was still getting a few gentle sit reminders from the other half of the cafe team but, before long, we were sure that touch would be replaced by a hand signal to cue this poodle-smart pup to park his hind end on the bricks.

When little Prince Charming realized that we were hoping to slip into his table, he tugged his person toward a nearby park.

Thanks Sherlock! We hope you had a nice walk and perhaps a bit of puppy play while we were enjoying lunch. We look forward to running into you again.

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: ©2015 Penny & Ed Cherubino

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September 27, 2015
Boston Public Library’s Digital Magazine Service
These days, I'm spending more time reading magazines because I discovered the Boston Public Library’s digital magazine service.

It's another one of the free services included in your Boston Public Library Card. Once you finish the steps to get started with the service, you can browse the newsstand and read the latest issue and a few of the back issues right on your desktop or laptop.

If you want to read on your mobile device, you can download the appropriate app and have reading material on hand wherever you are.

I love the option to be notified when a new issue of a favorite magazine is available. I'm using that service for the New Yorker and Saveur right now. This week I enjoyed all the cartoons and a few of the articles in the New Yorker.

When they announced this service, the Library said,

"Boston Public Library now provides library cardholders free access to popular magazines via a digital magazine service, making more than 100 popular English and Spanish language magazines instantly available. The online resource Zinio offers the ability to check out and download titles like National Geographic, ESPN the Magazine, Good Housekeeping, and Newsweek, and is compatible with smartphones, tablets, and computers. Zinio features complete, full-color magazines with intuitive navigation, keyword article search, and interactive audio and video elements.

“Boston Public Library is pleased to offer this new resource,” said Michael Colford, Director of Library Services. “It is a convenient, free, no-waiting option that appeals to avid magazine readers as well as those who prefer to consume their news and information in digital form.”

Cardholders can reach the service via the “collections” section of the Boston Public Library website. Library users log in with their Boston Public Library card and then create a library collection account and a Zinio.com reader account. In addition, users have the option of downloading a Zinio app."

If you don't have a Boston Public Library Card, get one. You might not know that you qualify for a BPL card.

Here's the official word on who is eligible:

"You are eligible for a library card if you are:
- a resident of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
- a Massachusetts property owner
- commute to Massachusetts for work
- residing in Massachusetts while attending school
- a resident of temporary housing in Massachusetts
- Library users from outside Massachusetts may apply for a research card for the purpose of using Research Library materials (in-library use only)."
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: © 2015 Penny Cherubino, Screen shot from the Boston Public Library website.
September 25, 2015
Boston Public Library’s Digital Magazine Service
These days, I'm spending more time reading magazines because I discovered the Boston Public Library’s digital magazine service.

It's another one of the free services included in your Boston Public Library Card. Once you finish the steps to get started with the service, you can browse the newsstand and read the latest issue and a few of the back issues right on your desktop or laptop.

If you want to read on your mobile device, you can download the appropriate app and have reading material on hand wherever you are.

I love the option to be notified when a new issue of a favorite magazine is available. I'm using that service for the New Yorker and Saveur right now. This week I enjoyed all the cartoons and a few of the articles in the New Yorker.

When they announced this service, the Library said,

"Boston Public Library now provides library cardholders free access to popular magazines via a digital magazine service, making more than 100 popular English and Spanish language magazines instantly available. The online resource Zinio offers the ability to check out and download titles like National Geographic, ESPN the Magazine, Good Housekeeping, and Newsweek, and is compatible with smartphones, tablets, and computers. Zinio features complete, full-color magazines with intuitive navigation, keyword article search, and interactive audio and video elements.

“Boston Public Library is pleased to offer this new resource,” said Michael Colford, Director of Library Services. “It is a convenient, free, no-waiting option that appeals to avid magazine readers as well as those who prefer to consume their news and information in digital form.”

Cardholders can reach the service via the “collections” section of the Boston Public Library website. Library users log in with their Boston Public Library card and then create a library collection account and a Zinio.com reader account. In addition, users have the option of downloading a Zinio app."

If you don't have a Boston Public Library Card, get one. You might not know that you qualify for a BPL card.

Here's the official word on who is eligible:

"You are eligible for a library card if you are:
- a resident of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
- a Massachusetts property owner
- commute to Massachusetts for work
- residing in Massachusetts while attending school
- a resident of temporary housing in Massachusetts
- Library users from outside Massachusetts may apply for a research card for the purpose of using Research Library materials (in-library use only)."
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: © 2015 Penny Cherubino, Screen shot from the Boston Public Library website.
September 25, 2015
Local, Fresh, Young Ginger Is Back in Season: At the Market Report

Tender, vibrant, local, young ginger from Old Friends Farm in Amherst, MA is back at the Copley Square Farmers Market.

This lovely pile of ginger was photographed at the Atlas Farm stand along St. James Avenue. The Atlas folks bring a few products from their neighboring farm, Old Friends, on Tuesdays and Fridays until Thanksgiving.

What is it about this ginger that makes it worth the price and makes me buy enough to freeze and use during the months when it is not available?

First, there is that love that is part of the sign at the market. I've known farmer Casey Steinberg for years and knowing him, I believe this ginger is grown with love and care. I know it's organic and fresh and grown with as light a footprint as his team can use.

I know that this young ginger is tender and bursting with ginger heat. I don't bother to peel it, no need. I just grab a microplane and grate what I need.

Unlike its supermarket counterpart, this ginger is highly perishable. Old Friends has a page of tips on how to store and use this special ginger product.

Stop by the market and pick up a hand to try this ginger in your favorite stir fry. You won't want to go back to the ordinary. You may even decide to use it in different ways. Then, like me, you'll set aside room in your freezer for a supply of your favorite, local, young, organic ginger.

Ginger Syrup, Too

We told you another aspect of this ginger story in our post: Old Friends Farm Organic Ginger Syrup. While you can make your own version with their ginger, it is so much easier to stock up on a few bottles to get you through the winter.

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

Details:

Words: Penny Cherubino
Photos: ©2014-2015 Penny Cherubino

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September 24, 2015
Local, Fresh, Young Ginger Is Back in Season: At the Market Report

Tender, vibrant, local, young ginger from Old Friends Farm in Amherst, MA is back at the Copley Square Farmers Market.

This lovely pile of ginger was photographed at the Atlas Farm stand along St. James Avenue. The Atlas folks bring a few products from their neighboring farm, Old Friends, on Tuesdays and Fridays until Thanksgiving.

What is it about this ginger that makes it worth the price and makes me buy enough to freeze and use during the months when it is not available?

First, there is that love that is part of the sign at the market. I've known farmer Casey Steinberg for years and knowing him, I believe this ginger is grown with love and care. I know it's organic and fresh and grown with as light a footprint as his team can use.

I know that this young ginger is tender and bursting with ginger heat. I don't bother to peel it, no need. I just grab a microplane and grate what I need.

Unlike its supermarket counterpart, this ginger is highly perishable. Old Friends has a page of tips on how to store and use this special ginger product.

Stop by the market and pick up a hand to try this ginger in your favorite stir fry. You won't want to go back to the ordinary. You may even decide to use it in different ways. Then, like me, you'll set aside room in your freezer for a supply of your favorite, local, young, organic ginger.

Ginger Syrup, Too

We told you another aspect of this ginger story in our post: Old Friends Farm Organic Ginger Syrup. While you can make your own version with their ginger, it is so much easier to stock up on a few bottles to get you through the winter.

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

Details:

Words: Penny Cherubino
Photos: ©2014-2015 Penny Cherubino

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Sunday Cat Sophia Says, "Let me in Whee-ooh …"

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September 24, 2015
No Mayo Potato Salads

If your idea of potato salad is limited to the typical mayonnaise based recipes, it’s time to think again and experiment with farm fresh potatoes, new mix-ins, and alternate dressings.

This potato and egg salad with a vinaigrette is made creamy by the mixing of the eggs and dressing. A few scallions add flavor and color.

The great American writer Laurie Colwin devoted a chapter to potato salad in her book “Home Cooking.” She began with her belief that there is no such thing as a bad potato salad, “So long as the potatoes are not undercooked …” From there, she described the many versions she has tried and loved over the years.

She had a favorite for this time of year. “If you can find them, the tiny potatoes of early autumn are delicious. They are the size of quail eggs and are wonderful steamed and eaten with a French olive oil, salt, pepper and a drop of lemon juice.”

Colwin also gave good advice on selecting potatoes for salads. She found that waxy potatoes like our popular red skinned varieties don’t absorb as much dressing and are best when you want a salad, “delicately coated.” And that mealier potatoes, like a russet, soak up dressing for a creamier result.

You'll find the recipe for this Summer Corn and Potato Salad in one of our posts from 2008. I still make it and we still love it.

Vinaigrette Potato Salads

Thinking vinaigrette rather than mayonnaise is very traditional. In Fannie Merritt Farmer's “The Original Boston Cooking School Cook Book 1896,” there are five potato salad recipes, all sans mayonnaise.

One version is great for apple season – Potato and Celery Salad. She wrote, “To two cups boiled potatoes cut in one-half inch cubes add one-half cup finely cut celery and a medium-sized apple, pared, cut in eighths, then eighths cut in thin slices. Marinate with French Dressing. Arrange in a mound and garnish with celery tip and sections of bright red apple.” Her version of “French Dressing” was what we call vinaigrette: a mix of olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.

Family Recipe

The potato and egg salad you see at the top was my father-in-law's recipe. Ed and I enjoy this as a quick meal some evenings. I use two pounds of red potatoes as the base. Rather than peel the potatoes, I scrub them, remove any eyes or bad spots, slice into wedges, and cook them in a steamer until tender. While still warm, I mix in a large stalk of diced celery, two thinly-sliced scallions, four sliced hard boiled eggs, two tablespoons of cider vinegar, and about half a cup of olive oil. You can serve this warm or cold.

Other additions to a salad like this might be capers, grated carrots, parsley, dill, or a bit of dry mustard. As with so many salads, I use what I have on hand when I begin to make it and change it up often enough to keep it fresh among the routine meals.

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

Details:

Words: Penny Cherubino (Adapted for the web from one of her Fresh & Local newspaper columns)
Photos: ©2008- 2015 Penny Cherubino

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September 23, 2015
No Mayo Potato Salads

If your idea of potato salad is limited to the typical mayonnaise based recipes, it’s time to think again and experiment with farm fresh potatoes, new mix-ins, and alternate dressings.

This potato and egg salad with a vinaigrette is made creamy by the mixing of the eggs and dressing. A few scallions add flavor and color.

The great American writer Laurie Colwin devoted a chapter to potato salad in her book “Home Cooking.” She began with her belief that there is no such thing as a bad potato salad, “So long as the potatoes are not undercooked …” From there, she described the many versions she has tried and loved over the years.

She had a favorite for this time of year. “If you can find them, the tiny potatoes of early autumn are delicious. They are the size of quail eggs and are wonderful steamed and eaten with a French olive oil, salt, pepper and a drop of lemon juice.”

Colwin also gave good advice on selecting potatoes for salads. She found that waxy potatoes like our popular red skinned varieties don’t absorb as much dressing and are best when you want a salad, “delicately coated.” And that mealier potatoes, like a russet, soak up dressing for a creamier result.

You'll find the recipe for this Summer Corn and Potato Salad in one of our posts from 2008. I still make it and we still love it.

Vinaigrette Potato Salads

Thinking vinaigrette rather than mayonnaise is very traditional. In Fannie Merritt Farmer's “The Original Boston Cooking School Cook Book 1896,” there are five potato salad recipes, all sans mayonnaise.

One version is great for apple season – Potato and Celery Salad. She wrote, “To two cups boiled potatoes cut in one-half inch cubes add one-half cup finely cut celery and a medium-sized apple, pared, cut in eighths, then eighths cut in thin slices. Marinate with French Dressing. Arrange in a mound and garnish with celery tip and sections of bright red apple.” Her version of “French Dressing” was what we call vinaigrette: a mix of olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.

Family Recipe

The potato and egg salad you see at the top was my father-in-law's recipe. Ed and I enjoy this as a quick meal some evenings. I use two pounds of red potatoes as the base. Rather than peel the potatoes, I scrub them, remove any eyes or bad spots, slice into wedges, and cook them in a steamer until tender. While still warm, I mix in a large stalk of diced celery, two thinly-sliced scallions, four sliced hard boiled eggs, two tablespoons of cider vinegar, and about half a cup of olive oil. You can serve this warm or cold.

Other additions to a salad like this might be capers, grated carrots, parsley, dill, or a bit of dry mustard. As with so many salads, I use what I have on hand when I begin to make it and change it up often enough to keep it fresh among the routine meals.

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

Details:

Words: Penny Cherubino (Adapted for the web from one of her Fresh & Local newspaper columns)
Photos: ©2008- 2015 Penny Cherubino

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September 23, 2015
These Vizslas Hunt Graffiti: Say Hello to Sasha & Finn!

Sasha and Finn have a mission when they go out for a walk. These proud Vizslas help their person Michael Fenter hunt down and remove graffiti from their neighborhood.

This trio work with the Neighborhood Association of the Back Bay's Graffiti Busters. Actually, the dogs offered companionship and moral support while Michael did the hard work of cleaning black paint off this utility box.

When the graffiti kit on wheels stays home, you can be sure that their 5 daily walks will result in shopping bags of litter picked up along the way. Whenever they are out and about, they take care of their own business and do their share of volunteer work.

What you can do!

If this crew makes you wish you were doing more to help your neighbors on your dog walks, here are some of the things that you can do.

Join your neighborhood association or park group and volunteer a bit of your time. There are many things you can do while walking with dogs. (We didn't find a great list of Boston's neighborhood associations and park groups so we are working on one for a future post. If you belong to one please add a link in the comments below, Tweet it to @BostonZest ,or send us an email.)

Report graffiti (and other problems the city needs to correct) with a call to the 311 line, at tweet to @bos311, or by using the 311 app. Details at that link.

Grab an extra pick-up bag and use it to pick-up litter along the your route. (Remember last week we told you about Zeus and his person who is also a litter buster!)

Learn what you need to know to keep watch for Dutch Elm Disease or Asian Longhorned Beetles.

Report damage to statues or park fixtures to the Parks Department. In the case of the Commonwealth Avenue Mall, the Public Garden, or the Boston Common, you can also report those issues to the Friends of the Public Garden.

Stop and say thank you to volunteers like these when you see them doing good work around your area.

By the time we returned from our walk, the graffiti team was gone, the area was clean, and the utility box was ready for repainting the next day. We wanted to give the tip of our Sunday Dog hat to these great neighbors.

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: ©2015 Penny & Ed Cherubino

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Champagne Moutard Brut Grande Cuvée, Love at First Sip!

Sunday Cat Sophia Says, "Let me in Whee-ooh …"

September 20, 2015
These Vizslas Hunt Graffiti: Say Hello to Sasha & Finn!

Sasha and Finn have a mission when they go out for a walk. These proud Vizslas help their person Michael Fenter hunt down and remove graffiti from their neighborhood.

This trio work with the Neighborhood Association of the Back Bay's Graffiti Busters. Actually, the dogs offered companionship and moral support while Michael did the hard work of cleaning black paint off this utility box.

When the graffiti kit on wheels stays home, you can be sure that their 5 daily walks will result in shopping bags of litter picked up along the way. Whenever they are out and about, they take care of their own business and do their share of volunteer work.

What you can do!

If this crew makes you wish you were doing more to help your neighbors on your dog walks, here are some of the things that you can do.

Join your neighborhood association or park group and volunteer a bit of your time. There are many things you can do while walking with dogs. (We didn't find a great list of Boston's neighborhood associations and park groups so we are working on one for a future post. If you belong to one please add a link in the comments below, Tweet it to @BostonZest ,or send us an email.)

Report graffiti (and other problems the city needs to correct) with a call to the 311 line, at tweet to @bos311, or by using the 311 app. Details at that link.

Grab an extra pick-up bag and use it to pick-up litter along the your route. (Remember last week we told you about Zeus and his person who is also a litter buster!)

Learn what you need to know to keep watch for Dutch Elm Disease or Asian Longhorned Beetles.

Report damage to statues or park fixtures to the Parks Department. In the case of the Commonwealth Avenue Mall, the Public Garden, or the Boston Common, you can also report those issues to the Friends of the Public Garden.

Stop and say thank you to volunteers like these when you see them doing good work around your area.

By the time we returned from our walk, the graffiti team was gone, the area was clean, and the utility box was ready for repainting the next day. We wanted to give the tip of our Sunday Dog hat to these great neighbors.

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: ©2015 Penny & Ed Cherubino

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September 20, 2015
Time to Pick Up Your Edible Boston Autumn 2015 Issue

My preview copy of Edible Boston's Autumn 2015 issue arrived this week. It is another issue filled with great writing and photography.

Look for this cover when you visit shops and restaurants that support the local, sustainable food movement. Many of those places are advertisers and distribution spots for this publication.

Sharing Food Stories

This is one publication where the Letter from the Editor near the front is the place to start. Ilene Bezahler always makes me think, resolve, or remember. This time she shared memories of the food scene on Martha's Vineyard where Ed and I vacationed for many years.

She also recommended staying in a house or apartment on vacation rather than a hotel so that you can experience a place more like a local. That's something we've always preferred. She and I will have to sit down over a cup of tea or glass of wine one of these days and compare notes in person.

The Field of Grain

There are a couple of articles in this issue about grains – growing grains and turning them into great artisan breads. Living with a confessed bread-a-holic, these were two of my first reads this time around.

You'll meet another issue full of food makers, food growers, and food curators. And, the ads will give you lots of great ideas, things to do, places to visit, and items to add to your shopping list. Of course, a gift subscription to Edible Boston itself is a perfect gift for anyone who is a lover of fresh, local food, and the people who bring it our way.

Support publisher Ilene Bezahler and her talented team

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

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

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

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

Details:

Words: Penny Cherubino
Covershot: Courtesy of Edible Boston

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September 18, 2015