Blog

  • Planet Oregon Pinot Noir, an Excellent and Very Green, Red Wine

    Love Pinot Noir and the environment? Are you a fan of winemaker Tony Soter? Adore a great wine value? Then you'll want to pick up a bottle or two or three of Planet Oregon Pinot Noir.

    PMC_7363 - Version 22012-11-22-plantet-soter-pinot-noir-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    At about $20 a bottle, this wine will put a smile on your Valentine's face when you match it with a great meal for that special day. What's more, with a wonderful story and impeccable environmental credentials, it will make every sip more satisfying.

    This is a winery with a mission statement: 

    "Our Purpose is to Produce Persuasively Good Oregon Pinot For People Uninterested in Pomp, Pretense or Posturing.  A Populist Product That is Pure and Positively Progressive. Only Oregon Pinot Noir.  Passionately Produced But Practically Packaged. The Perennial Taste of Planet Oregon at a Palatable Price. " 

    DSC_0525 - Version 32012-11-22-plantet-soter-pinot-noir-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    We served it on Thanksgiving to rave reviews after Howie Rubin at Bauer Wine & Spirits pointed it out to us. This is a wine that is big on flavor. The notes that Bauer sent out about it said:

    "Planet Oregon Pinot noir is a lovely, garnet colored wine. A delectable aroma of fresh raspberries, just picked on a hot summer day, almost takes your breath away. An upfront juiciness follows through with mouthwatering flavors of raspberries, blackberries, and cherries, tinged with a suggestion of sweet baking spices and dried herbs. A pretty, easy to love wine, ready to drink. Close your eyes while drinking it and be taken to an Oregon vineyard on a perfect summer day."

    In many fewer words let us say, we loved it from first sniff to final sip.

    DSC_0550 - Version 22012-11-22-plantet-soter-pinot-noir-© 2011 Penny Cherubino (1)

    Yes, this is a great Oregon pinot at a great price. It has earned a reserved spot in our wine rack, welcome there anytime we see it on offer.

    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: © 2013 Penny & 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. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

    Enhanced by Zemanta
  • Planet Oregon Pinot Noir, an Excellent and Very Green, Red Wine

    Love Pinot Noir and the environment? Are you a fan of winemaker Tony Soter? Adore a great wine value? Then you'll want to pick up a bottle or two or three of Planet Oregon Pinot Noir.

    PMC_7363 - Version 22012-11-22-plantet-soter-pinot-noir-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    At about $20 a bottle, this wine will put a smile on your Valentine's face when you match it with a great meal for that special day. What's more, with a wonderful story and impeccable environmental credentials, it will make every sip more satisfying.

    This is a winery with a mission statement: 

    "Our Purpose is to Produce Persuasively Good Oregon Pinot For People Uninterested in Pomp, Pretense or Posturing.  A Populist Product That is Pure and Positively Progressive. Only Oregon Pinot Noir.  Passionately Produced But Practically Packaged. The Perennial Taste of Planet Oregon at a Palatable Price. " 

    DSC_0525 - Version 32012-11-22-plantet-soter-pinot-noir-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    We served it on Thanksgiving to rave reviews after Howie Rubin at Bauer Wine & Spirits pointed it out to us. This is a wine that is big on flavor. The notes that Bauer sent out about it said:

    "Planet Oregon Pinot noir is a lovely, garnet colored wine. A delectable aroma of fresh raspberries, just picked on a hot summer day, almost takes your breath away. An upfront juiciness follows through with mouthwatering flavors of raspberries, blackberries, and cherries, tinged with a suggestion of sweet baking spices and dried herbs. A pretty, easy to love wine, ready to drink. Close your eyes while drinking it and be taken to an Oregon vineyard on a perfect summer day."

    In many fewer words let us say, we loved it from first sniff to final sip.

    DSC_0550 - Version 22012-11-22-plantet-soter-pinot-noir-© 2011 Penny Cherubino (1)

    Yes, this is a great Oregon pinot at a great price. It has earned a reserved spot in our wine rack, welcome there anytime we see it on offer.

    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: © 2013 Penny & 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. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

    Enhanced by Zemanta
  • Planet Oregon Pinot Noir, an Excellent and Very Green, Red Wine

    Love Pinot Noir and the environment? Are you a fan of winemaker Tony Soter? Adore a great wine value? Then you'll want to pick up a bottle or two or three of Planet Oregon Pinot Noir.

    PMC_7363 - Version 22012-11-22-plantet-soter-pinot-noir-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    At about $20 a bottle, this wine will put a smile on your Valentine's face when you match it with a great meal for that special day. What's more, with a wonderful story and impeccable environmental credentials, it will make every sip more satisfying.

    This is a winery with a mission statement: 

    "Our Purpose is to Produce Persuasively Good Oregon Pinot For People Uninterested in Pomp, Pretense or Posturing.  A Populist Product That is Pure and Positively Progressive. Only Oregon Pinot Noir.  Passionately Produced But Practically Packaged. The Perennial Taste of Planet Oregon at a Palatable Price. " 

    DSC_0525 - Version 32012-11-22-plantet-soter-pinot-noir-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    We served it on Thanksgiving to rave reviews after Howie Rubin at Bauer Wine & Spirits pointed it out to us. This is a wine that is big on flavor. The notes that Bauer sent out about it said:

    "Planet Oregon Pinot noir is a lovely, garnet colored wine. A delectable aroma of fresh raspberries, just picked on a hot summer day, almost takes your breath away. An upfront juiciness follows through with mouthwatering flavors of raspberries, blackberries, and cherries, tinged with a suggestion of sweet baking spices and dried herbs. A pretty, easy to love wine, ready to drink. Close your eyes while drinking it and be taken to an Oregon vineyard on a perfect summer day."

    In many fewer words let us say, we loved it from first sniff to final sip.

    DSC_0550 - Version 22012-11-22-plantet-soter-pinot-noir-© 2011 Penny Cherubino (1)

    Yes, this is a great Oregon pinot at a great price. It has earned a reserved spot in our wine rack, welcome there anytime we see it on offer.

    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: © 2013 Penny & 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. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

    Enhanced by Zemanta
  • Blue Cook’s Tape

    I know, other people call it Blue Painter's Tape but I use it to keep track of food. 

    Photo1 - Version 22013-01-08-blue-tape-for -cooks-freezer-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    It's a trick I picked up from restaurant kitchens where it is essential to rotate product and get a quick inventory of the prep work to be done. 

    Photo - Version 22013-01-19-blue-tape-for -cooks-freezer-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    I keep a roll handy. Right now, I'm using an old drafting table tape dispenser that sits in my mortar next to the refrigerator. If I open a carton of stock, the date is added before I pop it into the fridge. When I freeze meals or ingredients, they are labled with blue tape. Even my dog's raw food has the date I made it and which meat it contains. (She loves lamb, rabbit, and duck!)

    Photo - Version 22013-01-19-blue-tape-for -cooks-freezer-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    It also does a great job of keeping those open boxes resealed when you pop them back into the freezer.

    Photo3 - Version 22013-01-19-blue-tape-for -cooks-freezer-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    Out in my "hallway pantry" –a set of wooden cd racks that hold jars containing dry goods– I can tell my salt from my sugar because of a blue label. 

    Grab a roll the next time you're at a hardware store. You may be surprised at how many uses you'll find for it at home. The tape clings well, even after freezing, and then comes off cleanly when you want to remove it. 

    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: © 2013 Penny Cherubino (This batch taken with my iPhone!)   

  • Blue Cook’s Tape

    I know, other people call it Blue Painter's Tape but I use it to keep track of food. 

    Photo1 - Version 22013-01-08-blue-tape-for -cooks-freezer-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    It's a trick I picked up from restaurant kitchens where it is essential to rotate product and get a quick inventory of the prep work to be done. 

    Photo - Version 22013-01-19-blue-tape-for -cooks-freezer-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    I keep a roll handy. Right now, I'm using an old drafting table tape dispenser that sits in my mortar next to the refrigerator. If I open a carton of stock, the date is added before I pop it into the fridge. When I freeze meals or ingredients, they are labled with blue tape. Even my dog's raw food has the date I made it and which meat it contains. (She loves lamb, rabbit, and duck!)

    Photo - Version 22013-01-19-blue-tape-for -cooks-freezer-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    It also does a great job of keeping those open boxes resealed when you pop them back into the freezer.

    Photo3 - Version 22013-01-19-blue-tape-for -cooks-freezer-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    Out in my "hallway pantry" –a set of wooden cd racks that hold jars containing dry goods– I can tell my salt from my sugar because of a blue label. 

    Grab a roll the next time you're at a hardware store. You may be surprised at how many uses you'll find for it at home. The tape clings well, even after freezing, and then comes off cleanly when you want to remove it. 

    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: © 2013 Penny Cherubino (This batch taken with my iPhone!)   

  • Blue Cook’s Tape

    I know, other people call it Blue Painter's Tape but I use it to keep track of food. 

    Photo1 - Version 22013-01-08-blue-tape-for -cooks-freezer-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    It's a trick I picked up from restaurant kitchens where it is essential to rotate product and get a quick inventory of the prep work to be done. 

    Photo - Version 22013-01-19-blue-tape-for -cooks-freezer-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    I keep a roll handy. Right now, I'm using an old drafting table tape dispenser that sits in my mortar next to the refrigerator. If I open a carton of stock, the date is added before I pop it into the fridge. When I freeze meals or ingredients, they are labled with blue tape. Even my dog's raw food has the date I made it and which meat it contains. (She loves lamb, rabbit, and duck!)

    Photo - Version 22013-01-19-blue-tape-for -cooks-freezer-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    It also does a great job of keeping those open boxes resealed when you pop them back into the freezer.

    Photo3 - Version 22013-01-19-blue-tape-for -cooks-freezer-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    Out in my "hallway pantry" –a set of wooden cd racks that hold jars containing dry goods– I can tell my salt from my sugar because of a blue label. 

    Grab a roll the next time you're at a hardware store. You may be surprised at how many uses you'll find for it at home. The tape clings well, even after freezing, and then comes off cleanly when you want to remove it. 

    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: © 2013 Penny Cherubino (This batch taken with my iPhone!)   

  • Flour Has Sandwiches … I Knew That!

    DSC_1697 - Version 32013-01-12-flour-lamb-sandwich-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    Of course, Flour Bakery + Cafe has sandwiches … I knew that! But after focusing on the bakery side for so long, I hadn’t … well … tried one. Alright, settle down, settle down!

    In my defense, your honor, you should know that I’ve always been fascinated by bakeries. As a child I can remember opening the bakery shop door and being overwhelmed by an "aroma wall" of freshly baked bread. It was intoxicating! And, along with cases full of pastries and other goodies, it was an experience that has come to define “bakery” for me.

    DSC_1680 - Version 22013-01-12-flour-now open-back bay-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    So, when Flour Back Bay opened last week, Penny, Poppy, and I walked over to check out the new location and treat ourselves to the Double Chocolate Cookies and a couple of hunks of the addictive Boston Cream Pie (with echoes of tiramisu).

    CHE_0889 - Version 22013-01-12-flour-now open-back bay-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    Maybe it was because we were looking around at the new digs or that it was lunch time, but suddenly I noticed … sandwiches.

    The Roasted Lamb (top photo) with tomato chutney, greens, goat cheese and, of course, bread! The combination was superb – highlighted by the thinly sliced morsels of tender meat.

    DSC_1705 - Version 22013-01-12-flour-roast-chicken-sandwich-avocado-jicama-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    We added the Roasted Chicken sandwich that featured avocado, greens, and jicama which added the right amount of moisture and crunch.

    Okay, I’m convinced! Flour is more than an alluring bakery and I’m looking forward to tasting all of the sandwich offerings. The real challenge will be matching the pastry with each one. This could take awhile.  

    The newest location or Flour4 as it has been nicknamed is here:

    Flour Bakery + Cafe (Back Bay)  
    131 Clarendon Street, Boston MA 02116 (map)
    617.437.7700

    Bonus: Across the street Frieda Garcia Park has some nice benches and a place to eat for those of us who travel with dogs.

    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: © 2012 Penny 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.

     

    Enhanced by Zemanta
  • Flour Has Sandwiches … I Knew That!

    DSC_1697 - Version 32013-01-12-flour-lamb-sandwich-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    Of course, Flour Bakery + Cafe has sandwiches … I knew that! But after focusing on the bakery side for so long, I hadn’t … well … tried one. Alright, settle down, settle down!

    In my defense, your honor, you should know that I’ve always been fascinated by bakeries. As a child I can remember opening the bakery shop door and being overwhelmed by an "aroma wall" of freshly baked bread. It was intoxicating! And, along with cases full of pastries and other goodies, it was an experience that has come to define “bakery” for me.

    DSC_1680 - Version 22013-01-12-flour-now open-back bay-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    So, when Flour Back Bay opened last week, Penny, Poppy, and I walked over to check out the new location and treat ourselves to the Double Chocolate Cookies and a couple of hunks of the addictive Boston Cream Pie (with echoes of tiramisu).

    CHE_0889 - Version 22013-01-12-flour-now open-back bay-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    Maybe it was because we were looking around at the new digs or that it was lunch time, but suddenly I noticed … sandwiches.

    The Roasted Lamb (top photo) with tomato chutney, greens, goat cheese and, of course, bread! The combination was superb – highlighted by the thinly sliced morsels of tender meat.

    DSC_1705 - Version 22013-01-12-flour-roast-chicken-sandwich-avocado-jicama-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    We added the Roasted Chicken sandwich that featured avocado, greens, and jicama which added the right amount of moisture and crunch.

    Okay, I’m convinced! Flour is more than an alluring bakery and I’m looking forward to tasting all of the sandwich offerings. The real challenge will be matching the pastry with each one. This could take awhile.  

    The newest location or Flour4 as it has been nicknamed is here:

    Flour Bakery + Cafe (Back Bay)  
    131 Clarendon Street, Boston MA 02116 (map)
    617.437.7700

    Bonus: Across the street Frieda Garcia Park has some nice benches and a place to eat for those of us who travel with dogs.

    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: © 2012 Penny 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.

     

    Enhanced by Zemanta
  • Flour Has Sandwiches … I Knew That!

    DSC_1697 - Version 32013-01-12-flour-lamb-sandwich-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    Of course, Flour Bakery + Cafe has sandwiches … I knew that! But after focusing on the bakery side for so long, I hadn’t … well … tried one. Alright, settle down, settle down!

    In my defense, your honor, you should know that I’ve always been fascinated by bakeries. As a child I can remember opening the bakery shop door and being overwhelmed by an "aroma wall" of freshly baked bread. It was intoxicating! And, along with cases full of pastries and other goodies, it was an experience that has come to define “bakery” for me.

    DSC_1680 - Version 22013-01-12-flour-now open-back bay-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    So, when Flour Back Bay opened last week, Penny, Poppy, and I walked over to check out the new location and treat ourselves to the Double Chocolate Cookies and a couple of hunks of the addictive Boston Cream Pie (with echoes of tiramisu).

    CHE_0889 - Version 22013-01-12-flour-now open-back bay-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    Maybe it was because we were looking around at the new digs or that it was lunch time, but suddenly I noticed … sandwiches.

    The Roasted Lamb (top photo) with tomato chutney, greens, goat cheese and, of course, bread! The combination was superb – highlighted by the thinly sliced morsels of tender meat.

    DSC_1705 - Version 22013-01-12-flour-roast-chicken-sandwich-avocado-jicama-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    We added the Roasted Chicken sandwich that featured avocado, greens, and jicama which added the right amount of moisture and crunch.

    Okay, I’m convinced! Flour is more than an alluring bakery and I’m looking forward to tasting all of the sandwich offerings. The real challenge will be matching the pastry with each one. This could take awhile.  

    The newest location or Flour4 as it has been nicknamed is here:

    Flour Bakery + Cafe (Back Bay)  
    131 Clarendon Street, Boston MA 02116 (map)
    617.437.7700

    Bonus: Across the street Frieda Garcia Park has some nice benches and a place to eat for those of us who travel with dogs.

    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: © 2012 Penny 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.

     

    Enhanced by Zemanta
  • Make a List of Your Dog’s Words!

    CHE_0796 - Version 32013-01-09-poppy-westie-dog-words-© 2011 Penny Cherubino (1)

    Have you ever made a list of your dog's vocabulary – all the words that evoke a response?

    Sit! Fetch! Down! Leave it! These are the type of words, commands really, that many people would think of when asked about the words dogs understand. But, those of us who live with dogs soon realize that they learn many words we never intended to teach. Each day, we discover a new word that our nine-month-old Poppy suddenly understands. (That's her in the photo playing with her lizzard Iggy.)

    An Informal Survey

    Have you ever found yourself spelling B-A-T-H because your furry friend will hide under the bed if you say it? For Molly, a Boxer and Jake, a Westie from Winthrop, spelling C-A-R is not quite enough because they recognize the “C” means car to them as their person begins to spell it. Sophie, a German Shepherd from the Back Bay, loves to R-I-D-E too. And, for her family T-R-E-A-T requires spelling.

    Other Sunday dogs know other words:

    Sunday Dog, Odis “Loves Everyone!” and his favorite word is present.

    For Sunday Dog Jackson, Life Is Best with a Stick and you can guess what word alerts him to fun.

    Fun Project

    Creating a record of your dog’s vocabulary can be a fun family project. It can demonstrate the various relationships that exist with the animal. Who has worked on training, taught tricks, provided the food and care? All of these seem to come out with the words we use to communicate.

    What's your dog's favorite word?

    What word surprised you when you figured out your dog knew what it meant?

    What words do you have to spell?

    Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

    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: © 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. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

    Enhanced by Zemanta