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After this week are you ready for ….

The beautiful look of Spring?

This refreshing Beacon Hill street scene is at Rouvalis Flowers & Gardens.

We hope it brings you a smile after this rainy week.

What's on your spring shopping list? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Rouvalis Flowers

40 W. Cedar St. Boston MA, 02108-1212

617-720-2266 / 800-397-2555

www.rouvalisflowers.com

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 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 a great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

March 3, 2012
Health News Review, our Friday Link
Today, we're pointing you to a wonderful resource, Health News Review. This is a site where experts examine and comment on those health and medical stories we all see and hear in the media.

Reading about health issues, medical studies, and so-called "breakthroughs" can be difficult even for those trained to be critical readers. We are often left with more questions than answers. This site will help you evaluate those medical stories that may touch your life.

Health News Review says it is dedicated to:
- "Improving the accuracy of news stories about medical treatments, tests, products and procedures."
- "Helping consumers evaluate the evidence for and against new ideas in health care."
We Love:
- Their criteria for what users need in stories.
- Their journalist & consumer toolkit.
- Their careful analysis and clear writing.
You can bookmark the site for those times when you hear a report and want to read a review of it.

Subscribe to the blog or the reviews and get a regular dose of what's going on in this realm. Or, follow them on Twitter.

What's on your health supplies shopping list? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 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 a great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.
March 2, 2012
Benvenuto March with Prosecco from Bisson & Rosenthal

We’re welcoming March with a bottle of prosecco– always a safe bet, but with Rosenthal on the label it’s nearly a sure thing! We once advised a friend, who was uneasy about the thought of ordering wine at an upcoming business dinner, to just ask the restaurant for a Neal Rosenthal wine. She got a Standing O!

The terms, “artisan, traditional, and natural” are more than words on a label, they’re part of this wine merchant’s philosophy. When Rosenthal talks about Enoteca Bisson and Pierluigi Lugano’s care and passion as a grower and producer of distinctive wines, you can begin to appreciate the vision and effort that goes into his prosecco.

Vino Frizzante Prosecco (Glera in Italy) 2010 Bisson is produced in a “bone-dry style.” That would normally be enough for me to take a pass on a sparkler, but one sip and I was intrigued.

Bisson Prosecco uses a Crown Cap (also called a “Spark Cap”)

Yes, it was dry but not in an overwhelming way. We both could taste the fruit– concentrated pear? Penny compared the wine’s body to that of a Bollinger Champagne!

When we returned to buy another bottle from Howie Rubin at Bauer Wine & Spirits, he wasn’t surprised, “I find it’s got a little more chalkiness, more like real Champagne.” Rubin pointed to, “…the yeast in the nose. It could be the limestone in the soil, it could be more Champagne-like soil.”

Whatever it is, we’ve added our applause and another bottle to our wine rack. There’s a lot of prosecco out there. “Leave it to Neal Rosenthal to give us something that’s a little drier, a little more complex, a little deeper in flavor,” said Rubin. “It sets it apart from all the rest.”

Links:

Vino Frizzante Prosecco 2010 Bisson, Rosenthal Wine Merchant, NY at Bauer Wine & Spirits

Here's More About: Our Sparkling Resolution

Check Out: Our Sparkling Resolution Winner’s List

Want to learn more about wine? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site! Here's, The Food Lover's Guide to Wine the latest addition to our wine reference wish list. We heard a great interview and review of this book over on Taste of the Past.

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 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 a great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

March 1, 2012
Flavor Your Home-Made Seltzer

Seltzer is my drink of choice and I'm a fussy drinker. Ed told you a while ago how much he loves our Soda Stream Soda Maker. He used to lug those cases of selzer for me, now I just make it with my SodaStream.

I like my seltzer very fizzy and with a touch of tart flavor. My favorite water flavor profile has always been a few dashes of Angostura Bitters and a squeeze of fresh lime. In summer I may switch to cucumber.

Lately, I've been experimenting with the ever growing selection of bitters that the cocktail culture has brought to the market. I like some of the Fee Brothers Bitters flavors, lime is my current favorite.

Update October 2015: My new favorite bitters addition is Bittermens Boston Bittahs. I'll do a new post about this bitters and the company who makes it soon, but for now, give it a try if you see it on local shelves or do as I do when I can't find it and buy it from Amazon.

Over the weekend a friend and I discussed alternative ways to add flavor without sweetness to seltzer. She put me onto a bit of pomegranate molasses or flavored tea to the glass. (Thanks Liz!)

Our conversation sent me searching for new ideas. And, I found a great blog, Former Chef with some wonderful ideas for flavored seltzers. I can't wait to try this ginger mix. Thank you, Chef Kristina! Keep those great flavors coming our way!

Tummy Tamer Soda Syrup; Orange, Mint, Ginger and Anise

Homemade Ginger Syrup and the SodaStream Soda Maker

Home Made Key Lime Syrup

(Be sure to explore the archives when you visit Former Chef, there's lots of great food information on those pages!)

Ed is a straight water guy. No flavor or bubbles needed. But, he was always willing to indulge my love of sparkle. And, I'm sure he's happy now that he only has to carry tiny bottles of bitters to keep me supplied with my favorite flavors.

Related Posts:

Cool as a Cucumber Summer Sips

How Sodastream Set Me Free!

What's on your food lover's shopping list?

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Penny & Ed Cherubino

February 29, 2012
Meadow Creek Grayson, Great Cheese from Virginia
If you like Taleggio, you'll love Meadow Creek Grayson cheese. We always want to let you know when a perfectly ripe cheese, in great condition, is available locally. This weekend, we found a beautiful bite at Whole Foods near Symphony Hall.

If only we had taken a photo of this little stinker on display in the case! It had that lovely, soft bulge that the best, runny, washed rind cheeses get at the moment when they are perfectly ripe but not over-ripe. And, yes, it is one of those stinky cheeses, but in the best possible way.

Even tasting the chilled sample offered by the cheesemonger assured us that when warm-and-runny this was going to be our "one perfect cheese" for the evening.

We ordered a small, *one-finger-width piece and scurried home with our treasure. It warmed while we made a big pot of beef stew for dinner. Would it stand up to the umami of the beef and mushrooms? Would it work with the red wine in both the stew and our glasses?

Yes! This is a potent cheese that will stand its ground with other strong flavors. It has its own umami with undertones of mushroom and what others have describes as a beefy flavor.

The texture has been called fudgy, and we agree. Our sample was in such perfect conditon that we ate every spec of the rind. While we thought it went well with our Rhone blend wine, cheesemakers Helen and Rick Feete suggest you try it with a great brown ale.

Here's more: about this great farmstead cheese and the people who make it.

Places you can find this cheese

Video/slide show about the farm

Cutting the Curd: Podcast with Meadow Creek Cheesemaker, Helen Feete

Cheese Tips:
- *We've discovered that describing the amount of cheese you would like cut for you in finger widths works well.
- Anne Saxelby's Cutting the Curd show is a great way to learn about cheese. You can subscribe via iTunes or listen directly at the Heritage Radio Network.
- Always let a great cheese warm to room temperature for fuller flavor
- Buy smaller pieces of cheese more often and always buy fresh cut when you can.
- Never wrap cheese in plastic. At home, waxed paper or cheese paper is the way to go. It's a living thing and needs to breathe.
- Here's a guide to storing cheese from Serious Eats!
Related Posts:

More about Cheese

More Tips & How To

What's on your gourmet foods shopping list? If you can't find it in your local area, remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:
Words: Penny & 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 a great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.
February 28, 2012
Guacamole, Hand Made: Keep It Simple in the Kitchen
Do you buy packaged guacamole because making it is too hard and messy?

Well, it can be– if you pull out a food processor, avocado pitter/slicer, a couple of knives, cutting board, lime juicer, herb chopper, garlic press, mixing bowl, and chip & dip set.

A small kitchen can be a blessing because you quickly learn you don't need all that stuff to whip up something fresh and delicious. To make a batch of guacamole I use a cutting board, my granite mortar & pestle, a fork for mixing, spoon for tasting, and a favorite knife. When it's ready, I bring it to the table in that beautiful hunk of granite!

Sometimes, I even short cut the shopping by picking up a "guacamole kit" at Trader Joe's.

Here's a raft of guacamole recipes.

Tips:
- If you don't like cilantro, substitute parsley. That's what I do!
- Start by grinding the garlic with some salt then add the lime juice.
- Let your lime come to room temperature or zap it in the microwave to make it juicier.
- Roll the lime with a firm hand on your cutting board before you cut it, to break up the pulp a bit.
- Use the fork to help you juice the lime.
- Next, mash in the avacados with the pestle and fork.
- Smooth or chunky style are both delicious.
- Finally, add your chopped accents of pepper, tomato, onion, and herb.
Related Posts:

Here are two more "Keep it Simple in the Kitchen Posts."

Cabbage & Kielbasa Stir-Fry: Keep it Simple in the Kitchen

Use Your Lid: Keep it Simple in the Kitchen

And click here for more Tips & How To.

What's on your efficient kitchen shopping list? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site! And, did you know you can sell things there too?

Details:
Words: Penny 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 a great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.
February 27, 2012
Sunday Dog, Solie – Super Squirrel Hunter!

Looking into her eyes, you probably can’t tell that Solie is a super squirrel hunter. There’s a certain cool, calm, confident quality about her gaze. After all, this is not an ability developed overnight. It comes from years of real-world experience born out of deep concentration.

This 4 ½ year old from New Hampshire has mastered the art of visualization. She remains in this state until she senses the presence of a her favorite little rodent. At that critical moment (known only to Solie) her eyes suddenly point skyward.

Amazing accuracy! She’s spotted a furry tail and now must wait, but not for long!

As you can see, Solie is quite the athlete and very strong. When the snow piles up, her people told us they hang-on while she actually takes them on a “Nantucket Sleigh Ride.”

“She’s not a dog that trots quietly by you through the park. You have to have space for her.”

“She makes people laugh. She makes people happy,” they said, “She’s a comical, harlequin kind of goofy dog.” And she’s, “very intuitive. If you just think about giving her a bath, she starts slinking away.”

“She can do it all– she can climb, she can hike, she cuddles, swims, hunts…pretty much a very versatile sort of dog.”

Thanks for being our Sunday Dog, Solie. You are truly “super” in many ways!

For a quick trip to our photo gallery to see these and more photos of the beautiful Solie, click here.

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

What's on your dog walking shopping list? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site! How about some walking shoes from Amazon's own free shipping, free U.S. return shipping shoe site, endless.com.

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 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 a great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

February 26, 2012
Ring for the Gardener!

Our Saturday photos this week were taken while walking through the Victory Gardens in the Fenway. We spotted something that seemed a bit out of place.

Guess this is one gardener who wasn't about to get away from it all.

We couldn't quite follow where this cord was going or "growing."

Are you ready for garden season? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 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 a great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

February 25, 2012
Learn about Cash Mobs on Here & Now

Our Friday link today is to a story on "Cash Mobs" that Robin Young did on her WBUR show Here & Now.

Since we love to support local businesses, great feature reporting, and Public Radio, we think of this as a triple recommendation.

Take a few minutes to click over and read the story or listen. Then, come back and tell us what you think of the concept. We think it's a great way to support locally owned businesses during those slower times.

And, when you need something that will send you online shopping, remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site! We're a small local business too, and that's how you can "Cash Mob" us!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 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 a great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

February 24, 2012
Salt & Pepper Potatoes at Sweet Cheeks Q

Slowly, we are making our way through the menu at Sweet Cheeks Q. Last weekend, we tried the Salt & Pepper Potatoes and added a new favorite to our list.

Think about the best squished, double-baked potatoes you've ever had. Now, imagine that instead of being baked the second time, they were fried by someone who really knows their way around a frier. Outside they become golden brown and crisp, inside they're melting and delicious.

We were enjoying them straight up when Rich, our bartender, slid an extra plate our way and suggested we add some of the Carolina vinegar-based BBQ sauce to a few. From then on, it was a tater and sauce tasting. Ed's favorite was the hot sauce but Penny, who's a devoted vinegar-on-fries person, was smitten with the Carolina Salt & Pepper combo.

They come in a good size serving, wonderful for sharing, and it's a perfect item to have with a glass of bourbon or a beer when you stop at the bar for a drink.

Related Posts:

Sweet Cheeks Q- Great Northern Brisket

Sweet Cheeks Q: A First Look

Bourbon Beer? at Sweet Cheeks

What's on your BBQ season shopping list? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 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 a great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

February 23, 2012