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Toasting August with Billecart-Salmon: A Tale of Two Bruts

We can’t think of a better way to ring-in a new month than by toasting with two glasses of bubbly from one of our favorite Champagne houses, Billecart-Salmon! No, wait. Actually, that would be four glasses and two bottles.

In this post, we explore two Champagne styles: ours and that of some of our wine-loving friends. The right wine is the wine you like! Besides, anytime you’re able to justify opening multiple bottles of these French jewels, the happier the occasion becomes.

However, in the interest of full disclosure, we actually opened our Champagne Billecart-Salmon Extra-Brut at the beach, last summer. Extra Brut is the driest designation of Champagne styles containing less than 0.6% sugar per liter. While this Billecart-Salmon contains the big three: Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay, they point out that, “No sugar has been added to the dosage.”

Billecart-Salmon says, “A Champagne full of brightness and purity … harmonious minerality … balanced finish” Download More about Billecart-Salmon Etra Brut.

We say, “tight … a bit stern … but, focused”

As for the Champagne Billecart-Salmon Brut Réserve, we lifted our glasses to welcome August 2013, took our first sips, and couldn’t stop grinning!

We say, “round … mellow … friendly … magical … drink slowly through the temperatures” (allow to warm in your glass)

Billecart-Salmon says, “harmony … balance … persistent and abounding mousse … freshness … rich bouquet Download More about Billecart-Salomn BRUT RESERVE.

We began our love affair with Billecart-Salmon many years ago by falling for their Brut Rosé. Since then, we’ve come to appreciate the depth of this outstanding Champagne house and continue to try their many other offerings.

Whatever your taste in sparkling wine, we hope you’ll join us in a toast to month number eight, à votre santé!

Here’s More About

Our Sparkling Resolution

Our Sparkling Resolution Winner’s List

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

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino

August 1, 2013
Toasting August with Billecart-Salmon: A Tale of Two Bruts

We can’t think of a better way to ring-in a new month than by toasting with two glasses of bubbly from one of our favorite Champagne houses, Billecart-Salmon! No, wait. Actually, that would be four glasses and two bottles.

In this post, we explore two Champagne styles: ours and that of some of our wine-loving friends. The right wine is the wine you like! Besides, anytime you’re able to justify opening multiple bottles of these French jewels, the happier the occasion becomes.

However, in the interest of full disclosure, we actually opened our Champagne Billecart-Salmon Extra-Brut at the beach, last summer. Extra Brut is the driest designation of Champagne styles containing less than 0.6% sugar per liter. While this Billecart-Salmon contains the big three: Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay, they point out that, “No sugar has been added to the dosage.”

Billecart-Salmon says, “A Champagne full of brightness and purity … harmonious minerality … balanced finish” Download More about Billecart-Salmon Etra Brut.

We say, “tight … a bit stern … but, focused”

As for the Champagne Billecart-Salmon Brut Réserve, we lifted our glasses to welcome August 2013, took our first sips, and couldn’t stop grinning!

We say, “round … mellow … friendly … magical … drink slowly through the temperatures” (allow to warm in your glass)

Billecart-Salmon says, “harmony … balance … persistent and abounding mousse … freshness … rich bouquet Download More about Billecart-Salomn BRUT RESERVE.

We began our love affair with Billecart-Salmon many years ago by falling for their Brut Rosé. Since then, we’ve come to appreciate the depth of this outstanding Champagne house and continue to try their many other offerings.

Whatever your taste in sparkling wine, we hope you’ll join us in a toast to month number eight, à votre santé!

Here’s More About

Our Sparkling Resolution

Our Sparkling Resolution Winner’s List

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

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino

August 1, 2013
Your Farmers’ Market Kit: Cash, Bags, Containers

Bring Cash

Ones, fives, tens, and quarters. The farmers will love you, and you’ll shop faster! Each year, more stands take credit cards, but they tend to be the ones with higher priced items like meat and specialty foods.

Bring Bags and Containers

Also, bring what you’ll need to tote your fresh food home. For example, I bring plastic containers for berries and cherry tomatoes. It ensures they arrive home in perfect condition.

Remember, a local farmer doesn’t grow and pick fruit and vegetables to make them perfect for shipping, they grow and pick them to make them perfectly delicious. You also save the farm the expense of the bags and baskets and help the environment.

Keep it Cold

Finally, bring an ice pack or a small cooler. It can hold all your shopping or just perishables like meat, fish, cheese, and eggs.

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

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino

July 31, 2013
Your Farmers’ Market Kit: Cash, Bags, Containers

Bring Cash

Ones, fives, tens, and quarters. The farmers will love you, and you’ll shop faster! Each year, more stands take credit cards, but they tend to be the ones with higher priced items like meat and specialty foods.

Bring Bags and Containers

Also, bring what you’ll need to tote your fresh food home. For example, I bring plastic containers for berries and cherry tomatoes. It ensures they arrive home in perfect condition.

Remember, a local farmer doesn’t grow and pick fruit and vegetables to make them perfect for shipping, they grow and pick them to make them perfectly delicious. You also save the farm the expense of the bags and baskets and help the environment.

Keep it Cold

Finally, bring an ice pack or a small cooler. It can hold all your shopping or just perishables like meat, fish, cheese, and eggs.

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

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino

July 31, 2013
Your Farmers’ Market Kit: Cash, Bags, Containers

Bring Cash

Ones, fives, tens, and quarters. The farmers will love you, and you’ll shop faster! Each year, more stands take credit cards, but they tend to be the ones with higher priced items like meat and specialty foods.

Bring Bags and Containers

Also, bring what you’ll need to tote your fresh food home. For example, I bring plastic containers for berries and cherry tomatoes. It ensures they arrive home in perfect condition.

Remember, a local farmer doesn’t grow and pick fruit and vegetables to make them perfect for shipping, they grow and pick them to make them perfectly delicious. You also save the farm the expense of the bags and baskets and help the environment.

Keep it Cold

Finally, bring an ice pack or a small cooler. It can hold all your shopping or just perishables like meat, fish, cheese, and eggs.

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

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino

July 31, 2013
Dig Safe Says, “Be Carefu” or Is It, “Be Careful?”

Spotted near the corner of Newbury and Exeter Streets, this message from Dig Safe. Yes, they should be careful about how they write messages on the sidewalk. But, better marked than not.

Did you know that, "… State Law requires you to notify Dig Safe for even small projects, like installing a mailbox or planting shrubs." I didn't. But, when you think about it, it makes sense.

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

Details:

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

July 30, 2013
Dig Safe Says, “Be Carefu” or Is It, “Be Careful?”

Spotted near the corner of Newbury and Exeter Streets, this message from Dig Safe. Yes, they should be careful about how they write messages on the sidewalk. But, better marked than not.

Did you know that, "… State Law requires you to notify Dig Safe for even small projects, like installing a mailbox or planting shrubs." I didn't. But, when you think about it, it makes sense.

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

Details:

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

July 30, 2013
Dig Safe Says, “Be Carefu” or Is It, “Be Careful?”

Spotted near the corner of Newbury and Exeter Streets, this message from Dig Safe. Yes, they should be careful about how they write messages on the sidewalk. But, better marked than not.

Did you know that, "… State Law requires you to notify Dig Safe for even small projects, like installing a mailbox or planting shrubs." I didn't. But, when you think about it, it makes sense.

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

Details:

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

July 30, 2013
Gene’s Chinese Flatbread Café, Boston: A First Look

Thanks to Boston's Chowhound scouts, we had already heard about Gene's Chinese Flatbread Café in Chelmsford. Our mouths were ready for our first bite when we heard a branch would be opening in Boston.

Here's the #4 Hand-Pulled Noodle (biang biang mian) dish loved by many of Gene's loyal fans.

Gene's offers the opportunity to set aside your Americanize palate and eat as you might in the city of Xi'an in Northwest China. This is a cuisine we haven't seen much of on the Boston food scene.

A pile of thick, chewy noodles are stretched, ripped, and cooked to order. Then, they're sauced with chili oil, garlic, and cilantro. Stir it up and slurp away. (These dishes are not as spicy as they look.The chili oil is humming rather than fiery.)

When the open sign came on last Wednesday, word spread quickly among the area food community and to the downtown workforce.

"Yes, sir, this is the place!"

The line was out the door when we arrived. And it took about a half hour from the end of the line to having a bag of food in our hands. There are a few tables inside, but we took our steaming-hot feast over to a table at Brewer Fountain on the Common. (The Chinatown Greenway Park is even closer to the noodle source.)

Our second dish was the #9 Cumin Lamb hand-pulled Noodles. This was our favorite. In additon to the noodles it had cumin lamb, sprouts, onions, peppers, and chili oil. The lamb was so delicious that we will add a couple of lamb skewers to my next order.

Here is a long conversation on Chowhound's Boston Board about Gene's Chinese Flatbread Café.

And, here's the conversation about the new Boston location.

By the way, the café's namesake, flatbread with pork, and house noodle soups are on the list for our next visit.

Details:

86 Bedford Street, Boston, MA 02111 (map)

Phone: 617-482-1888

Hours: Monday – Friday: 11AM – 4PM (Weekend: Closed)

Payment: Cash only

What do you know about Amazon Prime? We use it and love it. You pay once a year for free 2-day shipping delivery charges. Amazon throws in access to instant streaming movies and tv shows and they let you borrow a free ebook each month. They will even give you a one month free trial. Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Join Amazon Prime – Watch Over 40,000 Movies

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino

July 29, 2013
Gene’s Chinese Flatbread Café, Boston: A First Look

Thanks to Boston's Chowhound scouts, we had already heard about Gene's Chinese Flatbread Café in Chelmsford. Our mouths were ready for our first bite when we heard a branch would be opening in Boston.

Here's the #4 Hand-Pulled Noodle (biang biang mian) dish loved by many of Gene's loyal fans.

Gene's offers the opportunity to set aside your Americanize palate and eat as you might in the city of Xi'an in Northwest China. This is a cuisine we haven't seen much of on the Boston food scene.

A pile of thick, chewy noodles are stretched, ripped, and cooked to order. Then, they're sauced with chili oil, garlic, and cilantro. Stir it up and slurp away. (These dishes are not as spicy as they look.The chili oil is humming rather than fiery.)

When the open sign came on last Wednesday, word spread quickly among the area food community and to the downtown workforce.

"Yes, sir, this is the place!"

The line was out the door when we arrived. And it took about a half hour from the end of the line to having a bag of food in our hands. There are a few tables inside, but we took our steaming-hot feast over to a table at Brewer Fountain on the Common. (The Chinatown Greenway Park is even closer to the noodle source.)

Our second dish was the #9 Cumin Lamb hand-pulled Noodles. This was our favorite. In additon to the noodles it had cumin lamb, sprouts, onions, peppers, and chili oil. The lamb was so delicious that we will add a couple of lamb skewers to my next order.

Here is a long conversation on Chowhound's Boston Board about Gene's Chinese Flatbread Café.

And, here's the conversation about the new Boston location.

By the way, the café's namesake, flatbread with pork, and house noodle soups are on the list for our next visit.

Details:

86 Bedford Street, Boston, MA 02111 (map)

Phone: 617-482-1888

Hours: Monday – Friday: 11AM – 4PM (Weekend: Closed)

Payment: Cash only

What do you know about Amazon Prime? We use it and love it. You pay once a year for free 2-day shipping delivery charges. Amazon throws in access to instant streaming movies and tv shows and they let you borrow a free ebook each month. They will even give you a one month free trial. Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Join Amazon Prime – Watch Over 40,000 Movies

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino

July 29, 2013