Tag: tips

Small Rice Bowls Let Flavors Shine

We love our collection of rice bowls. They fill the dishwasher at night because we find uses for them all day long.

When we order take-out from a place like Pho Basil (where the chef really works to develop a specific flavor for each dish), we can use small rice bowls to savor each item without mixing.

In the photo, there's a portion of rice in each bowl with tangerine pork (on the left), and yellow curry with vegetables topped by crispy chicken (on the right). You can savor the sauce exactly as intended by its creator. No mixing sweet and sour with red curry!

We like white dishes but rice bowls let you go as tame or as inspired as you wish.

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

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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 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 11, 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!

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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
3 Warm Tips for Frigid Dog Walks!

Br-r-r-r! Dog Walker Dan Hazelwood with Cleo (left) and Cooper

While wrapping your pup for a cold winter walk, remember to turn-up your own heat. If you’re warm, you’re pup will have more fun!

Let’s be honest, once all the important “business” is done, it’s very tempting to quickly head back inside.

But, you both need time to stretch your legs, greet some friends, and sniff (at least one of you does). So, in the interest of doing right by our furry friends, we asked veteran dog walker Dan Hazelwood of Boston Pet Sitters how he conquers the winter chill.

Play Time! Duddly (foreground) with Cleo and Cooper…

3 Warm Tips for Frigid Dog Walks

Layering is Key- “I always start off with a heavy hooded sweatshirt, a fleece scarf, and my Patagonia parka,” Dan said.

“When the temperature is above freezing, I can get away with wearing jeans with extra shorts underneath, but sub-freezing calls for my EMS rain pants over sweat pants. The rain pants are great insulators, and I wear this combination down to zero degrees.”

Shoes Made for Winter Walking- “I have a few different pairs of shoes or boots I wear in the winter, from North Face Hedgehog walking shoes for everyday use to the Sorel Caribou, the most heavy-duty snow boots you can find.”

“The key with any footwear is to start with polyester sock liners under wool or synthetic hiking socks.”

Warm Hands- “I have found the best leather gloves at Army/Navy surplus stores, and I often have 10-hour hand warmers, too.”

What's on your cold weather shopping list? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site! It doesn't cost you any more but Amazon puts some coins in our tip jar.

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 a great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

February 12, 2012
Eight Tips on Buying Jewelry for Valentine’s Day from an Expert
We're going to help you become a smarter jewelry buyer right in time for Valentines Day or any other time of the year.

Today, we'll turn the BostonZest keyboard over to the experts at the North Bennet Street School, who offer the following tips to buy better, stretch your dollars, and make someone very happy.

We want to suggest that you try out your new expertise at the Gallery & Store at the school in the North End of Boston. You will be supporting local craftsmanship and a wonderful local resource.

Introducing the Expert

Rosemary Trainor, the lead instructor at North Bennet Street School’s jewelry-making and repair program in Boston, advises consumers to do their homework before hitting the stores. “Jewelry is too often an impulse purchase,” says Trainor. “A little research will help you avoid a decision that you may regret later.”

Trainor offers these additional tips to help smooth the way to a successful jewelry-buying experience:
- Buying from a big brand name will cost you more. You may be comforted by well-known brands like Cartier and Tiffany, but it will cost you anywhere from 30 to 80 percent more for a piece that you may find at a local jewelry store for a lot less.
- Pay attention to the craftsmanship. Make sure the piece is well made by examining the setting, the clasp(s), the overall finish, and other details. Stone-holding prongs should be identical in size and securely tightened, with the stone held firmly in place. Avoid bracelets or necklaces with clasps that are hard to operate, or seem flimsy. Think about whether the piece will be only for special occasions or worn every day, and choose something that will stand up to that use.
- Silver is the new gold. With gold prices at historically high levels, silver continues to be an affordable – and fashionable – alternative, and certainly worth considering. Sterling silver is the highest grade used in jewelry making; a piece marked with the word “sterling” or the numbers “925” is 92.5 percent pure. “Nickel” or “German” silver has no silver content at all.
- When shopping for diamonds, know the four C’s. Diamonds are valued according to their cut, color, clarity, and carat weight. Materials such as cubic zirconia resemble diamonds closely but are much less expensive. Certain laboratory-created gemstones also resemble diamonds. Take the time to learn the differences and comparison-shop before making a decision.
- Gemstones can take your jewelry-buying budget farther. Precious stones like rubies, emeralds, and sapphires can be an affordable option, provided you know your stuff. Natural gemstones are mined from the ground; synthetic stones are identical to naturals, but are grown in a lab. Imitation stones are assembled from less valuable materials – glass, plastic, or lower quality stones. If you go this route, ask for a written appraisal of the stone’s quality along with your sales receipt.
- Buy from a reputable source. Finding a trustworthy jeweler is perhaps the biggest key to having a good jewelry-buying experience. Ask family and friends for sources they trust. Ask similar questions of the salespeople you talk to during your comparison shopping. And be sure to inquire about the store’s workmanship guarantees, repair services, and store return policies.
- Consider a custom designed and made piece. Custom jewelry isn’t necessarily more expensive. Find a creative jeweler to design a piece that has special features unique to you and your loved one, and will be treasured for years to come.
Related Posts:

We're gathering all our Valentine posts at the bottom of this one:

Valentine's Day 2012 – Romantic Dining in Boston

If you clicked over to the North Bennet Street School, it may have made you think that you'd like to learn a new skill or give someone you love the chance to explore the life-changing opportunities inside those walls.

Here are some books to inspire you to do just that, at any age!

It's Only Too Late If You Don't Start Now: HOW TO CREATE YOUR SECOND LIFE AT ANY AGE

The Renaissance Soul: Life Design for People with Too Many Passions to Pick Just One

The Art of Non-Conformity: Set Your Own Rules, Live the Life You Want, and Change the World
Details:

North Bennet Street School

39 N Bennet St.

Boston, MA 02113-1914 (map & Reviews)

(617) 227-0155

nbss.edu‎

Words: Rosemary Trainor with intro by Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: Courtesy of the North Bennet Street School

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 comments add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We reserve the right to edit ads out of comments.
February 7, 2012
Cabbage & Kielbasa Stir-Fry: Keep it Simple in the Kitchen
Once you master the stir-fry technique, you can take it out of Asia and transport classic combinations from other cultures to the land of delicious in a wok or large skillet. How about Eastern European Cabbage & Kielbasa as a stir-fry with some apples and onions tossed in for accents?

That's a new favorite around here. And, in keeping with my attempt to get some of you cooking without exact recipes, I'll tell you how I made it and you can ad lib around my theme.
- I sliced up a big, sweet onion and sautéed it in olive oil in my All-Clad Nonstick 12-Inch Fry Pan.
- I cut a ring of kielbasa into slices and added those to the onions to brown a bit and give off its fat and garlicky flavor to the pan. (I used a pork kielbasa but you can buy what you like: lite, low fat, turkey, etc.)
- As the onion and kielbasa started to color a bit, I added a sliced apple. (Use what you have– I had Granny Smith. Peel it or not, that's up to you.)
- Finally, I chopped and added a small head of cabbage (from the Prudential Winter Farmers' Market) to the pan, added some white wine, a few turns of black pepper, and stirred up the whole thing. I covered it and waited a few minutes for the cabbage to become wilted but still toothsome in places.
We had it with a hearty multi-grain bread.

Sometimes I substitute gin for the wine and add four or five crushed juniper berries to the dish. You could also add a can of crushed or diced tomatoes.

What changes will you make to this basic recipe? Let us know if you try it and how it turned out for you.

Related Posts:

Here are more of my non-recipe recipes and a few with traditional details.

Need some Valentine's Day gift ideas? Click over to Amazon and do some planning, and if you do buy something there, they'll put a few coins in our tip cup.

Details:
Words: Penny Cherubino
Photos: © 2012 Penny Cherubino
January 23, 2012
Tips on “Being” from Sunday Dog, Ollie

To hear Ollie tell it, there’s no deep, philosophical secret to being a dog. While he admits it does take a bit of concentration, the most important thing to remember is, “Don’t over-think life. Just be yourself. And always, always be ready to PLAY!

This five year old Miniature Poodle loves everyone. Besides having energy to spare, his breed is known as “the second most intelligent” in the canine world. That’s why we felt confident asking Ollie to share his life experience with all of us.

His favorite toy? “The newest one!" Since everybody gives him toys, after they’ve been in the house for a month or so, Ollie passes them on to Buddy Dog– a shelter in Sudbury, MA.

Ollie always wears his boots this time of year. He loves the snowy, wintry weather, but not the rock salt which several veterinarians have warned him can trigger his epilepsy.

Ollie recommends an ice-melt that’s safer for paws and the dogs attached to them, and safe for the environment.

Great tips, Ollie! Thanks for sharing. You’re an amazing Sunday Dog!

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

Need some Valentine's Day gift ideas? Click over to Amazon and do some planning and if you do buy something there, they'll put a few coins in our tip cup.

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

January 22, 2012