Tag: holiday gifts

  • Farmers Markets Still Going Strong! Some Remain Open Until Thanksgiving

    Are you still making weekly or bi-weekly stops at your favorite farmers markets? If not, why not? In addition to more local food options, we now have longer seasons to enjoy the fruits of local farm labor.

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    While some markets close down earlier, at locations like Copley Square, farmers will be hauling great food onto their market stands and setting up for sales until Thanksgiving.

    If you are someone who thinks that seasonal markets end after Labor Day, thankfully they don’t. Many Boston-area outdoor markets remain open into October and a few operate until Thanksgiving. Fall is a season of abundance at your favorite farmers market.

    Autumn is also a great time to take a longer walk, a bus or subway ride, or even a drive to visit a different farmers market or a nearby farm stand.

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    Stocking Up

    This is the time of year when I stock up on my favorite winter pantry items such as jams, preserves, honey, syrups, and pickles from vendors I may not see over the winter. It’s easier to carry home one or two items a week than to try to do it all in November.

    If you miss out on doing this, be sure to check the Boston Public Market. I’ve seen some of my favorite pantry staples available in the area around the Siena Farm Stand. Now I don’t have to worry about running out of Old Friends Farm Ginger Syrup, Kitchen Garden Sriracha Sauce, or Raspberry Infusion Sweet Vinegar from Silferleaf Farm. You’ll also find local honey and other bee-related products at the market’s Boston Honey Company stand. These products make wonderful holiday gifts, hostess gifts, and local surprises when you visit friends in distant places.

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    Farmers markets that are still open with their closing dates:

    East Boston/Central Square: October 19th (Wednesdays)
    Cambridge Center (Kendall MBTA): October 26th (Wednesdays)
    Mission Hill/Roxbury, Brigham Circle: October 27th (Thursdays)
    Charlestown: October 26th (Wednesdays)
    South End/SOWA: October 30th (Sundays)
    Jamaica Plain (677 Centre Street): November 5th (Saturdays & Tuesdays)
    Brookline/Coolidge Corner: November 17th (Thursdays)
    Union Square, Somerville: November 19th (Saturdays)
    Roslindale/Adams Park: November 19th (Saturdays)
    Central Square, Cambridge: November 21st (Mondays)
    Copley Square: November 22nd (Tuesdays and Fridays)
    Harvard University Farmers Market, Cambridge: November 22nd (Tuesdays)
    South Station/Dewey Square: November 22nd (Tuesdays and Thursdays)
    Davis Square, Somerville: November 23rd (Wednesdays)
    Boston Public Market, North End: Year-Round (7 days a week)

    What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List?

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photos: ©2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

  • Gifting a Great Bottle of Wine

    Recently, Ed said, "I could have been dropped here from another planet and I'd know the time of year from the wine ads on TV …" Many of those ads try to convince you to buy a mass market, low cost wine for holiday gifts or serving at parties. Don't fall for it!

    IMG_5085 - Version 22015-11-23Nino-franco-rustico-westie-guaring-case-holiday-gifting-© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    Here's our little Poppy girl guarding our solution to the question of what to serve and gift as a holiday wine. We had Brix Wine Shop deliver a case of Nino Franco Rustico. We'll have it on hand for guests, last minute gifts, and if we enter January with a few left over, we'll enjoy it ourselves. 

    Last year, we posted this piece about Nino Franco and gifts of wine:

    Nino Franco Rustico: A Wine for Holiday Gifts & Celebrations

    Our main message was, "Please don't give your clients, business associates, and friends most of the wines you see in TV ads as holiday gifts. A good wine shop can recommend a good wine value that you can give with pride. And, it will be one that will please both the occasional sipper and wine aficionado."

    Nino Franco Rustico is one of many great value wines we've covered as we toast the 1st of each month with a glass of bubbles.

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    That Special Gift

    You may be looking for a special high-end wine for a special gift. Recently, one of our favorite food scouts MC Slim JB sought opinions from other food and wine fans for a special purchase over on Chowhound. He asked for comments on: "Favorite Boston-area wine shops for Champagne?"

    This turned into a wonderful conversation about styles of Champagne, shops that carry great bottles, and favorites among the group. 

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    As I read, I added a couple of shopping stops to our New Year's Eve Wine shopping list and everyone learned a bit more about high-end bottles. Best of all, many of us were able to give a bit back to a forum member who has led so many of us to great food for so long.

    Our motto for buying a gift of wine has always been, "Give a wine you will be happy to have in your own wine rack for a special moment." Or, buy an extra bottle or two and ensure there will be one when the time comes for you to celebrate. 

    Related Posts:

    Our Sparkling Resolution is covered in this post: Join Us as We Toast …

    A Few of Our Favorite Gifts for Wine Lovers

    Here are all the wines we've covered. Since this is a category, this post may appear at the top. Just scroll down for more.

    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 Cherubino
    Photography: © 2012-2015 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

  • Gifting a Great Bottle of Wine

    Recently, Ed said, "I could have been dropped here from another planet and I'd know the time of year from the wine ads on TV …" Many of those ads try to convince you to buy a mass market, low cost wine for holiday gifts or serving at parties. Don't fall for it!

    IMG_5085 - Version 22015-11-23Nino-franco-rustico-westie-guaring-case-holiday-gifting-© 2014 Penny Cherubino

    Here's our little Poppy girl guarding our solution to the question of what to serve and gift as a holiday wine. We had Brix Wine Shop deliver a case of Nino Franco Rustico. We'll have it on hand for guests, last minute gifts, and if we enter January with a few left over, we'll enjoy it ourselves. 

    Last year, we posted this piece about Nino Franco and gifts of wine:

    Nino Franco Rustico: A Wine for Holiday Gifts & Celebrations

    Our main message was, "Please don't give your clients, business associates, and friends most of the wines you see in TV ads as holiday gifts. A good wine shop can recommend a good wine value that you can give with pride. And, it will be one that will please both the occasional sipper and wine aficionado."

    Nino Franco Rustico is one of many great value wines we've covered as we toast the 1st of each month with a glass of bubbles.

    6a00e54fc42bb88834017ee6c5d1db970d-800wi

    That Special Gift

    You may be looking for a special high-end wine for a special gift. Recently, one of our favorite food scouts MC Slim JB sought opinions from other food and wine fans for a special purchase over on Chowhound. He asked for comments on: "Favorite Boston-area wine shops for Champagne?"

    This turned into a wonderful conversation about styles of Champagne, shops that carry great bottles, and favorites among the group. 

    6a00e54fc42bb88834017d3f4cae69970c-800wi

    As I read, I added a couple of shopping stops to our New Year's Eve Wine shopping list and everyone learned a bit more about high-end bottles. Best of all, many of us were able to give a bit back to a forum member who has led so many of us to great food for so long.

    Our motto for buying a gift of wine has always been, "Give a wine you will be happy to have in your own wine rack for a special moment." Or, buy an extra bottle or two and ensure there will be one when the time comes for you to celebrate. 

    Related Posts:

    Our Sparkling Resolution is covered in this post: Join Us as We Toast …

    A Few of Our Favorite Gifts for Wine Lovers

    Here are all the wines we've covered. Since this is a category, this post may appear at the top. Just scroll down for more.

    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 Cherubino
    Photography: © 2012-2015 Penny & Ed Cherubino