Tag: locations

  • Easy and Fun! Create a Strawberry Shortcake Dessert Bar for Your Summer Party

    Entertaining this weekend? How about a "build-it-yourself strawberry shortcake table" for dessert? We've done this for years, and our guests love it! (We've refreshed this post from our archives for everyone who is wondering what to serve after the fireworks on July 4th.)

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    It's easy on the host and fun for the guests. Here's the step-by-step on how we do it:

    • Buy the best berries you can find, preferably fresh from a local farm or farmers market.
    • Here's a link to Boston area farmers markets.
    • Here's a link to farms where you can pick your own strawberries.
    • Reserve the most perfect berries for dipping in chocolate and eating out-of-hand. Put a shaker of sugar near the plain berries for those who would like to sprinkle a bit on their choices.
    • Slice and sugar the rest and allow them to form a natural sauce overnight in the refrigerator.
    • Collect a variety of bases – dessert cups, short cake, biscuits, ladyfingers, cookies, and angel food cake are a few I've used for this.
    • For July 4th, add a big dish of blueberries for red, white, and blue creations.
    • Add a fondue pot of dipping chocolate, and you'll have guests swooning.
    • Arrange a selection of toppings. I've set out whipped cream, yogurt, ice cream, creme fraiche, and fudge sauce.
    • For something tall on the table, add wine buckets filled with bottles of sparkling wine that guests can pour over a few berries in a champagne glass.
    • Set up a tray of "special enhancements" (rums, liqueurs, and dessert wines) to drizzle on the cakes or sip with the shortcake. Most popular around here was limoncello.
    • Add big napkins to protect clothes; spoons, dishes, or wine glasses to hold your guest's creations; and let everyone have fun with the fruit.

    What's on your Summer Fun shopping list? Shop Amazon – Get Ready for Summer – Everything You Need and support this site!

    Details:

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

  • Safe Drug Disposal in Boston Updated for 2017

    Walking through the lobby of Massachusetts General Hospital last week, I was reminded of this post and this container for the disposal of prescription drugs. We have updated the links to help our readers who would like to clean out drugs from their own medicine cabinet or help an older relative or neighbor deal with the medications they no longer use.

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    This particular site is just for prescription drugs. But when I did a bit of research on the topic, I found some sites for other classes of drugs.

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    The Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) has a page with locations of other Drug Take Back Kiosks.

    These take human and pet medication and over-the-counter meds. They don't take needles, aerosols, or a few other categories, so read the list before you pack that bag from your medicine cabinet cleanout. 

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    For safe needle and syringe disposal, the BPHC offers these locations.

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    As long as we have your attention on this important topic, here is a great resource for the safe use, storage, and disposal of meds.

    Updated 07/13/17

    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: © 2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino  The last photo is courtesy of www.learnaboutrxsafety.org

  • Safe Drug Disposal in Boston Updated for 2017

    Walking through the lobby of Massachusetts General Hospital last week, I was reminded of this post and this container for the disposal of prescription drugs. We have updated the links to help our readers who would like to clean out drugs from their own medicine cabinet or help an older relative or neighbor deal with the medications they no longer use.

    IMG_8112

    This particular site is just for prescription drugs. But when I did a bit of research on the topic, I found some sites for other classes of drugs.

    Screen Shot 2016-07-11 at Monday, July 11, 201610.22.24 AM

    The Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) has a page with locations of other Drug Take Back Kiosks.

    These take human and pet medication and over-the-counter meds. They don't take needles, aerosols, or a few other categories, so read the list before you pack that bag from your medicine cabinet cleanout. 

    Sharps_disposal

    For safe needle and syringe disposal, the BPHC offers these locations.

    M1_01

    As long as we have your attention on this important topic, here is a great resource for the safe use, storage, and disposal of meds.

    Updated 07/13/17

    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: © 2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino  The last photo is courtesy of www.learnaboutrxsafety.org

  • Mei Mei Street Kitchen: Food Truck Tracking

    As these rolling restaurants expand their reach and numbers throughout the Boston area, we’re Food Truck Tracking– here's a profile of one of the newest additions to the food truck scene. -The BostonZest Team!

    Name: Mei Mei Street Kitchen

    Do you want to be the first kid on the block to try a new food truck? We do, so we were on hand for their first lunch service! Tell us what you think when you try the food from this team.

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    Truck Description: Bright White Truck with Yellow and Blue Graphics

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    Founding Team: Mei, Andy & Irene Li. (click on a photo for a larger version)

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    What’s on the Menu: They call it, "…Creative Chinese-American cuisine made from locally sourced, sustainable ingredients."

    Drinks: Bottled water or Crimson Berry Iced Tea

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    Known for/must try/signature dish: It's early days, but we're betting they will have a problem taking the Beef and Cheese Dumplings w/soy-vinegar sauce off the menu. We returned for seconds.

    They say: "We pride ourselves on serving humanely raised meat and some of the most creatively delicious street food out there. Handmade braised beef dumplings with red wine and cheese, yes please! Mac & cheese with Chinese spiced pork, enough said. Steamed pork belly bun with crispy crackling, seasonal pickles, sesame chili aioli and local apple hoisin sauce? Yup, we’ll treat you right. "

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    Nice Touch: They'll try to have something vegetarian on the menu every day. We noticed their careful attention to the needs of those with restricted diets. The counter has liquid sweetener to mix into your iced tea. And, there's a big bottle of Sriracha for those who want a bit more heat.

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    Philosophy/Mission: "Grow well, eat well, be well: It’s what we want for ourselves, our family, our business, and our guests." Here's what they are doing to back up these words.

    History: They tell us, "We’ve taken food we have eaten and loved as children in the past, added modern elements and experiences of the present, and also incorporated practices that fit with our vision of how to do business for a sustainable future.  With Andy’s many years in fine dining management, Mei’s experience as a successful entrepreneur and MBA, Irene’s time living on a farm and working as a line chef and our combined love of good times and great eats, we have crafted a deeply personal venture that we hope you’ll enjoy as much as we do."

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    Here's Steve Leibowitz ready to order another round. 

    Regulars say: We ran into Steve Leibowitz from www.hubfoodtrucks.com who works at Northeastern and was all smiles after his first Mei Mei meal. "I think it's fantastic!" he said. "I had the Beef & Cheese Dumplings and they were great." A friend of his, who had the same thing, offered the perfect description, "It’s like prime rib in a dumpling!”

    And, a customer named Lisa went up to the truck and ordered, "One of Everything!"

    Did you know? "Mei Mei" is Chinese for "little sister" and the founders are Andy and his Mei Meis.

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    They were treating customers to some wonderful French green tea macarons.

    Order and Pick up routine: Step up near the back of the truck, next to the menu board, to order and pay. Pick up is on the other side of the window near the front door. They'll call your name when your food is ready. 

    Payment: Cash, Major Credit Cards, and LevelUp

    Website: www.meimeiboston.com

    Twitter: @meimeifoodtruck

    Facebook: Meimeisk 

    Pinterest: Mei Mei Street Kitchen

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    Since the city food truck schedule is not up-to-date, right now, here's where to find Mei Mei!

    For more of our Food Truck/Street Food coverage: click here. Or, anytime you visit BostonZest, you can click on the Food Truck/Street Food tab at the top of the page.

    Link: Boston Food Truck Location Map 

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    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.

  • New Food Truck Schedule: Food Truck Tracking April 2012 Update

    Our Friday link is to the new schedule and new locations for food trucks approved by the City of Boston and set to begin on April 1, 2012. On Sunday, it won't be an April fools joke if you can't find your favorite food truck in its usual place. Here are links to the city's information, including a schedule and map of approved locations.

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    And, don't forget the food truck sites in our neighboring cities like Cambridge and Brookline. 

    The folks at Roaming Hunger aggregate the tweets from Boston area food trucks so you can see who is out and about and what they're tweeting.

    If you know of other maps and schedule locators, let us know and we'll add them to this collection.

    And, remember, if you're going out of your way to find a certain truck, you should check their twitter feed, facebook, and web pages. These guys are always dancing, trying to make a living, so they may have a catering gig or they may have run out of food. Lots of them give out phone numbers so you can call ahead to check on their status.

    What are your favorite food trucks, and where do you find them?

    If you know of other maps and schedule locators, let us know and we'll add them to this collection.

    How do you find great food when you travel? We highly recommend the book from our pals over at Serious Eats. Here are some references for great Road Food.

     

    Details:
    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photos: © 2011 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.