Tag: shop

This Meatloaf Began at The Butcherie in Brookline

Yes, we know The Butcherie in Brookline is a kosher market. The meat in the loaf is veal and beef from their stock. The bacon on top, we already had on hand.

If Penny isn't going to grind her own meat, she's fussy about the quality and handling. The product from the Butcherie was treated with respect, formed into little crown shapes, and stocked in a single layer so that the ground meat wasn't pressed down. That makes it possible to keep the mixture from being overworked, and she thinks it helps create a lighter meatloaf.

When she bought this, Penny was out photographing some of her favorite places to shop for kosher, Russian, and Eastern European food for her "Fresh & Local" newspaper column. It was a good reminder to get back to some of the places that have provided good products in the past. The Butcherie is one of them.

Many of us have begun to buy kosher chicken in more mainstream markets. But, why not extend that quality control to the other meats that will be sold by kosher markets. It's also great to see items like lamb neck right in the meat case.

They also sell kosher wine, cheese, grocery, deli, and party platters. Visit the next time you're in the area. Combine it with a trip to the Brookline Winter Farmers' Market (still going on), Brookline Summer Farmers' Market, or some great pizza at Otto Pizza, all nearby.

The Butcherie (Map & Reviews)

428 Harvard St, Brookline, MA

Phone: (617) 731-9888

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List? Shop Amazon for all your kitchen & dining needs and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2013 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 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.

Related articles

Edible Boston Spring 2013 Issue Has Arrived!

Have knife, will travel: take a stab at butchery tourism

It's Irish Soda Bread Season!

April 4, 2013
10 Decluttering Tips from “The Clutter Queen,” Rhea Becker

I recently learned that blogger Rhea Becker is The Clutter Queen. She can help you conquer your clutter issues and clean up your life! Over a recent lunch, she agreed to share some decluttering tips with BostonZest readers.

I've been following Rhea for years. We meet up every so often to let our dogs play together or have lunch and brainstorm about blogging, how to achieve world peace, and solve the rest of the planet's problems.

It's funny when you know a person from one aspect of their life and suddenly learn they have another skill set you knew nothing about. During our meal, we talked about her decluttering consulting business, and she agreed to share some tips.

10 Great Tips for DECLUTTERING AND ORGANIZING from Rhea's website, My Clutter Queen

Start small

You know that little drawer in your kitchen where all the takeout menus, rubber bands, twist ties, and plastic cutlery go to die? It's time to dump out that drawer, toss the things you don't need, and put back what's left – neatly. There! You've started decluttering.

Start really small

Declutter for 15 minutes per day. Set the timer on your smartphone or stove. Choose a small project. It could even be as small as a fruit and vegetable drawer in your refrigerator, or one corner of the countertop, the top of the fridge, or the spice rack.

Go to the corner

When beginning to declutter a room, choose a corner and move clockwise until you've completed that room. This could take hours or even days. Keep at it!

Love your thrift shop

Become familiar with your local thrift shop. It will be your greatest ally in keeping your home clutter free. Keep a box or large bag in a convenient place. Put items into it that you are ready to part with. As soon as the box or bag is filled, take it to the local thrift shop. By the way, if youʼre an animal lover, remember that animal shelters often seek used towels and bedding.

Bedtime storage

Use the space under your bed for storage.

Wear it or ditch it

If you haven't worn it in a year, it doesn't fit, or needs mending, take it to the thrift shop.

Will you really get that fixed?!

If you have stuff around the house that is broken, torn, or missing a part, get rid of it. Most people never get around to fixing things they swear they will.

Closets, one day at a time

It may be overwhelming to tackle an entire closet, so start with one category. How about shoes? Pair up all your shoes, then purge the ones that need repair, are worn out, not in style, or that you are simply tired of. Take them to the thrift shop. Then start on a new category, say: belts, scarves, pants, or dresses.

Junk the mail

Open your mail each day, and do it over a wastebasket or recycling bin. Immediately ditch what you don't want or need.

Need a helping hand?

If dealing with your clutter gives you a feeling of paralysis, this is not unusual. You may want to consult with a professional organizer like The Clutter Queen (Boston, MA).

Gift certificate:
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 Cherubino with tips by Rhea Becker
Photography: © 2013 Penny Cherubino with thanks to KitchenWitch in Jamaica Plain for letting me take Rhea's photo in their shop!

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.

Related articles

Is decluttering the same as organizing?

How to Sell House Fast!: Declutter & Staging

Does Your House Need to Lose a Few?

Finding a Boston Rental with a Dog

February 8, 2013
10 Decluttering Tips from “The Clutter Queen,” Rhea Becker

I recently learned that blogger Rhea Becker is The Clutter Queen. She can help you conquer your clutter issues and clean up your life! Over a recent lunch, she agreed to share some decluttering tips with BostonZest readers.

I've been following Rhea for years. We meet up every so often to let our dogs play together or have lunch and brainstorm about blogging, how to achieve world peace, and solve the rest of the planet's problems.

It's funny when you know a person from one aspect of their life and suddenly learn they have another skill set you knew nothing about. During our meal, we talked about her decluttering consulting business, and she agreed to share some tips.

10 Great Tips for DECLUTTERING AND ORGANIZING from Rhea's website, My Clutter Queen

Start small

You know that little drawer in your kitchen where all the takeout menus, rubber bands, twist ties, and plastic cutlery go to die? It's time to dump out that drawer, toss the things you don't need, and put back what's left – neatly. There! You've started decluttering.

Start really small

Declutter for 15 minutes per day. Set the timer on your smartphone or stove. Choose a small project. It could even be as small as a fruit and vegetable drawer in your refrigerator, or one corner of the countertop, the top of the fridge, or the spice rack.

Go to the corner

When beginning to declutter a room, choose a corner and move clockwise until you've completed that room. This could take hours or even days. Keep at it!

Love your thrift shop

Become familiar with your local thrift shop. It will be your greatest ally in keeping your home clutter free. Keep a box or large bag in a convenient place. Put items into it that you are ready to part with. As soon as the box or bag is filled, take it to the local thrift shop. By the way, if youʼre an animal lover, remember that animal shelters often seek used towels and bedding.

Bedtime storage

Use the space under your bed for storage.

Wear it or ditch it

If you haven't worn it in a year, it doesn't fit, or needs mending, take it to the thrift shop.

Will you really get that fixed?!

If you have stuff around the house that is broken, torn, or missing a part, get rid of it. Most people never get around to fixing things they swear they will.

Closets, one day at a time

It may be overwhelming to tackle an entire closet, so start with one category. How about shoes? Pair up all your shoes, then purge the ones that need repair, are worn out, not in style, or that you are simply tired of. Take them to the thrift shop. Then start on a new category, say: belts, scarves, pants, or dresses.

Junk the mail

Open your mail each day, and do it over a wastebasket or recycling bin. Immediately ditch what you don't want or need.

Need a helping hand?

If dealing with your clutter gives you a feeling of paralysis, this is not unusual. You may want to consult with a professional organizer like The Clutter Queen (Boston, MA).

Gift certificate:
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 Cherubino with tips by Rhea Becker
Photography: © 2013 Penny Cherubino with thanks to KitchenWitch in Jamaica Plain for letting me take Rhea's photo in their shop!

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.

Related articles

Is decluttering the same as organizing?

How to Sell House Fast!: Declutter & Staging

Does Your House Need to Lose a Few?

Finding a Boston Rental with a Dog

February 8, 2013
10 Decluttering Tips from “The Clutter Queen,” Rhea Becker

I recently learned that blogger Rhea Becker is The Clutter Queen. She can help you conquer your clutter issues and clean up your life! Over a recent lunch, she agreed to share some decluttering tips with BostonZest readers.

I've been following Rhea for years. We meet up every so often to let our dogs play together or have lunch and brainstorm about blogging, how to achieve world peace, and solve the rest of the planet's problems.

It's funny when you know a person from one aspect of their life and suddenly learn they have another skill set you knew nothing about. During our meal, we talked about her decluttering consulting business, and she agreed to share some tips.

10 Great Tips for DECLUTTERING AND ORGANIZING from Rhea's website, My Clutter Queen

Start small

You know that little drawer in your kitchen where all the takeout menus, rubber bands, twist ties, and plastic cutlery go to die? It's time to dump out that drawer, toss the things you don't need, and put back what's left – neatly. There! You've started decluttering.

Start really small

Declutter for 15 minutes per day. Set the timer on your smartphone or stove. Choose a small project. It could even be as small as a fruit and vegetable drawer in your refrigerator, or one corner of the countertop, the top of the fridge, or the spice rack.

Go to the corner

When beginning to declutter a room, choose a corner and move clockwise until you've completed that room. This could take hours or even days. Keep at it!

Love your thrift shop

Become familiar with your local thrift shop. It will be your greatest ally in keeping your home clutter free. Keep a box or large bag in a convenient place. Put items into it that you are ready to part with. As soon as the box or bag is filled, take it to the local thrift shop. By the way, if youʼre an animal lover, remember that animal shelters often seek used towels and bedding.

Bedtime storage

Use the space under your bed for storage.

Wear it or ditch it

If you haven't worn it in a year, it doesn't fit, or needs mending, take it to the thrift shop.

Will you really get that fixed?!

If you have stuff around the house that is broken, torn, or missing a part, get rid of it. Most people never get around to fixing things they swear they will.

Closets, one day at a time

It may be overwhelming to tackle an entire closet, so start with one category. How about shoes? Pair up all your shoes, then purge the ones that need repair, are worn out, not in style, or that you are simply tired of. Take them to the thrift shop. Then start on a new category, say: belts, scarves, pants, or dresses.

Junk the mail

Open your mail each day, and do it over a wastebasket or recycling bin. Immediately ditch what you don't want or need.

Need a helping hand?

If dealing with your clutter gives you a feeling of paralysis, this is not unusual. You may want to consult with a professional organizer like The Clutter Queen (Boston, MA).

Gift certificate:
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 Cherubino with tips by Rhea Becker
Photography: © 2013 Penny Cherubino with thanks to KitchenWitch in Jamaica Plain for letting me take Rhea's photo in their shop!

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.

Related articles

Is decluttering the same as organizing?

How to Sell House Fast!: Declutter & Staging

Does Your House Need to Lose a Few?

Finding a Boston Rental with a Dog

February 8, 2013
TerraVino Wines: Places We Shop

We live a city lifestyle. Our shopping trips are more likely to take us to three or four small shops than to one big box store. Here in Boston, and on the road, we'll share our great shop finds with you. -The BostonZest Team!

Update: Alas we can't shop here any longer because the store closed a few months later.

Name: TerraVino Wines

Address: 234 Harvard Street, Brookline, MA 02446 (Map & Reviews)

Phone: 617-232-1180

Do you have a roster of small, well-curated shops where you find the best selections? Let us know in the comments below or send us an email. We're always ready to add new resources to our list.

(Click on any photo for a larger image)

Shop Description: Calm and soothing. You can see the thought that was put into designing the shop. What you may not see is that it is also very green– environmentally responsible that is! Here are the details about that aspect of this store.

People: Christopher and Rayna Carbone are the owners. Christopher (above) is a Certified Specialist of Wine. But, more important than the letters after his name is his ability to communicate his love of the wines he stocks to customers with any level of wine knowledge. He asks the right questions, tries to figure out what you like, what food you are matching, offers tastes, and refines his recommendations from there.

What makes this shop special: A very warm welcome. Great wine knowledge. A carefully curated selection. Plus, a great location right off the Green Line in Coolidge Corner. You know you'll be going there soon, for something, so stop by and explore this new shop while you're there.

They say: "We believe in wines that are Real, honestly made, in the most Natural way. We offer wines that we truly believe in, allowing them to express their origins, the talent and commitment of the producers, and the inherent quality of the vintage. We put our dedication to work through our commitment only offering exceptional Natural wines that are sustainable, organic and biodynamic. "

We Say: Our first visit was like walking into a room filled with old friends. As we circled the selection, we took turns saying, "Look they carry…." followed by the name of a longtime favorite wine, producer, or importer.

Nice Touch: They have four reds and four whites available for tasting. This allows you to try wines that might be a bit out of your comfort zone and helps guide the staff to offer better recommendations for you.

Regulars say: Richard Auffrey, The Passionate Foodie said, "This is very much a hand sell store where customer service is key. Many of these wines will be unfamiliar to the average consumer, and even the avid wine lover is likely to find plenty of wines they have not tasted before. It is a very intriguing selection of wines, and there were plenty of wines which interested me."

Gretchen (@MoralBeast) and Urban Wine Dweller wrote: "The brilliant Thierry Triolet Champagne Brut from @terravinowines. Really great stuff. Perfect with sushi." Our thanks go to Gretchen for recommending TerraVino Wines.

Did you know? Another part of this couple's green and natural lifestyle is a gluten-free, vegetarian diet.

Don't Miss: Their sparkling wine selection on the center table. Here's a Grower Champagne we bought from TerraVino. You know how we love sparkling wines!

Phone: 617-232-1180

Website: www.terravinowines.com

Twitter: @TerraVinoWines

Facebook: Terra Vino Wines

While you're in the neighborhood: Coolidge Corner is home to many great, local businesses, and a fabulous farmers' market on Thursday afternoons from mid-June to late October.

Here are reports on a few of our favorite places in the area:

Michael's Deli

When Pigs Fly Bakery

Party Favors

Brookline Farmers' Market

While we love to support local shops, we also hope you'll support us when you shop on Amazon. When you click over to Amazon from one of our links, they put some change in our tip cup. It doesn't cost you anymore, but it helps keep BostonZest coming your way.

Fine wine glasses that are dishwasher safe? While Ed insists on washing our stems, I can't swear to it but the manufacture says that, the Schott Zwiesel Tritan Crystal Forte Collection can go in the dishwasher. We do put our barware from the same line through the dishwaser all the time. How about this Stemless Snifter?

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. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

May 10, 2012
Expand Your Wine Comfort Zone: Sampler Cases

In February, we bought a sampler case of Kermit Lynch wines from Bauer Wine & Spirits. We are long-time fans of both the ledgendary importer and of our neighborhood wine shop where Howie Rubin has been pointing us to great wines for 20 years.

Sampler cases are a good way to expand your wine comfort zone.

When curated by an able wine merchant, sampler cases can be an education about a country, an importer, or a type of wine. If you shop stores that offer these attractive sets of wine, sign up for emails on their offerings.

Bauer offers samplers on a regular schedule. Their customers have explored the Iberian wines (Portugal & Spain), rosés, single vineyards like Montes in Chile, seasonal selections for warm and cold days, and holiday samplers that put the right wines in your rack for a variety of guests.

These selections are often outstanding values because the store can purchase in greater quantity knowing that they will sell this group of wines quickly. The Kermit Lynch case, two bottles each of six wines, was offered at sale price plus an additional 15% discount.

We plan to feature other sampler opportunities in the weeks ahead. If you have a favorite wine shop sampler, let us know in the comments below or send us an email. Some shops do full cases, others offer 6-packs.

And, we have an upcoming post scheduled about one of the wines in this sampler.

Love wine? Join our Our Sparkling Resolution

Check Out: Our wine 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 shelf. Here's 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.

April 18, 2012
Irish Truffles From Burdick Chocolate for Saint Patrick’s Day
Did you know that Burdick Chocolate makes special truffles and shamrock cookies for Saint Patrick's Day?

We were walking by yesterday and stopped in to ask about the prospective opening date for the cafe part of the new shop on Berkeley Street. While waiting for the staff to take care of other customers, we noticed a bit of green.

Need to make some Irish eyes smile? How about:
- Irish Coffee Bonbons made with dark chocolate, coffee, cream, and Irish Whiskey coated with dark and white chocolate to look like an Irish coffee.
- Irish Whiskey truffles made with Black Bush Bushmill's Irish whiskey
- Baileys Irish Cream Truffles dusted in cocoa powder
- Shamrock cookies– pistachio-orange shortbread cookies dipped in chocolate.
Ah, the joy of having our own Burdick shop in the Back Bay. We took home a small box of chocolates and are diligently trying to choose our favorite of the three flavors.

Related Post:

Boston, Say "Welcome" to Burdick Chocolate on Valentine's Day

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

Details:

Burdick Chocolate

Back Bay Boston Chocolate Shop & Café

220 Clarendon Street, Boston, MA 02116 (map)

www.burdickchocolate.com

617-303-0113

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 13, 2012
Boston, Say “Welcome” to Burdick Chocolate on Valentine’s Day

Yes! We have "mice" in the Back Bay!

What better day to welcome Burdick Chocolate to the Boston side of the river? Right in time for Valentine's Day they've opened the retail part of their new location on Clarendon Street between Boylston and Newbury.

Have you ever seen a more perfect use of an existing building? This little shop has been waiting all its life to be a chocolate shop & café. You can buy chocolates today and soon they will be offering their famous café menu with that luscious single source chocolate drinks, a great tea selection, and excellent pastries.

For now, we were happy to yield to temptation and select a few treats from the case. Choose your own or pick up one of their boxed assortments. But, be sure to include at least one mouse in the selection. They love going home with you.

You still have time to tuck an Amazon gift certificate into that chocolate box. You can also send one by email!

Details:

Burdick Chocolate

Back Bay Boston Chocolate Shop & Café

220 Clarendon Street, Boston, MA 02116 (map)

www.burdickchocolate.com

617-303-0113

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 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 do reserve the right to edit ads out of comments.

February 14, 2012