Go Get 'Em Out There

Wagamama - Boston, MA
http://www.wagamama.us/

     I love that Boston is a hub for conferences because it means so many friends come into town, and I get to see them! This time Sarah had a math conference, so on her last day I met up with her at Wagamama in Faneuil Hall. Modeled after Japan's ramen bars, Wagamama has 4 locations in Massachusetts. The restaurant itself had very simple, and sharp features and furniture in a red, black and white color scheme. Very typical, modern asian decor I think.
     The menu was impressive, and each dish was loaded with 7-10 fresh ingredients. I went with the yaki soba, which is a teppanyaki dish. That basically means it has big, thick noodles that are fried on a flat griddle. The noodles were awesome and unlike anything I've had before. They were just super thick, really long and almost misshapen. Like worms... minus the sand. The dish had the teppan-fried soba noodles with chicken, shrimp, egg, beansprouts, peppers, red onions and scallions and was garnished with fried shallots, pickled ginger and black sesame seeds. I loved the different textures and temperatures of the dish. The pickled ginger was cool and sour, the fried shallots were crispy, and the beansprouts and sesame seeds were cool and slightly crunchy. The warm, grilled peppers, onions, juicy chicken and shrimp and scrambled egg contrasted in a unique way with all the cool and crunchy ingredients. I wasn't going to eat the whole dish because it really was a ton of pasta, but I had a long day at work, I was hungry, and it was delicious. Sounds like a good enough reason right? It was a good deal of food too for a great price. I (or the normal person) could've taken it come and made it into two meals too if I wanted to...but I didn't.

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Bambara - Cambridge, MA
http://www.bambara-cambridge.com/

Someone is excited about noods

     Marathon Monday!!! What does that mean? Carb-loading Sunday! Just because I didn't run the marathon doesn't mean I wasn't going to take advantage of the all-you-can-eat pasta deals throughout Boston on Sunday night. No no. After hitting up the expo, David and I walked over to Bamabara, which is this swanky little place across from the science museum in Cambridge. At first we weren't sure if we were underdressed or not, but I think it ended up being ok. It was a very classy place, with dark walls, sleek furniture, and concentrated lights illuminating glassy accents... and free bread.
     So for this unlimited pasta bowl, you could pick a shape of noodle, a meat or veg, and a sauce. For our first bowl, we got orecchiette (little ear shaped pasta) with grilled chicken and alfredo. It was looooaded with butter. It was super rich, a little salty and had a great cheesy flavor. Amazing. Probably one of the best alfredo sauces I've ever tried. The chicken was delicious too because it had slightly charred edges from the grill. Other options for other bowls included a marinara sauce, a roasted garlic and tomato sauce, sausage and grilled veggies. The sausage was pretty standard, and I wasn't all too impressed. The veggies were average too, but I think the penne with chicken alfredo was the best. After the 4th bowl, we had to call it quits. We were ready for marathon... sleeping. On the way out, some guy said to us "Go get 'em out there tomorrow!" We said thank you, and it got us amped. Maybe we should've said something, but it felt good to look like a marathon runner. Meh.

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Shake Shack - Boston, MA
https://www.shakeshack.com/

The Original Shack Stack

     The marathon was great. The weather was not. We were cold and hungry and had *walked* for many hours. I realize this sounds pathetic because these people ran 26.2 miles...that's because it is pathetic. Either way, Catherine guided us to the Shake Shack on Newbury St. where she works now. Shake Shack is a fast paced burger joint that actually started as a hot dog stand in NYC. Now they're spreading throughout the northwest, and for good reason. They're quick, delicious, and it feels better than regular fast food.
     I was so excited because the only other time I had been was with (a different) Catherine on free burger day and it was their burger with fried onion rings and american cheese. It was too greasy for me and I wanted to try the more fresh looking burger I see in their instagram photos. This time I was getting it. and it was so much better. The patty was still a little bit greasy and flat for my taste, but it was still delicious. I liked the the big slice of tomato and the large leaf of curly romaine. Both of the veggies tasted fresh and cool and helped balance out the greasy burger. The Shake Shack fries remind me of childhood at friends' houses because, honestly, they're like the frozen ones you make at home out of the bag. The crinkle cut ones. Remember those? So good.

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Butternut Squash Galette - My Kitchen, Cambridge
      

     Oh gosh I love when simple things I experiment with turn out to be incredible. I found this recipe on Smitten Kitchen (the woman is a genius) back last fall when butternut squash was in season. Naturally I waited until they were out of season to make this and other butternut squash recipes I have. Regardless, this galette was awesome. The combination of the roasted squash, caramelized onions and fontina cheese was so rich, but still light. Fontina cheese is one of my favorites. She made a great choice using it. Goat cheese would be good too, but that would've made it completely different. I also didn't use her crust recipe. I used some random dough I made a while ago and froze. I'm sure it would be even more spectacular if I had used her recipe. I'd say this is a good party dish to bring. It's simple but tasty and good as an appetizer.

Butternut Squash Galette

1 small butternut squash
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 to 2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon salt
Pinch of sugar
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 cup fontina cheese, grated
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Peel squash, then halve and scoop out seeds. Cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Toss with olive oil and a dash of salt and roast on a cookie sheet for 30 minutes or until pieces are tender, turning it midway. Set aside to cool slightly.

2.  While squash is roasting, melt the butter in a heavy skillet and cook onion over low heat with the a pinch of salt and sugar. Stir occasionally until soft and lightly golden brown, about 20 minutes. Stir in cayenne.

3. Raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Mix squash, caramelized onions, cheese and herbs together in a bowl.

4. On a floured work surface, roll the chilled dough out into a 12-inch round circle. slide it onto an ungreased baking sheet. Spread squash, onions, cheese and herb mixture over the dough, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border. Fold the border over the squash, onion and cheese mixture. Keep the center open.

5. Bake 30 to 40 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven, let stand for 5 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve warm. 

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Butternut Squash Ravioli - My Kitchen, Cambridge

Butternut Squash Raviolis

     Since I had the butternut squash, I ran through my pinterest looking for recipes I could use it in.  This is another recipe from Iowa Girl Eats and it is delicious! However, I don't know why I ever think making ravioli is a good idea. I mean... it's good and all, but it literally takes forever. And I don't even make my own dough. I just use those little wonton wrappers. It's too much effort for the amount of satisfaction. Anyway, these raviolis were good. I wanted them to be a little bit more garlicy and with cheese.

Butternut Squash Ravioli

3 cups roasted butternut squash
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1/4 onion
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Salt & pepper
40 wonton wrappers

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Halve squash and scoop out seeds. Place upside down and roast on a cookie sheet for 30 minutes or until tender. Set aside to cool slightly.

2. Chop onion and garlic. Sauté onion in olive oil with some salt & pepper until softened, about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for another minute being careful not to burn.

3. Transfer cooked onion and garlic to a food processor. Add roasted butternut squash and cinnamon to food processor and pulse until all the ingredients are combined and smooth. Place filling into bowl and taste. Add more salt and pepper if necessary.

4. Setup a work station that includes a cookie sheet, small bowl of water, cutting board and butternut squash filling. Place wonton wrapper on cutting board and moisten all four sides with water. Place around 2 teaspoons butternut squash filling into the center of the wonton wrapper. Fold one corner over to the other and seal two sides, pressing any air out of the middle of the ravioli. Fold one corner over, then fold the other corner over on top. Squeeze gently to make sure corners stick together. Place ravioli on cookie sheet.

5. Once you’ve made all the ravioli, cook immediately or place the cookie sheet directly into the freezer and allow raviolis to freeze through for 1-2 hours. Once raviolis are frozen, place inside a freezer safe bag and store in freezer. Raviolis should keep well for 4-5 months and can go directly from the freezer to the stove or pot of boiling water. Enjoy!

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Oasis Cafe and Bakery - Medford, MA
http://www.oasisbraziliancafe.com/index.php

Coxinha

     Whenever we go to Hardy Pond to do some sampling, Julie always tries to get me to eat things, and I don't hate it. This time we stopped at this Brazilian bakery called Oasis. They had a Brazilian barbecue buffet place next door that was super cheap that I'd love to visit someday. Anyway, she went crazy and got us all these little things. Small cookies with jelly, peanut brittle, cheese rolls, and this chicken dough ball thing that was unlike anything I've ever experienced. It's called Coxinha and it's basically a cream cheese ball, covered in shredded chicken, surrounded in a dough and deep fried. It must be fried really quickly though because 90% of the dough isn't cooked. It's this weird gooey consistency that gets stuck to your teeth, but it was so tasty. Well, the chicken was tasty rather than the dough. There were so many different textures and flavors happening in it. The cheesy rolls were great too. They seemed like these super eggy small rolls with cheese inside them. But somehow the cheese was really throughout the dough in that you couldn't see cheese strings inside when you'd take a bite. You could feel the chewiness of the cheese and the taste the cheese, but you couldn't see it. It looked like a regular roll, but small. It was really unique. They were really soft too, especially fresh from the oven. I love experiencing new treats like this, especially when they're with someone so well versed in food culture. 

Are You Sure? That's a Lot of Food.

Esperia Grill - Brighton, MA

http://www.esperiagrill.com/

     I hadn't seen Karl in forever, so one evening we to talking rowing and eating foods. 2 of my favorite things to do. Esperia Grill in Brighton gets voted Best Greek Food by Boston Magazine and The Improper Bostonian pretty consistently, and even though I used to live in Brighton, I had never been. It's a pretty tiny restaurant, and when you walk in there is a big long take out counter right in front. Everything looks incredible and the smells just cannot be put into words. 

Saganaki (top left), Falafel ball (bottom left) and pita.

     They're known for their gyros, kabobs and rotisserie chickens here and I really couldn't decide what to get, so I got a kabob and a half of a chicken. Yes. Both meals. In addition to a greek salad, saganaki (fried cheese) with pita bread, and a falafel ball. After all the words came out of my mouth the waiter furrowed his brow, shook his head and said, "That's a lot of food. Are you sure?" I said, "Uhhhh ... yea." Please do not question my choices Mr. man. It was comical. Sometimes situations like that remind me that I'm not "normal" and make me feel good. I wasn't upset. 

Lamb Kabob and Pita on bottom and the
half chicken on top.

     Anyway, I was a little bummed they didn't light the cheese on fire for us to see because this was Karl's first saganaki experience. But the cheese itself was great. It had a great top crust and was perfectly soft. Delicious wrapped in a pita. 

     The falafel ball was decent, but not exceptional. It was green like the one I got from BenjYehuda in Chicago once with Mary. I wanted the crust to be thicker and hold up to my bite a little better. This one crumbled a tiny bit. 

     The lamb kabob was basically a bunch of big chunks of lamb that were tender and slightly rare, just like I like, lying in a bed of tzatziki and grilled vegetables. This pita was exceptional. It was so soft, thick and had these grilled edges and areas that were full of a toasted pita with butter flavor. And the combination of the succulent, juicy lamb with the cool, herb-y, lemony fresh tzatziki was perfect. I don't know what it is about those flavors that pair so well together. 

      The last addition was my half of a chicken. Admittedly, I knew I'd be taking it home, and I knew I probably wouldn't be back for a while so I had to get it. This bird was coated in herbs. I mean coated. I love chicken skin and this just took it over the top. It had such rich, savory flavors and the meat felt clean, as in not greasy and sticky. The meat was tender, broke apart easily was was extra juicy. It was beautiful. I'd say I weirded Karl out by my superfluous excitement about the quality of the bird, but I'm sure he's used to it now. 

     Overall, it was absolutely delicious. I was so happy and satisfied and Karl was too. I can't help it to the satisfaction I got from Greek Corner with Mary a while ago though. That was nirvanic (<my invented word again), but I'm not sure if that was because we were starving lightweights coming from a Saturday practice or what. We also didn't really eat meat then. So the comparison becomes unfair. Sounds like we are due for another carnivorous Greek Corner visit.

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Lamb and Hummus Bowl - My Kitchen, Allston, MA

     Finally I cooked something exciting! Kind of. This recipe for a baba ghanousch bowl came from Closet Cooking. Go look at his photo. It's just beautiful. Mine is quite lack luster and you can't even see half of the things in it. So basically this is a bowl of heaven. He put baba ghanousch in the bottom, but I wanted to do hummus. He also suggested greek yogurt on top but, honestly I forgot, but I think it's ok. It let the feta creaminess show. On top of it you put some ground lamb you cooked up in a pan with some spices. Top it with some tomatoes, parsley, and feta cheese. Boom. My childhood. I took a pita and just pinched a bit of the mixings and ate it like that. I've had day dreams since of what it would be like to actually construct it like a burrito. The combination of every single one of the flavors is harmonious. The lamb is rich with flavor and hot, while the tomatoes and parsley are fresh. The feta is salty and the hummus is smooth. It's really a genius idea and super easy.

Lamb and Hummus Bowl

Lamb and Hummus Bowl

For the lamb:

1 pound ground lamb

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup parsley, chopped

2 tablespoons mint, chopped (I used dried mint)

For the toppings:

1-2 cups hummus

2 cups tomato, diced

1/4 cup feta

1. Mix the lamb, garlic, cumin, coriander and cinnamon, cook over medium-high heat until cooked and slightly caramelized. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and mix in the parsley and mint.

2. Assemble the bowls and dig in with pitas or a spoon.

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Vegetable Purses - My Kitchen, Allston, MA

     A while ago (I'm talking over a year ago), Mary and I went over to Antonia's for dinner and she made these wonderful little things called Vegetable Purses. She found the recipe on My San Francisco Kitchen and I knew that someday I wanted to make them for myself.  They're nice and light and a actually much easier than they look. They'd be much easier if you just bought phyllo dough too. I love the combination of roasted veggies inside. I tossed in a few extra savory herbs like rosemary.

Vegetable Purses

Vegetable Purses

Phyllo dough:
2 cups flour
½ tsp salt
⅔ cups warm water
2 tbsp olive oil

Filling:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large zucchini squash, cubed
1 cup butternut squash, cubed
1 red bell pepper, chopped
½ cup light crumbled feta cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Red pepper sauce:

1 red bell pepper, roasted
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp basalmic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. In a large bowl, add vegetables and olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat.
Transfer to a baking pan and bake for 30 minutes. Throw in your whole red pepper for the sauce too and cover in a thin layer of olive oil. 

3. Remove from the oven and lower heat to 350 degrees F. In the meantime, add phyllo dough ingredients to a bowl and mix by hand (or use a stand mixer).  Knead for 10 minutes.

4. Cut into four equal pieces, and roll out as thin a possible.

5. Divide the filling among the sheets of phyllo dough, placing the filling in the center and then topping with feta cheese. Gather the four corners of each phyllo sheet and bring together. Press in the center and twist.

6. Bake for 30 minutes, until slightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and tie each purse with one chive for decoration.

7. For the sauce, add all ingredients to a blender and blend to desired consistency.
Makes 4 purses

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Banana Chocolate Chip Coconut Cookies - My Kitchen, Allston, MA

Banana Chocolate Chip Coconut Cookies

     I've made these eggless, sugarless, flourless cookies before and they've generally just been ... meh. I half expected the same out of these cookies, but I was way far off. These were awesome! I think the fact that I used decently ripe bananas aided in the sugar issue. I found this recipe off of a blog called My Little Table.

Banana Chocolate Chip Coconut Cookies

3 large, ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup coconut oil
2 cups rolled oats
2/3 cup flour
1/3 cup coconut, finely shredded & unsweetened
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
6 – 7 ounces dark chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large bowl combine the bananas, vanilla extract, and coconut oil. Set aside. 

3. In another bowl whisk together the oats, almond or oat flour, shredded coconut, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder. 

4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. 

5. Drop dollops of the dough an inch apart onto am ungreased baking sheet.

6. Bake for 12-14 minutes. Let cool and enjoy!

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Pumpkin Scones - My Kitchen, Allston, MA

Pumpkin Scones

     I'm still slowly working my way though all that pumpkin puree I made back in January. I pull a jar out of the freezer on occasion with no real plan for it, but just a hope to use it at some point within the week. One morning I woke up and realized I had the time and energy to make these pumpkin scones Stef posted a while back on her blog Energy Neutral. She calls them "healthy" so I assumed they may be a little bland (due to a lack of butter and all that much sugar) but I was so wrong! They were fabulous! They had the perfect dry texture but maintained a decent amount of moisture inside. Unlike my pumpkin bagels, I could taste more of the pumpkin flavor in these, which was nice. I made a few changes to her recipe in that instead of using almond milk (that I didn't have), I just used a little bit more pumpkin and a dash of water (my pumpkin is already pretty watery to begin with). I also used coconut oil instead of canola just because I was curious as to what that would taste like and I was a big fan of the switch. Anyway... just look at how pretty these are and try them out yourself!

(Healthy) Pumpkin Scones

2 1/2c whole wheat flour
2 1/2t baking powder
2T brown sugar
3T coconut oil
5T pumpkin puree
1t vanilla
1/2c almond milk
1T ground flax seeds (soaked in 3T water)

1. Preheat oven to 425F. 

2. Combine flour, baking powder, and sugar. Cut in the pumpkin puree and oil using a knife. Flour mixture should be very dry and it should resemble course crumbs. Mix in vanilla, flax seed, and almond milk. 

3. Knead dough 5 or 6 times, then break into 3 large lumps. Cut the lumps into quarters. 

4. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the edges just start to brown. Let harden or enjoy immediately!

In Search of Higher Ground - Tasting South Carolina

From the summit of Grandfather Mountain, NC

Immaculate Consumption - Columbia, SC
http://immaculate-consumption.com/

     This winter was brutal here in Boston and my travel bug was itching something fierce. I needed mountains. So I hopped on a plane and headed down to South Carolina. I had been before a couple years back with rowing, but this was my first spring break trip with no obligations. No rowing. No diets. No real plan. Ethan and Dan both live in SC, so the plan was to fly in to Charleston, rent a car, drive to the west side to see Ethan for a few days, hike some mountains and drive back to Charleston to see Dan. This isn't a travel blog, so I won't write about the whole trip. But, I did eat some delicious foods while I was there.

     To start... Immaculate Consumption. That's how it always begins (teehee). On my way west, I had a few extra hours, so I stopped in Columbia, home of the University of South Carolina, to check out the campus and fill my tank (my food tank). I had to go to Immaculate Consumption simply because of the name. Duh. The scent of this tiny cafe hit me as soon as I swung open the door. It smelled like antiques and old wood and strangely like my aunt and uncle's house in VA. It was this really cool blend of hipster and farm - classic. Frank Sinatra was on the radio, and the walls were decorated with tapestries and antlers. Weird, right? I've never seen anything like it. The waitstaff was charming and I thought everyone was leaving the restaurant with an open cup of beer. No no... it was sweet tea. Everyone drinks sweet tea. Welcome to the south.
   

Turkey Tarragon Sandwich

     For lunch I got their Turkey Tarragon sandwich which was sliced turkey breast with tarragon/balsamic marinated mushrooms, lettuce, tomatoes, swiss cheese and dijon mustard. The turkey was the best part. Of course. It was so far from a deli meat. More like real fibrous, sliced turkey breast that fell apart, rather than being all held up by whatever junk they put in deli meat. The mushrooms were sopping wet with that balsamic and it was fabulous. It was a serious punch to the face, but was so good. That marinade made the mushrooms kind of chewy too. To smooth out the power of the mushrooms and dijon, they added some swiss. It was perfect on toasted pumpernickel.

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Cupcake Down South - Columbia, SC
http://www.freshcupcakes.com/index.htmld

            After walking for a couple hours through Columbia looking for little shops and such, I came upon Cupcake Down South, which is a small bakery that has a bunch of different locations in Columbia and Charleston. At first I was just going to walk in to see what they had (yea... right) and also to see if they had samples. I was in luck because they did have samples, and those samples won me over. I got the death by chocolate cupcake (of course) which was a chocolate cake with chocolate chips inside and a tall swirl of rich chocolate buttercream frosting. For the cake, they found the perfect middle ground between a brownie and a cake. It was much more moist and substantial than most cupcakes. The frosting ... oh my lord... the frosting was stupid stupid good. So creamy and smooth with just a little bit of air in it, but not like a whipped textured frosting. It was ideal. Definitely the best gourmet cupcake I've ever gotten before. Sorry Georgetown.

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Sunny's Donuts - Gaffney, SC
https://www.facebook.com/SunnysDonuts

The containers for filling. So smart. 

I ate the blueberry donut too fast (on the left), but
this is the massive apple fritter. 

       For my last morning in Boiling Springs with Ethan, he wanted to take me to experience Sunny's Donuts. Shoot. We headed to Gaffney (where the Nestle plant he works at is located) for an apple fritter experience that was apparently unlike any other. In my 26 years, I had never had a better apple fritter experience than that of Dandee Donuts at home, but I was willing to be adventurous. Apple fritters are my favorite.
     First of all, Sunny's Donuts was just a little tiny shop built into the same building as a gas station convenience store. From the outside, it really was nothing special. But the inside boasted racks of freshly made donuts and quite a few different tubs of filling for some on-demand stuffage. Yes. You pick the donut. You pick the filling. They fill it for you. GENIUS. WHY DON'T MORE PLACES DO THIS?! Anyway, the sweet old man behind the counter gave me my apple fritter and a buttermilk blueberry donut. OH and these donuts holes. These donut holes make Dunkin Donuts munchkins seem like dog food. For real. The slick, thin glaze was perfectly sweet and literally just melted in your mouth to reveal the plain, soft, almost chewy dough. It was beautiful.
     Blueberry donuts are my second favorite to apple fritters and this was 100% the best I've ever had. This donut was made with buttermilk, and split at the top (from all the cream?) like a sour cream donut does (those are my third favorite). I love when it does that because it just means more surface area. More surface area = more crust = more glaze. The browned outside crust of this blueberry donut was thick and it had a thick glaze. It was unlike any other donut I've really ever had before. The dough was pretty dense, but there were some great contrasting textures going on.

     The all-star of the show, as predicted, was the full hand sized apple fritter. Lord have mercy on my soul. It wasn't just a donut that had an apple-y flavor. It had a TON of soft apple chunks in it, and throughout the dough there was this applesauce-like filling. Not like a jelly or cream, but like cinnamon applesauce. It was incredible! It took it way above and beyond not just any other apple fritters, but all other donuts. Oh gosh there were so many nobby edges that had their thick fried crust and were coated in glaze. Just like those donut holes (but x 100000), this donut melted in your mouth. I would physically put it in my mouth and feel it melt. It was a magical experience. I wish there was a Sonny's north of the Mason Dixon Line. Ethan, I am forever indebted to you. 

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Hyman's Seafood - Charleston, SC

http://www.hymanseafood.com/

Coleslaw and hushpuppies. Just look at how dark those puppies are. 

     It's ok to laugh at the name. I did too. And at the half naked mermaid in the stairway. And at the fact that Martha Stewart sat at our table. Hyman's was recommended to me by one of Ethan's friends. Since it was one of the only Charleston recommendations I had gotten, I was going for it. Plus, she mentioned something about hushpuppies and well... that's all it really took. Hyman's has some historical significance in that it started as a little shop within the warehouse district back in 1890, but they added the restaurant portion back in 1986. They've been recognized everywhere. All over the food network, travel channel, you name it. They're a Charleston favorite. 

     This place was huge. They had room after room after room of celebrity dining photos and dark wooden tables filled with people.  As a complimentary appetizer, they served boiled peanuts. I had only had them at Hailee's house when we were kids and they were good, but these were great. The primary reason? Salt. Oh man they were so salty. If you've never had boiled peanuts, you ought to. A lot of little roadside stands sell them down here too.
     The hushpuppies came first and were BY FAR the best I've ever put in my mouth. They were much sweeter than others I've had, but don't think they were like donuts or anything. They had a sweet onion flavor, with little strings of onion in them. They had a great, dark brown thick crust with the gritty, dense, cornmeal insides. I could've eaten them forever... or at least until I felt l like death. So phenomenal. 

     The other appetizer they served was coleslaw, which was delicious. It was heavier on the vinegar and lighter on the mayo. Don't get me wrong... me and mayo go way back, but I like the healthier feeling coleslaw better. This one was perfect and light with carrots and red cabbage. 

Fried catfish, collard greens and more hush puppies.

     For my meal, I got the fried catfish. It came super hot, with a thin breading, which was good. I don't like when the breading overtakes the actual fish. This breading had more of a gritty texture to it too, but was a little softer than I would've liked. However the fish was cooked perfectly. It was flaky and juicy and was served with a sweet bowl of collard greens. I wanted that southern meal, and I got it :]

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King Street Cookies - Charleston, SC

http://kingstreetcookies.com/

            

     There will never be a cookie shop I don't go in. King Street Cookies was located on King Street in downtown Charleston. This cute little shop had all white and orange decor with 2 huge, tall king-like chairs in the front. When I walked in, I was one of three people. When I left, there was a line almost out the door. I'm convinced I started a cookie trend. This place had 33 kinds of cookies (I counted) of all varieties. Literally. There were flavors like red velvet cake, berries and cream, and the three kinds I got: Ms. House, Georgia Peach, and Peanut Butter. I've got to say... that peanut butter cookies was in a whole league of its own. It was love at first bite... and not just because I love peanut butter, but because this provided all of the satisfaction a cookie could provide. The center of this cookie stayed fat, so it was done just right so that it wasn't gooey anymore. The top was a little crinkled and sprinkled with a tiny bit of sugar, and all of the edges had a slight crispness to them. It was incredible. It seemed so delicate. Nothing could've made it better. For real. 

Peanut butter (top),  Ms. House (middle),
Georgia Peach (bottom)

     The second one I tried was the georgia peach. It had peach chunks, toffee, cinnamon and white chocolate chips. It was definitely tasty, but almost a little too sweet for me, if you can believe that. Maybe it was the white chocolate. I think I'm beginning to learn that I'm not all that into white chocolate. The third cookie was called Ms. House and was a basic, chewy oatmeal cookie with chocolate chips and chunks. It tasted very much like your homemade oatmeal chocolate chip cookie, but baked by someone who had done it a time or two and knew how to nail the timing down. 

     The best part of this whole deal was that, when you purchase 3 cookies ($6), you get a cup for unlimited milk and get the option of skim milk, whole milk or chocolate milk. I sure milked that opportunity. Got all 3. 

(see what I did there?)

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Triangle Char and Bar - Sumerville, SC

http://trianglecharandbar.com/

Avondale Nachos

     Dan introduced me to boxing, so whenever we get the chance to go, we go. After trying out a new Title gym, he wanted to take me to this place called Triangle Char and Bar. Clever name. Char and Bar = Bar and Grill, but unique. It reminded me very much of a Boston type restaurant in that they focus on using local ingredients and give you information on the menus about how the animals used for their meats are humanely raised. It's pretty neat. Everything inside was bright and colorful, but also very simplistic, in a country way. It fit in with the local, trendy, inventive vibe one experiences in Cambridge. 

Pad Thai Tacos with Sweet Potato Fries

     Dan said if we got the Avondale nachos we might not need to get a meal, so we got the nachos... and then we both got meals. Good. Those nachos were insane. Absolute madness. They were like a loaded baked potato made into nachos. Instead of tortilla chips, they used their homemade potato chips (which were perfection and I'd pay $20 for a bag if they were sold in grocery stores). They were topped with chunks of salty bacon, jalapenos, tomatoes, green onions, a bunch of real melted jack cheese and ranch dressing. It was a sodium overload but it was incredible. I'm generally not too into eating ranch dressing, but in this case it was a really unique take on adding the bit of cream to nachos instead of sour cream. Dan was right. We didn't need meals, and I'm proud to say that I only ate half of my Pad Thai tacos when they came. Go me. The two tacos came in big soft shells and were loaded with grilled chicken, peanuts, peanut sauce, and onions. The chicken was a little peppery and spicy (but in a good way) and the warm peanut sauce went surprisingly really well with the chicken. Seems like such a weird concept in my head, but it worked out. I probably would've been better off with something more mild and lighter after the nachos, but you don't see pad thai tacos often. Oh plus they were served with sweet potato fries sprinkled with salt and some seasoning (maybe paprika?). They were some of the best I've had. I really liked that they were skinnier and I loved the sauce they were served with. It was some sort of dipping sauce that was a dark red but tasted like applesauce and cinnamon. I still have no idea what it was, but it was delicious. 

     Needless to say, my shoes were a little tight the next morning, and my soul was content. 

Monster Trucks trump Chocolates

Fatima's - Worcester, MA

(In a clockwise order from the top) Beef stew, eggplant and cauliflower, beans, spinach/potato/peas,
goat stew,chicken stew, and (in the center) cabbage/carrots/potatoes

     Chocolates are nice. Flowers are nice. But monster trucks are even better! For Valentines Day, David and I drove out to Worcester in a blizzard to go to this monster truck rally. It was our first

rally. I could go in to detail about it, but just know that they're awesome and watching enormous trucks fly through the air is probably more exciting than the average person might think.
     Anyway, David and I were talking about Ethiopian food the day before, so I decided to find an Ethiopian restaurant around there for before the show. We stopped at Fatima's Cafe in Worcester, which was this tiny little restaurant that just looked like a converted pizza shop. No frills about it. No fancy tables, no signs. Just a couple ladies and a little kid running around feeding their only party of two. For $15, we got their Ethiopian bread with 5 different stews and some beans. If you've never had Ethiopian before, they basically serve you this really strange thin bread that's like one enormous flat pancakes filled with bubble holes. It's really spongy and, to me, there seems to be a slightly sour taste, but David didn't think so. I know there are a few friends of mine that have been a little less than enthused about the bread.
     So when they bring the bread out it's in a big bowl, or on a big plate and they throw on a bunch of scoops of whatever stew you want. You take the bread and use it (kind of like a pita) to scoop up or pinch some stew. Everything thing is supposed to be with your hands. At Fatima's we got a beef stew with red peppers; chicken with red peppers and onions; a vegetable stew with potatoes, carrots, and some cabbage; another vegetable stew with spinach, peas and potatoes; a third vegetable stew with eggplant and cauliflower; and finally a goat meat stew with carrots and onions and such. First of all, not a fan of goat. Maybe it was just the cut of meat or the way it was cooked, but it was really fatty and almost felt oily in your mouth. Plus it was really hard to chew. That gets frustrating for me because I just want to move on and eat more things but can't. I need food patience.

Son of a Digger at Monster Jam 

     The beef stew was probably my favorite, with the cabbage stew second. I love cabbage. Most of the stews had similar flavors, probably because of the spices they use, which generally consist of a bunch of curry, chili, garlic, cumin and some others. Towards the end, the bread got really soggy and was really difficult to use as a scoop, so we had to resort to forks. Oh well. Fatima's was worth the stop, all the ladies working there were really sweet, the price was great, and I was happy to support a local business like that.

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The Local - Wellesley, MA
http://www.liveeatlocal.com/

Classic wings and fried pickles.

     I finally tried skiing! Not downhill skiing, but cross country skiing. Alyse, Meagan, Eric and I were climbing big snow hills here in Allston, when Alyse said, "We should go skiing." So up we got and went (and met Kevin there). It was AWESOME! I ate it on all the hills, though. Gotta work on that. Anyway, afterwards we went into Wellesley to The Local to get some food. It was beautiful inside! Lots of dark woods and iron looking light fixtures, but it had a classy side. We felt almost a little under dressed, but our hunger helped us push through the potential social discomfort.

The Local burger

     As an appetizer we ordered fried pickles with spicy mayo, which were both done really well. Because pickles are so juicy, sometimes I think restaurants have difficultly frying them and keeping the breading crispy, but The Local did a great job keeping the breading thin and crisp. We also got buffalo wings which were great. It's hard to mess those up. I just prefer that they're clean and don't leave me feeling like a grease bucket, which these didn't.
     For the meal, I ordered their local burger, made with locally sourced "prime beef", It was cooked absolutely perfectly with a little bit of pink. It was also great because it was very lean and not greasy at all. Definitely quality, fresh beef. It came on a big, fluffy brioche bun with their hand cut fries. The fries were tossed with coarse salt and parsley, giving them a great herby flavor. They were done fabulously with a thin, crisp outside. All around, absolutely no complaints. And the speed at which they refilled our water glasses was incredible.

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Paris Creperie - Brookline, MA

http://pariscreperie.com/

Helen & Paris crepe from Paris Creperie

     I was on this job the other day with Christian and James, and my packed lunch became history once they started raving about this place called the Paris Creperie. It wasn't until I got there that I realized this was the same place that had the crepe truck I've seen around. I don't think I had ever had a crepe before (other than the ones Andrew and I made at home), but I was pumped. Paris Creperie was a tiny little shop in Brookline that served both sweet and savory crepes, providing some seriously tough choices. 

     If you've never really had a real crepe before, it's basically a very thin pancake that they fold over a few times to encase a bunch of goodies, which, in the sweet category, can include things like fruits, nutella, peanut butter, butter, etc. In the savory sector, you see herbs, vegetables, and sometimes meats. I decided to go with the savory option and chose the Helen & Paris. It was a mint infused crepe with chickpeas, feta cheese, kale, roma tomatos, kalamata olives and a cucumber mint relish. First of all, I was so delightfully surprised how big it was! It was stuffed and the crepe itself (when unfolded) must've been 50% bigger than a standard (American) dinner plate.
     I loved the chickpeas in it because it gave it some substance and was filling. But the best part was the feta cheese, kale, olives and tomatoes. Wait and the cucumber mint relish. Well... that's the whole rest of the crepe. There was the perfect amount of feta in it too, because too much warm feta would've made it too creamy inside and would've taken away from some of the freshness of the whole crepe. The kale was perfectly steamed and wasn't the stiff kale I seem to always end up with when I shop for it myself. The warm tomatoes and the salty olives (I'm working really hard on liking olives and it's working!) were so tasty. I think the olives may have actually been my favorite addition to the dish! I feel like it would've been completely different without them. The little burst of salt was so good. While some of the crepes were a little more expensive than I'd want to spend on a lunch, I still would love to try them all. Especially some of the sweet ones now. 

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Pumpkin Spice Bagels - My Kitchen, Allston, MA

Pumpkin Spice Bagels

     So I figured I'd try my hand at these Pumpkin Spice bagels that I've been looking at for over a year on Ambitious Kitchen. She made them with a whipped honey butter, but I opted not to simply because I'm lazy and figured buttering the bagels and drizzling some honey on them would be basically the same thing. For the bagels, I used that homemade pumpkin puree I made a month ago or whenever that was. I figured they'd be nice and pumpkin-y, but honestly, they're more just like flour with spices. Granted, I nailed the texture, which I'm pretty proud of. I was most nervous about that because bread never really seems to work out when I try it. I always screw up the whole rising process. Oh and the kneading. So much kneading. I think my bagels just needed a little more pumpkin flavor, which could be due to my puree being less fresh and from not so flavorful pumpkins? I don't know. I also wanted a little more sweetness. Meagan tasted the pumpkin and likes them though. I'm probably just being too critical. Boo. Maybe I'll try again some day.

Pumpkin Spice Bagels

1 cup of warm water (110° to 115°)
2 teaspoons yeast
2/3 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
3 1/2 cups of bread flour + more if necessary
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
Olive oil
1 egg, slightly beaten

1. Place warm water in a large bowl and add yeast and brown sugar. Stir and let sit for about 3-5 minutes. Add in pumpkin, spices, salt, and 2 cups of bread flour and begin to stir together to form a soft, sticky dough.

2. Transfer the sticky dough to a lightly floured surface and add in another cup of flour. Begin to knead dough by hand until all of the flour is absorbed. Add in another 1/2 cup of flour and knead again until all of the dough is absorbed. Knead dough for about 8 minutes. The dough should not be sticky, but smooth and elastic.

3. Place dough in a bowl coated with oil, and cover the top allowing it to rise in a warm place until dough doubles in size, about 1 hour.

4. After an hour, punch down the dough and shape into 12 balls. Roll each dough ball into a rope, about 8 inches long. Push your thumb through the center to form a 2 inch hole and stretch the dough to form an even ring. Place the bagels on a baking sheet (greased or lined with parchment paper), cover again with plastic wrap and let rise for 15-20 minutes more.

5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray.

6. Fill a large pot with a couple inches of water and bring to a boil. Drop bagels, two at a time, into boiling water. Cook for about 45 seconds on each side. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain well on paper towels. 

7. Place on baking sheets, brush with egg wash, and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and cool on wire racks.

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Apple Cinnamon Granola - My Kitchen, Allston, MA

     My sad pumpkin spice bagels made me sad (and I had sunflower seeds that I discovered on my shelf), so I decided to make Stef's apple cinnamon granola from her blog Energy Neutral. I saw it a long time ago, but psyching myself up to make homemade granola is hard. It's tough to make and I get nervous I'm going to ruin it again. I liked Stef's recipe because it used applesauce instead of oil. Most have a ton of oil and a ton of sugar, lending to it's crisp and crunchiness, but I don't need that or want all the extra cals. Not that it really matters anymore, but I'm still conscious of it. Anyway I was actually pretty impressed with how crunchy this actually got considering I didn't add any oil. I didn't add the protein powder she suggests in her recipe though (which honestly may have greatly altered the flavor)m and I just used all rolled oats as opposed to some rolled oats and some quick cook oats. It's really tasty and light and I don't feel like I'm eating handfuls of sugar, which is good. I love how cinnamon-y it is.

Apple Cinnamon Granola

2 1/2c rolled oats
1/4c sunflower seeds
1/4c chopped almonds (this can be done in the food processor)
1/2c apple sauce
2tbs cinnamon
1/4c maple syrup

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.

2. In a large bowl, combine apple sauce, cinnamon, and maple syrup to make a slurry. Add oats and stir to coat. 

3. Press granola mixture into a greased pan and bake for 30 minutes, stirring at 20 minutes.

5. Remove from oven, let cool and enjoy.

You Don't Even Like Me

Soul Fire - Allston, MA
http://www.soulfirebbq.com/

David so very excited for some bbq. Loog'at that brisket. 

     What is it about barbecue that makes you feel like you're going to die? Maybe it's just my body, but the overwhelming incredible flavors, sauces and sodium are like a sucker-punch straight to the gut. I ate nearly 4 hours ago and it feels like I'm just getting up from the table (well... I guess I did have a brownie... or two when I got home... but still). Anyway, David and I both finished up work around the same time + I forgot lights for my bike + we had hunger ----> the bbq. He's all about bbq food and when we walked by Soul Fire a couple weeks ago in Allston he asked me why I had never taken him and accused me of not liking him or some nonsense. So today was the day we would try it. I'd heard that this was one of the better bbq places in Boston, and it sure smelled like it. It was relatively slow inside probably because of the snow and lack of a) parking, b) driving skills, and c) patience in this damn city right now because of the snow. Don't get me wrong. I love the snow. It's the people that are bonkers.
     The dining area was relatively large, the servers were pretty quick and so was the food. I ordered the sliced brisket platter. The brisket itself was beautiful and presented on a piece of worthless Texas toast. I'm not a fan of it when bbq places do this, and I'd say a bunch of them do. I always wonder who actually eats that. Anyway, this brisket was full of a rich, smokey flavor and the fat layer on top had an awesome, super seasoned crisp exterior. There were some slices of meat that were a little more dry than I'd like, but I loved the flavor of it all. Some of the more dry pieces I dipped in their sweet barbecue sauce which was really different. It had a very pronounced apple flavor, which was really tasty and unique, but I don't honestly think it fit with the pork.
      My first side was the collard greens, which were good, but a little too sweet for me. I mean, I'd definitely get them again, but I generally like getting one vegetable side to "balance" things out or at least make me feel less like an overweight, out of shape elephant. These weren't as refreshing as, what I'd consider, standard collard greens with the little bits of ham. This had some sort of meat (probably ham) in it, but the sweetness made it a little odd. Oh well.
     My favorite part was probably the mac and cheese. They used little shells and their cheese sauce was super thick and heavy. It was incredible. Exactly what I had in mind. And the best part, or the best addition, was the crumbled barbecue potato chips they threw on top. The texture change was great and it added a very, very subtle barbecue flavor to the whole bit. Such a good idea.
     The cornbread was my second favorite thing. Oh man... I'm trying to recall all the cornbreads I've had in the city and I think this one comes out as number two, behind the infamous Union Oyster House. Soul Fire's cornbread was incredibly moist, held it's form as you ate it, and had actual corn chunks in it! This is a big deal for real. You neeeever see this, and I don't understand why. It just adds some more texture and small bursts of the true corn flavor. Perfection.
    Overall, this place really hit the spot, and I was so glad we could finally try it out. The meat is the most important part and the flavors in my brisket and in David's pulled pork were fabulous. All the other goodies were icing on the cake. Well done, Soul Fire.

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La Hacienda - Somerville, MA
http://www.lahaciendasomerville.com/

Chicken pesto and roasted peppers pizza.

     Well, shucks. I have the best coworkers. So these last two weeks I've been filling in for Frances because she's in Africa. Yea... Africa. Tuesday was payroll processing day and Adrian was out of the office, meaning it was on me, and I was ready for it. 4 o'clock came around and by 5 it was just me. But right after she left, Melanie popped back in, set a fresh, hot pizza down on my desk and said "here's some dinner in case you have to stay late." It was incredible and SO SO nice of her! She had grabbed this pizza from La Hacienda, which is a tiny little Italian restaurant on the corner right down the street from Gentle Giant. You'd barely know it was there if not for their little sign because there really aren't many windows at all and it's just a short, squatty little place on the first floor of this taller residential building I think. It always smells heavenly outside, and I've wanted to go for a while. What also always gets me is their front door. It's got to be ages old and is solid, carved wood. It's magnificent.
     So the pizza. She got the chicken pesto with roasted peppers and it was amazing. The smell was out of this world. It came topped with a bunch of pieces of chopped (lightly breaded) chicken, soft roasted red peppers and a powerful pesto base. Honestly I didn't recognize anything out of the ordinary about the cheese because the pesto, chicken and peppers stole the show. They were a great combination and a fabulous end to a long payroll day... before going to my first Boston Bruins game that night :]

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La Cascias' Bakery and Deli - Burlington, MA
http://www.lacascias.com/index.php

I don't 'sub'pose you want a bite do ya?

      OH man... one of the best deli subs I've ever had. We were doing a move for a lady the other day and she bought us lunch! It was the best. This was the first time this had happened to me, but then again I've only been on the trucks a couple weeks. This chic went to a deli called La Cascias' Bakery and Deli in Burlington. I have no idea what it looks like really, or what it's all about, but I do know they make a mean sandwich. I got a large Italian sub, and I kid you not it literally had and inch of sliced deli meats on it. I know it had salami and probably a bunch of other standard Italian sub meats. Not sure. It was basically meat, provolone cheese, and the best part which was this mix of very finely chopped hot peppers, pickles, and tomatoes. It was this incredible confetti they sprinkled on top. I loved the pickled flavors and the hot, spicy with the cold meats. The Italian bread it was served on was great too. Very soft inside, but harder in order to provide structure on the outside, with the little corn meal granules. Mmmm... I was so grateful.

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Idaho Sunrise Potatoes - My Kitchen, Allston, MA

     I'm not quite sure why I've never made these before, especially after I've done essentially the same thing with an onion. Either way, I stumbled upon this idea on a blog called Our Best Bites. These were amazing, super easy, and a great way to use up some left over baked potatoes. I think you could either crack a full inside the potato (which is what I did) or scramble up some eggs with your veggies and toppings and put them inside. It's a really fun way to eat breakfast (if you're into the whole eating-as-an-experience thing) and looks pretty too.

Idaho Sunrise Potatoes

Baked potatoes, slightly cooled
Butter
Salt and black pepper

Shredded cheese of choice
Eggs
Additional fillings of your choice (vegetables, meat, etc)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Slice a layer off the top of each potato and scoop out the insides, leaving a thin layer of potato against the skin and avoiding puncturing the bottom. Reserve scooped potato for another use.

3. Brush the inside of each potato with melted butter or drop in a small pat and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Throw in a little bit of shredded cheese and some of your fillings until each potato is about 3/4 full. Crack one egg into each potato. Sprinkle with a little more salt and pepper, and top with additional cheese and toppings.

4. Place potatoes on a baking sheet and cook for about 20-25 minutes or until egg whites are set and yolks soft.