As a food and travel blog we sometimes must feature the design of the greatest hotels in the world. Filled with amenities, 1000 thread count sheets and, well, every service one could want, here is the Mandarin Oriental Barcelona.
Eat. Sleep. Swim. All in amazing minimalist wonder. If I had my way, that's all I'd do.
I like the feeling of walking into a new hotel room almost as much as the sensation of the plane lifting off the ground. This room hits all my notes: the comfy bed, the uncluttered look, a good desk for blogging and that irresistible window view. All in one restful color.
Mandarin Oriental Barcelona Passeig de Gràcia, 38-40 08007 Barcelona, Spain +011 34 93 1 518 888
For the second time in a month we have been invited to participate in a TV reality series about food. We are fascinated by the whole idea of the situation but not quite sure we want to jump into the fray. The concept here is pretty simple and something lots of people dream of: the idea of opening their own, small family restaurant. This is a two-person team competition. Couples of ANY combination: friends, family, sisters, grandmas, neighbors ... anything. One person cooks, one manages the restaurant. I have been in contact with the Producer and will be there to personally meet contestants and follow them through the process, whatever the outcome. So, if you live in Boston and consider yourself a talented amateur chef this could be your chance to have The Food Network finance your dream. Here are the details.
Date: Monday, February 8, 2010 Time: 10am - 3pm Location: Lenox Back Bay Boston Hotel 61 Exeter Street Boston, MA 02116
We are looking for: Two person teams with pre-existing relationships (brother and sister, mother and son, husband and wife, etc.) who would love the chance to prove that they can run a restaurant.
A dynamic front of house and back of house duo. One person on the team will run the front of the house and the other person on the team will be the chef and run the kitchen. All levels of experience (culinary school trained to home cook, little or no restaurant experience to a lifelong career in restaurants) will be considered. Lots of energy and charisma! We're seeking personalities that pop.
In each episode, two teams of aspiring restaurateurs square off in an extremely intense competition to prove they have what it takes to open their own restaurant. The teams have just 24 Hours to conquer a concept, décor, and of course the food to turn a blank space into the restaurant of their dreams. Once the doors are open, actual diners will be served and a panel of restaurant experts will judge to see which team showed the most potential for running a successful restaurant. The winner will walk away with seed money to help them actualize their dream.
Many local readers are also fans of NECN's TV DINER with Billy Costa which is, in our opinion, the best local TV show totally devoted to dining and food. Here is a little behind-the-scenes video we made while they were taping at the opeing of the Boston Wine Expo 2010. An upcoming episode will feature this intro and an interview with Chef Rachel Klein of Aura Restaurant at The Seaport Hotel.
You may remember her from BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN or even THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA but you have never seen her like this. Begging in the streets for beer? Vamping with boys in drag? Oh yeah! That's our Anne Hathaway. We happened to be there (with our video cam, of course) when actress Anne Hathaway was paraded through the streets of Harvard Square today en route to her Hasty Pudding Woman Of The Year Award ceremony. Enjoy.
Anne Hathaway begs for beer on the streets of Cambridge.
Anne shows these boys in drag how to really camp it up for the news photographers.
Market by Jean-Georges at W Boston is currently the hottest dining experience in this City. By luck, we happened to catch up with Chris Damskey, Chef de Cuisine. While all of the local print media feature glittering photo spreads we slip in the side door, in a way, and not only meet Chef Damskey but bring you the recipe for one of the best dishes on the menu: Tuna Tartar, Avocado, Spicy Radish And Ginger Marinade. The beauty of this dish is that there is literally no cooking at all. You can make this!
Kaffir Syrup 1/4 c. lime juice 1/4 c. sugar 6 kaffir lime leaves rough chopped Combine all in a pot and bring to boil. Remove from heat and cool at room temp. Strain.
Tuna 12 oz. tuna 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/4 thai chili, minced 1/2 shallot, minced Chop the tuna. Gently season with salt, minced shallot, minced Thai chili and olive oil to taste.
Ginger Marinade 1/2 cup ginger peeled and chopped 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 cup champagne vinegar 1/2 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup kaffir syrup Peel ginger and rough chop. Puree in blender with just enough olive oil to spin, until totally smooth to make ginger puree. Mix 1/2 cup of ginger puree with remaining ingredients.
To Serve 2 small ripe avocado cut into small dice 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoon lime juice 2 teaspoon olive oil 8 red radishes 2 teaspoons chili oil Mix avocado with 1/4 teaspoon salt, lime juice, and olive oil. Slice radishes 1/4 inch thick and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Toss with one teaspoon chili oil. In the bottom of a small bowl arrange a generous spoonful of the avocado. Arrange the tuna on top then top with radishes. Spoon the marinade around and drizzle with the chili oil.
When not in the kitchen, at restaurants, attending events or reading about cuisine one of the favorite pastimes of the true foodie is the hours spent wandering in shops sourcing all of the products and imagining the inventive ways one could use it. With great anticipation Ebisuya Japanese Market opened this week in Medford Square. What a pristine oasis! Fresh produce, noodles of all kind, breads, sashimi grade seafood, prepared foods, candies and sweets and even imported beauty and grooming products.
Sashimi grade yellowfin tuna.
In a corner of this village filled with banks and hair salons this is exactly the kind of place that can turn a neighborhood into a foodie mecca. The other thing that amazes me is that as more large corporations fold more small, local food businesses are busting out all over. I, for one, am hoping that this is the decade of the Food Renaissance in America, where out of the corporate ashes and dust emerge the little beauties such as this.
Ebisuya Japanese Market 65 Riverside Avenue Medford, MA 02155 781.391.0012
Well, it's officially over but what a great time it was! The Boston Wine Expo is the largest in the U.S.A. and for the first time in it's 19 year history the event was totally sold out in advance. The retail sale of wine is one of the few areas of the economy that showed an uptick last year, signalling the trend of increased wine consumption and the thirst for Americans to learn more about wine culture, wine pairings, wine production and, really, all things wine. The U.S.A. is now the world's largest consumer of wine, albeit not on a per capita basis. The trend, however, of the daily consumption of wine is clearly on the rise. In addition to all of the wines were great foods, lifestyle exhibits and non-stop cooking demos from some of the best Chefs in Boston. Here is a recap of the two day event in photos with lots more to follow this week.
Chef Rachel Klein of Aura and Jenny Johnson and Billy Costa of NECN's TV DINER prepare for the kickoff food demo.
Billy Costa of TV Diner and Chef Klein taping their segment.
Wine vendors from all over the world filled the Seaport Convention Center.
In addition to all of that wine there were plenty of gourmet snacks and foods.
We loved the sleek design of the Taste California exhibit booth.
The distinctive Soave Italia wine bottles.
Tasting, tasting and more tasting.
Enjoying a few of the thousands of wines offered and the many gourmet snacks.
One of the greatest opportunities at the Expo is learning from hundreds of wine experts.
Chef Chris Damsky of Market by Jean-Georges at W Boston, Boston's hottest restaurant.
The men of Wicked Good Foods, one of the most popular food exhibitors at the Expo.
Chef Rachel Klein of Aura Restaurant in the Seaport Hotel kicked off the 2010 Boston Wine Expo with the very first cooking demonstration. Chef Klein, a reader of our little blog was happy to take a moment to welcome TBF readers before her taping with Billy Costa of NECN's TV Diner. Chef Klein prepared a Butter And Herb Sirloin, Raclette Polenta and Arugula And Red Grape Salad, all of which was excellent. This is just a preview of the many pictures, behind-the-scenes video and interviews we'll be posting over the next week.
As a featured columnist for Anglotopia I get to write about all those great Brit products I love and can't live without. The something about the quality of some British goods that far surpass those of anywhere else. I suppose the same goes for their architecture. The site featured this very cool video tour of the new Canary Wharf Tube Station, translation public transportation hub, on the site and I wanted to share it here. This is why I often miss London. The tour is hosted by British comedian Dave Gorman.
We checked in with our friend Simon Brooking (left) recently. He has not only championed our blog all over Scotland and the U.S.A. as Ambassador for the Laphroaig and Ardmore brands and served as my malt mentor but also found time to have his company sponsor the United States Curling Association (USCA). "This sponsorship gives new meaning to the phrase 'scotch on ice,'" said the Scotch Malt Master. "It is always a pleasure seeing two grand traditions from my homeland, Laphroaig and curling, enjoyed in America." It's not that I follow curling or have ever even attempted the sport but when the Winter Olympics are on I am mesmerized by it. Congratulations Simon and onto the gold!
The Greater Boston Food Bank needs your help and the fun way to do it is at the Super Hunger Brunch on January 30 & 31. On those dates Greater Boston’s finest restaurants will participate in The Greater Boston Food Bank’s signature event – Super Hunger Brunch – where restaurants donate 100% of their proceeds from that day’s brunch service with some restaurants also donating server gratuities. Most restaurants offer prix-fixe menus ranging from $25-$50/person. Participating restaurants include Appetito, Bambara, Bin 26 Enoteca, Blue Ginger, Café Fleuri, Chez Henri, Craigie on Main, The Elephant Walk, The Fireplace, The Grapevine, Grill 23 & Bar, Jasper White’s Summer Shack, La Morra, North 26 Restaurant & Bar, Rialto, L’Espalier, Rocca Kitchen & Bar, Sel de la Terre, Sibling Rivalry, Stella and Tosca Restaurant. For more information, visit www.superhungermonth.org.
Don't forget the Boston Wine Expo is coming up this weekend. This is the largest trade and consumer wine exhibition in the country! No other event offers as wide a variety of wines to tantalize your palette. Over 450 wineries from around the globe pour over 1,800 wines for you to sample. If you've never been it is mind boggling and includes lots of food trays, too! We'll be there covering all the celebrity chefs and wine experts for the blog. For more information you can click here: Boston Wine Expo.
And for our jet setting friends there is Club Transmediale in Berlin, January 29-February 7. This week long festival brings together an international mix of electronic artists for "adventurous music and related visual arts." Translation: uber cool. Guaranteed to expand your musical horizons 2010 will feature such DJs and artists as Schlachthofbronx, Four Tet, Dan Deacon, Felix Martin and Al Doyle of Hot Chip, Brackles, and Wasted. Or you can just hang out and look really good.
Mark your calendars now burger lovers. Monday February 1st at KO Prime, easy access from the T Park Street station, 6:00 - 9:00 PM. All the gourmet burgers you can eat from some of the best Chefs in Boston. $25.00 cash at the door and all to benefit a great cause: Autism Speaks. This is our second announcement of this event.
The Chefs: Andy Husbands, TREMONT 647 Brooke Vasika, THE BRISTOL LOUNGE @ THE FOUR SEASONS Jamie Bissonette, TORO and COPPA Jay Haaj, MIKE’S CITY DINER Josh Buehler and Ken Oringer, KO PRIME Louis di Biccari, SEL DE LA TERRE Michael Schlow, RADIUS, VIA MATTA Ming Tsai, BLUE GINGER Tyler Potter, THE LOWER DEPTHS Greg Reeves, GREEN STREET GRILL
Cheer on your favorite Chef, meet Andrew Rimas, Editor at The Improper Bostonian and author of the book: BEEF THE UNTOLD STORY and support a great cause.
We will be there as the exclusive guest blogger for this event with lots of photos and videos. Hope to see you there.
It was a holiday today so we were ambitious with our lunch: grilled, spicy chicken and udon noodles with ginger sauce, topped with freshly chopped green onion. We love the colors of this as much as the taste, the perfect lull in the day between calls and organizing events. A foodie's work is never done but a foodie's life is good.
Design and food, food and design, that's always the quandary. It is probably the most photographed interior design of any Boston restaurant. Just walking through this South End eatery makes one feel that you have been admitted to a special enclave. We had been there briefly for it's birth as Banq, which seemed more a design showcase, but now it seems that the place has become more alive with food.
Walk with us as TBF has a special invite to meet, visit and chat with Chef Patricia Yeo of Ginger park.
Chef Yeo (pronounced YO) chose to sit in the private dining area, behind the jade-colored scrim, where you have a full view of the restaurant. In our unconventional interview style we'll summarize:
Chef Yeo had recently dined at Market at the W in Boston and liked it. "I've just begun to take nights off," she says, noting the busy schedule of getting a new menu up and running. In food, she looks for and values imagination. Pursuing her docorate degree in biochemistry, Yeo, on a whim, enrolled in a cooking class for fun. Chef Yeo then began her work with Bobby Flay when she answered an ad to work for the then unknown Chef in New York City. She still draws inspiration from Flay's style in her spicy dishes. Before long she was operating her own restaurant, AZ. She is unapologetic for the fact that there is no dessert menu but proud of the melted Valrhona chocolate after dinner amuse bouche served. She sources from Laotian farmers in the Berkshires. (Who knew?) We lament about the cost of visiting the U.K., where she went to boarding school in her youth. They have a specialist that comes in every day to dust and clean the wooden slats that adorn the ceiling. "It's a pain to clean," she says.
Then we head into the kitchen. She is the only female back of house, greeted more like a friend, less like a Drill Sargent. "I get along well with the guys," she says. The restaurant business is still a male-dominated world. I point out that Boston is an exception. We have lots of great female chefs. "Yes," she says. "San Francisco is first but Boston is next. I think maybe it's a cultural thing." I love being in restaurant kitchens. She makes kimchi for us on camera but as soon as the video stops she offers up a piece for tasting.
We've run the demo video before but here is the raw video of Patricia in the kitchen. One of the things we are learning is that the post-demonstration video is often far more relaxed and interesting than the actual presentation video.
Cheese omelette with Stonewall Kitchen's Old Farmhouse Chutney, one of my favorite condiments. I lavish this stuff on everything from hot dogs in summer to baked haddock in the winter months and just about everything else in between. When stocking up on it last year at their headquarters in Maine I stopped at their cafe for a less than stellar lunch and wrote about it. When I later asked for a tour of their facilities (twice) they never even answered me. I never know if there is any connection but, hey, I call 'em as I see 'em, good or bad.
Boston is unique in that we have many, very successful Chefs who are Women. This fact was brought home today when we were invited into an exclusive kitchen visit with Chef Patricia Yeo of Ginger Park in the South End. Her interesting, personal take on the Asian-Fusion palate is loving, intellectual and wise.
In this video Chef Yeo prepares the Korean dish KimChi.
We debated all day whether or not we should create a post on the horrific devastation in Haiti following the massive earthquake. I had been thinking about an interview I had seen with Wyclef Jean about a month ago and being really impressed with all of the wonderful charitable work he was doing in his native country. I went back and forth. We are really not a news site. There is tremendous coverage of this all over the media. I don't want to just ignore it. It really has no bearing on the subject of our blog. In the end, however, I could not be remiss as I was raised to "do unto others as you would have them do unto you." If I were there I would pray that no person in the world would ignore.
So, I am not telling anyone where, or what, or how to give but I am asking that everyone would join me in sharing the compassion and empathy and giving something.
I trust Wyclef Jean to be more knowledgeable and understanding than almost anyone in this situation. I believe that the Red Cross is best equipped to handle immediate stability. And all of the critics will stand on the sides and do noting. I have chosen this. Understanding there will be controversy following relief efforts, I'd rather jump in the fray and be part of the cooperation.
Many of our readers from all over the world email us each week with suggestions for fine dining while they are visiting Boston. We are always happy to help out. Now, however, we can help more.
We are very happy to announce that now we now can also handle the reservations for those dinners or lunches. We'll help you find someplace very nice for your special occasion that's suitably located, can handle the number in your party and provides your favorite cuisine. Then, we can arrange the reservations for your dining itinerary and send you a confirmation. All in one easy step. So, if you don't have time to trawl through all those message boards just send us an email, arrive and be shown to your table.
One of the holiday gifts we received was a pack from The Body Deli of totally organic skin care samples. It seemed a bit girly at first but we like to at least try the products we get and skin in this weather can always use a bit of help. This blueberry fusion looked and smelled good enough to eat but we followed the directions and scrubbed away. Then we smeared on this cucumber stuff and, after emails and writing, headed off to bed.
DAMN this is good stuff. The minute I woke up I looked good. Thank you Body Deli.
On the table tonight was organic, free range chicken, pan fried and served with couscous and chopped, steamed spinach, spicy peach salsa on the side. We used Aria olive oil imported from Crete to fry. It's been a long, cold day so we are finishing up with warmed mugs of callebaut chocolate whipped into warm milk.
Many of our readers are people who will be visiting Boston and probably expecting to encounter the uptight, staid Puritanical persona that typifies New Englanders. Well that is not always the case. Here is some video shot by TBF today of proper Bostonians spontaneously taking off their pants while riding public transportation. We suggest you view them full screen for the priceless reactions of the passengers who are getting a little taste of some unexpected candy.
Of course, one should not expect to see this every day! It was all part of an internet-organized, annual guerrilla event called NO PANTS T RIDE. Who ever said Boston isn't fun?
It should be noted that we had no control over the gender of most of the particiPANTS :)
So will Ming Tsai. All of the bloggers are writing about this. Nobody has tickets but us. Plug in February 1st for for a guaranteed sellout Burger Bash competition hosted by Ken Oringer at KO Prime. Celebrity chefs, all the burgers you can eat, with proceeds to benefit Autism Speaks, for $25 how can you go wrong?
The Chefs: Andy Husbands, TREMONT 647 Brooke Vasika, THE BRISTOL LOUNGE @ THE FOUR SEASONS Jamie Bissonette, TORO and COPPA Jay Haaj, MIKE’S CITY DINER Josh Buehler and Ken Oringer, KO PRIME Louis di Biccari, SEL DE LA TERRE Michael Schlow, RADIUS, VIA MATTA Ming Tsai, BLUE GINGER Tyler Potter, THE LOWER DEPTHS
rsvp@koprimeboston.com puts YOU on the guest list, very limited capacity, cash paid at the door.
TBF will be there with exclusive Chef access and to video those arriving for the event. This is just the warm-up to the South Beach Wine & Food Festival and their ultimate Burger Bash competition.
We are wrapping our week of French-related posts with a pork loin roast with dry spice rub.
This is a nice cold weather alternative, quite easy to prepare and very satisfying. I always like to save at least a few thin slices for pork sandwiches the next day. We served ours with deeply braised brussels sprouts and happily skipped the carbs in return for all of that holiday chocolate indulgence. In this weather, we figure we will shiver the calories off.
Me permettre, pour un moment, vous prendre à un des la plupart des villes beaux dans le monde : Paris. We were there for four days and three nights, soaking up the culture, food, art and fashion. Jen and Karen chose the restaurant the first night, La Dolce Vita. This casual eatery provided the best Italian food since, well since Italy. The next night Sunny whisked us off to one of his old haunts on the Left Bank: Founti Agadir. In the exotic, cave like dining room we feasted on Moroccan fare. I have been hooked on couscous ever since.
The third night was my choice and I had three requirements: it must be a place where the locals eat, reasonably priced and have an authentic Parisian bistro atmosphere. It was a tall order but after much research (and consulting with Sunny) we settled on Le Trumilou. With a Marais location, in the shadows of l'Hotel de Ville, on the banks of the River Seine and even with views of Notre Dame this Parisian institution was not only just what I'd imagined but even beyond my wishes.
The decor is simple, the prices very reasonable, the service friendly and you really know that you are in Paris. The tiny tables are filled with locals chatting, laughing, sipping wine and enjoying life and food, even the pencil thin fashionista at the table next to us who devoured a platter of steak tartare much to our American bewilderment.
The food is simple and some might even say old-fashioned: terrines, hard boiled eggs and mayonnaise, leg of lamb, duck with prunes, apple tart and crème brûlée. It's probably the kind of thing grand-mère used to make, which has made this place a popular spot for decades. Needless to say, it is highly recommended.
Le Trumilou 84 Quai de l'Hotel de Ville Arrondisement 3 Paris Telephone: 01 42 77 63 98
For those of you who would like to explore more of modern Parisian life and culture we recommend the BBC seris SANDRINE'S PARIS, hosted by art historian Sandrine Voillet. Here is a peek.
Many of you will recognize Eric Ripert as the owner/chef of the very elegant restaurant in New York City Le Bernardin. Well now you can see more of him on the new PBS-TV series AVEC ERIC, which has begun to run on our local affiliate, WGBH.
The three-Michelin star Chef has long been known for his fantastic French cuisine and in a world of reality TV shows that are more about the drama than the food Chef Ripert adds a real touch of class. Congratulations WGBH. We just wonder why you didn't start the show sooner!
We scoured our Christmas booty last night then looked in the fridge and came up with this. For those of you who haven't figured it out yet this new photo series is literally what's on the table for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, shot randomly.
Tonight's dinner: Penne With Grilled Sausage. Drenched in a rich pesto, with crumbled feta and gobs of steamed spinach, it was a filling meal after a day of dusting snow and swimming.
