Author: Matt Robinson

GREEK REVIVAL

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As it was once called the Athens of America, it makes sense that Boston is at the forefront of the Greek revival that appears to be running through the restaurant space like an Olympic (or Boston) marathoner.

And while many popular places have followed, the Farm Grille & Rotisserie in Newton and its sister store, Greek International Market in West Roxbury, have been leading the pack for over 25 years.

Whenever I want to get my Greek on in a fresh and friendly flash, a visit to the Grille always fits the bill(e). But when I want to get the authentic ingredients that make this family-run restaurant and caterer so great or to explore the larger realm of Hellenistic hunger helpers, the Market has all I need….and MORE!

In addition to freshly-imported Greek spices and wines (including Retsina) to imported meats and other prepared foods (including their famed octopus salad!), as well as hand-crafted cheeses and Greek yogurt, an olive bar and enough olive oils and Greek pastries for the Spartan army, the Market offers honey-based health and beauty aids, toys and gifts, and customized gift baskets that are perfect for any occasion. 

Speaking of occasions, the Market has an Aegean Sea-full of fish and a farm-full of plant-based options that are perfect for Lent or just for eating healthy! And Proprietor Katerina Iliades recently debuted a line of children’s clothing for communions and baptisms that will be on display at a VIP fashion show on March 23 at the Maliotis Center in Brookline!

Everyone seems set on catching the healthy and delicious Mediterranean diet train. As is true of so many other things, we in Boston are ahead of the curve, thanks in great part to the Iliades family and their great pair of places to eat.    

PASTA PAR TUTTI

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Of all the diets I have explored in my constant effort to keep myself and my readers and listeners in shape, the ones with which I have the most trouble are those that cut out wheat.

While for me it is a matter of preference, there are many people for whom avoiding gluten (a protein in wheat) is a matter of health, if not life and death!

Fortunately, I found a great guide to enjoying favorite floured flavors without fear.

As they are both homegrown cooks who share New York and Italian roots and an intolerance to gluten, Cynthia Delia Coddington and Jo Provenzano Hoppe came together as the Gluten Free Epicureans and have dedicated themselves to finding ways to share gluten-free variations of favorite family recipes with others.

In their book, Senza Glutine, Cindy and Jo offer a shopping list of gluten-free ingredients that includes pastas and other Italian essentials then take readers through a traditional multi-course Italian meal. After starters like hand-picked antipasti like fried chickpea fritters and Cynthia’s grandmother’s Italian Wedding Soup, the main courses include butternut squash gnocchi, polenta with mushrooms, chicken Fra Diavolo, gluten-free pizza dough and Keto-friendly eggplant parm. Staples such as authentic pesto and 30-minute marinara and sweets (dolci) such as almond semifreddo and anise biscotti round out the meal. 

In addition to suggesting substitutions and other tips that can make each meal even more enjoyable to more people, the book also offers the history (including family history) of most dishes, making each even more appetizing! 

NO NEED TO LEAVE

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My family and I are fortunate enough to have been invited by my wonderful in-laws to Italy next month.

And while I enjoy spending time with them and have long wanted to see the stadium that was inspired by Harvard (Ha!), I recently found a new reason to not go- or at least to not fly.

In addition to the growing issues with aircraft, I was recently given pause by the fact that James Beard Foundation champion and local legend Karen Ackunowicz is opening a branch of her legendary Fox & the Knife at Logan Airport!

Inspired by the Top Chef champ’s own time in Italy and supported by airport restaurateur Paradies Lagardère, Fox & Flight will allow people from all over to enjoy Chef’s bold and beloved Italian dishes as they wait to go to Italy or anywhere else.

As Fox fans already know, however, the food can be so good that you too may not want to leave!

In addition to handmade pastas and bright antipasti dishes, the Logan outpost will offer Aperitivo and Amaro programs that can make flying easier for even the most anxious aviators.

For those who want more international variety at the international terminal, Paradies Lagardère also hosts other local legends at Logan like Berkshire Farms, Stephanie’s, Boston Beer Works, Davio’s, and Vino Volo, but the Fox & the Knife is sure to cut in just fine and may even help people get a reservation at the main location!Grazie, Karen!          

L’CHAIM

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Now I get to talk about two of my favorite food-related things – Michael’s Deli and beer!

As anyone who follows us knows, one of our favorite friends in the industry is Steve Peljovich of Michael’s Deli in Brookline. Not only does he have the best corned beef and other deli favorites around, but he gives more back to the food community and the larger community and almost anyone else around.

On April 7 from 3 to 5 PM, Steve will be participating in a special Relay for Life event at Exhibit A Brewing taproom and gallery in Framingham.

Relay for Life raises money for cancer research. Proceeds from this event will benefit both the American Cancer Society and the Boston Hope Lodge, which houses cancer patients as they go through their difficult treatments.

What makes the event all the better is that Steve’s gastronomic co-conspirator will be none other than Ivan Pulecio of Hearth Pizzeria in Needham, who is also on the podium for restaurant industry mensches.

Steve and Ivan have faced more than their fare shares of health challenges, but they keep coming back and giving back more and more!

Add the creatively handcrafted beers from Exhibit A and live music from Alison Keslow and The Earthtones to the great food from Michael’s and Hearth and this should not be just a great fundraiser but a great time.

AND it’s for a great cause too!

https://bit.ly/raise-a-pint2024

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EFFIE-N GOOD!

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As I have been bringing my book on the Ivy League and my live author interview series to more venues (such as the Needham Library, where I will be interviewing everyone’s favorite radio host, Jordan Rich, on April 30), I have had to find more snacks to bring for my guests to enjoy as they linger to buy books and talk with the authors.

That is why I always have boxes of Effie’s Homemade on hand!

Based on the traditional Nova Scotian oatcake, these family recipe-based, hand-crafted cookies and crackers (ahem- “biscuits”) are made in Dorchester, MA and available all over (including at my book events!).

From their original Halifax-helped oatcake and European-inspired rye biscuits to their hearty and historically-accurate corn cakes and stone-ground wheat pecan biscuits, Effie’s are perfect for wine and cheese parties, mini PB&Js or just straight out of the box. There are also recipes at https://effieshomemade.com to inspire your next sensational snack!

For those with a taste for sophisticated sweetness, Effie’s also offers aromatic almond biscuits, bold and snappy ginger biscuits, brain-boosting walnut biscuits, and decadent cocoa biscuits.

No matter which you pick, all of their biscuits come in giftable boxes and samplers and many are also available in individually-wrapped two-biscuit servings that are just right for a satisfying snack or something special to share

While becoming a loyal customer is not hard, Effie’s even offers a reward program for those of us who enjoy their wonderful wares on a regular basis!

Come be a guest at my author events and you too will have that opportunity!

In the meantime, use MattsMeals20 to get 20% off at https://effieshomemade.com/

GEARING UP FOR SUCCESS

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As someone who was involved in the “gig” economy before it was “hip” and as a freelancer who wears many hats (maybe too many sometimes!), I have a special place in my heart for fellow hustlers who use their skills to help themselves and a lot of other people as well.

As an author who talks about my book on the Ivy League (www.lionstigersbulldogs.com) and interviews my literary on my show on The Needham Channel (https://www.needhamchannel.org/the-writers-block/) and at various other venues, and as a writer who profiles and promotes Veterans who run their own businesses and people in the food space who are making a difference, I was especially excited to be introduced to Patrick Greenwood!

Not only is Greenwood the host of the “Writers on Writers over a Triple Espresso” podcast (on which I was honored to be a guest!), he is also a veteran of the military and the tech space, the author of two books (so far!), a devoted cyclist, and the creator of Cyclewriter 3 Coffee – a delicious brand of blends that donates proceeds to children in Vietnam and other communities around the world.

As our listeners know, my gig economy life has made coffee a necessity. While I have been fortunate to find many great brands (many of which are also made by Veterans), Cyclewriter combines hand-selected beans from all my favorite growing regions with a growing respect for the farmers with whom Patrick works. And as it also supports a fellow writer, it has quickly pushed to the head of my morning energy peloton. 

Please check out all he does at https://cyclewriterllc.com and support him as he supports so many others.

A CORNERSTONE OF SUPPORT

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Another Pi Day has come and gone, but for fans of doing good for others and great food and drink, I have good news!

As Matt’s Meals fans know, I also work with an organization called Project Insulin (a.k.a., “PI”) that is working to craft a generic insulin that will allow people who cannot afford inflated Big Pharma prices to get their life-sustaining medicine.

For their latest celebration of Pi Day, PI hosted a party at The Cornerstone in Somerville. In addition to raising over $5,000 with help from their primary sponsor, Rockland Trust, supporters also raised a special drink that will continue to offer dividends to PI throughout the month.

In addition to the special drinks and special feeling you can get at The Cornerstone knowing how they support the community with more than just great food, you can also enjoy how Somerville native Chef David Oshima combines New England favorites with Asian and Pacific Islander flare.

In addition to his already famous “Sommahville” clam chowder (or is it “chowdah”?) that is inspired by the fare his father used to bring home from Faneuil Hall, Chef also offers a Loco Moco and Hawaiian chicken salad that hearken back to his more distant ancestors. If you want seafood, Cornerstone has tuna tartare or steak frites style, mussels served in either a white wine garlic of fra diavolo red sauce, and shrimp served in even more ways! They also offer a vegetable tower that Chef admits converted him from a full-time carnivore! If you want meat, however, the Cajun fried chicken sandwich, multiple wing flavors and taco fillings, and a legit Wagyu burger fit the bill. There is so much variety that it is easy to make the Cornerstone the cornerstone of your diet many times a week! And if you go soon, you can help PI help other people sustain life while you are at it! https://thecornerstonesomerville.com /http://projectinsulin.org

NOT SO “COMMON”

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Though I am still not over the loss of Latina in Needham Center, the new spot om the corner looks to be a new favorite.

Called the Common Room, the space brings together industry veterans from Hamilton in Brookline, Caffe Graffiti and Dante in Boston and the Salem Food Market in a comfy space that looks like a sports bar but has a menu that goes far beyond!

Though there are plenty of TVs, lots of local and distant beers, and maybe too many images of a former quarterback we used to know, the focus of the new venue appears to be the food.

In addition to seven flavors of chicken tenders (including the already “most popular” honey hots, which deserve the early title), the Common Room offers such proven hits as Chef Dave’s “famous” meatballs, as well as dishes that are sure to become such, like an impressive eggplant or chicken parm with a creamy three-cheese fondue and potato skins that are so loaded with bacon, cheese, and grilled onions that they can make a meal by themselves.

Be sure to save room, however, for the Common Room also has impressive salads and entire mini-menus of flatbread pizzas (including “the Griff” with grilled chicken and alfredo sauce and the “trio”  with ricotta, bacon, and asparagus), sandwiches (including Impossible, turkey, and homemade falafel burgers), and desserts that are so good, they sold out the night I was there!

Though they pay their respects to their Needham neighbors with a great drink called Needham Nectar with bourbon and Agave and a blue rocket burger with gorgonzola, crispy prosciutto, and fig jam, I would predict that the Common Rom quickly becomes another Needham nugget that draws crowds from far and wide.

See you there!                            

  https://commonroomneedham.com

RECONVENING THE COMMITTEE

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While international chains continue to flood the already flooding Seaport, a few local legends continue to hang strong.

Committee has been in the area for 10 years, serving award-winning Greek food that has since been echoed (but never equaled!) elsewhere in the area.

And while the restaurant’s reputation remains strong, the savvy team behind it knows that change can be a good thing.

Not willing to mess up the good thing they have, however, the main change involved returning to a past winner, as owner George Aboujaoude (who we recently feted as the mastermind behind Eva in Back Bay) recently brought back OG Executive Chef Luis Figueroa, who had been heading up the Hellenistic revival in the meantime.

With his proven hand at the helm, confident changes to the menu have also been made, including and reintroducing a weekday lunch service from 11-3 that features build-your-own salads featuring quinoa, couscous, and Greek slaw that are then individualized with Mediterranean dips and proteins like chicken gyro and grilled octopus. 

The popular weekend brunch ups the Athenian influence as well with a Greek croque madame with kasseri cheese bechamel. 

As for dinner, lamb chops with Greek fries and ouzo-marinated shrimp Saganaki with tomato, garlic, and feta cheese will please everyone democratically. Be sure to save room for the uber-authentic Galaktoboureko vanilla custard with crisp phyllo dough and a boba tea-based beverage that is a hit with kids of all ages. 

It’s Greek Revival in its most delicious form!   

https://committeeboston.com

A PRESS-ING SCHEDULE

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I have often spoken of the great wines and the great events at City Winery in Boston.

To put it mildly, March is packed with both!

Their popular Wine Education 101 series is made up of two-hour sessions “taught” by the Winery’s own sommelier Alex Nezam that include explorations of grape varieties and regions and the techniques that give each wine its character and personality. In addition to enjoying and learning about the wines, students will also enjoy some of the delicious food from the Winery kitchen.

On March 27, WE 101 will feature full-bodied reds from winemakers from around the world. April 10 will surely be a sparkling night as the Winery presents a class that will help students distinguish among Prosecco, Cava, and Champagne and enjoy all of them even more.

For those who like to mix it up when it comes to education, the Winery is also hosting a class on what they call foolish cocktails April 1 and a study of pre-Prohibition tipples April 8.

If you need to absorb all that the amazing alcohol, try the pasta class with Seven Hills Pasta April 3.

There is also still time to get in on their Winter Wine Experience, which includes two wine flights that can be enjoyed with any meal in the Winery (where you can also catch the Boston Comedy Festival at the end of March and the Woodstock Experience brunch April 6) as well as a bottle of wine and two City Winery-branded glasses to enjoy at home.

It’s a lot to take in. You may need a drink!  

  citywinery.com/boston