Author: Matt Robinson

ANOTHER WINIKER WINNER

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As anyone who listens to our spots or who just knows me knows, I will travel pretty far to hear the Winiker Brothers.

They have been dear friends to both Jordan and myself for decades and are the go-to call not only when we want the best music for any event but when we want support for our lives in general or just for a meal.

That is why I hope to be at Neroli in Westwood on April 4, when the Brothers will make their delicious debut at their latest venue.

In addition to convincingly playing everything from Tony Bennett to Taylor Swift, Bill and Bo and their cohort of top bandmates have also played everywhere from the old and new Gardens to the White House, so you can always be sure of a great night of music when they are on the bill!

At Neroli, the Winiker’s music will complement an equally impressive bill of fare that includes their signature bruschetta with Stracciatella and roasted baby heirloom tomatoes, arancini with brain-healthy and satisfying saffron risotto, three-meat meatballs, salumi and cheese boards, freshly-layered lasagna, lobster ravioli, and other traditional Italian fare served with New England flair.

If you can’t make it that night, they are open Tuesday through Sunday with Sunday brunch and a special Sunday supperclub to help you get ready for the week ahead. If you can’t make it in at all but still want great food, Neroli also offers a take-out market and catering so they- like the Winikers- can get you exactly what you want for your next big event.

GRAZIE, SETH!

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Seth Greenberg has long been known as the man behind Mistral, Mooo, M80, and many more massive hits.
This spring, he will make his latest splash on the banks of the Charles River when he opens MonteVerdi at the Four Diamond Royal Sonesta Hotel in Cambridge.

Turning the German into Italian, MonteVerdi pays tribute to the Greenberg’s family’s time near Venice, where Seth’s late father owned a clothing factory and where his mother was dubbed “Signora Monteverdi.” 

Combining views of the Charles with flavors of the Po and Tiber, MonteVerdi will also bring together the titanic (and locally-spourced) talents of former Ashmont Grill and Rendezvous Chef Christian Ellis, Serafina Back Bay and Verb Hotel manager Jared Hall, and Seth’s favorite designer, Petra Hausberger of Somerton Park Interiors.

Greenberg’s menu is apparently going for the “less is more” philosophy that is the mark of great Italian cooking. With flatbread pizzas and freshly-made pastas to locally-sourced seafood, a new edition of legendary chef Gordon Hammersley’s roast chicken, and an amazing homemade sauce, MonteVerdi will offer everything your Nonna did…and more! 
Opening just as the weather warms, Monteverdi will not only offer an al fresco raw bar but also one of the largest terraces in town, making it the perfect place for a beautiful brunch, a dreamy dinner, or an Italian-inspired evening. This is such a scoop that there is not even a website yet, but you can try www.sonesta.com.

A SHELL OF ITS FORMER HEALTH

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As is true of so many of our fans, I love chocolate and do what I can to get varieties that are not only delicious but nutritious enough that it justifies the copious amounts I ingest.

While my friend Alan Frost does his best to keep the delicious flavor and nutritious flavonoids high in his FlavaNaturals bars and drink powder, many other bars do not deliver as effectively. Even if they claim a high percentage of chocolate, that number actually represents the percentage of cocoa and cocoa butter and may not deliver the nutrition that so many chocoholics tout.

What may be worse is that, in the process of making most chocolate, the healthiest parts are often thrown out!

While our friends at Blue Stripes Cacao save and even sell the entire cacao fruit, the squishy pulp is not to everyone’s liking.

Fortunately, I have found a tea that is made with the husks of cacao beans that allows me to enjoy the nutrition and flavor of chocolate with maximal benefit and without arousing suspicion that I am bingeing on bars.

MiCacao uses ethically-grown organic cacao from sustainable (and well-sustained) farmers to make a tea that is free of caffeine and full of cacao flavor and all of the health benefits that so many other cacao crafters claim.

With 40 times the antioxidant load of blueberries and far less risk of staining teeth and clothing), MiCacao tea is a great way to promote health and mood and even lose weight. Yes- I said LOSE weight from enjoying chocolate!

So when you want to wash down a FlavaNaturals bar or chase a Blue Stripes cacao fruit, MiCacao is the perfect cacao complement!

A NEW GEO-SPACE FOR JAZZ

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With the passing of local lions like Fred Taylor and Eric Jackson, the Boston Jazz scene has not been what it once was.

Even though the great rooms like the Savoy and Pauls’ Mall are long gone, there are still holdouts like Sculler’s and Wally’s keeping the Berklee-fed Boston sound alive.

Recently, a new space opened in the offices of a company that knows space!

Feldman Geospatial has been supporting the physical structure of cities and towns for over 75 years.

Now, with the opening of the Jazz Nights series at Long Live Beerworks (which is housed at 152 Hampden Street in Boston), the Feldman team will bring more soul to their structures than ever.

Long Live has made its own mark with its Black Cat double IPA, Rox Pils Italian Pilsner, Coffee Cake Bites Imperial Stout, and new varieties coming on all the time. With their locally-crafted brews inside and locally-sourced murals and food trucks, the Feldman series is homegrown through and through. And throughout the new music series, the music will be as well!

From Alex Alvera and Mango Blue to Gonzalo Grau and Plural to the core Boston Jazz trio known as The Fringe, Jazz Nights will bring Grammy winners and garage band heroes together in open-ended nights of music, beer, food, and local culture.

The Boston Jazz scene may have changed, but if new offerings like Jazz Nights at Long Live presented by Feldman Geospatial are any indication, it is alive and well!       

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.