Author: Matt Robinson

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

POE-TRY IN A CUP

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Since lighting his first oven torch at the Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996, Chef Brian Poe has been lighting the way for food lovers and industry friends. 


In Boston, he has been the brains behind such celebrated sites as Seasons at the Millennium Boston Hotel, The Rattlesnake, and his current hit- The Tip Tap Room, which is a great take before or after a game or anytime you want creative, fun food and plenty to drink and enjoy.

In 2020, Poe took his love and understanding of cheese to market with Crane River Cheese Club (where you can actually join a club that includes special access to the best cheeses in the shop) and has since served hundreds of fellow fromaggio-philes and industry leaders. His microgreen farm also supplies his own eateries and many others as well.

Today, he is following another food passion by releasing his own coffee.

Appropriately named Chef Poe’s Coffee, the locally-roasted and fairly-traded coffee is available as whole beans, ground, or in single-serve pods at www.chefpoecoffee.com and also at the Cheese Club, where it makes for a perfect complement to Poe’s many delicious offerings of cheese, meats, sandwiches, and prepared meals and catering.

Combining Brazilian, Columbian, and Ethiopian beans, the brew is sure to please early morning risers and coffee afficionados alike.

Though it is a new venture for Poe, his consistent dedication to quality and craftsmanship shines through in every cup.

It’s another sure hit, Chef! 

STEEPER STEEPED

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While I have sung the praises of many delicious and beneficial coffee brands, including explosively good Atomic, brain-builders like IQBAR and Kickstarter, and our Veteran friends at Fire Dept. and Military Java Group, I am still a fan of Steeped Coffee as their pre-measured, fully-compostable, teabag-inspired packets of craft-roasted, ethically-sourced, nitro-sealed coffee allow me to have fresh-brewed coffee flavor with just water and no mess.

And while I have often enjoyed waking up with Sunrise Blend or downing some Odyssey before an excursion, I am extra excited about the new partnerships that Steeped Coffee has entered with other industry-leading coffee makers!

Steeped Coffee recently brought its satisfying single-serve technology to the community-minded minority owners of BLK & BOLD and the oak wood-roasted Italian team at Mr. Espresso. So even if you do not know how great Steeped Coffee’s own coffee blends taste, you can be introduced by way of brands that are already established favorites and award winners.

The BLK & BOLD hearty medium roast introduces flavors of toffee to your morning coffee and Mr. Espresso’s famed Seven Bridges variety can help get you over any daytime challenge with a caress of caramel and a waft of smoke.

If you are still reticent, use code COFFEE15 for 15% off your first order! Once you are ready to go, their Barista Bundle gives you all you will need for great coffee any time of day or night.

Though the delivery system is new to many and admittedly unorthodox, it has never been a steep climb to come to love Steeped Coffee and, as they grow their menu of flavors and partners, it will be even easier to enjoy the easiest-to-make coffee around.

FA-SHIZZLE MY TWIZZLE

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During a recent trip to Scandinavia, I enjoyed visiting Hamlet’s castle and shopping at IKEA, but the best part was surely having my fill of authentic Scandinavian licorice.

I have been a fan of the sweet and chewy stuff for as long as I can remember and I always love trying new varieties and flavors. That is why I am such a fan of America’s own Wiley Wallaby!

Wiley Wallaby’s family-formed licorices are among my favorites. And as they have so many flavors – including classic red and black, as well as blueberry, pomegranate, huckleberry (whatever that is!), and their latest- lemonade – Wiley has a taste for every taste and even offer pre-mixed combo packs so you can get more fruit and fun in every fistful!

If you want big flavor in small packages, Wiley makes candy-coated licorice “drops” with sweet or super sour fruit-flavored shells. For those of you who prefer organic versions that may be closer to the flowering Fabaceae from which licorice comes, they have classic black, strawberry, mixed berry, and tropical flavors that are all made with organic cane sugar and real fruit juice and without artificial colors and flavors. And if sugar is the issue, they also offer treats with only one gram per serving! 

No matter which flavors you pick, Wiley Wallaby licorices are all filled with vegan flavor and easy on the teeth (especially as they have no high-fructose corn syrup). 

As they say in Sandanavia- Skål!

DIVERSELY DELICIOUS

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Variety is the spice of life, especially when that life includes spices and other ingredients from around the world.

While I would travel pretty far for a masterful meal or creative comestible, I recently found a company that brings many of the world’s favorite flavors not only to my door but to the palm of my hand!

Founded by one of the many ingenious and industrious immigrants who have made our country great, Unite Foods has created a multi-cultural menu of delicious protein bars that are inspired by flavors from all around the world and that can inspire anyone who enjoys them to expand their gastronomic and geographical repertoires while benefitting from a solid serving of gluten-free protein and other delicious benefits. 

From the domestic bliss of PB&J to the spicy sweetness of South American churros and Mexican hot chocolate to a heavenly Hellenistic baklava and even a bubble tea bar that Is not overloaded with sugar and that will not get lodged in your throat, these gluten-free, almond butter-based bars use all-natural ingredients like real honey, dates, chilis, and all sorts of other nutritious nuts. In addition to at least 10 grams of protein, Unite bars also include superfoods like hemp seeds and prebiotic fiber and still come in at under 200 calories per bar!

Unlike many other protein and snack bars, Unite bars do not have a rubbery or crumbly texture or leave a chalky aftertaste, allowing you to enjoy each delicious bite without regret.

So even if you are not quite ready to get back on a plane (or are against doing so for environmental reasons, which is also valid!), Unite foods can at least take your tastebuds on a worldwide excursion that will leave you refreshed and energized. 

SMOKIN’ GOOD FISH

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I lived on the North Shore of Boston for many years and, though I have an ancient photo of my grandfather in front of the famed fisherman statue, the closest I ever came to Gloucester was a box of Gorton’s fish sticks.

These days, between the amazing fermented foods from Pigeon Cove Ferments and the great grub and grooves at The Cut, I am finding my way back more and more.

My latest find is Twin Light Smokehouse. As part of Cape Ann Fresh Catch, Twin Light takes fresh, ethically-caught fish from its experienced pescatarian parents and smokes it into its own set of salmon and shellfish sensations. From authentic Finnan Haddie and salmon-based “bacon” (the relative health benefits of which I need not go into) to savory smoked spreads, Twin Light has all you need for a shmear or a meal.

If salmon and mussels are not your thing, a visit to Cape Ann Fresh Catch will surely lure you in. In addition to offering the freshest fish from the nation’s oldest seaport, Cape Ann also offers a unique seafood CSA, the extras from which are either smoked by Twin Light or donated to area pantries so the unique flavors and nutrients that only fresh seafood can bring can be shared with those who might not otherwise be able to enjoy them. 
If you are new to Atlantic fish or want to expand your maritime menu, the Cape Ann website (www.capeannfreshcatch.org) has a handy guide to their various varieties as well as recipes that can encourage everyone to do more for their own health while supporting a healthy fishing industry.And when you can wash it all down with a Pigeon Cove kombucha- perfect!  / 

CRAZY POP

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As I do not need to tell anyone, the world is a bit nutty these days.

The Holy Land is being occupied by New York Times reporters, the Supreme Court is overseeing its own behavior, and we still haven’t even figured out a way to make a verb out of “X” (TweXting”?)

It is – in a word – chaos.

Fortunately, the secret to the solution is hidden in the problem.

All we need is a comfy couch, a favorite movie, and a big bag (or two) of Sweet Chaos popcorn!

Much like the cinematically-inspired flavors from ArcLight Cinema (z”l), the family behind Sweet Chaos combines premium gluten-free, non-GMO, whole grain corn kernels in small batches with healthy coconut oil, real cane sugar and sea salt, and mouth-melting drizzles of chocolate and peanut butter, black and white cookie flavors, and cake batter bits. If savory is more your thing, you can get Chaotic with real cheddar cheese, and wonderfully sticky gobs of butter topping. And as they know chaos does not stop when (or is that “if”?)  the temperatures drop, the Chaos creators recently released a seasonal set that includes peppermint, gingerbread, and – of course – pumpkin spice too!

No matter what you try, however, you may not even need the movie to get your best binge on! This stuff is AMAZING!

While the fun flavors are fabulous, Sweet Chaos also offers delicious options for the popcorn purist, including kernels topped with sea salt and traditional movie theater popcorn.

As a pickle freak, I am looking forward to their forthcoming dill variety.

Armageddon may not just be a movie much longer. Either way- be ready with Sweet Chaos popcorn.