Author: Matt Robinson

DON’T “SKIP” THIS TASTY HEALTH FOOD

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As is so often the case, I am here to dish about the latest trend in the healthy food space.

While we continue to rave about the flavonoids in FlavaNaturals and the brain-boosting adaptogens in IQ Joe, Kickstarter Coffee, and Four Sigmatic coffee, another favorite trend is fermenting, an ancient process that can help with everything from immunity and inflammation to irritable bowels and also improve hair, skin, and overall well-being! 

While the most popular fermented foods are admittedly acquired tastes like kraut and kimchee and kefir (noting a “k”-trend here?), tasty new tastes are applying for acquisition all the time. 

As she was born in Korea, Kathryn Oh knows about the special, nutrient- and probiotic-enriching art of Koji fermentation as she was making kimchee since childhood. As she is also a primary care doctor, she also knows the health benefits of many things.

So when she told me that she is coming out with her own line of plant-based, naturally- (and deliciously) flavored, nutrient-packed cups of fermented brown rice called Hopscotch (in a nod to another accessible childhood activity) that could benefit my belly, brain, and entire body, I was interested.And when I tried the sweet, umami-laced cups that come in chocolate, strawberry, coffee, and even Snickerdoodle (flavors that Oh admits “start funny but taste yummy!”) and that can be enjoyed alone or in smoothies, sauces, or many other means of enjoyment), I was hooked on Hopscotch and think (and hope) that you will soon be too!

www.hopscotchfoods.com

HAVE YOURSELF A BRAINY LITTLE CHRISTMAS

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Have we had enough of the headaches that come with the so-called “season of peace” yet?!

From getting assignments in on time (as I ALWAYS do!) and keeping track of who gave which twin what gift and whether they wrote “thank you” cards (as THEY always do!) to trying to deal with all the un-peace in the world that makes our issues insignificant, overwhelm does not begin to describe it!

Fortunately, our friends at IQBAR have come up with some seasonal selections to support our systems and our sanity.

The new chocolate peppermint IQBAR can easily pass for a brownie and goes perfectly with the peppermint mocha IQJOE coffee, both of which are made with premium dark chocolate and energizing peppermint. If you are not a chocolate fan (Huh?!), the warm and spicy gingerbread bars will take you back to the bucolic peace of your childhood kitchen.

All IQBARS have protein, fiber, and natural ingredients that help brain health and energy and IQJOE gives a jitter-free jolt of power to body and mind. So why do I love these latest IQBAR treats so much? Perhaps it is because they help my body and brain or it may just be that the bars taste so good that I actually put them up and put them out as a dessert tray at a recent holiday party and they not only raised the level of conversation in the room but also were a huge success!

While I have long loved their ever-growing menu of delicious bars, energy and electrolyte drinks and brain-boosting coffees, the latest batch has definitely of IQ treats has helped me stay in more of a traditional holiday mood and will surely be a gift to you too!  

www.eatiqbar.com

LET’S GET READY TO CRUMBL!

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As Senator Mitt Romney prepares to step away from politics, there are rumors circulating that one of his reasons is so he can spend more time at Crumbl cookies in Utah.

Don’t worry, Your Excellency- Crumbl has over 800 stores in the U.S., including Cambridge, Dedham, Natick, West Springfield, and the most recent area opening in Dorchester!

And while I’d like to say that the scene is the same no matter which Crumbl you visit, as the flavors change so regularly, the only real consistencies are the famed pink boxes and the lines of drooling customers waiting outside.

Though MA is the home of the Toll House and Boston Cream Pie, Crumbl (spelled without the final “e” for those who are still not in the know!) is bold enough to claim that they make the best chocolate chip cookie around and that their Boston cream cookie can stand up to the Parker House original! Even if Baystaters disagree, it is hard to argue with a rotating menu of over 250 flavors that also includes such incredible entries as the buttermilk pancake and waffle cookies (both of which can double as the best breakfast and best dessert in one!), an indigenously-inspired cinnamon fry bread, the Matt’s Meals-endorsed Buckeye brownie, and a confetti cake cookie that is a birthday party in the palm of your hand! 

Speaking of hands, Crumbl even has their own version of the popular Cover Your Assets card game called (appropriately enough) Cover Your Cookies!

Speaking of covering cookies, we are all sure to see more of their famed pink boxes around as Crumbl continues to expand their cookie empire, so be sure that you are carrying at least a few wherever you go! 

www.crumbl.com

BACK TO THE ROCKS

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Though it is the home of the dramatically-inclined Beastie Boy progenitor Israel Horowitz and the Berklee-bound hero of the Academy Award-winning film Coda, and was a regular hang for legendary singer/songwriter Laura Nyro, Gloucester (which is also home to our friends at Pigeon Cove Ferments) may be better known for its fish sticks than its live music.

Soon. However, they that go down to the sea in ships will be able to come back to this historic and bucolic port town and rock out!

A new restaurant and performance space called The Cut is bringing over 20,000 square feet of food and entertainment space to Main Street.

With the help of Tom Clark (a veteran of House of Blues and Motown Café), talent buyer Randi Millman (who brought the bands to Johnny D’s and TT the Bear’s for decades), and producer Tony Goddess (who has worked with John Legend and local legends like Guster and The Cars), the Cut not only offers artists a place to play and record but also rehearsal studios for those who may not quite feel ready to headline just yet.

As for food, Chef Justin Plumadore’s gastropub menu will spotlight site- and season-inspired fare like beet carpaccio, fried chicken BLTs and fried oyster po’ boys, Szechuan salmon, flatiron steak and butternut squash and black bean enchiladas daily from 4:30-10pm, along with draught and bottled beers, hard kombucha, fine wines, and curated cocktails There is also an order-and-go window open from 11:30am-10pm for those who want to grab a bite sooner or hang out later.

Whether you can sing or not, be sure to make The Cut!

https://thecutlive.com

CONTINUING TO SERVE

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Veterans Day may be over, but that does not mean that we should forget all that our brave men and women in uniform give us every day.

That is why I am so grateful for our colleagues at the Veterans Voice Network (on which I talk with many of the same great Veteran entrepreneurs we profile and promote here on Matt’s Meals), who are continuing to collect food and other vital items for Veterans (and others) all year ‘round!

On the second Thursday of each month, anyone who feels a need can come to the WATD/WMEX parking lot at 130 Enterprise Drive in Marshfield, MA between 10:30 and noon to pick up whatever you can donate. They have freezers for perishable foods and are even willing to consider food that is in damaged packaging or marked after its “sell by” date.

In addition to feeling good about giving, donors can arrange to have their businesses thanked publicly on-air and on the Network’s many social networks (Like I said- Veterans always want to help!).

In addition to donations, volunteers are always appreciated to help set up and distribute the items to the passing cars and to offer kind words of support to people in need.

No matter how much we give our Veterans, they always deserve more and whatever they have, they always give more.

So whether it is Veterans Day, Flag Day, Independence Day or just a Thursday, it is always a great time to give to those who gave all for all of us.If you need items picked up, call 781-7871-6416 or email 89edge@comcast.net. For more on the Network (including my segments), please visit http://veteransvoicenetwork.org.

GET INTO A JAM

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While any of the items I discuss on Matt’s Meals can make for a great gift (if even for yourself!), I recently found a local maker who can solve pretty much any holiday giving jam.

In fact, jam is the source of the solution!

Starting with a parental promise to spread sweetness, Holly Condon started Holly’s Heavenly Creations – a handmade jam and jelly company that has some of the most creative and carefully-crafted varieties I (a devout jam fan) have ever tasted!

When I first saw Holly at the Needham High School craft fair, my eye was caught by a jar of Dirty Monkey Nuts. When I tasted this perfect combination of chocolate, peanuts, bananas, and a touch of locally-sourced honey, I was ready to swing from the trees myself!

While the grape, raspberry, and even cranberry jams are great, it is through more adventurous offerings like Figgy on a Bog (featuring figs, cranberries, and ginger sugar), Mother’s Embrace (which is flavored with actual roses!), and Sweet Wookie (RAWR!) that Holly truly sets herself and her creations apart. And with flavors like Boo Berry, Love Spell, and Nutcracker, there is truly something for everyone at this season and every season of giving.

As I perused the overflowing table of choices, I saw such seductive selections as Lavender Skies and Fear the Reaper jam (which has a VERY appropriate warning on the front where Holy usually reveals her ingredients). There were also a few flavors the names of which made me laugh but that might not be appropriate for this venue. You will just have to go to https://hollys-heavenly-creations.square.site or www.facebook.com/hollysheavenlycreations to read (and order) them for yourself!

UNITING THE KINGDOM

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Combining the famed food heritage and hospitality of Europe with seasonal local ingredients, Thistle and Leek also combines the culinary pedigree of the legendary Craigie Street Bistro (where chef/owners Kate and Trevor Smith first met) in a cozy and familial space that is (rightfully) winning awards and accolades all over.

The Smiths’ united heritages are not only reflected in the name (thistle and leek being the national symbols of their ancestral homelands of Scotland and Wales), but also in many of the handmade décor elements (including items made by Kate’s Scottish màthair)  The handcrafted menu features creative takes on traditional British, American, and more international favorites like toasted sesame focaccia, smoked maitake mushroom salad, bok choy or octopus a la plancha, Coronation chicken, pork schnitzel, whole wheat garganelli with braised rabbit, and, of course, housemade chips. The hand-selected wine list can be professionally paired or personally explored and Thistle & Leek’s own housemade ice creams end any meal off well!

As another nod to the Smiths’ heritage, Thistle & Leek offers Sunday suppers that feature hearty favorites like roasts and soups that will make a visit to Thistle & Leek even more inviting! There are also plans for special cook-at-home holiday meals as wellAs it is tucked right alongside the trolley tracks in Newton Centre, Thistle & Leek is a great place to take a break after a hectic day at work but is also worth hopping on the train or raking whatever means of transport you need (double-decker bus, perhaps?) to explore and enjoy! 

www.thistleandleek.com

The ORIGINAL Land of Milk and Honey

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The Israeli Wine Producers Association is donating proceeds to support Israeli organizations through their Sip for Solidarity program. And while many know that wines from Israel are some of the best and most popular in the world, there is apparently more to Israeli booze than just the fruit of the vine.

Named for the eternal benefits of the eternal homeland, Milk & Honey distillery is not only Israel’s first whisky distillery but one of the most award-winning distilleries, having recently been named the “world’s best single malt” at The World Drinks Awards!

With nearly 300 days of sun a year, Israeli grain soaks in plenty of holy light that expedites the aging process and enhances the unique flavor and feel of this spiritual spirit. Aged in American rye and bourbon barrels, tequila casks, and Israeli red, white, and pomegranate wine barrels (including some that undergo their unique shaved-toasted-recharred process), Milk & Honey offers an array of aromas and tastes from calming vanilla to rejuvenating oranges and healing Dead Sea salts. And while the Angel’s share is as high as 12%, as the angels are so close, Milk & Honey still has plenty to share!

Milk & Honey also uses custom-made copper stills and is overseen by hot-climate maturation expert and master distiller Dr. Jim Swan.

As it has done with so many ideas and industries, Israel has taken an ancient favorite and improved it by leaps and bounds. So while we all should be supporting Israel’s winemakers as they continue to support all residents of the Holy Land, if you need a break from wine, you could clearly do a lot worse (and not much better) than Milk & Honey 

 https://mh-distillery.com

L’CHAIM

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As the issues in the Middle East continue to rile the world, many Jew and others are still looking to raise a glass in the traditional toast L’chaim– To life!

And while the deeds of a few are destroying the lives of the many, at least there is a way to help those in peril by drinking to their health and praying for their survival.

Through the end of the year, for every bottle of wine you buy that is made in Israel, the Israeli Wine Producers Association will donate proceeds to support Israeli organizations through their Sip for Solidarity program.

Though their grapes are rooted in the land that has been integral to the Jewish people for thousands of years, Israeli wines continue to keep up with if not inspire the industry (and international oenophiles) with new tastes and harvesting procedures that are already leading the world in environmental preservation. As they are now supporting people and the land on which they have lived for millennia, it is now a better time than ever to taste or enjoy more of your favorite (or soon-to-be-favorite) wines!

Closer to home, Israeli-friendly friends like Steve Peljovich of Michael’s Deli and Galit Grutman of Galit’s Treats (who is still offering her amazing challahs at Bill’s Pizzeria in Newton Center) are also donating proceeds and food to help family and friends in Israel and here. As always, I ask you to do all you can to support all our food friends who do so much for so many.

L’chaim! 

@IsraeliWine #drinkisrael

A MOTHER OF A SEQUEL

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While I recently raved about the long-lasting literarily-linked legend that is Harvard Square’s Grendel’s, I am just as excited to go back to the Square to check out its new sibling site, the Sea Hag.

Named for another character in the Olde English classic, this just-as-cozy and satisfying spot offers comfort food faves like fried pickles and calamari and Grendel’s legendary French dip along with scallop ceviche, a “messy” cobb salad topped with a fried egg, a grass-fed steak (available as a dinner or in a sub), and creative takes on arancini, Caesar salad, and other items that are sure to keep you coming back. 

While the broad but uniformly-delicious menu may make it difficult to decide among the many mouthwatering dishes, it may be even more difficult to pick between the sweet and savory sisters. That being said, as its name might imply, the Sea Hag seems to lend a bit toward fish and there are plans afoot for live music and other offerings that may help you decide, at least on some days.

From morning coffee and homemade muffins and scones to late-night snacks and all the vibe that Grendel’s has been delivering for decades, The Sea Hag is surely a great addition to the Harvard Square scene and one that will remind you of its glory days of yore.

Don’t hwaet to go! 

www.seahag02138.com / www.grendelsden.com