Author: Matt Robinson

A DECADE OF DELICIOUSNESS

Posted by

As I love to share happy news from the food world, I wanted to be sure to note that one of my favorite places to eat is celebrating 10 years in business!

If Hearth Pizzeria just had some of the most delicious, freshly—made and truly locally-sourced pizza around that would be something to celebrate, but it has become so much more!

From meatball poppers and lasagna Bolognese to a freshly-baked Caesar salad wrap that can come with chicken or their famed warm grain bowl, Hearth’s menu has grown to include much more than pizza. But with such amazing options as the fig, prosciutto, and blue cheese salad and the garden salad (which basically comes with its own salad built in!), it is often difficult to choose other things. My answer has been to go for lunch and come back for dinner, but I realize that not everyone enjoys such privileges.

In addition to great food, Hearth has become a community center with regular performances from local musicians, including students at Needham Music and a Wednesday night trivia contest that has become the stuff of legend.

Some things have not changed in 10 years, however, including Ivan’s policy of hiring from the area and promoting from within and his passion for not only sourcing his ingredients and entertainment locally but also encouraging his customers to support his suppliers on their own by featuring local artists and farmers in various events and showcases. Like our friend Steve Peljovich at Michael’s Deli (another Matt’s Meals fave), Ivan also gives generously of his time to area charities and organizations and supports area families in need with his no questions asked policy.

I only hope that Matt’s Meals fans keep supporting him so he can keep supporting them!                

LET THEM EAT (MORE) CAKE

Posted by

As Matt’s Meals fans know, I am a HUGE fan of My Grandma’s Coffee Cake and pick up a few for myself and my dear friends whenever I can.

While I am not a fan of TV shopping, I have been VERY tempted of late to go on QVC to pick up their exclusive apple cider donut cake, but it has sold out every time!

Fortunately, Grandma has decided to make this AMAZING dessert/snack/breakfast staple available directly to the public at www.mygrandma.com and, as is so often the case, you heard it here first!

Not only will the prized recipe be available without having to watch TV for hours (though I PROMISE it is worth it!), it is being shipped in the famed QVC gift box for $5 less than any other cake through Mother’s Day so you can give Grandma’s to your grandma no matter where she is and KNOW that she will feel loved (and full)!

From Oprah to the Royal Couple to the millions of fans on QVC, Grandma’s cakes are an international sensation and come in an ever-expanding menu of flavors that feature the finest ingredients and nothing artificial. 

Whether you like Grandma’s original cinnamon walnut coffee cake or their more creative concoctions like the pineapple coconut, Granny Smith apple, New England blueberry, Cape Cod cranberry, and (just in time for baseball season) Ted Williams chocolate cake (most of which come in a variety of sizes to fit every appetite), Grandma’s has you covered. 

You better hurry, though, because I will be ordering some too!

FORAGE-ING IN A FAMILIAR PLACE

Posted by

I lived on Concord Avenue just before Craigie on Main became the sensation it did.

It has been decades since that was my neighborhood, but I recently made it back to try the newest dining destination at five Craigie Circle- Foragehttps://foragecambridge.com.

As I am already a fan of their sibling restaurant – Few and Far in Dedham Square – I was ready for a deliciously eclectic meal. But even after raving about Few and Far, I was not ready for just how delicious Forage would be!

Tucked away under an apartment building, Forage may be hard to find and parking is no treat. But just like a fine truffle, the search underground is well worth the effort! 

From their signature pickle dish that showcases a wide range of veggies and pickling processes to a local cheese board that comes with bittersweet chocolate sauce and a citrus and radish salad with pine-nut brittle, the menu is not for the timid but fortune favors the bold. If you truly want to take the dare, there are tasting menus for omnivores, pescatarians, vegetarians or vegans (all of which have optional cheese, wine, or non-alcoholic beverage pairings) that assure that everyone eats happily no matter what they will or won’t eat.

The highpoint of my meal was – well were – a rainbow trout with sweet potato, pea shoots, and a side of shrimp (or scallop) ceviche and an ultra-creamy scoop of homemade ice cream that can be packed into pints for those who truly want to reward themselves.

If taking home the ice cream is not enough, the team behind Forage also offers a wine club through their Satellite Bottle Shop in Dedham that features natural, organic, and biodynamic wines that are hand-selected by their talented team.

Don’t wait decades- Enjoy Forage now! 

A MASTER-FULL MENU

Posted by

I cannot get enough of Craft Food Halls and it appears that my friends and colleagues can’t either as so many of them are hosting events at the various venues throughout the area (including the bar at the Moxy Hotel in Boston).

Everyone from connections at Alignable and Alray Scholars to the Winiker Brothers have been showing up to try the superb sous vide servings, perfect pizzas, and other amazing foods, as well as the ingenius wall of beers that allows guests to taste as many different kinds as they want and only pay for what they enjoy an ounce at a time!

Speaking of the wall of beer, Craft Food Hall on Maguire Road in Lexington is hosting a special beer takeover week from April 7-13 to celebrate the Masters golf tournament.

In addition to being able to watch the action from Augusta on a 12-foot wide LED screen, guests will be able to enjoy the latest and greatest from some of the area’s most popular breweries, including March Madness with Modelo on Monday, a wall of Wormtown’s wonderful washer-downers on Wednesday, and a slew of Citadelle ‘s super sippers on Saturday. There will also be music BINGO with Berkshire Brewing on Tuesday, April 8 and Craft will take everyone to the 19th hole with help from Tito’s vodka on Championship Sunday.

As they continue to expand, Craft is also crafting new taste sensations, including the soon-to-open Drip Café in the Seaport, so be on the lookout and keep following Matt’s Meals on WBZ.

EQUAL TALENT

Posted by

It’s been a bit since I talked about an event at City Winery, but I just found out that singer/songwriter/guitarist Janie Barnett is coming on April 17 for a special show.

Not only will the show be special in that it will feature the timeless music of the legendary Cole Porter as done in Barnett’s inimitable Americana style, but it will also be special because Janie is donating all proceeds from sales of her 2023 Cole Porter album, Under My Skin, to Mass Equality.

As Porter was famously closeted through most of his career, it makes sense that Barnett is choosing his music as the means by which to raise awareness for other people who may not be treated fairly in society. Especially as so many people and groups are feeling marginalized and unequal, this will surely be both a fun and important show.

For those who are not familiar with Barnett, she performed on Saturday Night Live with Rickie Lee Jones and has also performed with such legends as Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raiit, and Jimmy Buffett. To strengthen the ties to food a bit, she was also the voice of Diet Coke for a time. But, as is true of any event at City Winery, the food and drink are already well spoken for, thanks to sommelier Alex Nezam and his talented kitchen compatriots. Among the latest menu highlights are Calabrian chicken wings, grilled hangar steak, their famed charcuterie and cheese boards, and a mezze-style dip platter that lets everyone at the table enjoy! And as far as what to wash it down with, the place ain’t called City Winery for nothin’!

For more information about the show, go to www.citywinery.com/boston and for more on Mass Equality, go to https://massequality.org.

A KIDDUSH LIKE NONE OTHER

Posted by

Passover is coming! And while we often rave about the GREAT food from friends like Steve Peljovich at Michael’s Deli or Galit Grutman from Galit’s Treats, I wanted to check in with another ffiend who can help us all wash down their delicious delights- at least after Passover is over.

Chabad Rabbi Chaim Litvin (a.k.a., Bourbon Rabbi) has just released his latest taste sensation- Bourbon Rabbi Cacao Finish!

As the name suggests, it is Rabbi Litvin’s miraculously good Bourbon finished with real brain-boosting cacao to make a drink that has a remarkably smooth and slightly sweet finish that, with its notes of espresso, vanilla, and even toasted marshmallow, makes for a drink you will always want s’more of.

If you like your Bourbon more like your wine than your cocoa, Rabbi Litvin also offers a Cabernet-finished variety. And if you want to reminisce about the Land of Milk and Honey, he has bottles infused with honey alone or honey and cinnamon. 

Though Bourbon is technically not kosher for Passover, it’s not long now until Jews around the world celebrate Shavuot, when they were given the Torah. Tradition holds that, as nobody is sure exactly what time this ultimate gift was bestowed, we should stay up all night studying so we are ready when the moment arrives. Might I recommend a bottle of Bourbon Rabbi to help you make it through the night?

Even if you do not observe Jewish holidays, I hope that you can find reasons in your daily lives to be thankful for what we have and to raise a l’chaim with family and friends. When you do, be sure to have a Rabbi on hand to help you celebrate. It makes every celebration even sweeter!

https://bourbonrabbi.com

LESS SUGAR. STILL SWEET!

Posted by

As Matt’s Meals fans know, I grew up in apple country and loves me some cider!

And while I am a big fan of Angry Orchard, Harpoon, Hudson North, Champlain Orchard, Downeast, Stormalong, Austin East, and many more, I recently discovered a family who have been in the cider game for over 75 years-

And it shows!

After packing a family of 13 into a three-bedroom farmhouse in rural Michigan, the Blakes of Blake’s Hard Cider emerged with a unique five-apple blend that is the basis for every one of their extensive menu of ciders. As they are clearly eager to show off the flavor of their apples, Blake’s gluten-free ciders are pressed and packaged on the family farm and consistently have up to 50% less sugar than most other ciders and use no additives or flavorings. 

While this is all impressive, nothing impresses as much as the variety and consistent deliciousness of their favors! From their flagship American Apple and a side menu of berry-packed “jam” flavors to such seasonal sensations as the blood orange and cranberry Black Phillip and a caramel apple flavor that somehow still keeps the sugar down to a limited-edition set of carbonated teas, Blake’s keeps the creativity rolling all year with new flavors coming on as often as the family can dream them up.

If you want an easy intro to their low-sugar, high-creativity creations, Blakes’ has a wide range of pre-packed variety packs.

And if you need more reason to love the Blake family, they have donated over a million pounds of food to people in need through their Kinder Cider program. So not only are you helping a great food family by trying Blake’s (which you will surely love!), you are also helping other families that deserve more sweetness in their lives.                                 

HEADING BACK DOWNTOWN

Posted by

With so many people working from home, neighborhoods like Boston’s Downtown Crossing have taken a hit and this can be especially felt in the food scene.

Recently, a new restaurant group has emerged to lure people back to Boston from near and far.

BCB3 Hospitality represents the union of the team behind BiNA Family Hospitality (including Family Head Babak Bina and his partner Andy Cartin) and super-chef Jaimie Bissonette. 

While Bissonnette already has his own James Beard award (thanks to local legends like Coppa, Toro, and Little Donkey), the new group’s Somaek has already been named a finalist for this year’s awards! Informed and inspired by Bissonnette’s Korean mother-in-law, the Asian eatery was also named one of the best new spots in the country by the New York Times

Not satisfied to sit on laurels, the group has also opened the already popular Temple Records and Sushi @ Temple Records, which is helmed by Japanese native and long-time sushi student and master Kenta Katagai. 

All of these eateries represent not only the latest triumphs of industry legends but also the reemergence of Boston’s Downtown Crossing as a foodie’s favorite neighborhood. And as Bina is such a champion of local neighborhoods, it is well in keeping with his legendary ethos and will surely enhance his legacy and that of the Boston food scene.

Even if you are not going back to your office anytime soon, these three new eateries supported by three restaurant stars will surely be reason to return to downtown Boston again and again.

A TOAST TO CROATIAN WINES

Posted by

I was at the Belmont Media Center the other day as I am a host on that channel as well and I ran into an old friend – Mirena Bagur.

I spoke about Mirena a while back and talked about the wonderful wines that she imports from her native Croatia.

She had brought a few cases to the Belmont event and they were all big hits! But when we were talking, she told me that some of her wines had recently won some new awards, so I wanted to share the news with Matt’s meals fans.

Apparently, Mirena and her countrymen submitted wines from 13 wineries to the TEXSOM Awards and still came away with 21 awards, including a Best of Show for their Teran Rosé, a platinum award for Istarska, and five gold medals for various other varietals, including the rare and delicious Graševina and Plavac Mali!

As TEXSOM has been around for 40 years and has itself been lauded as one of the best wine events by industry experts, this is no small thing, especially when you consider what a relatively small producer Croatia is.

However, with Mirena’s support, Croatian wine is being recognized- and rightfully so!

She represents 45 wineries in Croatia and is constantly importing new varietals, such as the Posip and Zinfandel (which, she informs me, originated from Croatia!).

Word is that Morena will soon be selling her wines at Art’s Specialties but be sure to ask for Croatian wines at your favorite shop so more people can see what all the Balkan buzz is about!

WHAT ARE THESE BOOTS MADE FOR?

Posted by

In Boston, there are many signs of Spring. 

People training for the Marathon.

Spring Training in Florida.

And the Walk for Hunger.

This year, I can’t predict who will win the big race and where the Sox will place, but I can tell you for sure that, on May 4, thousands of people will gather to walk three miles starting at Boston Common to raise funds and awareness for Project Bread.

Over the past 56 years, the Walk has raised millions and hopes to raise over $1 million this year alone to support Project Bread and its affiliates as they strive to stave off food insecurity in Massachusetts and to allow every citizen to enjoy healthy meals.

And it’s never been easier to be involved!

Walkers can form teams or are welcome to come alone and contribute to the community of caring. 

If you are already involved in another food-sharing organization (like I am with TheWishDishProject.com), you can participate in Project Bread’s co-fundraising program, The Commonwealth. 

If downtown Boston is not convenient for you, you can set up an alternate route in your neighborhood or anywhere you like to walk with the Walk Your Own Way program.

Even if you can’t walk, you can donate to Project Bread or become involved in other ways by visiting  projectbread.org/walk.

Spring is a time of renewal and growth. Make the Walk for Hunger part of your annual ritual to help others grow and renew as well.

slot gacor toto slot