Author: Matt Robinson

Head to the Lake for Valentine’s Day

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Vermont is lovely this time of year (as it is at all times of year)!

And while I continue to sing the praises of Champlain Orchards and their amazing (and expanding) menu of fruity-offerings (including some of my favorite ciders – which is saying something!), if there’s one thing I like to use their ciders to wash down, it’s the amazing chocolates from their neighbors at Lake Champlain chocolates.

And just as Vermont is a great place to be romantic Valentine’s Day getaway, those who can’t get away can still enjoy the handmade deliciousness of the region by ordering gifts for friends and loved ones from Lake Champlain. 

From kid-sized sets of chocolate hearts and heart-shaped boxes of organic and/or vegan chocolates to their popular Grand Valentine chocolate heart and entire gift baskets that include not only their chocolate but also fruit and nut mixes, granola, caramels, and even tins of their famous hot chocolate, Lake Champlain truly has something for everyone who loves chocolate (in other words, something for everyone!).

If Valentine’s Day is not your favorite holiday, Lake Champlain also has perfect gifts for other celebrations or just for a given Thursday. From birthday boxes of sea salt caramels to customized collections just to let someone know you’re thinking of them, and even customizable items that can be used as place-settings and party favors, Lake Champlain can put together the perfect pieces for any reason at all. The website (www.lakechamplainchocolates.com) even has categories organized by price, so you can be sure to give a gift that is perfect for all involved. And If the gift-er or gift-ee can’t make up their minds, there is even a chocolate-of-the-month club offers sample sets of some of the most popular items Vermont (or any other state) has to offer!

Valentine’s Day and chocolate have always been a great match. But when the chocolate is THIS good, why wait?!

www.lakechamplainchocolates.com

Ole Smoky keeps getting Smoky-er

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While I am admittedly a lightweight when it comes to adult beverages, (which is both ironic and difficult when you consider all the great drinks that I am asked to try…and then talk coherently about!), it is hard not to love the many great tastes from my favorite moonshiners at Ole Smoky Distillery. 

In the morning, there’s no better way to start your day than with a splash of Ole Smoky’s Mountain Java in your coffee. Their Peanut Butter Whiskey tastes like liquid lunch – mix it with their Blackberry Moonshine and you have the perfect PB&J! After a plate of Nashville hot chicken (or pretty much anything else delicious), one of my favorite ways to cool off and wind down is with a can of Ole Smoky’s Apple Pie Ginger moonshine cocktails (which I guess you could also throw in a lunchbox as long as you do not eat lunch in your car!).

Speaking of tossing some ‘shine into smaller spaces, many Ole Smoky faves like their flavored whiskeys and apple pie, white lightning, and hunch punch moonshines are available in 50ml mini bottles that make it easier to transport, try, and share flavors as well. If you can’t decide whether to taste or go big, there will soon be medium-sized 375ml bottles that are sure to be “just right.”

If you want another creative way to get some ‘shine in your life, Ole Smoky also offers a selection of cocktail-enhancing, moonshine-soaked fruits and veggies, including cherries, peaches, pineapples, and even pickles (which are AMAZING, I might add!). If you need to dip a toe in the tub before shining, they also offer a sour series that includes puckery apple and watermelon sips as well as creamier cuts like the aforementioned Mountain Java and a Nashville-authentic banana pudding cream that are great in coffee and other hot drinks, on ice cream, in recipes (such as those at olesmoky.com) or on the rocks.

The days of hiding moonshine in the hills are over, but if you want your shine to truly shine, Ole Smoky is still the best still around! 

Expanding the Villa

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I know that I have said it before, but I LOVE Donut Villa.

And though the name may not do justice to the amazing and amazingly varied menu (all of which is, as I said, amazing!), the fact that the name has stuck for over 50 years and what started as one donut-forward store in Malden has since expanded to Cambridge, Newton, and now Arlington (what, no Needham?!) is reason enough to offer this amazing (did I say that?) place more press.

Though the sign may now say “Brunch Club and Bar,” this additional explanation still does not do the Villa justice. After all, what donut shop or brunch place has a full bar featuring local favorites and flavors from further afield and enough lunch and dinner items to come back multiple times a day? 

While the “donut” part of the name is dead-on, as they have some of the most amazing (sorry!) and creative flavors around and while they make some of the most creative and delicious meals out of them, including donut-based sandwiches, pizzas, and a maple donut bread pudding that is worth a trip on its own, the Brunch Club has plenty of bagels, Benedicts, and Boston cream pancakes, but also offers the VIlla chili bowl, chicken parmesan, steak tips, salads, subs, and a tuna sandwich that is also worth its own trip (especially when paired with their amazing pickle fries!). There is also a wide range of vegetarian and vegan options as well (including a vegan BLT, vegan grilled cheese, and a faux but fabulous chicken and waffles) so everyone can come again and again and perhaps even find themselves full before they pick up some donuts for the road (as if they will ever make it home!).

A well-known writer *(whose own name I cannot recall right now, but I surely Will soon) once asked “What’s in a name?” When it comes to Donut Villa Brunch Club and Bar, there is certainly a whole lot more!

www.DonutVila.com

The (Choc-)Allure of Valentine’s Day

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People say Valentine’s Day is just for lovers.

I say it’s just for chocolate!

As evidence, I submit the latest creations from one of my favorite Israeli imports (along with Galit’s and BonaPita) – my Needham neighbor Liron Pergament-Gal of ChocAllure.

Not only are her sweets some of the most artistically beautiful around (to the point that eating them seems almost wrong…until you do!), they are also some of the most delicious and satisfying, even if you are alone on this allegedly romantic day.

ChocAllure’s caramel kisses tasting experience is a sexy sleeve of lip-shaped bonbons that combine hand-made caramel with fabulous flavors that fly from French salted butter to mango and passion fruit and (for the older lovers out there) Glenfiddich 15-year-old Scotch! The chocolate pralines form a faceted feast for the eyes and mouth that includes 64% pure dark chocolate as well as flavors from fresh pecans, peanut butter, and pretzels (Yes, please!). 

If your partner likes things a bit bubbly, ChocAllure’s strawberry and champagne XL heart is a juicy jumbo-sized treat that offers three layers of fruity fizzy flavor.

And if you really have to spell it out, Liron makes a dark chocolate bar that literally spells “LOVE” with fresh and fruity Madagascar cacao.

Don’t get me wrong- I am happily married and have someone to take out to dinner, but that does not mean I will not open a box of these after she is asleep!

If February 14 is just a reminder that your taxes will be due soon, ChocAlure also has plenty for this or any other day that needs a little sweetness, including their famed (and well-named) chocolate jewels, gourmet bars with everything from toasted cereal to crème brulee, and a clever and creamy hot chocolate flight kit that will take you to the stratosphere of flavor! Liron can also prepare corporate gifts and custom items and also offers a chocolate-of-the-month club for those who may not be keen on ordering but still want the best chocolates around to be around them on a regular basis.

Happy Tuesday!

www.choc-allure.com

Follow the Trail to New City love

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Many moons ago, I sang the praises of a restaurant and ice cream shop in Hudson, MA, that offered everything from amazing pizzas to an authentic speakeasy (complete with a secret password!) to incredible ice cream…and MORE! 

Since last we lauded, a lot has been happening, so I wanted to catch you all up and tempt you all over again.

Rail Trail Flatbread is still a favorite destination that is always coming up with great new tastes and treats and that has devised some extra-special offerings for Valentine’s Day. The main room will offer a set of heart-shaped flatbreads that will feature poems by second graders at the nearby Farley School while the swanky Greater Than Less Than will host aromantic four-course meal featuring their craft kitchen and creative cocktails. And even if you have no interest in the so-called “big game,” a made-from-scratch party platter from Rail Trail can make any given Sunday better!

New City Creamery uses fresh local ingredients (including milk from Mapleline Farm in Hadley, MA) and liquid nitrogen to create a creamy ice cream that even hours of hand churning cannot replicate and tops it with such funky “funk” faves as repurposed waffle cone and chocolate chip cookie crumbs, shredded coconut toasted with cocoa powder, and even butter-baked Trix cereal coated in white chocolate!  As we wait for a new Rail Trail in Milford, New City has also expanded into Sudbury and is also being sold at Whole Foods and even in many All Town Fresh gas stations! In the meantime, their Central Square location continues to go toe-to-toe with local legend Toscanini’s…and often wins. Even better, they may be selling my book on the Ivy League soon to their many Harvard-affiliated fans!

So that’s the latest in what is clearly an ever-developing story. Rest assured, Matt’s Meals will keep you posted, but for now, I am off to Hudson and soon to Cambridge for a book event and some of the best ice cream around.

I hope to see you there!

https://railtrailflatbread.com / https://newcitymicrocreamery.com

Burning (Lost) Love

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Many people see Valentine’s Day as a day to celebrate their love and festoon their beloved with gifts and romantic expressions.

Others, however, see it as a day of pain and heartbreak when old loves come back to haunt like a delayed Halloween with all the candy and tricks but none of the treats.

For these people Horse Thieves Tavern in Dedham, MA, has an idea- Bring a little Dia de los Muertos in and burn the images of your spurners in effigy while enjoying great food and drink!

On February 12, Horse Thieves will bring back their Galentines brunch, bubbles, and burn, at which guests are not only invited but encouraged to bring images of past lovers to either delete forever or physically destroy by tossing them into the Tavern’s enormous fireplace.  You can also check this new post about the importance of keeping paystubs.

While guests are symbolically spindling, folding, and mutilating, Chef Bruno Borges will offer un-romantic but still delicious foods like his fiery shakshuka, comforting French toast (made with Nashoba Brook Bakery bread), and cooling yogurt parfaits. For those who want to burn stuff on their own, the Tavern’s worth-the-trip cast iron s’mores sets will be available. Appropriate music will also be offered to help previously-glum guests light their fires without burning down the house.

When it is time to put out the flames (or to help kindle new ones), the Tavern offers a rotating set of international beers and wines as well as such singular sippers as their smooth and citrusy Bourbon renewal, floral and fizzy hibiscus mule, and their signature house punch (which may also work well on an ex-lover….).

Even if you are fortunate (at least in your own opinion) enough to have a partner, the Tavern is always a great place to drop in. From skillet cornbread and Buffalo-style cauliflower to chicken tagine, grilled Faroe Island salmon, and their homemade Horse Thieves hummus, the Tavern offers an international range of foods that are all homemade and soon-to-be- familiar (if they are not already).

Unhappy Valentine’s Day!

www.horsethievestavern.com

Bonde-ing with Wine

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After enjoying a successful set of chef chats and other food-related events, restaurateur and renowned sommelier Bertil Jean-Chronberg is expanding the offerings at his Harvard Square food and wine emporium Bonde (with an “e”). 

Among the options will be Wednesday night wine and food pairings that will feature everything from Indian cuisine and poutine to pizza and other beloved “junk” foods as well as eco-responsible, sustainable American wines curated by Jean-Chronberg himself. 

If Wednesday is not your wine-nesday, there will also be a set of “advanced” Saturday night tastings that are geared towards those with more experienced understandings of wine who can not only appreciate the taste but also have a familiarity with the terroir and concern about how the changing climate is affecting their favorite fruit. These classes will also look back into wine history to the days of the Califronia Gold Rush and ahead to the prospects of new wine countries in places like Maryland, Michigan, and Texas. 

For those who want to fill more of their weekend with wine or who want to learn more before joining the “advanced” classes, Bonde is also adding set of five Sunday night classes called “The Essentials of Wine” that will instill confidence in participants while they enjoy some liquid courage as well. From how wine is made and how to know one type (or “varietal”) from another to how to order and taste wine (a.k.a., “To spit or not to spit?”) and how to serve it (e.g., do you smell the cork or not?), these classes will also allow participants to get more familiar with Jean-Chronberg himself in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.

As the publisher of the hip wine newsletter Zero-Two-Wine-Three-Eight (a parody on his zip code that he calls “the most opinionated wine newsletter in America”), Jean-Chronberg is a noted expert in the field (or is that the vineyard?). By opening the doors of Bonde to so many people in so many creative ways, he clearly wants to expand people’s palettes while also expanding the world of wine itself.

Join him- won’t you?

www.bondewines.com

Caring Carbs

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I love bread in all of its many forms- from challah to sticks to toast. 

Among one of my partners in this passion has been our old fried Chris Wysong at Bucket of Bread.

In addition to being a brave Veteran, Wysong is also a value-based entrepreneur who has created a company that offers pre-measured kitchen kits that currently come in white, hearty wheat, and seven grain varieties, all of which contain no fats, oils, dairy, egg, or even added sugars and all of which make delicious healthy bread with less work and more reward!

And while I have loved every loaf, Wysong recently suggested in his newsletter that I put a new twist on his buckets by expanding my home-baked repertoire into cinnamon rolls, doughnuts, Naan, and other international favorites. The recipe book at bucketofbread.com offers many other ideas and handy tips as well, including creations that are perfect for various holidays.

Speaking of holidays, Bucket of Bread is a great base with which to create bread items for those you love. As everything the bucket bears is so delicious, you do not even need a heart-shaped baking dish (though those can add an even more personalized touch)!

No matter what you use the bucket for, you are sure to find it fresher, more delicious, and more rewarding than any store- or restaurant-bought version for, not only are you making it yourself (and so controlling what goes into it and what you get out of it), but you are also supporting someone who risked all for others and also the hunger-fighting organizations to which Wysong contributes proceeds as well. All the goodness in each bucket makes you feel as warm and toasty as Wysong’s bread!

Though sourdough’s days may be dwindling, the tradition of baking and eating at home still lives on, so you might as well enjoy the process and the results and start a new chain of success and happiness yourself.

www.bucketofbread.com

Boston Gets Spice-ier All the Time

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In addition to being a huge fan of condiments, I am also a devoted spice lover. One of my oldest friends in the spice space is Boston Spice.

Born out of Steven Bortnick’s basement in South Easton (where he still hand-mixes and packs his spice selections), Boston Spice’s ever-expanding menu of offerings runs from the historically-accurate to the forward-thinking, all with a taste of Boston firmly in mind.

Whether you were making meals with meat, fish, or vegetables, and regardless of whether your palette prefers low or no salt or sugar, Boston Spice has plenty of freshly-pressed packets that can help you start a Revolution in your mouth. They even have varieties that work for baking and beverages as well!

Though they currently offer over 100 varieties, among some Boston Spice favorites are their Battle Road rub, lemon peppah (that’s with an “-ah,” of course!) seasoning, their Asian-inspired Chinatown blend, the spicier Ole’ Boston and Boston Bueno southwest sets, a just-in-time-for-St.-Patrick’s-Day Southie corned beef pickling spice, and a Back Bay seasoning salt that tastes as fresh as if it were just dredged this morning.

As so many of their rich recipes are taken from Boston’s equally rich history, it is no surprise that Boston Spice products can be found at the Old North Church and the Boston Tea Party Shop and Museum (where their Boston Wine Party mulling spice is celebrating the dumping’s 250th anniversary). Just as their menu expands so too does there a list of retail outlets, which now includes the Kitchen Sink Candle Company in Groton and Bolton and Lilac Hedge Farms in Rutland, which has been bundling Bortnick’s blends with their own meats. And while Steve is happy to reach out to whomever has interest in his spicy sellables, Boston Spice products are also available online through Walmart.com (and, of course, BostonSpice.com).

Huzzah! Another local company makes good (or, as is so often true of our favorite food friends- makes GREAT!).

https://bostonspice.com

Redder and Bedder than Edder

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By now, I have gone on and on about Valentine’s Day and chocolate and realize that it may be getting a little fattening even to listen to.

Still, there is one of our favorite makers that deserves yet another mention- RED Chocolate.

As the first (or at least best) no-sugar-added, palm oil-free, non-GMO chocolate, RED is already one of the best options for fans who want to enjoy their favorite sweet treat while staying healthy(-er). But Red has been doing even more of late!

Not only have they been donating chocolates to our friends at Project Insulin so that their blood sugar-sensitive friends can also enjoy, RED has recently released versions of their amazing offerings that are kosher, keto- and Weight Watchers-friendly, and…wait for it…100% vegan!!

Using healthy oats instead of dairy, the master chocolatiers at RED have figured out a way to take out even more of the stuff that can bother people while keeping all the great flavor and satisfaction in (and then some!).

As if that were not enough, the new vegan variety uses their signature orange and almond recipe. So not only are you not getting gluten, GMO, or palm oil, you are getting heart-healthy oats, immunity-supporting citrus, and even protein-packed nuts all in one sweet (and, some might say, sexy) package!

Speaking of packages, RED now comes in their standard-sized bars that have an average of 30% fewer calories than other brands and also in new grab-n-go bars that have only 80-100 calories each, so not only can you get more out of each bar, you can also get less- when you want it.

And let us not forget RED’s famous pralines with their combination of creamy milk chocolate and crunchy, satisfying, and, of course, nutritious hazelnut and macadamia-packed centers.

Chocolate may be for Valentine’s Day, but RED chocolate is for EVERY day!

https://red-chocolate.com