Author: Matt Robinson

LIFE-SAVING FOOD

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Especially in these times when so many go without the basic necessities and so many more have challenges concerning healthcare, it is heartening to see a union between a hospitality organization and a hospital that benefits all involved.

The Viscariello Hospitality Group (which includes such South Shore staples as Mamma Mia’s, ThreeV, Carmela’s, and Mia’s Catering) (VHG) recently announced a $30,000 donation to the new Beth Israel Lahey Health Breast Center in Plymouth, which provides women in the region easier access to the clinical and support services, including screening and diagnosis and also treatment and counseling and education. 

 The donation will support the center’s registration stations and help make patients feel more welcomed and comfortable during challenging times in their own lives.

As it is a family-owned organization, it may be no surprise that the Viscariello Group used their profits from food sales to support other families in the region. Fortunately, their food is so good and also family recipe-inspired that it is easy to give back to them so they can give more to others. Form Mama Mia’s homemade pizza and pasta to Carmela’s upscale but still family-friendly Italian fare to the more eclectic but still comfortable Three V (which, as the name suggests, is run by the Viscariello family’s third generation), the Group has a wide range of venues all over the South Shore, making it easy for anyone to come find new favorites every time they drop by. And if they cannot visit when they want, Mia’s catering can help bring the Viscariello family’s flavors to wherever they are! 

Talk about providing care for the neighborhood!

www.viscariellohg.com

MORE WINE AT JUST THE RIGHT TIME

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While I remain a devoted fan and patron of the Boston Harbor Hotel’s Wine & Food Festival (which kicks off January 12 and runs through March), I am also looking forward to the return of the area’s largest weekend wine event – the Boston Wine Expo – which is scheduled to return to the Boston Park Plaza Hotel March 25 and 26.

This year’s events at the Boston Harbor Hotel include dinners featuring Chef David Daniels’s fabulous food paired with wines form such remarkable regions as Bordeaux, the Napa and Rhone River valleys, and South Africa, as well as legendary lees-leavers like like Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Les Domaines Barons de Rothschild, Frog’s Leap, Opus One, and our own Ruby Wines. There will also be master classes and meet-the-winemaker events that will engage and entertain everyone from simple sippers to international oenophiles.

While the Harbor Hotel’s event has featured hundreds of wineries over the course of a record-breaking 33 years, the Expo gathers over 100 over the course of two days, making it the largest wine consumer event in the nation!

In addition to being able to try so many wines at once, guests of the Expo will also be able to attend Grand Tastings each day from 1-3 PM and those who participate in the VIP program (which costs about an extra $50) will also be invited to an exclusive tasting at which they can meet the winemakers and retailers in a more intimate and personal setting. These extra-important guests will also receive gift bags filled with special offers from food and wine purveyors in and around Boston.

As the event has been away for a bit, organizers are strongly suggesting that fans pick up their tickets and VIP passes soon as a sell-out is expected.

Whether you enjoy luxurious hotels, great food or an abundance of amazing wine, you cannot go wrong with either the 34rd edition of the Food & Wine Festival or the triumphant return of the Boston Wine Expo…or both!

L’chaim!

www.boswineandfoodfestival.com  www.boswineexpo.com

HIGHER. FASTER. SWEETER.

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As we prepare for skiing season, many of us will be headed up to VT to catch some great snow and beautiful scenery. Along the way, you will hopefully have a chance to enjoy some amazing maple syrup as well.

While I have sung the praises of many maple-based favorites, including products from Ackerman and Anderson Farms, Burlap and Barrel, Sugar Bob’s, Cornell’s New Leaf Tree Syrups and Nana’s butter -and marshmallow-infused Special Sauce, there is a ski-centered syrup that regularly takes me above the treeline of taste.

Created by the family of Olympians Barbara Ann Cochran and Ryan Cochran-Siegle, Slopeside Syrups come in three class-leading grades, all of which are made with 100% pure maple but taste as if there is something warmer and spicier that makes each of them a natural topper or mornings on the mountain or just mornings period.

And as if Slopeside were not enough of a ski-free Cochran claim to fame, they have also paired with the energetic maple makers at UnTapped, another team of organic-minded Vermonters who use syrup to fuel skiers like Cochran and anyone else who needs a sweet shot of superpower.

Whether you try their individually-wrapped shots of syrup, their super stroopwafels, or their Mapleaid hydration packs, UnTapped is sure to help you tap into new sources of energy and deliciousness!

Not only does Untapped support your performance, but they also support creative neighbors like the skiwear pros at Skida gear, which is also available on their website and also make sure that you are ready to hit the slopes (or at least shovel out the car).

Ski season is (hopefully) upon us so it is time to tap into the slopeside life with Slopeside syrups and Untapped maple products.

https://slopesidesyrup.com / https://untapped.cc

LAY DOWN, SALLY

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As I am not only blessed with a wonderful and brilliant wife from CT but also with her pizza-loving family, I am well versed in the ways of New Haven-style pizza.

That is why I was so excited to hear that CT’s famed Sally’s APizza was coming to Woburn!  

(Speaking of hearing, it is pronounced “A-pizza”!)

With nearly 100 years of saucy experience, Sally’s has long been legendary around the Nutmeg State but has never crossed the northern border until now. And even for people who have welcomed the invasion of Frank Pepe, Sally’s is still a treat to be tried!

Combining their original recipes and custom-made coal-fired ovens, Sally’s consistently produces thin crust pizza that is chewy, crispy, and oh so satisfying!

Though they may be most famous for their original mozzarella and special tomato sauce pie, Sally’s menu also has such tempting toppings as the Garden Special (with onion, zucchini, and basil), CT”s famed clam pizza, the Calabrian Chile chicken pizza with oven-roasted chicken and an extra spicy sauce, a pie with fresh tomatoes instead of sauce and even a white pizza that goes without no sign of tomatoes at all! For those in the know, there is also The Insider which features diced onion and parmesan on Sally’s signature sauce, and once you try any of Sally’s Apizza-s, you will surely want to become an insider soon!

If you are not a pie fan (as if) or want something to go along with your pies (ah!), Sally’s also has fresh Caesar and Caprese salads and wings that come with the same Calabrian Chile sauce as the pizza. 

No matter what you order, be sure to save rom for some cannoli pie, complete with chocolate chips and powdered sugar. 

If you cannot get to CT or MA, Sally’s also ships anywhere in the country. Even so, it is surely worth the trip!

www.sallysapizza.com

MEET ME AT THE CLUB CLUB

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Though I firmly believe that most golf courses should be used for low-income housing, I am a fan of the miniature edition.

Unfortunately, around New England, the “putt-putt” season is relatively short.

That is why I was psyched to find a place where I can play regardless of the weather and even enjoy an adult beverage while enjoying what some may say is a child’s edition of a pastime that otherwise takes up far too much space, time, and money.

Combining great food and even greater beverages with some of the most creative and electrifying (or at least electrified) miniature golf holes around, Puttshack in the Boston Seaport is a great place to combine the 19th hole with the rest of the front nine!

Using country club technology that keeps track of your game for you and offers bonus points for especially chic shots, Puttshack not only allows you to drink while you play and not have to worry about keeping score but encourages it with such swing-saving swillers as the porn star martini (with passion fruit liquer and a smoke-filled side of Sofia Coppola’s sparkling rosé), the umami bomb bloody Mary (with umami ice, pecan wood bacon, and pepperoni), and the peach tea on a peachtree (featuring Tennessee whiskey from our old friends at Ole Smoky).

If you need something to absorb the liquid fun, Puttshack has such savory stroke savers as wood-fired Thai octopus, Korean BBQ bao buns, Puttshack poutine with red wine bacon gravy, and lobster mac n’ cheese rolls known as Boston tailpipes, proceeds from which are donated to Wonderfund to bring joy to the thousands of Commonwealth kids who are involved with the Department of Children and Families.

No matter what you eat or drink (and drink…and drink), the soul of the Shack are the holes, some of which replicate such other party-themed faves as beer pong and others of which involve trivia questions about Boston (though you might want to tackle that one early before your beverages bogey your bid).

And did I mention the TVs and DJs all around? Well, there’s that too!
So grab a club and head to the club that lets even duffers have a ball!

www.puttshack.com

PINK SAUCE

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From the days of Anthony Martignetti and for generations before, Boston’s North End has been known for amazing handmade Italian food that is at least as good as your parents made it.

That is why I was so surprised (and pleasantly so!) to find a new eatery in the historic area called Pink Carrot that offered alternatives to pasta and pizza (as delicious as they may be!).

Basing their healthful and delicious offerings on the medically-sound EquiLife products that were created by Dr. Stephen Cabral (which have apparently not only helped customers deal with health issues but the venue’s Miami-based and -inspired owners as well!), Pink Carrot ‘s menu brings a range of protein and produce-based products to the land of Carbonaro and carbs.

The drink menu pours from freshly-crafted coffees and drinks that includes nutrient-packed golden milk and golden coffee as well as brain-benefitting ‘shroom coffee to a produce section’s worth of freshly-pressed juices and both regular and enhanced “super” smoothies. If you want something to wash down with those, the food menu includes creative bowls with chicken, fish, and veggies, as well sandwiches and wraps inspired by international flavors that reach beyond Italy, and a menu of baked potatoes with sweet or savory toppings! Though all of the food is prepared and served fresh and fast, the menu also offers even quicker bites like a set of toasts that goes way beyond avocado and salads that combine fresh veggies in ways that release all their flavor and nutrition and that can be enhanced with a wide range of proteins and sauces to customize to your taste.

For those who do not want to brave the busy streets of this popular and populated neighborhood, Pink Carrot also has a special app that offers with specials and incentives, including delivery to anyone within the borders of Boston.

Que bella!

www.pinkcarrotboston.com

HOLDING THE OLD LINE

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As the list of participants in my Vetrepreneurs© column continues to grow, I wanted to focus attention on some proud Veterans who have chosen to serve after their tours by serving great food and drink.

Arch Watkins and Mark McLaughlin are former Navy pilots who ended up stationed in the same squadron in Baltimore. When it was time to put on their “civvies” again, the two soon realized that flying off aircraft carriers was far more engaging than being tied to a desk. They also realized that, as nearly any Veteran can tell you, there is no way to finish a tough day in the trenches than with a quality beverage.

After consulting some other veterans of the armed forces and the beverage world, Arch and Mark created Old Line Spirits!

Made from 100% malted barley Old Line’s American single malt whiskey offers essence of caramel, honey, and vanilla in a Whiskey that mixes well and is also great on its own! While the original edition is aged in charred casks made with white oak. Old Line also offers a straight-from-the-barrel cask strength as well as whiskeys aged in barrels that previously produced Armagnac, Cognac, Oloroso Sherry, and even Caribbean Rum! Speaking of rum Old Line recently released a trio of what they call Case 1 rums (“Case 1” being Naval lingo for ideal flying conditions) and have just devised their own six-times distilled gluten-free Case 1 vodka, all of can make any time of night or day ideal.

In addition to providing a great American whiskey and other drinks, Arch and Mark have also opened a great place to enjoy them, using an old hangar (naturally) just outside of Baltimore as their manufacturing facility and a tasting room that also hosts events of all sizes. Even if you cannot make it to Charm City, however, you can surely still enjoy Old Line, knowing that you are not only raising a great glass of Whiskey but also raising visibility and support for our brave Veterans.

www.oldlinespirits.com

EIGHT NIGHTS OF NOSH

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It’s Chanukah again and that can mean only one thing on Matt’s Meals- a mention of our favorite shmearing shamash- Steve Peljovich!

I know that we talk about Steve a ton, but when your food is so good and you do so much good for the community, you deserve all the support you can get (especially when your food is so good- did I mention that?).

As with all Jewish holidays Steve has pulled out all the stops and upped his creative level to new heights with his famed (and well-named) mishigas knishes. This year’s selection includes latke and apple knishes, holiday brisket knishes featuring his famous family recipe, and even a sufganiyot knish that will have even the most devoted Dunkin’ denizens converting.

If you want ein bissel to eat before the sweet treats, Steve has appetizer-sized latkes, blintzes, chopped liver, and the ever-popular dynamic duo of Auntie Bev’s noodle kugel and Auntie Gayle’s matzo ball soup. And no Peljovich family meal would be complete without brisket and fixin’s as composed by Steve’s culinarily adept wife!

Chanukah is a time to recall the strength and perseverance of the Jewish people and to share delicious traditions with friends of all faiths. Especially in these times of anti-everything, it is more important than ever to come together around the communal table. When that table is topped with tastes from Michael’s Deli, you’d have to be some kind of shmendrik to miss it!

If you ARE too busy lighting candles and spinning dreidels to make a holiday order, have no fear! The true miracle of Michael’s is that, no matter when you visit, there are sure to be lots of fun and fabulous choices, including Steve’s ever-growing menu of themed knishes, special offerings that raise funds for community organizations and, of course, the best corned beef around.

Give Michael’s a spin. You are sure to win!

www.michaelsdelibrookline.com

THE SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS

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As my fans know, I love chocolate! At this time of year in particular, however, there is certainly such a thing as too much of a good thing (no matter how good it may be)!

That is why I am so grateful to have found a company called KLEIO who offer a sweet gift that is perfect for the holidays. 

Providing a sense of what they call “sensory history,” KLEIO focuses on the sense that really allows us to enjoy the taste of chocolate (or anything else we crave) – the sense smell.

Instead of offering rich, dark, edible amazement, KLEIO offers candles (which are often a popular holiday gift on their own) that are intended to take those who are fortunate enough to receive them to a particular time and place (such as the tour I took of the Callebaut chocolate factory during my honeymoon!). And while it may sound a bit odd, when you learn that KLEIO uses actual historical research to create their candles and recall that smell is the sense most closely attached to memory, the idea of a candle doing things that food may not (which also includes allowing you to keep your weight and sugar intake down) makes sweet sense indeed!

Working with experts at the Fine Cacao and Chocolate Institute, KLEIO developed a Sweet Cacao candle that recreates and recalls fragrances associated with pure of Mesoamerican cacao.

If chocolate is somehow not your thing, KLEIO also offers the sensory-pleasing scents of famous scientist (and apparently botanist) Leonard DaVinci’s garden and (another personal favorite) a Midsummer Night’s Dream candle that can be accompanied by more Shakespearean wonder as part of KLEIO’s Time Traveler collection.

In addition to smelling historically accurate and just plain amazing, Kleio candles also come in lavish packaging that make the admittedly last-minute holiday gift of a candle into an unboxing experience that makes for its own memories to be savored as you enjoy the new smells and the sensations they elicit.

www.kleio.global/home

OH HOLE-Y NIGHT

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As so many people in the world seem to be more interested in dissention and division than unity these days, it is more important than ever for those who are so inclined (which is hopefully most of us!) to come together, especially in this season of giving and spiritual renewal.

And what better means of coming together and what better things to give (and get) than donuts?

Thanks to our friends at Kane’s, this sweet sense of unity is easier to enjoy than ever!

Through December 26, Kane’s is offering donuts that are friend and flavored like the traditional Chanukah treat of sufganiyot. These dreidel-worthy donuts are filled with black raspberry jelly that oozes with sweetness for eight nosh-y nights and topped with an extra bit of powdered sugar and jelly on top to make them shine even for donut-y devotees like me!

For those who came to the Jewish party later, Kane’s is decking their halls (and hopefully yours too!) with a red velvet candy cane donuts that is dipped in their signature honey glaze, eggnog donuts made with Lawley’s dark rum and real eggnog and a molasses-kissedgingerbread donut that will surely make you run run as fast as you can to get some. In Kane’s ongoing effort to include everyone, they are also offering a gluten-free chocolate candy cane edition and, as part of the miracle of the holidays, Kane’s has even created their first vegan donut – a  festively-decorated cake-style donut that is made with fresh ground nutmeg, cinnamon, and clove and rolled in snowy powdered sugar. All of these are available until New Year’s Eve so you can use them for thoughtful after-last-minute gifts and sweet starters to 2023.

No matter what (if anything) you celebrate and with whom (if anyone), Kane’s donuts are always a great gift for everyone, including yourself! 

So be sure to pick up a dozen (or two) and make your holiday nights hole-y ones.

www.kanesdonuts.com