Author: Matt Robinson

THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET

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With all that’s going on in the Middle East, many are being discouraged to use many of the life-improving inventions that have come from the region.

Fortunately, the food is still too good to ignore!

In addition to Tzurit Or of Tatte, fans in MA can also enjoy the sweet creations of ‪Liron Pergament Gal’s Choc-allure and Uri Scheft and Or Ohana of Bakey and the authentic Lebanese flavors of Cedar’s Foods.

While the Haverhill-based, family-run company has been around for over 40 years, they are not resting on their laurels (or is that cedars?) and continue to innovate and introduce new taste sensations that bring the nutrition of chickpeas and other fresh Mediterranean foods to people all over the world with nothing artificial and everything fresh and founding family-approved.

Among their most recent releases are a pair of authentic labneh (a yogurt made with goat’s milk) that are flavored with scallions or feta cheese and onion and that make for creamy and cooling counterparts to hot and spicy favorites and great toppings for Cedar’s new pita chips.

For those who are familiar with their hummuses, Cedar’s can still help you expand your palate with new flavors like hot honey and pumpkin, each of which adds nutrition and pizzaz to nearly any dish.

For those who want to dip a toe in the Mediterranean, Cedar’s also offers single-serving packs that are also great to take with you on your next adventure (or just to work).

Friends and relatives may be facing unimaginable horrors in the Middle East, but at least we can support our neighbors while enjoying nutritious delicious food.  

APRÉS ALL DAY

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Though you may not know it from looking outside, it’s apparently ski season…somewhere. It is also five o’clock somewhere too!

That is why I was so stoked to find Backcountry Cocktails – a collection of White Mountain-inspired, beautifully-depicted recipes that are perfect for before, after, or instead of skiing, hiking, or any other exterior exertions.

Written by liquor legend Steven Grasse and food writer extraordinaire Adam Erace, Backcountry Cocktails has all you need for a great time in the great outdoors (or a safe and warm vantage point inside).

From a fresh-picked dandelion wine, a hard-seltzer-based Ameri-can-o, and a gin and juice-d Franconia 75 to a maple slush that brings in the best from the Green Mountain state of Vermont and an alpine cocoa that can be made kid-friendly so it is safe to drink even before your adventure, this handy guide to rural refreshment has something for every taste and activity.

With recipes and easily-improvised ingredients sourced from local crafters (many of whom are introduced in the book), readers can be sure to get the freshest, most authentic tastes no matter which new favorites they find. And as the book has offerings inspired by each season and tips on everything from foraging and fire making to beaver dam traversing, it is great to use to freshen up fishing trips, loosen up leaf peeping, or make any outdoor opportunity optimal.

The land of the Abenaki, Pennacook, and Wabanaki has been a source of sustenance and inspiration for generations. Now you can take some of the best of that knowledge and enjoyment with you wherever you go!

 www.RunningPress.com

COOKIN’ UP A NEW SPACE in NEWTON

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While I admittedly talk a better food game than I create, I still like to learn. That is why I was so bummed when Create-a-Cook closed and why I am so excited to see the space being revamped as Third Space Kitchen & Events.

I recently met owner Eric Brown and found that he also comes from more humble cooking stock. Having been in the tech world for most of his career, Eric went to the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts before opening Third Space in Groton and hopes to bring other amateur and professional chefs to teach and learn about food while building community and having fun!

The name of the place comes from the concept of a space that is neither work nor home but that is comfortable and productive nonetheless. Both Third Space spaces offer after school classes that are intended to imbue newer chefs with confidence in both their kitchen skills and creativity and evening classes that will work well for date nights and also as sources of great family-style meals that can also lead to networking and friend-making. 

Eric also hopes to involve area food-makers and even has plans to set up a podcasting area where he can continue the culinary community support he offers on the regional food forum Nashoba Valley Eats.

While he is already sourcing from Springdale Farm and looking for other independent food makers (which we also have in common!), Eric admits that not every meal will be seasonal and makes it clear that the recipes that involve out of season ingredients are meant to allow students to find favorites they can make work any time of year and to enjoy and learn about food just like Eric and I do!

thirdspacekitchen.com

AS COMMONWEALTH-IAN AS APPLE PIE

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As Matt’s Meals fans know, I am a BIG cider fan who has been fortunate enough to find favorites far and wide- from Austin Eastciders in TX to Champlain Orchards and Stowe Cider in VT to Angry Orchard, Nine Pin, Hudson North, and Left Bank in upstate NY (not to mention Canada’s Sober Carpenter for when I want the flavor without the fuzzy feeling), I am blessed with an international menu of apple-based awesomeness!

While these brands are all worth reaching out for, living in MA, I am all the more blessed to be able to reach just a bit past my front door to find great ciders as well. While I have long sung the praises of Harpoon’s offerings, I am also a fan of my cider-savvy neighbors at Downeast and Stormalong.

As our area has so many great apple varieties, it is great to see how Downeast avoids filtering their ciders and adds instead of taking away. While I often enjoy their blackberry and strawberry ciders, as someone who still drinks syrup straight, I have been especially enamored with their maple waffle cider, but always look forward to the next addition to their offerings.

As they are just a few towns away in Sherborn, Stormalong is another recurrent go-to- And with good reason! From their Boston Heirloom and Blue Hill unfiltered option to their Mass Appeal and Massive Appeal imperial, the Stormalong team knows how to pay tribute to their Nor-easter roots. And their Berry Perry and Light of the Sun varieties introduce other fruit flavors without stepping on any apples.

So the next time you want locally-sourced refreshment, raise a cider to your Commonwealth and common health and enjoy the local bounty in a can. 

https://downeastcider.com / https://www.stormalong.com/

FINE CULINARY ARTS

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In the Boston area, we are fortunate to host some of the best cultural institutions in the world and some of the best food as well.

One of the venues that combines these two blessings is the Museum of Fine Arts, which has long been considered one of the greatest art collections in the world.

Recently, museum added a wonderful new acquisition in the form of chef Nicolas Boller who is been appointed Executive Chef for the Museum’s New American Café, Taste coffee bar, and catering services.

Chef Boller comes to Boston from New York City where he served as the executive chef for Barclays Investment Bank, and the popular thrill-ride RISE, where he helped develop menus and managed a scratch kitchen that served over 6,500 people a day!

He has also served as Culinary Director and Event Manager for the sustainable food company Scrappy Meals and also as Executive Chef at Saint Peter’s University, where he helped develop a “farm to table” program. He has also been involved with high-end events like the  MTV Video Music Awards and NBA Playoffs (something that Boston fans know well!).

Among the new sustainable and locally-sourced flavors Chef Boller is bringing to the Museum are roasted stuffed local squash, Iberian risotto, brick oven pizza, cheddar and chive scones, and a standout grilled octopus tartine! As befits the venue, Chef’s menu is expertly curated, his presentations artful, and his food enriching and satisfying and sure to bring people to the Museum on its own.

Speaking of other Museum attractions, Boston’s beloved John Singer Sargent will be feted with a special fashion-forward show starting October 8 and the recently-opened Strong Women in Renaissance Italy shifts the focus on this historically-artful time to the women who contributed as well.

Michel de Montaigne once observed that, “The art of dining is no slight art.” Where better to see evidence of the effort and love that goes into fine culinary creations than the Museum of Fine Arts?www.MFA.org

GATHER-ING SUPPORT

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Our food community is made up of not only some of the most talented chefs and restaurateurs but also some of the most giving!

From Steve Peljovich at Michael’s Deli to Karen Masterson at Johnny’s Luncheonette to Jeanie Gruber at Wish Dish, the list of food makers and food sellers who often give away more than they make to support their community is inspiring!

Apparently, this noble tradition of giving goes back quite some time – all the way back to 1816, in fact!

It was then, in Portsmouth, NH, that a group of charitable women who wanted to support the families of local fishermen started a social services organization named Gather, which was one of the first such groups in the country.

Since then, Gather has continued to grow, gathering more support and also gathering more people it supports with its pantry and food delivery programs.

As evidence of its continued development, Gather opened the Gather Cafe at Great Bay Community College just last year as a means of combatting food insecurity among college students. The Cafe charges the general public reasonable prices for freshly-made food and catering services so it can subsidize the food purchases of area students, allowing them to fuel their bodies so they can fuel their minds and fuel the future for all. Though this may be an underexposed issue (especially considering that nearly 40% of all students go hungry from time to time), it is one that is unfortunately very real and that other schools and organizations would be wise to get involved with as well.

Another way to get involved is through the Seacoast Half Marathon on October 29. Proceeds from this year’s event will benefit Gather! 

With food and tuition prices rising and campus gun violence more prevalent than ever, students have a lot to worry about when they go to school. Eating should not be one of them.

Please go to www.gathernh.org and help gather support for this historic helping hand.

QUAK-ING UP THE FOOD DESERT

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As a proud Penn Quaker who has written a book about the Ivy League and who tutored Philadelphia students as captain of the Penn boxing team and director of the Boxing Scholarship Foundation, I was thrilled to hear that some younger alumni were carrying on the proud Penn tradition of town and gown community support through the food space and just had to take a minute to tell everyone!

When they found the boxes of ingredients they were trying to distribute being turned down by residents who did not know how to use them, recent Penn grads Alexandre Imbot and Eli Moraru went to Harvard Law School’s Food Law and Policy Clinic to develop a new model that would allow and encourage people to use food stamps om foods they would actually eat. It is called The Community Grocer.

Serving as an antidote to the food deserts that exist in to many communities that are primarily inhabited by people of color, The Community Grocer partners with other organizations to help people who are involved with Federal food aid programs like SNAP stretch their dollars further while making food that is healthier and more nourishing for their families and the communities. They also encourage people to cook and eat at home more often, making healthier meals in a healthier environment.

By offering market space with social gathering rooms and classes about nutrition and other sustaining subjects ,and other offerings that are often not offered in many neighborhoods, the Community Grocer provides goods and services that are necessary for survival and growth and will hopefully offer a model that others can adopt and spread across the country and around the world.

Watch for the Community Grocer team in a future edition of Lions, Tigers, and…Bulldogs?

Founder Franklin would be proud!

www.thecommunitygrocer.org

A LEGENDARY “GREASY SPOON” GETS EVEN HEALTHIER!

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When most people think of diners, they may not think of healthy foods. However, as we have seen at the 50’s Diner in Dedham and at our favorite South Street Diner in Boston, such combinations can be deliciously feasible.

While they may be famous for their pre-Sox game hot dog extravaganzas, big burger board, expansive Benedict menu, and mind-blowing pancakes that rival their sibling restaurant – the Good Morning America’s United States of Breakfast champ North Street Grill – South Street has always had a fitter side that makes repeated visits not only attractive but can make you more so as well!

Among the Diner’s latest diet-friendly offerings are gluten-free and vegan chicken tenders and sausage patties that go great with their vegan French toast and pancakes – both of which are made with gluten-free bread, oat milk, and egg substitute yet retain all the fruit-topped flavor of the original option. South Street also offers vegetarian chilaquiles that are as authentically South of the border as the meat lover’s variety that brings people from South Boston and beyond.

For those who like to pack in the superfoods while taking advantage of our local bounty, the Diner is upping its seasonal menu savvy with their famed Pumpkin invasion- a hearty plate of pumpkin French toast with a side of freshly-made pumpkin bread and pumpkin coffee (hot or iced). 

If coffee is too traditional a diner offering for you, South Street also offers a wide range of beverages that ranges from milkshakes and raspberry-lime Rickeys to local beers and international wines. And while the mimosas stop at 1 AM, everything else is ready whenever you are.

While the North Street Grille may have won GMA’s battle of Boston breakfasts, South Street is still an award-winning local legend that rewards repeat repasts. And whether you want to follow your diet or go all out, the Diner has just what you want…and more!

DUNKIN’ SCORES AGAIN

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It must be teaching season because I have been talking a LOT about coffee and other ways to get going in the morning.

Having already sung the praises of new faves like IQ Joe and Kickstarter coffees, I would be reticent if I did not check in with some old friends as well.

While they may be best known for giving America something to run on, Dunkin’ has recently expanded their partnership with Harpoon Brewery by not only bringing back their popular Dunkin’ Pumpkin flavor but also by jumping on the burgeoning beverage bandwagon of ready-to-drink spiked beverages.

As the coffee drinks are dairy free, there is no “regulah,” but the set of 6% ABV coffee-based refreshers ranges from the rich and classic taste of original to a bold and chocolatey mocha, a creamy and smooth vanilla, and a sweet caramel iced coffee. There is also a quartet of 5% ABV teas that start with slightly sweet and then go a bit wild with the addition of mango pineapple and strawberry dragonfruit. For the golfing set, there is even an alcoholic Ahnold Pahlmah that combines equal portions of black tea and fresh lemonade with a twist of malt liquor.

Though the flavors may be favorites to young and old alike (and surely will be for those who are yet to try them), as these beverages are for adults only, Dunkin’ has been wise enough to give them their own domain – https://dunkinspiked.com – and to sell them only in age-appropriate venues, either as single 19 ounce cans or in variety packs of 12 ounce cans that will help you stop runnin’ at the end of the day or just run a bit more mellowly in the middle.

I hate to mix sports metaphors, but if Dunkin’ Pumpkin is any sign of what Harpoon and Dunkin’ can do together, Dunkin’ Spiked is sure to be a slam dunk!

https://dunkinspiked.com

SPICE-ING UP THE COOL(?) MONTHS

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Though the traditional cool-down of fall is yet to transpire (please recycle, y’all!), it is always a good time to spice things up with our friends at Boston Spice.

Even though fall is not yet evident, the annual tradition of apple picking has already kicked off at many local farms. As many see him as the founder of this favorite form of family fun, Boston Spice is paying tribute to the legendary Johnny Appleseed (nee John Chapman) with their new Johnny Applespice baking blend, which is perfect for homemade pies and cobblers and also for cookies, cakes, and pretty much anything else you can make to end a meal for family and friends on a sweet and spicy note.

Another undeniable tradition is Thanksgiving, for which Boston Spice has their Plymouth Rocks the Brine dry spice blend. Combining Kosher salt, local maple sugar, orange peel, sage and other flavorful favorites, this brining rub will surely become a new family tradition as well and is a great way to add flavor to leftover turkey the next day and other meals all year ‘round.

A bit further on, there is another undeniable celebration to be had- that of 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party on December 16. As always, Steven Bortnick’s spice company is ready with the Boston Wine Party – a great mulling spice collection that is perfect to toast this revolutionary event or any special event that you may have (even if tea is not involved!). This warm and sweet set of locally-sourced spices is available all over town and, of course, at the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum in Boston’s Fort Point Channel (which was recently voted America’s #1 patriotic attraction!).

The weather may be confusing (if not dangerous) lately, but we can all still take comfort in family traditions, especially those that involve sharing and preparing delicious food. Boston Spice makes those good times all the more delicious no matter when you use them or even if you are just cooking for yourself.

www.bostonspice.com