“LIGHT ALE or DAHK?!”

I was recently at an event hosted by the Boston Authors Club at Whitelam Books in Reading where I met my former Emerson colleague and fellow writer Delia Cabe.

When I saw her book, I knew I had to talk about it here as it is such a cool topic!

Storied Bars of New York offers a handbook that will be treasured by literature and liquor fans alike. 

From Greenwich Village to Brooklyn, the book takes readers on a literary pub crawl through some of the most famous (or infamous) drinking rooms of New York, offering captivating context and revered recipes at nearly every stop.

From the spare menu of McSorely’s Old Ale House to a suggested drink list for the entire Algonquin Round Table and from tales of lost legends like Elaine’s and the Chelsea and the storied demise of Dylan Thomas after overindulging his poetic proclivities at the White Horse Tavern to illustrations of Bemelman’s Bar and verses about the Nuyorican Poet’s Café, Cabe offers a book that captures moments in literary and mixological history that made the City That Never Sleeps worth staying up for. 

And while she admits that much of the history of such famed drinks as the Negroni and even the Manhattan have been lost to history, Cabe reveals a great deal of research that must have been a great deal of fun to conduct!

In addition to venerating the venues, Cabe also shares stories about the famous tippling typists who made each room what it was and who keep people coming back every time they visit the city.So whether you want to reminisce about the days before AI or rub elbows with the literary lions of tomorrow, Storied Bars of New York is a great guide whether you type or text, sip or slosh.    

PICKLE…POPCORN…PERFECT!

I’ve spoken often of the delicious flavors of Sweet Chaos popcorn.

Most recently, I discovered one that is more chaotic than sweet, and yet I can’t get enough!

As Matt’s Meals fans know, one of my favorite snacks (other than popcorn) are pickles. So how excited was I when I found out that my friends at Sweet Chaos were coming out with a dill pickle-flavored popcorn?

As soon as the box arrived, I tore open the first bag and was pretty much done with it within minutes. The combination of dill and vinegar was perfect and I ended up going back to the bag later that night while watching a movie on TV and then to the next bag a day or so later. 

Perhaps if movie theaters used Sweet Chaos popcorn, Netflix wouldn’t have such a stranglehold on the entertainment industry. In any case, Sweet Chaos surely has a hold on this popcorn lover! And even if you do not like pickles (I’m talking to you, “Green”!), Sweet Chaos has enough flavors to satisfy every taste. From traditional kettle corn made with real cane sugar and popcorn wrapped in real white cheddar cheese to their bag-at-a-time black and white cookie and peanut butter cup drizzled varieties and such seasonal stock-ups as peppermint stick and pumpkin spice, Sweet Chaos has been a regular resident in my pantry since I discovered them and I look forward to seeing what they develop next.

All of their amazing flavors are made with non-GMO corn kernels and hand-cooked in coconut oil for a creamy flavor that actually packs a little extra nutrition. 

Pickles and popcorn may sound odd, but believe me, it will at least be a gateway to some of your next favorite snacks – Sweet Chaos popcorns.

A Deliciously Dynamic Duo

Already legendary for such venues as the Japanese-inspired Uni (nee Clio), the bullish tapas titan Toro, Italian icons Coppa and Faccia a Faccia, and the always ass-kicking Little Donkey, Ken Oringer recently took a sip from France and opened Verveine on Mass Ave in Cambridge, right near MIT.

Apparently, genius knows genius!

Speaking of genius, Oringer has asked his award-winning pastry chef Monica Glass (a Food Network’s Chopped Sweets Champion who also baked for Le Bernadin) to go in on the venture with him!

In addition to taking tastes from France, Verveine also culls cues from Oringer’s kissaten craze and sprinkles in a bit of Italy too for a menu that ranges from housemade pastries and breads that can be seen from the street to treats that have to be tasted to be believed.

Though the menu is subject to change as Ken and Monica strive to serve what their fans and friends want most, among the early faves are a chili biscuit and buckwheat crepe that can both get your day off to a great start and a salmon and lentil bowl that offers a protein pack in a very refined package. The menu also includes a folded pizza with mortadella, burrata, and shiso pesto, and such stellar sandwiches as the harissa-coated roasted veggie, chicken shwarma, the satisfying BEC (with maple pepper bacon, egg, and American cheese), and the honey tuna melt. 

Verveine also offers some of the tastiest tea and coffee drinks around, including Fieldstone Roaster’s finest, an iced strawberry milk matcha latte that combines delicious and nutritious, and pea flower lemonade that is a perfect summer treat.

For those who want to take even more of the fabulous flavor home, Verveine will also offer Monica’s proprietary flour blends known as WLDFLR™ that make so many of her creations impossible to replicate but fun to try!

I guess it’s not “just Ken” anymore! 😉

LEADING THE WAY AGAIN

I have long been a fan of True Made Foods – the Veteran-run condiment company that uses vegetables instead of sugar to flavor their delicious line of products. 

Their award-winning barbecue sauces crafted by Veteran Pitmaster Ed Mitchell are the stuff of legend and their ketchup and multiple mustards are regular accessories on my table and at some of my favorite eateries.

As Veterans often come up with great ideas and advancements, it may be no surprise to learn that some more established food makers have seen fit to take advantage of the pioneer spirit of Veteran entrepreneur Abe Kamarck by cutting the sugar in their condiments and using nutritious vegetables other than tomatoes for their ketchup. 

(Maybe that is why they own a team called the Steelers!)

As Veterans are not the types to take such challenges lying down, Kamarck has announced True Made’s latest advancement of phasing out their traditional bottles and replacing them with a bigger, fully-recyclable one. Though the new bottle somehow holds more delicious products without taking up more space on your pantry shelf, I hope that it will soon take up more space on your grocery store shelves and so urge ALL of our fans to ask for True Made at their favorite stores and restaurants. Not only do True Made products offer all the flavor of what may still be more familiar brands, but they deliver it all with more nutrition and less sugar and also with the knowledge that you are not only supporting your health and that of your family but also supporting an entrepreneur who learned how to run a business while supporting your freedom. 

CORN – NUTS

When I recently interviewed Jordan Rich at the Needham Free Public Library about his wonderful book – On Air: My 50-year love affair with radio (proceeds from which go to Boston Children’s Hospital), many of my fabulous food friends donated samples to share with the audience.

And while there was an impressive spread to go along with Jordan’s impressive stories of his life and career and the many other lives he has touched, two of the most popular items were bags of Q’s Nuts and fresh-made caramel and cheese popcorn from Johnson’s.

While Qs has been a friend and supporter for many years, Johnson’s was a more recent discovery. Even so, my fans and I loved them both equally and, when the interview was over, I mixed the scant leftovers together for a delicious post-event treat! 
Since 1940, Johnson’s has been bringing the flavor of the New Jersey boardwalk to snack lovers around the world. Their air-popped, freshly-packed popcorns are available in an ever-expanding menu of flavors and come in sizes that work well for a family movie night or corporate event.

Though a few years younger, Q’s commitment to quality is no different and their selection of flavors is even greater- wrapping their fresh and nutrient-packed almonds, cashews, peanuts, and pecans in everything from maple and bourbon to garlic and an entire line of chocolate-based varieties.

While I look forward to more author talks and more great food, all you need to do to enjoy a taste of my Writer’s Block series is to visit needhamchannel.org, and please also check out Johnson’s and Q’s anytime you want a delicious snack that is made with love.

L’CHAIM

While it may not be popular to discuss, the Jewish faith has given the world a lot of great things that are worth celebrating. From monotheism to carbon capture and Alphabet to Waze, the people of the book continue to enhance and improve life over and over again.

It makes you wonder what life would be like if anyone actually did boycott all the things the ancient Israelites and their descendants have spawned.

Fortunately, there is even an amazing drink to raise when showing gratitude for all of these gifts.

Created by Chabbad Rabbi Chaim Litvin, Bourbon Rabbi (Yes- you heard that right!) makes award-winning Bourbon that stands up to any in Kentucky.

As Litvin is an actual rabbi, he welcomes aged barrels but avoids dirty trucks that might be tainted with unkosher freight or unkosher business dealings. The result is a growing set of clean and satisfying sippers that are as delicious with caviar as they are with cholent. 

Among the newest additions to the line are a sweet and spicy bourbon that is painstakingly but lovingly finished with honey and cinnamon and a rich and indulgent double-oaked set that has been aged for six years and bottled at cask strength for true connoisseur’s (like us!).

As a rabbi, Litvin is also happy to educate guests about his beloved Bourbon and why it is so important to celebrate every gift G-D has given us.

L’chaim!

POST TIME

I love to talk about independent restaurants, especially when they are run by a family!

That is why I am so excited to share the news about the recent opening of the Post 1917 steakhouse in Reading.

Located within the former home of Reading’s century-old post office, Post 1917 combines local charm with city quality, both of which are aptly addressed by chef/owner Jason Carron.

As he has been in hospitality for two decades, Chef Carro has been able to gather a team of fellow award-winners and harvest ingredients from the many family farms he has come to know and love that guests will surely come to love too!

From creative starters and sides like the foie gras grilled cheese bites, Wagyu dumplings, dirty fried rice, and twice-baked sweet potato to hand-cut meats from Brandt Farms and hand-picked local seafood, to house-made desserts that include cannoli zeppoles, a strawberry shortcake sundae, and one simply called “the cake,” Chef Carron’s menu is sure to combine local favorites with an ever-expanding set of surprising servings that are sure to satisfy!In addition to attracting people from his native neighborhood and far beyond, Chef Carron also hopes to spotlight Reading with his large patio, where guests from all over can come together to enjoy al fresco dining in the fresh suburban air while listening to live music and taking in what is sure to be a bustling scene. If the weather is not conducive, guests can still get to know each other at the large, quartz-topped bar, where they can also enjoy Post 1917’s international wine selection and creatively cool cocktails, including their signature takes on the popular Cosmo, Martini, and Old Fashioned. But that and the façade will be the only old fashioned part of Post 1917. The rest will all be contemporary and creative and sure to spread Chef’s fame even further.    

COME FOR THE MUSIC- STAY FOR THE FOOD!

I recently went to another new restaurant to hear the Winiker Brothers play.

As they had played at such favorite spots as Brothers in Brookline and Cook in Needham (and my wedding), I was sure that the latest stop on their legendary tour would be worth the trip as well.

Boy was it!

Neroli in Westwood not only offers a beautiful back room where the Winikers performed (and where they are scheduled to again June 27 and July 18), but an entire front market that features hot and cold coffee drinks made with one, two, or even three shots of fresh espresso, a hearty breakfast sandwich crammed with fresh cheeses and meats, customized subs packed with everything from their famous eggplant, chicken, or meatball parm to tuna and steak tips, or a fresh salad or soup to tide you over until dinner.

When you come back for dinner, stop to sip an Italian margarita made with Amaretto or choose from the selection of spritzes at the hopping bar and be sure to save room for freshly-made cannoli and gelato. In between, enjoy Neroli’s famed lasagna, their deliciously different vodka-sauced mozzarella sticks, freshly-sliced meat and cheese boards, creatively-prepared seafood, house-made pastas (many of which can be prepared Senza Glutine as my cookbook-writing friends Cindy Coddington and Jo Provenzano Hoppe would say), and steaks that stand up to any downtown dining room. 

Though I plan to come back for the Brothers, it is safe to say that any night at Neroli will be a night enjoyed!    

GRAZIE, SETH!

Seth Greenberg has long been known as the man behind Mistral, Mooo, M80, and many more massive hits.
His latest splash on the banks of the Charles River is the recently-opened MonteVerdi at the Four Diamond Royal Sonesta Hotel in Cambridge.

Turning the German into Italian, MonteVerdi pays tribute to the Greenberg’s family’s time near Venice, where Seth’s late father owned a clothing factory and where his mother was dubbed “Signora Monteverdi.” 

Combining views of the Charles with flavors of the Po and Tiber, MonteVerdi will also bring together the titanic (and locally-spourced) talents of former Ashmont Grill and Rendezvous Chef Christian Ellis, Serafina Back Bay and Verb Hotel manager Jared Hall, and Seth’s favorite designer, Petra Hausberger of Somerton Park Interiors.

Greenberg’s menu is apparently going for the “less is more” philosophy that is the mark of great Italian cooking. With flatbread pizzas and freshly-made pastas to locally-sourced seafood, a new edition of legendary chef Gordon Hammersley’s roast chicken, and an amazing homemade sauce, MonteVerdi will offer everything your Nonna did…and more! 
Opening just as the weather warms, Monteverdi will not only offer an al fresco raw bar but also one of the largest terraces in town, making it the perfect place for a beautiful brunch, a dreamy dinner, or an Italian-inspired evening. This is such a scoop that there is not even a website yet, but you can try

MAZAL TOV, STEVE!

I know that there are few people we talk about more than Steve Peljovich of Michael’s Deli in Brookline. However, as this meat-minded mensch just ran through another Relay for Life to raise funds for the American Cancer Society and is also celebrating his 13th year as the King of Corned Beef, I wanted to wish him a mazal tov on his personal passion and productivity and his business bar mitzvah.

In addition to offering the best in traditional deli in the area (including meats that are “imported” daily from Brooklyn), Steve has maintained a menu of masterfully mishegas-ed knishes that have offered ingredients that have ranged from traditional potato and kasha to Fruity Pebbles and Nutella, with the only consistent theme being their deliciousness.

While it is always fun to drop by and be treated like family at Steve’s Coolidge Corner location, my family always loves it when I bring things home and we have often asked Steve to use his favorite family recipes (including Auntie Bev’s noodle kugel and his mother’s heavenly homestyle meatloaf) to serve and satisfy our family and many others. From finger sandwiches to yard-long subs, Steve has everything you need to bring more flavor and fun to all sort of events – including bar mitzvahs!

When not supporting his friends and neighbors with food (which he also readily donates to area shelters and sports teams, including the Boston Bruins and the Shawn Thronton Foundation), Steve also supports cancer patients and other neighbors and is always ready with a warm smile and friendly greeting, which somedays is more sustaining than even his delicious food.Thanks again, Steve!