Appetizers

BRINGING IT ALL BACK HOME

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Though I grew up in the Merrimack Valley, my writing career first took root when I lived in Marblehead.

And when you consider that my family shopped at Shubie’s all the time, it may be no surprise that I now write about great independent food makers.

As they have been around for over 75 years, it is a safe bet that I am not the first person to fall in love with the wonderful wares of independent makers with help from the Shube family. 

From freshly-prepared foods, handcrafted salads and sandwiches, and customized cakes at their recently-renovated Foodbar to candies and treats from other local legends like Harbor Sweets and a wide selection of gifts that includes great books to wine and spirits from around the corner and around the world, Shubie’s has everything you need to feed your family, sparkle a party host, and find a new favorite every time you visit! 

If you need help finding new favorites, be sure to take suggestions from third-generation Shubie, Dougy. 

If you need help finding great food for more than just yourself, Shubie’s also carters and consults on menus that are perfect for any occasion. And while a visit to the store is always fun, Shubie’s also offers online consultation and ordering and can deliver even to far-flung festivities beyond the beaches and beauty of the North Shore so you can keep enjoying even if you do not live nearby anymore (though I hope to go back soon!).

EFFIE-N GOOD!

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As I have been bringing my book on the Ivy League and my live author interview series to more venues (such as the Needham Library, where I will be interviewing everyone’s favorite radio host, Jordan Rich, on April 30), I have had to find more snacks to bring for my guests to enjoy as they linger to buy books and talk with the authors.

That is why I always have boxes of Effie’s Homemade on hand!

Based on the traditional Nova Scotian oatcake, these family recipe-based, hand-crafted cookies and crackers (ahem- “biscuits”) are made in Dorchester, MA and available all over (including at my book events!).

From their original Halifax-helped oatcake and European-inspired rye biscuits to their hearty and historically-accurate corn cakes and stone-ground wheat pecan biscuits, Effie’s are perfect for wine and cheese parties, mini PB&Js or just straight out of the box. There are also recipes at https://effieshomemade.com to inspire your next sensational snack!

For those with a taste for sophisticated sweetness, Effie’s also offers aromatic almond biscuits, bold and snappy ginger biscuits, brain-boosting walnut biscuits, and decadent cocoa biscuits.

No matter which you pick, all of their biscuits come in giftable boxes and samplers and many are also available in individually-wrapped two-biscuit servings that are just right for a satisfying snack or something special to share

While becoming a loyal customer is not hard, Effie’s even offers a reward program for those of us who enjoy their wonderful wares on a regular basis!

Come be a guest at my author events and you too will have that opportunity!

In the meantime, use MattsMeals20 to get 20% off at https://effieshomemade.com/

SMOKIN’ GOOD FISH

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I lived on the North Shore of Boston for many years and, though I have an ancient photo of my grandfather in front of the famed fisherman statue, the closest I ever came to Gloucester was a box of Gorton’s fish sticks.

These days, between the amazing fermented foods from Pigeon Cove Ferments and the great grub and grooves at The Cut, I am finding my way back more and more.

My latest find is Twin Light Smokehouse. As part of Cape Ann Fresh Catch, Twin Light takes fresh, ethically-caught fish from its experienced pescatarian parents and smokes it into its own set of salmon and shellfish sensations. From authentic Finnan Haddie and salmon-based “bacon” (the relative health benefits of which I need not go into) to savory smoked spreads, Twin Light has all you need for a shmear or a meal.

If salmon and mussels are not your thing, a visit to Cape Ann Fresh Catch will surely lure you in. In addition to offering the freshest fish from the nation’s oldest seaport, Cape Ann also offers a unique seafood CSA, the extras from which are either smoked by Twin Light or donated to area pantries so the unique flavors and nutrients that only fresh seafood can bring can be shared with those who might not otherwise be able to enjoy them. 
If you are new to Atlantic fish or want to expand your maritime menu, the Cape Ann website (www.capeannfreshcatch.org) has a handy guide to their various varieties as well as recipes that can encourage everyone to do more for their own health while supporting a healthy fishing industry.And when you can wash it all down with a Pigeon Cove kombucha- perfect!  / 

READY FOR ANYTHING (and I mean “ANYTHING”!)

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As the world continues to spiral into disarray, more people are abandoning the status quo and finding ways to survive out of the office and off the grid.

One of the best of these is Eric Christianson, a former Army Ranger who left the rat race of New York for the natural wonder of the American wilderness where he founded and runs Nutrient Survival.
Though many of their products offer nutrition that has served Special Operations soldiers and other well-prepped people, Nutrient Survival can also help everyday people prepare for every day. 

From ready-to-eat meals like oatmeal, egg scrambles, and even lasagna to powdered veggies that include all the taste and nutrition of the real thing (if not more!), to coffee and immune-boosting tea, Nutrient Survival has everything you need to survive in the canyons of the Sierras or the canyons of steel. They even offer a brain care line with a patented power pack of over 40 essential nutrients, omega-3 fatty acids, and other mental-stabilizing stuff that can keep you on your game and maybe get you off our meds and that can surely keep your mind as sharp and tuned as your body.

If all of this sounds a bit much, Nutrient Survival has a wide range of sampler sets that can help you prepare to be prepared at your own pace. Once you taste their delicious foods, however, you will surely be set to hunker in the bunker or just prep for your next boardroom battle.

As Matt’s Meals fans know, I LOVE to support Veteran-run businesses, but when the food is a great as this and as good for you, it is easy to enlist anyone to join me! 

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.  

JELLY THAT CAN GET YOU PICKLED

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We have used many words for food over the years, but here are two I have not heard together before- jelly and alcohol!

I have been a fan of PB&J since I was a kid, but now that I am…older, I sometimes seek a more sophisticated sweetener for my legumated lunch.

That is why I am so thrilled to have found Olde Haven Farm!

As it is a family-run farm in Maine, it may be no surprise that Olde Haven uses traditional and ethical techniques to process and distribute its many delicious products. What might be interesting, however, is that many of these products combine flavors and ingredients that are not usually combined.

In addition to their home-grown produce and meats, Olde Haven is known for their preserves and preservations. From authentic salsas from south of the (Canadian) border to mustard pickles that combine the two best hot dog toppers in one to dill-brined green beans and garlic honey carrots, the folks at Olde Haven know how to use old techniques to make new taste sensations. But what may be the most sensational are their fresh fruit jams that, as mentioned before, are often laced with liquor!

In addition to familiar faves like strawberry rhubarb and (of course) wild Maine blueberry, Olde Haven whips up boozy batches of cherry Amaretto, cinnamon apple Whiskey, pomegranate Rosé, and Bourbon peach (which is GREAT on ice cream!), and even a Christmas flavor that is perfect for mull-ing over a gift list. Speaking of gifts, Olde Haven’s products can be combined to fit any occasion and any recipient, regardless of age or tolerance.

From the famed Maine farmer’s markets to your local grocer (just ask!), Olde Haven is growing in popularity thanks to its combination of family tradition and creative ingenuity- Just like a farm in Maine should be!

www.oldehavenfarm.com

SHARING YOUR DOUGH

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I love to support Veteran businesses and I also love to support those who give back to their community, so I LOVE talking about Chris Wysong at Bucket of Bread!

As he was intricately involved in Operation Provide Comfort in Iraq, it may be no surprise that Wysong now makes his mark on society by providing some of the best comfort food around- homemade bread.

And as he has been at it since before COVID made home baking a thing, Wysong truly knows what to do with dough!

His certified-organic Bucket of Bread kits now not only come in traditional white, hearty wheat and his amazing seven-grain variety, but all come in two sizes- neither of which comes with preservatives, added sugars, or challenges for the baking novice. In a further effort to help others afford and enjoy healthy, delicious, comforting food, Chris recently lowered his prices, despite inflation – making his mouthwatering breads even more appealing!

While it is always fun and fulfilling to bake for friends and neighbors, Wysong takes the idea of breaking bread with others one step further by offering an online option by which visitors to bucketofbread.com (which also has great recipes and fun merch) can donate buckets directly to food pantries, knowing that an additional 10% of profits got help others as well! Especially at this season of giving, such extra-mile operations not only befit a Veteran but benefit the givers and receivers (who receive a tax deduction in addition to the good feelings that come from being generous).

So whenever you need a gift (or just a delicious, nutritious, homemade treat), forget the fancy paper. Grab a Bucket of Bread instead!

http://bucketofbread.com

The Brothers are BACK ;)

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Many years ago, I sang the praises of a great restaurant just outside of Boston called Brothers. It not only offered great food made by – you guessed it – a set of brothers, but it also featured amazing music by two of the most talented brothers in the area – Bill and Bo Winiker. 

When COVID shut the restaurant down, I was worried that the music would be over too. Fortunately, not only have the restaurant and the band returned, but they are now even closer to where I live!

The talented team behind Brothers recently took over Cook in Needham center. While I had not been there basically since Covid started, my return to the restaurant was well worth the wait! 

Not only does the simple but ample menu feature such tempting treats as charred broccoli with chimichurri sauce, a pita and dip set with creamy whipped feta cheese and zingy za’atar sauce, and an intricately-flavored sesame, mandarin salad that can be topped with falafel, chicken, shrimp, or salmon, as well as great burgers, pizzas and specials, but also great drinks, like the tequila and Mezcal-based Cactus Cooler, a spicy pineapple Margarita, and the wicked fresh Cranberry Bog.

Though the kids menu is less ample than that meant for older eaters, all the options are spot on and well-made. Our girls loved the chicken fingers and pasta, but suggested that they may get burgers or mac and cheese next time.

And then, of course, there is the music! Not only have Bill and Bo played at the White House, the closing of the old Boston Garden, and the opening of the new one, and at Symphony Hall, they also played my wedding and are booked for a number of future family celebrations. They are, to put it mildly, the best of the best! So to be able to hear their music while enjoying delicious quality food in a comfortable neighborhood place (that just happens to be in my neighborhood) made for a great way to spend an evening and I look forward to doing it again soon and often.

www.cookneedham.com / http://www.winikermusic.com

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

Great Greeks

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I have long been a fan of Farm Grill in Newton and its sister store, the Greek International Market in Boston. The only problem I have with them is that, no matter what I try when I visit either place, there is always something new and amazing that I have not tried before, so I have to go back again and again.

Some problem to have, right?!
Among the latest temptations have been the growing selection of Ambrosi-c Greek honeys (which are not called “the food of the gods” for nothing!). While most Greek honeys are particularly delicious and particularly important this time of year as a balm against bacteria, infections, and, of course, sore throats, the Market features one variety from another great Greek food family – the Fragiadakises – that comes from the pine forests of Crete and that retains much of that Retsina-like floral flavor. 

While the honeys are delicious on toast or even on a spoon, they pair particularly well with the Market’s mega-collection of Greek teas, including the chamomile that owner Katerina Iliades used to prepare with her grandmother back in the land of Helena and which she now ships (along with pretty much anything else) around the world through the Market’s website, https://greekintlmarket.com.

Another recent great Greek find has been the vegan Greek-style kabobs from Mega Meatless that offer all the flavor and protein of a freshly-sliced gyro without all the GMOs, soy, or guilt that other meaty meals contain. They even include authentic Greek olive oil (which is some of the best in the world) and Greek herbs and spices for that authentic taste!

If you want more real Greek flavor, drop by Farm Grill in Newton for lunch or dinner (their traditional Greek salads, grape leaves and kabobs are always amazing, as is their sweet and flaky kataifi) or have them bring their homemade treats to your home or office. All you have to do is go to www.farm-grill.com to see (and almost taste) what amazing new stuff is on the menu- and enjoy!