Desserts

Back to the Track

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I have long been a fan of Rail Trail Flatbread Company and its sister ice cream stop New City Microcreamery and so was thrilled to hear how successful the Valentine’s Day event that we recently promoted was.! 

Apparently, people came from miles around to pick up the special heart-shaped pizzas they made that we decorated with poems by neighborhood second grade students. Speaking of students, Rail Trail’s recent Teachers Appreciation Day event on May 2 was another hit, with scores of area educators dropping by for a well-deserved free lunch.

To keep the good vibes going (and the event calendar full), New City will be participating the Best Buddies walk at Polar Park in Worcester on Saturday, May 13, to help even more neighbors in need get support. On the 13th and 14th, they will also offer special Mother’s Day meals featuring their famed flatbreads and other delicious delights. The next weekend, Rail Trail will join their newest neighbors in Milford, MA (which was recently added to their sought-out addresses in Hudson, Sudbury, and Cambridge) by participating in that town’s terrific Milford Day festivities. As usual, proceeds from sales of their flatbreads and nitrogen-smoothed ice creams will go to support community organizations. May 21 also marks the eighth birthday of the talented team and their terrific treats- I can hardly believe it has been so long since I first fell in love with them!

As they are so dedicated to offering great food and doing so much good for others, it is no surprise that Rail Trail and New City have so many fun and productive events planned. There is even talk of presentations of a book about the Ivy league in the works!

Even if it is just an allegedly average day, however, Rail Trail and New City make any meal special and any day worth celebrating!

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

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

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

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

Grandma’s Cakes beat H.M.’s Crumpets ANYTIME

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During the recent Royal visit to Boston, many people wondered about who the Royals were wearing, where they were staying, with whom were they meeting, etc. Perhaps not as many pay attention to what they were eating. If this were the case, they would have missed out a one of our region’s greatest delicacies – cake from My Grandma’s of New England.

While sharing high tea with Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, Prince William and Princess Kate put aside their scones and picked up delicious slices of My Grandma’s cake. In so doing, they were introduced to one of the greatest improvements upon their native ways since the Declaration of Independence first overshadowed the Magna Carta.

For Mayor Wu and her fellow revolutionaries, the fact that My Grandma’s cake kicks any crumpet’s rump is no surprise. Having started with a cinnamon walnut variety in 1990, Grandma has expanded her handmade menu to include cakes with New England blueberries, Cape Cod cranberries, locally-sourced pumpkins, tropical bananas and healthful walnuts, and even apples from her fellow foodie Granny Smith. In honor of another one of Boston’s best, Grandma also offers a Ted Williams cake that will surely score at the top of anyone’s top 10 list. 

Though she started baking just outside of Boston, Grandma has since spread her sweet sales internationally, winning awards in both Inc. and People magazines and on the Food Network and QVC. She was even added to the ”O” list by food expert (and American royalty) Oprah Winfrey!

So the next time you have the future king and queen for tea or just need something that is fresh and delicious sure to do with so many other friends and neighbors in the Boston area and around the world do- Call Grandma!

www.mygrandma.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!

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