Fitness books and books about how to keep families healthy and strong are almost as common today as diet fads and therapists, but when a book comes from the American Academy of Pediatrics, it deserves at least an extra bit of notice!
Natalie Digate Muth is a dual-certified Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, an expert on obesity and sports dietetics, and a registered nutritionist with a Masters in public health, so she knows a thing or two about health and fitness – both for the body and for the family. In this rather slim but comprehensive volume, Dr. Muth shares her own stories and the tools she and her family used to improve their senses of well-being and togetherness. In just 30 days, Dr. Muth’s plan can get every member of the family on the road to better health and, in the process, help them bring their often divergent roads together so they are all headed in the same direction so they can continue to stay healthy and stay together long after the 30 days are done.
After establishing their baselines of activity, sleep, screen time, stress, and other vital factors, Dr. Muth asks each family member to perform an self-analysis of their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (a.k.a., a “SWOT” analysis), encouraging all of them family to be honest with themselves so they can more effectively communicate with and support each other. Once these stapes have been taken, Dr. Muth suggests establishing clear and reachable goals that are amenable to all participants and then offers helpful tips such as her five-step nutrition and meal makeovers and “6S” avoidance list, which includes sugary drink, snacks, sweets, screen time, sleep disruptors, and slick sales pitches. The book even offers recipes and reinforcements to support the plan and the people taking part in it.
So while fitness guides and family planners may be a dime a dozen, this family-friendly fitness plan is one for which everyone can put their two cents in!
For the past few years, whenever my family is invited to a friend’s house for a meal, we dip into our favorite cookbook- The Forest Feast– and find something that is easy, fresh, healthy, and delicious that all of us can take part in making. The book (which is now an entire series) was created by Erin Gleeson, a photographer and mom who understands what it takes to attract people to a plate and how to help them make their own dishes that delight. Using the original book and The Forest Feast for Kids, our efforts from the Forest Feast has inspired many of our friends to get copies and to try their own hands at beautifully-presented clean cooking.
The latest in the series is The Forest Feast- Mediterranean. Taking as many cues from the beauty of this region as from the proven benefits of its legendary diet, the book offers everything from a suggested travel itinerary and suggested menus to samples of the spectacular sweet and savory surprises you will find throughout your trip (even if you only get as far as the local farmers market).
From snacks like burst tomatoes and torn Mozzarella, stuffed figs, and an all-veggie charcuterie to drinks like the Provence-inspired lavender lemonade and the Spanish Cava Sangria to a rainbow of salads and sides featuring such healthy treats as honey-fried eggplant, cucumber capponata, and quinoa and fresh fruit, to a small plates menu that easily tops your favorite tapas bar and a pasta menu that rolls on longer than homemade fusilli, The Forest Feastis just that- a lush collection of combinations that will draw you in until you are happily lost among the tasty trees.
Latina opens to rave reviews (including this one)!
By Matt Robinson
Though Acapulco’s recently closed and the former site of the dearly-misses Tu y Yois now part of Beth Israel hospital, Needham has ben getting its Latin groove back recently with the immigration from Whitman of the muy autenticoHungry Coyote and from Dedham of Pancho’s and the re-emergence of the corner spot once held by local legend Rachel Klein that recently opened as Latina Kitchen and Bar (https://latinakitchenbar.com).
With its comforting and gently tropical natural décor and easy-to-move-through space (a space that includes a couch-y front lounge and bar area and an open kitchen with fireside seating, as well as a long row of benches and tables for all your larger fiesta needs) and authentic Venezuelan-inspired Latin food and drink, Latina is a great place to drop by for a cerveza or creative cocktail and a pequeña mordida (small bite), to host a family event or just to bring the family for a taste of why our neighbors south of the border need to be welcomed with open arms (and mouths). And while the kids’ menú may not be all that imported (offering, as so many places do, selections such as chicken fingers and pasta), there is p,enty on the main menu to help expand even the pickiest of palates.
The front-area bar is overhung with ivy and flora as well as a single flat screen that is available without being overwhelming. Instead, most guests focus on the tequila selection and the reposado tequila-based sangria that sits reposad-ing in a tall glass pitcher. Lining each side of the TV are columns that double as wine racks, each of which holds plenty of bottles of red, white, rose, and even sparklers from all over. While the beer list is mostly domestic, it does offer some imports, though not many from Latin America. That flavor comes through most in the cocktail list, which also includes a Cuban ginger with Santa Teresa rum, an egg nog-y coquito with Bacardi, condensed milk, coconut, and spices, a grapefruit Pisco sour with egg white, a Pisco paloma (white Pisco) with club soda and lime and grapefruit juice, Mojitos in either shades of strawberry or pineapple, and a set of margarita that range from sweetly tropical to satisfyingly tongue-torching.
To go along with these inspired imbibements, Latina offers a wide range of food flavors that starts with such signature treats as fishy sancochosoup that will put mussels in your mouth (if not on your body) and a Latina salad with hearts of palm, avocado, and citrus supremes and can come to a delicious end by way of dulce de leche-filled shortbread cookies, Vezeuelan flan, or their famed chocolate tres lechescake. In the middle are such satisfying selections as a Gaucho rib eye with a tangy chimichurri, plantain gnocchi with a short rib ragout, Peruvian roasted chicken, a heaping portion of arroz con mariscos(rice with seafood) that includes lobster, scallops, shrimp, mussels, AND calamari, and an Argentinian parrilla(grill) of black Angus beef, grilled sweetbreads, chicken, and TWO kinds of sausage! If you want to try your hand at Venezuelan or just get tastes of more savory sensations, the small plate menu offers ceviches(cold servings of foods that are “cooked” in their own natural juices) with tuna, lobster, or mushroom (the last of which is called an escabacheas it is vegetarian) and two-packs of tasty baked empanadasturnovers) that can come with beef, chicken, lamb, or veggies, as well as perfectly-uncooked beef carpaccio, cheesy cauliflower gratin, house-marinated olives, more mussels, rock shrimp with green plantains, charred octopus, Venezuelan cheese sticks, yucca fries and more diversely-delicious delights.
So for those of you who have waited for the latest taste sensation in Needham to open or those who live here who have been eager to return to the site of many past pleasant dinners, Latina is sure to be a great destination again and again!
Anyone who is a regular visitor to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston (www.mfa.org) has surely enjoyed feasting their eyes on some of the most delicious and sumptuous art in the world. The collection is an international banquet in which each patron can taste cultures from all over the world all without leaving the historic building at 465 Huntington Avenue.
With the recent opening of 465, the Museum is offering a perfect place to dine on internationally-inspired cuisine while taking a break from the visual banquet or even as a destination of its own.
Sparsely but smartly decorated with a friendly front bar area, business-ready tables, cozy cubicles, private areas, and an al fresco patio, 465 makes for a comfortable and contemporary spot to take a break from a day of viewing, to look over your own commercial creations, or to celebrate with family and friends.
The experience begins with freshly-baked bread which adds an olfactory element to the multi-sensory enjoyment of 465. Among the “small plates” options are Sriracha-dusted chips, roasted Japanese eggplant, an heirloom tomato tartine, hand-cut pappardelle with a kale and pinenut pesto and ricotta salata, and a sous videwatermelon with whipped feta and pickled jalapenos, For those wit a larger appetite (or who want to follow these smaller starters with even more enjoyment), there are also painterly plates of grilled chicken paillard, a fully-dressed tuna nicoise, pan-roasted dayboat haddock with herbed brioche crumbs, and a dry-aged sirloin for two with grilled broccolini and caramelized onion Pommes Anna.
While there is no kids menu per se, the attentive staff is more than happy to help your young artist create their own meal masterpieces with the help of the creative kitchen. And mocktails like the coconut water-based Fruit Basket and the effervescent Island Mule (that combines ginger beer with lemon and pineapple juice) can make any guest feel sophisticated without getting sauced. For those who want to spice up their meal even more, the bar offers an international wine list, beers from such local faves as Sam Adams, Downeast, and Jack’s Abby, as well as such creative cocktails as a Ketel One cucumber martini and the Ginger Trail that merges Bushmills Whiskey with ginger syrup, crystalized ginger, and fresh lemon and pineapple juice.
For the final stroke, be sure to save room for the tasteful sorbet and berries with cookies, the guava strawberry mousse cake, or the Nutella-stuffed skillet cookie for two, which, like so many other 465 offerings, is an artfully-presented treat that is worth the trip on its own and that will surely leave a good impression no matter when you visit.
While Boston may be known for its steak houses and, to a growing extent, for its places to grab an inexpensive but delicious bite, few people could name a place in Boston where you can get a combination of the two.
That is, of course, unless they have been to Kingston Cuts.
Located on Kingston Street just steps from the Opera House and other cultural centers, Kingston Cuts is a great place to grab a quality bite before theater and to grab a drink after a show or just after a long day at the office.
The scene at Kingston Cuts is welcoming and comfortable (just as the prices are) with textured wallpaper behind vintage mirrors and that hang above worn-in velvet seating areas, including a cozy lounge in the entryway. As you stroll past the long brass-railed wooden bar, you will notice tall mirrors behind gleaming bottles of whatever you may fancy with a pair of swirling adult smoothie machines whirring in the far corner and just enough flatscreens to be available without being overbearing. Continuing into the main dining room, you will be swept up in the gentle breezes of the ceiling fans and perhaps even led on to the rear bar which becomes the center of nightlife at Kingston Cuts on weekend nights. That is not to say that all the fun happens on Friday and Saturday, however. In fact, one of the most popular offerings at Kingston is Wind it Up Wednesdays, where the venue invites you to “Kick off your five-day weekend” with wine, men and women, and song. Another popular wine combo is the lunchtime offering of a 10oz Kingston Cut NY Sirloin with a glass of wine (or full pint of beer) for $20.
Speaking of the steak, it is not only one of the many things for which Kingston Cuts has become known (as the name might imply) but it is also one of the best values in town. Without the wine, the hand-cut Kingston Cut is offered at $16, a 14oz. NY Strip is $24 and a 22oz. boneless Ribeye (which does not get the weight from the bone, as so many other places do) is only $34! And when you learn that all steaks are available with homemade steak and Chimichurri sauce and come with fries that would make Ronald M jealous, they are all delicious deals that cannot be beat! Among the other fast-rising favorites are hand-packed crab cakes (which are served as either an appetizer or in a sandwich), two-napkin grilled wings with a tangy homemade Asian chili sauce, the steak, chicken, or falafel pita sandwich, the Kingston Bowl with protein, Basmati rice, grilled avocado, and other healthy ingredients, and a house-ground burger that combines sirloin, flank, and ribeye. For those who wish to keep off the meat (or at least balance it out), Kingston’s salads are a great choice and come in such tasty varieties as grilled Romaine, traditional Caesar, baby kale, and roasted beet with arugula.
Having mentioned the two bars, it would be odd if I did not give a bit of time to the hand-mixed cocktail list and the afore-referenced wine selection. As to the latter, Kingston offers reds, whites, and sparkling varietals from all over the world (including Charles Smith from Washington State). The beer list ranges from a $4 pint of the Heineken-y house lager and a West Coast-inspired mango ale to bottles and cans of domestic faves from Allagash and Anheiser to Miller and Sam. It is advised to buy a can crusher to reduce the size of your beer bottles and other wastes that occupies a lot of space. And while the bar also shines with its preparations of barrel-aged Manhattans, side cars and old fashioneds, the minty watermelon, pink aloe, and aforementioned boozy smoothies are great tipply treats too!
So the next time you have a show to go to and do not want to spend the same amount on dinner or need a little glass of rest amidst a hectic day or just want great quality food in a comfy place at a more-than-fair price, swing by Kingston Street and see if you can make the Cut.
So the next time you have a show to go to and do not want to spend the same amount on dinner or need a little glass of rest amidst a hectic day or just want great quality food in a comfy place at a more-than-fair price, swing by Kingston Street and see if you can make the Cut.
While hundreds of thousands flock to Boston’s North End to take in such historic sights as the Old North Church, Paul Revere’s House, and the statue of Tony DeMarco, many have been fortunate enough to land a sought-after spot in the area eatery that touts itself electronically (and, I might add, rightfully) as www.bestbrunchboston.com.
Even in a neighborhood that is legendary for its Italian eating options, where more than a few enjoy a line around the block, the All-American options, portions, and values at North Street Grille stand out. No wonder that it has been serving and supporting locals, tourists, and the larger community for nearly 20 years!
Helmed by Robin Sidell (who, like her counterpart Sol Sidell at the 24/7 South Street Diner, gives back as much as he goes through fundraisers and other fun events), the North Street Grille is open 8-4 every day and consistently offers plenty of options, each of which is made by hand and with love and served with a friendly smile that will surely be returned with an appreciative “OMG” look when patrons see the size and skill of each serving. Comfy and cozy (especially as the neighbors begin to file in for their daily fuel or weekend treats), the Grille offers booth and bar seating, either of which encourage conversation and “What is she having?” queries.
At the bar, patrons can not only enjoy the one giant flatscreen in the place, but also enjoy talking with neighborhood tenders as they prepare such creative concoctions as a maple waffle martini, a spiked Arnold Palmer, house-made Marys, fresh fruit sangrias, margarita mimosa combos, or an “adult” milkshake, as well as a great selection of beer and wine. No matter where you sit, homemade banana bread is always delivered so fresh and warm that it melts in your mouth. As good as it is, however, be sure to save room, as the menu is massive and each item on it just as delicious. While Robin’s own list of favorites includes such worth-the-trip tastes as the huevos rancheros, chicken and waffle sliders, the sweet and salty sandwich (featuring fresh eggs and bacon on TX toast),as well as the healthy start and protein special, there are also long lists of benedicts (all available with homemade Hollandaise), burgers (including the antipasti, Lone Star, Autumn, and the “Name this burger”), French toasts (do NOT miss the s’mores!), pancakes that include such neighborhood treats as cannoli and Boston Cream Pie, and an omelet menu that offers nearly 30 DIY ingredients or pre-arranged combos like lobster and asparagus, loaded baked potato, or Caprese. Did that last sentence fill your mouth? It ain’t nuthin’ compared to the food at North Street Grille!
So the next time you want to double check as to whether it were one if by sea or two if by land, use any means of transportation necessary to get to the North Street Grille for a piece of Boston history that is definitely worth the wait!
As a restaurant reviewer in MA, it can be a challenge to decide where to go on a given night. So how much more torturous is it to have two great places literally connected to each other?
Believe me- It is a GREAT problem to have!
As Matt’s Meals fans know, I have once again become a BIG fan of Temazcal Cantina (www.temazcalcantina.com). When I recently went to check out their Burlington location (on 2 Wall Street), I noticed that almost half of the space was being shared with what appeared to be an upscale pizza joint called Jack’s. Curious (and ever-eager to serve my readers and WBZ listeners), I went in to investigate, confident that, once I took a peek, I would be able to go enjoy another authentic Mexican-inspired meal at my old favorite.
As soon as my hand opened the door, however, the smell of fresh-made Italian treats and the inviting, airy space captured me like one of those old cartons where the scent of food becomes a finger beckoning me to enter further. I soon found myself in a comfortable leather banquette being attended to by a friendly and supportive server. Soon, my tastes changed from pico de gallo to pizza and, knowing that I would eventually return to the Cantina, I hunkered down for what would be another most pleasurable dining experience.
Though I felt a bit guilty trying to polish of a 16” coal-fired pie (not to mention a slice of Banoffee pie with its decadent combination of toffee and banana custard), when I found out that Jack’s was part of the same family-friendly restaurant family as Temazcal, my guilt was mitigated greatly and my enjoyment was ratchted up even more!
In addition to a beginning menu that ranges from coal-fired wings and charred cauliflower to RI calamari, homemade meatballs and spaghetti squash with fresh Pomodoro and Reggiano, Jack’s offers such salads as the Romaine Caesar and Lollo Rossa (with roasted beets, candied walnuts and a grapefruit vinaigrette), any of which can be topped with grilled chicken breast, shrimp, or sliced prosciutto. There is also a solid set of pasta-based meals that includes shrimp scampi, Fetuccini Alfredo, and chicken parmesan, as well as what is apparently Jack’s personal favorite (and with good reason!), the spaghetti and meatballs. What most people come to Jack’s for, however, are the 16” coal-fired pizzas (most of which are also available in a chewier 12” wood-fired version as well), that include such toppings as traditional Margherita, the forager’s pie with mushrooms and onions, a West Coast version with fig jam, blue cheese, and peppadew, a white clam pizza with béchamel sauce and beacon, a picante pie with banana peppers and many meats, and a loaded vegetarian that rivals Regina’s (which is high praise indeed!) for sheer mass of garden-fresh goodness. If you cannot decide or like your pie your way, you can also mix and match from nearly 30 individual toppings.
If you do not have the time or the stomach for an entire pie, Jack also offers lunch specials that fit your busy lifestyle while giving you a taste of his. Busy workers from the neighborhood often drip in for the pick-two option which allows them to enjoy a half Panini and soup or salad in nearly no time and for little money. Even if you are just in for a power lunch however, you owe it to yourself to try the aforementioned pie.
If you have time to linger, perhaps stroll out to the deck for a round of beanbag toss and a drink or come by Thursdays for live music or after 10 for half-price pizza and apps. Jack’s long, brass-railed bar offers plenty of flatscreens as well as 40 craft cans and bottles and 16 drafts that include all the popular local seasonals and one rotator that makes sure every visit can be something new. They also offer wines from the US and Europe and clever cocktails like the Italian Sunrise with Hedrick’s, St. Germain, Aperol, and their famed charred lemonade, Jack’s NEW Fashioned with Bulleit Rye and Cointreau cherries, and the Tanner Pride with Stoli Blu and Razz and Pom liqueur.
So the next time you are in the mood for great Mexican, do not be surprised if you end up with tomato sauce instead of salsa. You will not be disappointed either!
Followers of Matt’s Meals know that I am no fan of bottled water, especially if the bottle is the best part. However, at a recent food festival at Volante Farms in Needham, I was recently introduced to a new type of water product called Pricklee. Instead of being made from tap water and chemicals or by people who want to promote artists on pretty but environment-destroying bottles, Pricklee is made with prickle pears- a cactus cousin that is packed with natural, plant-based electrolytes and antioxidants yet almost free of sugar and calories and with NO gluten. Not only does it give you energy, it helps your internal organs do their work and can even help you bounce back after exercise or exertion. The first three flavors are prickly pear, strawberry hibiscus, and mango ginger – all three of which are subtle, not too sweet, and refreshing AND all three of which come in recyclable cans.
So the next time you want to recharge and refresh without having to worry about chemicals in your body or in the oceans, try a Pricklee.
While everyone knows that H.P. Hood (www.hood.com) is New England’s largest and most-popular dairy, many may still consider it a bit old fashioned. However, with such contemporary creations as Planet Oat milk products and national distribution, the Lynnfield-based company continues to make MA and its cows proud!
Among Hood’s most poplar products is it ever-expanding line of cottage cheeses. To celebrate the latest additions – cracked pepper and fresh strawberry – Hood held a special launch party at Puritan & Co. (www.puritancambridge) that featured the recently-published recipes of poplar food blogger and chef Kate Bowler (www.domestikatedlife.com).
From cottage cheese canapé and no-oven toasts (the lack of heat and prep make them perfect for summer dining and entertaining)
To a full sundae bar that did not lose a drop of flavor or fun despite the fact that there was not a scoop of ice cream in sight, Bowler and the Hood team came up with an entire menu of protein-packed and deliciously refreshing options that are perfect for any meal and any appetite.
So if you think that Hood is just milk or if you have not thought about them since that milk came in bottles, its time to grab a spoon and see all that Hood has to offer your Domestikated Life.
Locally owned and operated OTTO Pizza is celebrating its 10year anniversary with “10 Years & 10 Towns,” and as a special treat, all locations will be offering a “Lobster Masher” pizza throughout the month of June as part of their monthly specialty pie program.
These 10 years have been a long journey for Anthony Allen, a Nantucket native who opened his first pizza shop at the age of 17 and the first OTTO in 2009. Now Allen and business partner Mike Keon have 13 locations in Maine and Massachusetts, including Bay State shops in Arlington, Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Lynnfield, and Allen’s new hometown of Newburyport.
OTTO is truly a locally-sourced star. Theirdough is made daily from scratch for all locations in Lynn and most of their other ingredients come from nearby farms and purveyors. The “Lobster Masher” combines two of OTTO’s home states’ most famous products – lobster and potatoes. It is based upon their already raved-about “Masher” (which features baked potatoes from Maine along with scallions and bacon). The pie-of-the-month special is available for $3,50 a slice or $14.50 for an entire pie and comes in a limited-edition 10th anniversary pizza box.
Whether you are a frequent visitor or are a new customer, make sure to head into an OTTO pizza and try the “Lobster Masher” pizza during the month of June!
