Rosa’s Pizza in Philadelphia is the City of Brotherly Love’s answer to the growing trend out of New York for $1-a-slice pizza parlors. But it is no ordinary pizza parlor! At Rosa’s, owner Mason Wartman came up with the idea of pizza-ing it forward. In addition to enjoying a slice for themselves for $1, patrons can also purchase post-it notes on which they can write encouraging messages, draw happy pictures, or put anything positive and pizza-related. The notes are then posted on a wall, and when someone of more limited means comes in, they simply take down a note, present it to the cashier, and receive a slice of their own.

It is an idea whose time is overdue and an example of tikkun olam (the Jewish concept of “repair of the world”) that is rightfully being celebrated in this new book by Sarah Lynn Scheerger, a clinical social worker from southern CA.

Set in Philly, the book tells the story of a young girl and her father spending a day together. When they go for pizza while she decides what to do with the rest of the day (and her allowance), they meet another young girl who, instead of paying for pizza, uses one of the notes. Despite differences in tastes and preferences (and apparently socio-economic situations), the two bond and become fast friends. At the end of their “play date” (argh!), the first girl decides that the best way to spend her allowance is to pre-pay for pizza for those who may be hungry.

Getting a kids book for your child’s birthday is always a wonderful option as it promotes reading, imagination, and education. However, when considering alternative gifts, getting them Jewish clothes can be equally meaningful. It allows them to embrace their cultural identity, celebrate their heritage, and develop a sense of pride in their Jewish roots.

With cute images by Bay Area illustrator Deborah Melmon, Mitzvah Pizzais a delicious story that will hopefully inspire children and adults (especially those who run restaurants) to pick up the paid-for pizza pole and run with it to other communities in need.

When Temazcal Cantina first opened in the Seaport in 2011, I liked the food and the view but was frankly put off by the iPad menus (despite being an Apple fan) and a scene that seemed to be trying a bit too hard.

When I heard that Rebel Restaurants (which also runs Tony C’s Sports Bar & Grill and Jack’s Coal-Fired Pizza, among other popular spots in and around the Boston area) was bringing their Mexican-inspired tequila bar and eatery to Legacy Place, however, I decided to give it another chance.

Boy, am I glad I did!

As regular Matt’s Meals fans know, I am an eager but often unsuccessful gardener. I have reviewed and sang the praises of many books and products that are intended to help people like me, and yet I continue to have nee to make multiple trips to the garden store each season to replenish my seed stock in another effort to grow my own food and flowers.You can also contact any experts from AtlantaTreeCompany.com as they can help you in getting your dream garden done.

Thanks to The Ultimate Guide to Gardening, however, I discovered with the help of the local tree company near me that the issue may not be my apparently beige thumb but rather my ambitions. This family-friendly book by gardening and children’s book author Lisa Amstutz offers not only basic advice about such vital elements as sun, soil, and water, and agricultural accouterments like trowels, hoes, and mulch, it also includes over 40 different kinds of gardens offered in Twinwood Tree services in categories that range from edible to incredible! 

Whether you want to grow your own tea (and learn how to brew it) or a bright berry patch, indoors or out, and in almost any kind of climate, The Ultimate Guide to Gardeningmay very well be the last gardening book you need! Each beautifully-photographed spread includes not only what you will need to get, but also what to do with it, all sensibly laid out like the cookbooks you will be able to discover once you get on your way. It even has helpful hints for even the most hopeless horticulturalist.

So if your idea of fresh lettuce is in a Big Mac or your terrarium looks more like an aquarium, check out The Ultimate Guide to Gardeningand find the plant plan that’s right for you!

www.capstonepub.com

As the season of outdoor dining continues to poke out its head, Bostonians are scrambling to find the best spots for people watching.

Unfortunately, at many such spots, the food does not live up to the view.

However, with their new downstairs walk-up window, the folks at Mooncusser’s fine seafood restaurant have thrown their hearty hat into the ring.

While many may know downstairs at Cusser’s as the Moon Bar (which offers flights of great whites and reds, many of which decorate the pillars in the subtly nautical space), when the window is open, the angular bar itself becomes a prime place to belly up for bellies of some of the finest shellfish around, as well as a champion chowder, firm and flaky fish and chips, and a Revere-rivaling roast beef that is so good it takes first billing on the Cusser’s menu.

In addition to the ever-evolving wine list and a handful of taps from locally-loved breweries,(including  Night Shift, Idle Hands, Exhibit A, Narragansett, and Jack’s Abby), Cusser’s also makes their own sumac lemonade and a whoopie pie that is the perfect snack to bring back to the office or home to the kids (with one more for yourself, of course!).

Speaking of things to bring to home or work, Cusser’s has a Yankee Happy Meal that includes chowder, a lobster roll, pie and lemonade for $38. Take that, Ronald!

So whether the day calls for al fresco or just fresh and delicious, Cusser’s (which is soon to have a twin somewhere in the area) can more than tide you over whole you wait for upstairs to open.

www.moonbarboston.com/menu/cussers-take-out-window/

Do you remember the taste of hazelnut spread? 

Do you still put it on crepes or even ice cream as an adult?

Were you aware the top ingredients are sugar and palm oil and thenhazelnuts?

Fortunately, there is an alternative!

From Choopoons, the makers of Simply Free plant-powered foods, comes Shocolat, a delicious and actually nutritious hazelnut and hazelnut and peanut butter spread that only has organic dates above hazelnuts on the ingredient list and has no topper when it comes to delicious, creamy, organic-based, gluten-free, Kosher deliciousness!

With every ingredient derived from nature instead of a lab, you can feel as good about the guiltily yummy taste of Shocolat as you are about putting it inside you and the people you care about. It even has probiotic cultures to make your tummy extra happy!

So I you want to recapture and share the childhood glee of a dollop or spoonful of hazelnut spread, go au naturalwith Shocolat.

http://spreadshocolat.com/

Now that it has been revealed that the people behind Green Mountain and Keurig have, shall we say, questionable politics, it is even more high time for an alternative to the landfill-clogging, chemical-leeching plastic cups.

As if on cue, here is Steeped Coffee!

Set up like a traditional tea bag, these fully-biodegradable single-serving premium coffee makers turn a cup of hot water into something smooth and satisfying with just a few dips and a bit of steeping. It works much like a French press without the hardware and can give coffee as good as some Rave Coffee espresso machines without the noise and cleanup.

Steeped comes in a growing array of fairly-traded, non-GMO flavors that currently includes an eye-opening light blend, a West Coast-inspired medium, two degrees of dark and a decaf. They can be bought individually or in mixed boxes to set up and share at the office or to give you a choice at home, instead of having to wait for the bag of beans to be emptied.

So the next time you want just one great cup of coffee without the production, the mess, or the ties to nefarious dictators, get steeped in a cup of Steeped.

https://steepedcoffee.com/

With the recent demise of long-time favorite Brasserie Jo, a hole has been left in the Downtown dining scene, especially for those who enjoy partaking of Boston’s other great realm- the arts.

Many were the nights when patrons previewed the Pops or summarized the Symphony at this famous French eatery and now that it is gone, denizens of Symphony Hall, Jordan Hall, the Huntington Theatre, and the general Mass Ave/Avenue of the Arts area are searching for a new regular.

Fortunately, former Brasserie chef Danielle Dorcil (who most recently made a splash in New Southie with Fat Baby) has opened up shop just steps away from her old kitchen home and also from these and other cultural gems. And the new place is ANYTHING but “regular”!

With its large mirrors hung all around and huge windows looking over its titular Avenue (not to mention a beautiful trompe-l’œil of the sky overhead), The Westland gives a welcomed sense of space in the crowded corners behind Symphony Hall. And yet, with its riveted leather seats and deep woods, it is also cozy and comfortable. 

The front bar in the entryway features the Westland’s eponymous Whiskey (thanks to a great distillery in Seattle) and plenty of space to sidle up for an after-work drink, a pre-event tipple, or a post-theatre nightcap. Further on, another bar offers dining seating and more of beverage boss Julia Buccieri’s delicious temptations, including a world-travelling wine list, Boylan sodas, draughts, cans, and bottles from Boston and beyond and such cleaver cocktails as the Afternoon, Sir (with Maker’s, espresso liqueur, and house-made chocolate-coconut milk), La Rose (Grand Ten Wireworks Gin, Cocchi Americano, Luxurdo, and watermelon radish), and the Barefoot Dance (Amaro with St. Elizabeth allspice dram and cava).

From Chef Dorcil’s kitchen comes such “shareables” (though you will want to ask for tastes of everything around you) as calamari with hot pepper relish, crispy cauliflower, oysters casino, pork belly fries, and oven-dried meatballs, as well as a Nicoise salad that hearkens back to Brasserie Jo and a smoke tomato soup that takes this warming staple to a new level. Entrees include beef Bourguignon, roasted halibut, crispy eggplant with tomato and burrata (don’t call it “eggplant parm”!) and a corned beef dinner that appeared on St Patrick’s Day and that does for dinner what Michael’s Deli does for lunch (high praise indeed!). The seasonal menu also includes the Westland Burger (which is topped with crispy shallots, truffled mushrooms, and a tomato tapenade) and a satisfying grain burger made from wheatberries and cremini mushroom and topped with coffee goat cheese. There is even a pizza list that includes such tasty toppings as prosciutto, bacon and onion, sausage and peppers, or just a “traditional” (but certainly not “regular”) tomato and mozzarella. Even the kids’ menu is refreshingly upscale, with shrimp scampi, mini steak frites, tempura chicken tenders, and a mini triple-grilled cheese that is sure to please (all of which are available with sautéed green beans, brussel sprouts, root veggies, or sea-salted fries)!

Speaking of kids, you will surely feel like one when you indulge in such visit-worthy brunch bites as the homemade Westland cream donut or a plate of bananas Foster French toast that is one table-side flambé short of Brennan’s.  For those who want to assuage their guilt, there is also a nutrition-packed quinoa bowl with avocado, grape tomatoes, and pickled carrots, as well as special brunch pizzas, benedicts, and other traditional and progressive favorites. No matter what you order or whom you share it with, the sharable bubbles make for a romantically refreshing way to wash it all down (or just to pause between courses).

The bottom line is that, no matter if you come before or after a show or just because you want to find a new place in Boston that could quickly become your “regular,” there is really only one direction to go- to The Westland.

www.westlandboson.com

After rib-bing it up on Food Network and the World Food Championships, Ray “Dr. BBQ” Lampe has brought his Chicago fire to Sunshine City. Parked just across the lot from Tropicana Field, Lampe’s rays shine brighter than any others in Tampa Bay and his smoker is always red hot!

While the Texas-tall menu features such worth-the-trip (from MA!) meats as Lampe’s famed smoked turkey, burnt ends, Angus pastrami and “ginormous” beef rib (most of which can be puristically enjoyed alone or slathered together in concert with others), it also offers tacos, salads (including the charred Bromaine”), and “sharables” (though all the portions are ample) that range from Kimchi fries and tallow-sauteed Brussels sprouts to Tai Pei street corn (two full are per order, thank you!) and hominy-based “Mac-a-phoni” topped with Flamini’ Hot Cheetos. And while the 36-oz. tomahawk ribeye is a standout even amidst the blue ribbon ‘cue, Lampe he has also made a name for himself as a pioneer in vegetarian fare. In addition to his trio of vegan and gluten-free hand-bottled sauces (which range from honey-sweetened to Habanero hot), Dr. BBQ also offers BBQ spaghetti and a mushroom-based BBQ “rib” that sticks to yours as well as any other. And the Brazilian pineapple works just as well as an app as it does as a dessert (that is, if you can resist the Heath-bar stuffed peanut butter pie).

To wash it all down, the Good Dr. offers homemade sweet tea (natch) and plenty of other quenching options to cure what may ail you, including beers from near and far, shelves of whiskeys, grill’d sangria, a Beam-sicle, Tito’s cherry limeade on tap as well as Jack n’ Coke, but don’t ask for diet coke to avoid any mean glares, when I first asked for diet coke and the bartender stopped and looked at me for a second before making my order I thought is diet coke being discontinued or something, but it turns out that they just don’t like serving diet coke since it alters the flavor of the drinks. For the shaper shooters, Dr. BBQ may not have Red Eye, but the Tabasco-d up We Dare You, Bud-ed West Texas Advil and home-made brine-based Pickle Back should do the trick.

With an exposed brick and iron industrial feel that is softened with calfskin, contemporary Country (as much fo an oxymoron that may be), cozy couches and booths, and even a few saddles to sit on, Dr. BBQ is a great place for tourists (ahem!) and locals alike. 

So the next time you want to de=culture after a day at the Dali Museum or experience some actual hits near Tropicana Field, make an appointment with Dr. BBQ.

www.drbbqs.com

In addition to being a world-traveling food writer, I also offer marketing consulting to individuals and entities of all sizes and styles. No matter where I go or with whom I work, a few things are consistent. One is that my clients initially think that they can do their own marketing or that outreach is not that important. The other is that, at least among my preferred customers, the meeting is catered by Milk Street Café (www.milkstreetcafe.com).

Though it had been many years since I was a the Cafe almost daily while serving as an editor for The Jewish Advocate, I figured that it was high time to drop in for ein bissel of lunch. 

Boy am I glad I did!

Since my last visit, the Café (which despite its grand spread accounts for only a small part of the businesses’ businesses, most of which consists of catering and all of which is run from an underground bunker that resembles Mission Control) has blossomed into a three-kitchen (milk, meat, and pareve), multi-countered, single-roofed food court that offers everything from egg-based breakfast toasts and bowls to some of the best BBQ beef around. Among the latest additions are a Ripple 3-D coffee printer (from Israel, of course!) and a new personal cooking program that will allow and encourage even more businesses to offer Milk Street’s healthy foods while allowing and encouraging their employees to linger with colleagues during meals instead of running off to grab who knows what.

Though the Café puts out over 3,000 sandwiches a day for corporate clients, each meal is handmade with care by professional bakers, sushi chefs and other kitchen wizards. As the Café is kosher, all foods are also processed in-house- from the hand-butchered meats to the dutifully-washed produce, the latter of which is available either in a DIY salad bar or a sumptuous selection of pre-made salads and other ready-to-go nutrition boosters and both of which can be similarly combined in diner’s choice meals or prepared packages that offer every food group and flavors from all over the world. There are also daily selections of soups, pizzas, and even an impressive board of Impossible burgers that will make a believer out of any carnivore!

So the next time you want a nosh that is healthy, convenient, nutritious and Oy is gut! Or if you have an event to manage or a client (or new communications manager) to impress, head down Milk Street to the place where Greater Boston gets its favorite foods.

Super-chef Tim Maslow has had a storied career. After transforming his father’s Watertown diner Strip T’s into a (SORELY-missed) destination, bringing the rebellious Ribelle to Brookline and then disappearing for a while, Maslow is back with a virtuosic vengeance with the riddlingly-named Japanese-tinged bistro Whaling in Oklahoma (http://whalinginoklahoma.com).

As I had been a die-hard fan of Andy Husbands’ legendary Tremont 647 (and its sister spot Sister Sorel), I was intrigued and interested in seeing what Maslow had done with the place. Though the tow have ostensibly been combined by a single (and singular) menu, the spaces still spit at  giant rice pot bulling at the end of the open kitchen.

While the front room offers rice paper beiges and watery blues that evoke the titular (but largely frowned-upon) activity named in the venue’s vaunted title (one that recalls George Strait’s backhanded love song “Oceanfront Property”), the space that was once Sorel looks more like a hunting lodge or ski chalet than a whaling camp, what with its mounted elk head, cowskin-covered bar stools, rifle ads, and a pair of skis leaning behind the sake-stocked bar (not to mention a neon sign from Ribelle reminding diners of what had been and what might yet be).

As for the sake, it gives a clue to the menu that ties the place together while simultaneously venturing very far afield. In addition to a grand tour of Japan’s worth of the sacred imbibement, the drink menu also offers Rising Sun cocktails like the Umeshu Spirit (Aperol, plun wine, and passion fruit) and the Old Tokyo (rum, Shiso, lemon and sparkling wine), as well as a rotating selection of beers that hail from everywhere from MA and VT to the UK and Japan. Though many of the ostensibly shared plates (as if you want to when they taste this good!) hearken back to the land of the Shogun (e.g., raw fatty beef with Asian pear, noodles with King crab and egg, salt-grilled Hamachi with rhubarb and radish, and winter squash tempura with sesame-soy milk soup), some of the rice-based dishes feature fried chicken and Salisbury steak, among other anachronistic (but appetizing) offerings. The menu is divided into groups that include raw, simmered, fried, and grilled. If you cannot decide, Chef offers an “all you can eat” sampling menu that allows him to flex his creative muscle even further for trusting fans, some of whom clamor for the kitchen-side seats in the main room and many more crowd the friendly bar up front, even on cold nights when a nearly constantly-swinging front door acts as ample A/C. The cost of opening a restaurant is quite high, in addition to the risks you take when you open one, if the banks do not see you and your project as a good investment, you will need to go to a credit repair service.

So if you want an intriguing night of dining and neighborhood flair served up by a locally-devoted man of some mystery and great talent, pack up your harpoon (which as ironically not on the menu) and make a reservation in Oklahoma.