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A Deliciously Dynamic Duo

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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! 😉

APRÉS ALL DAY

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Though you may not know it from looking outside, it’s apparently ski season…somewhere. It is also five o’clock somewhere too!

That is why I was so stoked to find Backcountry Cocktails – a collection of White Mountain-inspired, beautifully-depicted recipes that are perfect for before, after, or instead of skiing, hiking, or any other exterior exertions.

Written by liquor legend Steven Grasse and food writer extraordinaire Adam Erace, Backcountry Cocktails has all you need for a great time in the great outdoors (or a safe and warm vantage point inside).

From a fresh-picked dandelion wine, a hard-seltzer-based Ameri-can-o, and a gin and juice-d Franconia 75 to a maple slush that brings in the best from the Green Mountain state of Vermont and an alpine cocoa that can be made kid-friendly so it is safe to drink even before your adventure, this handy guide to rural refreshment has something for every taste and activity.

With recipes and easily-improvised ingredients sourced from local crafters (many of whom are introduced in the book), readers can be sure to get the freshest, most authentic tastes no matter which new favorites they find. And as the book has offerings inspired by each season and tips on everything from foraging and fire making to beaver dam traversing, it is great to use to freshen up fishing trips, loosen up leaf peeping, or make any outdoor opportunity optimal.

The land of the Abenaki, Pennacook, and Wabanaki has been a source of sustenance and inspiration for generations. Now you can take some of the best of that knowledge and enjoyment with you wherever you go!

 www.RunningPress.com

SPICE-ING UP THE COOL(?) MONTHS

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Though the traditional cool-down of fall is yet to transpire (please recycle, y’all!), it is always a good time to spice things up with our friends at Boston Spice.

Even though fall is not yet evident, the annual tradition of apple picking has already kicked off at many local farms. As many see him as the founder of this favorite form of family fun, Boston Spice is paying tribute to the legendary Johnny Appleseed (nee John Chapman) with their new Johnny Applespice baking blend, which is perfect for homemade pies and cobblers and also for cookies, cakes, and pretty much anything else you can make to end a meal for family and friends on a sweet and spicy note.

Another undeniable tradition is Thanksgiving, for which Boston Spice has their Plymouth Rocks the Brine dry spice blend. Combining Kosher salt, local maple sugar, orange peel, sage and other flavorful favorites, this brining rub will surely become a new family tradition as well and is a great way to add flavor to leftover turkey the next day and other meals all year ‘round.

A bit further on, there is another undeniable celebration to be had- that of 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party on December 16. As always, Steven Bortnick’s spice company is ready with the Boston Wine Party – a great mulling spice collection that is perfect to toast this revolutionary event or any special event that you may have (even if tea is not involved!). This warm and sweet set of locally-sourced spices is available all over town and, of course, at the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum in Boston’s Fort Point Channel (which was recently voted America’s #1 patriotic attraction!).

The weather may be confusing (if not dangerous) lately, but we can all still take comfort in family traditions, especially those that involve sharing and preparing delicious food. Boston Spice makes those good times all the more delicious no matter when you use them or even if you are just cooking for yourself.

www.bostonspice.com

GLUTEN-FREE FOR ALL

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As we try to stay on the forefront of consumer desires, we talk a good deal about the latest in gluten-free options. Among our recent scoops have been Mightylicious cookies, the latest Celiac-friendly faves at Kane’s Donuts, and the newest tummy-friendly temptations at South Street Diner.

While gluten-free foods remain popular and have been shown to reduce the chance of developing many other diseases, they can still post complications for many people who want to cook and bake on their own.

Fortunately, there is a new set of gluten-free doughs that allow even the most amateur chef to become a gluten-free pro in no time!

Appropriately named Gluten Free Easy, this raft of recipe starters includes puff pastry, pita and pizza doughs that are not only gluten-free, but also vegan and kosher!

Created by a pair of women, who wanted to allow and encourage friends with sensitive stomachs enjoy more dough Gluten Free Easy doughs have been tested by hundreds of blindfolded fans, many of whom claim that they taste even better than their proteined partners!

To use Gluten Free Easy doughs, all you need to do is take them out of your freezer and top or fill them with whatever you choose to make everything from blintzes Spanakopita and whatever your edible imagination conjures.

If you need more gluten-free inspiration, Gluten Free Easy doughs are available at thee Gluten Free Shoppe (spelled with the old-timey “ppe” at the end), a Brooklyn-based marketplace that is a safe haven and epicurean wonderland for those dealing with Celiac or those who just want to try new versions of traditional favorites.

In addition to the doughs, the Shoppe has premade baked goods (including challah and donuts!), as well as snacks and supplements and their site has a handy Q&A about Celiac so those with it and those who love them can be more informed as they all expand their menus with these delicious foods.

https://www.gf-easy.com / https://theglutenfreeshoppe.com

Cheers to the Independents!

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Since I last recorded for WBZ, I have been promoting my new book on the Ivy League called Lions, Tigers, and…Bulldogs?(which is available at lionstigersbulldogs.com, by they way). I have hosted events around Boston, and in Harvard Square and am looking forward to bringing the book and the story of how it came to be to more places.

Wherever I have gone, many of the friends I have made through doing these spots have generously donated their wares for my guests to enjoy and I wanted to take a moment to thank them.

First and foremost is the team behind Q’s Nuts, who have always sent me their latest and greatest to share with family and friends. I was also allowed to debut new fruit bars from Zego snacks at my Harvard Square event, In addition to supporting my book presentations, Elaine Peterson of Lark Fine Foods has also supported my daughters in their efforts to knit scarves for the homeless. On the beverage side, Maple Mama Beverages, Pricklee, and Waku have all helped slake the thirst of voracious readers throughout the region.

As an independent writer and now author, I feel a strong need to support my fellow independents and entrepreneurs and am very grateful for all they do to help me. And as a help to my fellow entrepreneurs I recommend that if you need seeds to grow your tree (entrepreneurship) you can always access quickly and easily through no credit check loans.

Please join me in support these and other independent producers and purveyors.

Thank you!

www.lionstigersbulldogs.com

www.qsnuts.com

www.larkfinefoods.com

www.maplemamabeverages.com

www.pricklee.com

www.livewaku.com

www.zegofoods.com