Join the Club: The Gifts that Give and Give and Give

Once upon a time there were “gift of the month” clubs.  They were expensive, unique, somewhat personal, but the food itself was nothing to write home about.  It was more about the novelty of a monthly gift, and beautiful packaging.  We’ve come a long way from the original “gourmet” gift of the month clubs. Here…

Join The Club: You’re Such a Ham!

Formaggio Kitchen‘s Charcuterie Share is like having your very own cellar filled with beautifully hand made meats.  Formaggio’s award-winning charcutière Julie Biggs transforms locally and humanely raised meats into pâtés, sausages, terrines, and cured delicacies. She sources rabbit, pork, duck, and other meats from small family farms across New England, and maintains the highest standards…

Join the Club: I Love You Because You are Cheesy

Formaggio kitchen is more than a majestic cheese cave, but I think you know that already. Of course there is a cheese of the month club.  Each month, Formaggio hand selects three cheeses with a special focus on seasonal cheeses, and what is looking its best at that time. Each monthly selection will include a…

Join The Club: Meet Me at Hopster’s

One thing that we don’t do nearly enough is go out with our friends.  We are all too busy somehow.  Newcomer, Hopster’s Brew and Boards will take care of that with their 99 Club. Every 3 months, you will gather with friends (the more the merrier) and up to a total of 20 other local…

Your Monthly Bread: A Gift from Hyannis to Your Door

As you might have seen recently in the Wall Street Journal, Pain D’Avignon has a bread-lover’s dream come true with their bread of the month club. There is a choice of :three months ($150), six months ($275), and twelve months ($500).  Click here for a full list of what each month entails (from January’s Winter…

30 Days of Comfort and Joy: December Dining in Boston (1-10)

Comfort and joy comes in many shapes, forms, sizes and packages  Here is my selection of places to find comfort and joy one bite at a time this month. The crispy Denver lamb rib with mint pesto at the Biltmore Bar and Grille, a hidden gem in Newton, is perfect.  I don’t usually like mint…

Boston Ballet’s Nutcracker: Dewdrops, nutcrackers and 4,000 crystals

As I sit outside class, rack after rack of beautiful hand-stitched costumes roll by. They will soon be coming to life on stage in dress rehearsals making the renderings of the newest production of the Nutcracker come to life. The dewdrops fairy’s bodice and tutu alone has 4,000 crystals set on it. Each one done…

Pencil It In PIN: Weekend of November 15th-17th

This weekend I’m going to mix up my usual breakfast routine. I’m heading down to Kitchen Inc. in Somerville to check out chefs Joshua Lewin of Beacon Hill Hotel and Bistro and Katrina Jazayeri of Belly Wine Bar and Cuisine En Locale’s “Texas Breakfast” . This TX Taco stand will pop up at at 201…

Wagamama Opens at MarketStreet in Lynnfield

Although I love to support small local businesses, I am okay with chain restaurants every once in a while, especially ones that do what they do well.  Wagamama is one of those places.  I was recently invited to visit Wagamama Lynnfield before they opened to the public and along with several other bloggers and writers…