We wanted something the 5-yo would eat and didn’t want to wait for a table long, so we decided to try the Yard House, a chain restaurant known for having a very large number of beers on draft. I figured this place would have plenty of tables available. We immediately realized it would be too hot to eat outside anyway, as their patio faces the setting sun, so we figured we’d just sit inside.

We walked in at about 6:30 and the place was JAMMED. I was kinda surprise by this, as there are several other really nice, good restaurnts there and it was still early… but I guess there is a certain appeal to chain restaurant food for many folks. Not me. I was immediately turned off by how crowded and how huge the place was.

Let me preface this by saying I HATE CHAIN RESTAURANTS. I really do. So, my opinion is going to be very biased. I tried to keep an open mind though… and knew it was the safest bet for the 5-yo, so we decided to wait the estimated 20 minutes for an indoor table (OVER an hour for an outdoor table, even though we noticed two empty tables out there when we arrived). We went to the bar to grab a drink while we waited. The 5-yo held the drink coaster that would vibrate when our table was ready (YES, it’s one of those restaurants).

My first incliniation that we’d made a mistake was when I took a look at the drink menu. It seemed like EVERY SINGLE COCKTAIL had some type of DeKuyper liqueur, a flavored vodka or drink mix in it. If I want to have Grape or Watermelon Pucker, I’ll go to TGIF’s. Or better yet, if I ever DO want this… KILL ME immediately — I don’t deserve to live. Even their mojito was made with “mojito mix”. I groaned. I looked at the wine list… it was hot out, so a glass of white would be good. There were 7 whites offered by the class… and they were all crap. Let’s put it this way… they offer Beringer White Zin by the glass. Now I know I will get some scathing comments that I’m being an elitist foodie jerk with this… but hey, I have the right to my opinion.

Our table was ready within the 20 minutes and we were seated in a booth toward the back of the restaurant, near the kitchen door. The host that seated us was great… very polite, friendly and good with the 5-yo. There are TV’s everywhere… with sports playing. So D was able to see whatever World Cup game was on at the time.

I had just started Weight Watcher’s on Tuesday and didn’t want to mess up my diet, so I was looking foward to finding something somewhat healthy on the menu that I could work around. This did not happen. I stared and stared… but could find NOTHING I wanted. There are lots of items on the menu that SOUND good, don’t get me wrong! But they are all LOADED with calories and fat. There were definitely a few seafood dishes that were broiled and sounded yummy… but we didn’t feel like spending an arm and a leg, and the few that caught my eye were in the $25 range.

Even the salads sounded like they were 1000+ cals each. If I wasn’t on a diet, I would have been happy. I could have found some nice, heavy, fattening, chainfood meal that I would have devoured. Instead, I was frustrated and undecided. Finally, I picked the turkey burger, because I figured I could get it without any cheese or sauce on it and skip the bun. I would make this work.

The server came to take our order, I made D order first… just to make one last scan of the menu to make sure I hadn’t missed any other options (nope) and then it was my turn. I ordered and the server replied: ”Oh, that turkey burger is delicious, but unfortunately we are all out tonight.” {blood pressure starts to rise… feeling flustered}

I stammered. I was was already in a bad mood from the heat, the drink menu made me more frustrated and then this kind of pushed me over the edge (in all fairness to the Yard House, it was a bad day for me). I didn’t know what to do, so I scanned the salads again and picked the Ceasar Salad with Grilled Shrimp ($15.85). I was not in the mood for a salad.

We got the 5-yo the kids Mac & Cheese ($6.95), which came with a drink, one side and a frozen dessert… so definitely a great deal for kids. I honestly don’t remember what D got…I think it was one of the burgers. One notable thing is that they do not provide the table with any bread or breadsticks beforehand. Not a big deal, but sometimes this is a necessity for crabby kids while you wait for your food.

Unfortunately, I didn’t have my phone OR my camera with me, so I didn’t get any photos, but when the food arrived, it looked good. The salad looked fresh and had 4 large grilled shrimp on it. The verdict? It was good… I did enjoy it. It wasn’t what I wanted – so that was disappointing, but in the end I liked it.

Overall, if you enjoy a loud, crowded sports bar kind of atmosphere with TONS of beer on tap and typical high-end chain food menu, you will like this place. If you hate a place with a crappy cocktail and wine list and want some real, healthy — or at least interesting/gourmet food, then this place is NOT for you. Will I go back? Maybe… if I was with a group of friends grabbing a drink or apps — and the majority wanted to go there (though I would try to change their minds). Would I go back for dinner? No way.

Make sure to check out Boston Food and Whine!

I have no idea why (as I LOVE seafood), but I never got to Fresh Catch until about 3 weeks ago. The place where I get my pedicures is right next door, but the restaurant’s hours are a bit limited (closed on Sun/Mon, 4-9pm on Tue/Sat and 11am-pm on Wed/Fri)… so I guess it just never worked out for me until now.

I went in (of course), after a pedicure. It was early… about 11:30am, so it was quiet (no other customers). I knew what I wanted., so I ordered immediately… my summer addiction: a Lobster Roll.

After ordering, I chatted with the owner for a few minutes while I waited. I asked where they get their seafood from and she told me they go down to the piers in Boston every day for fresh fish and seafood. So, whatever you get from this place is just off the boat! You can’t get much fresher than that. I also asked how restaurant was doing and she inidicated that they’re “hanging in there”. My guess is that they have had to revamp the hours (cutting them back) to help cut costs of lost inventory.

Unfortunately, I did not take a photo of my lobster roll that day… but if we compare it to this one (that I bought at Roche Brothers):

It too was served on a split-top hotdog bun, that had been toasted on their griddle. I did not notice if she buttered it, as in traditional New England fashion, but I did notice this was definitely a purist lobster roll. Meaning, nothing but meat and a little mayo… barely any in fact. No lettuce, no celery.

The bun was loaded with sweet, fresh, delicious meat and came with a large portion of french fries. The entire thing cost me about $15.95. The fries were a bit soggy, but otherwise tasty. I really enjoyed my meal. Compared to my $5.99 lobster roll from Roche Brothers (pictured above), was this worth the extra $10? Well, it did come with a large portion of french fries, did not have added fillers like mayo, celery and lettuce and had a significantly larger portion of lobster meat. That, coupled with the fact that I know it came off the boat either today or yesterday and I’d have to say yes… it was worth it.

The basic menu consists of Fried Seafood Dinners, Broiled Seafood dinners, Sandwiches, Side Orders and a Kids Menu (which includes non-seafood items like chicken nuggets and hot dogs). There are also a couple Sauteed Specials and Soups. My only comment about the menu is that it’s not for the dieter! Most items are fried… there aren’t any salads or healthy options.

All dinners come with either french fries and cole slaw or a choice to two sides (french fries, cole slaw, veggies or rice pilaf). They have a “frequent diner card” that you can get stamped for every “dinner” you buy. Buy 9 dinners and get the 10th for free!!!

A quick scan of Yelp showed that the other diners who had visited this place enjoyed it as well. I am sorry it’s taken me so long to get there, and I will definitely be going back. One of the funny things they are famous for is that you can actually buy just one shrimp! In fact, that appears to be their slogan: “Support the Single Shrimp!”

I can’t say that I’ll be buying one single shrimp anytime soon, but I could see myself wanting just 3 or 4… so, sounds like a good deal to me! I say support this local business by paying them a visit. It’s a tough economy and it’s a great thing to support the little guy… especially when he/she is serving up affordable, freshly-caught, seafood!

The birthday dinner was held at Tacos El Charro… a small, non-descript Mexican restaurant on Centre Street in Jamaica Plain’s Hyde Square. From the outside, Tacos El Charro looks a tiny bit sketchy… and on the inside, not much better.

The room is decorated with all kinds of Mexican paraphernalia — including pinatas, sombreros, mariachi band photos, a “trophy” sheeps head (yes… you heard me right) and a shotgun hanging alongside a round of ammunition (already spent). The room is clean, brightly lit and the tables are covered with old-school floral tablecloths — covered with clear plastic. There is one woman who takes orders and also mixes up the sangria and then a small kitchen where all food is cooked to order.

Tachos El Charro does not have a website, but it gets very good reviews on both Yelp and in the Boston Globe, which posted:

Love Mexican food but sick of the overpriced, upscale gringo version? Head to this spot, where Pepe and Aida Gutierrez _ he’s from the Mexican state of Jalisco on the Pacific coast _ serve the real thing at reasonable prices. The couple know their fiery spices and marinades, and the waiters stop by frequently with the water pitcher. The mole sauce is a wonder, the quesadillas crunchy and oozing with cheese, the fajitas sizzling, and the flan soothing. $4-11. Reservations on weekends. T-Jackson Square, Orange Line.

So I was intrigued — I hadn’t had really good Mexican in a while and I was looking forward to getting great food and cheap prices. I was not disappointed.

We had about 10 people in our party and a table was created to accommodate us — though we did make reservations in advance. When we arrived, the place was pretty much empty (at about 7pm) — but business picked up as the night wore on. We were immediately given several baskets of home made, crispy-fried, tortilla chips and a delicious salsa (also made in-house). The salsa was really good… fresh, with chunks of tomato and a clearly defined taste of cilantro — without being over powered by onions. Exactly how I like it. The chips were definitely on the greasy side — meaning they were not low fat — however they were great.

We also ordered a few carafes of the house Sangria. What arrived was a conspicuously purple concoction that was low on the alcohol level and high on the sweetness factor. Some fellow diners compared it to flat Grape Crush. I liked it though. It was tasty… but not overly traditional: no fruit, odd color, no taste of wine whatsoever — but good none the less. This picture doesn’t do the color justice… it was PURPLE.

The menu is pretty simple, with a selection of various tropical fruit juices, a handful of beers and a few wines by the glass. There are tacos (both soft and hard), quesadillas and all the other traditional street food you would normally find on a Mexican menu. If you go, make sure you turn the menu over and look at the backside… as this is where all the entrees are. I almost missed this page — but I’m glad I didn’t.

I opted for one of the combination platters… as I could not decide between several yummy sounding dishes (including Veracruz Red Snapper and fresh seafood Ceviche). My platter included 1 soft taco (I opted for the shredded chicken), 1 chiles rellenos and enchiladas mole (I opted for the default filling — shredded chicken again). I can’t remember the exact price, but I want to say it was $10.95 (at most) and well worth the price.

The portion was huge and all meals come with rice and re-fried beans. I’m a sucker for re-fried beans and these were REALLY good. They were probably cooked in a meat base (I don’t want to know), but I scarfed them up anyway. The rice was lightly seasoned and good as well (not overly dry like some other places).

Looking at the picture to the left, and going clockwise around the plate, the chicken soft taco was wrapped in the paper and contained freshly shredded all-white meat chicken and sauteed onions. The enchilada was chock full of the same shredded chicken, enchilada sauce and cheese and was then smothered in one of the best mole sauces I have ever had. The poblano pepper (chiles rellenos) was HUGE. It was stuffed with cheese, covered in sauce and then seriously sprinkled with Parmesan cheese — which melted during the process. All the items were delicious and the same seemed true for everyone’s meals — which varied from the Fajitas to Enchiladas to Carne Asada.

The meals were huge, fresh and delicious and the prices were extremely affordable. In this economy, I highly encourage you to visit this restaurant and others like it… not only because it’s cheap, but also because you are supporting the small business owner who is trying to get ahead and stay ahead of this fiscal crisis we are in.

All-in-all a really fun night out with friends and a very satisfying meal. We will definitely be going back to Tacos El Charro… with the 4-yo and for takeout as well… and I look forward to it!
——————

To see this blog post and all others on the NEW version of my blog, visit: www.bostonfoodandwhine.com

I think this phenomenon is a combination of both factors. We really want to change the things we dislike about our current life, body, income, habits etc… but if those things were easy to change, we would have already conquered them. We also have intentions to remember these resolutions, but as the weeks, months and the year progresses, those great ideas we vowed to keep on the 1st fall to the wayside and are easily forgotten.

So what’s the solution? Well… for this particular year, I decided to tackle my New Year’s Resolutions in a different fashion… with public awareness and humiliation if I fail. I came up with 10 things I would like to improve during 2009. I wrote a blog post about them. I decided this wasn’t good enough… because in a matter of a week, that post will be at the bottom of the page and I’ll have totally forgotten that I even wrote it. So I also posted the 10 items in a permanent place on my blog – at the top-left of the page. Each day when I log on now, those suckers are staring right at me. We are only 20 days into the new year, but I’m happy to say I’ve been more successful with keeping my resolutions to date than I have in the past.

If you try to improve things that are really hard to do or that are easily forgotten, you are going to fail. You  need to pick attainable, manageable tasks. Things you are committed to. Sure… you can put down those “go to the gym more” and “lose weight” goals (I did), but find a way to keep yourself accountable. Put a list on your refrigerator, develop some type of reward system for yourself for incentive or figure out what best works for you.

These are my “hopes” for this year:

1. Try a new restaurant, food or recipe each week
2. Post a minimum of 500 times in 2009
3. Lose 10 pounds
4. Eat more organic and environmentally friendly foods
5. Recycle at least 50% of all the trash we put out
6. Get a full-time job
7. Eat dinner as a family at least 5 days a week
8. Drink water every day and get to the gym 3 days a week
9. Incorporate at least 3 new ways of living green
10. Organize my family photos

So far, so good…. at least on some of the items. Others (like #3, #6 and #10) are long-term projects and will take a while to implement.

I’ve been successful so far with trying a new food or recipe each week — you can check my blog for the weekly updates. We haven’t been doing date night much… and won’t until I get a job… so trying new restaurants will come later.

I’ve been posting at least 2x each day, so at this rate I will have no problem of reaching my 500 post goal… though, there’s always a chance that my usual laziness will set in.

I think I’ve been eating better and have lost 1 measley pound… but honestly, I haven’t really tried hard yet.

We are planning to join a CSA (Community Support Agriculture) summer program this year, so that will significantly impact our ability to eat more organic and environmentally friendly foods. We are thinking of going with Stillman’s Farm, though I’ve heard Allandale will be offering a program this year too (for the first time). I’m also buying more organic produce and have found that Russo’s Market in Watertown offers a lot of great stuff (inlcuding many local products) at very reasonable prices.

We probably already recycle close to 50% of our trash… but I want to try even harder. This is something I am very passionate about. I save all my plastic grocery bags, Ziploc bags and any other plastic wrap, bag or wrapper that isn’t gross and I drop them off at the Shaw’s on Spring Street – where there’s a collection box on the right when you walk in. You know those giant blue recycle bins they city gave us? Ours is FULL every week… sometimes overflowing on to the ground next to it. With what you ask? Cardboard boxes, pizza boxes, all those plastic and cardboard pieces that came with our son’s holiday gifts, paper (think junk mail, paper towels, torn up receipts, etc.) and then of course – bottles, cans, plastic of every kind, aluminum foil, milk and juice boxes, you name it. If you think about it, you can recycle almost all of your garbage if you are careful.

Well… on the job front, I’m trying. Keep your fingers crossed for me… the market sucks. Not working is giving me an opportunity to go to the gym more often though… so that helps.

Dinner is still a challenge for us. We sit together, but don’t necessarily eat together. Our son is starving when he gets home, so we sit with him while he eats – but we generally eat our (different) dinner later. Still working on this one… it’s a HUGE goal for us this year and probably one of the most important ones.

Three ways of living more green? Well, I got 2 sets of Green Pans for Christmas, so that’s one (SCORE!). I think if we do the CSA, that will count as two… or is that cheating? I am trying really hard to always remember my resuable grocery bags when I go shopping… and I plan on buying a new compost bin this summer. My current compost doesn’t make retrieving the completed product easy — so it’s full right now, meaning I’m not recycling scraps. Mynext bin will have an easy-access door located at the bottom of the bin so I can remove the dirt and keep adding the scraps.

Lastly, organizing the family photos? A pipe dream… but hey, you can’t blame me for fantasizing.

Located at 5 Charles Park Road in West Roxbury (you know… the road that leads back to Millennium Park), my child has been attending CHDS for the last two years and I cannot say enough great things about this school.

They have been enriching minds and nurturing the spirits of children since 1987. They have flexible program options, offering morning, half day and full day schedules. They offer excellent, curriculum-based pre-school and pre-kindergarten programs. The teachers are knowledgeable, experienced, caring and certified and the Director of the school, Ms. Helen, is one of the most amazing women I know.

Student enrollment begins at age 2.9 and can go up to age 6. I would be happy to personally answer any one’s questions about this school and will be at the open house today from 11am to 12pm. You can also visit their website at www.childrenshappyday.com or call them at 617-325-0606.

I hope to you see you there!

Did I create a monster somehow? Is it because I don’t eat red meat and I didn’t give him any meat at all until he was about 3 years old? Or is it because I did the unthinkable and caved-in to the idea of not sitting at the dinner table together every night — but rather, cooked a separate meal (to his liking) each night? OR… is it as the pediatrician said? “Some kids are just picky eaters… and, if by the time they are 3 they are still not expanding their food horizon, than chances are you will have a picky eater on your hands until the child is 6 or 7.” Gulp.

So what does my child eat? Don’t blink… because the list will be done before you know it. If he could, he would eat the same three meals every day:

1. Pancakes and fruit for breakfast (this is a new thing, he only tried pancakes for the first time ever  about 1 month ago — before that, it was the same breakfast bar, every morning, for over 2 years).
2. For lunch? Those premade peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (Uncrustables) with an assortment of snacks, like fruit, cheese, crackers and pretzels.
3. Dinners would be pizza… every night. So I generally call Deno’s up on Monday and have a large cheese pizza delivered. It feeds him the rest of the week.

Though to be fair, on occasion he has been known to eat: turkey dogs, buttered noodles, macaroni and cheese, hummus and pretzels, “chicken fries” (french fry-shaped chicken nuggets) and french fries. That’s pretty much it. He refuses to try anything that he’s never had before. When and why did he stop trusting me??? I have promised not to steer him wrong… but he still says “NO!”

I’ve heard from some other parents that this list is quite good… that their child only ate yogurt for the first 3 years of their lives or will only eat PB&J for every meal right now. I don’t care about other kids though… I care about my kid –the son of a food writer and self-proclaimed foodie!

So what to do?? I’v tried letting him look through cookbooks, with the premise that he can help mommy make the grocery list, go shopping for the ingredients and cook whatever meal he picks out. He can never find anything that looks good though. His blanket answer? “No thank you mommy”. Well, at least the kid is polite about it — I’ll give him that.

I’ve tried implementing the “no thank you helping”… an outtake on something I had to deal with when I went to Girl Scout camp. You didn’t have to eat something you didn’t like, but you had to try every thing on the menu… even it was a “no thank you helping” (basically a miniscule portion). That has been working okay — but only with bribes: “If you eat just one teeny tiny bite of spaghetti, you can have candy after dinner!” Yeah… that’s a good method.

I bought Jessica Seinfeld’s cookbook Deceptively Delicious. But doesn’t your child have to actually eat food in order to hide nutritious ingredients in it? I guess I’m lucky in one respect, my son does like fruit, many vegetables, cheese, yogurt, nuts and (weirdly enough) turkey pepperoni. So he’s getting a fairly well-balanced diet — but with absolutely no variety. I guess that’s the part that kills me. Isn’t variety the spice of life??? I just cannot allow my child to lead a bland existence!

If anyone else has some tricks of the trade I would love to hear them. In the meantime, I’m off to BJ’s to by several cases of Uncrustables and pancakes. Oh, and one of those giant blocks of American cheese. That should keep the boy tied over for the next week or so…

Continue on to see their yummy-sounding offerings:

Appetizers

Townsend’s Traditional Mussels
Served with Smithwick’s red ale, sliced garlic, shallots and lemon butter (normally $9)
Fall Greens with Red Beets
Served with a Gorgonzola crouton, candied walnuts and a maple sherry vinaigrette (normally $7)
Soup of the Day
 (normally $7)
Dublin Coddle
Served over roasted spuds and topped with a fried egg (normally $8)

Entrees

Irish Style Bolognese
Served with ground lamb, beef and Pancetta over Bucatini (normally $14)
Berkshire Porter and Scallion Battered Fish & Chips
(normally $17)
Wagyu Beef Burger
With aged cheddar, the works and served on grilled focaccia with fries (normally $15)
Grilled Buffalo Chicken Sandwich
With blue cheese dressing, the works and served on grilled focaccia with fries (not on the normal menu)

This special saves you anywhere between $6 and $11… depending on the combination you pick. That’s like getting the appetizer for free, and then some… and these are all hearty dishes that won’t leave you hungry and may even provide you with a bit of leftovers. Definitely worth the visit…

The (complimentary) event included music, food, cocktails and a media-only candlepin bowling competition — downstairs in the Milkyway Lounge afterwards. We had a great time!

It was a cocktail reception setting and the music was provided by DJ Ghostdad — a Boston DJ and mix-master of Crunk, Death Metal and Disco House.

The executive chef, Jacob Zachow, offered a sampling of many of the appetizers, entrees and desserts you can expect to see on their new fall menu starting now.

We met up with a fellow food blogger — Pam, of Cave Cibum, and started our evening with a few martinis.

Pam and I both went with the Caramel Apple Martini — Svedka Vodka, Butternut Schnapps and Organic Apple Cider (normally $9). All I can say is “Hello Fall… and YUM!”

My Husband started with the Lux Martini — Belle de Brillet Pear Cognac, Ginger Brandy, Ginger Simple and Sour Mix (normally $10). While he absolutely loved this, I wasn’t a huge fan. It was a little too tart for my liking… but that could have been because I had just sucked down the sweet nectar of the Caramel Apple Martini!

Next came the passed mini-appetizers. We tried them all… and all were delicious! My personal favorites were the Shrimp Scampi with Tangy Feta — served with garlic butter, white wine, fresh herbs and feta cheese on top of grilled bread (normally $9 for an appetizer-sized portion). I also loved the Herb Crusted Goat Cheese — which was drizzled with Clove Honey and was lightly fried. These were little bites of warm goat cheese that melted in your mouth. The cheese had a nice salty finish, which combined perfectly with the sweet honey.

The other appetizers included: Mediterranean Crab Cakes — with lemon, caper and an olive remoulade, served on a bed of arugula (normally $9) and the Pizza Bianco Flat Bread — brushed with garlic and olive oil and topped with broccoli rabe, ricotta and fresh mozzarella (normally $9, $13, & $17 for various sizes).

As tray after tray of appetizers passed by us, mini portions of selected entrees followed. The first to arrive was Pan Roasted Cod Ciopinno — gremolatta-rubbed cod filet served on a rich tomato, fennel and root vegetable stew (normally $18 for an entree-sized dish). I really enjoyed this. The cod was tender, sweet and paired beautifully with the savory sauce and the chunks of sweet potatoes — creating a perfect comfort food dish.

Both my Husband and Pam tried, and really liked, the Gingersnap & Basil-crusted Pork Tenderloin — roasted pork tenderloin encrusted with gingersnap cookies and fried basil and served on top of fried sweet potato, served with a roasted garlic demi glace (normally $17).

The last entree was the Portabella Black Bean Burger — a slightly spicy blend of black beans, grilled portabella mushrooms, cilantro and sweet chiles served on grilled brioche with cilantro cumin aioli (normally $11 and served with sweet potato french fries). Two of us liked these, one of us thought they were only okay and all of us agreed that this was our least favorite dish of the evening.

We finished our dining with a choice of several desserts and of course we all tried each one. My personal favorite was the Dark Chocolate Chip Cannoli, my Husband and Pam both loved the Toffee Cheesecake with Gingersnap Cookie Crust and we all though the Pumpkin Pie with Nutmeg Whipped Cream was good, but was a bit overpowered by the cream.

The title of this even, “Goodnight Moon” was very fitting — if you have never been, get to this neighborhood favorite while you can… they are moving shop in April 2009. They will still offer the same great food and bar atmosphere as now; however, the bowling lanes will be no more! Don’t miss an opportunity to have a final game of candlepin before they turn out the lights. The food is delicious, the space is adorable and the downstairs lounge and bowling alley is a ton of fun. Definitely kid-friendly and a place not to be missed!

If you can’t get there before the move, then be sure to offer your patronage after.

Here is their Official Moving Statement:

“We are operating in our current location through March 2009, then moving and reopening at The Brewery Small Business Complex on Amory Street in Jamaica Plain in April 2009. We are re-locating after fifteen years on Centre Street due to an unmanageable increase in rent. We are moving both Bella Luna Restaurant and The Milky Way Lounge, just without the bowling lanes. We will continue to offer our guests a delicious affordable Mediterranean/Italian menu with Latin influences, fabulous cocktails, party packages for groups of 15 to 60, and smallscale entertainment such as DJs and live trios, and we’ll keep the fun and games alive with a skee ball alley. We will also have a fabulous seasonal outdoor patio around the base of the historic Haffenreffer smokestack. While we are deeply saddened to leave Hyde Square, we are happy to have a found a new permanent home in Jamaica Plain at The Brewery.”

Carol Downs, Co-Owner, General Manager
Bella Luna Restaurant, Inc.
Milky Way Lounge & Lanes

Well, it’s cold and rainy outside… and the Fall fruit and vegetable crops have started to trickle in (pun intended). So how about some feel-good, comfort-food recipes to help warm the soul? I’m sure we could all use a little comforting… and what better way to do so, than by stuffing our faces with dishes that taste delicious?

I went to Allandale farm yesterday to scope out the seasonal goods — and picked up some locally grown apples, corn and figs. They also had an abundance of late summer squash, onions, eggplant and the last dwindling of tomatoes. If you’ve been to any grocery store this week, you know as I do that the pumpkins and large varieties of squash have hit the shelves as well.

So, with that in mind, here is some inspiration for you… the recipes that I am drooling over this month.

First, for those of you who are not quite ready to let go of summer yet:

Corn, Chile & Cheese Quesadillas (from The Best of Fine Cooking, November 2008)
Yields 4 servings

5 tbs. vegetable oil
1 c. small-diced fresh, mild chiles (about 2 large Anaheim or poblano)
1.5 c. small-diced summer squash (about 2 small)
Kosher sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 c. fresh corn kernels (from 2 medium ears)
1/8 tsp. chipotle chile powder
1 c. diced tomato (about 2 small)
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
4 9-inch flour tortillas
2 c. grated sharp Cheddar (8 oz.)
Sour cream for serving (optional)

Heat oven to 200 degrees F. Fit a rack over a baking sheet and put the sheet in the oven.

Heat 1 tbsp. of oil in a 12-inch skillet over med-high heat until hot. Add chiles and cook, stirring, until soft (3 or 4 min). Add the squash, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until the squash softens and starts to brown (3 or 4 min). Stir in the corn and chipotle powder and cook for 2 min. Spoon into bowl, let cool for a few min. and then fold in the tomato, cilantro and lime juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside 3/4 c. of the mixture.

Lay several layers of paper towel on a work surface. Wipe out the skillet, put it over med-high heat and add 1 tbsp. of oil. Once hot, put on tortilla in the pan. Quickly distribute 1/2 c. of the cheese evenly over one half of the tortilla and about 1/4 of the remaining vegetable mix over the other half. When the underside of the tortilla is browned, use tongs to fold the cheese side over the veggie side. Lay the quesadilla on the paper towels, blot for a few seconds and then move it to the rack in the oven. Repeat process for other three.

Cut the quesadillas into wedges, top with reserved veggie mix and serve with sour cream. To cut calories and fat, substitute 2% cheese, low fat sour cream and use whole wheat, low-carb quesadillas. The following information is based on the recipe above.

660 cal, 42g fat, 22g prot, 51g carbs, 60mg chol, 1090mg sod, 5g fiber

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Done with Summer, but not ready for Fall?

Apple Raspberry Crisp (“borrowed” from one of my favorite local blogs, Food on the Food)

You don’t need too many raspberries for this.  A handful or two will do you just fine.  Who can make it all the way home with a full pint anyway?

Topping
¾ cup rolled oats
1/3 cup brown sugar
½ cup flour
1/3 cup cold butter, cut into pieces
1/3 cup sliced almonds

Filling
6-8 apples, peeled, cored, cut into ¼-inch thick slices
½ cup raspberries
Juice from ½ lemon
½ cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. grated nutmeg
¼ tsp. almond extract

Preheat oven to 350°F.

For the topping, combine oats, brown sugar, flour, and butter in food processor.  Pulse until crumbly, with butter pieces the size of small peas.  Stir in the almonds by hand to keep them whole.

In a large bowl, combine apples, lemon juice, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and almond extract.  Gently fold in raspberries.  Dump into an 8×8-inch baking dish, spreading evenly.  Pour topping over the fruit.  Bake 50-55 minutes, until apples are tender and bubbling and top is golden brown (use the broiler if you must).  Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.  That is not a suggestion.

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And last, but not least… something for you folks ready to dive right into some comfort-food goodness!

Beet Risotto with Greens, Goat Cheese & Walnuts (from my personal arsenal)
4 Servings (1.5 c each)

2 tsp olive oil
1 c. chopped onion
1 c. Arborio rice
1 tbsp. minced (peeled) ginger
2 tsp finely chopped rosemary
1/2 c. dry white wine
3 c finely chopped, peeled beets
1/2 c. water
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 (14.5 oz) vegetable broth
6 c finely sliced greens (chard, spinach, etc.)
1/2 c. (2 oz) crumbled goat cheese
1/4 c. chopped walnuts, toasted (in Dutch oven until fragrant)

Heat oil in Dutch oven (or large skillet) over med-high heat. Add onions; saute 3 min. Add rice, ginger and rosemary; saute 1 min. Add wine, cook 3 min or until liquid is nearly absorbed — stirring constantly.

Add beets, water, salt and broth; bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 20 min or until beets are tender, stirring occasionally.

Stir in greens; cook 5 minutes. Add chees, stirring until blended. Sprinkle each serving with 1tbsp toasted walnuts.

Cal 412, Fat 13.7g, Prot 14g, Chol 14mg, Sod 611, Carbs 57.5, Fiber 4g

As most of you know, my family and I spent the last two weeks of August on Martha’s Vineyard (as documented on my blog by a series of photos and quirky comments).

In addition to the daily photo updates I provided, I thought it might be nice to include a summary of what we consider “The Best of Martha’s Vineyard – Year 1“. I say Year 1 because we hope to go back again (next year)… but even more so — because even though we spent two full weeks on the island, we didn’t even come close to visiting or seeing all the places and things we wanted to.

MV is quite large. Based on what I read, it’s approximately 20 miles long by 10 miles wide. According to Wikipedia, it’s 87.48 square miles — quite a lot of ground to cover in a one or two week period (especially when you spend most of you day laying on one of the many beaches).

First, a little history… (Also from Wikipedia)

Originally (and still) inhabited by the Wampanoag Indians, Martha’s Vineyard was known in their language as Noepe, or “land amid the streams.” It was named Martha’s Vineyard by the English explorer Bartholomew Gosnold, who sailed to the island in 1602. Gosnold’s mother-in-law and his second child, who died in infancy, were both named Martha. Though, it’s not known who he actually named the island after.

The island is primarily known as a summer colony, and is accessible only by boat and by air. Nevertheless, its year-round population has grown considerably since the 1960s. Currently, records show approximately 15,000 people live there year-round.

The island received international notoriety on July 18, 1969, when Mary Jo Kopechne was killed when a car driven by U.S. Senator Edward “Ted” Kennedy drove off the Dike Bridge. The bridge crosses Pocha Pond on Chappaquiddick Island (a smaller island connected to the Vineyard and part of Edgartown). The incident tarnished Kennedy’s reputation enough to kill his chances of following in his brothers’ footsteps with a Democratic presidential bid.

Our Trip…

Using www.ineedavacation.com I began my search to find a house on the Vineyard where there would be enough room for The Husband, the 3-yo and myself – but also one that allowed and had a yard to accommodate our two (50lb) dogs. I was successful and we stayed just a mile up the road from downtown Vineyard Haven – a town that I was told houses the highest number of year-round residents.

We had never stayed on the Vineyard before, nor did we know much about it. So I did some research and was fortunate to have a friend provide me with a “go-to list” (from having spent 15 years vacationing on the Vineyard himself). Additionally, the owners of the home provided us with a list of their favorite places.

All resources — combined and with a little exploration – and we were able to see a good deal of the island and had a great vacation!

BFW’s Favorite Beaches:

Joseph Silva State Beach – This was our favorite and most visited beach. Arrive before 11am on weekdays and 12pm on weekends (people start their beach day late here) to secure parking on the road. Slow, gradual grade into the water — so perfect for little ones. Calm, warm and breezy. Watch out for the crabs though!

Long Point Beach – I wish we had ventured here earlier in our trip, as we absolutely loved this place. There is both an ocean-side beach as well as a fresh-water lake. The lake was awesome… with a VERY slow grade out to deeper water. Our 3-yo absolultely loved it here. The fresh water side gets crowded earlier than other beaches… arrive no later than 10am for a good spot.

Lake Tashmoo Town Beach (also known as Herring Creek Beach) – A small beach, down a twisting (and hard to find) dirt road (SUV vehicle recommended). This is a fun excursion offering good fishing, a beach that faces Vineyard Sound as well as a small beach that faces the inlet into Lake Tashmoo. The current can be strong in middle of the inset (which you are not supposed to swim anyway) so be careful. It’s very nice and calm right against the beach though — where the 3-yo found and caught HUNDREDS of jellyfish! (the kind that don’t sting) Needless to say, it was one of his favorite places.

Menemsha Town Beach – Gentle water, but rocky. Wear beach shoes. Great place to watch the sunset and an adorable little fishing village to poke around. Can order lobsters at Larsen’s Fish Market (they will cook them for you — but be warned, this place gets PACKED). You can also get takeout from The Bite. It was very good, but also very pricey.

Chappaquiddick East Beach – Not to be missed! From the 3-car ferry ride over, to the quiet roads and beautiful drive — make your way across the island down to Cape Poge Wildlife Refuge. Cross the Dike Bridge and you’re there. Very windy, to rough for small ones to swim, but well worth the trip. It’s beautiful.

BFW’s Must Visit Locations:

Vineyard Haven

Aquinnah

Oak Bluffs

Edgartown

Chappaquiddick Island

BFW’s Dining Recommendations:

Zephrus (Vineyard Haven) – This place got trashed on a few foodie sites, but I have to tell you. We went there (child in tow) and had a really good meal. The food was delicious (and mostly local) and the service was great. I definitely recommend it.

Jimmy Sea’s Pan Pasta (Oak Bluffs) – For ridiculously HUGE and delicious traditional Italian pasta dishes. It doesn’t get great reviews on the foodie sites, but it’s what to be expected in a tourist town. The service is so-so and the meals aren’t spectacular… but they are GOOD, the portions are big enough to last a few meals and they are very kid-friendly. They do not take reservations though… so go early.

The Net Result (Vineyard Haven)- Best lobster rolls (that I tried) and also has sushi. Their fresh fish market comes highly recommended by most folks.

Murdick’s Fudge (Multiple locations) – The best I’ve ever had… and I have had a LOT.

Beetlebung Coffee House (Vineyard Haven) – Some swear by Mocha Motts (wasn’t a fan) or others, but these were the only lattes on the island I could stomach. Straight-up coffee may be a whole different story (I wouldn’t know). They also have cool duds.

Fiddlehead Farm (Tisbury) – For local, organic and all natural produce, cheeses, meets, breads and goods.

BFW’s Miscellaneous Recommendations:

Best Massage Therapist: Jason Peringer at Center for Therapeutic Massage in Vineyard Haven

Great MV Resource: www.mvol.com

Martha’s VineyardGlassworks (we were lucky enough to score three of thier coveted pumpkins!)

Grand Illumination Night in Oak Bluffs. This occurs toward the end of August and is a “not-to-be-missed” event.

West Tisbury Agricultural Fair – A great small town fair with a midway, great food and lots of animals and other 4-H exhibits. We had so much fun we went twice.

“Flying Horses” in Oak Bluffs – The infamous carosel.

MV Obsession – A local blogger

Homeaway Traveler – Martha’s Vineyard (great resource for hidden gems and for finding rentals)

BFW’s coulda, shoulda, didn’t (but wish we had)

Island Alpaca Company

West Tisbury Farmer’s Market (Wednesday’s and Saturday’s)

Moshup Beach – Aquinnah

Renting Bicycles and riding between Oak Bluffs and Edgartown

Hiking – Menemsha Hills, Gay Head & Cedar Tree Neck

South Beach/Katama

Any other cool things I missed (I’m sure there are a ton) ? We need more ideas for next year!!!