Eat Drink And Be Fair

I had the wonderful opportunity of attending Eat, Drink, & Be Fair, a “Top Chef Masters”-style cook-off between four of Boston's prominent chefs last night.  The chefs were Richard Garcia from Tastings Wine Bar and Bistro, Will Gilson from Garden At the Cellar, (one of my favs), Peter McCarthy from EVOO, and Jay Silva from Bambara.  I love Garden At the Cellar, so when I found out Will Gilson was going to be one of the chefs, I was totally there.

Green Mountain Coffee organized this event in celebration of Fair Trade Month (October).  At the event, we sampled various dishes all made with fair trade ingredients.  As an interesting twist, all the chefs had to incorporate coffee as one of the ingredients.

Local, Sustainable, and Fair Trade
While the chefs were preparing their cook-off entrees, we sampled food from local caterers and vendors.  We tried some fair trade Moroccan tea mojitos, sustainable Mahi Mahi, local butternut squash arancini, and Rotini Basilica made with fair trade olives.  Additionally, local vendors, such as Cabot Cheese and Ben & Jerry's from Vermont, also provided food.  All very good.

Meeting the Chefs
I had a chance to talk to some of the chefs and learn a little about fair trade and sustainable foods.  While chatting with Richard Garcia from Tastings Wine Bar and Bistro, I learned that Maine sea urchins are almost extinct, yet Massachusetts sea urchins are quite sustainable.  Chef Garcia incorporated local sea urchin into a parsnip cappuccino soup that he served at the event.

We all got to sample a tiny cup's worth of the sea urchin cappuccino.  I think people were a bit scared of the sea urchin, because there were many cups left on the table.  I actually liked it so much I drank three cups of it!  The soup was mild, sweet, and creamy.  I loved the combination of parsnips, sea urchin, and coffee.  The coffee added a smoky richness to the soup, while the sea urchin added a briny depth. 

I also had a chance to talk to Will Gilson from Garden At the Cellar.  Will Gilson tries really hard to focus on local ingredients, and you can really tell by looking at his menu, which is constantly changing.  Out of curiosity, I asked Will where he liked to dine when he was not working.  He said he liked to eat at his friends' restaurants, which include Craigie on Main, Toro, and Sel de la Terre in Boston. 

We asked him about the tasting menus that they used to have (2 summers ago).  He admitted that it's harder to offer tasting menus when the place is so packed all the time.  However, they are considering offering some sort of tasting menu, maybe on Monday evenings. He also said they were going to start offering brunch soon, which is exciting.

The Cook Off!
As the evening continued, the chefs worked busily on their entrees.  Each chef, together with his sous-chef, worked feverishly, doling out tiny, beautifully presented portions of their contest dishes so that everyone attending the event could sample a few bites.

I was quite impressed with the food.  Remember, they all had to incorporate coffee into their dishes! We received menus at the event, but silly me, I forgot to take a copy home with me!!!!  Boo hoo, so I'll just try my best to capture these dishes from memory and photographs.  If I do get a hold of a menu, I'll update the blog.

Upper Left: Sea urchin cappuccino made with parsnips, Massachusetts sea urchin, and coffee topped with a vanilla froth by Richard Garcia from Tastings Wine Bar and Bistro.

Upper Right: Dark Roasted Coffee Marinated Hudson Valley Mouillard Duck Breast with Verrill Farm's Parsnip Purre, Pete's Picked Pumpkin, Gala Apple, and Espresso-Vanilla Chimichurri by Peter McCarthy from EVOO.

Lower Left:  Bacon wrapped coffee rubbed Pork tenderloin over mashed sweet potatoes with a coffee demi-glace sauce by Jay Silva from Bambara.

Lower Right:  Grilled Steak with coffee nibs (from Taza) and banana and sunchoke puree by Will Gilson from Garden At the Cellar.

The chefs also prepared special versions of the dishes for the official judges.  For example, the sea urchin cappuccino was served in a spiky sea urchin shell.

And who shall be crowned the Fair Trade Master Chef??

Peter McCarthy from EVOO! Green Mountain Coffee donated $1000 to The Food Project, which was the charity of Peter's choice. Another exciting fact, for me at least, is that EVOO will be moving to Cambridge soon!  Kendall Square to be exact.  Can't wait!

But Peter McCarthy was not the only winner last night.  They had a raffle for lots of different great prizes, and Bryan won one of the best prizes of the evening!

Can't wait!!!! That sea urchin cappuccino was so good!

Other interesting facts . . .
We found out that Boston is on track to becoming a Fair Trade city, maybe even as early as next year. In order to obtain Fair Trade certification, a city's local schools, workplaces and businesses (1 organization per 10,000 people), must use fair trade products. Furthermore, the city must pass a resolution supporting Fair Trade.

Over all, I had a great time at the event.  Not only did I get to sample some truly excellent cooking, I was also able to meet some great people and learn more about fair trade and sustainable foods.  Thanks so much to Green Mountain Coffee and all the other sponsors of this event.

Eat Drink And Be Fair

I had the wonderful opportunity of attending Eat, Drink, & Be Fair, a “Top Chef Masters”-style cook-off between four of Boston's prominent chefs last night.  The chefs were Richard Garcia from Tastings Wine Bar and Bistro, Will Gilson from Garden At the Cellar, (one of my favs), Peter McCarthy from EVOO, and Jay Silva from Bambara.  I love Garden At the Cellar, so when I found out Will Gilson was going to be one of the chefs, I was totally there.

Green Mountain Coffee organized this event in celebration of Fair Trade Month (October).  At the event, we sampled various dishes all made with fair trade ingredients.  As an interesting twist, all the chefs had to incorporate coffee as one of the ingredients.

Local, Sustainable, and Fair Trade
While the chefs were preparing their cook-off entrees, we sampled food from local caterers and vendors.  We tried some fair trade Moroccan tea mojitos, sustainable Mahi Mahi, local butternut squash arancini, and Rotini Basilica made with fair trade olives.  Additionally, local vendors, such as Cabot Cheese and Ben & Jerry's from Vermont, also provided food.  All very good.

Meeting the Chefs
I had a chance to talk to some of the chefs and learn a little about fair trade and sustainable foods.  While chatting with Richard Garcia from Tastings Wine Bar and Bistro, I learned that Maine sea urchins are almost extinct, yet Massachusetts sea urchins are quite sustainable.  Chef Garcia incorporated local sea urchin into a parsnip cappuccino soup that he served at the event.

We all got to sample a tiny cup's worth of the sea urchin cappuccino.  I think people were a bit scared of the sea urchin, because there were many cups left on the table.  I actually liked it so much I drank three cups of it!  The soup was mild, sweet, and creamy.  I loved the combination of parsnips, sea urchin, and coffee.  The coffee added a smoky richness to the soup, while the sea urchin added a briny depth. 

I also had a chance to talk to Will Gilson from Garden At the Cellar.  Will Gilson tries really hard to focus on local ingredients, and you can really tell by looking at his menu, which is constantly changing.  Out of curiosity, I asked Will where he liked to dine when he was not working.  He said he liked to eat at his friends' restaurants, which include Craigie on Main, Toro, and Sel de la Terre in Boston. 

We asked him about the tasting menus that they used to have (2 summers ago).  He admitted that it's harder to offer tasting menus when the place is so packed all the time.  However, they are considering offering some sort of tasting menu, maybe on Monday evenings. He also said they were going to start offering brunch soon, which is exciting.

The Cook Off!
As the evening continued, the chefs worked busily on their entrees.  Each chef, together with his sous-chef, worked feverishly, doling out tiny, beautifully presented portions of their contest dishes so that everyone attending the event could sample a few bites.

I was quite impressed with the food.  Remember, they all had to incorporate coffee into their dishes! We received menus at the event, but silly me, I forgot to take a copy home with me!!!!  Boo hoo, so I'll just try my best to capture these dishes from memory and photographs.  If I do get a hold of a menu, I'll update the blog.

Upper Left: Sea urchin cappuccino made with parsnips, Massachusetts sea urchin, and coffee topped with a vanilla froth by Richard Garcia from Tastings Wine Bar and Bistro.

Upper Right: Dark Roasted Coffee Marinated Hudson Valley Mouillard Duck Breast with Verrill Farm's Parsnip Purre, Pete's Picked Pumpkin, Gala Apple, and Espresso-Vanilla Chimichurri by Peter McCarthy from EVOO.

Lower Left:  Bacon wrapped coffee rubbed Pork tenderloin over mashed sweet potatoes with a coffee demi-glace sauce by Jay Silva from Bambara.

Lower Right:  Grilled Steak with coffee nibs (from Taza) and banana and sunchoke puree by Will Gilson from Garden At the Cellar.

The chefs also prepared special versions of the dishes for the official judges.  For example, the sea urchin cappuccino was served in a spiky sea urchin shell.

And who shall be crowned the Fair Trade Master Chef??

Peter McCarthy from EVOO! Green Mountain Coffee donated $1000 to The Food Project, which was the charity of Peter's choice. Another exciting fact, for me at least, is that EVOO will be moving to Cambridge soon!  Kendall Square to be exact.  Can't wait!

But Peter McCarthy was not the only winner last night.  They had a raffle for lots of different great prizes, and Bryan won one of the best prizes of the evening!

Can't wait!!!! That sea urchin cappuccino was so good!

Other interesting facts . . .
We found out that Boston is on track to becoming a Fair Trade city, maybe even as early as next year. In order to obtain Fair Trade certification, a city's local schools, workplaces and businesses (1 organization per 10,000 people), must use fair trade products. Furthermore, the city must pass a resolution supporting Fair Trade.

Over all, I had a great time at the event.  Not only did I get to sample some truly excellent cooking, I was also able to meet some great people and learn more about fair trade and sustainable foods.  Thanks so much to Green Mountain Coffee and all the other sponsors of this event.

Celeriac Apple Potato Soup

I enjoyed a lovely meal at the Monday Club in Harvard Square this weekend. One of the soups they have on their fall menu right now is celeriac apple soup.  Because I had just picked up celeriac and apples at the Farmer's Market on Monday, I decided to try the soup myself.

If you don't know what celeriac is, check out the ugly, sort of hairy knobby root on the left (see picture above).  Celeriac, also known as celery root, is a type of celery grown for its roots. Unlike most root vegetables, celeriac is low in starch and high in water and fiber.  It is a good source of dietary fiber, Vitamin B6, Magnesium, Potassium and Manganese, and an excellent source of Vitamin C and Phosphorus. It tastes quite similar to celery, and can be prepared like other root vegetables such as rutabagas, parsnips, and carrots.

This soup recipe is quite flexible, and as long as you have the basic ingredients (some sort of aromatic + root vegetable + stock), you can make some version of this soup.  For a printable version of the recipe, please click here.

Ingredients
1 celeriac root (peeled and chopped)
2 medium sized Idaho potatoes (peeled and chopped)
1 large apple (peeled and chopped)
1/2 onion, diced (leftover from my chicken pho the other day)
1 Qt chicken broth
1 T butter
1 T oil
1/2 tsp dried Thyme
salt and pepper to taste

Saute onions in butter and oil under medium heat for a few minutes until browned and translucent. Add the celeriac and potatoes.  Saute for about 8-10 minutes until they are cooked.  Add broth and apples.  Bring to a boil and then simmer for 30 minutes. Blend with an immersion blender or, if using a blender, blend in batches in the blender.  Garnish with toppings of your choice and serve!

Garnishes
You can cook some bacon, pancetta, or proscuitto in a pan and crumble a small amount on top of the soup.

Another variation by Gordon Ramsey adds a splash of lemon for tartness and crumbled stilton.

You can also consider chopped chives, croutons, or blue cheese.  

There's really a lot of room for creativity here.  You can easily make this soup vegan by omitting the butter and the bacon.  You can also thicken it up by adding a bit of heavy cream to the soup.

Experiment, and enjoy!

Celeriac Apple Potato Soup

I enjoyed a lovely meal at the Monday Club in Harvard Square this weekend. One of the soups they have on their fall menu right now is celeriac apple soup.  Because I had just picked up celeriac and apples at the Farmer's Market on Monday, I decided to try the soup myself.

If you don't know what celeriac is, check out the ugly, sort of hairy knobby root on the left (see picture above).  Celeriac, also known as celery root, is a type of celery grown for its roots. Unlike most root vegetables, celeriac is low in starch and high in water and fiber.  It is a good source of dietary fiber, Vitamin B6, Magnesium, Potassium and Manganese, and an excellent source of Vitamin C and Phosphorus. It tastes quite similar to celery, and can be prepared like other root vegetables such as rutabagas, parsnips, and carrots.

This soup recipe is quite flexible, and as long as you have the basic ingredients (some sort of aromatic + root vegetable + stock), you can make some version of this soup.  For a printable version of the recipe, please click here.

Ingredients
1 celeriac root (peeled and chopped)
2 medium sized Idaho potatoes (peeled and chopped)
1 large apple (peeled and chopped)
1/2 onion, diced (leftover from my chicken pho the other day)
1 Qt chicken broth
1 T butter
1 T oil
1/2 tsp dried Thyme
salt and pepper to taste

Saute onions in butter and oil under medium heat for a few minutes until browned and translucent. Add the celeriac and potatoes.  Saute for about 8-10 minutes until they are cooked.  Add broth and apples.  Bring to a boil and then simmer for 30 minutes. Blend with an immersion blender or, if using a blender, blend in batches in the blender.  Garnish with toppings of your choice and serve!

Garnishes
You can cook some bacon, pancetta, or proscuitto in a pan and crumble a small amount on top of the soup.

Another variation by Gordon Ramsey adds a splash of lemon for tartness and crumbled stilton.

You can also consider chopped chives, croutons, or blue cheese.  

There's really a lot of room for creativity here.  You can easily make this soup vegan by omitting the butter and the bacon.  You can also thicken it up by adding a bit of heavy cream to the soup.

Experiment, and enjoy!

Cambridge Brewing Company

I can't explain it, but I always love going to the Cambridge Brewing Company ("CBC").  I don't go often, but every time I go, I wonder why I don't come more often.  The ambiance is relaxed and casual (they sometimes have jazz on Sunday mornings!), the food and beer are great, and the prices are very reasonable.  Furthermore, you can almost always get seated without having to wait.

CBC is located in One Kendall Square, a bustling area full of shops, businesses, and a movie theater.  CBC has been open since 1989, and it was the first "microbrewery" in the Boston area, and one of the first in the US.

A brief history . . .

There used to be countless breweries all across America.  Pre-refrigeration days, all beer was brewed locally because it could not last if transported.  During the Prohibition, many small and large breweries in the U.S. went out of business.  After the Prohibition and into the seventies, most of the remaining breweries had consolidated into a few large companies, such as Anheuser-Busch and Miller.  These large companies brewed a rather uniform and mild tasting lager.  It was but a shadow of the many types of craft beers just across the pond in Europe.

In light of this environment, people who craved the stronger, fuller tasting beers typically found in Europe started brewing beer at home. By the eighties, the microbrewery movement really began to take off, with CBC opening in 1989.

CBC focuses on what they call "imaginative cuisine" with a focus on local ingredients.  They develop relationships with local farms and purveyors and try their hardest to use local, New England ingredients when possible.  They also serve fair-exchanged coffee.

We were all rather pleased with our food, especially in view of the prices.  We went on a Sunday when they were serving both the regular and the Sunday "beer-unch" menu.  Here's our take:

The Hearty Chicken Stew with cabbage and potato dumplings ($11) was indeed hearty and flavorful on a cold, rainy day.  The Vermont Duck Confit and Beet Salad was also pretty good.  The duck confit was quite flavorful. The salad also had fennel, frisee, arugula, and spicy pumpkin seeds all tossed together in a cranberry-orange vinaigrette - a really nice value at $11.  One member of our party got the Local Omelet with Home Fries and was a bit disappointed.  He didn't elaborate except to say that it wasn't a normal omelet like he was "used to".  The omelet contained eggs from Verrill Farms (local), hen of the woods mushroom, goat cheese, and grilled pear.  I guess it's definitely not a typical omelet, and may taste weird if you're expecting a normal omelet.  I didn't try it, so I can't personally comment on it.

We ordered the fried calamari appetizer as well.  The first time we got it, it was actually quite cold.  Really unacceptable.  The waitress was very accommodating and quickly brought us a new one.  The new one tasted much better.  I thought the dish was borderline too salty, but over all it was alright. 

In general, I like how the portions aren't too big.  I can actually finish my entire entree and just feel satisfied, not gross.

Of course, CBC also make great beer.  We ordered a "Tower of Beer," trying the seasonal Great Pumpkin Ale, which was delicious.  It was malty, not too bitter, with just a hint of pumpkin.  We drank it up.  It was only $31 and easily filled 8-9 glasses.

Finally, how could you not love a restaurant that has beer stained glass windows? :)

Cambridge Brewing Company
1 Kendall Sq
Cambridge, MA 02139
(617) 494-1994

Cambridge Brewing Company

I can't explain it, but I always love going to the Cambridge Brewing Company ("CBC").  I don't go often, but every time I go, I wonder why I don't come more often.  The ambiance is relaxed and casual (they sometimes have jazz on Sunday mornings!), the food and beer are great, and the prices are very reasonable.  Furthermore, you can almost always get seated without having to wait.

CBC is located in One Kendall Square, a bustling area full of shops, businesses, and a movie theater.  CBC has been open since 1989, and it was the first "microbrewery" in the Boston area, and one of the first in the US.

A brief history . . .

There used to be countless breweries all across America.  Pre-refrigeration days, all beer was brewed locally because it could not last if transported.  During the Prohibition, many small and large breweries in the U.S. went out of business.  After the Prohibition and into the seventies, most of the remaining breweries had consolidated into a few large companies, such as Anheuser-Busch and Miller.  These large companies brewed a rather uniform and mild tasting lager.  It was but a shadow of the many types of craft beers just across the pond in Europe.

In light of this environment, people who craved the stronger, fuller tasting beers typically found in Europe started brewing beer at home. By the eighties, the microbrewery movement really began to take off, with CBC opening in 1989.

CBC focuses on what they call "imaginative cuisine" with a focus on local ingredients.  They develop relationships with local farms and purveyors and try their hardest to use local, New England ingredients when possible.  They also serve fair-exchanged coffee.

We were all rather pleased with our food, especially in view of the prices.  We went on a Sunday when they were serving both the regular and the Sunday "beer-unch" menu.  Here's our take:

The Hearty Chicken Stew with cabbage and potato dumplings ($11) was indeed hearty and flavorful on a cold, rainy day.  The Vermont Duck Confit and Beet Salad was also pretty good.  The duck confit was quite flavorful. The salad also had fennel, frisee, arugula, and spicy pumpkin seeds all tossed together in a cranberry-orange vinaigrette - a really nice value at $11.  One member of our party got the Local Omelet with Home Fries and was a bit disappointed.  He didn't elaborate except to say that it wasn't a normal omelet like he was "used to".  The omelet contained eggs from Verrill Farms (local), hen of the woods mushroom, goat cheese, and grilled pear.  I guess it's definitely not a typical omelet, and may taste weird if you're expecting a normal omelet.  I didn't try it, so I can't personally comment on it.

We ordered the fried calamari appetizer as well.  The first time we got it, it was actually quite cold.  Really unacceptable.  The waitress was very accommodating and quickly brought us a new one.  The new one tasted much better.  I thought the dish was borderline too salty, but over all it was alright. 

In general, I like how the portions aren't too big.  I can actually finish my entire entree and just feel satisfied, not gross.

Of course, CBC also make great beer.  We ordered a "Tower of Beer," trying the seasonal Great Pumpkin Ale, which was delicious.  It was malty, not too bitter, with just a hint of pumpkin.  We drank it up.  It was only $31 and easily filled 8-9 glasses.

Finally, how could you not love a restaurant that has beer stained glass windows? :)

Cambridge Brewing Company
1 Kendall Sq
Cambridge, MA 02139
(617) 494-1994

Toaster Oven Roasted Potatoes

Happy Friday!

Autumn is definitely here, and it's getting a lot colder in Boston!  The colors of the blog header reflect the change in seasons.  :) Brrrr!!! I took out my scarf, my gloves, and all my wool sweaters a few days ago!

Despite the cold weather, the farmers' markets are still in full force here, with tomatoes, various squashes, pumpkins, and apples making a strong showing.

There's this one Asian Farm stand at the Central Square Farmer's Market that sells Thai basil, pea tendrils, bok choy etc. I love it!  Check out the Asian gourds they had last week.

The cold weather makes me want to turn on the oven so I can start roasting and baking.  It also makes me think of simple comfort foods, like roasted potatoes.  I love roasted potatoes, and they taste delicious with just some oil, sea salt, and a touch of truffle oil (optional).

 Scary Habaneros and Hen of the Woods mushrooms.  This mushroom was bigger than my head.

Here's a great, simple way to make roasted potatoes - Tiny Urban Kitchen style - in the toaster oven!

I love using the toaster oven because it saves electricity, preheats much more quickly, and can free up the big oven for other uses.  Furthermore, everything (the pan, the food) is smaller, lighter, and easier to handle.

Toss small, baby potatoes with olive oil (enough to coat -say 2-3 tablespoons), salt, pepper, and herbs. I love using fresh rosemary and thyme. If you have large potatoes, cut them up so that each piece is about 1 square inch in size.  Important! If you are using whole baby potatoes with the skin, pierce the skin with a fork.  Otherwise, the potatoes might explode.  I learned this the HARD way in college with a sweet potato.  The whole inside of my toaster oven (pictured above - yes, I am still using the same toaster oven from college), was filled with bright orange . .potato remains.  It was so sad.

Heat in toaster oven at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes, or until sizzling and cooked.

While baking, stir the potatoes around at least once to ensure even browning.

Enjoy! I did, with a lovely steak dinner "grilled" in the big oven using this awesome method.

Have a great weekend!