From Austin to Boston and Back Again

I love getting gifts in the mail. I mean, who doesn't? So when the Boston Food Bloggers and the Austin Food Blogger Alliance teamed up before the holidays for a little cross-city swapping, you know I was in for the ride.

I went to Austin a few years ago for a conference, and while I didn't get to see an awful lot of the city, I loved what I did see. I ate more barbecue than I thought possible at The Salt Lick, spent a fair amount of time browsing in Austin Books & Comics, somehow managed to go to both Cornucopia (for awesome popcorn) and Walton's Fancy and Bakery (for baked goods) about once a day, and bought some crazy things at the City-Wide Garage Sale that now adorn my rooms. I couldn't help but wonder what magical items I would get from Texas.

But first, I had to package up my goodies! I shopped around for some of my absolute favorite local items, like Sweet Sloops from Harbor Sweets, a few different varieties of Q's Nuts, and Little Lad's Herbal Popcorn (the herbs are dill and nutritional yeast). I also added some local honey (which I bought on tap from Follow the Honey), some olive oil from Central Bottle, some chocolate-covered cranberries, and some homemade chocolate peppermint cookies that I had made for the Food Blogger Cookie Swap. Of course, like just about everyone else in the ATXBOS swap, I included a copy of Edible Boston, and I also threw in a farmers' market shopping list pad. I tried to get the package out the door as early as possible because I knew the Christmas season would be so hectic.

 Not long after, I received a box in the mail from my swap partner, Kristina of Girl Gone Grits. It was a good sign, I think, that she had used a tequila box to send everything to me :) Inside, I found a wealth of Austin goodies: two kinds of meat rubs (Fiesta Brand and Gordon's), Texas Texas Salsa (the first kind Kristina tried after moving to Austin), Pie Society Crimps (tasty little bites of pie with nutella), RoundRock Honey, Texas Pasta in spinach and basil (which I'm saving for a really cold night), pickled blueberreis by Confituras (who knew you could pickle blueberries?!), Fig Honey Habanero jam from A Texas Twist, Pumpkin Ginger jam (made by Kristina herself!), a few copies of Edible Austin and a few other Austin periodicals, and (shhhh, don't tell!) a little nip of Republic tequila and homemade (!) limoncello. So many good things in one place! I'm looking forward to having little tastes of Austin to keep me warm throughout the winter.

The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap 2011 - Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

When an event has a name like The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap, you know it's going to be a big deal. In the past few weeks, hundreds of bloggers have been busy baking and mailing their holiday cookie creations. It's been a nice way of building community that I've enjoyed taking part in.

I had some trouble coming up with a recipe I wanted to use, but as soon as I tasted the Candy Cane Coal from Trader Joe's, I knew what I had to do. I used my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe and simply swapped out the chocolate for the candy cane bits, and I had a perfectly festive cookie. I made these a little smaller than usual, so they were a little flatter and crispier, but just as tasty.

Now I just need to stock up on this candy so I can make sure I can make these cookies in the future!

And since this was a swap, I got some wonderful cookies in return. I received double chocolate coconut cookies (top left) from Elizabeth at A Chronic Venture, chocolate lemon ricotta cookies (top right) from Janet at Food Beautiful, and hazelnut linzer cookies (bottom) from Athena Plichta. You can be sure that I've made short work of all these cookies.

Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
1 egg
1 egg yolk
3-4 ounces chocolate-covered candy cane bits (like Trader Joe's Candy Cane Coal)

Preheat the oven to 325°. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Sift the flour, salt and baking soda and set aside.

Mix the sugars and butter just until thoroughly mixed, then add egg, yolk and vanilla and mix until creamy. Add the sifted ingredients and mix until just blended. Stir in the candy can bits, then drop dough in heaping tablespoons on a cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart, and bake for 15-17 minutes until golden and puffed. Slide the sheet of parchment off the cookie sheets and let the cookies cool without disturbing them for a few minutes. Once they have cooled slightly, move the cookies to a cooling rack.

You Know the Food Is Going to Be Good at a Blogger Potluck

At the beginning of the summer, I wanted to have a blogger picnic potluck. I figured with so many good food bloggers around, it would be a great opportunity to eat great food and meet fantastic people. Well, next thing I knew, early June had turned into late August, and still I hadn't planned anything. Luckily, that's when I heard that Maggie of Eat Boutique had the same idea.

So on Sunday, I met up with Erin (and CK) of Erin Cooks, and we headed up to Maggie's house. We were greeted by Maggie's gorgeous dog, tables filled with food, and plenty of bloggers enjoying the crisp weather. I brought along my cheddar scallion scones (both with and without bacon), because who doesn't love baked goods involving bacon, and my potato chip cookies, which are nothing if not a conversation starter.

Sometimes I feel like an old hat at this whole blogging thing since I've been at it for over three years. But it's always wonderful to meet so many people that I previously didn't know (or only knew via their Twitter handle). We chatted and ate and drank for hours.

Dale of Drinks Are On Me brought his Champagne Campaign to the potluck, teaching sabrage to those willing to give it a shot (and here he is demonstrating). Kitchen.Seven.Five brought a fantastic carrot and feta salad, 5th Joy created perfectly-wrapped prosciutto, fruit, and herb bundles, and Lady Gouda (who happens to be good friends with my cousin!) made a delicious fig and prosciutto flatbread. It was only the second time I've met Rob and Laura, The Two Palaverers, but they greeted me like old friends (their apple cake was awesome and went perfectly with the weather, too). Bite Me New England offered up a pesto goat cheese torta and a shrimp "ceviche" that I had to stop myself from eating too much of. Jeanine from Apartment Therapy brought homemade applesauce, The Musing Bouche made corn and okra pudding (which I sadly didn't taste because I was already full), and I got the chance to chat with Just A Waitress for a just a minute before we left. Erin Cooks made a wonderful orzo salad with feta, dried cherries, and arugula that I'm going to copy for myself. And of course, our amazing host, Maggie of Eat Boutique, made (amongst other things) pulled pork with mango BBQ sauce. There was more, I'm sure, but it's slipping my mind. (I have a few more pictures here.)

I loved meeting everyone this weekend, and even better than talking with fellow food bloggers is eating their food. What's your go-to potluck dish?

Blogger Dinner at Audubon Circle

I worked in Kenmore Square for a few years, and although we didn't go out for sit-down lunches often and (surprisingly) almost never went out for cocktails after work, I got to know the restaurants in the area pretty well. And yet, there are still places in the neighborhood that I barely know at all. Take Audubon Circle, for example. Located on Beacon Street towards the St. Mary's T stop, it's all of a five minute walk from Kenmore, and yet I had only ever been there once, and only for drinks at that.

So when I was invited to try the food at Audubon Circle, I knew it was a great chance to experience something that kept slipping off my radar. I arrived at the restaurant and settled in next to my good friend The Leather District Gourmet as the rest of the group arrived. We ordered drinks (I went with the Cucumber Kiwi Gimlet, above, which was perfectly tart and fresh) as we perused the menu, and Jayne, who handles PR for Audubon Circle, Tory Row, Cambridge 1, Middlesex Lounge, and Miracle of Science (all owned by the same folks), ordered a bunch of appetizers for us to share.

Soon the table was overflowing, and I got to sample almost everything. The cheese board was a lovely display that would be perfect to share over a glass of wine, and the white bean puree was a garlicky riff on hummus, served with lightly grilled bread. I especially loved one of the specials, pan-seared scallops served over a bed of creamy corn and topped with fresh (local!) peach salsa (above). We were told that this is going to be on the menu for as long as they can get the ingredients, so you have a few more days at least to stop in and order this. I found myself scraping up the last of the corn and peach, savoring that end-of-summer flavor.

As those plates were taken away, new plates arrived. The watermelon and feta salad was just alright, maybe because it's getting a little late for watermelon. The heirloom tomato and burrata salad, on the other hand, was absolutely perfect, bursting with flavor. The use of burrata (fresh mozzarella with a creamy soft center) instead of regular mozzarella introduced a nice texture contrast. The turkey, bacon, and swiss panini was a huge sandwich, something that would make a more than filling lunch - I didn't try the asian slaw that accompanied it, but everyone else enjoyed it. My favorite entree was the pork schnitzel, two large slices of pork pounded thin, perfectly fried, and topped with lightly-dressed arugula and pickled onions. It's easy to overcook such a thin piece of meat, but this was definitely tender, and yet it still had an extra-crispy exterior. I will definitely be ordering this dish again.

At some point in all this, I ordered a second drink - the acrb tea party. Made with tea-infused vodka, mint, lemonade, and lime, it's like summer in a glass. Totally refreshing. I loved the use of mint, which was subtle but recognizable.

Audubon Circle only offers one dessert, focusing on quality over quantity for a restaurant with no pastry chef. The chevre cheesecake with oreo crust is a knockout. I usually don't like cheesecake, but this was light and fluffy, with just enough tang from the goat cheese to be interesting. Definitely a good way to cap a delicious meal.

So while Audubon Circle has been off my radar for far too long, I can guarantee that I'll be back, and definitely not just for drinks!

Read more reviews of the evening from Elina, William, Liz, and Tina.



Full Disclosure note: I was invited to Audubon Circle by their PR person, and this meal was provided to me free-of-charge.

Blogging By Mail: Indulge Me

It's been over a year since the last Blogging By Mail, hosted by the wonderful Stephanie at Dispensing Happiness. This time around, the theme was "Indulge Me" - at such a hectic time of year, this is the perfect way to pamper yourself a little bit.

Amidst my haze of the flu (Captain Trips, as I've taken to calling it), a small box arrived for me. I quickly opened the box, and for such a small package, it was jam packed with goodies. Arlene from the Food of Love put together a wonderful assortment of goodies to keep me comfy and cozy this winter. Her card, with a fun spa theme, kicked it all off, and the spa theme continued with an espresso chai candle, a rose bath bomb from Lush, banana coconut soap (it smells like a tropical drink!), a soothing eye pillow, scrubby bath gloves, and of course, some chocolate to enjoy in the bath. I think I'm going to wait for our next snow storm to take advantage of all of this (well, maybe not the chocolate...).

Arlene's site has tons of delicious recipes, including lots of comfort foods and a whole slew of recipes with Weight Watchers points (which I'm sure I'll be paying attention to come January). Check it out!

Blogger Dinner at Tavolo, Dorchester

High ceilings, large windows letting in plenty of light, long red curtains, cool swirly globe lamps, and one of the coolest wall murals I've seen in a long time all set the stage for a fantastic meal at Tavolo in Dorchester. The restaurant, which mostly has a name as a pizza place, hosted a dinner for ten bloggers last night, and they really took the chance to showcase some of their dishes that stray away from pizza and pasta.

I took a seat facing the wall, and usually I wouldn't spend so much time avoiding my dining companions, but the wall murals by local artist Kiki Ikura were just tremendous - it looked like chalk on a blackboard, but was smudgeless, and was whimsical and lighthearted without being silly or childish. She painted two walls like this, using a cherry picker to get all the way up to the ceiling, and they murals give a lot of life to the room and the restaurant.

We started off with a light salad of watermelon, feta, lemon, olive oil, mint, and basil. Watermelon and feta are really an amazing combination, and this version of the dish was a perfect balance of sweet and salty and tart. I even sopped up the leftover juices with a slice of bread.

Next was gnocchi alla Gricia, little puffs of potato with pancetta, pecorino, and local fava beans. I guess I've had too many bad renditions of gnocchi - hard, dense, gummy, or just gross - but these were fantastic. They were light and fluffy, didn't stick to my teeth, and soaked up just enough of the sauce to take on the flavors without becoming too sticky. The pancetta and pecorino added salt and umami, and the fava beans were a nice surprise of bright, fresh flavor. I would have been content to just eat a big bowl of this and call it a night...

We also enjoyed a taste of the house's meatballs, which were amazing. They were homey and evenly spiced, and the tomato sauce they came in was something that the chef had obviously spent a long time cooking. On the regular menu, the meatballs feature prominently - they can be added to many of the pasta dishes, or can be front-and-center in a panini. Definitely a dish to take advantage of.

After the gnocchi and meatballs, we moved on to a swordfish involtini. This was one of the many things that were on our menu that I would never order, but yet greatly enjoyed the way it was cooked at Tavolo. I'm just not a fan of swordfish - but after eating this, I think it may be because it is usually served in thick steaks without much seasoning, which brings out the fishy flavor to me. The involtini was a thin slice of fish, wrapped around a mash of fontina, garlic, and parsley. It was so tasty, in fact, that I cleaned the plate. (Note for my parents, who are undoubtedly going to read this and think swordfish is now my favorite fish: Unless you wrap it around cheese and garlic, I don't want it.)

Next up was a roast duck breast, served over faro and fresh string beans, with a little bit of red currant jam. Duck is another thing I don't like, but this rendition was nicely cooked and had a delightful crispy skin. The beans were perfectly cooked - still crispy, but not raw, and with enough salt to really bring out their flavor.

By then, we were all stuffed, but still felt the need for something sweet to wrap up the meal. We were served a blueberry "Genetti" cake - toasted blueberry pound caked with a touch of whipped cream and a light blueberry sauce. (For those of you keeping track at home, blueberries are another food I can't stand, but were very actually quite tasty in this form.) I absolutely loved that the cake was toasted - the edges were crisp and almost caramelized, which took something simple like pound cake to a whole different level.

Looking more closely at my menu and the restaurant's regular menu, I see that almost all of what we ate is not on the regular menu. That being said, each and every bite was delicious, and I'm sure the regular offerings are just as good. Tavolo is really trying to get away from their image as "just" a pizza place, and if the dishes I tried were any indication, they are definitely doing a great job of it.

Bloggers' Dinner at Fleming's Steakhouse

Steak houses are, to me, a special occasion-type place. My visits are few and far between, and they tend to mark big occasions (like my brother's graduation, although that meal didn't go so well...). When Fleming's Steakhouse invited me and some fellow bloggers to dinner, I was sure we'd be treated to a great meal, but I wasn't sure if Fleming's would be a restaurant I could go to for something other than a special occasion. I'm definitely glad to see that's not the case.

As always, these events are as much (if not more) about getting to know other bloggers as it is about the food. I was happy to see some familiar faces (The Leather District Gourmet, Tales of the Basil Queen, and Megan from Menupages Boston), and even happier to get to know even more bloggers (FoodieMommy, BellyGlad, Grow. Cook. Eat., Forays of a Finance Foodie, and Fork it Over, Boston!). We had a great time talking about food and blogging and why we even bother with it all (not that we actually came up with an answer for that one). We were joined by Michael Dearing (operating partner) and Jason Carron (head chef and partner), who answered our questions and learned a little about bloggers in return.

Now, granted, I know this meal was amazing and plentiful because Jason and his crew were trying to show us what they can do. I would never order everything that they showed off to us. But the quality of everything was fantastic, and the dishes were all plentiful. We started out with the cheese plate, which is given to all customers in place of a bread basket. The specifics change frequently, but the variations we were given were champagne-infused brie and cabernet-infused goat cheese. Um, yes please. Whose brilliant idea was it to combine these flavors, and can they move into my kitchen and do all my cooking from here on out?

Once everyone was settled in their seats, the appetizers began to arrive. The most beautiful was the chilled seafood tower, heaped with shrimp, king crab legs, snow crab claws, and lobster tails. I found myself reaching for seconds and thirds because there was a GIANT TOWER OF SEAFOOD IN FRONT OF ME! How could I not? Each piece was impeccably fresh, and the dish was big enough to share with multiple people as a meal. My other favorite appetizer was the lobster tempura - buttery lobster wrapped in a crispy shell and served with tempura veggies. It was even better than it sounds.

For dinner, we each ordered our own main dish (steak for 90% of the table), and the chef brought out a variety of sides for us to try. I topped my petit filet with Bearnaise sauce (all the while thinking "Don't be saucy with me, Bearnaise") and took little portions of each side.

As much as I enjoy steak (and this was perfectly cooked), I'm more a fan of the sides. Shoestring fries, ginormous onion rings, mashed potatoes (two types - roasted garlic, and parmesan peppercorn), chipotle cheddar macaroni and cheese, sauteed spinach, grilled asparagus, spicy sauteed corn - all delicious.

Dessert was good, but honestly, the savory sides were so good that I was still focused on those. The chocolate lava cake was the stand-out dessert, with a center that was actually molten (unlike in so many restaurants) and served with fantastic pistachio tuille cookies.

This meal showed me that Fleming's can be a typical steakhouse, with finely cooked steaks served with massive side dishes, but it can also be a place to experience 100 different wines by the glass (or in flights) while enjoying your favorite appetizer or side dish, or taking advantage of one of their great deals, such as their Sunday prime rib dinner (prime rib, salad, one side, and dessert, all for $35). Fleming's is also participating in the upcoming Restaurant Week, so if you're feeling like a complete meal, it's a great chance to try the place for little money down.

The Mission, Brigham Circle

Despite the fact that I've been attending my school for a year and a half, there are still very few restaurants in the Longwood area that I've tried. Some are good, some are just meh, and some are just gone. So whenever I have the chance to try someplace new, I'm excited.

Yesterday I finally got to meet up with Erin of Erin Cooks. She and I have been talking online for a while now - we met randomly through LibraryThing, figured out we both have Boston-area food blogs, and finally realized that we both work in the same area of town - perfect for a lunchtime meetup! She suggested heading over to Brigham Circle to eat at the Mission, and I jumped at the chance to try a new (to me, at least) place.

The Mission Bar & Grill was the perfect place for us to sit and talk on a nasty, snowy day. I spent a good deal of time checking out the menu - I can't help but want to order fish and chips whenever I'm in a pub. I wanted something slightly healthier, though, so I went for the vegetable panini, stuffed with grilled eggplant, zucchini, summer squash, peppers, and topped with pesto and cheese. The veggies were beautifully grilled and full of flavor, and the bread was crisp and not too thick. I thought this was a fantastic sandwich, and if I'm in the area and looking for a sit-down pub-type lunch, I'd definitely try The Mission again.

So thanks again to Erin for introducing me to a great new place and for plenty of interesting conversation (oh, and for a homemade peppermint patty!). I love meeting other local bloggers :)

Starbucks Tea Party

A while ago, I mentioned that I was enjoying the new tea drinks at Starbucks. What I didn't mention, though, was that I was so enjoying the London Fog latte that I couldn't convince myself to order any of the others, so I had no idea what they tasted like.

Luckily for me, not long after, I was invited to a tea tasting at Starbucks, an event with the sole intention of getting Boston-area bloggers to try all the new tea drink flavors. I was joined by many different local blogs - The Boston Teacup, Yogurt and Berries, Tri 2 Cook, Carrots 'N' Cake, Healthy and Sane, and The Boston Foodie- and we all enjoyed the chance to taste lots of delicious goodies and talk about blogging. We were also lucky to be joined by Missy Franklin, a local Starbucks tea and coffee master, who walked us through our tasting.

We started with the lattes - full-leaf tea bags, steeped in water, sweetened with syrup (simple or vanilla), and topped with steamed milk (water to milk ratio is 1:1). They're all ready to drink as soon as they're handed to you, but I preferred to let them steep a while longer for a more intense taste.

The Black Tea Latte was simple and comforting - the tea version of a regular espresso latte. The tea is a bit sweet and tart, like caramel and black cherries. Understandably, it pairs well with the apple bran muffins, which are studded with sour cherries - the tart and sweet from the fruit really does bring out those similar flavors in the drink. We also paired it with slices of lemon loaf, which is bursting with lemon flavor - yum!

The London Fog Latte was next, and the only one I was familiar with. The tea used in this is slightly different than the regular Earl Grey bags used for cups of tea - they include lavender on top of the bergamot, which always makes for a richer flavor (at least, for me). Because they add vanilla syrup to this one, it had a broader sweetness, and the lavender gives it more of a floral taste. We paired this one with raspberry and mini vanilla scones. The vanilla scones are drier and sweeter, while the raspberry scones have a great tangy flavor (from both the dough and the berries) and a bit of crunch from the sugar topping.

Next up was the Vanilla Rooibos Tea Latte. Rooibus (pronounced ROY-bus) is fruity, with a little bit of spice, and it's a great caffeine-free alternative to chai. It had a great honey aroma, which Missy informed us was coming from the combination of the vanilla and the mix of spices. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this one, especially considering that caffeine is usually a big factor in my wanting a latte :) But the fruitiness melded really well with the milk, forming a light but flavorful treat. This one was paired with red velvet cupcakes - who doesn't love a red velvet cupcake?

We then moved on to the tea infusions, which blended chai concentrate with rich juices. The Berry Chai Infusion was a burst of berries, currents, and spice, and after one person remarked that it tasted like mulled wine, that was pretty much all I could taste. The Apple Chair Infusion is similar, with the chai blended with sweet apple juice - this one tasted like a spicier version of the steamed cider that Starbucks offers in the fall. Neither of these were really my "cup of tea" (if you will) because I'm not a fan of the spiciness of the chai. We paired with Berry infusion with blueberry and cinnamon coffee cakes, but they'd work well with anything containing fruits or spices. The Apple infusion was paired with an apple fritter, which I absolutely loved - apple donuts? Yes please!

So thanks to Starbucks for introducing me to all the new tea flavors that they have on hand. The funny thing is, though, that I think the London Fog is still my favorite, and I'll definitely keep ordering that one.

Blogger Dinner at Sandrine's

Prior to starting this blog, there were many foods and cuisines that I rarely ate. French was definitely one of them, and for no particular reason. I went to France a couple of times when I was a teen, but I mostly subsisted on crepes, baguettes with ham and cheese, and poorly-prepared hotel salmon - oh, and whatever (and I do mean whatever) wine was nearby. I've expanded my French repertoire since then, and I'm always happy to try another restaurant.

So when I received an email from Chris Lyons of Lyons Communications about a blogger's dinner at Sandrine's in Harvard Square, I knew this would be an excellent chance to experience the real deal. Chef Raymond Ost is a Maître de Cuisiniers (Master Chef of France); the group's mission includes "to preserve and spread the French culinary arts," so I know I got a good representation of French cuisine. Sandrine's doesn't just do a more generalized French cuisine, however; Chef Ost focuses on the food of Alsace, so many of the foods (and wines) we tried were specialties of the region.

This was also a great chance to meet some of my fellow bloggers, all of whom I've been reading for a while now. Along with Chris, I got to enjoy the company of Richard from The Passionate Foodie, Jacqueline from The Leather District Gourmet, Adele from The Basil Queen, and Megan from MenuPages. We sat for three hours, talking not only about what we were eating, but also what we have eaten and what we'd like to eat - just my kind of company :)

We started with two Flammekueches (one was traditional, with bacon and caramelized onions, and the other featured mushrooms and Swiss cheese). With a crispy, brick-oven-cooked crust and just the right amount of toppings, these were fantastic. They're a great bar food or a perfect way to start a nice long meal.

While most of the table moved on to the foie gras for their appetizers, I went with the endive and roquette (arugula) salad, with black grapes, goat cheese, cherry tomatoes, and a champagne vinaigrette. The mixture of bitter and sweet, fresh and tangy, crisp and soft, all made for an incredibly well-composed salad. This is definitely not just a bunch of ingredients thrown together in a bowl. Each bite was a different combination of flavors, and it never got old. I'd probably eat more salads if they were all like this.

For the main course, we had lots of great options, and I had a hard time making a decision. The Alsatian Choucroute Garnie is the house speciality , but I'm not always wild about sausages, and the Lobster Risotto sounded right up my alley. I ended up going with the Rack of Lamb, however, since I rarely cook meat at home, and rack of lamb is something I tend to leave to the professionals. I'm so glad I made that choice, too, because the lamb was intensely satisfying. The meat itself was cooked perfectly (not that you can tell in that picture), with a crispy Herbes de Provence crust and a warm but medium-rare middle. The accompanying roasted potatoes and butternut squash were what everyone hopes for from roasted veggies - a good mix of crispy edges and creamy interior (I probably could have just eaten another serving of the squash for dessert, in fact).

But I didn't, because they brought out this behemoth for us. The platter took up most of the table, and we managed to stuff ourselves silly by trying each of the fabulous desserts. My favorite was the kugelhopf, which puts most Boston-area molten chocolate cakes to shame. But really, they were all good - even the banana sorbet and the pear meringue (neither of which I would ever order). The six of us did a disturbingly good job of cleaning this plate - another reason to love eating with foodies is that they're not shy about going back for another bite!

So overall, I highly enjoyed my time at Sandrine's. At it's mid-range price point, it would be a great place to go for a nice night out with friends, but really, I'm already dreaming of sitting at the bar for some wine, a flammekueche, and a kugelhopf. See, my knowledge of French foods really was expanded!!

Bella Luna Blogger's Lounge

Bella Luna, the restaurant over the Milky Way bowling alley in Jamaica Plain, hosted a Blogger's Lounge last night to introduce Boston's blogging community to Bella Luna's new executive chef, Jacob Zachow. Of course, it was also a great chance to meet and chat with other bloggers. I even got my friend Ann to go to her first blogging event!

I've gotta say, I already enjoyed the food at Bella Luna, but from what I saw last night, it's even better now. The fried Bella Moon Mozzarella was tender and light, a far cry from the typical fried mozzarella. The flat breads were full of flavor and topped with unique combinations, like house-made sausage, fennel, and ricotta. The Lemon and Basil Grilled Salmon was well cooked and served with a delicious sauce. And the Key Lime Pie.... just yum! The cocktails were also delicious and well-mixed - I'm a fan of the Martinique now.

So thanks to Bella Luna for the great food and for hosting all the crazy local bloggers!

Deep Ellum, Allston

So onto my third blogger meet up this weekend. Nine 20-something bloggers from Boston met up at Deep Ellum last night for a little networking and some drinks. It was great to meet the new people and to see the people I met at the last blogger happy hour, so thanks to Julie and Susie for planning the whole thing. I'm definitely looking forward to the next one. In attendance were In Development, The JQ Lounge, Skrinkering Hearts, Chez MRhé, She's Only Waiting on the Next Best Thing, Everyone Loves a Boston Girl, We Are Not Martha, and Transient Travels.


And not only did I enjoy hanging out with all these other bloggers, but this was also an excuse to finally try Deep Ellum, which I've been meaning to do for ages. There were quite a few drinks enjoyed, and the Cranberry Lime Rickey seemed to be the favorite at the table. I enjoyed a mint julep (which they even served in a silver cup) and a Black Water (rye and Moxie). I grew up with Moxie, as it's one of my father's favorite drinks, so I ordered the Black Water just to tell him I had it... but then I loved it and had to order a second. The boot polish taste of the Moxie was smoothed out by the rye, and it ended up tasting like a better Jack and Coke. Definitely give it a try.

We also shared a few appetizers. I enjoyed the pretzels with beer cheese and the fries with gorgonzola the most. And I don't even like gorgonzola, but this was delicious! Everything needed to be eaten quickly, though, as the cheese cooled and congealed fairly quickly. I figure if they can do wonders with pretzels and fries, the rest of the menu must be amazing. Can't wait to go back to try some more (and have some more Black Waters).

The Savant Project, Brigham Circle

So, I've gone over a year with this blog, having met only a handful of local bloggers. It's not that I'm reclusive, it's just that, well, blogging isn't the most social of activities (I'm sure everyone who's at BlogHer this weekend would object to that). That being said, yesterday I had two blog meet-ups, and there's yet another planned for tonight. Crazy.

After drinks at Eastern Standard with This Boston Life, I headed over to the Savant Project in Brigham Circle to meet, drink, and eat with Boston Food and Whine, Calamity Shazaam in the Kitchen, and the Food Monkey. We had a great time discussing various restaurants and restaurant personalities in the city, as well as sampling the food and drinks that the Savant Project had to offer. We were seated on the patio, and I'm so glad that we were, because it was much hotter inside the restaurant than out. The patio was very cute, walled off by a picket fence - it felt like hanging out in someone's backyard (which is actually exactly what it is).

Since it was Cocktail Week ("like Restaurant Week, but for lushes," as I called it on Bostonist), we all ordered the special - a berry mojito, one of four tapas (we got them all, for the sake of research), and berries in sake with lime whipped cream. The mojitos were a deep pink shade and were delicious, albeit a little too sweet. The tapas (tuna sashimi in a lime soy marinade, tamarind grilled shrimp (above), scallop and shrimp ceviche crostini, and veggie spring rolls) were likewise good but not great. The berries for dessert were served in a sake and Bacardi mix, topped with lime whipped cream and a fried mint leaf. Honestly, I was a bit distracted the whole time by the fried mint leaf - it tasted nothing like mint and had the weirdest texture. I can't see myself going back there to have those dishes, but there were other things on the menu that intrigued me.

We were still a bit hungry, so two of us split the blue cheese-stuffed burger, and the other two split the veggie burger. I really loved the veggie burger, made from chickpeas and spinach and topped with red pepper sauce, goat cheese, and onion rings. The flavors and textures worked beautifully together. The fries that came with the burgers were interesting - a mix of regular potatoes and sweet potatoes, tossed with a garlic parmesan "dust" that reminded us of cheetle. We also tried some of the other drinks on the menu, and I was quite happy with the Master Splinter on the rocks (gin infused with lychee and cherries).

So overall, I think the Savant Project is better than Cocktail Week was letting on. Just like Restaurant Week, the restaurants have more expected of them while the customers pay less money, often resulting in inferior product. I really enjoyed what we had from the regular menu, and would happily go back to try some more of the items that caught my eye.