The Beantown Bloggery

I'm more of a Haymarket kind of guy where I can get 50 limes for a dollar, but I do occasionally like to frequent Farmers' Markets as well to see what's available there.  I recently had some pretty tasty apple cider.  

The City of Somerville is celebrating the second season of its highly successful Somerville Winter Farmers’ Market, which will take place Saturdays from 9:30am to 2:30pm at the Center for Arts at the Armory. A soft opening will take place Saturday, November 12th and 19th and the market will run every Saturday through May 26th with the exception of November 26th.

The winter market represents a partnership between Shape Up Somerville and the Armory and is part of the city's commitment to healthy living. In its inaugural season, the market drew 2000 shoppers every Saturday and the market is expected to draw even more this season with the extended hours of operation of 9:30am to 2:30pm.

Shoppers can look forward to seeing all of their favorite vendors from last season in addition to several new ones.

Details
WHAT: Somerville Winter Farmers’ Market
WHEN: Every Saturday, Through May 26th, from 9:30am to 2:30pm
WHERE: The Center for Arts at the Armory – 191 Highland Ave / Somerville, MA 02143

OPENING NIGHT PERFORMANCE OF “HIGH” STARRING KATHLEEN TURNER
TO BENEFIT FENWAY HEALTH ON DECEMBER 7th

V.I.P. RECEPTION AT THE W HOTEL
WILL IMMEDIATELY FOLLOW

The National Tour of HIGH starring Kathleen Turner in association with Fenway Health are offering a limited number of $100.00 VIP tickets to the Opening Night Performance at The Cutler Majestic Theatre. Admission includes Premium Seating to the December 7th performance and admittance to the Gala Reception at the W Hotel with a special meet and greet with Ms. Turner, playwright Matthew Lombardo, director Rob Ruggiero and cast members Evan Jonigkeit and Tim Altmeyer. 50% of each ticket purchase will be donated to the local health leader.

“I am so pleased to be able to give back to such a wonderful organization” Lombardo said in a statement. “Fenway Health was an extremely supportive institution in my early recovery from crystal meth and it gives me enormous pleasure to be able to help them raise money so they can continue the great work of assisting those struggling with substance abuse issues.” Lombardo is committed to continuing this type of local fundraising in each city where the tour of his play will be performed.

In HIGH, Turner plays Sister Jamison Connelly, who agrees to sponsor a 19 year-old drug user in an effort to help him combat his addiction. Struggling between the knowledge she possesses as a rehabilitation counselor and a woman of religious conviction, she begins to question her belief in miracles and whether people can find the courage to change. HIGH explores the universal themes of truth, forgiveness, redemption and human fallibility.

VIP tickets to the December 7th Performance are $100. Use the HIGHFWY code to purchase benefit tickets or call 617.824.8000 or stop by the Cutler Majestic Box Office, 219 Tremont Street, Boston.

Click (here) to get tickets.

On my Thursday off for Thanksgiving, I watched a little football and dismantled the foosball table in our living room (and got rid of it).  Now, we have room to pick up a Christmas tree -- which my friends and I will be doing this weekend.  And with that,  few words from my friend Lisa at Lisa's Hands of Time.

‘Twas the month before Christmas,
And all through the land
Shoppers were pressed for time -
They could use an extra hand.

Errands and waiting and traffic galore -
Shopping and wrapping and mailing some more!
“We wish we had someone to help us along,”
Their pleas for help - were growing strong.

When, what to their wondering minds did appear?
The answer to all their time-saving needs was near.
Lisa’s Hands of Time Concierge was the trick
Could this be the work of Old Saint Nick?

Nope – this is better – time is the gift
Lisa and her team of elves will give you that lift
This holiday season – don’t conquer it alone
Even if you think you can do it on your own.

In Whole Foods, In Bloomies, On Amazon – oh my
In Apple, In Nordstrom, in Target and Best Buy.
Buying, Wrapping, Mailing, it’s true
Stuffing, Sealing, Stamping, can you?

Returning, Exchanging, Waiting on line.
This holiday season will be just fine.
Save yourself some time…..
And just give us a call!
Happy Holidays to You
And a Good Year to All!

Click (here) to visit Lisa's Hands of Time.

Who needs some culture?  I'm thinking about going to a classical concert or a play of some sort soon.  Coming up this week i the Not a Box New Play Festival from the folks at GAN-e-meed.

WHAT: Not A Box New Play Festival
WHEN: December 1, 2, and 3 at 8pm. December 4 at 2pm.
WHERE: Boston Playwrights’ Theatre — 949 Commonwealth Ave,
Boston, MA

December 1st through 4th at Boston Playwrights’ Theatre, GAN-e-meed Theatre Project will present Not A Box New Play Festival, a variety of thought-provoking new work by artists from Boston and beyond. Originally conceived as a vehicle for The 1-Page Play Experiment, the Festival has grown into a weekend of innovative theatre that seeks to actively engage the audience with the creation and performance of new work.

Fans of last seasons’ 1-Page Play Experiment will be happy to see its second iteration this December.
GAN-e-meed will be producing the five winners of last years’ experiment: Mortal City, by Allie
Herryman, adapted from the song Mortal City by Dar Williams; Pulse, by Stacey Lane; Untitled, by
Danny Bryck; tired, by Alyssa Osiecki and Dave Ring; and The Internet Means Never Having to Say
Goodbye, by N. Harrison Ripps. These five plays, selected by audiences as the best of 15 finalists last
December, were the result of a unique challenge. Artists were asked to submit a piece that would function
as visual, textual, and performance art while staying within the confines of a single page. The directors
of last year’s staged readings (Dawn Simmons, Jen Allison Lewis, and Melanie Garber) are returning to
bring these five plays to life for their world premieres.

Click (here) for tickets.

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. I cooked a turkey for the first time ever. It turned out pretty decently. The turkey sausage stuffing that I also made, though, was way better.

Now that Thanksgiving is out of the way, it's time to start thinking about Christmas and my birthday (12/28).



Click (here) to get on the VIP list.

My doctor recently told me that I needed to start eating a low-fat diet.  I think the exact words were "Stop eating tator tots for breakfast, fatty!"  Therefore, I've cut down on things that taste good and started eating egg whites and oatmeal.  Bleh.

Bloggery media rep Anna tried Foodler recently.  Hopefully she had something tastier than egg whites and oatmeal.  Here's what she had to say:

Foodler is extremely easy to use and easily my go-to website for ordering food for delivery. I don't even bother checking out the individual restaurants' policy because sometimes, you don't really know what you wanna' eat until you're given some options. 

With Foodler, you enter your address and Foodler gives you a list of restaurants, organized by cuisines, that will deliver to you. Not only that, many restaurants have discounts, rebates, and free stuff that comes with your order. Most restaurants don’t have delivery fees and if they do, it’s rather minimal. I find that it is a better deal to order from Foodler than to go to the restaurant itself! 

And for those of us who never have any cash on them, like myself, Foodler allows you to add tip onto your bill when you place the order so that when the delivery guy comes, all you have to do is smile and sign your receipt. Don’t worry about waiting forever, Foodler gives you an estimated time frame of when you food will arrive and indeed, it arrives on time.

Click (here) to visit Foodler.

Congratulations to Sara Ross and Kickass Cupcakes.  I would imagine that selling at Whole Foods is going to be awesome for them!

Kickass Cupcakes Owner/Pastry Chef Sara Ross announces a partnership with Whole Foods Markets. Kickass Cupcakes, in addition to being available at the bakery in Davis Square and on the Cupcake Truck, will now be available in Whole Foods Markets in all 28 New England locations of the national natural and organic grocery stores.

4-packs of specialty flavors, designed especially for the upcoming holiday seasons are to be available immediately. For $6.99 a box, shoppers can pick up their favorite cupcakes while completing their everyday errands. Cinnamon Pumpkin, the new fall flavor, is an aromatic pumpkin spice cupcake topped with rich cinnamon frosting. It will be available until the end of this month. Beginning in December 2011, a decadent chocolate cake with pink peppermint frosting called Chocolate Peppermint, will be debuting on the shelves.

In true artisanal fashion, all Kickass Cupcakes are baked daily from scratch in-house at the Kickass Cupcakes bakery, in small batches and hand decorated. In addition to the time and care spent on each individual cupcake, the bakery uses only the best all-natural, local only ingredients. There are no hydrogenated oils, trans-fats, artificial flavors, dyes or preservatives to ensure the utmost flavor for your enjoyment!

This would have totally come in handy a couple of weeks ago, when my boss sent me out to get 13 dozen cupcakes.....

Click (here) for the Kickass Cupcakes website.

I can't remember the last time I cooked.  I remember it was osso bucco, but it was so long ago I can't remember when I actually cooked it.  I'm definitely doing at least a little cooking for Thanksgiving and I was recently emailed about Ken Oringer's appearance on the Rachael Ray Show.  Here's the recipe he shared:

Ken Oringer's Orecchiette with Chicken Sausage and Long Cooked Broccoli

Ingredients

For the Orecchiette:
1 pound orecchiette
Chicken Sausage
Long-Cooked Broccoli
Parmigiano Reggiano, to taste

For the Chicken Sausage:
1 pound ground chicken thighs
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Crushed red pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander, toasted
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika

Long Cooked Broccoli:
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Crushed red pepper, to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground fennel seed
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 heads of broccoli, finely chopped
12 ounces chicken stock
2 sprigs of thyme, leaves chopped
1/2 cup canned, crushed San Marzano tomatoes
3 tablespoon butter

Preparation

For the Orecchiette:
Add orecchiette to a casserole dish with broccoli sauce, along with the crumbled sausage and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and spoon into bowls. Sprinkle with Parmigiano Reggiano and serve.

For the Chicken Sausage:
Mix all ingredients in a bowl, and cover with plastic. Let marinate overnight.
Preheat oven to 400°F, spread mixture on a cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes until browned and cooked through. Crumble when cool and set aside.

For the Long Cooked Broccoli:
In a large casserole dish, heat the olive oil and sauté onion, garlic and spices until translucent. Add broccoli, chicken stock, thyme and tomatoes, and bring to a boil. Stew slowly until broccoli starts falling apart, about 45 minutes to an hour. Swirl in the butter and reserve.

MMmmMM.... "swirl in the butter."  That's bound to make anything taste good.

Click (here) to watch the clip.

I love Barbara Lynch.  Or at least I would if (and when) I ever got to meet her.  For the time being, I'm in love with her restaurants.  But as of tomorrow 11/16, there's a good possibility I may be in love with her as well.  Melanie Dunea, Barbara Lynch, and Lydia Shire are all going to be at the Harvard Book Store on Wednesday.  

On Wednesday, November 16, Harvard Book Store welcomes photographer and author MELANIE DUNEA and chefs BARBARA LYNCH and LYDIA SHIRE for a discussion of Dunea's new book, My Last Supper: The Next Course: 50 More Great Chefs and Their Final Meals.

In her first book, My Last Supper, Melanie Dunea transformed a pastime that has animated restaurants after hours for decades into a sumptuous photographic journey that provided a glimpse into the rarified world of top chefs. The book garnered national media and critical acclaim for the chic and beautiful package and the totally unique concept.

In My Last Supper: The Next Course, Dunea expands her circle from the highest echelons of chefs to include the best-loved food personalities such as Emeril Lagasse, Joel Robuchon, Tom Colicchio, Bobby Flay, and Boston's own Barbara Lynch to ask them the question that drove the first volume: “What would you eat for your last meal on earth?”

A perfect gift for anyone who loves food, beautifully produced with gorgeous photography, My Last Supper: The Next Course is so much more than a coffee table book—it’s a fascinating glimpse into the world of people who eat, breathe, and sleep food. As the number of people who consider themselves foodies has exploded, this book is sure to capture the audience who loved the first one and captivate those who are new to the scene.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

7 p.m.

Harvard Book Store
1256 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138

Click (here) for more details.

I read an article last week that Thanksgiving is going to cost 13% more this year.  That's going to make it harder on everyone.  So if you're able, head over to the Galleria and drop off some canned food for the Salvation Army. 

During these financially challenging times for local families, CambridgeSide Galleria is working with The Salvation Army to collect canned goods that will feed more than 1,200 people on Thanksgiving Day. From now until Sunday November 20, 2011, CambridgeSide Galleria is asking their customers to bring a canned food or baby food item to the drop off center at the Customer Service on Level 2. These donated items will help The Salvation Army create 250+ Thanksgiving food baskets that will be delivered to struggling families throughout Cambridge and Somerville.

The Salvation Army of Cambridge & Somerville makes special efforts to assist individuals and families during the Holiday season with food baskets, toys, and winter clothing. As part of their holiday efforts, over 400 Teddy Bears are decorated and dressed for children in need. Over 300+ Thanksgiving turkeys are given to families in need. Once Thanksgiving is past, they then supply these same families with holiday gifts that will make the season a little brighter. Applications for Christmas assistance will be accepted December 5-9, 2011.

It's that time of year again, that time when it's way too early to be getting ready for Christmas (seeing as how we haven't even hit Thanksgiving yet), but we do it anyway.  Coming up this weekend is the Annual Faneuil Hall Tree Lighting ceremony.

The lights get turned on around 5pm'ish, but there will be events going on all day:

What is being determined as the first holiday tree lighting in Boston, the 27th annual Faneuil Hall Marketplace ceremony is slated for Sat., Nov. 19 from 11AM-6:30PM.

The 85 ft. Norwegian spruce {hailed the tallest tree in New England & provided by the upper state N.Y. Egan Acres Tree Farms} weighs in at 9,000 tons, boasts 3,500 ornaments, and will illuminate the entire Marketplace with 300,000 'B' lights.

Highlighted by thousands of pieces of confetti, the internationally known street performers, dance troupes, music ensembles, Santa Claus, guest appearances by Boston Ballet "Nutcracker" characters & more, the actual switching on of the tree lights {by Mayor Menino-if his schedule allows and a major sports celebrity-TBA} is slated for approx. 5:00PM-5:15PM.

Entertainment is scheduled all day from 11AM-6:30PM.

The ceremony is open to everyone free of charge and all Marketplace shops, restaurants, venues, pushcarts, food courts and boutiques are open all day.

Click (here) for more info.

Click (here) to RSVP.

Bloggery media rep Sara swung by Bokx 109 last week, here's what she had to say:

Apologies for my delayed post; for the past few days I have been busy digesting one of the best meals I’ve had in quite a while! Last Wednesday night I had the pleasure to attend a 6-course meal at the Chef’s Table at Bokx 109 in Newton.

First let’s start with location:

Newton may seem like a stretch for some of us city-dwellers, but Bokx 109, located inside of Hotel Indigo, is actually super-easy to get to. The restaurant is only about a 10-minute ride from Boston (not during rush hour – take my advice and do NOT attempt to go during rush hour), and has plenty of free parking for restaurant guests. For those without cars, the hotel is right next to the Riverside T-Stop on the D-Line.

And now the important stuff…the food:

Upon arriving, I was seated at the Chef’s Table and greeted with a glass of champagne by our chef for
the night, Jarrod Moiles. The first course consisted of a scrumptious seared scallop atop mushrooms and baby Brussels sprouts. I normally do not care for mushrooms, but in this dish they tasted fantastic. Next up were roasted beets with a goat cheese brulee, pistachio brittle, and balsamic onion jam. The beets were so colorful and fresh, and tasted delightful (and very fall) paired with one of my favorite Rieslings, Chateau Ste. Michelle. Each course got more delicious than the next. Next up was lobster-stuffed dover sole. I am a huge seafood lover, and this was soooo delicious! The dish was served with braised Swiss chard and a roasted shallot cream. Even though I was starting to fill up by this course, I could not put my fork down!

Three courses to go….

The fourth course was a bacon-wrapped pork, plated beautifully atop a corn pancake, with a house-
made mustard and pickled relish. As full as I was getting at this point, the course I was most-looking
forward to was up next: braised beef short rib with a vegetable ragout. Delish! How I had room for
dessert I’m not sure, but there was no way I was going to pass-up the last course, and _____ panna
cotta. The dessert was paired with a sweet and scrumptious dessert wine, and Jarrod even treated us to
some of Bokx 109’s green apple cotton candy.

The entire dinner was very seasonal, and the wine pairings were right on key. An extreme amount of
precision went in to the presentation of each meal, and everything came out looking as impressive as it
tasted. Bokx 109 is definitely worth the trip.

Click (here) to visit the Bokx 109. 

As part of The 8th Annual Mayor’s Holiday Special,  Mayor Menino opens the holiday season for the performing arts:

Boston Pops conductor Keith Lockhart, costumed performers & arts leaders join the Mayor to celebrate over 75 sparkling holiday shows.

Tuesday, November 8 at 12 noon (ending by 12:30pm)
Inside the Peter Pan tent on City Hall Plaza

Curtains up! Join Mayor Thomas M. Menino as he declares Boston’s magical holiday arts festivities underway. With a flip of the giant switch, he’ll light Boston’s way to delightful holiday experiences.

Alongside the Mayor: arts luminaries and costumed performers for a glorious image, including:

Boston POPS conductor Keith Lockhart
Captain Hook and flying Tinkerbell from 360º presents J M Barrie’s Peter Pan
The Nutcracker and The Bear from Boston Ballet’s classic The Nutcracker
The Sugar Plum Fairy from BalletRox’s Urban Nutcracker
The Dancing Doll from Jose Mateo’s Ballet Theatre The Nutcracker
Brian O’Donovan, host of WGBH’s A Christmas Celtic Sojourn
A tuxedoed trumpeter from Handel & Haydn’s Handel’s Messiah

It’s easy to explore all 75+ shows with The 8th Annual Mayor’s Holiday Special, Boston’s one-stop website for planning holiday fun, created by The Mayor's Office of Arts, Tourism & Special Events in partnership with local non-profit ArtsBoston and the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Click (here) for more info.

No post today because I'm in excruciating amounts of pain and too tired to read my emails.  First off, thanks again to everyone who donated to me.  For those of you that made bets that I wouldn't finish, now's the time for you to pay up.  You can pay (here). 

Here are my post-marathon thoughts.

1.  That was absolutely terrible.  I really hope I never have to do that again.
2.  I think I may have given myself adult onset diabetes from eating all those energy gels and drinking all that gatorade.
3.  I could have shaved off at least 15 minutes from my time if I didn't need to pee during the race.  Waiting for a porta potty took forever.  And no, I'm not hardcore enough to pee on myself and keep running. 
4.  I wonder what hurts more, a gunshot wound or all this chafing in *cough* sensitive areas.
5.  If you've ever wondered at what point during a marathon you start thinking about what you're going to have for dinner, the answer is right after Mile 3.  And then you're really sad for the next 23.2 miles.
6.  Everyone that runs should get complimentary car service home.  Seriously.  This should have been number one on the list.
7.  Buffalo wings was not the correct choice for my post-marathon meal.

That's all for now. 

Bloggery media rep DanDan swung by the launch event for a new car service called Uber last week.  Here's what he had to say.

I *love* Uber! I apologize for how advertisement-y this sounds, but I had the chance to stop by Uber's launch party and have used it several times since and I have to say that it is a truly amazing service.

Basically, Uber let's you book a luxury limo sedan for just a few bucks more than a normal taxi. Using the service is as easy as pulling out your smart phone, opening the app, and requesting the car with one click (you can also request a car by text). Uber let's you know exactly where your car is (you can watch as the car approaches on Uber's map) and how long it'll take to get to you. Then, the driver actually calls you to let you know he's arrived! Typically, wait times are between 5 and 10 minutes.

AND, you know how cabs drivers usually get grumpy when you want to pay by card? When you register with Uber, you give them your credit card number so, when you Uber to your destination, you don't even have to pay. Your card automatically gets charged (you don't tip Uber drivers) and you're all set to go.

So, why do I love Uber so much? Well, remember the snow storm on Saturday night? I was getting out of the Night of the Stars at the Boston Ballet (wonderful show!) and I met up with some friends at an event across the street. The event ends and I'm stuck on Washington St in a three piece suit just after 1am during a nasty snow storm with no cabs in sight. Luckily, Uber to the rescue! Just under seven minutes later, my personal car pulls up, the driver steps around and opens the door and I get home. Later, I check and see that the trip cost $15 for a cab ride that would typically cost around $12 with tip.

Click (here) to Uber out.

I had brownies made from scratch for the first time ever last week.  They were delicious.  And it wasn't until then that I realized that I'd never had brownies from that didn't come from a box before.  Although I supposed I've had brownies at a restaurant before that weren't from a box.  Damn, now I want a brownie.....

KitchenWares, 215 Newbury Street, will host Joanne Chang (chef / baker / cookbook author) and Amy Traverso (Senior Editor, Lifestyle for Yankee Magazine / cookbook author) on Wednesday, November 9th from 7 - 9pm.

Joanne will be on hand from 7 – 8pm followed by Amy from 8 – 9pm. Both will field your holiday questions and offer tasty treats from their cookbooks. Joanne’s cookbook, Flour, features spectacular recipes from Boston’s Flour Bakery and Café. Amy’s cookbook, The Apple Lover’s Cookbook, celebrates the beauty of apples in all their delicious variety, taking you from the orchard to the kitchen with recipes both sweet and savory. Light refreshments will include holiday pastries from both cookbooks.

This event is free and open to the public. For each cookbook purchased, KitchenWares will donate $2 to Community Servings, a not-for-profit food and nutrition program providing services throughout Massachusetts to individuals and families living with critical and chronic illnesses.

RSVPs are appreciated to help us plan. Please email events@kitchenwaresboston.com.