My Second Demo at The Meat House - Coming Soon!

Sweet Burgundy Marinated Steak Bruschetta

Last month I did my first demo at The Meat House featuring my recipe for Sweet Burgundy Marinated Steak Bruschetta and next Wednesday, January 26th from 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM, I will be at the Meat House in Coolidge Corner for a second time demonstrating my version of the perfect Superbowl dip.  It involves steak.  It involves cheese (and lots of it!) and because I don't want to totally give it away, I'll leave it at that.  All I can say is that it's gonna be gooooood.

Coolidge Corner Meat House

Delicious Meat House Steaks!

I hope you can make it!

A Deliciously Fun Day at the Boston Local Food Festival!

I'm pretty sure that everyone (and their grandmother!) was at the Boston Local Food Festival today and can you blame them?  The skies were a clear and deep blue, the weather was perfectly sunny with a comfortable breeze and of course, there was local food aplenty to feed the masses.

I was amazed at how many people came out to show their support and not I'm not just talking about the crowds.  Also present were multiple vendors that have local household names (Taza Chocolate, Olivia's Organics, Nella Pasta, etc) to some new, to me at least, faces on the local food front (Narragansett Creamery, Tortured Orchard and Burnin' Love Sauces). Fortunately for me, everything was all natural so I could sample away.  No processed foods here!

Burnin' Love Sauces

Delicious little samples of Nella Pasta

Spoonfuls of Tortured Orchard 

Ahhhmazing CHEESE from Narragansett Creamery

Taza Chocolate

Along with all of the local vendors showin' off their homemade treats, there was so much absolutely gorgeous produce!  I couldn't help but get a little snap happy about it all...

In addition to the local goodies and produce, there were also other local companies including bakeries, specialty shops and Boston's own take on the recent food truck craze, Grilled Cheese Nation, which is a food truck dedicated to bringing fancy schmancy ooey gooey grilled cheeses to hungry Bostonians.  Now, that's certainly a cause I can get behind!

JP's Canto Bakery and Cafe

Grilled Cheese Nation Gouda, Mushroom and Caramelized Onion on Iggy's Rye

Needless to say, I left the Boston Local Food Festival with a full belly and a lot of pride to be from a state with such incredibly talented foodies.  Today served as a nice little reminder how you don't have to travel far to get amazing food.

Unprocessing It All: Day 1

Today started like any other day.  I woke up, brushed my teeth, showered and took the T to work.  I followed my usual routine of putting my things away at my desk and heading to the kitchen for a cup of coffee. In my still sleepy stuper, I mindlessly grabbed for the splenda and the flavored coffee creamer and started to make my coffee.  Somewhere between pouring the coffee into the cup and taking the first sip, it dawned on me, today's October 1 and that marks the beginning of a month of non-processed foods.  Dumping the coffee out, I started over, this time with just milk.

As I made my way back to my desk, I noticed that someone had left a Hershey's chocolate at my desk (nice tempting try, universe).  I picked the chocolate up and pawned it off on one of my co-workers .  And my day continued like that.  Turning down the temptations of processed foods and reaching for unprocessed substitutes. Before I started this challenge, I thought I'd find myself feeling like I was giving something up.  Instead, (and I'm hoping this cannot be attributed to a day 1 high of starting something new) I felt that the feeling of giving something up was replaced by something much more powerful; gaining control.

I can't wait to see what the next 30 days bring!

Want to see something cool?  This little project made the New York Times!!

Unprocess This: October's A Big Month!

With October rapidly approaching, I'm doing something a little different for the month; a personal challenge, if you will.  I, along with countless other bloggers, foodies, and just those generally interested in this, have signed on to a month-long commitment of unprocessed food.  

And to think it all started with a Tweet.  

In August, I traveled out to Seattle for the International Food Bloggers Conference.  There, I networked with some pretty amazing people, sat in on fascinating seminars and ate some pretty tasty food.  Simply put, it was awesome.  While at the conference, I was surprised to find that one of my favorite speakers was the author of the blog, Gluten Free Girl and the Chef.  She spoke about how changing her diet, just a little bit, changed her life.  It made her happier.  Full of energy.  Sick less often.  She then encouraged us to eat less "crap" (for lack of a better term) and start paying more attention to what gets in our belly.  I was moved by her argument.  It just made sense.

Being so moved, I sent out a Tweet, "So is every blogger in the room planning a month/week/day of specialty diets?  I'm intrigued by the challenge".  Withing minutes, I got an energetic response from Andrew, the author of the blog Eating Rules, "Let's do it! I'm thinking October would be perfect, right before the holidays".  Without even thinking, I quickly responded with a "I'm in!".  And that was that.  I'm in and up for the challenge.  Not that I think I eat particularly terribly to begin with but now seems like as great of an opportunity as any to spend some time paying some close attention to what I'm eating and how it affects my overall well being.  


So first thing first.  What is a processed food and what will this month look like to me?  By definition, processed food is food that has been altered in some way, either to make it last longer by adding additional preservatives or making it "taste better" by adding additional sugars and flavors.  Essentially, if I'm reading the label on something and I can't pronounce it or have no idea what it is, I'm not eating it.  I'm not planning on altering my lifestyle too much, for example, I'll still be going out to eat and will try to select choices that are more natural and less processed than others.  Of course, I'll be blogging about this whole little experiment along the way.  So hang with and lets see what happens!


If talking about all of this struck a chord with you, you can join the party and participate as well by signing the Unprocessed Pledge.  Does the thought of a whole month without Doritos frighten you?  No worries and no pressure.  You can pledge to try it out for a week, a day, heck even an hour.  It's really all about taking the time to think about and care for yourself via food am I'm psyched about my little endeavor.  


Happy Eating!

Day 2: International Food Bloggers Conference

This morning I woke up to a giant cup of Starbucks coffee (hooray!), a great view of the Space Needle, beautiful green scenery and lots (and lots and lots) of food talk.  Man!  Am I in the right company or what?  The morning started off with a trek to the Theo Chocolate Factory.

There, we were greeted with a sweet little breakfast including assorted delicious baked goods, fresh berries while we waited for the day to start.  Clearly, I opted for a diet plate, chock full of a variety of breads.  My favorite was a little loaf-sized bread that was delightfully crusty and floured on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside and full of cinnamon flavor and dried fruits.   

 

Once the breakfast was finished up, it was time for the panels.  I'll admit it, I totally geeked out.  I was so engrossed with all of the excitement of the event and I'm now wicked inspired to get back in my kitchen and get to what I love the most, creating recipes and writing all about it.  Right before we broke for lunch, we had an activity.  Describe a lemon, using your 5 senses.  We were challenged with really thinking about the lemon and how to "think outside the box" when describing it.  

Once we were done playing around with some lemons, we had a special lunch created by some wonderful local chefs and paired with some Walla Walla wines (PS, Walla Walla might be my favorite new location ever.  I mean how fun is that to say?  Try it. Say it out loud.  I'm serious.  It's really fun!).  Getting back to food, my favorite lunch item was the steak tartar.  It was deliciously seasoned with capers and served with crusty bread and lemony arugula.  Outstanding.  

Okay, back to the conference!  But before I shut down, here's a glimpse of my makeshift desk:

Not bad, huh?  Okay for real, back to learning!  

Day 1: International Food Bloggers Conference

Hi from Seattle!  I have been up for 19 hours straight and in those hours, I've accomplished alot.  I flew across the country (which was quite a nice flight coming from a girl whose a little skittish when it comes to taking to the friendly skies), have eaten so many delicious little treats (some highlights being a perfectly season herb crusted lamb and caramelized carrot soup with coconut creme and a tiny little bahn mi sandwich that was so delicious, I can't wait to get into my Small Boston Kitchen to try to recreate it), and have met some amazing people (including Morgan Spurlock of the movie Super Size Me).  And this is just day one!

Seattle's a pretty cool city.  It's very laid back and has a very predominate art scene that seems to ripple through the city.  It's also a very green city (as in lots of super tall trees) and is very hilly, which for me is a nice little way to sneak in some cardio because everywhere we turn, there is more delicious food.  Score, huh?

So, before I turn in for the night (and get ready for day two) I wanted to share some highlights from today:

CHEESE Pairings!

Pom Juice and Herb-Crusted Lamb, is there a better start to the evening?

Walla Walla Wine Tasting

Cherry Tomato, Watermelon and Mozzarella Salad

Cupcakes!

Urban Spoon After Party

Can't wait to see what Day 2 has in store for us, but for right now, it's sooooo bed time!

It's Official! I'm Going To..

SEATTLE!

Earlier today, one anonymous poster left the correct answer to the little game that Fiona from A Boston Food Diary have been playing for the past week, "Where are we going?"  Truth be told, I'm really excited someone got it, I'm not sure how much longer I could have held in the excitement!  I've wanted to go to Seattle ever since I was an awkward and chubby teenager rocking out to Nirvana and Pearl Jam on my Diskman.  I totally got swept up in the early 90's coolness that came from Seattle.  I wanted nothing more than to wear a flannel shirt and hole up in a Starbucks with a bunch of friends and a giant latte in my hands, listening to the latest rock.  But I was um, like 13 and well, my parents wouldn't let me.

So why Seattle, you ask?

To attend the 2010 International Food Bloogers Festival! I'm so excited I can hardly stand it.  Not only will I get the excuse to go somewhere that I've always wanted to go, but I'll be mixing and mingling with some pretty exciting people, eating all sorts of yummy dishes, attending workshops, learning more about wine and just having a blast with people who, like me, love to geek out about food!  There's a pretty sweet line-up ahead of us and I think I'm most excited about the possibility of meeting Molly Wizenberg, Kathleen Flinn and Morgan Spurlock, just to name a few.  The best part is, you'll get to follow me every step of the way as I will be blogging and tweeting my brains out!  So be sure to stay tuned, it's going to be an exciting weekend and I can't wait to tell you all about it!

Special thanks to all who humored Fiona and I and played along with our game.  Wasn't that fun?

PS, I need your help.  Fiona and I will have some free time to wander around the city and of course, eat.  Any suggestions on where to go?  I'd love to hear them!

Clue #2: I'm Going On A Trip and I'm Bringing With Me...

Last Wednesday, I started up a little game as a fun way to tell you where I'm going in just a couple of short weeks.  So far, no one's guessed it and that means it's time for anther clue!  So, here it is...

I'm going on a trip and I'm brining with me......

My party shoes and a notebook!  

While this event is going to be a good learning opportunity for me (hence the notebook for capturing all of my newly acquired knowledge!) there will be plenty of time for fun!  I can't believe how quickly my trip is approaching!

So do you know where I'm going?

Also, for an added clue, check out my friend Fiona's blog because she posted a clue today as well!

And The Winner Is...

First, before I announce the winner of my contest, I want to pause for a moment to thank everyone who completed my survey.  I was thrilled to pieces with the number of responses I got.  My readers rock.  I wish I could give you all a gift certificate but I can't, only one lucky reader.......

Okay, okay, I promise I'll stop dragging my feet here and get to the winner in a minute.  I just want to tell you how I selected the lucky recipient (fair's fair, right?).  First, I compiled everyones name into a spreadsheet (and put your name down twice if you tweeted about this).  This gave every entrant a corresponding number.  Then I used the site Random.org/integers which asks me for the number range.  I clicked on the "Get Numbers" button and it spit out a group of numbers and I then used the first number it gave me to determine the winner. So (now that that's over!) the winner is........

Ann LaVallee!

Ann, please email me your address so that I can pass it along to the folks at CSN stores and they can send you your gift certificate!   Congratulations!  Pick yourself out something nice.  

Thanks again to everyone that entered, I *LOVED* reading the comments and I just wanted to share a couple of random fun facts that I learned through this survey:

1.) Homemade Pop tarts are a flat out favorite

2.) My 4th of July dinner was a close second

3.) A lot of people made my Veggie Cakes this week 

4.) There was a strong desire for me to get even more Boston (is that possible?) and put up even more restaurant reviews, talk more about the events I attend, and let people know about what's going on (food-wise) in this fine city of ours.  (You asked for it, you got it!)

5.) There are a lot of small kitchens out there! :)

Monday Contest- $60 At Stake!

Earlier this week I promised a special little Monday surprise for my readers and here it is:

A CONTEST!

Isn't this exciting?!  I love games and contests and I was thrilled when CSN Stores loved my first promo so much that they asked me to do a second one. Just a reminder, CSN Stores literally sells everything.  And I mean everything.  From pictures of Aardvarks, if that's what your into (no judging) to vanity dressers, CSN Stores sells it all.  I even spoiled myself with a new Le Crueset pan that I ordered from there.  It's going to be a (very) happy day when it arrives.  But let's get to the details of the contest...

To be eligible to enter to win, please complete the survey found HERE.  It will only take about 5 minutes to complete and your feedback is so appreciated.  It helps me to get a better understanding of where my readers are coming from and what they'd like to see on my blog.

And what do you get in return, you ask?

One lucky person will get a $60 gift certificate to CSN Stores!!!  The winner will be randomly selected and announced on Friday so be sure to check back to see if you've won.

Want some extra credit?  Tweet about this contest or put it out on your Facebook page!  You'll be entered for an extra chance to win the big prize.  Just leave a comment on this post telling me that you've tweeted about this contest and you'll get a bonus entry.

Good Luck and thanks in advance for the feedback!

Have a happy week!

A Whole 'Lotta Food This Weekend!

Hello Blogosphere, I'm back!  Yesterday I totally took the day off from my blog to spend some quality time with my Mom.  We walked (and walked!), we talked, we shopped, and ate (ohhh, did we eat!) On Saturday, we spent the day wandering the city, poking through Back Bay and Beacon Hill. We posed for a photo opp by the swan boats:

Isn't my Mom the cutest?  We had fun in Back Bay walking through the Public Gardens.  We paid homage to the famous Make Way for Ducklings ducks and paused to question why there were palm trees in the Garden.  Really Boston?  Palm trees?  Who are we kidding?

After our stroll through the Gardens, we poked around Beacon Hill shopping and ended up working up an appetite for some Upper Crust (my Mom's favorite.  I can't say I blame her..).  We stopped at the original shop on Charles Street where I enjoyed their slice of the day (eggplant and fresh mozzarella) and my Mom had plain cheese.  Yum and yum.  I had never actually had fried eggplant on a pizza before but I loved it! It added just a little hint of sweetness and crunch to the pizza.

After a little more walking (okay, a lot more walking!) we went to the Melting Pot.  I had attended an event there last month and knew right away that I would have to take my Mom here.  We had a lot of fun, talking and dipping breads, veggies and apples into melted swiss cheese.  Pure heaven.  My only complaint was that the bread was a little stale.  Not terrible by any means (especially when you coat in mass amounts of cheese!) but still, it could have been a smidge fresher. (Update: a representative from the Melting responded to me on my about the bread.  Apparently it is supposed to be that way and in fact, fondue was created to use up stale bread.  Who knew?  I certainly didn't, and appreciate the little food fun fact!)

On Sunday, I spent a good amount of time in the kitchen with my Mom (who made a fabulous sous chef, by the way).  I made us breakfast (a black forest ham and swiss strata):

While I was whipping up the breakfast, my Mom got an action shot of me hard at work in my Small Boston Kitchen.

Later on for dinner, I made a simple take on a chicken cordon bleu (chicken stuffed with ham and swiss and then lightly coated in some honey mustard) and my veggie cakes that I made the other night.  My Mom loved it.  Everything came out perfectly and it was so fun to cook for my Mom.

Thanks so much Mom for making the trek out to Boston.  I had so much fun and you'll need to come out here again soon!