Thursday, December 27, 2007

Meat!

My friend Mark has turned me on to a meat sensation! Usinger's... America's Finest Sausage (as described on their web site.) Every Christmas Mark makes eggs and (Usinger's fresh) kielbasa for his family for breakfast and last year he convinced me to get in on his meat order! The fresh kielbasa is delicious, plus I have tried the chorizo, frankfurters and applewood smoked bacon. All are delish!

You may have seen Usinger's on Food TV as I had. I have now made kielbasa and eggs for my family two Christmases in a row. Thanks to Mark, we have a new tradition in the family. This year I had made a pork loin roast with fresh fennel and rosemary for dinner the night before. The pan gravy and sliced fennel was so good I had saved it. When I cooked up our fresh kielbasa to go with a fritatta the next day, I put some of the leftover pan gravy and fennel in with the kielbasa while it cooked. TO DIE FOR.

If you love sausage, you'll love Usinger's! Check it out!

http://www.usinger.com/

Sunday, October 7, 2007

Pilgrimage to Providence

Recently my Friend Vicki and I hit the road for a foodie pilgrimage... and to shop!

We started out the Nordie's in the Providence Place mall where Vicki scored a couple of great finds! Then we headed to Al Forno for an early dinner. This was V's first time there and my second. It was well worth the drive.

Al Forno is a well known "casual gourmet" Italian restaurant where the emphasis is on fresh, in season and local! The food is amazing. We shared each and every dish.

Our meal started off with Squash Blossoms. These were stuffed with ricotta and mint, lightly battered and fried tempura style and placed on a bed of heirloom tomato sauce. DELICIOUS!!! We also had Gorgonzola stuffed roasted mission figs on a lovely herb and green salad. Also delish!

Next the entrees: "lunettes" stuffed with ricotta and chanterelles served in a brown butter and sage sauce and topped with the freshest sweetest corn I have ever tasted, and more chanterelles. Dish 2: homemade cavatelli in an asiago cream sauce with zucchini and prosciutto. Both were fantastic but the lunettes were the standout.

Dessert was espresso granita for V and a double chocolate cake thing for me. Desserts were good but not great... in my humble opinion.

Al Forno has a brilliant gimmick, they make you order dessert when you order your entree. This probably sells a lot of profitable desserts but I also realized upon further thought that it is a brilliant strategy for a well-run kitchen. The dessert guy or gal knows what you will be having and the timing can be executed perfectly, no surprises in the kitchen. I don't necessarily agree with the early order policy but I get it. Al Forno also does not take reservations unless you want to sign a contract and get penalized financially if your plans change. I guess they can get away with it given their reputation and the quality of their food. Like I said, it was worth the trip.

http://www.alforno.com/

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Spam I don't mind getting

A while back I signed up for Ruth Reichl's weekly e-mail newsletter and I absolutely love it. She gives product recommendations, cooking tips and recipes. It's a quick read and I find it well worth the time each and every week.

If you want to sign up for yourself, follow this link:

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Buy Local


I have to give a shout out to Wilson Farms in Lexington. I go early every Sunday a.m. I can't say enough about how great this place is. The staff are so friendly and helpful and always go above and beyond to help me out. Examples include giving me funky wooden asparagus crates to take home (one is a plant stand and one is my "recycling center."), letting me taste coffee before I buy their beans (Try the Wilson roast, dark and delish!), cutting anything to half it's pre-packaged size for me with a smile, and helping me learn how to make a beautiful container garden. Much of their produce is their own, either grown in NH or Lexington. Fresh eggs straight from their farm, beet greens right out of the ground. If we could all eat food that is produced within 100 miles of our home, we would be healthier, have a lower food bill, we would be supporting the local economy and keeping family farms alive. If you don't live near Wilson's, find a local "green grocer" and shop there.