BostonZest

What’s Happening Around Boston in Summer 2015 (July & August)

July and August are the high summer season in Boston. Most schedules for the many, many series of concerts, free movies, etc, cover both months. So we're combining them into one post that we'll feature for the next couple of months.

As usual, Penny has started a conversation about the summer over on the Boston Trip Advisor forum. If you click through to this link, you'll find contributions from a wide range of locals and visitors about his topic.  We highly recommend you visit that conversation. It includes insights and tips on topics that are not in our areas of interest and that we don't cover. 

Boston On Budget Provides Great Summer Lists

Kate from Boston on Budget has done a wonderful job of gathering free summer events into one place.

Free Music and Concerts in Boston This Summer!

Free Things to Do This Summer in Boston 

Photo: John Schinker used under this creative commons license. Here's a link to his wonderful July 4th photostream! 

Events and Holidays in July and August

This year, July 4th falls on a Saturday. According to the official holiday information on the Secretary of State's website, this will not be a three day weekend because, "All holidays falling on Sunday must be observed on Monday, under state law. Saturday holidays are observed on Saturday."

The city of Boston is taking a different approach. The holiday page on the city website reads:

Friday July 3rd Independence Day- City Holiday

"City offices closed. Sunday parking rules in effect.  BCYF Community Centers are closed. The Mirabella and Clougherty Pools will be open regular hours. Please Note: All Boston Public Libraries will be open on July 3rd."

July 4th Boston Pops Concert and Fireworks 

Since some visitors and perhaps some new Bostonians are unclear on the location of our famous July 4th Boston Pops Concert and Fireworks display, it is on the Charles River NOT on the harbor and can be viewed from both the Boston and Cambridge sides of the river. Here is a link to the official site for the details.

Here is our resource page for the July 4th holiday:

What's Open on July 4th, 2015 in Boston, Parking, Trash & MBTA Schedules

Conventions

There are only three large conventions that might raise hotel prices and make popular restaurant reservations necessary. They are all out in the Seaport, so they will have less impact on the locals and tourist areas than they might if they were in the heart of the city.

July 11-13 (10,500 attendees)

July 27-29 (5,500 attendees)

August 17-19 (17,000 attendees)

Three of our Favorite Summer Happenings Are:

Shakespeare on the Common from July 22 - August 9:

The Landmarks Orchestra Concert Series from July 15th to August 26:

The Boston Public Library Courtyard Concert Series ongoing thru August:

Summer Food Traditions

Our summer food tradition is to treat ourselves to fried clams, steamers, and lobster rolls. We like our steamers small and our fried clams the big belly versions not strips. Or, we can be just as happy with a lobster feast like the one above from Wood's Seafood in Plymouth.

We are dedicated to the no mayo version lobster roll with hot butter and a squeeze of lemon. We're looking forward to the opening of Luke's Lobster on Exeter Street near the Boston Public Library in July as a great source of properly made Maine Lobster Rolls. Here's a link to check for updates on that happening.

What are your favorite places to go and things to do in summer in Boston? Do you have must-do treats, eats, and events?

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2010-2015 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

Mastering Hamersley's Roast Chicken Recipe

I’m sure Ed and I are not the only Hamersley’s fans missing that restaurant’s fantastic roast chicken. I plan to master that recipe over the next few months. I’ve made it once or twice. But, as long as I could just take a walk to Tremont Street to enjoy the finished product, I let the Hamersley’s kitchen do the work.

Start with the Recipe

First, of course, you need the recipe. It's in the cookbook Bistro Cooking at Home By Gordon Hamersley. And, while this is currently out of print, you can buy used or even a few treasured new copies on Amazon. You can also check local, used bookstores. I highly recommend having a copy of this book on your shelf and I look forward to the next publication from this great food champion. 

If you just want a copy of the recipe, Boston University posted it online after one of Gordon Hamersley's cooking classes at the Seminars in Food and Wine. Here's a link to that posting.

And, if you prefer visual instruction, here is a link to Gordon Hamersley's appearance with Julia Child as a part of her Master Chefs series.

 

There are many steps to this signature dish. Fortunately, the process that Gordon Hamersley (and his first sous chef Jody Adams) developed to serve a perfectly roasted chicken with a crispy skin and moist interior also makes it a great party dish for a home cook. 

The chicken is roasted ahead of time and popped under a broiler for heating and crisping before it is served. I love dishes like this that I can make a day ahead because they let me spend more time with my guests.

Begin With Shopping

Of course, to come out with a result like the dish served at Hamersley’s, you have to begin as the chef did with the finest ingredients you can find. In his tips for choosing chicken, the chef suggests trying chickens from smaller producers or kosher brands.

In 2003, when Gordon Hamersley wrote “Bistro Cooking at Home,” he said what many locavores are saying now, “... getting a more flavorful bird that has also been raised free of antibiotics and hormone injections seems to me to be worth the price.”

Stepping Along

You begin this dish by preparing an herbed lemon pesto marinade. You rub this all over the clean and dried chicken and let it marinate 2-4 hours in the refrigerator.  

Next, the chicken is roasted to an internal thigh temperature of 165-170 degrees and rested before cutting and deboning. The final step in this part of the preparation is to make the sauce from the pan drippings.  

When it’s time to serve the chicken, you broil it with lemon slices on top and the sauce in the pan below until the skin is crisp and the meat is heated. 

This dish requires many steps with a good bit of waiting time for some of them, but it is not a difficult recipe. Dozens of Hamersley’s cooks mastered it over the years. And, I can’t wait until I can make it without glancing at the cookbook just as they did.

If I master the chicken, next up on my list will be the perfect duck confit that was so tempting on the Hamersley's menu and is often such a disappointment when I order it elsewhere. 

 What's on your Food Lover's shopping list?

   

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Words: Penny Cherubino (adapted from one of her Fresh & Local newspaper columns)
Photos: ©2008 Penny Cherubino 

Meet Coco the Cafe Yogi

Meet Coco Chanel, a lovely Whippet who entertained us while we dined recently. With Poppy tucked under our table, we ordered and then began to notice the poses assumed by this graceful canine. (The location of this unnamed cafe in an unnamed town must be kept secret to avoid interference by the dog haters. But, if you see us in person, ask and we'll share.)

Front paws tucked beneath her, Coco sat still as a statue and meditated while we sipped our wine. Then she rose, stared ahead, lifted one paw, and held that pose for a long count. That paw came down and she transitioned into a full stretch with paws out in front. This was also held for at least a minute in good yoga fashion. 

While Coco seemed unaware of the people around her, we suspect she realized Penny had begun taking photos of her poses with the phone pointed her way. That's when she assumed her avoid-the-paparazzi pose with her back to us and her tail curled. 

On the way out, we couldn't resist stopping by Coco's table to praise her grace, both as a yogi and a cafe dog. We learned her name and that when she's not moving from slow-pose to slow-pose she, like other Whippets, can take off and run at a speed of 35 miles an hour.

We also think her name is fabulous. As her namesake Coco Chanel said, "Simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance."

Coco, you are an elegant yogi. Thanks for adding your delicious self to our day.

Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.

Thanks to everyone who Hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2015 Penny Cherubino 

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Boston Chowhounds Give Watertown Ethnic Markets Tips

If you are a regular reader or contributor to the Greater Boston Chowhound board, you may have saved a link to a great conversation this month titled: Favorites from Watertown Markets? (Map)

This spice olive mix at Arax Market is a favorite with the BostonZest team. 

Board member Klunco asked, "There are so many little grocers in a small area and was curious if anyone could give a run down of the strengths or must try items at each?" The responses from a number of regulars, who have won my trust over the years, were detailed and fabulous. 

I had to admit that I do tend to buy the same things in the same places. The Chowhounds have inspired me to get out of my rut and do more comparison shopping. I tend to buy ingredients like those in the photo above. However, on a recent visit, I brought a friend who was drawn to the prepared foods and gave them rave reviews. 

I made a quick visit last week, specifically hunting for Rose Harissa, and once again was thrilled with the outstanding service at each shop.

If you want to try something like the authentic string cheese soaking in a brine bath shown above, ask about it. Where does it come from? How do I store it? How do I prepare it? I did that many years ago and when a discussion popped up on Serious Eats, I was able to sell my editor on a feature on this treat. I just had to stop by and review what I knew with the experts in the shop. 

My current favorite falafels from Fordee's.

I now have a list of prepared foods that I'll buy on my next visit based on the recommendations offered by other food lovers. I also plan to do a few taste-offs. I'll get fewer of my old favorites and try the comparable product from one or two other places. 

One bonus Chowhound tip: like any public forum there are great resources, people with a single agenda, trolls, and time wasters. Over the years, I've learned which members I can rely upon for good information and which ones will waste my time with worthless or inaccurate ramblings. I read Chowhound on an RSS feed and watch the source of comments. I click right through to my favorites and don't read or respond to those who offer nothing of value to me. 

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Words: Penny Cherubino
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Messing About in Boats, 1939 Style

“Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.” ― Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows

In this image, photographer Leslie Jones captured sailors messing about in boats on Boston Harbor in 1939. 

In the background, you see Pier 4 and the railroad buildings that lined the harborside. 

Here is a map from the 1919 Bromley Atlas that shows Pier 4 at the bottom and the rail lines coming into the shipping docks.

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography:  Courtesy of the Boston Public Library, Leslie Jones Collection. Map courtesy of the State Library of Massachusetts.

Healthy Alternatives for July 4th Cookouts, Pot Lucks, or Picnics

If your plans for the upcoming July 4th holiday include hosting or contributing to a cookout, potluck, or picnic, here are some healthier alternative dishes plus a few tweaks to longtime favorites.

Dress your potato salad or coleslaw with a tasty vinaigrette. Add a punch of flavor with prepared mustard (great with potato salad), herbs, or spices. I use mustard seed or celery seed in my coleslaw. You not only lighten the calorie and fat count, but also lower the food poisoning potential if you don’t use a dressing that contains raw egg.

Bruschetta with chopped tomato and scallion and olive oil.

Other healthier menu items to consider are grilled kabobs, shrimp, chilled soups, bruschetta, ceviche, satay, cobblers, meze, poached salmon, Scandinavian open faced sandwiches, lettuce wraps, or summer rolls.

When you are invited to a potluck meal, bring something that will offer you (and any other guests being careful about what they eat) a break from the usual fare. A platter full of fruit presented on skewers is easy to transport, serve, and eat. A big jug of gazpacho with a tray of toppings can be a welcome addition to a summer menu.  

If you are better at shopping then cooking, you can purchase fruit platters at most supermarkets. It can also be fun to simply have a great big bowl of something that everyone adores like fresh, in-season strawberries. 

And, if you want to take shopping to another level, check out our post on our traditional Strawberry Shortcake dessert bar we've served to friends and neighbors on July 4th.

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2008-2015 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

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Growing Fond of the Boston Public Garden Fence

I was out on assignment shooting photos in Beacon Hill when I spotted these lichens on the fence that runs around the Boston Public Garden. These tiny organisms have found a shady spot along Beacon Street where they are happily growing on the cast iron fence. 

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2015 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

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