BostonZest

Long Leash Dog Dancing on the Provincetown Tidal Flats

One of the great pleasures of having a deck overlooking Provincetown Harbor is watching the interaction of people and their dogs on the tidal flats at low tide. During our last trip, I watched a fun-filled training session take place.

It took a few minutes for me to realize that this pup was on a long leash.

All the better to catch a less than fully trained dog if an escape or a disallowed swim is attempted.

The graceful pair seemed to match balletic movements at times.

Yes, I think they were dancing for joy!

And, coming together occasionally for a close up moment!

Thank you for the lovely show you two!

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 Cherubino
Photos: ©2016 Penny  Cherubino 

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Rhubarb, Ginger Crostata Recipe from Leite’s Culinaria

Okay, when you click on this link to Leite’s Culinaria to get the recipe, it will just say Rhubarb Crostata, but the ginger sets this simple tart on a rung high above similar recipes.

I'm sure a few long-time readers are surprised to see a recipe for baked goods here because I'm not a baker, I'm a cook. But this dessert is so simple and quick that it should be part of every cook's repertoire.

I had posted the recipe on social media when it popped up on my daily reading list. (As you know from this previous Friday Link post, Leite’s Culinaria is one of my favorite sites.)

A friend saw it and delivered a big bag of her own freshly cut rhubarb with a note saying, "I was totally inspired by your rhubarb post this week ..."

Just imagine walking into a summer potluck with a tray of these beauties made with whatever fruit is in season. 

My Version with a Major Shortcut

I used Trader Joe's frozen pie crust instead of making my own. Thanks to this excellent, flaky crust and the ease of making crostata, I do make these pastries from time to time.

I've been using it since back in 2010 when Erin Zimmer, one of my editors at Serious Eats, tested it. She was right, it is crumbly. But this is an informal dessert and a few crumbles are fine. 

My work to make this dessert consisted of cleaning and cutting the rhubarb, grating the ginger, and tossing those with the other ingredients.

I also used less sugar as suggested by one of the recipe testers. And, because I thought it would add depth and round out the sharp notes of the rhubarb and ginger, I used half light brown sugar and half raw sugar.

A Few Tips:

• The frozen dough takes time to thaw. I moved it from the freezer to the refrigerator overnight and it still had to sit on the counter for an hour before it was ready to use without cracking and breaking.
• I used local, organic ginger from Old Friends Farm. I keep a supply of this zesty alternative in my freezer and just grate it in its frozen state.
• Once thawed, I left the pie crust between its layers of plastic and used my hands to reseal a few cracks. That meant no rolling pin or floury counter to clean.
• You can use the bottom piece of the plastic to help flip the pastry onto your prepared baking sheet. Pile on the filling then flip up the sides in your most casual manner.  

What's on your Food Lover's shopping list? Be sure to add David Leite's wonderful cookbook, The New Portuguese Table.

  

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Words: Penny Cherubino

Photos: ©2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino

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Opinel Knives Are Perfect for Picnic & Vacation Season

We love our Opinel Knives! If you have one (or more like us), it's time to take it out and take it with you. 

Here is our oldest Opinel, a traditional #8 with a carbon steel blade. Yes, we have to make sure it's clean and dry when we put it away but it has provided a sharp edge for years and years with just routine home maintenance.

If carbon steel is not right for you, they now make these knives in stainless steel. You'll also find some specialty blades made for gardeners, fishermen, mushroom foragers, and wine lovers! 

Because Opinel knives are inexpensive (considering how well they work), we keep a few of them packed and ready to go (in the travel kit shown above) for cooking in other people's kitchens. There's one in our roof deck dining bag so we always have a knife to share a bit of cheese with friends. Back in the days when we had cars, we had one of these in each vehicle. 

They make great gifts for anyone who loves to enjoy an impromptu bit of food and fun.

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

    

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2014 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

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Vacation from Cooking (Well Almost) with Tips for Planning Take-Out Meals

In April, we took a two-week vacation to our favorite, little beach house on Provincetown Harbor. The tiny house has a complete kitchen and this particular unit at the Bayshore/Chandler complex is well equipped for a cook with good pans, solid cutting boards, and sharp knives. But this year I decided to take a break from cooking and enjoy the wonderful take-out options that are now available year-round in Ptown.

I did sear off some scallops for Ed on a couple of evenings. Mac's Fish House Provincetown offers pristine seafood in the market adjacent to their restaurant.

They would have been happy to cook a lobster for me, but past experience told me the lobster meat offered by the pound would make an excellent lobster roll without the work of cracking and cleaning the crustacean. 

Take-Out options at Far Land Provisions change daily. (Photo courtesy of Far Land Provisions website)

Casual Dining Options

Having a full kitchen and comfortable indoor and outdoor dining areas opens up your food options. You don't have to dine out, but you are also not required to cook. Breakfast is pretty routine for us. We both prefer oatmeal and fruit. Once settled and unpacked, we make a supermarket run and stock up on breakfast food, drinks, salad ingredients, and snacks. After that, we try to add some prepared food each day from local shops like Angel Foods and Far Land Provisions. 

Shepherd's pie from Angel Foods with layers of meat, vegetables, and potatoes

Tips For Vacation Take-Out

After years of practice, we've come up with some recommendations for those who may decide to supplement dining out with some take-out food in a vacation rental. 

• Early in the vacation, if you have a larger group, a roasted chicken can be a good start on having a protein supply on hand.
• To be sure we would use up our chicken (and because I wasn't planning to cook anything that might use a whole chicken), we opted for grilled chicken breasts. Sliced, they can be used for sandwiches or tossed in salads.
• To ensure we kept up a fairly balanced diet, we tried to have a variety of fruits & vegetables on hand along with dairy, grains, and protein – which in our case meant lots of fresh seafood.
• Prepared meals like the shepherd's pie from Angel Foods (shown in the photo above) offered an easy but healthy, balanced dinner.
• Don't forget the soups. We always pick up a frozen soup from Angel Foods as a part of our first supply run. Then there's something for anyone who wants a lighter meal. And, if you don't use it, it will help keep the cooler chilled on the return trip.
• Grilled salmon from Farland is another wonderful base for a meal. You can warm it, enjoy it cold, add it to salads, or mash it with some sour cream to top toast. 
• Farmers markets, when they are open, can be great fun on vacation. In Provincetown, we enjoy seeing old friends like the folks from Silverbrook Farm in a different setting. 
• Enjoy favorite foods from favorite places. They were not open for the season during our April trip, but this fall we'll be sure to have the clam chowder (photo below) from The Canteen.
• Remember the full-service restaurants. Some of these will be happy to prepare a take-out meal for your enjoyment. 

Clam Chowder from The Canteen in Provincetown.

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

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

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Meet Provincetown's Snazzy Dresser, Beau!

Meet Beau! This little guy stepped right up to greet the three of us on a recent trip to Provincetown. 

We hadn't realized that there was now an official greeter to welcome dog visitors and their people to Provincetown. (Maybe the town meeting hasn't actually appointed him but they should, since he is doing such a fabulous job.)

When Beau learned that Poppy was a Duchess, he did a little dance! He does meet a lot of celebrities, but very few Peers of the Realm.

He and his most kind person were happy to pose for photos. Their easy manner told us they were used to being the center of attention when the paparazzi are in town.

It was great meeting you, Beau. We'll see you in the fall!

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.

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

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What's Open and Closed on Memorial Day 2016 in Boston + MBTA Schedules, Parking, Trash & More

Here's a rundown of what's open and what's closed in Boston and the MBTA schedules for Memorial Day – Monday, May 30, 2016. 

We publish these reminders before a holiday to give our readers a nudge to finalize their holiday plans. This is the first big weekend of the summer. Get going on some fun plans! And, plan your shopping for adult beverages because this is one of those Blue Law holidays!

Will you stay in the city or enjoy a holiday weekend at a great beach house like these on the harbor in Provincetown? Or will you put the boat in the water and get out on your favorite bay?

Restaurants, bars: Open

Convenience stores: Open

Supermarkets: Open

Retail stores: Are allowed to open if the owners choose

Plan ahead if you need wine, beer, or spirits for your holiday event.

Liquor stores: Closed (See this page from the Secretary of State)

City, Town, State, and Federal offices and facilities are closed: This includes Schools, Libraries and the Postal Service (express mail will be delivered). Only emergency services are available.

Financial Services: As the British would say, this is a Bank Holiday with both Banks and the stock markets in the U.S. closed. Some international markets are open.

Boston Parking: You don't have to feed the meters on Monday. Other parking rules apply. Street Sweeping: The city site says: "Daytime street sweeping is suspended on city holidays, but nighttime sweeping schedules remain in effect. Constituents are advised to call 311 for exact details."

More information after this ad

Save storage space with these collapsible coolers. Perfect for small city homes. We had many years of use from an older version of the Arctic Zone 30 model. It was amazing at keeping things chilled. We not only used it for picnics but also grabbed it to go grocery shopping.   

Boston Trash Collection  

The city has changed the way it publishes the schedule for holidays so that you now have to go to the city site and look up your specific address in order to get information. 

MBTA Memorial Day Schedule Changes:

(05.20.16) Update:

For a few days before each holiday, the MBTA schedule changes will show up at this link. 

MBTA Memorial Day 2016 Service Schedules Quick Look - 

• The Red, Orange, Blue, Silver, and Green Lines will operate on a Sunday schedule. 
• Buses and trackless trolleys will operate on a Sunday schedule. 
• The Commuter Rail will operate on a Sunday schedule. 
• The RIDE will operate on a Sunday schedule.

Complete MBTA Details Here

For more information: 
Go to www.MBTA.com. Contact the MBTA Customer Communications Department at (617) 222-3200, TTY: (617) 222-5146. 

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: © 2011-2016 Penny Cherubino  

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Bountiful Selection at Early Season Farmers Markets

These days you'll find much more than seedlings and a few greens at the first farmers markets of the season.

Just look at what we bought on opening day of the Copley Square Farmers Market!

Clockwise we have scallops and shrimp from Red's Best; white rye bread from Iggy's; almond butter from Fastachi; apples from Stillman's Farm; radishes and asparagus from The Kitchen Garden Farm; plus carrots, cucumbers, and greens purchased with our Atlas Farm market share.

We could have bought a lot more but our backpacks were full and we'll be visiting the market again on Friday. 

Stillman's Farm stand at the Boston Public Market supplied shoppers with fruit and vegetables over the winter months.

Thanks to Year-Round Markets

Part of the reason we have more early season offerings is the support that shoppers have given to year-round farmers markets and the Boston Public Market. 

Having someplace to sell crops has encouraged investments in cold weather farming infrastructures such as hoop houses and greenhouses.

Photo © 2016 by Halley Terry Stillman, used with permission.

Farmers can also store produce under ideal conditions resulting in crisp, crunchy apples like the Honeycrisps we bought from Stillman's Farm or the sweet spring parsnips that inspired Gordon Hamersley's parsnip soup recipe in the Boston Globe this week.

New Additions to the Market

Early season markets are also good places to get to know new vendors like Caroline from Kitchen Garden Farms who will be at Copley on Tuesdays. We not only added their radishes and asparagus to our shopping bags, we also sampled the Sriracha sauces (regular and habanero) they make with their own peppers. We'll put those on a future shopping list. 

Take advantage of these May market days and visit Copley today or Friday. If not Copley, stop by another local market. Here's our List of the Opening Days of Boston area Farmers Markets.

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!

 

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

 

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino except as noted the one of the Copley Square Stillman's stand is by Halley Terry Stillman.