An Interview With Libby About Eating Out In Boston

http://www.zshare.net/audio/4466503e367c00/

Ever wondered what it is like to be a real restaurant critic?

As usual I found this quirky article while surfing the Internet. Although it is a bit old since it was written in 2005, I still believe the content is relevant. In "The Secret Life of a Restaurant Critic" Alison Arnett of the Boston Globe answers such perplexing questions as: "How do you stay thin while being a restaurant critic? and Who pays for the food that you eat in the restaurant?" I have always pondered these questions myself. It seems to me that if you went out to restaurants several times a week you would be as big as a house. But, no Arnett clarifies this for us by explaining that restaurant critics only take one or two spoonfuls of the meals they are so often served. This is a great article to read to learn about the inside track of the restaurant critic world.
And of course the link....http://www.boston.com/news/globe/magazine/articles/2005/10/09/the_secret_life_of_a_restaurant_critic/

Caffe Vittoria

Step into this quaint cafe in Boston's historic North End and feel yourself transported back in time. This was the first Italian cafe in Boston when it was established in 1929. Today it has four levels of seating and three liquor bars where clientele can relax for the night over a cup cappuccino or cafe mocha. It is a great place to go with friends after dinner for dessert and a hot drink on a cold winter night in Boston. The cannolis, eclairs, and gelati are delicious. I recommend trying the peppermint chip and cotton candy gelati. And above all do not forget to ask for a cup of hot chocolate since Caffe Vittoria has the best hot chocolate in town complete with a thick layer of rich foamy white whip cream. Bring cash to pay for these treats because they do not accept credit cards as is the trend in the North End. Bon appetite!

The cafe's website: http://www.vittoriacaffe.com/index.html

Guacamole

I feel a little ashamed to admit it, but I had never tried real guacamole until my sister made it for me this past summer. Since then I fell in love with the dip because it goes well with tacos or salsa and chips. I also just discovered these new whole wheat crackers at Whole Foods that are delicious with Guacamole. They are called Carr's Whole Wheat Crackers. Here is how I make guacamole, but you are more than welcome to experiment with different ingredients yourself.

Ingredient List:

3 avocados (for the purpose of this demonstration I only used one avocado but to make enough for guests use three avocados)
A tomato
An onion
A garlic clove
Salt
Pepper
Cayenne Pepper
A lime

Note: Using avocados that are perfectly rip will result in the best guacamole dip. Avocados are ripe when they are dark green and the insides feel soft when you squeeze the avocado.

Finely dice up the onion, tomato, and garlic clove into the smallest pieces possible. Then carefully cut the avocados in half and remove the seed. Cut horizontally and vertically across both halves of the avocado to make it easier to remove the insides.

Then scope the contents of the avocado out into a dish and mash it up with a fork or spoon. It is okay to have a few chunks in the dip, but I like a smoother texture for my guacamole so I try to get the chunks out as much as possible.

Next slowly add the chopped up bits of onion, tomato and garlic clove to the avocado. Mix the ingredients in thoroughly to get an even consistency and flavor. The way I judge how much tomato, onion, and garlic I should add is by tasting the mixture as I am making it. If you think it needs a bit more garlic then add more garlic if you think it needs more onion then add more onion etc. etc. This technique allows the cook to individualize the recipe. Then squeeze in a few slices of lime if you are using three avocados and one slice of lime if you are only using one avocado. Add salt, pepper, and Cayenne pepper for flavoring. Once again taste the mixture as you are making it to judge the amount of seasoning you want to add. Enjoy the guacamole!!!!

Here are some links to websites for other guacamole recipes:

http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/000159perfect_guacamole.php

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_20356,00.html

http://www.willsavocados.com/index.php/guacamole-recipes

Tacos!!!!!

Although I'm sure everyone has made tacos at least once in their life, I still find that it's a fun experience to share with others which is why I am including a segment about it on my blog. The ingredients are cheap and easy to find and it's a meal that takes little preparation and tastes great. There is really no right or wrong way to make tacos but here is how I do it:
Here is a list of the ingredients you will need:

Taco Shells
A tomato
An onion
A green pepper
A half pound of hamburger
Salsa
Lettuce
Shredded Cheese (preferably a three cheese packet)

First dice up the green pepper, onion, tomato, and a few pieces of lettuce on a cutting board. Break up the hamburger in the frying pan and cook over medium heat until slightly brown. Add onions and peppers to the hamburger and then fry the contents up together until the hamburger is well cooked and the onions are caramelized.

Lay out three taco shells on a plate. Add the hamburger first then shredded cheese over the top of the hamburger. Put in the microwave for twenty seconds to melt the cheese. Then add the lettuce, tomato, and salsa over the top of the taco. You may also want to substitute the salsa with guacamole sauce which I will explain how to make in my next post. Enjoy your tacos!!!!

Everyone Should Visit Mike's Pastry At Least Once in Their Life

Mike's Pastry is Boston's favorite place to get Italian pastries and desserts. This cute shop, located in the North End at 300 Hanover Street, is always packed with customers buying tasty treats. They are especially famous for their many varieties of cannolis. Although you may have to wait in long lines (especially on the weekends) to get your dessert, the reasonably priced pastries are worth it. However, if you are not lucky enough to visit the actual location you can always order your own pastries online at their website, http://www.mikespastry.com/. One facet of their website that I found interesting, was that people can order a "Mike's Pastry Ten-Count Fresh Cannoli Kit" right to their door.

But rather than talk on and on about how great Mike's is, I will just let some of the pictures I was able to take last weekend speak for themselves!

What Others Are Saying About Restaurants Around Boston

I wanted to see what other bloggers were writing about restaurants in Boston when I came across "Boston's Hidden Restaurants" on the internet. Overall, I think it is a really good website, but it was difficult for me to judge the accuracy of their comments, because as the name of the website indicates, these are "hidden" restaurants so I have not heard of most of them. However, one that I was familiar with was Addis Red Sea, an Ethiopian restaurant on Tremont Street. Ever since my friend mentioned this place to me two years ago I have always wanted to eat here. "Boston's Hidden Restaurants" had this to say about Addis Red Sea:

"'Unusual' doesn't even begin to describe Addis Red Sea, an intimate, funky Ethiopian restaurant in the South End of Boston. It is almost guaranteed that you have never been to a dining spot quite like this. Dark and hushed, with colorful touches throughout the room, including African artifacts, Addis Red Sea is a restaurant like no other in Boston.

Most of the food served at Addis Red Sea is simple, with healthy ingredients such as flat bread, lentils, lean beef, and vegetables of all kinds. Some of the entrees bear a slight resemblance to those found in Middle Eastern or Indian restaurants. Some dishes at Addis Red Sea are very spicy, but those who prefer mild dishes also have many options from which to choose."

The things that I enjoyed about this website was the clarity and straight forward tone of the writing. Their descriptions made me want to check out these hidden treasures for myself. Angela's Cafe in East Boston piqued my interest in particular, because I have not explored East Boston much in the two years that I have lived in this city. This local Mexican restaurant sounds like a real treat!

The only objection that I have to the setup of their website is that the title of the site is somewhat misleading. When I read "Boston's Hidden Restaurants" I thought the blog was going to be completely dedicated to restaurants and food venues in Boston, but in fact, much of the blog is dedicated to towns immediately outside of Boston and in New England. Still, they cover a lot of restaurants in the city and the website is definitely worth visiting if you want to travel off the beaten path in the world of eating out in Boston.

Here is the link:
http://www.hiddenboston.com/.