Author: Gail

Dining Outside the Home: Florentine Café of Little Italy in Boston, Massachusetts 

Dining Outside the Home: Florentine Café of Little Italy in Boston, Massachusetts! At first glance, wide open windows catch the attention of passersby. Each one is bordered with overflowing flower boxes that cascade beyond wrought-iron grillwork. Echoes of laughter and the clink of glasses mingle from within. This touch of ambience sets the stage for Old World charm and succulent homemade pastas in Little Italy. Warm crusty bread suddenly appears at the table with herbed olive oil before the specialties of the day are shared. As you rake your eyes across the menu, that inner voice promises to start another diet…tomorrow. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter Q

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? All the Buzz: Quiche Cheese Minis! Cheese can be a weakness, in my opinion. Mostly because there are so many kinds. Think about it: Aggiano, Brie, Cheddar, Danablu, Emmental, Feta, Gouda, Havarti…and the list goes on. I could probably eat my way through the alphabet in CHEESE alone. Wouldn’t that be interesting? Some experts say cheese is bad for you. I disagree. After all, look at the French. Their diet is filled with cheese, baguettes, and wine. Did you know people in France have low rates of coronary heart disease? “By some estimates, the average French person eats 57 pounds of cheese each year—while the average American eats a measly 34.”* My husband and I visited France where we truly enjoyed the superb food and spectacular culture. And became ultimate cheese lovers. 
QUICHE CHEESE MINIS
Ingredients:

1 tube of crescent rolls

8 ounces Neufchâtel cheese, softened 

2 tablespoons Greek yogurt

1 tablespoon butter, melted

3 eggs

1/4 cup green onion, chopped

1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, drained and chopped

1/4 teaspoon Herbs de Provence 

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1 cup Smoked Gouda cheese, shredded
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease muffin tin with nonstick spray. Place one triangle dough in each muffin cup. Beat Neufchâtel cheese, Greek yogurt, and butter until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time beating well to combine. Stir in chopped onion, sun-dried tomatoes, Herbs de Provence, sea salt, and pepper. Gently fold in Gouda cheese. Spoon into muffin cups. Do not overfill. (If you have extra filling, no worries, you can make a couple crustless mini quiches.) Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and center is set. Remove quiche minis and serve warm. 
* “Here’s Your New Science-Backed Reason to Eat More Cheese”, Mandy Oaklander @mandyoaklander 

April 13, 2015 TIME.com

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter P

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? All the Buzz: Pig Candy Bacon! If you ever needed a reason to eat candy for breakfast, permission granted. This marriage of brown sugar, spices, and hickory smoked bacon is the best idea since sliced bread! You’ll want to choose thick bacon to hold all the seasonings. Line a pan with foil despite the fact a rack is used; it just makes clean up that much faster. If you don’t….well, let’s just say the other people in your house won’t be waiting around for you. Once the glazed sweetmeat is taken out of the oven, all bets are off. The line forms here. 
PIG CANDY BACON
Ingredients:

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon wasabi powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons chili powder

8-10 slices bacon, thick cut
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Mix brown sugar, black pepper, wasabi powder, cayenne pepper, and chili powder in a deep baking dish. Add bacon, one strip at a time; toss to coat well. Line a baking sheet with foil for easy clean up. Place a wire rack on pan. Lay bacon strips on rack in a single layer without overlapping. Place baking sheet one setting below top rack in oven. Bake 30-45 minutes, or until crisp. There is no need to turn the bacon. Carefully remove pan from oven. Let caramelized bacon cool slightly before transferring with a tongs to parchment paper.* Serve as a breakfast companion, appetizer, or snack.
* The second time I made Pig Candy Bacon, I pierced them with bamboo skewers after they were baked and they were spot on!

Dining Outside the Home: W Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts 

Dining Outside the Home: W Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts! For an upscale lounge experience filled with modern decor, electrifying colors, heightened entertainment, and effervescent spirits, this chic barroom located on the corner of a busy intersection makes it a perfect spot for leisurely socializing. Grab a table for two after a day of walking The Freedom Trail and kick back for a refreshingly cool cocktail. Whether you choose a Hennessy cucumber-lime concoction or a D’usse elderflower-lemon spritzer, the W Boston completes the adventure. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter O

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? All the Buzz: Onion Basil Bread! You have got to try this! Tasty Vidalia onions are unbelievably sweet and mild. They are grown locally in the state of Georgia, yet recognized all over the world. You begin to see them pop up in the neighborhood markets from mid-April to mid-June. Their unique fresh taste makes them an outstanding option for eating raw or cooking in recipes. Packed with nutritional value makes them a bonus. Become a believer; discover why Vidalia onions are all the buzz!
ONION BASIL BREAD
Ingredients:

Loaf of sesame artisan bread

1/3 cup olive oil plus 2 tablespoons 

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon marjoram

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1 large size Vidalia onion, sliced

1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

1 cup Jarlsberg cheese, shredded

2-3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated

Fresh basil
Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400°. Line a baking sheet with foil. Cut the bread in half, then length-wise, and quarters. Dredge the cut sides in 1/3 cup olive oil. Sprinkle with garlic powder, marjoram, and sea salt. In a skillet on medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add onion slices and seasoned salt. Cover and cook one minute. Stir, reduce heat to medium-low and cook until the onions are caramelized, about 12 minutes. Watch carefully to reduce scorching and stir if necessary. Meanwhile divide Jarlsberg cheese equally over the face of the bread. Top with caramelized onions. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly. Remove from oven, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and garnish with fresh basil. 

Cheers in Boston, Massachusetts “Where Everyone Knows Your Name”

Cheers in Boston, Massachusetts “Where Everybody Knows Your Name”.  Located at the edge of the Public Gardens, on Beacon Hill, is a popular watering hole-turned-landmark in Boston. The friendly neighborhood bar attracts visitors from all walks of life. Could it be the fact that for over a decade the sitcom catapulted this local pub into the mainstream? Week after week its down-to-earth cast of characters brought light hearted laughter into our own living rooms. No wonder others still gravitate to this local hangout. You should, too, the next time you’re in Boston, Massachusetts. Cheers. 

Dining Outside the Home: Abby Lane in Boston, Massachusetts!

Dining Outside the Home: Abby Lane in Boston, Massachusetts! Located in the heart of the Theater District of Downtown Boston, this neighborhood restaurant opens its wall of sliding windows to make the open-air dining room an inviting experience. Each unique crafted cocktail delights the palate with signature favorites like The Abby: a blend of fresh lemon, elderflower liqueur, and grey goose la poire topped with a splash of dry sparkling bubbly. Yes, please. Every seat offers a perfect vantage point of the chef’s kitchen where top-notch skills make cooking look effortless. It’s easy to turn off the cell phones and mingle with others. You never know when a celebrity may pop in. At the table next to ours Julian Edelman, of the New England Patriots, dropped by for an appetizer sampler. Memories are made of this! For an atmosphere of warmth and cheer, take a walk to Abby Lane. 

No One Can Take a Bath For You

“There are times when I have to take, 

I call it a ‘silence bath,’ 

where I shut off all 

of the external gadgets. 

I go walk around, 

talk to people, 

and just live for a while.” 

~ Patton Oswalt