Our sixth and final wedding of 2012, Megan and Jeff's, was marked by a picturesque fall setting at Moraine Farm complete with rustic touches at every turn, Chinese lanterns enveloping the tent space in a warm orange glow, and seasonal food from Moraine's CSA and other local farms. Located in the town of Beverly just 30 minutes north of Boston, it felt light years away from the city.
The overcast day made for good lighting and everything was just begging to be photographed, from the wooden crate water station to the cranberries floating in mini mason jars, to the dried hydrangea arrangements lining the aisle. Festive fall colors, notably pops of bright orange blended with the natural setting, highlighted by green fields, pretty foliage and a weathered serpentine rock wall overlooking Wenham lake.
Passed
appetizers included impeccably fresh, briny oysters with a green apple
mignonette, brie puff pastries with raspberry jam, and a remarkable pumpkin
bisque dotted with crème fraiche and toasted pumpkin seeds. There was herb crusted lamb lollipops and delicate bites of quail. We drank St Germain
cocktails and sipped on local beer including Pretty Things Jack D'or and Allagash White.
Our meals were wonderful and truly in tune with the fall season. The salad featured slices of pear and sprinkles of goat cheese. My entrée was a
Kurobuta Bone-In Pork Chop topped with a fall hash consisting of roasted
apples, rutabaga, chestnuts and pork lardons. On the side - parsnip puree
and caramelized brussels sprouts. The dessert bar provided guests mini bites of sweet treats: candy corn cupcakes, eclairs, s'mores tarts and apple cider doughnuts!
Every detail was original and inspired. Local food, St Germain and mini desserts are some of Megan's favorite things. Their happiness was contagious at every moment, it was a beautiful and fun celebration. Congratulations to the wonderful couple!
The fabulous ladies of Just Add Cheese, Jacki Mo and Meesh Z teamed up with the talented Chef Brian Poe of Poe's Kitchen at The Rattlesnake to create an extravagant five course meal for their friends and blogger pals.
We convened in the private event space on the second floor overlooking Boylston Street; it was great to catch up with Justin, Emily, Dan and Bianca and mingle with some of Jacki and Meesh's pals who were also dining with us!
The evening kicked off with Pomegranate Jalapeno Sangria and Quail Tacos!
The sangria was subtly sweet with a spicy kick; I love a cocktail that isn't afraid to bring some heat. 
The quail tacos came loaded with tender bites of the gamey bird, its distinct nutty flavor embraced a heaping topping of pumpkin and jalapeno salsa. These ended up being one of my favorite dishes of the night.
The spicy sangria as well the innovative use of quail impressed the group as we continued to mingle around the bar while Chef's Jacki, Meesh and Poe got things done in the kitchen. 
They presented us next with an Asian inspired Tuna Tartare laced with hints of pickled ginger and marinated in a soy and chive vinaigrette finished with a refreshing wasabi sorbet. 
Quite the prelude, it was hard to believe we were only just getting started! I was already blown away by the chef's prowess (all three of them.) It was time to officially take our seats as the first course arrived. 
Back in the kitchen I had seen Chef Poe thinly slicing the apples on his mandolin for the Apple Carpaccio Salad which were gently tossed with baby arugula in an apple cider champagne vinaigrette. This salad evoked a true sense of fall, the apples and the vinaigrette both crisp and comforting, complimented by cinnamon sugar dusted cashews, Great Hill Blue Cheese and a slice of crispy prosciutto.
The second course of Chanterelle Mushroom Quesadillas made with Cihuahua cheese, Chervil, foie gras and truffle salsa were very elevated and hit the spot.
The Chile Rellenos were yet another inventive interpretation of a traditional Mexican dish, with a hint of Japanese fusion. Over a vibrant tequila sunrise emulsion mingling with a pool of 5 Spoke Creamery Cheese sauce sat tequila spiked - duck stuffed - Anaheim chilis dredged in a saffron citrus tempura. Plated to resemble a maki roll of sorts and topped with an orange basil salsa, these brought heat and intense nuances of flavor. 
I was feeling pretty stuffed as the entrees hit the table! A Green Chile Braised Pork Belly came topped with a tomato confit, sprinkled with wild boar bacon bits and cotija cheese.
The "Roulette Round" was a pallet cleanser of zesty peaches and herbs, where someone gets the ghost chili. Thankfully it was not me, but the group definitely had a lot of fun with this course. 
It succeeded in preparing our taste buds for an impeccable dessert of Plantain Churros. The deep fried tropical fruits look nothing like a traditional Spanish churro, but I'm all for loose interpretations that still manage to succeed taste wise. The crispy exterior encasing soft plantains was served alongside a heavenly cinnamon ice cream met with a luscious zig zag of salted caramel, a Taza chocolate cappuccino sauce coating, and a sprinkle of coarse black sea salt. This was a most exciting end to a stellar dinner party. 
The dishes served to us this evening were evocative of a true creative spirit in the kitchen, where flavors and ingredients of fall were fused with innovative preparations. Many thanks to our amazing trio of chef-hosts for their generosity; providing guests with great food, drinks and fun!
The former chef of 28 Degrees and Aujourd'hui is serving up locally sourced modern American cuisine inside a once vacant warehouse turned casually elegant dining space in Cambridge's Technology Square.
William Kovel's Catalyst warmly welcomes guests with a two-sided fireplace, a salvaged steel herb garden wall, hand blown glass light fixtures and potted succulents. 
The shiny industrial meets rustic reclaimed wood space is immaculate, the 30 foot sweeping windows immense and the rest of the contemporary décor is charming.
Megan, Bridget, Elizabeth, Shannon, Emily, Bianca and I were welcomed by the chef; he treated us to a splendid tasting of the menu. Appetizers and entrees were shared family style and desserts were showcased by way of individual sample platters.
I started with a composed cocktail named Grey Dawn ($10) made with Greylock, Aperol, orange and Peychauds bitters. It wasn't particularly exciting in comparison to some of my past Aperol libations, but it still got the job done. (Read - nicely laced with gin.)
As the dishes are prepared with food that celebrates the seasons, the current menu is focused on the summer to fall staples from local purveyors and farms. 
The Farmers Market Vegetable Salad ($9) was light, fresh and delicious with ever so slightly pickled carrots, onions and beets under peppercress and crispy onions. 
Crispy Quail ($15) was also excellent enhanced by a black mission fig gastrique, minuza greens and autumn berry jam. The small gamey bird benefited from a delicate preparation and sweet syrupy pairings. 
Don't underestimate the Grilled Scallions ($6) served in a deeply flavorful walnut pesto. I imagine this dish on the side menu gets overlooked (I would not have given it a second glance) but they ended up being a table favorite. 
Grilling the scallions really seemed to heighten their otherwise mild onion flavor, the rich nutty pesto and soft set walnuts making them all the more swoon worthy.
The Chicken Liver Mousse ($10) spoke to me with balanced and unobtrusive flavors. Soft and spreadable with a vessel of grilled country bread, a grainy mustard counterpart, pickled onions and a tiny herb salad, this was a surprisingly likable starter.
A ray of sunshine among a table of leafy greens and earth toned appetizers, the juicy orange yuzus and accompanying syrup brightened up the ensemble in a dish of Seared Spice Crusted Hiromasa ($11). The thinly sliced sashimi grade yellowtail amberjack (but not Hamachi as is more common - Hiromasa is Great Amberjack) mingled nicely in a zesty cucumber radish salad. 
I was thrilled when the Jerusalem "Sunchoke" Artichoke Soup ($9) was sent out, since sharing family style doesn't always prompt the chef to go with soup. The Jerusalem artichoke has no relation to Jerusalem and it is not a type of artichoke, but the flowers edible tuber actually resembles the taste of one. This frothy soup with a drizzle of curry oil for contrast was buttery with touches of both sweet and bitterness at once. 
The homemade pasta courses at Catalyst are simply radiant, imparted with warm melted butter based sauces that give a luxurious edge to the fresh ingredients. 
A tubular pasta with wide corduroy ridges, Garganelli ($10) proves a fun shape to eat. Ultimate luxury comes in the form of an earthy black truffle butter sauce. Small bites of crispy bacon enhance with a touch of smokiness. Chicken oysters look the part and are just about the smoothest most tender bite of chicken you never knew existed. 
Braised escarole greens lend bitterness while roasted carrot pearls give an extra touch of sweetness to the Candy Roaster Georgia Squash Tortellini ($10/$18) swimming in a golden buttery sauce. Flat toothsome pasta is folded up like an envelope to create a rustic tortellini of sorts, finished off with shaved Parmesan cheese. 
For the hat trick, Mushroom Ravioli ($10/$18) with hen of the woods mushrooms is a double dose of these earthy fall delights, also known as "the king of fall mushrooms." Smooth juicy caps and thick firm stems bathing in a flavorful cream sauce were lovely paired with purses of soft mushroom filling. The balance of textures is what truly allows all that mushroom to harmonize in one dish. 
Pasta certainly had us filled to the brim. The interlude of a a delicate fish, perfectly prepared to boot, the Lemon Sole ($27) with roasted baby fennel, creamed leeks and lobster (yes there is lobster under that fish!) in a vermouth butter was a solid entrée. So was the dish up next featuring Chilled Pork, however, this entrée does not appear on the menu.
Encrusted in a flavorful spice rub, the pork was nicely roasted and serving it cold with accompanying shaved apple slices and puree, fresh cilantro and a tart balsamic sauce worked in its favor. 
An impressive tasting of each dessert in miniature form, the folks at Catalyst truly took a go big or go home approach to this dinner. I was ever so grateful for their generosity and this personalized touch. Normal size desserts are $9.
My favorite by far and away was the Butterscotch and Passionfruit Pudding with a warm pound cake crouton. Ripe tropical passionfruit and the classic brown sugar and butter confection have come together to create a love child, it is this pudding. No matter how full you are after eating 3 courses of pasta, you must try this dessert. 
We also sampled the juicy Bosc Pear Tart over house made crème fraiche ice cream, a Housemade Cantaloupe Sorbet with hazelnut brittle, and a Coconut Cake with creamsicle ice cream and chocolate ganache.
Proving you can fit right in by standing out, Catalyst is a fantastic addition to the Kendall Square / MIT neighborhood. If you live or work in the area, it is the neighbor you always wish you had. And if you don't, it is absolutely worth a trip!
300 Technology Square
Cambridge, MA
The overcast day made for good lighting and everything was just begging to be photographed, from the wooden crate water station to the cranberries floating in mini mason jars, to the dried hydrangea arrangements lining the aisle. Festive fall colors, notably pops of bright orange blended with the natural setting, highlighted by green fields, pretty foliage and a weathered serpentine rock wall overlooking Wenham lake.
Passed
appetizers included impeccably fresh, briny oysters with a green apple
mignonette, brie puff pastries with raspberry jam, and a remarkable pumpkin
bisque dotted with crème fraiche and toasted pumpkin seeds. There was herb crusted lamb lollipops and delicate bites of quail. We drank St Germain
cocktails and sipped on local beer including Pretty Things Jack D'or and Allagash White. 
