Tuscan Kitchen | Grand Opening

At the Grand Opening of Tuscan Kitchen and Market the owner, Joe Faro, makes it a point to individually greet the large number of guests as they mingle before dinner. Faro grew up in a traditional Italian household and made his foray into the business at a young age selling his own homemade pasta. The deeply rooted traditions continue at his second location to open in Burlington, MA (the original resides in Salem, NH). In the kitchen, the bread is made from scratch and baked in a stone hearth. The meats and fish are roasted on a wood grill, pizzas are fired in a wood oven and yes, the pastas are still hand rolled. Meanwhile, the market sells delectable Italian goods such as premium olive oils and unique balsamic vinegars with an adjoining café counter offering pastries, gelato and specialty coffee drinks. They are doing a lot in a massive space - in a location adjacent to uniform office parks. The results so far are well-received, and the grand opening party a delicious success.  

Upon arrival we are greeted with glasses of prosecco and Parmigiana Reggiano, sliced fresh from a giant wheel and drizzled in balsamic. As we made our way into the bar and lounge area, antipasti were passed, martinis were poured, and a gorgeous plated appetizer station beckoned. There was everything from homemade burrata, affettati misti: porchetta and prosciutto, fig jam, local truffle honey, roasted vegetables and artesian stone hearth breads. I sipped a refreshing cocktail called The Tuscan made with Stoli, muddled basil, lime juice and sugar.

After everyone was seated for dinner we started with a duo of pastas; Cannelloni di Vitello - thin sheets of rosemary pasta stuffed with slow braised veal breast, spinach and Tuscan bean mista and Truffle Mascarpone Gnocchi with wood roasted mushrooms, fava beans and shaved pecorino tartufo. These pasta creations elicited high praise all around; the Cannelloni was my favorite dish of the evening - and I never like veal!  The secondi course offered our choice of Pan Roasted Cod with an herb leek butter crust and rock shrimp in a sweet pea saffron risotto or the Filetto di Manzo - 10 oz aged wood grilled filet with caramelized garlic, tuffle parmesan fingerlings and a brussels sprout and pancetta slaw. Were these ever some gorgeous, well executed entrees!

Guests were sent off to the market's Caffe Toscano for farewell coffee, pastry and gelato. I got an espresso and a scoop of vanilla with a scoop of tiramisu, a sweet ending to a wonderful evening. Welcome to Burlington, Tuscan Kitchen!

Tuscan Kitchen

 24 New England Executive Park

Burlington, MA 01803

Marché | Nashville

We were told Marché offers one of the best brunches around and they did not disappoint. Serving light seasonal fare with a variety of coffee & espresso drinks, teas, and breakfast cocktails in a comfortable and sunny space in East Nashville, definitely spend a morning here if you are in town!

Republic of Tea | Chamomile Lemon 
Pomegranate Mimosa | Prosecco, pomegranate juice
Streak and Eggs | two fried eggs, potatoes and roasted red pepper steak sauce
Scrambled Eggs | Parmesan cheese grits, Applewood bacon

Marché Artisian Foods

1000 Main St

Nashville, TN 37206

Mount Gay Rum Supper @ Forum

Let's talk about rum; the worlds oldest refined rum, the brand that is intimately connected to the sea and sailing community, the kind first distilled in copper pots on the northernmost tip of Barbados 310 years ago in 1703, Mount Gay. Harmoniously blended using sugar cane molasses and coral filtered Barbarian water, Mount Gay produces some wonderfully elegant, full bodied and complex rums. 

The brand ambassador Scott Fitzgerald and the lovely folks at their marketing company hosted a private dinner at Forum where we honored their Black Barrel blend - a small batch of handcrafted rums matured in double pot distillates and finished in charred bourbon oak barrels. A luminescent amber color boasting aromas and flavors of spice, pepper and toasted wood with hints of sweet caramel and vanilla, this rum is something special.

The first cocktail we enjoyed as we mingled before dinner was a Black and Ginger - Black Barrel, ginger ale, angostura bitters and a lime wedge. Once we sat down and Scott began his stories (quite the storyteller, I loved learning about the rum through his tales) we were served Black Barrel neat, alongside another cocktail called the Old Soul - Black Barrel, lime juice, simple syrup, mint leaves and a prosecco float. This one was my favorite; it was elegant and refined just like the rum itself. 

The supper began with a gorgeous appetizer of Spiced Seared Tuna with a cucumber mango salad, avocado crema and a white soy passion fruit vinaigrette. Scott waxed poetic about rum and we listened to tales of the Mount Gay Barbados Regatta among others. 

For the main course Forum presented a beautifully prepared Pan Roasted Halibut with pineapple salsa, rice pilaf and asparagus, accompanied by another terrific drink. The Mt Nahn was a balanced, tropical blend of Black Barrel, Kings Ginger, lime juice, pineapple juice and Peychauds bitters with an absinthe rinse.


Dessert was outstanding - Mount Gay Extra Old served neat alongside Southern Style Fried Peach Pies with ginger anglaise and salted caramel sauce. 

They gifted us a bottle and I'm nearly through it! Friends I have been sharing it with are equally impressed. I love discovering new staples for my at home bar. Many thanks, Mount Gay!

BoMA

The other night, I got to check out BoMA, one of the newer restaurants to join the crowd on Washington Street in the South End. It emits a casual vibe with lengthy exposed brick walls, heavy wood paneling and soft gray booths. Potted plants, funky firecracker light fixtures, and tall open windows that overlook the street add a little character to liven up the dark elements of the space. The scene is rather subdued at 7pm on a Wednesday evening, a few tables are having dinner and there's a small crowd at the bar. My sister and I settle in at a high top near the front of the room and start with some cocktails (all $12). The BoMA's Delight - cucumber vodka, muddled basil, agave, lime juice and soda, and the Fresa Fizz - tequila, elderflower liqueur and prosecco with muddled basil and strawberries, come served in fun goblets and both are refreshing, sweet and fizzy.

BoMA opened in November 2012 in the space which formerly housed Pho Rebublique and Bombay Club, and has recently acquired a new executive chef - Ryan Kelly, who trained under Ken Oringer at Clio, spent time at Foundry on Elm and Canary Square, and most recently opened Tonic in Jamaica Plain. 

With his inaugural spring menu placing an emphasis on local seafood, we didn't hesitate to start with the Tuna Tartare ($14) featuring Atlantic Tuna with house soy vinaigrette served in a crispy fried wonton. With so many elements on the plate including a gorgeous aji amarillo sauce sprinkled with tobiko, pickled vegetables, avocado mousse, and even a quail egg nestled on top, I was impressed how well everything came together without overpowering one another. Each ingredient truly served to highlight the fresh fish.

Next we ordered glass of Pratsch, Gruner Ventliner ($11); I'm always happy to see a Gruner offered by the glass, and it paired nicely with our seafood entrees. The Day Boat Scallops ($25) came perfectly seared and springy, accompanied by a playful take on confit daikon radishes (you could easily mistake the radish for a scallop, but look closely at the texture and you'd realize what was what). Topped with grapefruit wedges and candied zest over a sweet parsnip puree laced with balsamic, the many elements, once again, worked to create a harmonious pairing. This was a really outstanding entree. My sisters Mahi ($25) was equally fantastic, over a somewhat overwhelmingly large bed of lemon and mint couscous, topped with pickled mustard seed and a warm mango, pineapple and pomegranate seed chutney, with a pomegranate juice reduction.

As we glanced over the desserts, nothing seemed to strike a chord or felt in line with the rest of the menu. It seemed to be lacking in creativity or inspiration. We went with the Creme Brulee anyways alongside some strong Cappuccino Martinis. Chef delivers us our dessert, admitting this is the part of the menu that's not quite up to par as they work to replace the pastry chef. (Now it makes sense!) Regardless, all of our food was terrific and while there's certainly some stiff competition throughout the neighborhood (especially right next door with The Gallows and now Boston Chops in the mix) hopefully BoMA can draw the crowds it seems to so deserve (and will certainly need to outlast its predecessors!)

 

*this meal was complimentary, all opinions are my own.

last sip of summer

See past annual crabbing on Cape Cod weekends here, here and here. 

    P.S. watermelon mint fizz. 

This fancy, fizzy pink delight is a blend of fresh squeezed watermelon and lime juices with mint simple syrup and prosecco. I totally didn't measure anything and garnished it with a watermelon triangle, a slice of kiwi and a mint leave. To make the simple syrup boil 1 cup water with 3/4 cup sugar (I never like a full cup ratio) then simmer and allow it to reduce until the liquid becomes thick and syrupy. Add the mint and let it steep for about 15-20 minutes, then strain through a fine mesh sieve. It is best to chill the syrup it in the fridge overnight or as long as time will allow. This cocktail was a huge hit, even with the boys!