Food: November 2007 Archives

To say that the baristas behind Barismo.com are coffee fanatics is a little bit of an understatement. For example, Ben Chen, an engineer by day, actually bought his own coffee-bean roaster in Taiwan, and then started making modifications to it (drilling extra holes so flames could lick the beans directly; hooking it up to a computer to better monitor roasting conditions). So when Bostonist went to a Barismo coffee tasting (or “cupping”) last week......

Mike of The Food Monkey has joined Bostonist to share his thoughts about cooking, food history, restaurant trends, and any other Epicurean issues. He promises to discuss what tastes good, but not always what is in good taste. For more, go to the Food Monkey website. To contact Mike, go to the Food Monkey's contact page. In friendly competition, one attempts to best one’s opponent–so long as it doesn’t happen to cause too much of......

A fried turkey is a delicious turkey because the skin is ever-so-crispy and the flesh is meltingly moist. But Bostonist would like to issue a public-service announcement--turkey-frying is dangerous. You best know your way around propane because 'tis the season for turkey-fry fires. Be sure to take the turkey fryer outside before you start. Essentially, you will be hooking up a vat of oil to a propane tank and dipping a whole turkey into the......

Now that absinthe is legally available in Boston, you may be tempted to try it out. But, like many potent liquids, absinthe should be quaffed with care. Hanky Panky of LUPEC, the Boston chapter of Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails, has a few words of advice for absinthe novices: "As Absinthe is quite high as far as alcohol content is concerned, you most frequently find it being used in very small quantities.......

For those who will be entertaining vegetarians or vegans this Turkey Day, or for anyone looking for healthier meal options, Bostonist wanted to show that a delicious and animal-friendly feast is easier to prepare than you may think. By substituting plain soymilk for regular milk, and non-dairy margarine for butter, traditional dishes such as mashed potatoes can be made easily vegan. Oh, and if you don't tell your guests you made the switch we......

The mayor has opened his virtual food court so you can find out if your favorite Boston eatery is a squeaky-clean bastion of hygiene or a rat-infested hellhole. We wondered what happened to the swanky spots that Northeastern journalism students found to be filthy back in September, so we looked them up: Figs (As in Todd English's Figs) - Failed on Aug. 2, for many reasons, including "Management has not properly trained staff to use......

Rachael Ray Book Signing Barnes & Noble at the Prudential Center Saturday, November 17, 2007, 3:00 pm Beantown Bloggery, who has the inside scoop on so many Boston events, has announced that Rachael Ray will be signing books tomorrow. You'll have to get there at 12 noon to buy a book and get a wristband. Beantown Bloggery also has tips if you want to get a book signed without having to stand in line all......

Creamed onions are a Thanksgiving favorite at Bostonist’s house (except for the year we accidentally bought cocktail onions instead of boiled onions—bygones). So when we saw a recipe for gratinéed mustard creamed onions in this month’s Gourmet, we thought we’d do a side-by-side comparison of Grandma’s way (below) versus Gourmet (left). In the end, Gourmet’s onions were a bigger hit than our usual onions. The onions were bigger and firmer than the usual bottled......

ImprovBoston Benefit Dinner Sunday, November 18, 6:00 pm UpStairs on the Square 91 Winthrop Street, Cambridge $50 for dinner, $10 without More info ImprovBoston is moving from Inman Square to Central Square, on Prospect by The Field. The plans are already set in motion, but they need money to fund the move to the new space, and they are working hard for the bucks. They began a Funny Money Capital Campaign, and they've taken advantage......

This Bostonist swung by the newest sushi restaurant to invade Back Bay last week, and the overall impression was a good one. First off, Haru is a New York city implant, and the location in Dick's Last Resort's old spot in the Prudential Building is the chain's first in the city. Thank you very much, New York. We'll take your trophy AND your sushi. That'll be just fine. But Bostonist digresses. The decor at......

An audition for the next bubbly Rachael Ray or earthy Emeril Lagasse would be rowdy, right? You'd think the personalities would be bouncing off the walls as chefs rumbled over who made the best coq au vin. But yesterday's atmosphere at the Flat Iron Tapas Bar & Lounge at the Bulfinch Hotel was tense and quiet, almost like a classroom in which students wait to take the SAT. The Next Food Network Star had......

Meal and Chat With Rudolph Chelminski Sunday, November 4, 5:00 pm Chez Henri 1 Shepard St, Cambridge Make reservations at 617.354.8980 More info Goodies With the Phantom Gourmet Tuesday, November 6, 7:00 pm Z Square 14 JFK, Cambridge More info Who knew that a bookstore would know how to feed the people so well? But Porter Square Books will be serving up two culinary treats. First off, brace yourself for some Beaujolais. Author Rudolph Chelminski......