pam claughton

My favorite breakfast, Pizza. Hot or Cold, any kind. I'd take it over eggs or cereal any day. Pam

I just took a cooking class recently and made mayo for the first time. We used rice wine vinegar and lemon and there was not a sharp lemon taste at all. In fact, I thought it was kind of bland, until we added the rest of our seasonings. We were making a remoulade sauce, so it went from bland to wow in seconds. I'd give the rice wine vinegar a whirl. If your mix breaks or you go too slow (like I did, I was afraid of breaking, and we were in a commercial kitchen with a super powered food processor that turned my mix into rubber), you can fix either mistake with a few drops of warm water. :) Pam

Just another thought on chains to consider. Some of the smaller chains, like Legal Seafoods, became chains because of the popularity of the original restaurant and customer demand. Food for thought. I'm not saying it's the best place to go, but I certainly wouldn't discount it simply because it's part of a chain.

Naked Fish, Legal Seafood...Both chains...Why would you do that? ← Legal Seafoods is a Boston chain though, and their Baked Stuffed Lobster is excellent. Naked Fish may be a chain, but they have some good food. Both places are just additional options to consider, and I didn't know if every visitor coming to Boston wants to only eat in high end places. I did list many options, and these were just 2 of them. Not all chains are necessarily bad. It depends what you get. Legal Seafoods has fresh local fish, and it is a fun, touristy place to go while here.

We call this one Prison Food because it looks pretty ugly...but tastes great and couldn't be easier. In a casserole dish, slap in a brick of cream cheese, spread evenly and just a bit up the sides. Dump in a cup or so of chili, any chili, could be homemade, canned, or I usually do the ultimate lazy thing and go through Wendy's drive thru! Then dump a bag of shredded cheddar cheese mix (I like Taco blend) on top. Microwave on high for a few minutes, till cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve w/chips. This reheats great too. Pam

MCHand Wrote: "The peppers, the wine, oh the Bread from tripoli bakery in Lawrence....its been over 20 years and I haven't had bread, tomato and provelone sausage or cannoli since then. Whatever their real world was, which I don't excuse, they sure knew how to cook. I was blessed. Watching Lidia on PBS is like a time warp to my childhood, without the hoods. Oh, and the best dish of all time sausage pie. Hot, Sweet, tomato and provalone sausage, onions,peppers, mushrooms and red gravy spread atop a layer of bread dough for the bottom crust, the filling covered with cappicol, salami, provelone and motz chesse. Covered again with a bread dough top. Yum! ← " Tripoli is still the best. My sister's husband's family is from the Lowell/Lawrence area and do a big Italian Seafood Fest on Christmas Eve. Our bread and cakes will be from Tripoli, and the meat pie you mentioned comes from somewhere in Lawrence too, and it really is something. Pam

Am I crazy for feeling obliged to re-visit Pizzeria Regina which I do remember from my younger days? If so, which location? Thanks so much. ←

You really can't go wrong almost anywhere you go in the North End. One of my favorites is a tiny little place on Salem Street, the next street over from Hanover, called Rabia's. They have fresh made ravioli's that are to die for, and always a seafood dish, like half a lobster and seafood in a bouilabaisse type sauce over the stuffed ravioli's. Their chicken soup with tortellini and parmesan is fabulous and also their rose sauce, a pink cream sauce made by adding a hint of cream to a red sauce. So good, and medium priced. Along the main road, Hanover Street, is where you'll find lots of great restaurants too. We ate just the other night at Strega, and it was excellent. They have homemade noodles done to perfection, and I had a veal dish, thin slices of veal rolled around an in-house made cheese and asparagus. Very good. My sister had the Veal Marsala and it was amazing. Another companion had their homemade Lobster Ravioli in a pink rose cream sauce. The breads here are wonderful, an overflowing basket, mix of focaccia, and italian, with a dish of olives, and a flavored dipping sauce. The atmosphere is dark and cozy, with black and red the dominant colors. Service was among the best I've had in the North End. Prices were medium, our meals averaged around $20 per entree. Another real North End feel is Giacomos, also on Hanover street. They don't take reservations, so there's always a line out the door, and the prices are inexpensive, but the food is top notch. You pick your sauce, your pasta, and type of meat or seafood. Another one that feels like a true Italian kitchen is Mama Anna's. Great Caesar salad. They are at the very beginning of Hanover Street. Bricco and Prezza are newer, trendier restaurants, but both very good. Mike's Pastry and Modern Pastry are within a block of each other near the start of Hanover street. You can easily walk here from your hotel, right at Fanueil Hall. Modern has better Cannoli's, and Mike's has a bigger selection and fantastic homemade Torrone (nougat candy w/almonds). Right next to Mike's is Caffe Vittoria, where you can go inside and sit down after dinner and have a cappacino or espresso, a gelato or dessert. They have by far, the best Tiramisu I have ever had anywhere. So, that's the North End for you. Elsewhere, well you're lucky, Boston has tons of great restaurants. If you want French, you could walk through Fanueil Hall towards the Aquarium and eat at Sel De La Terre, or even just have a drink and some Rosemary scented French fries as a snack at the bar. There's also a Legal Seafoods there, if you want some good Seafood. They have a great baked Stuffed Lobster. Right next to your hotel is an inexpensive Seafood Restaurant called the Naked Fish, featuring Cuban influenced dishes. I had a great Arctic Char there, coated with almonds and a delicous cream sauce. Coconut Rice came with it, and the Mojitos there, are the best rum drinks I've had anywhere. The restaurant in your hotel is actually supposed to be very good as well, though I haven't eaten there. It is fun to have a drink in the bar though, and watch the people go by. They make fantastic apple and chocolate martini's. If you want to splurge a bit, consider jumping in a cab and going to either Radius, Clio, or Mistral. My top 3 favorite restaurants in the city. All are pricey, but all have amazing food, and service. Clio and Mistral have a cozier atmosphere. Radius has an art deco feel to it, kind of South Beach Miami, but the food there is top notch. If you're not sick of Italian, you could consider No. 9 Park, which is in Beacon Hill, and is right up there with the others. Barbara Lynch's pastas are all homemade and melt in your mouth. Gourmet and a whole different experience from what you would get in The North End. For breakfast, you could meander over to Fanueil Hall and grab something there, maybe at Finagle a Bagle, or you could hit any of the little deli's around the area for some eggs. If you want to go a bit fancier/heartier, you could stroll a few blocks into the Financial district and have a hearty Irish breakfast at Mr. Dooley's or an elegant eggs benedict at the langtham hotel. You really can't go wrong here in Boston, we have plenty of great places to eat! Pam

edited...oops, accidentally reposted the pics, am still new at this. Little Ms...this menu sounded great, but now I am absolutely drooling looking at the pics of the filet w/horseradish cream. The setting/decorations looked very pretty too. Loved the menu for your sit down party too, that is my kind of dream dinner. Pam

LOVE Cilantro. Favorite way is the way I was first introduced to it, years ago, on a trip to California. Back then you just didn't see it yet on the East. Not like in California, where every taco bar had a separate condiment of chopped onions and Cilantro, sometimes with a little tomato. But the onions and cilantro together, heaven! I know a lot of people think it has a soapy smell....not to me, it just adds a whole extra level of taste/smell. The more the better.....

I had two Italian grandmothers. The one from Rhode Island made sauce, full of peppers and onions, loads of spice and simmered meatballs. The one from Boston's North End, made gravy, nothing in it but puree and meat, simmered for hours, then the meat would go in to a separate dish, and the gravy would be poured over her homemade ravioli's. These were an amazing dish, to this day have never had anything like Nana's ravioli's, filled with cheese, spinach and sausage.

Peachtree Schnapps...even though it goes back almost 20 years now, I still can't stomach the smell of Peach Schnapps.....brings back memories of too many woo woo shots.....ugh! Food wise, it has to be sesame chicken. Learned a valuable lesson though. Always cut into your chicken before popping it into your mouth. Was at a well known chain restaurant and had been craving the sesame chicken since I'd had a taste of my friend's meal on our last visit. The dish has bite-sized pieces of lightly battered chicken in a sticky sesame sauce. Delicious, and I kept thinking, "wow, this chicken is sooo tender." Yeah, because it was RAW! Discovered that several hours later, as I was violently ill with food poisoning. I'd taken half the chicken home....and finally realized what might be the cause...cut into the chicken, and it was completely translucent. Haven't had it since...

Thank you for posting the menu. This place looks fantastic!

Pressed potatoes! Someone here posted a pic and recipe for pressed potatoes, and I just want to say thank you. I went to lunch yesterday and brought half home, and when I heated up my leftover, I did it in a saute pan and buttered the half eaten potato, turned it upside down and pressed a plate over it. 20 minutes later, I had a fantastic crispy, buttery meal. I will remember this! Pam

Where is El Pelon? Haven't been there yet.

Does anyone else make Italian Pizzelle cookies? I haven't seen them mentioned yet. These cookies are Christmas in our house. They're the thin, waferlike cookie with a snowflake pattern etched in, have an anise flavor and are dusted with confectioners' sugar. They are very light and just dissolve in your mouth. So good. We eat them for breakfast even. Thing is, you need to use a pizzelle maker, an electric waffle like machine, to make them. But, they're so easy, and make great gifts.

Well, I haven't met too many Mexican restaurants that I haven't liked, so I'll mention some favorites in the general Boston area. In Boston, Cottonwood Cafe. Probably my favorite. Their enchiladas are too die for as are the margaritas. Ole, in Cambridge. Off a little side street, very memorable meal with great attention to detail. Plus, they make guacamole tableside, which is always a good sign. Casa Romero, a few doors down from L'Espalier, in the Back Bay, just off Newbury street. Very romantic and well established mexican restaurant. A bit pricy, but very good. Had an amazing Shrimp in Cilantro sauce. Only thing I didn't love here were the margaritas, but I was definitely in the minority. Everyone else loved them. They are strong, and are just tequila triple sec and lime. No sour mix. Those three are the higher end Mexican restaurants. I'm just as happy with the more casual places, like Fajitas N Ritas, on West Street. Graffiti on the walls, and not the least bit fancy. You even fill out your own order sheet, but the Nachos and Fajitas here are excellent and inexpensive. Borders Cafe. One in Cambridge and on Rt. 1 in Saugus. They are a chain, but not bad in a pinch. Lots of seafood dishes, like crab enchiladas. Good margaritas and guacamole. Zuma's at Fanueil Hall. Great nachos with beef here, and margaritas. There's also a place in Harvard Square, with a yellow sign, and I cannot remember the name of it, but it was very good, with pitchers of margaritas and some unusual dishes, like baked cactus. If you head down South in mass, toward the Cape. There's La Poloma in Quincy, that is excellent and inexpensive, with phenomenal salsa. Then, in Plymouth, and also in Hyannis, is Sam Diego's, and they still have my favorite Nachos of all time. A big pan layered with beans, cheese, sauce, and plenty of chips, sour cream, and guac on the side. Hope that helps. :) Pam

An experiment that worked. Boneless chicken stew. This is my new favorite comfort stew. It's made with floured 1" pieces of breast meat. Brown them and then set aside. Add 2 medium or 1 large onion, sliced thin and saute that in the drippings. Cook for about 20 minutes or so, almost until carmelized. Then add a half cup or so of white wine, and cook about five minutes, then add browned chicken, 2 cups good chicken broth, some small new potatoes, parsnips, carrots and mushrooms. A bay leaf and sprig of rosemary and thyme, or whatever spices you feel like using go in, then cover and pop in oven at 350 for about 1.5 hours. So good, and better the next day. Good without the wine too, as the parsnips add a sweet flavor.

Chocolate Covered Raspberry Truffles. From this months Gourmet. Thought the recipe sounded good, and tried them out on some friends today. They are amazing. A fresh, ripe raspberry enrobed in rich ganache, and dusted with cocoa. When you bite in, there's an explosion of fruit. Not as heavy as a regular truffle either. (or so we told ourselves, as we reached for more). Takes about 15 minutes to make, then chill for at least an hour. Heat 1/4 cup heavy cream to simmer, then add 7 oz chopped bittersweet chocolate and turn off heat. Stir until melted and smooth. Add in 1 and 1/2 Tab Chambourd. Then drop 6 raspberries in at a time, and using two forks, coat fully, and then plop onto a sheet of waxed paper. Chill for an hour or so. Then put 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa in a bag and shake truffles until lightly coated. These will be a gift I'll be giving, and also bringing along for X-Mas eve.

Well, besides the usual suspects, tabasco, chalula, shrichachi (yes, am sure spelled that wrong, am obviously out of it, and need to stock up!) But, I have two new gems, my absolute new favorites. Just discovered them a few weeks ago at a food fair. They're made by Vermont Pepper Works. One, the Rancho Ancho is smoky and sweet with a nice kick. They say it's good on barbeque, but I've been using it on eggs, nachos, and my new favorite discovery, shrimp cocktail. A good amount in basic cocktail sauce adds a nice kick and whole new dimension. Have had shrimp cocktail every day for the past week now...and I think it's more about the sauce than the shrimp. :) The other one has even more of a kick. It's peach ginger habanero sauce. It's hot but you can still taste the flavors. Really good stuff.