My First Babka

I made my first babka last night, and I was very excited about it. I did my mise en place of all the ingredients and got them to room temperature, in accordance with the recipe. I got out my KitchenAid and put on the dough hook. I followed the recipe to the "t," let everything rise, punched it down, and formed my loaves. But there is still something that I must be missing that only experience can teach you. The finished product is very tasty, but I feel like it was a little too crumbly, which might mean I needed to knead it a bit longer.

Here are my two best loaves packaged and ready for the Thanksgiving table. We'll see what the verdict is and maybe compare them to Momma Jane's?!


Next on my bread-making agenda is Memaw's Dilly Bread...yum!

Kingston Station

I always pick up the latest issue of Improper Bostonian, Stuff @ Night, etc. when I'm waiting for the T, and an ad for Kingston Station in downtown crossing seemed to be in every issue. At first thinking it was a Jamaican restaurant on account of "Kingston", I then realized it was, in fact, a Bistro in downtown crossing. Chris and I decided one evening to check it out for a nice mid-week dinner.

Walking through the doors I was immediately struck but the unique interior. The main room is floored with white tile, giving it almost a butcher shop feel. A sizable bar filled up the back, and a number of tables lined the wall of the front window. The lighting is dim, swankifying it a bit. On a Tuesday night, it wasn't very crowded, but I imagine it to be quite lively on the weekends.

We were seated at a table for two in the side room and decided to start with some cocktails. I had a vesper, of James Bond fame, while Christopher went for a Rye and Ginger Manhattan. My drink was fine - I just really don't like vodka in my martinis, but that is my fault. They also have two types of absinthe on their cocktail list, which I thought was interesting. I would go back to try some of their other fun-sounding cocktails, such as the Sazerac, which includes absinthe, bitters, and whiskey.

We started out with an order of the calamari, fried and served with vinegar peppers and spicy marinara. I was surprised with how quickly they were brought out, which leads me to believe they may have been sitting under a heat lamp. They were tasty, nonetheless, but just a tiny bit too chewy. I really enjoyed the fact that there was an equal portion of rings to tentacles, since I'm more of a tentacle kind of guy. The sweet peppers were good, as was the marinara, though I wouldn't call it spicy.

For my entrée, I chose the sweet potato gnocchi with seared scallops, mushrooms, and spinach in a white butter sauce finished with truffle oil and parmigiano. The gnocchi and mushrooms were delicious, and I loved the truffle oil with the butter sauce - very rich, but not too heavy. The scallops were adequate, but not the best I've had.

Christopher chose the chicken milanese - panko breaded chicken lightly seasoned with arugula and cherry tomato salad with a sherry maple dijon dressing. Both of us were rather disappointed with the dish - the chicken breast looked too perfect, almost like something you would expect from a fast food place. It tasted fine, but was nothing special. There was ample arugula and tomatoes, but the sauce was almost non-existent. He ended up eating maybe half of it.

Our experience at Kingston Station had its highs and lows, but I would certainly give it another chance and would be interested to check out the bar scene here on a weekend. It is easily accessible by public transportation (park street T) and not too expensive. Click here to visit their website.

Morse Fish Company

For years, I passed the Morse Fish Company on Washington Street wanting to go in to take a look and, perhaps, get something fresh and delicious. I was always intrigued by the glimpses through the front window of their long display case and lobster tanks; but, alas, Peter's dislike for seafood always resulted in our bypassing this establishment.

I finally got my chance while my parents were in town. We decided to do a "surf & turf" dinner one night, so I thought this would be the perfect time to try out Morse Fish Company.

As we walked in we noticed that not only do they sell fresh fish, but they also have a quick-serve restaurant, where you can get all sorts of cooked seafood. I'll have to try the restaurant out soon and will post an update about that!

This particular day, the cases were full of nice salmon, swordfish, and tilapia among others. They also had a nice selection of shellfish. We decided on some tilapia and also took a few crab cakes that I noticed at the last minute. Both were delicious.

I'm especially happy to have found the crab cakes. For $1.75 (at time of writing), they are an amazing deal and delicious. I adore crab cakes, and these were nice with a smidgen of spice. Granted, they are not like Dean & Deluca's crab cakes; but, again, for that price, they can't be beat.

Next time you are in the South End and have a hankering for fish, try out Morse. Also, if anyone has eaten at the restaurant there, let me know how it is!

Sodas from Around the World

At Epcot Center in Orlando, Florida, Coca-Cola offers a taste of the different sodas that they sell from around the world. On a recent trip, we tried all of them, and here are a few observations I had:

Krest Ginger Ale (Mozambique): The ginger taste wasn't super strong but it was perfectly refreshing. This was probably my favorite out of the selections Coca-Cola offered.

VegitaBeta (Japan): The name reminded me of the "I Love Lucy" Vega-mite episode. I was expecting the worst with this drink but it actually is very sweet, and I enjoyed it. It's pinkish orange in color, if I remember correctly.

Beverly (Italy): Not what a typical American would expect from a soda. It is actually often drunk as an aperitivo in Italy. It has a bitter flavor and is not overly sweet, sort of like a very strong tonic water. This was the least favorite out of all of our friends except for Bryan and our 100% Italian friend, Marco, who really enjoyed it and blamed our tastebuds for expecting soda to always be sweet.

Mezzo Mix (Germany): Bryan's favorite soda while he lived in Germany. It is a mix of orange soda (like Fanta) and cola (Coke!). It might sound like a strange combination to some, but it's great. Tasting it again in Orlando brought back lots of memories for him. He even makes it himself when we go to a place with a self-serve soda fountain. Give it a try...

Disney Restaurants: California Grill, Chefs de France, Tony's

This past week, a group of us went on vacation to Disney. I've been to Disney in the past, but this was the first time that I ordered food on their meal plan. While the meal plan is a good deal overall, I have a few comments regarding three of the restaurants where we dined.

The California Grill is located on the top floor of Disney's Contemporary Resort. It is billed as a high-end restaurant similar to Boston's "Top of the Hub." When you call to make reservations, they tell you that there is a dress code and no shorts (especially jean shorts!) can be worn--nor tank tops. They suggest a button-down shirt and slacks. Sounds good to me. Our reservation was for 8pm, we dressed according to the dress code. Upon arrival, we were told that the restaurant was running behind by about 20 minutes. That's fine we thought. We went up to the bar, ordered a few drinks (from a very rude bartender whom one waiter told us was always like that) and spent some time on the outside deck watching the Magic Kingdom's firework show. The show was great; the view was too. After the show, we came back inside and waited some more. At this point, I think it's important to mention the clientele of the restaurant. We knew there would be children there...it's Disney after all, but the amount of children running around was pretty incredible. I don't know. I would never take my child to a restaurant that serves $44 steaks. Children aside, the rest of the diners were dressed in t-shirts, shorts, or jeans. We probably were the nicest dressed there. The restaurant décor was out-dated. It was very similar to a California Pizza Kitchen--the only difference was that there was more decorum in a CPK. We were finally seated an hour after our reservation time. The food was decent but not worth the two dining plan dinners we had to use for it. Appetizers were in the teens (Bryan ordered a ravioli dish which came with just one (largish) raviolo for 13 bucks). Entrées were around 30-40 dollars. Our steak was good, but for $44 I've had much better and in a much nicer setting. The waiter was very nice; but, overall, I would tell people to save their money and dine at another restaurant...perhaps in Epcot Center at one of the nicer country restaurants. California Grill is definitely not worth the hype or the price.

If you are on the meal plan, one restaurant that was much more then I expected was Chefs de France in Epcot. Chefs de France is located in the World Showcase in Paris. The décor is very pleasant and resembles a nice bistro. All the waiters and waitresses are from France and speak with a wonderful accent. Their attire is the traditional black and white French waiter outfit and (not that this affects the food) every single waiter and waitress was very good looking. Our reservation was early, 5pm, and they were right on-time seating us. Our waitress was very nice and we enjoyed her immensely. The food is about the same price as the California Grill (maybe a few bucks cheaper) but definitely a better deal. All of our meals were good and we had no complaints. For only one "sit-down" dining point, Chefs de France is a fantastic deal.

The last restaurant we experienced was called Tony's Town Square and it is located in the Magic Kingdom. We were afraid (after the California Grill reservation fiasco) that we would have to wait a long time so we arrived about 40 minutes early, but were still seated for our exact dining time. Fine. No worries there. The atmosphere was fun and lively and still a lot more subdued then the more upscale California Grill. The food is traditional, home-cooked Italian. Spaghetti and meatballs, Chicken Parmesan, etc. The main dishes were all very good, and the dessert was too. We even got to see some of the parade from the porch of the restaurant in between courses. This is a good choice for a sit-down dinner in the Magic Kingdom. Also, our waiter was great and told us which dishes to avoid (the pork).

Clerys

On Tuesday night a few of us decided it would be fun to go out to a bar/pub of some sort to have a decent meal and throw back some beers while watching the election results unfold. Having walked by Clerys so many times en route to the South End, I was eager to check the place out once my roommate suggested it. Looking at the menu online made me even more eager to head out.

Situated on Dartmouth Street past the Pru, the bar is technically in Back Bay but right on the border with the South End. On weekend nights I have seen long lines outside the place, but luckily on a Tuesday night there was no problem getting a table. It took a few minutes to get seated due to the MIA hostess, but we were seated soon enough at a table for four right in front of one of their flatscreen tv's - perfect. After we ordered some beers (I was very excited to see Shipyard Pumpkin Ale on draft, btw) the "bouncer" came up to us claiming he had missed us when we came in and asked to see our IDs. This smallish and very non-threatening man was, in fact, at the door when we came in, just oblivious. He ended up doing the same thing when another friend of ours joined the table some 15 minutes later.

Anyway, the Cuban Panini - a panini with roasted pork and prosciutto - had caught my eye from the very beginning, but much to my disappointment the waitress heard "reuben" and not "cuban" when I ordered. I am not one for sending back dishes, especially since I do very much enjoy reubens, and ended up satisfied with my sandwich. The marble rye was toasted nicely and there was an adequate amount of corned beef. Luckily she did hear that I wanted coleslaw, which was decent, and not french fries.

Two of my friends ordered the pulled pork sandwich, another item which had caught my eye. Though not the best pulled pork I've had in my life, it was very tasty and I was a fan of the sweet barbecue sauce they used. The french fries were pretty standard, and the pickle was, well, pickley. The fourth member of our party ordered the steak tips, something she had enjoyed before at Clerys, and was very excited to try again. There was a decent number of tips, but a ton of fried onion strings which were very tasty.

Overall I had a nice experience at Clerys and could see coming back for lunch or dinner, as they had a fairly extensive menu for what seemed like more of a bar than restaurant. There are also a lot of beers on tap, which is nice, and plenty of TVs for catching a game, or in this case, an election. My only real complaint is that of the bathrooms, which are sketchy and dark, and probably even worse on a packed weekend night with your standard middle-aged creepers scoping out their prey.

Beacon Street Tavern

I've walked by the Beacon Street Tavern so many times and never noticed it until tonight. On the recommendation of Marco and Jeremy, we all decided to grab a bite to eat at the tavern. When I heard the name of the restaurant, I expected a classic looking tavern with the wood paneled walls, noisy atmosphere and large plasma TVs. What I found once I walked inside was completely different. The Beacon Street Tavern is very swanky (especially for Brookline). The walls are red, the booths are oddly shaped (in a fun, Beetlejuice way) and the place is candlelit. I was pleasantly surprised. We were able to secure a booth in the corner of the restaurant. Our waitress was very nice and service was fast even though the place was pretty busy.

The menu was pretty standard fare. Entrees ranged from about 11 dollars up to 18. Our table ordered the burger, steak tips, and pork chop. The steak tips were tender and flavored nicely without being slathered in sauce. The tips came with fries and the portion was decent. The pork chop was juicy and came with sauteed apples (but not enough of them!). Accompanying the chop was a side of mac and cheese which was a nice combo with the pork and apples. I thought that for the amount of money, they could have given more of the mac and cheese or more than one chop. The burger came with hand cut chips. While the caramelized onions were fantastic, Bob did not like the bun at all. to the point where he didn't even eat it, but just ate the burger. The homemade chips were delicious. For dessert we ordered the apple pie with vanilla ice cream. The apples were great, but the pie shell was a little off. I can't quite put my finger on it, but the crust was too thick and too solid. Definitely store bought. The ice cream, though, was fantastic.

Overall, I enjoyed the Beacon Street Tavern, more for the atmosphere than the food. I suspect it's a great place to grab a drink and enjoy conversation with friends.

Bonefish Grill

We got a call from some of our very special friends asking us to meet them at their newly found favorite weekday restaurant. We jumped at the idea!

Bonefish Grill is located about thirty minutes from our house so the ride made us feel that we were traveling to an out of town experience.

According to the story, the first Bonefish Grill opened in St. Petersburg, FL on January 15, 2000 and has generated growth in the Southeast and Northeastern Coasts. Currently it is experiencing new growth throughout the United States. The owners have a passion for quality fish and are dedicated to hunting down and supplying the very best.

Our starter was "Bang Bang Shrimp". $8.50
Tender, crispy shrimp tossed in a creamy, spicy sauce and served on a bed of greens. I would have been perfectly satisfied to have this as my main course. It was fantastic!


Three of us chose the "Imperial Longfin". $17.90

It is described as a royal delicacy that is pan-seared, baked and stuffed with shrimp, scallops and crab meat. That is so true. It is absolutely delicious!

C chose the nightly special, a combination of fish, which featured swordfish. She enjoyed it, but would have preferred a milder, more delicate fish to replace the swordfish.


The experience was worth the thirty minute drive and we certainly plan to return to try other options on the menu.


http://www.bonefishgrill.com/

Halloween Sugar Cookies

Every year my mother sends us amazing Halloween sugar cookies in an assortment of spooky shapes. I got them yesterday, just in time for today's festivities. The recipe is quick and easy and designed especially so that cutting out shapes is a snap. Enjoy decorating and Happy Halloween everyone!

Jane's Sugar Cookies

Mix ingredients in order – Don't overbeat!

2 ¼ cups flour
½ c sugar
½ c powdered sugar
½ t salt
1/8 t baking soda
1/8 cream of tartar
1 ½ sticks of butter
1 egg, beaten
1 T vanilla

Process until just mixed. Roll to 1/8"

Bake 375ºF for 12-15 minutes.

What kind of vanilla extract do YOU use?!

Peter was just watching Good Eats, and Alton Brown was talking about vanilla beans. While the vanilla bean from Mexico is superior, he says that you should never buy vanilla extract from Mexico. He says the extract usually is processed with parts of the tonka bean which is a filler that tastes like vanilla but contains some quite harmful substances.

Ina Garten always wants us to use "good vanilla," so, what kind of good vanilla do you use?

Images are from the public domain/or published with permission via Wikipedia Commons.

Boston Beer Works

The first time I went to Boston Beer Works was on a fall evening before a Red Sox Game last year, and I must say I was a bit overwhelmed by the hundreds of people crammed into the place. Offering 12 to 16 hand-crafted beers each day at only $5 each, however, it's no wonder the place is so popular. Last night it was suggested that a bunch of us go grab dinner there and watch the game, so I figured why not. I recall seeing some pretty tasty-looking bar food that last time...

When we got to the restaurant it was pretty dead, polar opposite of the last time when I could hardly get to the bar for a drink. I was very pleased from the get-go to see that they had a home-brewed Pumpkinhead Ale on tap. Seated at a table in the back corner, we had a good view of a few of the TVs as well as some of the machinery used to make the beer there.

We started with a few pitchers of the before mentioned Pumpkinhead ale, described as "a copper-colored ale that’s brewed with real pumpkin and spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, vanilla and allspice". Everyone was a big fan. Another beer that caught my eye was the Peanut Butter Porter, "a deep brown, full-bodied ale with rich roasted coffee and chocolate overtones. Flavored with real peanut butter". I definitely want to come back some time later in the season to try it.

I was very impressed with their extensive menu - they even have a whole Oktoberfest menu with fun German-inspired dishes for the month, including schnitzel and bratwurst. I couldn't resist ordering a burger, though, and so chose the Fenway burger, which was covered in chili, scallions, and cheddar. They have a few different fry options for only $.95 extra, so I substituted my classic fries for the sour cream and chive fries with ranch dipping sauce. They were absolutely delicious. Other options include gravy fries, cheese fries, sweet potato fries, and fiery fries with ranch. As for the burger, they serve a serious hunk of meat, nice and medium rare like I wanted it. I thought the price of just over $10 was justified for such a meaty burger. Many of the others got burgers, too, and equally loved them.

Melanie and Chris, on the otherhand, got nachos for their meal. The half order, for only $6.95 is MASSIVE. After eating for a good half an hour it barely seemed like either or them made a dent. For $3 extra you can add chicken, chili, steak, or guacamole. They were excellent, and I look forward to the leftovers in our fridge!

In terms of other menu offerings, Boston Beer Works has whatever you might be in the mood for - salads, pizza, ribs, and even fried pickles, which I'm dying to try next time. If you're looking for a place with great beer and great food to match, I encourage you to head to Boston Beer Works, especially if you have a large group. Just be careful before and after games at Fenway ;-)



first photo courtesy of thesunblog.com

Charlie's Sandwich Shop

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, giving you the fuel to
be bright and productive.

While visiting Boston, several breakfast spots were recommended to us
so we decided to visit one that was close to our apartment.
Charlie's Sandwich Shop on Columbus Avenue was a perfect choice.

We arrived about 8:30 AM when most of the working crowd had finished.
The tables were still full so we sat at the bar giving us an opportunity to meet the family members that have been running the business for over fifty years.
The restaurant has been in business since 1927 when their father began the spot visited by many important people during the past 81 years.


Russ chose his favorite combination of scrambled eggs, real hash browns, sausage, and white toast. I chose a more gourmet breakfast of an omelette with spinach and feta cheese. It was served with hash browns and a salad with chick peas and fresh vegetables and wheat toast. The food was really great, but I discovered that it was enough food for three people. I asked the owner if I returned would they alter the menu for me, and they were delighted to meet my request.

The following morning we invited Peter to go with us, and again, we were served with a very warm reception and a willingness to please. I reduced the eggs to only one and the salad was doubled, leaving off the hash browns. It was perfect! Breakfast was enjoyed by all.

If we have a chance before heading home, we will visit them again. I give them a high rating on service, a willingness to please and a delicious menu!

Next time you want to treat yourself to a great breakfast don't forget Charlie's Sandwich Shop.

Apple Slices Recipe

Every fall my mom bakes one of our family's favorite desserts, apple slices. Since we had some many apples left over from apple picking, I thought it was time I tried the recipe for myself. I was happy to find out that these tasty treats are super easy to make. The ingredients read as follows:

3 lbs Apples (about 8 or 9 small-medium apples. My Mom suggests granny smith, but I just used an assortment of apples that my roommate had picked, and it turned out delicious.
2 packages rolled pie crusts (Note: each package has two crusts) You can find this in the grocery store where Pillsbury biscuits are found.
1 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
2 1/2 tbsp flour

And for the glaze...

1 cup powedered sugar
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp milk

To start off, press two the four pie crusts into a 9x13 baking dish. Next, peel and slice the apples. Mix in the sugar, cinnamon, and flour, then scoop the entire mixture into the pan with the pie crusts. Take the remaining two crusts and mold over the top of the apple mixture. Place in the oven at 350 for 50-60 minutes, or until golden brown.

Let it sit for a little bit, then pour on the glaze. You can serve immediately, but I personally prefer the slices cold.

Brunch at The Fireplace

On a crisp fall morning there are few things better than a hearty brunch to get the day going. I remembered very much enjoying brunch at Brookline's Fireplace some time ago and everyone agreed that they would like to try it. Located right in Brookline's Washington Square, The Fireplace is a New England-themed restaurant having comfort food with an upscale feel. The chef has a philosophy of "hearty, clean food with integrity" prepared simply but thoughtfully. Though they have menus for brunch, lunch, mid day, and dinner meals, today we were all craving breakfast food.

We were seated at a table for four right next to the window on the entrance level of the restaurant. The sunlight creeping in from outside, combined with the festive carved pumpkins and other tasteful Halloween decorations made for a great autumn ambiance.

I had my heart set on eggs benedict since waking up, so I was pleased to see they had it on the menu. It was served alongside a salad of mixed greens, which is nice if you're not in the mood for the more standard home fries. The dish was excellent, and I loved the bits of scallion in every other bite or so. Feeling hungrier than usual I split a side of applewood smoked bacon. The side came with 6 pieces that were nice and thick and full of flavor.

Tara first wanted a cup of the pumpkin bisque with walnuts and great hill blue cheese, something I've had before and loved. For her meal she chose the Challah French toast with apricot almond cheese & Vermont maple syrup. I've tried this dish before and found the sweet cheese to be wonderful. She found her first bite to be bland, but soon pulled a 180 and very much enjoyed it.

Marcello opted for the crispy corn waffles with rum, bananas, brown sugar & apple cider syrup. Though I didn't get any commentary on the waffles, it certainly looked great, and based on his empty plate I'm sure it was.

The service was excellent throughout the whole meal, and our waitress was very happy to answer any and all questions we had about the menu. A perfect example was when one of my dining companions asked about the 7 herb tea, namely what the seven herbs were. She actually went to the kitchen to find out, curious herself. Aside from that our coffees (really good, by the way) and waters were always replenished with a smile.

If you are looking for delicious, relaxing brunch experience, the fireplace makes a great choice. Be sure to check out their other menus to see what they have to offer at other times of the day - you won't be disappointed!

Church

Church is a comfort-food  restaurant with a hip trendy atmosphere and attached music venue in the Fenway area.  The decor is relaxed and pleasant with tea-stained walls and brown leather chairs.  The restaurant is low-lit with many small candles on the tables and larger candles that sit in front of mirrors on the wall.

The menu is pretty simple flare.  Appetizers include salads, fried clams and beef empanadas.  Entrees range from pressed crispy duck to mac & cheese tp eggplant rollatini.  There is also a small sandwich menu consisting of a cheeseburger, reuben, and steak and cheese.  All the food comes in decent sized portions.  Entrees range from 15-21 dollars and sandwiches are about $12.  My favorite part about Church is the drink menu.  On top of wine and beer, Church offers 7 drinks named after the seven deadly sins.  A fun mixture of ingredients create unique cocktails that are just as much fun to drink as to order (the night we

 went, the waitress told us that they were out of "lust".  A friend told her not to worry, the table had enough of that to go around.)  For those of you who aren't familiar with the seven deadly sins I've listed them below as they appear on the menu:

GREED Using Hendricks Gin, St Germain liquer, diced cucumber, a pinch of white pepper and a salted cucumber to garnish, the White June demands it all…and who are we to stand in its way.

SLOTH There should be no rush when this one can end your night before it begins. So take it slow while sipping the Dark Ryeder, our take on a vintage manhattan. 

WRATH Back by popular demand…The Boilermaker. Bud depth-charged with Jack. Two old friends, together again. Drink back and become wrath. Sweet Mercy. 

GLUTTONY Over induldge your senses with Mother’s Milk, a rum based concoction with bananas, Thai coconut milk and mint chocolate. Mother knows best. 

VANITY Inspired by the legendary beauty herself, Sophia Loren has made a life long dedication to turning heads. Let us turn yours with The Loren, a vodka based cocktail made with fresh squeezed, sweetened, ruby red grapefruits. 

LUST The traditional sidecar driven down a different street. The Lavenderia is made with flowers and honey and buckets of Spanish brandy…a sidecar named desire. 

ENVY Made with Reyka Vodka

Last time we went to Church we ordered the cheeseburger, Reuben, garden salad, and the

 pressed crispy chicken.  On previous occasions we've ordered the mac & cheese and bacon wrapped pork loin.  While the burger is definitely one of the cheaper things on the menu, I didn't feel like 

it was that good.   I did not like the roll it was on which was very stiff on the outside.  The wrapped pork loin was delicious when I had it last and so was the mac & cheese.  The Reuben and garden salad looked and tasted good but nothing overtly awesome about them.  My favorite thing was the oil dipping sauce for the sliced bread.  The spices they used were a really nice medley and something a bit different then I was used to.  

Overall, Church is a good casual place to go to with friends.  Nothing too fancy but a nice atmosphere, decent food, good drink menu and a nice departure from the normal "Red Sox Nation" restaurants in the Fenway.

A world of Kitkats!

One thing that a lot of people don't know about me is my peculiar interest/obsession with KitKats. For almost 7 years I have traversed the globe (and of course fought Ebay battles) to collect KitKats from around the globe. Now this may seem odd to you, but perhaps you are unaware of the wondrous Kitkat flavors out of reach to you in American markets.

Have you had a lemon cheesecake Kitkat from Malaysia? A green tea Kitkat from Japan? How about Australia's Kitkat cookie dough or Kitkat Cinnamon from our friends up North in Canada? I thought not. While the U.S. is the only country where Kitkat is sold under the Hershey brand (elsewhere it is Nestle), our limited Kitkat flavors probably has more to do with global confectionary tastes than anything else. In the U.S. we love chocolate and peanut butter (hence the introduction of KitKat Peanut Butter), while in Asia palates are not quite so sweet-oriented. Combine that with the Japanese epic quest for trendiness, and you get such creations as Kitkat 'Caramel and salt'. Europeans typically enjoy more fruit, hence the UK's Kitkat 'Mango and Passionfruit' or 'Luscious Lime'

Earlier this week I got a fresh shipment from Japan, some of the contents of which I'll talk about. First up we have Kitkat Caramel Macchiato McFlurry, a joint venture between Nestle and McDonalds. It's super sweet and has a nice Starbuck's-esque caramel flavor in the white chocolate. Kitkat Green Grape Alexandria Muscat had a really interesting flavor that really did taste just like Champagne. I'm glad to see more booze-oriented Kitkats, following Kitkat Red Wine a few years back.

Kitkat Azuki Red bean, though delicious and flecked with bits of the flavoring throughout the chocolate, didn't taste like red bean paste at all. It was, however, very smooth and creamy.
Lastly was Kitkat Double Berry with Cranberry. It had a nice pink and white swirl to it, as well as a sweet, fruity flavor, Unfortunately I didn't get the cranberry taste at all. Nonetheless it is always exciting to try the latest Kitkat flavors from abroad!

Carnival Food

This weekend we took a trip to Witches Woods at Nashoba Valley and besides getting a dose of ghosts, zombies, and goblins, we were treated to the smells and tastes of a good ol' fashion carnival.  Nothing makes you feel like a kid again quite like the smell of funnel cake on a crisp autumn night or the sweet sticky smell of cotton candy wafting over to you from across the way. 

Below is a small montage of what was being offered(notice the creepy hand-shaped funnel cakes)...enjoy!

   

 

J.J. Foley's

Having recently moved to a different section of the South End, Bryan and I were anxious to try out some of the local eateries that we normally wouldn't have ventured to.  Topping the list was J.J. Foley's for the mere reason that I heard Justin Timberlake had gone to party here (or at its sister location in the financial district) after his concert in Boston last year.  

Yesterday, the cold weather got our appetites rumbling for some pub food so Bryan, Adam and myself headed over to J.J's (do they call it that?) for a bite to eat.  From the outside of the pub, J.J.'s looks a bit rundown.  The sign is very nice though and states that the pub's been in business since 1909.  We walked in and were pleasantly surprised.

In my past experiences, I've come to realize that pubs are not known for their cleanliness.  Patrons are usually greeted with sticky floors or tables and a worn out atmosphere.  So imagine how happy I was to discover the complete opposite at J.J.'s.  The atmosphere at J.J.'s is warm and friendly.  We were greeted by both the bartender and the waitress when we entered and were told we could sit anywhere.  The pub was clean and actually quite pretty.  There was a new tin ceiling that was bright and shiny, what looked like newly shellacked wooden panels covering the walls, and the floors were tiled and very clean.  The bar had a large plasma screen above it playing the football game (not too loud I might add...a good thing for me). 

Our waitress for the day was a feisty woman with an Irish brogue (points for authenticity!).  She was extremely pleasant and took our order, refilled our drinks and cleared our plates without delay.  She even offered us some Irish mustard to try (we did and it was good).  The menu at J.J.'s is simple pub food at decent prices.  The burgers are about 9 bucks and so are most of the sandwiches.  I ordered the taco burger that came with guacamole, salsa, sour cream and a side order of fries.  The burger was good and so were the fries.  I was completely satisfied.  Bryan ordered the blue cheese burger and he liked it as well.  Adam ordered the potato skins (you get 3) and the Reuben which he commented to the waitress that it was probably one of the best Reubens he's ever had...she ventured to say that it was  perhaps even the best corn beef in Boston (one can only dream!).  The only complaint I have about the whole experience is that we were charged for our refills on our soda (2 bucks a glass) without being told they would cost extra.  After two refills though, they stopped charging so maybe that's the rule?  Or maybe the waitress was amazed we could drink that much soda and felt pity on us?  

Overall, we had a great experience at J.J. Foley's in the South End and would recommend this location to anyone in the area craving friendly service, good comfort food and a cozy local hang-out.