Gyros

When the bartender at your local watering hole makes his last call for alcohol, there are many delicious and greasy foods that drinkers across the world will claim is the cure for what ails you. The best food for some people who have drank too much might be a huge slice of pizza. Others would say it would be a hot dog, or cheeseburger. Then there are those in England, Germany, and Turkey for example that say the doner kebab is the best thing to eat after a night of drinking. For many Americans, the doner kebab is known better by its Greek name, Gyros. In the Middle East, it is known as Shwarma. All of these delights are similar in that it is usually marinated meat layered with onions and spices onto a vertical skewer and cooked by rotating the vertical skewer. The Gyros is meat such as lamb, veal,chicken, pork, beef, turkey, or a combination of lamb and beef sometimes. Gyros can be is served on a thick pita bread with lettuce, onion, tomatoes, and tzatziki sauce. Tzatziki sauce is a yogurt based sauce with dill, parsley, lemon, garlic, cucumbers, salt, pepper, and olive oil. The fat and protein from the meat and the carbohydrates from the bread help to soak up all of the bad hooch you have been drinking. Even though, the Gyros is great for when you have too many, it is also delicious to eat. So it doesn;t matter whether you have had too many or none at all. The Gyros is just a delicious sandwich. Enjoy!

Mike's Pastry

If you ever find yourself wandering around the North End of Boston, you will stumble upon a plethora of Italian dining options. From pizza to pasta, the North End has all of the Italian culinary delights one can desire. There is however a debate about which pastry shop is the best and both can be found on Hanover St. Mike's Pastry and Modern Pastry are the two establishments in question. Both bakeries clientele are set in their ways. If your parents go to Mike's that is where you go for the best cannoli in the city. If your parents go to Modern, you go to Modern. I have been going to Mike's because that's where I think the best cannoli are in Boston. If you are ever in Boston you can indentify a customer of Mike's by the iconic white box with blue lettering. It is the way Mike's packages their sweet delights. Everywhere you go you will be stopped by tourists or people who are not in the know of where they can find the deliciousness that is a cannoli from Mike's Pastry.

To understand the greatness of the cannoli, one will have to know what a cannoli actually is. Hailing from Sicily, a cannoli is a fried tubular pastry dough filled with a sweet filling typically made with ricotta cheese, sugar, and other goodies such as fruit or chocolate. Marscapone cheese has been used as a substitute for the ricotta but for the most part ricotta cheese is used most often. The selection of cannoli at Mike's is wide. The variety is so immense that you can have a traditional cannoli or you can have one dipped in chocolate. There is a limoncello flavored cannoli, or you can have a cannoli that has chocolate chips in the filling just to name a few. The lines are staggering when you arrive. Sometimes on a nice weekend, you can barely make your way into the entrance. Everyone comes from the cannoli, but they are also famous for their rum cake, and their other italian favorites such as the lobstertails or sfogliatelle. If you are a tourist in Boston and have little time to see the sights, go to Mike's and eat your way through Boston. There is nothing better than eating a cannoli and knowing everything is in its right place.

Infinium by Sam Adams

Miller High Life maybe the champagne of beers, but it is not even a champagne style beer. Infinium by Sam Adams can be the actually called the champagne of beers because it actually is a champagne style beer. Infinium uses the same malted barley, hops, water, and yeast that all beers need. The taste is beer through and through, but the mouth feel of the beer is of champagne. It is resembles a champagne also in that it has an alcohol content of 10.3%. It is expensive for a beer, but it is a very special brew that it deserves the price. It is a beer experience that is unique and makes Sam Adams one of my favorite breweries. They have such a wide variety of brews that are delicious and are worth the money you have to pay for it. Cheers and Enjoy!

Mr. Bartley's Burger Cottage

The great debate about which restaurant has the best hamburger in the country will bring you across this  great country. The hamburger could be the most American of foods, so it is hard to find the best place for them. There is one such restaurant that specializes in the art of making the hamburger. Across from Harvard University you can find Mr. Bartley's Burger Cottage. On any beautiful weekend day, you will find a line out the door for lunch and dinner. Really the line never stops. You will find here burger nirvana. They have a list of burger combinations with crazy names or named after celebrities. There is the Viagra burger which has blue cheese dressing and bacon. The Jersey Shore Burger with bacon, cheese, and grilled onions and mushrooms. The Democrat burger with swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian dressing. The Tom Brady burger with guacamole, and cheese. Besides the funky names, the burgers here are special in that they are all beef and are cooked on a flattop grill. Cooking them on the flattop in my opinion makes the best burgers. The burgers have a crispy crust to them that you will not achieve on a charcoal grill or propane grill. The burger cooks better also on the flattop because the juices do not escape beneath the grill. The juices  stay in the burger and you will have a very juicy and delicious burger that way.  To accompany your burger you will have the best french fries and onion rings. You can also try their lime rickey's, and frappes to drink. A frappe is a milkshake made with ice cream.  The ambiance is wicked. The walls are covered with funny posters and other nicknacks. I always like to bring friends here because it is one place that you  can not replicate anywhere. This is not only in my opinion the best burger in the Boston Area, but in the USA. I know that you can find great burgers made of prime beef and wagyu(Kobe) beef. The Bartley's Burger though is not over 50 dollars and quite frankly if you pay $50 for a hamburger than I think you are crazy. If you are ever in the Boston area, make your way to Harvard Square and follow Mass Ave until you reach Bartley's. I guarantee you will have a great experience. Enjoy!

Zaftigs

The definition of comfort food can contain a wide variety of cuisines. As an American, comfort food can vary from chicken parm to cheeseburgers. Comfort food though still has a distinct ethnic and regional characteristic. For any southern, collard greens, fried chicken, and sweet tea. For any Italian-American, pasta accompanies most meals. For American Jews, the deli is comfort food Valhalla. In no other place can one sample the delights of pastrami, corned beef, knishes, chopped chicken liver,and a variety of smoked and cured fish products that can be put on a bagel. One of these delis that I speak of is Zaftigs. Zaftigs serves the its delicious Jewish deli delights in Brookline, Ma on Harvard St. and now in Natick, Ma, in Sherwood Plaza where Joan and Ed's Deli use to be. When I crave a good deli sandwich, I know where I find one. I highly suggest the Joan & Ed, which is a pastrami and chopped liver sandwich served on pumpernickel, and the Jack & Marion's, which is a hot corned beef,  beef tongue, and pastrami on cissel bread. If you are grossed out by beef tongue you should not be. When prepared the way it is done at Zaftigs, it tastes like the best pot roast ever. To complete your meal you will have to have the pickles, and a Dr Brown's cream soda. Give Zaftigs a try if you are craving a great sandwich, or looking for good Jewish comfort food. Enjoy!

Homemade Sushi

Making sushi is a very difficult task. It is much more about the rice than it is the fish. My friend Adam wanted to make it for his family and also wanted to share the experience with me. This is how we made our sushi. To make sushi, the rice must be soaked for about 10-15 minutes before cooking. Then if you have a rice cooker, use that to cook the rice. If you don't have a rice cooker you can use a regular sized pot for rice. Bring a pot of water to a boil and then once it boils, reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook at a simmer for 15 minutes. Then after 15 minutes, bring off the heat and steam the rice for 10 minutes. The important part of the sushi rice making process is the vinegar solution. We used rice vinegar combined with sugar and salt. We then heated the mixture in the microwave to dissolve the sugar and salt. Then you have to fan the rice and carefully pour the vinegar mixture over the rice. It is important to not make the rice that wet. The drier the rice the better. We made many different makimono. We made cucumber maki, spicy tuna maki, yellowtail(which is also called hamachi), marinated baby octopus( these were cooked and marinated in a teriyaki type sauce which was irresistable) , regular tuna with cucumber and avocado, and salmon. We served surumi, and sashimi of tuna, yellowtail, and salmon. Sashimi and Sushi are two different things though. Sushi is fish with vinegared rice, while sashimi is just thin sliced raw fish. We ended the meal with amazing rambutan. Rambutan is a fruit in the same family as lychee, but it is much sweeter. When shopping for the fish, make sure you buy fish that is of sushi quality. You don't want to eat fish that is not for sushi. The fresher the fish, the better. My friend Adam and I went to H Mart, which is an amazing Asian supermarket. They cater to many Koreans, Japanese, and Chinese. They sell many Asian products that you would not find in your typical American supermarket. Enjoy!

Ballpark Cuisine

Nothing is more American than going to a baseball game. The fans supporting their team, the smells coming from the food, and the history of the game of Baseball is all part of the experience. If someone from abroad asked me where should I go to see a baseball game in America, I would say Fenway Park or Wrigley Field. They are the last relics of a by-gone era of baseball. Nowadays, a stadium is old when it is 10 years old. Wrigley and Fenway are diamonds in the rough. Fenway Park was built in 1912 and is celebrating its 100 year anniversary this year. Wrigley was built in 1914. The next oldest baseball stadium is Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles and that was built in 1962. For me, going to Fenway Park to see the Red Sox is not just to root for the home team, its about tradition. My grandfather took my mom to see games, and now she takes me to games. It is about continuing the tradition. I know people say Fenway Park sucks as a ballpark because there are some seats with obstructed views, but that is the charm of the place. No other professional sports club in America plays in a stadium that is 100 years old. Its unheard of. To know that at least three generations of my family have been going to Fenway Park to watch the Red Sox is something no other fan base can brag about. For me, Fenway should never be replaced. It is a historical site that should never be torn down. Too much history has happened there. Modern ballparks are about how much stuff you can do at the ballpark. Fenway on the other hand is solely about baseball. You go to cheer for the Red Sox and that's it. You don't sit in a luxury box finishing a business deal. Fenway simply put is baseball.

There are a few things to know if you go to any ballpark across America. The food is going to be pricey. Concession prices have skyrocketed in the past couple of years. A beer at Fenway costs 8 bucks, which is insane in my opinion. A hot dog costs 6 dollars when in reality you can buy the same hot dog on the street for 2 bucks. The variety of food options has changed too. Now you can get Dunkin Donuts coffee and Legal Seafood Clam Chowdah(Chowder) at Fenway. The old standby however is the Italian sausage  with peppers and onions. You can smell it walking around Fenway. Vendors seduce you with the intoxicating smells of the grilling meat. It is a smell that is undeniable and will probably never leave the ballpark. An Italian sausage with peppers and onions is Fenway and will always be a Fenway favorite. It would be a travesty if they stopped serving them. Fenway Park, is the ballpark to go to. It should be on every baseball fans bucket list. If you are a Red Sox fan and have never been, you need to get your life priorities in check because Fenway is a temple to baseball. So drop whatever you are doing and buy tickets if you have never been, it will be the best baseball experience you will have. Enjoy and GO SOX!

teriyaki chicken kabobs

I had the inspiration to make yakitori, which are chicken skewers from Japan that are marinated or seasoned with a special teriyaki sauce. I combined the yakitori idea with regular kabobs with onions and peppers.

Marinade:
soy sauce
sesame oil
lemon juice
cinnamon
cumin
honey
maple syrup
ground ginger
black pepper
sriracha
garlic powder

Chicken:
Two chicken breasts
skewers
a small onion
half a red pepper

Method:
Combine the marinade ingredients into a ziploc bag and make sure all of the ingredients are combined.
Then cut the chicken into chunks. Place the chicken chunks in the marinade and marinate for about an hour or however long you would like.  At this time I like to soak the wooden skewers for the kabobs. Soak at least for an hour so they do not ignite on the grill. Cut the onions and the peppers into chunks. Place onion and pepper and then chicken onto the skewers. Then on a medium heat cook the skewers for 3 and a half minutes on each of the four sides. The whole cooking process should take 14 minutes. If you do not have a grill, you may use a grill pan or a broiler. Serve with a side of rice or rice pilaf and a vegetable of your choice. This is delicious anytime of the year, but especially during the summer when its nice outside. Enjoy!

Sam Adams Alpine Spring

Now that the nice weather is back, summer beers are back. The Summer Ale by Sam Adams is great, but there is another offering by Sam Adams that is perfect for the beautiful summer weather. Sam Adams Alpine Spring is that offering. Alpine Spring is a citrusy unfiltered lager. So if you want to try something new for the summer, give Sam Adams Alpine Spring a try. It is refreshing for a lager which suits the season. Cheers!

brownies

This brownie recipe might be the best. It makes the best brownies. If its the brownie recipe my mom uses then it has to be good. Here it is to indulge your sweet tooth.

Ingredients:
1 cup of butter
4 eggs
1 cup flour
4 ounces of unsweetened chocolate
2 cups of sugar
1.6 ounce package of semisweet chocolate chips ( do not add any more than 6 ounces because the brownies will turn out too wet.

Method:
preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9" by 13" baking pan. Line the bottom and sides with foil and grease the foil as well. melt the butter and leave it to cool. Melt the chocolate over a saucepan of hot water(not boiling). Use a double-boiler for this. Once the chocolate has melted, make sure there is no water on the bottom of the bowl and set aside. In an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sugar untl they are thickened. Then beat in the melted butter and chocolate until the mixture is smooth. With the mixer on the lowest setting, beat in the flour until it is incorporated. Then with a spatula, stir in the chocolate chips. Pour the batter into the greased baking pan. shake the pan so the batter is distributed evenly. Bake the brownies for 25 minutes or until the top has set. Transfer to a cooling rack and let it cool for a half a day and as long as overnight. Slide a knife all around the edge of the foil to release it. Tip the pan upside down on a board so the brownies fall out of the pan. Peel the foil and cut the brownies. It is an easy recipe and it makes some of the best brownies. Happy Baking and Enjoy!

Tzimmes

Tzimmes is a traditional Eastern European Jewish vegetable side dish made from carrots, potatoes, and sweet potatoes. It is a perfect accompaniment to brisket.

ingredients:
2 regular potatoes  peeled and sliced
2 sweet potatoes peeled and sliced
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup brown sugar
handful of white raisins
1/4 cup maple syrup
6 peeled and sliced carrots

Method:
Boil the vegetables for 20 minutes while making sure they keep their shape. After they boil for 20 minutes. Grease a baking pan and set the oven to 350 degrees. combine all of the ingredients and place in the baking pan. Cook for an hour and 25 minutes. Every 15-20 minutes bast the vegetables with the orange juice. Serve with beef brisket or roast chicken and you have a delicious side dish. Enjoy!

brisket sandwich

I love using leftovers to make something delicious. I had leftover brisket and i thought it would be perfect as a sandwich. I heated up some of the leftover brisket and toasted two pieces of bread. When the brisket was reheated, I add some English cheddar with caramelized onions in it to the sandwich. It sure is a sloppy sandwich but worth it. The brisket gets better the second day so for leftover brisket, make a sandwich out of it. You will not be disappointed. Enjoy!

More Brisket for your health

I know I have said this before, but brisket is one of my favorite foods ever. Smoked, or braised, Brisket is king. This brisket recipe uses red wine and some special spices.

Ingredients
a brisket
1/4 cup dijon mustard
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
a bottle of chili sauce
3/4 cup of red wine ( I used Zinfandel)
salt
pepper
2 sliced onions
2 cloves of garlic minced

Method:

In a frying pan with some oil, brown the brisket on both sides. When both sides of the brisket are browned, put the brisket into a roasting pan.In the frying pan saute the onions and be sure to scrap up all of the stuck on bits. After the onions have cooked for about 4 minutes add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Then add the wine, dijon, cinnamon,brown sugar, and chili sauce to deglaze. Once the pan has deglazed, add the liquid to the roasting pan. Set your oven to about 325-350 degrees. Cook the brisket for about 4 hours with the roasting pan tightly covered. The meat should rest for about 10 minutes before serving. Serve with the roasting liquid and tzimmes, an Eastern European Jewish potato dish. Enjoy!

Magic Hat: Elder Betty

Brewed in Vermont, Magic Hat Brewing Company is one of my favorites. Their signature #9 ale is fantastic as well as their Hefeweizen Circus Boy. As is typical of certain brewing companies, Magic Hat brews seasonal beers. Their summer beer is called Elder Betty. It is a hefeweizen brewed with elderberries. It is a very delicious and refreshing beer for hot summer days relaxing. I would definitely recommend this beer for any beer drinker. Magic Hat also provides some wisdom with each beer you drink. Each bottle cap has a saying on it. Some are insightful, and others are just hilarious. One of mine said "Drink, don't drive. Deer is cheaper than gas.". So have some wisdom with you beer and have a Magic Hat. Cheers and Enjoy!

Italian Deli Sandwich

The sandwich might be the greatest food invention ever. You can make anything into a sandwich really. The classic Italian deli sandwich is one of my favorites. Just pick up your favorite Italian deli meats like salami, Mortadella (Italian bologna), bologna, or  prosciutto. Combine the meats with shredded lettuce, provolone, sliced tomatoes, and Italian dressing and you will be in business. I chose Capicola, hot Calabrian Salami, and Genoa Salami create the meat part of this sandwich. Provolone cheese, Italian dressing, shredded lettuce and sliced tomatoes round out the ingredients for my Italian Deli Sandwich. The combined flavors of this sandwich rock. Sorry if you are vegetarian but, this sandwich is just delicious. Enjoy!

Thai take out

Near my house in Ashland, Ma, is a pretty good Thai restaurant called Krua Khun Yah. Thai cuisine is unique in that it utilizes bitter, sweet, sour, and salty tastes in each dish. Thai cuisine is also known for its use of fiery hot chilies that are indigenous to Thailand. Pad Thai might be the most well known Thai dish. Made with rice noodles, meat of choice, bean sprouts, scallions, and peanuts make up this delicious dish. The popularity of Pad Thai is only outside of Thailand. Go to Thailand and Pad Thai is not really popular. One of the most popular Thai dish is Som Tum. Som Tum is green papaya salad. It looks like a light dish, but it packs a fiery punch. Like most Thai dishes it has chilies in it so be prepared to sweat. Green Papaya is grated and combined with shrimp, ground peanuts, grated carrots, garlic, and sweat and sour dressing. Krua Khun Yah serves their Som Tum with lettuce which is not added to Som Tum in Thailand. For an appetizer, Tod Mun Pla is minced shrimp and fish combined with thai red curry pasta and fried. They are served with a cucumber sauce with peanuts. They were kind of spongy in texture but you could tell it was made from seafood. Thai cuisine is a healthy alternative to Chinese take out. So if you want to try something new, search for a Thai restaurant to try. You will become hooked. Enjoy!

Lemon Chicken with vegetables and pearled couscous

As we all know, you cannot have too many chicken dishes. This lemon chicken is wicked easy to prepare and its delicious. Serve with antipasto vegetables, and couscous and you have a great meal. 

Lemon Chicken

Ingredients:

chicken breasts

9 cloves of garlic minced

1/3 cup white wine

1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil 

tablespoon of lemon zest

2 tablespoons of lemon juice( use fresh lemons)

dried oregano

mined thyme

lemons

Method:

Set your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. In a sauce pan, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat and add the garlic and some oregano until the garlic is softened and fragrant. Add the garlic oil to the wine, lemon zest, lemon juice, thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper. Pour the mixture into a baking dish. Place the chicken breasts in the baking dish and brush with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Next, cut lemon wedges and place them in the baking dish as well. Bake the chicken for about 30 to 40 minutes. Then place under the broiler to get a nice golden color. Let the meat rest for about 10 minutes and serve with the sauce. Enjoy!

Antipasto Vegetables:

Ingredients:

balsamic vinegar

olive oil

oregano

minced garlic

basil 

sliced eggplant

red pepper

green bell pepper

feta cheese

dijon mustard

quartered mushrooms

sliced onions

white wine

lemon juice

Method:

An easy way to roast a red bell pepper is to turn on your gas burner and char it on the flame. Even char the skin and when that is done, transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the pepper steam for about 10 minutes. After it has steamed for 10 minutes, peel the charred skin under cold water. Cut into strips and you will have roasted red peppers. If you don't have a gas burner, place on a baking sheet with oil and place in a 425 degree oven and make sure that each side is evenly browned. Repeat the steps from steaming the peppers in a bowl and you will have the same result. 

For the eggplant, I made a a balsamic vinaigrette. Combine the dijon, baslamic vinegar, olive oil, oregano, basil, and garlic until it becomes a salad dressing like consistency. Coat the eggplant slices with the vinaigrette and place on an oiled baking sheet. Bake the eggplant at a 400 degree oven for five minutes. After minutes flip the eggplant and cook for another 5 minutes. Flip the eggplant again and cook for 5 more minutes. After 15 minutes of total cooking time the eggplant should be done. Make sure to cool the eggplant at room temperature. 

For the mushrooms, I like to caramelize onions first. This should take about 7-8 minutes. When the onions are caramelized, I add the mushrooms in a single layer so that they get brown. The mushrooms should take about 3 minutes per side. I then add some garlic and cook for a minute before adding white wine and lemon juice to deglaze the pan. At the end of the cooking I like to add some basil and oregano. Let this cool at room temperature as well. 

For the antipasto platter, Arrange the sauteed mushrooms and onions, roasted red bell peppers, and eggplant on a dish. Garnish with diced green peppers and feta cheese. This is a great way of serving vegetables because it is great hot and cold. Enjoy!