The Most Wonderful Time of The Year

The holidays are in full swing, and I couldn't be happier to embrace them! Here are some of my favorite views around the city combined with a little about what I've been up to these days.... A most excellent Thanksgiving was spent at Adam's parents house in Quincy; we feasted in courses, most notably on peanut soup (his Mom's special recipe, so good) and a 34 pound bird (among the usual fixings of green beans, parsnips, potatoes, squash, cranberry sauce and more), watched football in between, and my contribution of pumpkin whoopie pies for dessert were a hit. It was super laid back and went undocumented much like lots of my meals have been lately. I have been lazy when it comes to bringing the Canon Rebel out and about, so please forgive a slew of instagram and iphone photos today and in the forthcoming posts. Here in Boston we've been enjoying the extremely mild temperatures as December rolls in, taking in the picturesque, bright light filled city spaces as they grace us with their presence. Although I do miss me some snow, I am never one to complain about the weather be it unseasonably warm or ridiculously cold. Snow makes me happier inside than I can explain, but then again, so do low heat bills! The Christmas tree in Faneuil Hall (above) is always a welcome sight, as is the vivid blue trellis in Christopher Columbus Park. I'm sure it looks familiar, I take a picture of this trellis every season! This year we attended the official lighting ceremony, where Mrs. Menino's introduction was met with neighborhood children caroling and complimentary Peppermint Mochas and cookies from Starbucks. In other news - our tree is up, (better pictures coming soon!) a good majority of my shopping is done, and I even started wrapping presents last night. I've never been so on top of my Christmas shopping, but I'm definitely happy to check people off the list so early.Adam and I got some great deals on Black Friday, and I've been on a roll ever since. On Black Friday evening we also ventured out to see The Muppets, starting Jason Segel and Amy Adams. If that's not the feel good movie of the year, I don't know what is. (I highly recommend! So. much. fun.) So is walking through Downtown and the Theater District at night. My Mom came into town this weekend for our annual city shopping spree. Along with my sister and Adam, we partook in the 5th Annual North End Buon Natalie Stroll on Friday night (Santa at the Fairmont Battery is always a hoot.) Then us girls got our fill of Harvard Square and Downtown Crossing shops on Saturday. A most excellent lunch was had a Russel House Tavern, I can't wait to share my review!Other than that, it's been holiday business as usual. Drinks at Cafe Florentine (this North End restaurant and bar has the best ambiance around the holidays!) Eggnog in my coffee,And pastries and cannolis from Modern. Always Modern.


How have you guys been embracing the holidays so far?!

The Latest from Saus: Frikandel

I am pretty positive my love for Saus has not gone unnoticed, but allow me to remind you just how much this Belgian street food cafe has won my affections with their authentic frites, leige waffles and poutine.

{Exhibit 1, Exhibit 2, Exhibit 3}

The was no doubting that the latest addition to their menu - a deep fried Dutch burger-sausage served on a grilled bun called Frikandel would impress with a similar level of authenticity and deliciousness.This 'sandwich' differs from the traditional version eaten on the streets of The Netherlands, Belguim and Northern France because it uses a homemade blend of ground beef, pork and spices as opposed to a processed meat mixture. In a blogger taste test / feedback forum last Monday evening, the Frikandel ($6.95) was an immediate hit. We were lucky enough to sample all four styles offered, compliments of the owners. It was a Frickandellen feast! Here is a preview of what to expect next time you stroll (or stumble) into this Faneuil Hall mainstay. The most traditional among the bunch is the Speciaal Frikandel. The toasted bun gets rubbed with house made mayo and the sausage is topped with chopped onions, more mayo and curry ketchup saus. The Spicy Frickandel is layered with jalepeno peppers and then drizzled with ole chipotle saus for a double dose of spice. Ole chipotle is one of my favorite signature sauces so it was no surprise I adored this version of frikandel. Overall it was generously spicy, not unbearably so. Loaded up with another beloved ingredient is the Cheesy Frikandel. This one layers on the cheddar cheese and coats the sausage completely in cheddar Duvel saus. Last up is the Burger-style Frikandel which pops with flavor from chopped onions, chopped pickles and the latest kitchen concoction - Andalouse Saus. Andalouse is an onion, red and green pepper, lemon and tomato paste infused mayo. I though the juicy pickles in this version were a welcome contrast. We were also treated to a side of frites with additional Andalouse for dipping and following the meal, a leige waffle and one of every sweet saus (salted caramel, lemon cream, berry berry and nutella) for dessert! Providing more sustenance to the menu at the urging of the public is a dutch sausage-snack that some say is better than the original. Next time you venture in to get your french fry and waffle fix, be sure and add a Frikandel to your order!

The Joys of June

Where on earth did the month of June go?! I feel like I blinked and it was over! Despite its fleeting presence, I somehow managed to pack a lot in. Here's a round up of the things I ate / saw / made / did this month to kick off summer in the city that didn't get a post all their own.

Not that they each didn't deserve one.

Ice Cream Sundae @ Emack & Bolio's

Nothing embraces hot summer evenings (hey, there has been a select few) like a trip for ice cream sundaes. It's always all about gelato where I live in Little Italy, but when I crave actual ice cream I head just outside the neighborhood confines to Emack & Bolio's at Long Wharf. A scoop of ice cream or three hits the spot. Their batches are fresh made weekly with the highest quality ingredients and extracts. My go-to flavor is the Grasshopper Pie which contains creme de menthe liquor with Oreo chunks and chocolate flakes. Top it with warm gooey hot fudge, fresh whipped cream and thick chunks of peanuts and pecans and you've got a treat that says summer like nothing else.

Paul Simon Concert at The House of Blues.

Located on Lansdowne Street across from Fenway Park, The House of Blues is always a fun venue for live music and dancing. My whole life I've been wanting to see Paul Simon in concert. I grew up to the tunes of Graceland, it still ranks up there as one of my favorite albums of all time. He played a number of songs off that album and many more of the classic tunes I know and love him for. It was a truly memorable evening and I hope he comes back to Boston soon!

Layered Taco Salad - recipe courtesy of Chelsee @ We Are Not Martha.

See, I do cook sometimes. If you consider browning beef and prepping ingredients for a salad cooking. Actually, I should give myself a little more credit since the recipe calls for making your own taco seasoning and mixing dressing from scratch.
This salad was so good and yielded an insane amount of leftovers. I ate it every day for lunch the entire week after I made it. Thanks so much to Chelsee for the recipe inspiration.

Boating in Essex, MA

My sister's boyfriend grew up nearby, and some of his friends were nice enough to invite us out on their boats for the day. This picturesque coastal New England town on the North Shore of Massachusetts is home to beaches and waterways perfect for boating, relaxing, drinking, grilling, swimming and fishing.Which is just what we did on Saturday, June 18th. Gorgeous and sunny, with no rain in sight until the final boatride home, where we experienced a heavy downpour followed by a rainbow spanning its full arch across the marsh. It was a rare breathtaking sight - my camera was packed safely away from the rain. Hopefully the rest of the landscape views suffice. We drank vodka raspberry lemonades and grilled some marinated shrimp, along with burgers and chicken. This is what summer days are made for! I felt incredibly blessed for this day since I am usually mulling about the city.

Belgian Poutine ($8) @ Saus

One of my favorite spots to open this year is Belgian street food haven turned city household name, Saus. If you're local, you've probably been. Or should I say, hopefully you've been. If you haven't you'll definitely want to check it out, stat! The team at Saus perfects the art of fusing traditional Belgian frites into this infamous dish native to Canada and the very Northern parts of Maine and New Hampshire. Hand cut potatoes are deep fried and piled with heaping helpings of dense haphazardly shaped cheddar cheese curds, then slathered with rich, made-from-scratch savory brown gravy. The cheese curds are mildly salty with a unique springy texture that makes them rather fun to eat. Thick and silky, the gravy coats the crispy fries without overwhelming their texture.

I crave this dish on a fairly regular basis!

Chicken Stir Fry w/ Edamame Slaw

This ones all my own. It combines frozen edamame, shredded carrots, shredded cabbage and cilantro with chicken in a ginger-soy-terriyaki sauce. It was a delicious quick and easy creation. Did the month of June fly by for anyone else?! What are you looking forward to in July?

Gettin' Sauced

...on a regular basis.
After the inaugural Saus visit, I returned the very next week to get my fix. It's all I do to not return nightly. Actually, that's a lie. I have pretty strong willpower when it comes to these kinds of things. In my head it goes something like: "Gym vs. Frites & Waffles" or "Getting into shape for warm weather vs. Belgian street food." Usually it's a draw and I go home having done neither. But Saus is definitely a staple in my go-to, to-go rotation (along with North End takeout spots like Il Panino Express and Nick Varano's Famous Deli.) Anyways, check out my latest to-go loot from Saus. A regular order of Pommes Frites ($5.50) with side sauces ($0.75 each) consisting of Ole Chipoltle and Green Monster. These two are my running favorites sauces out of the 12 or so choices, so it seems. Deep fried x2. So.good.It was nice to stop back in and see the owners happily busy. I purchased a bottle of Boylan Ginger Ale ($2.25) with my order and snapped a shot at the counter while I waited. Of course, no meal from Saus would be complete without a lightly crisped, sticky sweet Liege Waffle ($3.50)Cubed crevices coated in powdered sugar and when dipped in their signature lemon cream sauce ($0.75), this dessert is a fierce competitor to my usual sweet tooth craving spots (You know the regulars, North End bakeries and pastry shops like Modern and Bova's.) I've been living in an Italian bubble for quite sometime and while I absolutely love it, I'm welcoming the nearby Belgian snack shack to mix up the routine.