Loving Lately | Food & Drinks

Happy MLK Day and a very Happy Birthday to my Dad!! I get the day off work and I could not be happier spending it on my couch. Here's a round up of mostly products and one place, near and dear. Enjoy!

A refreshing juice beverage | Tropicana Trop 50

Being a loyal drinker of Tropicana Orange Juice, when I was offered a coupon for a free bottle from their Trop50 line of juice beverages, I didn't hesitate to accept. I did hesitate, however, when it came to choosing a flavor! I debated over delicious sounding Farmstand Apple and Pineapple Mango, eventually deciding on the Pomegranate Blueberry.
Teeming with the juices of two bold flavorful fruits (and a little apple and grape in the mix) I thought the beverage achieved a balanced sweetness that was luscious and refreshing. The Trop 50 line of juice drinks contain 50% less sugar and calories and no artificial sweeteners. Plus, an 8oz glass is packed with antioxidants and delivers your daily dose of vitamin C. I am definitely looking forward to sampling the other flavors.

Old fashioned jams | Doves & Figs Cranberry Chocolate Jam

Local food blogger Robin Cohen is the talented woman behind a delectable line of jams at Doves & Figs Kitchen. Robin makes her own jams, preserves and conserves in small batches from Massachusetts farm grown fruit. Her jams lend a soft and spreadable texture and are offered in array of original flavors. The Cranberry Chocolate is an innovative blend of the tart ripe fruits and subtle hints of sweet Taza chocolate. I spread it on everything from my morning bagels with cream cheese, to my afternoon snack of cheese and crackers. If you have yet to get your hands on some of Robin's jam, you're missing out!

A comforting meal at the bar I love most | Delux Cafe

Recently, Adam and I ventured to the South End for a highly anticipated dinner at The Gallows. It ended up being a night which they were closed for a private party, bummer! (Not sure how I missed this, with their strong social media presence and all.) However, there are no shortage of good restaurants nearby, so we weren't totally out of luck. We decided to cozy up at the all too familiar laminated wood bar backed by twinkling rainbow lights and other (year round) kitschy Christmas decor at Delux. I perused their well appointed one page menu with a dirty martini in hand, settling on the Marinated Bavette Steak ($12.95). Their chef doesn't mess around when it comes to whipping up a small portioned juicy steak. Herb crusted and topped with a slab of melted roasted red pepper butter, with a side of sauteed baby spinach and goat cheese mashed potatoes, this plate of food hit all the right notes of comfort and finesse.

Premium canned tomatoes | Red Pack

Red Pack Tomatoes recently sent me a gift pack of their canned tomato products to sample. I'm no skeptic when it comes to using canned tomatoes in the winter, but its not like I get excited about them either. I absolutely loved this product! For starters, their packaging is bright, eye catching and fun and most importantly, their premium tomatoes are fresh tasting, sweet, juicy and delicious. I am particularly fond of their Petite Diced Tomatoes with Basil, Garlic and Olive Oil for a no fuss bruschetta appetizer! I added some salt, pepper, more olive oil and balsamic to the mix - so easy. My guests loved the app and would have never guessed the tomatoes and blend came from a can. A regular can of Diced Tomatoes lent themselves beautifully to a batch of Chicken Tortilla Soup I made over one December weekend. And when my New Years Eve Mussels Fra Diavolo called for the same ingredient, to the Red Pack I went where it was a can of Petite Diced Tomatoes that worked in the mussels favor. I'm so pleased I got to try the Red Gold Tomato products and am looking forward to using more of the Red Pack cans in future recipes!What foods or drinks are putting a smile on your face?

Fig Infused Vodka Martini

I decided on a whim to make a small batch of infused vodka using some dried black mission figs I had on hand. I simply placed four of the figs into a wide-mouth mason jar, poured vodka over them, covered the jar and let it steep for about two weeks at room temperature. I shook the infusion about once per day. I also took care to store it away from direct sunlight.

On Saturday night, my first attempt at a homemade infusion was ready to take center stage in none other than.....a martini!! The drink making process was quite an experiment, but the final measurements below depict an equal balance of sweet to sour to bitter.

Fig Infused Vodka Martini

2 1/2 shots fig infused vodka - (about 2 ounces)
1 squeeze of fresh lemon juice - (about 1/4 lemon)

1 dash Angostura bitters- (about 1 teaspoon)

Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice. Strain into martini glass and garnish with half a fig slice.

The about measurements are depicted in parenthesis because I wasn't technically measuring the ingredients. Originally I juiced half a lemon into the shaker and whoa, it completely overpowered the martini. I have been known to underestimate the strength of a lemon, but I also love a citrus counterpart. I easily tempered this by topping the drink off with more of the vodka, which is delightfully figgy and sweet, but not intoxicatingly so.As far as the bitters are concerned, I purchased my first bottle for the occasion. Angostura is the most basic of cocktail bitters and a tiny bottle will only cost you about $8. Despite the fact that this was my first time crafting a cocktail with it, I knew a little dash would go a long way. The fig infused vodka lends a depth and potency while the lemon some brightness and the bitters serve to balance these equally sweet and sour parts. If you follow me on Instagram, (daisy21) you saw what my Saturday night consisted of firsthand! I was perfectly content to stay in and sip this while watching Sweet Home Alabama on TV. Have you ever infused vodka or another type of liquor? What did you make with it?

Aperol Aperitivo

A sophisticated and versatile spirit with an unmistakable vibrant orange color, allow me to formally introduce Aperol, my new favorite liqueur.

The distinctive blend of flavor infusions including sweet mandarin orange and bitter orange peel along with herbs, roots and spices create a zesty and refreshing spirit unique in its palate pleasing abilities. When given the choice, the specialty cocktail on any given bar menu crafted with Aperol gets my order, either that or you'll find me at home drinking an Aperol Spritz. The versatility lends endless possibilities for cocktail mixing, however the widely known, traditionally crafted, Aperol Spritz blends three parts Prosecco with two parts Aperol and a dash of club soda or seltzer water. I find it works just as well with any sort of sparking wine or dry white wine, or even sans the wine altogether. Aperol and seltzer water alone give a whole new meaning to the word refreshing. Not to mention that bright orange color does wonders for invigorating the spirit. In addition to becoming the latest permanent bottle in my at home bar, I first took notice of its appearance in cocktails at some of my favorite Boston restaurants. My first encounter with Aperol was at Coppa where their Negroni Rosato ($9) combines the liqueur with Rosato vermouth, Bols Genever and rhubarb bitters for a well rounded aperitivo. To quote my review back on May 14th "it was refreshing with bright and sweet flavors and a wonderfully bitter finish." I had no idea at the time that this drink would induce an onset of Aperol fever. We became re-acquainted at the Aragosta Patio Party where the Settana Cinque ($11) shakes Aperol with freshly squeezed lemon juice and charges it with Prosecco. This was perfection in an extra wide rimmed martini glass. The latest affair occurred a just a couple of weeks ago at Rialto, where the Equinox ($11) blends Aperol with Hayman’s Old Tom gin, grapefruit juice and lemon bitters. At this point my obsession was in full swing. Apparently, Aperol has been delighting since its inception in Italy back in 1919. So, maybe I'm a little late to the party, or maybe you heard it here first; either way, there is something so incredibly fantastic about a drink made with this bright orange, slightly sweet, slightly bitter liqueur.

Happy Friday! Go ahead and make yourself an Aperol Spritz this weekend and tell me what you think!

Odyssey Cruisin'

I spent a fare share of time this past weekend aboard the Odyssey Boston, a luxury cruise vessel stationed at 60 Rowes Wharf behind the Boston Harbor Hotel, departing regularly for various mealtime harbor cruises and special occasion events.Friday evening was spent cruising the harbor for dinner and Sunday morning for brunch with the Boston Food Bloggers and the Boston Brunchers, respectively.

Friday was a gray drizzly evening as we boarded the ship and took our seats on the lower level among a crowd of diners surrounding elegantly set tables and a dance floor backed by a band set-up. Dinner aboard the Odyssey is priced at $90 which includes three courses and one alcoholic beverage. The ticket was comped on our behalf, but additional alcohol, tax and tip we covered ourselves. It was an evening of bubbly all the way, I began with a glass of Westport Rivers RJR Brut and moved on to sharing a bottle of Wycliff Sparking Wine ($28). We were instructed to order all three courses at once, understanding somewhat that the intentions of the waitstaff is to pace the meal to your parties liking. We ate our appetizer and dinner right away and then decided to hold off on the dessert course to head outdoors.

It was windy, can you tell? Not to mention foggy! The Boston Harbor skyline was still in view from a distance, glowing in the mist.

For my first course, the Carmelized Duck en Croute boasted an extensive menu listing of duck confit, forest mushrooms, sage and monterray jack cheese baked in a puff pastry, served over spaghetti squash with dried cherries, candied pecans and a drizzle of marsala wine demi glaze. This was certainly a lot of elements for one plate, not all of them working harmony. I felt the texture of the puff pastry could have been a little more crisp to balance with the soft confit. The dish was definitely on the sweet side, I wanted more flavor from the savory elements to balance the sweetness of the squash, dried cherries and candied pecans. Overall the appetizer was palatable, but could have used a little finesse. For the main course, my Bourbon and Peach-Glazed Pork Tenderloin was cooked perfectly. A seriously huge cut of pork, I was impressed at how juicy and tender it remained. The side elements of harvest green beans and sweet potato hash browns were delicious.My dessert was less impressive, the Raspberry Mousse Cup suffered from the lack of house-made whipped cream (as advertised.)If served as intended based on the menu description, I think the whipped cream would have balanced out the too thick mouse and overly powerful (perhaps even artificial?) raspberry flavors, but ultimately the dish lacked in execution. Service at dinner could have benefited from a little more focus - throughout the courses and on multiple occasions certain members of our party (myself included) were served the wrong dish. I was perplexed thinking we had a salad course and in actuality almost dug into someone else's food!

At brunch on Sunday we boarded the boat in similar fashion - (this time with a much bigger group!) and were seated on the opposite side of the same dining room which now included a buffet spread; breakfast on one side, lunch on the other and dessert (complete with a chocolate fountain!) in the middle. We started with cruise with mimosas - similar to dinner, this complimentary brunch included one drink and any additional cocktails I paid for.I wasn't feeling any of the lunch options (but heard they were great) and instead piled my plate with Wisconson Cheddar Scrambled Eggs, Hash brown potatoes with pepper and onion, Applewood smoked bacon and Turkey sausage. Additionally, the House-Griddled Belgian Waffles served with whipped cream and a berry sauce compote and the Strawberries and Cream French Toast saw their way onto my plates. The eggs, potatoes and waffles were delicious while the bacon and french toast let me down. It was mainly a textural thing - fluffy eggs and tender potatoes for the win; overcooked bacon and soggy french toast, not so much. In a nutshell - I was satisfied but not overly impressed with the food. Thankfully, service at brunch was attentive and friendly, prompting another cocktail or two starting with a Perfect Orange Martini ($14) a blend of Gin, OJ, Grand Mariner and sweet and dry vermouth. It was a pretty perfect breakfast cocktail indeed!Above with my brunch date, Megan taking advantage of the warm weather and gorgeous harbor views, an overpriced ice cold Corona ($7) in hand.

The dinner cruise ran three hours while the brunch cruise was two. I preferred the shorter time frame - three hours felt a little too long to be confined to the ship, but maybe that was a result of the rainy weather keeping us (mostly) limited to the indoor deck and the fact that we weren't feeling the dance floor scene. The weather on Sunday and the boat parade scene on the other hand could not be beat. The top deck of the boat was an ideal spot to relax.

There are no shortage of event opportunities presented to bloggers in this city - whether you're new to the scene or have been writing a blog for years! It is easy to become a part of either group, run by some fantastic local bloggers; Rachel (follow on Twitter @bostonfoodblogs) and Renee (follow on Twitter @bostonbrunchers.) I was happy to attend both events this weekend and discover what cruising aboard the Odyssey is all about!