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?

Bella Note Thursdays @ Aragosta

Presenting Bella Note Thursdays at Aragosta Bar + Bistro; where from 5:30 - 10 pm ladies can enjoy a drink and an appetizer paring for $20.
The Fairmont Battery Wharf 's signature restaurant kindly put together a preview of the event for Lin, Meghan, Elina, Bridget, Megan and myself. At the chef's counter where the glistening tigers eye bar overlooks the action happening in the kitchen, the six of us where treated to a sampling of the Bella Notte menu. Guests chose from five signature cocktails or a subset of red and white wines and from eight of chef David Daniels's favorite appetizers. We watched and photographed as him and his sous chefs prepared everything in front of us using fresh ingredients and refined techniques, it was quite a treat! The Yellow Pepper Limoncello Sour is a particularly creative cocktail from which to choose. Limoncello liquer is shaken with vodka, freshly squeezed lemon juice, agave nectar and garnished with a fresh chive.The chef started us off with some crusty bread and olives in olive oil before a splendid showcase of the apps! The Truffle Rigatoni (half portion shown) is a unanimous crowd pleaser. Comforting and elegant, warm goat cheese foudue is laced with fragrant truffle among extra wide tubes of rigatoni that benefit from a few minutes under the broiler. The creamy white pasta is plated and served with a stroke of tomato, the sweet red sauce adding a dash of contrast. The Margherita Flatbread was exceptionally thin and crispy, fully loaded with red, yellow and cherry tomatoes, torn burrata, parmesan and fresh basil. The juicy tomatoes pop with sweet flavors while the soft burrata cheese melts into whole basil leaves and warm tomato sauce. Don't overlook this simple ingredient flatbread as you debate over the bella note menu, it proves a substantial and delicious contender.I've had the Lobster and Truffle Crostini in the past, it was one of the appetizers I highly recommended! I really enjoyed the sweet crustacean meat teamed with white bean puree the first time around, but in this instance I found it lacking. Certainly the lobster was piled high but there was noticeably much less bean puree. Others commented that their batch was over salted. In choosing your appetizers wisely - note that this one can be hit or miss. At this point I've transitioned to a glass of Zonin Proseco. While the kitchen before us was dishing out appetizers, our waiter took care to offer drink refills promptly. The first glass of prosecco certainly wasn't the last! The Hand Crafted Selection of Salumi, Caponata and Hot Cherry Peppers tasted every bit as good as I remembered. If you're in the mood for some house cured meats, this board is a fine offering.The Baked Veal and Pancetta Meatballs were something special. Served in a mini cast iron skillet with soft polenta and fresh mozzarella, four meatballs offered plenty of comforting, hearty bites. The Warm Black Mission Figs cater to the sweet tooth, this dish was easily our "dessert"! The ripe candy sweet fruits benefit from a sandwiching of tangy, savory gorgonzola dolce on the bottom, while whisps of crispy, salty prosciutto are layered on top.On their own, cocktails begin at $11 and the appetizers showcased range in price from $12 to $18. So this deal (exclusive of tax and tip) priced at $20 will technically save you anywhere from $3 - $9 depending on what you order. Plates are ideal for sharing, so take advantage of Bella Notte with a group of girlfriends and each order something different. The relaxed scene on the North End waterfront inside a cozy bar and bistro is a perfect way to spend (or kick off) a Thursday night out!

Barcelona Cuisine | El Rey de la Gamba

Presenting El Rey de la Gamba or as it translates in English, The King of Prawns; the Catalan seafood restaurant which officially wraps Barcelona cuisine week here on III. The open air terrace where rows of white linen table clothes and metal chairs backed by red fabric sit under a large tent is located on Passeig de Joan de Borbó which borders the harbor of Barceloneta. The trip certainly wouldn't have been complete from a culinary perspective if we didn't get ourselves some traditional Seafood Paella! While pretty much every other restaurant on Las Ramblas serves this dish, which embodies a serious mass touristic appeal, we had a couple spots in mind in the Barceloneta neighborhood and were hopeful to get a really good batch!This restaurant ended up being a spontaneous choice. That night we had some minor issues with our map (the road we needed to find was not on it), got lost in a sketchy 'hood (the type of spot we did not want to look lost) before ending up on Barceloneta's main drag, starving and a little defeated. El Rey's location, beckoning neon sign and giant seafood posters indicated a tourist trap, but we decided to go for it. Our disingenuous waiter had a friendliness that felt forced, which might not have been so bad if it was consistent! Other times he seemed to be annoyed by our presence, and his attitude was rather lethargic.That being said, we still managed to get cold beers and hot food in a respectable time frame! The iconic Catalan tapas to begin the meal, Pa amb tomàquet was essential, per usual. The fresh tomato and fruity olive oil punctuates so perfectly each crevice of the hearty bread. Gosh I love this stuff. (Or couldn't you tell?) I've been eating it by the plateful! When in Spain....And then came the piece de resistance, a ginormous pan of Seafood Paella with paprika and saffron infused rice, studded with bright green peas and soft set mini potatoes, dusted in fresh parsley and served with lemon wedges.
The bomba rice was wonderfully flavored and executed to a perfect tenderness. Its liquid absorbing capabilities are what make it ideal for paella, the grains expand substantially to become fluffy without being sticky. The bottom layer becomes slightly toasted, adding a welcome textural contrast. Admittedly, I felt the seafood could have been a little more substantial. The mussels freshness paled in compared to the plate we had at Tapas 24. However, we were still delighted by the pan of food overall. We relished the experience, savoring every tender shrimp, juicy prawn and briny clam.

I wouldn't peg El Rey de la Gamba as a restaurant you must visit, especially since you can get paella almost anywhere. However, for us, it was simply meant to be! Definitely do some research, have a trustworthy map on hand, and whatever you do, don't miss out on this iconic seafood and rice dish if you travel to Barcelona!

Well my friends, this officially wraps Barcelona cuisine week; what a delicious journey it has been! I plan to incorporate a couple of fun photo montage posts of the city sights before saying goodbye, and then, it's onward to the final destination of the trip, San Sebastian!

Barcelona Cuisine | Qu Qu

On our first night in Barcelona we ventured into Qu Qu, a colorful tapas restaurant located on the emblematic Passeig de Gràssia in the city's bustling and upscale Eixample District. Short for Quasi Queviures which in Catalan means "almost provisions" - part of the concept is reminiscent of the typical grocery stores that existed at the turn of the century, where dishes and fresh products (meats, cheese and more) for sale are displayed behind a glass counter. The other half remains a visually captivating, bright and cheerful restaurant and bar serving standard Catalan and Spanish fare at a reasonable price. A retro globe chandelier with phrases painted in bold primary colors and an artisan wine bottle statue command attention as you enter the bar, which is backed by a grand multi-tiered shelf of red wine bottles in repetition. A traditional Catalan tile floor underfoot changes to hardwood as you enter the comfy dining room, defined by clean white surfaces, maroon banquettes and a striking wraparound vintage poster collage. In addition - vintage barware stands proudly on display, sparkling in glass lined and encased shelving along the back wall. The huge space was fairly empty, so I had a field day photographing the decor I was so enamored by. A few tables here and there saw other patrons, most of whom looked like tourists. The patio and bar were bustling, though. The quintessential Pa amb tomàquet which is bread smeared with tomato, olive oil and garlic to begin the meal was a must.I had this entire plate of bread all to myself; no matter how many times Adam tries tomato (nearly impossible to avoid in Spain) he just can't seem to enjoy them. I relished the juicy vine ripened fruits as much as possible. Spreading them onto crusty bread is so simple, so ironically Catalan, and oh so good. I also got my tomato fix with some Gazpacho. Smooth and velvety, perfectly seasoned, this bowl of cold soup dotted with mini croutons hit the spot. We also enjoyed an order of Chopitos, thick flat strands of baby squid lightly battered and fried were crispy and chewy, just excellent.
The Patatas amb queso y chorizo were also a solid choice. We had a few other tapas, but none were particularly standout. The salmon nor the avocado over a bite of crusty bread were all that fresh and I didn't care for the crab (although Adam liked it.) The menu is fairly large, and hit or miss, it seems. Dessert was a hit, another Crema Catalan for me! That rich custard base flavored with lemon zest and cinnamon, topped with a layer of caramelized sugar can positively do no wrong. I'm officially suffering from a serious case of food nostalgia. This country's beloved collection of small plates makes me so, so very happy. And we still have two more days of Barcelona cuisine week to go!