More hits...quick and otherwise...

While my CC spots have wrapped up, here are a few of the last ones.  However, there are plenty more long and short spots coming, in preparation of my appearance on The Jordan Rich Show of WBZ1030am on August 1.

Ice Cream

With summer upon us, what do New Englanders think about…lobster rolls, clams, and ice cream.  Here is a selection of some of the best, after I sampled over twenty places recently.

Leavitt’s (Atkinson NH)-This is a tiny little shop in he middle of nowhere in Atkinson, NH.  We discovered it years ago at camp visiting day.  Other friends really enjoy it as well.  They serve Richardson’s ice cream, and have premium soft-serve.

Truly Yogurt (Wellesley, MA)-one of my favorite places.  High quality frozen yogurt up the street from the Dana Hall school and Wellesley College.  Great price to value ratio in a town not known for low prices.

JP Licks (Newton)-over-priced and unimpressive.  Built on a reputation that is not all that well deserved.  I like the Brookline location well enough, but Newton and Wellesley…feh!

Trombetta’s Creamery (Marlboro , MA):  nice selection of home-made flavors, Richie’s slushes and soft-serve, though the soft-serve uses a flavor syrup that swirls around the edges of the ice cream, as opposed to being mixed in like at Conehead’s.   While I prefer the thoroughly mixed-in, I just enjoy my soft-serve fix at Trombetta’s.  My mother hires them to bring their ice cream truck to her offices throughout the summer, and they know she loves her “purple cow” frozen yogurt.  They’ve been around a long time, and have a solid reputation and well-deserved following.

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Lizzy’s (Waltham, MA)-I like Lizzy’s.  It’s not a place that you’ll drive 20 miles for, but if you’re in Waltham, it’s a good place to stop.  They make their own “tofutti” style ice cream, good for the lactose intolerant, and they do a great off-site sundae party.  Full disclosure-we’ve used them twice for parties, and they have been fantastically easy to work with, and always perform as promised.  Each party was a big hit, and their ice cream is pretty, pretty good too.

Kimball’s (Westford, and other locations)-This is the Disney World of ice cream.  They have a million flavors, the scoopers pile on the ice cream, a phenomenal price to value ratio (my kiddie size was bigger than most places “large” and it was $2.49!!!).  They have a pitch and putt golf course, mini-golf, bumper boats, a country store, a sandwich stand…ice cream as a destination.  And by the way, the chocolate-peanut butter ice cream was the best I ever had, and all the family palates agree!

8.  Rice Theory

If there’s one thing the suburbs need, it’s a quick serve or quality take-out Asian destination.  Well, in a non-descript building that formerly housed a D’Angelo’s sandwich shop on Route 9, just the place has opened…Rice Theory.

Rice Theory is the fast-casual brainchild of a former Wellesley College student who was always looking for healthy, yet authentic Thai restaurants.  When she couldn’t find what she wanted, she opened her own.

Sure they have pad thai, but they have an authentic Thai version as well as the Americanized version we eat.  They offer 12 different base dishes,  all that can be customized with 6 different kinds of rice or noodles and 6 different proteins.

While the interior is Spartan, the execution of these dishes was excellent.  I very much enjoyed my visits and look forward to more.  My theory is Rice Theory will gain some serious traction with this delicious food.

9.  Tango in Arlington

Sometimes you want to go off the beaten path and try something unique…welcome to Tango in Arlington.

Tango is located on Mass Ave in Arlington, right across the street from the Regent Theatre, making it a perfect stop before or after a show.  You can start your meal with some delicious and unusual appetizers, like Polenta al Malbec,  homemade pan seared polenta, Malbec-mushroom sauce, truffle oil, parmesan cheese  or Provoleta a la Parrilla, which is grilled provolone cheese, in a cast iron skillet.  But, it’s an Argentinian steakhouse, with a variety of traditional, succulent beef cuts, as well as the exotic, including blood sausage and veal sweet breads.  All my dining companions, and there were ten of us, thought the meal at Tango was worth dancing about.

Not so quick hits...

While the CC spots are running on WBZ, here are some tips on grilling or smoking:

68 inches...taller than I am!

With the proliferation of BBQ shows on TV, and with many of you knowing that my patio is covered with four different barbecuing devices, I have frequently been asked “smoker v. grill?”   The answer…“depends”.  Depends on whether you have time, or you want to cook fast. 

I enjoy smoking foods.  I have a couple of specialized smokers…a Primo Oval XL and an Assassin 28, shown above (a highly specialized competition model whose pit builder’s slogan is “slowly smokin’ the competition”).  But you don’t need to invest in any real equipment beyond a kettle grill.  With coals on one side and the meat on the opposite on the top grate, you have a makeshift smoker.

With time being such a precious commodity, most people don’t embrace the idea of a smoker because the culture of smoking meat is based on the concept of “low and slow”.  Low temperatures take a looooooooong time to cook food; but that’s how the magic happens.  Low temps over long periods of time renders fat and breaks down the collagen in meat, making the toughest cuts of beef tender and melt in your mouth.

To me, there’s nothing better than dining on succulent meats kissed by smoke, but we can talk about hot and fast grilling too.

Grilling:

Grilling speaks for itself, and its what we do mostly up here in the summer.  If you want to cook a thinner cut or meat or vegetables quickly, there’s no better way than over a hot bed of coals.  I have a gas grill (Weber), but I also have a Weber Performer charcoal grill.  I hear people complain all the time that it takes too long for charcoal to heat up, but that just isn’t true; letting a gas grill heat up for ten minutes is about the same time it takes to heat up a full chimney of charcoal. 

For those that don’t understand the concept of a chimney starter, I have covered this in other discussions, but imagine a large coffee can filled with charcoal.  Light some newspaper in the bottom, and let the fire build from the bottom.  In ten minutes, those coals will be ready to go; just dump into the grill and get cooking.

In any event, and regardless of the cooking vessel used, grilling or smoking allows you to enjoy the primal experience of cooking meat over fire.  In my world, there’s almost nothing better.

Grilling tips

As we reach the summer time, as there are a number of bbq restaurants, nothing beats a backyard bbq with family and friends.  With bbq-ing and smoking as my avocation, I thought I’d offer some of my tips.

a.              Don’t be afraid of charcoal.  I dare say most people here use a gas grill.  Turn the propane on, hit a button and hopefully the grill lights.  Most people complain that charcoal is messy, but mostly it takes too long.  Using a chimney style start, which is essentially a big can with a handle, can get the charcoal burning hot in 10 minutes, without the need for smelly or foul-tasting lighter fluid. 

b.              Use natural hardwood lump charcoal or briquettes.  Kingsford is the big player in charcoal, but you get a nicer, smoke-wood flavor, by using natural lump, which is real wood burned down to coals.  The pieces are irregular, but burn hot and long, and impart a delightful smoke flavor.  If you want consistent shape, there are some brands that make natural hardwood briquettes.  Some of the more popular brands of natural lump are Cowboy, or Royal Oak, both of which are usually available at local big-box retailers.  These start easily in a chimney starter without lighter fluid;

c.               Make sure you start with a clean, hot grill.  I always pre-heat my gas grill for 10 minutes, then I scrape any residue off, and I lightly oil the grates with a paper towel with some canola oil on it.  If I’m using my charcoal grill, I do the same, and let the charcoal get the grates really hot;

d.              Learn fire management.  Whether on the gas grill or a charcoal grill, have different heat zones.  I have a big pile of burning coals on one side, and a lot less on the other.  This allows me to move the food away from the fire if there are flare-ups or cooking too fast.  Same in a gas grill;

e.              Use the grill like an oven.  I love the flavor from the bbq.  In the nice weather, and sometimes not so nice, I love cooking whole meals on the grill.  Many gas grills have multiple burners, so you can create a convection oven at a specific temp;

f.               Season.  Many people complain that their food is burned after grilling.  The secret to avoid that-avoid saucing until the end.  Most commercially prepared sauces, especially bbq sauce, have very high sugar contents.  Sugar burns easily and will burn long before the food is done.  The secret is to sprinkle spices liberally on the meat, called “rubs”, cook, and sauce them at the very end, just to add a little glaze.  If you watch carefully, you’ll get great results without the burnt meat;

g.              Try “smoking”.  Everyone has seen the bbq shows on TV that are becoming so popular.  For a real treat, people should try smoking.  If you have a kettle grill, you can smoke by building a fire on one side, getting some wood chucks, like oak, maple or hickory (available at big box retailers) and placing them on the smoldering fire.  Chicken will only take a couple of hours, and while longer than regular grilling, will be well worth the wait.  If you want to engage in the hobby in the more serious way, purchase a Weber Smokey Mountain, the best entry-level vertical smoker;

h.              Don’t forget your veggies.  Vegetables grilled are a fantastic treat.  I toss peppers, baby carrots, mushrooms and onions in a little olive oil and salt and pepper and throw them on a disposable perforated grill pan (to make sure things don’t fall through the grates) for a while.  You can also do potatoes, but I usually steam or microwave them for a while before grilling, to make sure they get cooked through.

Until next time America...get out there and light up a smoke!

Quick hits...

Some quick hits from the current Connoisseurs Corner run…heard daily on CBSBoston Radio, 1030am WBZ:

Waiter, more everything!

1.  The Street in Chestnut Hill

There’s a new dining destination, and you don’t have to head to downtown Boston to find a wide variety of choices.  “The Street” in Chestnut Hill is really gaining traction.

On the site of the former General Cinema and Macy’s at Chesnut Hill, you can choose from Bernards for upscale Asian cuisine, Legal Seafood, which speaks for itself, Davios, The Cottage, Del Frisco’s Grill, and for the burger fan, the more casual Shake Shack.

With a Showcase Superlux theatre, the developer has really made it a destination outside of Boston, with plenty of free parking and with none of the traffic problems.  Why run into Boston, when you can walk the Street in Chesnut Hill?

2.  Oga’s

I have never been a fan of sushi.  I wouldn’t know sashimi from a shimmy, or sushi from a shag rug…but I can’t be the Critical Palate without an expansive palate, so over the past year, I’ve been introducing more sushi in to my diet, and I’ve discovered a fabulous place.  Oga’s in Natick is a giant fish in a big ocean.

I tend to stay fairly mainstream with my fish choices.  The varieties of tuna and salmon, and veggies.  But Oga’s takes things to a new level…my kids really enjoy the miso soup and tuna sushi and sashimi, but the big winner for us is a special item on their appetizer menu-spicy tuna tostada.  It is described on their menu as Spicy tuna on a crisp tempura rice ‘tostada’ with nori topped with watercress, red onion, and red chili pepper.  I could eat this all day..

In addition, they served a variety of cooked food, as well as udon noodle soup and large custom sushi platters…do yourself a favor and try Oga’s in Natick…right on Route 9 West at the intersection of Route 27.

3.  El Recreo coffee

You people know I love my coffee, and I like it strong and rich (like my women…), and I’m pleased to talk about a great new coffee spot right on Centre Street in West Roxbury-El Recreo Estate Coffee.

We had the pleasure of having the owners, Miriam and Hector in studio, and this is not some ordinary coffee.  It is a company dedicated to bringing premium Nicaraguan coffee to the States while practicing social and environmental stewardship.  It’s a single origin coffee from a family farm in Nicaragua that’s Rainforest Alliance certified and you can find it at Market Basket and other local shops. But these just aren’t coffee growers,  roasters and brewers…they are teachers, inviting other farmers to the coffee plantation to teach them growing methods, while providing schooling and health care to them and their children while on the farm.  For the owners, it’s all about giving back to their community, while bringing delicious coffee that you can feel good about drinking.  I really encourage the listeners to stop in at El Recreo at 1876 Centre Street in West Roxbury, or visit them at http://www.elrecreoestatecoffee.com/.

Love Shack

Five Guys, Smashburger, Tasty Burger, Mr. Bartley’s…the list of great burger joints goes on and on, even if some are national chains.  But with all the hype, it took me about a year to get to Shake Shack; I thought it was going to be like when “Cold Stone Creamery” came to town, claiming that they invented the “mix-in”.  Or “Quiznos” for that matter, claiming they invented the “toasted sub”.  Uh, ever hear of “Famous Pizza”?  It really galls me when these out-of-towners come on in, invading our territory, claiming that they’ve developed/perfected things we’ve been doing here in Massachusetts since the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock!

Well, I took my sweet time getting to Shake Shack in Chestnut Hill, and I have to ask myself: Self, what took you so long?  Finally, a place that lived up to its own hype, at least as far as the burgers are concerned.

Like Five Guys and other burger joints, the choices are limited.  Check out the menu here.  Burgers, hot dogs, fries and shakes…really the core of the burger joints menus.  While some places offer a million toppings piled on, Shake Shack has a limited number of choices, but extremely well-executed.  Burgers are served fresh and hot, with extremely colorful fresh lettuce and tomato.  Added bonus:  crinkle cut fries.  Sure, I like the natural cut, skin on, Idaho russets served at Five Guys, but the crinkle cut fry harkens me back to a simpler time, filled with fried goodness, and no cholesterol issues. 

There are four locations in Massachusetts:  Harvard Square, Chestnut Hill, Newbury Street and Dedham.  I’ve been to Chestnut Hill, and past both Harvard Square and Dedham, and the places always seem to be busy.  With an interesting mix of industrial steel and wood interior, it’s comfortable, but crowded.  With a lot of seating, it still seems to be packed, no matter when I go.  Apparently, people are shaking it down to the Shack.

Because this is not the healthiest way to eat, I suggest you reserve your visit for when you really need the burger fix.  Once in a while, everyone (except Mrs. Palate and Sister Palate) needs a burger.  Do yourself a favor and give Shake Shack a try.