Regina Pizzeria - A Boston Classic

When you think of Boston pizza, there are two places people immediately mention: Santarpio's and Regina Pizzeria.  Having finally made it to Santarpio's this past spring I wanted to compare it to the original Regina's (the South Station walk-up window cannot be a proper test!).  So, when Nick and I found ourselves close to the North End and in need of a quick meal , Regina's seemed like the perfect option.  While typically there is a line out the door, we were lucky to walk right in and sit.  Shortly thereafter, we got a pitcher of diet coke (living on the edge!) and tried to figure out what to order.

lots of diet coke

An attempt at brussel sprouts...

Brussel sprouts are one of the foods that I believe to be an acquired taste.  It was something I never had growing up because my mother hates them.  Nick, however, loves brussel sprouts - seriously, one of his favorites.  The first time I tried them was at Craigie on Main.  There, the brussel sprouts were roasted in duck fat - I mean, if there was ever a time to try them, it was there.  Sure enough they were super tasty.  My favorite?  No, but definitely something I would have again.

Trying to be the good fiance that all significant others strive for, I decided to attempt brussel sprouts at home as a nice side to some the frozen pre-seasoned fish from Whole Foods that I love so much.  Lets just say, I did not enjoy these as much as I hoped.  They were good, but I just need more crunch to my brussel sprouts.  Maybe roasting is a better option.

Vanilla Apple Sauce - More Apple Picking Spoils

After apple picking at Smolak Farms we knew we had enough apples for an apple and pear crisp as well as something else delicious.  After seeing Jen's vanilla spiced applesauce I knew I had to make it, especially since I still had some vanilla beans from the spice souk in Dubai!

Delicious Apples

The Necessities (recipe adapted from Beantown Baker)

• 6 Apples, roughly peeled and chopped
• 3 Vanilla Beans
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon all spice
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup water

After preparing the apples I put them in a large dutch oven and then turned my attention to the vanilla beans, which looked and smelled incredible.  There was no doubt that they were packed with so much flavor!  I sliced open the vanilla beans, and using my knife I scooped out the seeds inside and added them to the pot.  I then tossed in the beans themselves for a little extra flavor.

Vanilla Beans from Dubai!

I then added the remaining ingredients to the pot, gave it a big stir and brought the water to a boil.

All in the pot

All stirred up

Once the water reached a boil, I turned the heat down to medium low, covered the pot and let it cook for another 20 minutes.  Our apartment smelled amazing - ll of these spices were so fragrant even through the cast iron dutch oven!

After 20 minutes

Twenty minutes later, the apples were nice and soft.  I first removed the three vanilla bean pods and then stirred up and mushed the apples up a bit with a wooden spoon.  I then brought out the big guns and used the potato masher to make sure the consistency of the apple sauce was nice and smooth.

All mashed up

After letting it cool, we grabbed a bowl and dug in!  I will say, the left-overs - about 2 or 3 days later - were ever better.  I think that all the spices sitting together for sometime allowed the dish to come together amazingly well.  The vanilla was definitely the strongest flavor but was so delicious!  I think the vanilla flavor was even more prominent when the apple sauce was cold.

Final Product

This was my first time making applesauce and I was surprised by how easy it really is.  There are so many ways to dress up applesauce in general, so I cannot wait to play around with some new ingredients!

Have you ever made a dish that was easier than expected?

Empire in the Seaport

When word got out that the people behind Red Lantern were planning a massive new restaurant in the Seaport District, you knew that it would also have the Big Night Entertainment's signature eclectic over-the-top look.  When M and S wanted to get together for dinner, both were curious about seeing what Empire was all about, and we all know I am always up for trying a new restaurant!  The space is HUGE - over 14,000 square feet and decked out in contemporary Asian decor.  Every nook and cranny of the space has the Asian theme done to the fullest extent.

Empire's Lounge

When I arrived a bit early I grabbed a seat at the bar, ordered a drink and took in the atmosphere.  The cocktail list is extensive, and after a bit of debating, I settled on the Dancing Geisha, a martini with Grey Goose, Lillet Rose, Pomegranate and Lime.  The martini was strong, but I was hoping for a bit more depth.  After a few quick sips of the drink, the rest of my party arrived and we were brought to our table in the main dining room.

East Cambridge Rib Fest - So Many AMAZING Ribs!

This past Sunday Nick and I spent the afternoon over in East Cambridge at the East Cambridge Business Association's Smoke This Rib Fest, where we walked up and down the street all in the name of determining which of 21 restaurants had the BEST ribs in town.  Proving I was dedicated to the cause, I rolled up my white shirt sleeves (silly decision, I know!) and tasted all 21 ribs!  That is a lot of ribs, but of course, in the midst of eating and smearing BBQ sauce all over my face, I snapped a few (or many) photos!

West Bridge's Rib - cherry mustard confit with beef ribs 

Once I checked in and checked out the map (now covered in sauce!), we decided to start with booth #1 and work our way up from there.  Most of the restaurants were from around East Cambridge and were places I was familiar with, though there were still some new places to experience!

Designer Grilled Cheese Night

After a busy day of Apple Picking and whipping up some Apple and Pear Crisp, we knew that some unpleasent weather was on its way.  Rather than venturing out in the rain to a restaurant, we stopped in at Savenor's before the weather turned and got the supplies for an evening of designer grilled cheeses!

Grilled Cheese!

Since there is an impressive cheese selection at Savenor's, we chose a variety of hard cheese from both cows and goats.