Archive for February, 2010

Thursday, February 25, 2010

American Craft in Washington Square, Brookline

Once upon a time, the Roadhouse opened in Washington Square, Brookline. It was smokehouse BBQ and a relative to the Publick House. And along with it, came a lovely little provisions shop filled with all the craft beer and gourmet cheese you could dream of. In other words, heaven came to Washington Square. But the neighbors weren’t happy. Allegedly, the Roadhouse was making the neighborhood smelly. And they complained about it. And the dream was over. Enter a couple months of a mediocre menu from the Roadhouse without BBQ. Then the Roadhouse suddenly closed one day, and just a week later, American Craft was open.

First of all, I’m not sure who on Earth would complain because their neighborhood smells like BBQ. When I think of all the things city neighborhoods can smell like, BBQ sounds like a much welcome departure. But that’s neither here not there. The fact is, the Roadhouse was just blah for a while. Which was a shame because it’s a pretty big restaurant with an absolutely amazing beer menu. So, I just want to say I’m incredibly excited American Craft is now in the neighborhood.

Chris and I trekked out in the rain last night to try American Craft on its opening night and overall we were pretty happy. Definitely a couple of steps up from the Roadhouse, plus most of the beer is still there.

I had the Green Flash Hop Head Red Ale and it was perfectly hoppy and delicious.

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You may think it’s a bit strange I opted for the grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup. But first of all, it was no ordinary grilled cheese. It was grilled cheese with gruyere cheese, black forest ham, and basil. I honestly don’t think I’ll ever eat a grilled cheese without basil in it ever again. Genius idea! I loved the Hi-Rise bakery bread too and it was perfectly crispy. Second of all, it was pouring rain and cold, and this was the ideal meal choice.

The tomato soup I was torn on. Don’t get me wrong, it tasted wonderful. But the consistency? Was like marinara sauce. It just wasn’t soup! Not that I’m complaining it wasn’t a watered-down mess, but I just couldn’t get the thought out of my head that I was downing a jar of marinara sauce. However, it did make for excellent dipping and I used it more as a kind of ketchup.

I am super picky when it comes to french fries, but these hand-cut fries were almost perfect. Some were crispy, none soggy and they had lots of sea salt sprinkled on top. I’m a fan.

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Chris got the rueben and it was absolutely packed full. That thing is huge! He enjoyed it and ate almost the whole thing, but I think he was feeling a little bit of jealousy toward me and my grilled cheese. Can’t blame him.

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American Craft is a lot prettier than the Roadhouse was. I love love love the wallpaper and decor and the exposed brick is just perfect. They definitely classed the place up a few notches, which I both love and hate at the same time. On the one hand, yay for having a clean bar with a pretty environment and lots of beer. On the other, some might see it as being a bit too stuffy for a casual night and the food menu may be seen as a bit too pricey. Even most of the sandwiches are $11. But I’m arguing on the side of, welcome to the neighborhood, I’m glad to see you here!

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There’s still two bars just like at the Roadhouse, which I think will make it a nice place for just hanging out. It was surprisingly pretty empty for opening night, but it was also rainy and gross out and unless you’re on Twitter non-stop (like me), you may not have even realized the Roadhouse disappeared and American Craft opened. But I think the bar areas will get quite crowded and I love how roomy they are.

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I might get in trouble for saying this, but American Craft seems like it wants to be a much larger version of Washington Square Tavern with more beer. And I’m not complaining at all because I love the Tavern and I wish it was bigger (I never quite feel comfortable eating there). I really think American Craft is needed in Washington Square. Go to Publick House for a more casual environment or American Craft for a bit of a nicer night out. Oh, but I totally think they need to change the music. I enjoyed the jazzy music while I was dining, but think most bar patrons will want a different sound- maybe something indie? Still unobtrusive and low-key, but a bit more fun. It made me feel like they were trying too hard.

I’ll definitely be back to American Craft, probably quite often for beer. And also to try some of the other items on the menu- like the stout braise short ribs and fried cornmeal oysters. Oh, and probably the fried buffalo mozzarella too. And you know I’ll be back to try Thursday night’s Blue Plate special of chicken pot pie (still on the search to find the best in the city)!

They also have a pretty extensive wine and spirits menu, so even if you’re not a beer fan, you’ll find something (or probably lots of somethings) to enjoy.

I love that Brookline is becoming such a craft beer hot spot and am so glad the Publick House owners held on to this venue; I really hope it sticks around!

American Craft
1700 Beacon St.
Brookline, MA
617.487.4289  
Twitter- @AmCraftBar

[Sues]

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Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Basil Chicken in Coconut Curry Sauce

Sometimes I spend more time trying to decide what to make for dinner than I do actually making dinner. But when I just can’t decide what to make, I usually head over to Simply Recipes and just browse. You all know I’m obsessed with Martha Stewart and everything she does, but her website is not easy to navigate for inspiration. But Elise’s site? I can browse through it when I have NO idea what to make and usually come away with at least 3 ideas in no time at all. This time one of them was Basil Chicken in Coconut Curry Sauce. Please, please don’t be intimidated by the seemingly long list of ingredients!

Basil Chicken in Coconut Curry Sauce (serves 4):

  • 1/2 t salt
  • 1/2 t ground coriander
  • 1/2 t cumin
  • 1/2 t cinnamon
  • 1/2 t ground cloves
  • 1/2 t ground cardamom
  • 1/2 t freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 t chili powder
  • 1/4 t tumeric (I didn’t have tumeric, but it didn’t seem to be a huge deal)


  • 1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast or thighs (the recipe said thighs would be more flavorful, but I used chix breasts and thought they were incredibly flavorful!)


  • 1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced (I used 3 for added spice!)
  • 2 T olive oil or grapeseed oil
  • 1 14 oz. can coconut milk
  • 2 t cornstarch
  • 1 t Worcestershire sauce
  • 3 T fresh basil leaves, chopped
  • 1 T finely chopped fresh ginger
  • Hot cooked rice (I used brown)


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It might sound like a lot of spices involved and spices can be kind of pricey. But remember, once you have them in your kitchen, you don’t have to buy them again and they last a long time and through lots of recipes. So, spices are definitely a good investment!

Mix all the spices together in a bowl.

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Rinse the chicken, pat it dry, and cut it into 1 inch pieces. Put it in a bowl and sprinkle the spice mixture all over it. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Or put it in the fridge for 1-2 hours.

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Make sure all your vegetables are chopped. I used my Chef’n VeggiChop to chop the onions. I’ll say it again, I don’t work for Chef’n and they didn’t send me this. I just LOVE their products so much and I feel the need to share my love with you. Because they will make your life easier. I often dream of having a huge kitchen just so I can stock it full of Chef’n products. How pretty would my kitchen be? And fun? Anyway, I cut the onion into quarters and threw them into the VeggiChop. Pull the handle a bunch of times and my onion is perfectly chopped!

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See? Chopping onions is one of my most-hated kitchen tasks, so I’m really loving this. Also, you don’t shed any tears when VeggiChop chops your onion for you.

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I also used the VeggiChop to chop the jalapeno.

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OK, and I used my GarlicZoom to chop the garlic. I’m like one huge walking Chef’n advertisement. Don’t get me wrong, if they wanted to give me a job, I’d totally take it. But for now, I’m sadly not employed by them (and why would they ever hire me when I give them all this free advertising?? Hmmmm).

Heat 1 T of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and jalapeno and cook for about 3 minutes. Then add the garlic and cook for one more minute.

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Remove the vegetables from the pan and put in a medium sized bowl and set aside.

Using the same pan, add another tablespoon of oil on medium-high and add half of the chicken pieces, spreading them out to make sure they’re not crowded. Cook for a few minutes on each side to brown. When they’re cooked through, remove from the pan and add them to the bowl of veggies.

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Do the same thing with the second batch of chicken.

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Add the coconut, except for a couple tablespoons to the pan. In a small bowl add the corn starch and mix with the rest of the coconut milk to dissolve it. Now, add this mixture to the coconut milk. Cook on medium-high and stir until thick and bubbly and then mix in the Worcestershire sauce.

Add the chicken vegetable mixture, along with basil and ginger and cook for 2 more minutes.

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Serve over rice… brown is always best!

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Oh my goodness, this was so incredibly flavorful and satisfying! The addition of the extra jalapeno (and the fact that I didn’t scrape all the seeds out) definitely spiced it up a bit, in a really good way.

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I’ve never attempted making my own curry (to be honest, I thought you made curry from curry powder and didn’t realize it’s actually a combination of spices!), but this is something I’ll most definitely be doing again. There are sooo many things hat can be done with curry!

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The photo on SimplyRecipes didn’t look quite as “saucy” as mine and I’m thinking next time I might not use the whole can of coconut milk. Then again, it was delightful to add extra sauce over the rice.

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Even though I didn’t use chicken thighs, the chicken was incredibly tender and really, there was absolutely nothing I didn’t like about this dish. In case you haven’t been able to tell by this whole post! And it’s the perfect warm-up dish for today’s GROSS and RAINY weather in Boston. While watching American Idol, of course. Any early favorites??

[Sues]

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Monday, February 22, 2010

Sausage, Grape, and Gorgonzola Flatbread

So, there’s this restaurant on Newbury Street called Bouchee. And there’s nothing better than sitting on Bouchee’s patio in the summertime, sipping a drink and people-watching. Oh, and eating some of their delicious French food. But I’ve always had a special place in my heart for their flatbreads, especially the sausage, grape, and gorgonzola flatbread. And when I brought Chris to Bouchee last summer, he fell in love with it too.

It’s not summertime right tnow. And though we could easily go to Bouchee and sit inside and order flatbread and wine, sometimes it’s tough to leave the house. Especially on a cold Friday night when I’ve been working all week and just want to relax with a movie. Or some Olympics. So, I decided to attempt to recreate the flatbread and? It was probably one of the easiest things I’ve made!

If you think making crust is hard, you’re totally wrong. Especially a simple flatbread crust. So easy and it only takes 2 hours to rise! I was searching for a recipe and used one that I found from Steamy Kitchen. She got it from the book Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day by the lovely Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois who we got to meet at Foodbuzz Fest! The recipe makes 4 loaves… I cut it in half, but wish I just made the whole recipe to save the dough for later. So, I’m giving you the whole thing. Just make it.

No Knead Pizza Dough:

  • 2 3/4 C lukewarm water
  • 1 1/2 T granulated yeast (I used rapid rise)
  • 1 1/2 T salt
  • 1 T sugar
  • 1/4 C extra virgin olive oil
  • 6 1/2 C unbleached all-purpose flour


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Mix the yeast, salt, sugar, and olive oil with the water in a 5 qt. bowl.

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Mix in the flour without kneading, with a wooden spoon.

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Then cover the bowl and let it rest at room temperature for 2 hours and use i however you like! Or you can refrigerate and use over the next 12 days. And trust me, you can use it all in 12 days.

Now, of course, you can do whatever you want with the dough and use whatever toppings you want on your pizza. But I’m highly recommending the following :)

Sausage, grape, and gorgonzola flatbread:

  • 1 1/2 T olive oil
  • 3 links sausage (whatever kind you like, I used sweet Italian turkey)
  • 1/2 C grapes, halved
  • 3/4 C gorgonzola cheese
  • 1/2 onion, sliced


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Before you start, you should preheat your oven to 500, or however high it goes and put the baking sheet you’ll use in the oven. Then roll out your dough on a lightly floured surface. You can do it by hand or with a rolling pin or rolling pin-like object. Generally a flatbread would be a long, oval shape. But I was baking it on a round pan, so made mine round instead.

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Prepare all your toppings. I took the sausages out of their casings and cooked them over medium-high heat until they were cooked through.

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I also caramelized my half onion and cut the grapes in half.

Now, remove your baking sheet from the oven and work as quickly as you can. Put the rolled-out flatbread on the pan.

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Drizzle the olive oil over the top of the dough. Spread it around using a pastry brush or your fingers if you choose. Now put the toppings on! I put on the grapes, then added the sausage, sprinkled the gorgonzola on, and put the caramelized onions on top.

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It already looked good enough to eat. Except for the raw crust I suppose.

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Put the flatbread in the oven for about 7-10 minutes, but keep your eye on it to make sure it’s browning nicely, but not toooo nicely (this is a good place to note that it’s always a bad idea to keep opening your oven when your baking something. Heat escapes very quickly, so use your oven’s light and peek through the window!).

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Now, slice up the flatbread however you like. And obviously dig in.

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This flatbread really was EXACTLY what I was hoping for. And if I do say, it was pretty darn close to what we get at Bouchee. I am absolutely in love with the sweetness of the grapes and the sharpness of the cheese combination.

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When I closed my eyes, I could almost picture myself on Bouchee’s patio with a glass of sangria and the sun shining down on me. But, no, I was actually sitting on the couch with a glass of red wine and ice dancing on TV. But to be fair, the weather here in Boston did make it to the 40s this weekend, so there was no complaining here. But the bottom line is, I will definitely be making this flatbread again, probably sooner than later. Uhh, is tomorrow too soon?

Also, I need to say a big hiiiiii to our reader who I ran into at Ikea this weekend (I asked your name and then promptly forgot it as I have the worst memory in the world, especially with names ). As I was hanging out in the desk section I heard, “It’s We are not Martha!” and I turned around and there she was. How funny :) I kind of felt a little bit like a celebrity or something! Anyway, it was great running into you!

[Sues]

Related Posts: Lighter Sesame Chicken, Golden Gazpacho with Feta, Apple and Walnut Risotto with Gorgonzola, Late-Summer Vegetable Soup, Brussel Sprouts!,
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Saturday, February 20, 2010

Home Organization How-To: Jewelry Storage

Like I promised the other day, here is another fun how-to for home organization.

I have an abundance of jewelry… an obscene amount, in fact, and I’ve always had issues storing all of it. Some people like to display their jewelry on their dressers in their bedroom, but really, I have so much of it that it would take over the dresser. So, a while ago I cleared out a drawer in the top of my dresser which I dedicated just to accessories. As time went on the drawer started to overflow and I could hardly close it. A normal person would think “I should stop buying so much jewelry”… but I’m not normal ;)

When I was browsing the internet earlier this week for organization solutions, I found the best idea. Instead of stacking and stuffing everything in the drawer, find yourself fancy bowls and plates to store inside of a drawer to neatly organize everything.

This is the before photo of my jewelry drawer, which I’m actually quite embarrassed to show the world ;) And I’m sure my parents are looking into legal ways to disown me after seeing this image…

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Here’s what you do:

Measure the side of your drawer (not the front) to get the height, this way you’ll know how tall the dishware can be.

The original organization tip came from Martha Stewart and she suggests using a piece of velvet or soft fabric to prevent the bowls and plates from moving, but I actually decided to do something more “me”… I’m not so much a velvet person. I found this non adhesive natural fiber drawer liner at The Container Store (for about $8) that screamed my name :)

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I turned to Anthropologie for the bowls and plate because I knew they’d have the type I was looking for. Sturdy, fun, colorful, and unique. Also try Marshalls, Homegoods, or a thrift or antique store. I always find fun dishes there that I want to buy!

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Next, I sort of categorized each bowl by type of accessory. Beads, chunky, charms, long/short necklaces, etc. I also hung some earrings on the sides of the bowls, too, which is the BEST IDEA. Earrings have a mind of their own and always sink to the bottom of the pile so this is a nice way to keep them in sight and away from everything else.

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Because I loved how organized everything was in that drawer, I decided to take some clothes out of the drawer below it and turn it into storage for my bracelets and bangles (and because there wasn’t any room left in the other drawer, hehe).

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Let me tell you, I used to dread looking through my jewelry drawer before I did this. It had been such a long time since I dug deep down to the bottom to see what I even owned because it was like a black hole and I thought it was going to suck me in! It’s nice from time to time to take note of what you actually own and just clear things out. I feel like I can breathe better knowing things are more organized. And I love how pretty the drawer looks when I open it… it makes me feel fancy to see these pretty dishes when I accessorize my outfits ;)

And while we’re on the topic… I’m at my grandmother’s house now and I just got finished looking through her jewelry collection. It’s safe to say I got my taste from her. She has an infinite number of boxes and drawers filled with vintage jewels and she even let me pick out some of my favorites to keep :) It’s funny how so many things that she owns from years and years ago are currently in style now! Clearly this “addiction” runs in the family, eek!

[Chels]

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Thursday, February 18, 2010

Lunch at Boston’s Flour Bakery

It’s kind of hard to believe Chels and I have lived in Boston as long as we have and haven’t yet been to Flour Bakery. The truth is, as much as we absolutely LOVE the South End, it’s a bit of a hike to get to (and Fort Point is even more difficult!). But when our friend Lilly heard we hadn’t been, she was a bit shocked. So we picked an afternoon and headed to the South End for some lunch.

Flour is absolutely adorable inside. The walls are all chalkboard walls with the menu and fun quotes written everywhere in pretty-colored chalk. I especially loved the Quote of the Week since I’m a big M.F.K. Fisher nerd: “It is impossible to think of any good meal, no matter how plain or elegant, without soup or bread in it.” How true!

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Baked goods are EVERYWHERE and it was almost hard to order an actual lunch. But I’m never one to turn down a sandwich and there were so many delicious-sounding ones on the menu.

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It was a really tough choice, but I finally settled on the grilled roasted chicken with brie, arugula, roasted red peppers, and caramelized onions. Um, awesome choice! I have absolutely nothing to complain about with this sandwich. The flavors were so bold and wonderful and the bread so perfectly crispy (M.F.K. Fisher would be proud). I could probably eat one of these every day.

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I also got the ginger lemonade, which again… Perfect! I was a little hesitant because I hate when flavored lemonades are super sugary. But this wasn’t at all. It was really mild, but had the perfect gingery kick (I’m a HUGE ginger fan!).

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Chels, of course, got the BLT with apple-wood smoked bacon and we were all in awe of it when it arrived to our table. Doesn’t it just look like the most perfect BLT?

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And Lilly got the roasted lamb with tomato chutney and goat cheese. She let me and Chels have a taste and it was amazing. Lamb and goat cheese might just be one of my new favorite flavor combinations!

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I’ve heard SO much about Flour’s sticky buns and when they still had them available upon our 12:30 arrival, I knew I had to get one. Sadly for Chels, they have nuts on them and since she’s allergic, she couldn’t indulge. But I definitely did! It was gooey and moist and just so, so good. I imagine my perfect Saturday morning would consist of eating one of these warm with a hot cup of coffee. That’s the kind of life I want to live.

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If I hadn’t heard so much about the sticky buns, I don’t know how I would have ever chosen a dessert from Flour because there are way too many beautiful-looking ones. But something tells me next time I might go for the fruit tart. I absolutely love fruit tarts and this one is seriously packed with fruit, including pomegranate!

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Then again, maybe I’ll just take one of each?

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We all came to the conclusion that it’s probably a good thing Flour isn’t super easily-accessible to us. Otherwise we’d be there ALL the time. As it was, we spent 2 hours sitting in the cafe, enjoying our food and just chatting. And it was so totally worth having to run home and work my butt off the rest of the afternoon. But I do wish I got one of those sticky buns to go.

And I know I’ll be back to Flour because there’s so much more I want to try!

Flour Bakery
1595 Washington St.
Boston, MA 02118
617.267.4300

Or:

12 Farnsworth St.
Boston, MA 02210
617.338.4333

And rumor has it, there’s a new location of Flour coming… To Central Square! Why, oh why did Chris have to move from there in October? Oh well, like I said, I’m probably better off that way, right??

[Sues and Chels]

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