Imagine for a moment, an entire bar filled with chocolate delicacies. I’m not talking a chocolate bar, like a Hershey’s bar; I’m talking a chocolate bar, like an alcohol bar, but with chocolate instead of liquor. And for one set price, you can eat AS MUCH AS YOU WANT. Yes, there is such a thing. And it happens every Saturday from now through June at Boston’s Langham Hotel.

Chels and I were lucky enough to receive an invitation to a preview of the 23rd annual Chocolate Bar, Chocolate Intensity, preview. That’s right; it’s the 23rd year the hotel has been doing this. Where have you been? The better question is, where have we been?? I’ve definitely heard lots of talk about Langham’s Chocolate Bar, but always thought of it as one of those things tourists did and not life-long Boston residents. Wrong!

In addition to Chocolate Bar, the Langham also has a regular Sunday brunch called City Brunch. And at the preview, they were nice enough to let us indulge in some of the savory brunch selections, as well as the Chocolate Bar selections.

Unfortunately, it was really, really dark in the room where we were attending the preview. It was great for the mood, but not so fabulous for the food photos. I managed to make them a wee-bit more viewable with some Photoshopping, but I apologize for the not so wonderful quality. But I’m pretty sure it’s enough to make you say “I must go eat chocolate immediately!!” As you should.

The photo you see at the top of this post was one of the most incredible chocolate desserts I have ever tasted. It was Creme Fraiche and Bitter Chocolate Trifle. At first it appeared to be like chocolate mousse, but because it was made with creme fraiche, this dessert was incredibly tangy and silky, all in the best possible way. I forced an already-full Chels to take a bit because as I said, “It will totally surprise you! In a good way!”

Below, you see Black Forest Verrine, which was much more traditionally chocolatey and decadent.

And I’m very certain I could have eaten an entire huge bowl of this Mango White Chocolate Chili Parfait. You already know how I feel about mango… And though I don’t claim to be the biggest white chocolate fan, this was out of this world! The chili gave the mellow mango a hint of heat and the white chocolate sweetened it out. Put me at a brunch with a table of these and they’d be gone in 10 minutes.

Another new and totally innovative (and beautiful) selection is the Caramel Pistachio Mousse Tort.

And the Caramelia Milk Chocolate and Pumpkin Torte. The pumpkin flavor was a little more discrete than I would have liked, but it was perfect as a light dessert selection. And I just can’t get over how beautiful all the desserts were at the preview.

Dried Fig and Walnut Tart with Dark Chocolate:

The richness of this Caramelized Pineapple Tart with Maldon Salt and Coeur De Guanaja was incredible, too. Plus I’m a sucker for any and all pineapple. And a new convert to the world of enjoying fruit with my chocolate. One of the things I loved about each of the desserts is that they featured a sign letting us know the what percentage of cocoa was used. This one had 80%. Swoon.

I also indulged in a pink macaron with chocolate ganache filling that was to die for, but I somehow neglected to take a photo of it.

The savory selections from the Sunday brunch were also pretty fabulous, too.

I was crazy about this New England Cheese “Pie” with Crimson Grapes and Spiced Honey Roasted Pecan. There was some sort of gorgonzola or blue involved and it was awesomely pungent, while remaining perfectly creamy.

Chicken and Goat Cheese Ballontine with Late Harvest Corn Relish:

This Maine Shrimp and Lobster Martini was absolutely packed with big pieces fresh lobster meat. AKA heaven. I used a little fork, but really wanted to throw this martini glass back like a shot.

Now, I already knew I loved prosciutto and pears, especially when combined… But I had no idea how much I loved Duck Prosciutto Wrapped Roasted Red Pear with Lavender Honey. Speaking of, I need to make my own lavender honey ASAP.

I’m generally not a huge fan of smoked salmon. At least I didn’t think I was. But this absolutely changed my mind. It was House Smoked Maple Cured Atlantic Salmon Terrine with New England Horseradish. It fell apart with barely the touch of a fork.

Being the bloody mary lover I am. I had my eye focused on these Bloody Mary Shooters with Chilled Poached Gulf Shrimp. Not as spicy as I would have liked, but that’s OK because the AMAZING bartender was whipping us up bloody marys as spicy as we wanted them.

And sushi. Lots and lots of sushi.

And yes, in addition to presenting us with bloody marys from the Sunday City Brunch, we were also offered several types of chocolate martinis, like the ones you can indulge in at Chocolate Bar. They were delicious (even though I mistakenly ordered a chocolate martini while I was eating the savory bites and switched to a bloody mary for the chocolate).

Tempted? I am. This preview was incredible, but now I seriously want to make reservations at Langham’s Chocolate Bar as soon as possible to see (and eat, duh) all the other selections. Because there are plenty more chocolate desserts than what we tasted. And since the brunch is all-you-can-eat, you’d be silly not to try them all.

Langham’s 23rd Annual Chocolate Bar (called Chocolate Intensity this year) occurs every Saturday from now until June 30, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Pricing is $40 for adults and $25 for children (ages 5-12). Call Cafe Fleuri at 617-451-1900 (extension 7125) for reservations.

If chocolate isn’t quite your thing, partake in Cafe Fleuri’s City Brunch every Sunday from now until June 24 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Pricing is $52 for faults and $28 for children (ages 5-12). Call Cafe Fleuri at 617-451-1900 (extension 7125) for reservations.

Have you ever indulged in an entire brunch of chocolate? Would you?

[Sues]

Yes, somehow I was peer pressured into playing golf. It’s one of those activities I’ve never been interested in at all, but with Chris, my sister, and Adam all wanting to play, I finally gave in and took a lesson. I’m pretty awful, but figure it’s a good way to spend time outside and it’s the kind of sport that allows you to basically stand around talking. Which really is my kind of sport, so I can’t complain too much. Plus, I got a super cute golf glove and am already dreaming up fun golf outfits. What? I need to find some way to get excited about it.

I’m especially excited to head to Ommegang Brewery on our way up to Chautauqua tomorrow. And also to hit up one of my very favorite breweries, Southern Tier while we’re vacationing. Plus, my family is holding our own little event called Wing Fest, which will consist of a little family reunion packed with buffalo wings. Love my family!

Since I’ve got vacation on my mind, I’m posting my favorite things today. I’ve been letting them pile up for quite a while, so here goes nothing!

Cabot Private Stock Classic Vermont Cheddar Cheese:

OK, it’s no secret I’m obsessed with Cabot Cheese. Not only is the cheese awesome, but the entire company is made up of just plain good people. They send us cheese often and are always willing to help us out in all kinds of ways. I honestly think they’re one of the very best companies around today. But of all their cheese I’ve had (which is probably every single variety- except the smoky bacon one, where can I find the smoky bacon one?? ), the Private Stock Cheddar is my ultimate favorite. OMG I could eat an entire block of this in one sitting. It’s super sharp and flavorful and I don’t think I can enjoy a burger anymore unless this is topping it. Or an egg sandwich. Or a grilled cheese. Or life.

Blueberries in Ice Cubes:

Chris and I caught a segment of the Today Show recently where they made a cocktail with blueberry ice cubes and we immediately did it ourselves. It’s super easy and makes every drink a lot more fun. Just put blueberries in your ice cube tray and fill with water.

Freeze! And use ice cubes like normal.

I especially recommend using the blueberry ice cubes in lemonade with vodka. But they make water 100% better, too!

Martha Stewart Glitter:

Martha Stewart. Glitter. Could anything on Earth make me happier? I think not. It might be my new goal to have this Martha Stewart Glitter in every single color in my collection. Could I add that to our wedding registry? Look out because I’ll have a little project featuring this glitter coming up on the blog soon!

The Rattlesnake Bar and Grill:

Chels and I are obviously HUGE fans of Poe’s Kitchen at The Rattlesnake. As we’ve mentioned before, the food used to be really subpar at the Rattlesnake and we would never go there. But once Brian Poe started as the chef, he totally turned things around and now it’s some of the BEST casual dining in the city. We hadn’t paid Poe a visit in quite a while, so a couple weeks ago, we gathered some of our friends, had a drink on the roof deck, and then headed in for some food.

Poe brought us out a few appetizers, like this flatbread made on naan with grilled peaches, prosciutto, and goat cheese. Swoon.

And this grilled avocado with lobster.

Some of his famous corn bread (seriously, this stuff is amazing. If you only order one thing, make it this!).

We also got some meals to nibble on. Susan claimed this jalapeno clam chowder was the best clam chowder she’s had in the city (and she’s tried a lot!). It was absolutely stuffed with clams and had a pretty stunning presentation.

Becca loved her steak quesadilla made with garlic naan.

Chels and I shared some of the famous fish tacos.

Somehow I missed getting a picture of Alison‘s burger, which may as well be named Best Burger in the World right this second. Let’s just talk about the fact that it’s a Kobe Beef Burger stuffed with LOBSTER, FOIE GRAS and BLACK TRUFFLES. Also it has whiskey bacon and Irish porter cheese on it. Can you even imagine a burger with so much amazingness in it?!

Poe surprised us with dessert, too. Strawberry shortcake kebabs with minted black truffle ice cream. Also known as heaven on a plate. I mean, have you ever had minted black truffle ice cream?? No? Do it. Now.

Though Poe brought us the appetizers and desserts complimentary, I can 100% say all opinions are our own… and they are very strong opinions We choose to talk about the Rattlesnake so much because we think it’s SO underrated and not enough people realize how awesome the food really is. Plus, they have a roof deck and sweet patio seating, too. On prime people watching real estate.

Starbucks Iced Coffee

The other day, I got a super fun surprise in the mail. Starbucks sent me some items from their iced coffee collection. Yippee!

Starbucks new VIA Iced Coffee. Can we talk about how awesome this is? All you have to do is mix it with water and ice, shake it up, and sip away. It’s perfect for iced coffee on the go and with the incredibly sweltering weather we’ve had in Boston the last couple days, I’ve been enjoying it quite a bit.

Especially since Starbucks also sent a travel mug specifically meant for their iced VIA. It even has a pop-up straw. It’s a shaker for ice coffee.

And? Cool Beans. Ice cubes shaped like coffee beans that you make with coffee. No more watered down iced coffee!

How cool? Beans?

The easiest iced coffee ever. And the caramel flavor is awesome!

I haven’t broke into the bag of coffee beans specifically meant for iced coffee yet, but I can’t wait to brew some up.

And Tazo Passion Tea that I’ll be making some lovely iced tea with

Dinner with Bloggers:

As you know, one of my very favorite things about blogging is meeting so many amazing people. Last weekend, I got to go to dinner with one of my favorite bloggers and tweeters, Kristin from Camels & Chocolate. Kristin is a California-based travel blogger and writes about her amazing tales traveling around the world. She and her husband were in Boston on a family trip and Chris and I went out to dinner with them, along with Susan and her husband. In case you don’t know Susan of Transient Travels, she’s a Boston-based travel blogger and was one of my very first blogging friends. Chels and I met Susan, Becca, and Julie Q over 4 years ago and though we all blog about different things, we’ve been friends ever since

Anyway, Kristin, Susan, and I (and our men) headed to 94 Mass Ave for some small plates and LOTS of chatting. I’m pretty sure we could have sat there (or stood outside) all night talking. I’m so excited I finally got to meet Kristin and hope to see her when her travels bring her around again!

Summer Music:

Do you have a song of the summer? You know, like a summer anthem? My anthems of summer are definitely all country music this year. Most specifically Jason Aldean’s “Dirt Road Anthem.”

And Zac Brown and Jimmy Buffet’s “Knee Deep.”

Are you a country music fan? One of my biggest pet peeves about living in Boston is that people seem to hate country music here. Ask people what kind of music they like and they always seem to answer “I listen to anything BUT country music.” Why?! I think it’s the most fun music EVER.

OK, I’m off to finish up work for the week, pack about 10 bathing suits in my bag, bake about 4 dozen cookies, and hit the road! I’ve got some posts queued up for next week and I’ll hopefully be posting some vacation updates, too Be sure to follow us on Twitter at @WearenotMartha and my personal account at @Susie, too. And if you have any recommendations for fun things to do in the Lake Chautauqua area of New York, let me know!

Have a super happy weekend!

[Sues]

Anyway, Sunday was another packed day. And to think, there’s still another whole day of weekend left! When Whytnee from the Boston Harborfest emailed us and asked if we wanted tickets to this year’s Chowderfest, I jumped on it. Because why wouldn’t I want to attend a festival that is all about eating the Boston-area’s best clam chowder? I headed to Government Center with Chris and Adam on Sunday afternoon, so we could get our chowdah on. As a side note, I have to say that I personally believe my mother makes the best clam chowder, but still had to see what Boston’s restaurants have to offer.

The first chowder we tasted was from Clancy’s in Dennisport down the Cape.

Right when we tasted this chowder, we knew it was going to be a fabulous ChowderFest. We were oohing and ahhing and saying, “This is what chowder should be like!” Of course, we still had 5 more clam chowders to taste, so we didn’t let ourselves get too excited. (Also, props to Clancy’s for being the only restaurant who worked their brand with their own napkins. Everyone else used generic).

Next up was Anthem Kitchen, from Boston’s Faneuil Hall.

And omg we were served another awesome chowder! This one had noticeably fewer clams than Clancy’s, but the flavor was to die for. I’m not sure what seasonings they put in their chowder, but I’m pretty sure crack is involved (and I mean that in a way so as to say it is ADDICTING).

The boys were enjoying the chowder overload. Though somewhat disappointed there was no beer served at Chowderfest. I mean, choweder+beer=summer heaven, right? That’s OK; we stopped at Mija in Faneuil Hall for margaritas after the fest.

Next, we headed to rey Mr. Dooley’s chowder, from the Financial District.

They offered a great tasting chowder (especially with added Tabasco on top!), but it was super potato heavy and lacking clams.

City Hall Plaza was packed with people (but not overwhelmingly so) and there were even a couple of jugglers.

On to Ipswich Clambake. We had a good feeling about this one since Ipswich is known for their clams.

The chowder was tasty and packed with delightful clams, but there was a tiny bit of an aftertaste I didn’t love. It was likely from the container the chowder was sitting in for probably some time (they were traveling from Ipswich after all), so I didn’t really hold it against them.

Jerry Remy’s of Fenway/Kenmore was missing a sign and we almost skipped right over them before noticing the booth was serving chowder. Definitely our least favorite of the day. It was super thick (almost like the filling in chicken pot pie) and did not taste like clam chowder at all. I wasn’t too surprised since I would never think to go to Jerry Remy’s for clam chowder, but I’d be interested to talk to someone who enjoyed this one.

Our final tasting was from the Chart House, on Long Wharf.

Somehow I’ve never heard of the Chart House (I guess it’s a national chain?) and I’d say their chowder was pretty good, but not out of this world head to the wharf right now and order it. It turns out, Chart House was just showing off their already named hall of fame chowder, but we decided to rank it anyway.

After trying all the chowders, I was torn. Clancy’s or Anthem? They were both pretty perfect, but so different. Obviously we had to go back and try both of them again. We were being held responsible for making this major decision, after all, and wanted to be as well educated as possible.

In the end, we all went with Clancy’s for our vote. Why? While Anthem’s chowder was packed with awesome flavor, Clancy’s was more traditional tasting. Plus, it contained so many clams in each little cup. And isn’t that the most important thing when it comes to judging a good clam chowder?

We set forth to cast our votes.

It was a big moment.

In case you’re wondering, here are my official 2011 Boston Harborfest Chowderfest rankings:

#1 Clancy’s in Dennisport
#2 Anthem Kitchen in Faneuil Hall
#3 Ipswich Clambake in Ipswich
#4 Charter House at Long Wharf
#5 Mr. Dooley’s in the Financial District
#6 Jerry Remy’s at Fenway/Kenmore

Phew. I think we’re all officially chowdered out.

There was a lot going on outside Chowderfest on City Hall Plaza and it was nice to see Boston so bustling.

We stopped by the Keurig booth, where they were serving up iced coffee and tea. They gave us a cup filled with ice and a K-Cup and let us make our own coffee using the Keurig machine.

Such an awesome idea for a hot day and perfect for washing down all that chowder.

And as I was writing this post, the winners of this year’s Chowderfest were announced on Twitter! And I’m THRILLED to say that my top 3 ranking are identical to the winners!

Clancy’s came in #1 with the best clam chowder, followed by Anthem Kitchen and Ipswich Clambake. I’m so glad the rest of the Chowderfest attendees agreed with me.

Thanks so much to Whytnee for inviting us to Chowderfest and letting us take part in the historic chowder decision.

What spot serves your favorite clam chowder?

Happy 4th of July!! Hope you make it a very merry Cocktail Monday!

[Sues]

Boston is a city that is almost always undergoing some sort of construction or planning vision and nine times out of ten people have no clue what’s going on or when they’ll be done. Or really how we’ll even get there because this city is notorious for having streets that make zero sense. Here’s looking at you Big Dig. But, we love this city and that’s what keeps us here, wonky construction projects and all I think it’s safe to say that the work done on Fan Pier was definitely worth it. It’s a part of the city I never really venture out to, mostly because there isn’t a direct train that takes you there. You either have to walk a bit, take a cab, or take the Silver line (which is a bus). But whenever I’m at the ICA or near the water I always say “I need to get out here more often!”. Mostly just to walk around and take in the views, see some grass, and watch the sailboats float on by. It’s a part of Boston that doesn’t even really feel like Boston. It’s all new construction so it definitely adds a nice flavor to an otherwise traditional and old-fashioned town.

Sues and I decided since the weather had finally cleared up and it was such a nice night, that we would take the Green line to Government Center and walk to Sam’s. It took about 18 minutes or so. And since we knew we’d be eating and sipping cocktails all evening, getting a little exercise in was an added bonus

As we approached the building I was instantly happy. I looooove the industrial feel of the exterior and the curry-colored font on the building just about made me want to die and go to Design Heaven. All caps because it’s a real place

And then there’s the other side of the building. Aren’t you drooling? I would have been content just sitting on the lawn outside of Louis and admiring the architecture.

But there was food and drink to be served, so inside we went! After we casually wandered around the building trying to figure out which door we went in. Woops.

Just as we walked out to the patio we were served the evening’s “signature cocktail” which was called The Less Than Three. It was the perfect mix of cassis, tequila, grapefruit juice, mint and a bit of club soda, as shown below.

The little salted cucumber garnish was also quite delectable. A salty summery bite to finish off a refreshing cocktail!

I didn’t eat a proper dinner that evening so I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of appetizers Sam’s served! Not to mention they were all jaw-droppingly good.

On the menu:

Crispy Jalepeno-Crab Rangoon with Sweet and Sour Plum Gastrique. Just wow. I’m almost 100% sure that if all Crab Rangoon tasted like this the world would be at peace.

Pulled Pork Nachos. These chips were stunning and crunchy and I want more. Now!

Quinoa Salad with Feta, Blueberries, and Orange Supremes.

Grilled Lamb Lollipop

Lobster BLT with Candied Bacon. There are no words.

And two of my favorites of the night that I didn’t get to photograph mostly because I was too consumed with eating them, the Halibut Ceviche with Bibb Lettuce, and the Pancetta Braised Endive with Pink Grapefruit.

Not on the menu, but naturally just as delicious as the food that was served, were these views of the water:

And sailboats.

And Boston Bloggers.

Of course, Sues and I were two of the last people to leave the party which is almost always typical. Once we start talking we automatically lose track of all time. And losing track of all time and reality is pretty simple to do when you’re being treated to delicious bites on what I now like to think is one of Boston’s finest patios. I’d be foolish to not spend as much time as possible at Sam’s this summer. And you’d be foolish not to go. Word on the street is they have a fantastic brunch.

Sam’s at Louis
60 Northern Avenue
Boston, MA
617.295.0191

————————————————————————————————————————–

Giveaway!

Speaking of Boston. And Summer. And food that makes you drool. We’re giving away two pairs of tickets to the 30th Annual Chowderfest! It’s being held Sunday, July 3, so if you’re in Boston 4th of July weekend, and love clam chowder, definitely enter!

The participants are:

Jerry Remy’s (Boston, MA)
Ipswich Clambake Company (Ipswich, MA)
Anthem Kitchen and Bar (Boston, MA)
Mr. Dooley’s Boston Tavern (Boston, MA)
Clancy’s Restaurant (Dennisport, MA)
The Chart House (Boston, MA)

Like I said, we’re giving away two pairs, which means there will be two winners! Hooray!

Leave a comment on this post by Sunday, June, 26 by 11:59pm EST telling us why you want to attend this year’s Chowderfest. Tweet for an additional entry. “Like” us on Facebook for another entry! Just be sure to leave another comment on this post letting us know about your extra tweets, etc. Easy like Sunday morning. Good luck and hopefully we’ll see you there!

[Chels]

Upon turning the corner onto Washington Street you can see the brightly colored awning pulling you in to enjoy something sweet. Or savory, as I discovered during my first visit for lunch a couple days ago.

As I entered the space, the pale blue walls, modern ceiling fans, hints of contrasting oranges and reds in furniture, and row upon row of tasty treats caught my attention. Not to mention the cheerful faces behind the counters, which I soon learned were owners, Dana and Jessica.

As I starred longingly at the glass case, knowing full-well if I didn’t ask for suggestions I’d be there all day, the girls started naming some options for my lunch.

But I couldn’t keep my eyes off the desserts.

Treats carries the perfect selection of menu items, both quantity wise and variety wise. I don’t do well (at all!) with making decisions, especially when it comes to food, so I appreciate menus that aren’t overwhelming. Treats carries a great selection of simple sandwiches that can be prepared warm as well. And from what my sister told me, the house-made soda was a must. I never drink soda but this one sounded promising and I loved that it was homemade! My options were a hibiscus soda or a ginger soda ($2.95). I obviously couldn’t decided which to get so they mixed them together. It tasted exactly like a pretty flower with a hint of fresh ginger, to be honest! Definitely one of the most refreshing carbonated beverages I’ve ever had. And for lunch, I finally decided on their handmade braided bread stuffed with black forest ham and rich cheddar cheese ($6.75).

I may have actually mouthed to myself as I was eating, “This is sooo good”. I used a fork and knife, but only because I was in public. I promise you, if I ate this at home I would have devoured it in minutes flat and had cheese dripping down my chin. I might just get it to go next time. It was a chilly afternoon the day I visited Treats, so this sandwich, clearly prepared with the freshest herbs and meats, warmed me right up.

I started to pick the melted cheese off of the parchment paper with my fork when I finished the sandwich. Not very lady-like, but necessary.

I was so pleasantly full after my lunch, and as if I needed more food, I took a stroll around the rest of the space to eye the desserts.

The girls were so sweet and told me to pick whichever I’d like, on them. The spiced raspberry cookies were eyeing me so I took a couple for the road. I ended up eating them for dessert that night and felt like Cookie Monster while I ate them. Thankfully, I only had two because serious damage would have been done had there been more in my possession. They were perfectly spicy and just the right amount of sweet. And oh, so moist and soft.

Along with so many sweet options, Treats also offers coffee, espresso, sticky buns, croissants, pies, custom cakes, two daily varieties of scones and muffins and vegan options of scones and muffins as well. My sister actually had a sample of their red velvet cake yesterday and informed me that I have to go back and try it immediately. So there’s always that to look forward to.

Along with a Summer filled with refreshing house-made sodas, because I’ll surely be back. And now that I know they have wifi I’ll probably end up moving in.

Treats on Washington
379 Washington Street
Brighton, MA 02135
617.202.5837

[Chels]

A little more about the event:

Ever the perfect hostess, Kelly Ripa and award-winning chef and restaurateur Tom Colicchio hosted top bloggers in New York City today at the Ultimate Party Boot Camp, part of a campaign by Electrolux to support the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. When people visit www.kelly-confidential.com and take Kelly’s “Are you Party Ready?” challenge, $1 will automatically go to OCRF as part of Electrolux’s $750,000 commitment to the cause.

We were picked up bright and early this morning and driven to Boston’s South Station to take Amtrak’s Acela to the Big Apple.

We arrived in the city around 11ish and were whisked away to Center548 a lofty space in Chelsea that was swankily decorated and ready for a party!

There were three tables filled with gorgeous cheese platters and snacks all courtesy of Colicchio’s ‘wichcraft.

And a lychee beverage that was super refreshing even on a dreary and cold NYC afternoon.

After socializing with the other bloggers and some of the PR staff we were escorted into the next room where an Electrolux demo kitchen was set up. Check out the digs including their newest French door refrigerator that includes a party ice system that makes pyramid shaped ice cubes! Want, need, have to have!

And we had a lovely gift waiting for us at our seats, a Moleskin recipe journal and the new Sharpie pen!

Champagne was poured to start the festivities.

Then Chef Colicchio and Kelly made their way out into the kitchen to kick things off!

And joked around a bit, too They were both hilarious in person and so much fun to be around!

As Chef Colicchio prepared each dish servers brought around plates for us along with an accompanying wine. First up was a cheese platter, which Chef Colicchio highly recommends for last minute gatherings. Using savory jams, candied nuts, artisan meats, and tapenade he created the perfect party ready cheese platter!

Make sure to have plenty of wine chilling in your refrigerator at all times for those surprise guests, too!

The next dish was a quick one-pot pasta with broccoli rabe, olives, and anchovies which is perfect for serving a small crowd.

You might need to make a little more if you’re serving us

The final party ready dish Chef Collichio prepared was a simple roast chicken with thinly sliced red peppers and golden raisins. Delicious!

For dessert, Chef prepared an easy dish using mascarpone, biscotti, and candied orange peel. He also admitted to putting mascarpone on toast for breakfast (which sounds delightful!) and Kelly said it’s the one food she can’t live without!

As we were leaving the event we were handed gift bags from Electrolux filled with GOOD goodies.

Including Tom Colicchio’s Craft of Cooking, a slate cheese board (!!!!!!!!), and a bottle of wine which will obviously help while entertaining guests!

After the event we were driven to the Hudson Hotel where we are staying for the evening. The PR team for Electrolux was beyond accommodating and offered to switch our flight to Atlanta to leave from NYC just so we could attend today’s event! Which meant we were lucky enough to stay at this swanky lil’ hotel for the night

After we got settled in the hotel, we decided to do some wandering around. We’ve both been to NYC a lot but it felt strange not taking advantage of being in the city, even if it was pouring rain out!

We grabbed a pre-dinner bite to eat (hehehe) at Bouchon Bakery.

Then headed back to the hotel to eat at Hudson Hall. We’ve heard great things about the restaurant and were excited to try it for ourselves.

The restaurant is inspired by an old New England Ivy League college mess hall with large communal tables and a serve yourself small plate selection. This restaurant had one of the most unique concepts we’ve seen taking a traditional setting and adding modern twists.

The strawberry mojito and sweet tea cocktail were made to perfection.

When we approached the counter the chef helped us pick some of his favorites including:

Marinated Olives with dried citrus and toasted cumin

The Wedge Salad with blue cheese dressing, bacon, tomato, and Maytag blue cheese

Chef’s Garden Sizzling Snap Peas with ginger garlic ponzu

Ahi Tuna Tartare with avocado and wonton chips

Organic Cauliflower

Hudson Slider with tomato and bacon

72 Hour Sous Vide Short Rib with fresh horseradish

Grilled Skirt Steak with broken chimichurri

And Chocolate Peanut Butter Pudding for dessert!

Hands down, one of the best dinners! And we are officially stuffed from a very full day of eating.

Thank you so much to Electrolux for inviting us to such a fun and memorable event! It was absolutely amazing sharing an afternoon with Kelly and Tom!

Please don’t forget to visit www.kelly-confidential.com and take Kelly’s Are you Party Ready challenge. $1 will automatically go to OCRF as part of Electrolux’s $750,000 commitment to the cause.

Our participation in the Are you Party Ready campaign was sponsored entirely by Electrolux. They provided our transportation, snazzy hotel accommodations, and more food than our bodies know how to digest. As you know, we never blog about companies or products we don’t truly love, no matter what they offer. So if you see it on WANM then you know we fully support them.

With that said, we’re off to Atlanta tomorrow morning to eat some more at BlogHer Food.

[Chels and Sues]

We weren’t quite sure what to expect when we arrived at the Four Seasons last night. But we immediately felt welcomed when we walked in and met Kristan, Chef Brooke Vosika, and everyone else who greeted us. Everyone was amazingly warm and friendly.

It also didn’t hurt that they filled our wine glasses right when we walked into the kitchen

We talked for a bit about what makes the Bristol Lounge’s burger so amazing (they consistently win Best Burger in Boston) and Chef Vosika explained exactly what we would be doing for the evening.

Chef Monica is also fantastic and helped us bring our burger creations to life.

We started with the basic Four Seasons beef burger. Because really why change an already awesome thing?

All of the burgers at the Four Seasons are freshly ground and grilled to order.

Check out the spread of toppings we had to choose from to make our burgers. Everything from sun dried tomatoes to fennel cole slaw to mushrooms and more.

And lots of roasted garlic.

And deliciously caramelized onions.

Any kind of cheese you could dream of. Of course, there was bacon, too!

And fresh produce.

All the condiments you could imagine.

And house-made pickles.

We were also told we could name any ingredient we wanted and they would try to find it for us. Time to get creative!

Plus, while we were planning our burgers, we got to snack on some of the Bristol Lounge’s best treats. Always good to get the creative juices flowing.

Like fried avocado.

And buffalo brussels sprouts.

Both were absolutely amazing! And we had to try really hard not to fill up… Because we knew we’d be trying LOTS of burgers.

The chef warned us we might wake up in two weeks desperately craving this green sauce for the fried avocado. And I’m pretty sure he’s right.

But we’ll also be dreaming about these french fries and all their dipping sauces (the sweet potato fries may just be the BEST I’ve ever had!).

While I’ve always known the Bristol Lounge had fabulous food, I don’t think I realized they were so fun! I mean, fried avocado and buffalo brussels sprouts? Incredible!

After some serious snacking, it was time for Chels to get her burger-making on.

Both of us went back and forth and back and forth trying to decide what combinations we wanted to use. Neither of us are very decisive… We even took lots of notes. This was serious stuff.

But Chels ended up going with a garlic mayo (amazing!!), mushrooms, bacon, swiss cheese, and lettuce and tomato.

And then it was my turn…

I did a bacon and cheddar burger with guacamole on one side of the bun and a chili mayo on the other. And topped it with tomato.

It was a total last-minute plan for me as one of the chefs happened to mention he could get me guacamole if I wanted it. Of course I did! If forced to name it, I alternated between “Martha with a Kick” or “Jekyll and Hyde” since it was mild on one side with the guacamole and spicy on the other with the chili!

We got to build our own “big” burger and then the chefs recreated our burgers into mini versions so we could all taste them.

Oh, and then they brought out these house-made potato chips, which were absolutely OUT of this world. Not only are the Bristol Lounge’s burgers incredible, but all their sides seem to match, too! Everything we tried, we loved.

We were super proud of our burgers and had SO much fun. We got to take our regular-sized burgers home (where Chris immediately dug into my creation!).

We also learned that our burgers are going to be featured on the Bristol Lounge menu in May for National Burger Month- with our name beside our burger! How cool is that? I’ll definitely be going back when my burger is featured. And maybe Chels’s too. OK fine, I want to try all the burgers again!

Talk about an amazing evening! Plus, we got to meet so many bloggers we’ve been reading FOREVER but have never met in person. I seriously feel like I know Daisy, but hadn’t actually met her until last night. FInally! The same goes for Small Boston Kitchen and the girls from Just Add Cheese (who sadly got cut out of the below photo!) And if you want to learn more about burgers in Boston Burger Blog is the place to check it out!

Now that I’m all in wedding planning mode, Chels and I obviously had to check out the beautiful venue that is the Four Seasons on our way out. Definitely a stunning location. And I was obsessed with these flower arrangements in the front lobby. I LOVE tulips and think these are so perfect for spring.

Thank you SO much to the Four Seasons for inviting us to this fabulous event!

Oh, and be sure to head to the Bristol Lounge throughout May to get a chance to try our burger creations! We’ll let you know exactly when they’ll be on the menu as the time gets closer

What’s your dream burger creation?

Bristol Lounge
at the Four Seasons Hotel
200 Boylston St.
Boston, MA 02116
(617) 338-4400

[Sues]

Anthem is a great spot, perfect for after-work drinks and dinner, in the heart of Faneuil that serves up some really special menu items. Very unique but comfortable, which is greatly appreciated during frigid winter nights. Everything from roasted pumpkin soup, lobster cobb salad, fish tacos, pepper crusted tuna, mac and cheese, to a wide range of wood grilled flatbread pizzas.

I started with a girly cocktail

And for dinner I decided to order the roasted chicken with caramelized onions, charred tomatoes, goat cheese and fontina. It was absolutely perfect and even better as leftovers the following day.

mmmm, closer

Judith and Hannah both ordered the tomato and mozzarella salad with warm fried green tomatoes, house made mozzarella, aged balsamic and olive oil. Yes, I stole a bite or two of this, you know I love a fried green tomato

The decor and architecture in Anthem is very Boston… it’s the perfect setting for a restaurant in the center of all the action.

My friiiiends

So, now that I have a legitimate reason to venture to this neck of the woods I will definitely pay some visits to Anthem to explore their menu further! Something tells me it will be lots of fun this summer (ooooh, summer, I miss you so!)

————————————–

Sugarbush Giveaway Winner:

And now, the moment you’ve all been anxiously awaiting After a random selection, the winner of one of our most popular giveaways to date is:

Amanda of Kitchen Misfit

Miss Amanda, please shoot us an email asap with your shipping information and our darling friends at Cabot Cheese and Ski Vermont will send you your package of goodies including lift tickets to Sugarbush Have so much fun… it’s pretty easy to do up there

————————————–

And don’t forget about our Garden of Eatin’ giveaway… you still have a couple more days to enter it. Just in time for Superbowl Sunday!

[Chels]

As we entered Pomodoro, around 11ish, to our surprise, the place was empty. Adorable, cozy, and warm, but completely empty. I feel like Bostonians love their brunch so to see a restaurant not jam-packed and without a line or wait on a Sunday morning was a shocker. The waiter told us to grab a seat wherever we were comfortable so we decided on a corner table by the windows.

Once we got settled, our waiter brought over delicious bread with top-notch oil and olives. I mean, delicious. I normally try not to indulge in a ton of bread when I eat out because it fills me up so quickly, but on this day, I didn’t care. It’s almost winter, I’m about to go into hibernation, and it was… fascinating. Could.not.stop.eating.

Also fascinating, you ask? A carafe of orange and mint infused water, of course. I plan on making this all the time at home. Insanely refreshing, especially with brunch. I think we easily drank through 1.5 carafes

The menu was outrageous and everything sounded perfect. My roommate and I had a difficult time deciding on what we wanted so we each ordered something different and just split the two. Because sharing is caring, you know.

I ordered the sirloin hash topped with poached eggs, sauteed spinach, and gorgonzola fonduta. The flavors were bold yet simple. The ingredients were fresh and perfectly prepared. I felt like a little kid on Christmas morning eating this dish… always a new surprise to be discovered! It clearly doesn’t take much to excite me!

My roommate ordered the scrambled eggs, with thick cut bacon, sausages, oven-dried tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and toast.

This was a glorified breakfast at it’s best. Especially when a jazzy pianist took his seat and started serenading us patrons… all 6 of us The prices were fair considering the portions were the most generous and the quality of ingredients was stunning. The service was a bit slow considering there were only a handful of us there but the food spoke louder and for me, that wins. Also know, Pomodoro only accepts cash (and they direct you to the ATM across the street if you hand them a credit card) which can be a bit frustrating if you’re not prepared, but again… when the food wins, I go back And dinner at Pomodoro awaits.

Pomodoro
24 Harvard Street
Brookline Village
617.556.4455

The rest of my Sunday was spent getting a massage at Healthworks Chestnut Hill (if you’re looking for a good massage therapist, Christine H. at HW is aaaaaahmazing) and hanging out at my parent’s house watching the Cetlics, some football, eating dinner, and laughing I felt like an only child… until my brother and sister both called the house. The perfect day if you ask me.

What’s your favorite way to wind down from the weekend and spend your Sunday?

[Chels]

Wednesday night we had dinner at Roam, a newish artisan burger restaurant in the Marina. The vibe was definitely my style and everything on the menu sounded delicious, so I was eager to try it out!

Speaking of the menu, it was designed so well, I would have settled with eating that. I love well-designed printed material. Equally as satisfying as a good meal to me

Roam serves milkshakes and that alone is reason enough to love the place. They offer a seasonal flavor, which right now is pumpkin spice, but sadly they were all out of it. I ended up ordering the salted caramel with a bruleed marshmallow on top. Imagine how that would taste and multiply it by 30 because that’s how good this was.

Corey ordered the Sunny Side bison burger which has an organic free-range egg, aged white cheddar, caramelized onions, greens, tomato, and sweet chili sauce.

I ordered the French and Fries burger which has truffle parmesan french fries (yes, ON the burger!), avocado, gruyere, and dijon mustard. To die for.

Thursday’s lunch was at La Boulange Bakery in the Marina. It was one of the first restaurants I ate at in San Francisco so it will always have a special little place in my heart. For lunch I ordered the turkey melt with apple, shallots, tomato, aioli, and perfectly melted cheddar. I mean, come on!

I went for a little stroll after lunch and stumbled upon Susie’s Cakes. I didn’t go in (as I was stuffed from lunch), but I found it necessary to take a picture for Sues.

Then, my favorite thing about blogging happened. Jessi landed in San Francisco early Thursday afternoon and we got in touch. We decided to head to Tartine for a little dose of sweet deliciousness. Happening to be in the same place, at the same time, and wandering around my favorite city with one of my favorite like-minded people is what makes blogging seem right

I had to try the lemon cream tart. I made sure to savor every single bite because it was sheer heaven. Luscious, in fact.

After a bit more exploring in the Mission and popping into every store that could possibly scream “Chels” or “Jessi” we decided to head to Four Barrel which we heard great things about the vibe there. We decided to cool down with iced coffee but when I saw the glazed pumpkin and chocolate chip donut I knew I would be gobbling it up in no time

Four Barrel has a really neat open concept and you’re able to see the coffee being roasted and the beans being prepared. I could have stayed in there for hours, it was definitely my scene

For dinner last night Corey and I headed to Nick’s Crispy Tacos. Mmmm, I love a good taco! I got a margarita (delicious), and the Pescado taco which is Baja style fried fish in a corn tortilla with salsa, lime mayonnaise, cilantro, cabbage and onions. I ordered my taco “Nick’s way” which makes the taco shell crispy and includes guacamole.

Core and I split the nachos which had Nick’s traditional cheese sauce, guacamole, pico de gallo, and shredded chicken. Easily some of the best tortilla chips I’ve had in a restaurant in a long time.

Two days in San Francisco and I have no shame in the food I’ve eaten. It’s impossible to visit this city without eating your way through it. Foodbuzz Fest 2010, bring.it.on!

[Chels]