Bread+Butter: Lee Napoli's New North End Cafe

"Pastry is different from cooking because you have to consider the chemistry, beauty and flavor. It's not just sugar and eggs thrown together. I tell my pastry chefs to be in tune for all of this. You have to be challenged by using secret or unusual ingredients."--Ron Ben-IsraelWith places like Mike's Pastry, Bova's Bakery and Modern Pastry, does the North End really need another bakery? If another bakery wanted to make inroads into the North...

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Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I briefly highlight some interesting wine and food items that I have encountered recently.**********************************************************1) The crew at Farmstead, Inc. is shaking up your typical takeout routine with family-style suppers and monthly brunches, complete with all the house-cured meaty, artisan cheesy fare you dig from Farmstead. Weekend happenings include:Sunday Suppers:Every Sunday night, excluding May 26 and June 2, from...

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Oyá Cuban Cafe: A Warrior-Spirit Presiding Over The Kitchen

I have had little experience with authentic Cuban cuisine, which is commonly considered to be a mix of Spanish, African and Caribbean cuisines. So I was intrigued to learn of a new Cuban restaurant, the Oya Cuban Cafe, which recently came to Malden. It has only been open for a few months and I have dined there for lunch a couple times. Based on my experiences so far, it is a restaurant worth checking out.The restaurant is owned by...

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Pazzo Gelato Cafe: Willy Wonka & Duality

"Try some more. The strawberries taste like strawberries, and the snozzberries taste like snozzberries."--Willy WonkaAs a child, I loved the movie Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory and it still occupies a special place in my heart. Such a twisted and fun movie, and Gene Wilder played such a great role. The remake was a travesty. Last week I visited a new gelato shop which was inspired by Willy Wonka, and found an abundance of vibrant and...

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Rant: Sake Don't Need No Stinkin' Scores!

Should Sake be rated by the 100 point system?Earlier this month, I posted about a recent issue of Wine Spectator (May 21, 2013), which contained articles on Sake, as well as tasting notes for over 50 Sakes. Kim Marcus, Managing Editor, and Bruce Sanderson, Senior Editor, blind-tasted the Sakes, using Bordeaux-style glasses, and did not write about a few Sakes which did not reach their minimum quality level. They grouped the Sakes, all premium, into...

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Legal Status of Sake in the U.S.

When I describe Sake to people, I tell them that Sake is not a beer, wine or spirit. I consider it to be its own unique liquor, and my position is supported by numerous Sake advocates. It may bear some similarities to beer, wine and spirits, but it also possesses key differences as well. It may be brewed in some ways like a beer, but drinks more like a wine.Legally, what is its status? Under U.S. law, is Sake treated as a wine, beer or distilled...

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Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I briefly highlight some interesting wine and food items that I have encountered recently.**********************************************************1) After months of swirling rumors, none confirmed, Chef Paul O’'Connell wants Boston area diners to know that his French-Latin bistro, Chez Henri, has NOT been sold, nor is it closing its doors anytime in the immediate future. O’Connell admits, however, that he has “been entertaining some possibilities for...

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Dining Outside of Taste Camp: Montreal's Culinary Delights

A beautiful view of Kaniatarowanenneh, the "big waterway" which is more commonly known as the St. Lawrence River. This is one of the sights I viewed during TasteCamp, a three day visit to Quebec, tasting wines, ciders, beers and local foods. However, this view was not on our itinerary and was discovered during a detour to eat some poutine. Outside of the official Taste Camp events, I used my free time to explore some of the other culinary offerings...

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