Union Street, Newton Center

I was first introduced to Union Street by my co-workers. The first time we went, I thought they were taking me down a back alley. Turns out they kind of were. The restaurant is in sort of a strange location, and if I hadn’t had people with me who knew where they were going, I feel like I never would have made it there! Glad that I did though. The food is yummy, atmosphere is comfortable, and there’s outdoor seating (!) when it’s nice outside.

It had been a while since I’d been to Union Street, and my co-worker and I decided to bring two students with us because of the great job they were doing (they obviously rock). We sat downstairs in the dining room which has great comfy seats, complete with throw pillows. Doesn’t get much more homey than throw pillows, in my opinion.

also? law and order was on. i was a happy girl.

We started with one of my favorite appetizers, fried pickles. Absolutely amazing. I don’t know that I’ve ever met a fried pickle that I haven’t liked, but these were pickle spears fried and served with some delicious dipping sauce.

pickles. fried. perfection.

Because we’re total party animals, we each ordered a Shirley Temple. You can be jealous, it’s completely understandable. It’s been a long time since I had a Shirley Temple, and we had fun with them.

cheers!

For dinner, I tried the Macaroni and Cheese. It sounded yummy, and my love of pasta and cheese is no secret. It was a very good choice. The creamy and cheesy sauce had an amazing flavor of garlic.. All around perfect. Other choices were the Chicken and Fruit Salad, the BLT, and the Buffalo Chicken Tenders.

mac and cheese. enough for a small army. i took the leftover home and it fed me for two more meals. i'd say totally worth the $12 price.

chicken and fruit salad. got rave reviews.

Jenny love love loves the buffalo tenders here.

blt. a bargain for how filling it is. served with a side.

We went around 5pm on a weekday, so it was quiet in the dining room. Our waiter was extremely friendly and knowledgeable, and humored us as we drank our Shirley Temples.

In fact, we had such a lovely time that we went back about two weeks later. This time just Jenny and I went. It was the perfect time to unwind a bit from the week. Union Street showed another side for us. We chose to eat near the bar, where it was lively, and much more crowded on a Thursday night around 7pm. I branched out and tried the Blackened Chicken Alfredo, and Jenny stuck with her usual (she doesn’t take many risks when it comes to food, but lets me take pictures of what she eats, so it evens out). The pasta was done perfectly, and the chicken was seasoned to give it a nice spicy kick. The alfredo sauce was a great compliment to the spicy chicken.

spicy, mild, and cheesy. all at the same time.

I rounded out that meal with some of Sam Adams’ newest beer, the Noble Pils. Just add that to my list of Sam beers that I love. All around, if you can find Union Street, you’ll enjoy yourself. Give it a try!

Make Your Own Pizza Night

A really fun way we’ve found to host dinner is with a make your own pizza night. It’s fairly inexpensive, gives everyone something to do together, and you end up with a great meal.

yummy personal pizza

We had some new friends (well not new, but they had never been to our apartment) over for dinner and everyone got to roll out their dough, choose their toppings, and bake their own pizza. Well, actually we found out I was somehow really good at stretching out the dough, so I ended up doing it for everyone. But we all did our own toppings. We made sure there were plenty to choose from. Here’s everything we used:

• 2 bags of prepared pizza dough (can be found at most grocery stores, usually near the deli section)
• Tomato sauce (from a jar)
• Tomato sauce (homemade with sausage)
• Shredded mozzarella (from a bag)
• Fresh mozzarella (cut into thin slices)
• Broccoli – Cut into bite sized pieces and steamed so it was mostly cooked
• Tomato slices
• Sausage pieces
• Prosciutto
• Grilled chicken

Just roll out the dough (make sure to use flour so it doesn’t stick!), put it on a baking sheet, add your toppings, and bake at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown. Since it cooks fairly quickly, you don’t have to wait too long to eat that delicious pizza. We fit two personal pizzas on each cookie sheet (we did a quick spritz with a non-stick spray so the dough wouldn’t stick).

fresh tomatoes, broccoli, and mozzarella

oops, Dane forgot his seasoning

Ben's super yummy pizza pie

It was so fun to chat and have some wine while we all made dinner together. Not to mention that we got try each other’s pizza. Each one looked better than the next! We had to have a little bite.

Give it a try at your next dinner party!

Kristen

Cheesy Cheesy Goodness

I have definitely documented my love of cheese on this blog. At this point, it goes without saying that I might be what some would call “obsessed” with different types of cheese. Whatever. I consider it a point of pride.

I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect cheese board and I think I’ve finally settled on the one I want. Surprisingly, Dane doesn’t seem to have very strong opinions on cheese boards, so this decision is up to me. I haven’t gotten it yet though, and when I hosted a wine tasting for this little blog (at beccajane’s apartment), there had to be a cheese plate to go with the wine. We made due with a wooden cutting board, which worked out quite lovely.

So to prepare for this event, I spent some quality time at the cheese section of the grocery store. I ended up with most of my own personal favorites, and tried to get a mix that everyone would like. Is there a correct way to do a cheese plate? I don’t know, but I was happy.

happiness.

The four cheese I chose were gouda, brie, muenster, and cheddar. All pretty basic and delicious. Gouda is made from cow’s milk and always comes with a rind around it that helps to keep the cheese from drying out. Brie, also from cow’s milk, is a soft cheese named after the area in France where it originated. Muenster is a mild tasting cheese made with cow’s milk, that has a signature orangey rind. Lastly, cheddar, a familiar cheese with a sharper flavor. Served with some crackers and Sfilatino from Fornax Bread Company, each was delicious in its own way.

brie. or as they say in france, brie.

Next cheese plate will probably include some goat cheese and a harder cheese like pecorino or parmigiana. Can’t wait to host again, when I get my very own cheese board.

What’s your favorite cheese?

Laughing at our Food

Recently there have been a few commercials for different foods and restaurants that have made us laugh hysterically. Almost enough to want to go buy that food or eat at that restaurant just because the commercials crack us up. Maybe we’re the only ones, but here are some of our recent favorites.

This is one of Dane’s current favorites. We saw it for the first time a few days ago, and he was giggling like a little girl.

We both love this one. Most people find it insanely annoying, which it is, to be honest. But for some reason we can’t help ourselves. (give it a few seconds, the commercial starts at :05)

This one gets me every time. Never been to a Sonic, but there’s one close now so maybe we’ll get there eventually.

What are your favorite food commercials?

Harpoon Brewery, Boston

As fiercely as we love Sam Adams, we decided to open our hearts and taste buds to a new brewery. Several friends told us we had to try the Harpoon Brewery for a new experience, and we finally decided to visit. The Brewery is located on the water front in Boston. It’s a large fully functioning brewery, which was really cool to see.

The tour started with an explanation of how the brewing process begins and the ingredients necessary to make beer.While the guide was talking we got our Harpoon tasting glasses and were told to hold on to them for some free samples at the end of the tour. The group was then invited to look around and see the large vessels that start changing those four ingredients into beer.

Greg checking out the giant empty metal thingy

another beer tasting glass to add to our collection

We headed down to the conditioning vats, where the ingredients start to come together. There, we sampled what is called “green beer”, meaning it hasn’t finished the process yet. It has no carbonation at this stage and was not fully conditioned or filtered, so the flavors were not fully developed. Interesting to taste the beer at this point, but not delicious by any means.

green beer. not delicious.

After the tasting, we headed back to see where the beer is bottled, and how it’s packed. We learned that this facility is significantly smaller than the main facility in Vermont, and has much older machinery. The guide mentioned that 8 hours of bottling usually turns into at least 12 hours because of how often the old machines will shut down or break. After that, they brought us to the warehouse. Filled from top to bottom with Harpoon beer and cider.

cases and cases of Harpoon. otherwise called heaven.

At the end of the tour, we were brought back up to the gift shop/tasting room to try the different varieties of Harpoon. Everything was on tap, and each tour group had 30 minutes to try the different types of beer (aka, 30 minutes to drink as much as possible in the tiny glasses they gave you). Everyone gets a sample of the Harpoon IPA, their signature beer, but from there it’s up to you.

Dane with his Celtic Ale

I tried the Chocolate Stout, UFO White Ale, Celtic Ale, and then an interesting mixture. As I went up for my last sample, the woman next to me suggested I try a mixture of the Harpoon Cider and Winter Warmer. I was a little skeptical, but she assured me it tasted just like apple pie, so I gave it a shot. She was right and it was delicious. Never would have thought to mix two types of beer.

Chocolate Stout, which definitely tasted like chocolate

We had so much fun there with our friends. It was $5 per person to get in. Parking wasn’t a problem, and it’s easy to get to if you’re driving. Not sure how it would be to get there via public transportation, though there did seem to be a Silver Line stop nearby. It was a great and different experience, and I have a feeling we’ll go back!

happy harpoon couple

Tomato Sauce with Sausage

One of our go-to meals is always pasta and sauce. It’s quick, easy, and always delicious. Most people have their favorite jarred sauce, but for me that isn’t an option. Both being from Italian families, we much prefer to make our own sauce. Yes, you could just heat up some sauce that’s already made, but it really doesn’t take long to make your own scrumptious sauce!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 a medium onion
• 4-5 cloves of garlic
• Olive oil
• 1 small can of petite diced tomatoes
• 1 large can of crushed tomatoes
• 2 links of sausage
• Salt and pepper
• Italian seasoning (or whatever seasoning you prefer)

First begin heating a few tablespoons of olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cut up about 1/2 an onion into a small dice (you don’t want to bite into huge chunks of onion in your sauce, or maybe you do, that’s up to you). Add to the saucepan to start caramelizing. Mince up the garlic as the onion begins cooking, and add to the saucepan as well. Let the onion and garlic cook for about 5-10 minutes, or until the onion is soft and translucent.

congratulations, if you're at this step, your house probably smells amazing

Add the small can of diced tomatoes. I used petite diced for the smaller pieces. Let this simmer for about 20 minutes. I usually add my seasoning at this point too. Some salt and pepper, and whatever your choice of flavors might be. We usually go with some Italian Seasoning, which is a mix of several different herbs.

While the tomatoes, onions, and garlic are simmering, start cooking the sausage. We used two sausage links, removed the outer casing, and cooked it in some olive oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. While it’s cooking, use a wooden spoon or spatula to break up the sausage into small pieces that will be added to the sauce.

cookin' it up with Dane

When the sausage is mostly cooked (it will cook the rest of the way through in the sauce) add it to the tomatoes, onion, and garlic. Then add the large can of crushed tomatoes. Stir together, and let simmer for at least 30 minutes. The longer you let it simmer, the more the flavors come together, so if you have some extra time, leave it on the stove for a while. Taste the sauce and season it again as needed.

Cook your choice of pasta according to the directions. When the sauce is done, pour some over your pasta and enjoy!

pappardelle and sauce!

Awesome Accidental Finds: Fornax Bread Company and Tony’s Market

While in Roslindale, before going to Geoffrey’s Cafe, we walked around the stores to do some window shopping. The window shopping idea didn’t last long, because we found these two places.

Dane has a weakness for bread. Any kind of bread, if it’s freshly baked. He used to work at a bread bakery in PA and seems to have an uncanny ability to find fresh bread almost anywhere we go. We saw this place just around the corner from Geoffrey’s Cafe, and Dane had to go in.

Fornax Bread Company, Roslindale

The smell of fresh bread will get you every time. We went in to look and walked out with two fresh loaves of bread, the Sfilatino and the Garlic Twist. We always seem to find something we can use bread for, even if we have to make things up.

so many breads to choose from

i'll take one of each please and thank you.

Not to mention the tons of different pastries, cookies, and other baked goods. Now that I think about it, I’m kind of shocked we only ended up with two loaves of bread. Everything looked absolutely amazing and I’d certainly go back to give everything else a try.

On our way back to Geoffrey’s, we saw this store right next door. We actually joked, because in the window was a sign that said something about giving meat to your Valentine. Not what you’d typically think of for a Valentine’s Day gift. We decided to check it out and see if there was something we could pick up to make for dinner that night. And there was.

Tony's Market, Roslindale

Tony’s is a traditional Italian market with a great selection of fresh meat and domestic and imported Italian ingredients. I made a bee line for the pastas when I saw my favorite kind.

my favorite!

I love papardelle, but you don’t see it often in stores. I was so excited to bring some home and got to thinking about what to make with it. The perfect idea came to mind: tomato sauce with sausage. Coincidentally, Tony’s also had fresh sausage which is made on site. We picked up a few other things for the sauce before heading out.

italian happiness

I love stumbling upon places like both of these. If you’re in the area, go visit the Fornax Bread Company and Tony’s Market!

What are your favorite specialty stores to shop for ingredients?

Dharma Food

Because we’re some of those crazy fans of LOST, we planned a Season 5 viewing party with Nino. I was late to the LOST party, and started watching it just this past year. That worked out fine for me, because I’m super impatient and could just watch the show online or on Netflix without the commercials and hours at a time. But, I caught up and left the Season 5 finale for two days before the Season 6 premiere.

Not surprisingly, Nino couldn’t just have us over for dinner and to watch LOST. That just wouldn’t be acceptable. Instead we did a LOST themed day. He surprised us with some Dharma Initiative food.

Dharma Beer

Yes, that's an individually wrapped snack size chocolate candy. He had two bags of these.

There were all kinds of these labels, which he sent to us. If you want to know where you can find them for your own LOST party, send us an email! We had so much fun with these.

For dinner, we had grilled chicken marinated in a lemon herb vinaigrette, red and yellow bell peppers sauteed in coconut and clementine juice, grilled pineapple, and brown rice. We went with a tropical theme.

pretty peppers

grilled chicken with pineapple

The peppers were really easy, and so delicious. I used red and yellow bell peppers, cut into strips. Saute in some olive oil, then add coconut juice, and the juice of an orange (I used a clementine, because that’s what Nino had on hand). Cover the pan and let it steam. The coconut and citrus give the peppers a great flavor.

(Although we got the coconut juice from an actual coconut, which Nino bought to add to the island theme. Cracking a coconut is not easy, as we quickly found out)

The grilled chicken was marinated, then grilled on a George Foreman Grill. Simple but great flavor. We then threw some pineapple on the grill for about 2 minutes to top the chicken. If you’ve never had grilled pineapple, I would highly encourage you to give it a shot.

Dinner was yummy and healthy, making us feel ok about having a Dharma beer and Dharma chocolate.

Anyone else have any LOST inspired food ideas?

Geoffrey’s Cafe, Roslindale

We were invited to brunch at Geoffrey’s Cafe by one of Dane’s co-workers a few weekends ago. She told us they had Disco Brunch every weekend, along with what seemed to be a magical creation called the Donut Muffin. That’s all it took for us to hop in the car and get ourselves to Roslindale.

We met up with everyone just as Geoffrey’s Cafe opened at 10:00 am. First people in, first people seated, and for a while the only people there. The decor is great and gives the place a really comfortable feel. Not to mention that I totally want an awesome wall like this in my own house one day.

funky and fun

We started with the reason we came, the Donut Muffin. They were piled high on platters on the bar, and made the whole restaurant smell amazing. We got two for the table to share because they’re huge and we wanted to have at least some room for our actual brunch. Let me just say, Donut Muffins are heavenly. Just go there and try one. You can thank me later.

donut muffins covered in cinnamon and sugar.

oh, did I mention they toast the donut muffins and serve them with butter? there are no words.

Did I mention that our waitress was FANTASTIC? She chatted with us about her suggestions, and when Dane told her I have a food blog she asked me to give her the URL so she can check it out. Then she gave us ideas of other places to try in the area. Since we really aren’t familiar with Roslindale at all, it was great to hear about some new restaurants and stores that we can explore.

The restaurant started filling up with people who seemed to be regulars shortly after we got there. Or maybe it was just that the staff was super friendly, so it just seemed that way. It took a bit to decide after the Donut Muffins and I was fairly boring with my order. Just scrambled eggs, toast, homefries, and bacon. Everyone else tried different things.

Dane's steak tips with eggs, homefries, and toast

Brittany's breakfast burrito, so big that she only had half and shared with another person

Courtney's omelet. At least I think that's what she got. I can't remember.

Joe's Scandinavian Waffles. When we go back, I'm totally ordering these.

Everything was fantastic. Food was delish, service was wonderful, easy location to get to, great atmosphere. Almost the entire brunch menu (except one item) is under $10, which makes it very affordable. Can you tell that I loved this place? We’ll definitely go back. In fact, maybe this Sunday would be good. See you soon Donut Muffins!

Fettuccinne with Garlic & Cauliflower

This is one of my favorite quick meals. I’m not sure when I actually learned this, but I’m been making it for a while and have it down to a science. Since Dane doesn’t love cauliflower, I get to make this all for myself. This recipe is all about the garlic flavor, so embrace it!

pretty blue plates and pretty yummy dinner

Fettuccine with Garlic and Cauliflower

Ingredients

• Fettuccine
• About 3 tablespoons olive oil
• About 3 cloves of garlic
• Frozen cauliflower (or use fresh if you prefer)
• About 3 tablespoons of water
• Pecorino Romano cheese for sprinkling on top

Start with the garlic. Add the olive oil to a medium saucepan and heat over low heat. Mince the three cloves of garlic (I used my Garlic Zoom) and add it to the saucepan to begin flavoring the olive oil and to start to brown. You do not want the garlic to burn, so be careful about the heat. Once it starts browning, it can quickly burn, so try to keep this over low and medium heat.

sizzle sizzle

Let the garlic cook for a few minutes, then add the frozen cauliflower (or again, fresh if you want, it just won’t take quite as long). Add the water to help steam the cauliflower and cover. You want the cauliflower to cook through and to slightly brown. Every few minutes check the cauliflower and garlic and flip the pieces as needed.

browning the cauliflower and garlic

Start the water to boil and cook the pasta until it’s slightly under done. Drain it and reserve about 1/3 cup of the pasta water. Once the cauliflower is just slightly browned, add the pasta to the cauliflower, garlic, and olive oil and toss in the saucepan. Add the pasta water and toss together. The pasta will finish cooking and the starch in the pasta water will help the flavors come together on the pasta.

toss it all together

Once the water has cooked away, serve the pasta with Pecorino Romano cheese grated over the top. Yum!