Photo: Mr. T in DC/Flickr
LOCAL BITES
No Need to Book a Babysitter
Aura’s monthly Fine Dining “Family Style” is getting in the holiday spirit this month with a special Christmas menu. Both parents and kids get to enjoy a separate but equally delicious meal by Chef Rachel Klein. And when it’s time for some one-on-one time, the kids can act up in the play room. For reservations, call (617) 385-4300 or book online.
Cookie-Off
Think you’ve got some kick-ass holiday cookies? Ever put them to the test? Make a batch (at least three dozen to be exact) and bring them to Gordon’s December 18th from 2-4pm for their Cookie Competition (and Cocktails) for Toys for Tots. And for those who don’t bake, stop by anyway to judge and enjoy drinks made by Chris Rose of Pernod Ricard. Though the event is complimentary, all donations are much appreciated. Registration information here.
Ladies Night
Join the ladies of LUPEC Boston December 20th from 6-11pm at Starlite Lounge for a Holiday Punch Party benefitting On the Rise. To help support the women served by On the Rise, there’ll be a clothing drive (women’s casual winter clothing preferred), and one article of clothing gets you a free drink ticket (I.N.C.E.N.T.I.V.E.). Starlite will also be accepting donations all weekend long. More information HERE.
Finally
For anyone who’s been on Beacon Hill in the last year and a half, you may have noticed the tantalizing cupcake shop that’s been under construction for a teasingly long time. BUT, Isabelle’s Curly Cakes is now up and running. You can order online, by phone or have the “Everyday” flavored cupcakes delivered to your home. Have a look at their yummy selection.
An Eve(ning) Out
Once you’ve wrapped all the presents and put the cookies out for Santa, enjoy a Christmas Eve dinner out. Some of the area’s best restaurants will be serving up special holiday fare. A number of restaurants will be preparing the traditional Italian Feast of the Seven Fishes dinner, and Portsmouth’s Black Trumpet Bistro will cook goose three different ways. Peruse all the options here. Reservations are a must.
Learn from the Best
Boston Center for Adult Education has expanded their Celebrity Chef’s Culinary Program with more classes in the new year. Some of the best chefs in the area will show you how to make their signature dishes in a hands-on cooking class at the Fairmont Copley Plaza. See who you’d like to cook with here.
Farmer’s Paradise
January 15th is the Northeast Organic Farming Association’s (MA Chapter) 24th Annual Winter Conference in Worcester. Keynote speaker Michael Phillips of Lost Nation Orchard will discuss the connection between farming and community. There will also be seminars, workshops, vendors, children’s programs and a potluck lunch. Check out the full schedule here.
Black Tie–I Mean Beer–Affair
There’s more coming up at Gordon’s to pencil into your calendars. January 27th from 7-9pm is their “Black Beer Affair,” an exclusive dark beer tasting event. Tickets cost $25, and registration is limited to 75 attendees, so if you’ve got any beer lovers on your holiday gift list, sign them up NOW, or call (781) 893-1900 to make a booking.
Food for Thought
Feed your appetite and help raise diabetes awareness January 30th from 6-9pm at the 6th Annual CityFeast in the North End. Some of the area’s finest restaurants will host a special five-course dinner with wine pairings. Tickets ($150 each) may be purchased online, and all proceeds from the event go towards Joslin’s High Hopes Fund.
Please!
‘Nothing worse than when when you sit down to dinner and think, “Um, I’m not at all hungry after those twelve Pigs in a Blanket.” BEFORE you’d been thinking, “But they’re so small, and I’m hungry!” Enough with the excuses, maybe it’s the cook in the kitchen who should make the decision for you. Boston food blogger Joan Salge Blake of Nutrition and You! asks hosts to please (!) serve more waist-friendly hors d’oeuvres. Read some of her suggestions here.
“Everything But the Oink”
Grub Street Boston gives you the five best pig dishes in town. Enjoy.
NATIONAL TREATS
Nigella’s Gotchya Covered
Need a last-minute fix for some a last-minute holiday guest? NPR’s Steve Inskeep sits down with Nigella Lawson to discuss her new cookbook, Nigella Kitchen: Recipes from the Heart of the Home, and some of her inventive, quick and easy recipes that will keep ‘em chewing. Sherry-glazed chorizo, anyone?
Times Are Tough
Though it’s a culinary hotspot, food trucks are having a tough time getting off the ground in Chicago. Unlike other cities where they’ve been welcomed with open arms (and mouths), vendors in Chicago cannot “alter”–cook or unwrap–food once it’s in the truck, and they can’t park within 200 feet of another food establishment. Read the full article here.
Mini Vegetarians
Kids who actually want to eat their fruits, grains and vegetables? It’s not unheard of and, in fact, it’s getting more and more common. Though parents may initially be thrilled their children are reaching for apples over chips, it’s important to be aware–make sure that they get their protein and other nutrients found in meat elsewhere, and also that these new restrictions aren’t masking an eating disorder.
Serious Science
To me, winter calls for hot chocolate. So, luckily, the folks at Serious Eats taste-tested 17 different brands of hot chocolate/cocoa. Here are their top picks, and some cool recipes (baked hot chocolate?).