Eat Boutique is not just a food blog; it’s a mindset.

What started in 2007 as a document of Maggie Battista’s cooking exploits, Eat Boutique is now a mini-business comprised of herself, food and travel writer Jessica Merrill, French photographer Lise Pellegrin, Boston’s very own Shelby Larsson (or, as she calls herself, “Lady Gouda”), and Chloé and Dennis Phillips, a duo who’ve eaten and drank their way around the world.

These six food lovers are dedicated to the “boutique” experience, which they say is more than just dining in a bite-sized eatery. As Maggie puts it, boutique dining is “a way of eating” that incorporates handmade, homemade, lovingly made food in an authentic setting under the care of really attentive and really hospitable people.

Not too much to ask for, right? Eat Boutique certainly doesn’t think so. While many fashion designers, hotels, restaurant chains, etc., use the “B” word pretty liberally these days, Eat Boutique really respects its true definition and works to share that experience with you in a variety of forms. Continue reading →

LOCAL BITES

Winter Market
The Somerville Winter Farmers Market is hopping. Maybe your Valentine would love a homemade local feast? Visit Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for produce, meat, eggs, bread, chocolate and more. Joseph Curtatone, Mayor of Somerville, is slated to pay a visit tomorrow, Feb. 12th, but foodie VIPs Penny and Ed of BostonZest and Serious Eats have already paid their visit.

Scottish Heartthrob
Do kilts and haggis set your heart on fire? The Haven restaurant in Jamaica Plain is holding a Scottish aphrodisiac menu Saturday through Monday. According to them, Glasgow is the “City of Love.” Maybe Jamaica Plain is the local alternative? Sample oysters, rosemary-scented lamb and Scottish tea truffles in the three-course, $39 meal. Add $20 for drink pairings.

Oh, Sugar, Sugar
As obesity in children rises, some government officials consider their responsibility in limiting unhealthy options in schools. Should kids have a choice? State health regulators in Massachusetts have proposed banning high-calorie, low-nutrient foods in vending machines, snack shops and a-la carte lines, The Boston Globe said today. The elimination of sugar-laden beverages is at the forefront of the proposed standards. Continue reading →

Got a cold? If you’re in India, you might be advised to eat an “amla,” an Indian gooseberry.

The South Asian form of Emergen-C?  Perhaps, but with one big  difference: the amla is incredibly bitter. The fruit, lauded for its curative qualities, is loaded with vitamins and is sold in various forms.

Here & Now’s Jill Ryan profiles a family in Ahmedabad, India, who is makes a living making the fruit taste better.

Tune in today at Noon EST or find the story online.

To tweak a phrase: you never know what you’re gonna get from a box of chocolates. Believe it or not, you could even get dinner. In honor of Valentine’s Day, we asked our followers on Twitter to point us to some good, savory chocolate recipes. After all, some say chocolate’s now a super fruit – why save all that nutrition for dessert?

Here are some responses we got, plus a few findings of our own:

• EatingTheWeek said: “I’m thinking mole sauce recipes. Flexitarian Table ckbk has one for mole chicken or tempeh with masa (I’d do polenta).” We found the mole sauce recipe here – it’s adaptable for vegetarians and carnivores alike!
• ourcookquest tweets: “Maybe try doing a cocoa rubbed smoked meat? Low and slow for romance.” Her suggestion was this “smoky” rub for ribs.
• Cocoa is the secret ingredient in several chili recipes – we think this one from The Kitchn looks deliciously dark and meaty.
• The stars of this David Lebovitz recipe are three of my favorite junk foods – chocolate, sausage and pizza. I need to try this immediately.
• For an appetizer, Jacques Torres’ Savory Chocolate Napoleon is so strange and so easy that it practically demands to be made and tasted – once, if nothing else.
• For more savory recipes, check out NPR’s Kitchen Window, which includes dishes like Chili-Cocoa Mashed Acorn Squash.

What savory chocolate meals have you enjoyed? Are there any recipes you want to try out?

Ok, I’ll cop to a corny post headline. But now that Sunday’s come and gone, I feel better admitting it: I don’t like sports. The big game for me this weekend wasn’t the Super Bowl – it was Harvard Square’s Third Annual Chili Cook-Off. I do have at least one thing in common with Steelers fans, though – my team was robbed.

Neighborhood joints Fire + Ice, Crema Cafe, Grendel’s Den, Harvest, Tory Row, Redline, UpStairs on the Square and more all turned out to offer large, free cups of chili out on DeGuglielmo Plaza this Saturday – and despite (or because of) the drizzly weather, the street was packed with chili-and-cornbread loving foodies. Such is the power of free food in Boston that even J.P. Licks’ fresh avocado ice cream went fast in the wintry weather (it was, by the way, deliciously rich and creamy).

Having thoroughly lapped up every sample, I can say with full conviction that UpStairs on the Square deserved to win. Their braised short rib chili was a daring and hearty concoction – sweet, meaty, and complemented perfectly with a small slice of cornbread topped with a spicy butter. Other offerings stood out. I loved Harvest’s turkey and white bean chili, and Crema Café’s sweet potato chili was the most creative of the bunch. But if I had to pick one giant bowl to curl up with, it would be UpStairs on the Square’s.

Unfortunately, the crowd on Saturday didn’t share my enthusiasm. The winner was Redline’s Three-Meat, Three Bean chili. It was a strong and beefy cup (the three meats were carnitas, ground beef and Italian sausage – no complaints there), and certainly one of the best of the afternoon. Its flavors, however, were more traditional and refined than Upstairs’ barbecuey blend – for me, it just didn’t have that extra kick.

I do have one consolation – the mantra of the offseason. This is the time of year that every sports fan can say, “There’s always next year.” For once, I can join them.

Radio Boston talks to two local chefs, Flour’s Joanne Chang and Will Gilson of Garden at the Cellar, about red velvet, the racy culinary trendlet.  Earlier, I spoke to Angie Mosier, board member of the Southern Foodways Alliance and a food stylist in Atlanta about the history of red velvet cake.

“I’ve read things that said that the Waldorf Astoria in New York laid claim to the practice of putting red food coloring in a cake but being from the south, I think that it’s a southern woman that probably got the bright idea to put a whole bottle of food coloring in some cake batter to make it fancy,” said Mosier.  “And I consider the red velvet cake to be the Dolly Parton of cakes.   It’s a little bit tacky but you love her anyway.”

Joanne Chang and Will Gilson are lending their talents this evening to OMG Red Velvet, a benefit at Flour in Ft. Point Channel that will benefit the Brookline food rescue organization, Lovin’ Spoonfuls.

While the benefit is sold out, you can still make some of these red velvet creations in your own kitchen (see recipes below) and you can help some of the efforts we mention on the air.

Recipes:

• Joanne Chang’s Red Velvet Cake (PDF)
• Will Gilson’s  Red Velvet Fried Chicken (PDF)

More:

• Lovin’ Spoonfuls
• Help rebuild the snow-damaged J. Gilson Greenhouses

Cafeteria trays, strobe lights, truffle oil and maple cream. ‘May not sound like a Sunday morning meal, but it is.

In this most recent episode of “Boston Eats,” Sarah Kleinman heads out for brunch with her friend Kate, above, at Cafeteria on Newbury Street.

***

Previous “Boston Eats” reviews on PRK:
Angela’s Cafe in East Boston
Pho So 1 Boston in Dorchester
Ariana Restaurant in Allston
Gourmet Dumpling House in Chinatown

Catch Sarah here, too: our initial Q&A about the Boston Eats series.

Whether you’re a connoisseur or a Friday night sampler, there’s a whole lot to love about wine. Luckily, if you’re local, you live in a city (or near one) that has plenty of options and an ever-evolving palate.

Just ask Alicia Towns Franken, a Boston-based sommelier and wine consultant. Previously, Alicia worked as the wine director for Grill 23 & Bar, where she was voted a Boston Magazine’s Best Sommelier, named a rising star by Les Dames d’Escoffier and earned the Best of Award from the Wine Spectator. Today, Alicia is an accredited Wine Location Specialist (WLS) and an Ambassador for the Center for Wine Origins, an organization founded in 2005 by the wine growing regions of Champagne, France and Porto, Portugal to educate consumers, policy makers and the media about the importance of keeping wine labels accurate. In addition, Alicia conducts private tastings and seminars.

SO, suffice it to say, with a track record like that, Alicia is the woman to go to with your wine questions. PRK got the scoop on Boston’s current wine scene and what Alicia’s drinking in this chilly weather. Continue reading →