Chez Christine

When is Butter Too Buttery?

A croissant that had too much butter.  I'm still reeling over the fact that I found something too buttery.  Have I lost my French sensibilities?

Last week, I was watching Todd English's Food Trip public television show, where he was exploring different breads made in NYC.  He visited the French Culinary Institute and learned how to make croissants, and he said that his ideal croissant had so much butter that when you bit into it, butter would drip down the side of your mouth.

"Gross!"  The boyfriend and I scoffed.  Our ideal croissant was flaky, tender, and of course, buttery, but wouldn't have so much butter that excess would coat your chin.  Some of my favorite croissants in Paris were at Kayser's bakeries or at the bakery near school, and they shattered when you bit into them but didn't leave massive greasiness in your mouth.

Then I found the croissant equivalent of the Exxon Valdez oil spill yesterday.  Here in Boston, there's a charming little café in the South End ironically called the South End Buttery.  Great hot chocolate, interesting sounding sandwiches, and a fun location lured me in to try their pastries.

The server was even nice enough to put two croissants in my bag instead of one, saying that they were on the small side.  On the way to the car to drive home, I was impatient and had to have une petite goutte first.  Ripping off a piece from the end, I popped it into my mouth, and yikes, was assaulted by too much butter and too much salt. 

A closer inspection of the croissant showed that it had little beads of melted butter collected at the bottom, not the dry flaky exterior that I love so much.  I even reheated it in the oven when I got home to see if it would help matters, but alas, it did not.  I'm not one to waste though, so the croissant was redeemed by a blotting from a paper towel and some raspberry champagne jam.  Who knew that even I could be out-buttered?

I'll still be back to the buttery for hot chocolate and to sample their other pastries, but we'll have to have a talk about their use of butter.  After all, balance is more important than abundance, even with something as delicious as beurre.

South End Buttery
314 Shawmut Ave.
Boston, MA 02118

Bon appétit!

Green Bean Pesto Salad

When I lived in Paris last year, one of my favorite things to do was to pack a simple picnic and head outside for my meal.  Picnics took away the distractions of home- TV, chores, work, and all I had to do was enjoy the beautiful surroundings and the company I was with.  Now that the winter blues have finally been chased away by the warm spring weather, I plan to start my picnicking again.

Here's a recipe for a delicious Green Bean Pesto Salad that doesn't require much stove time or chopping.  I love its simplicity and celebration of fresh flavors.  It's perfect for an outdoor meal- I made this a few weeks ago for a picnic and it was big hit.  Combine this with a few sandwiches and you've got a delicious meal that's ready to take with you.

If you're in Boston, some of the best picnic spots are in the Public Garden, Charles River Esplanade, or the Boston Common.  Enjoy this gorgeous spring weather while it lasts, I've been taking walks everyday just to see all the beautiful blossoms!

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Green Bean Pesto Salad
Serves 4 as a side dish

Because this recipe is not cooked (besides blanching green beans), try to get the freshest ingredients you can find for the best flavor.  The parsley keeps the pesto from turning brown.

1 pound of fresh green beans, stem ends removed
1 small clove of garlic, peeled
1 1/2 cups packed basil leaves
1/2 cup packed flat parsley leaves
1 tbsp lemon juice
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt & pepper to taste

1. Fill a stockpot or large pot with 3 quarts of water.  Add 1 tbsp salt and bring to a boil over high heat.  Fill a large bowl with ice cubes and cold water.
2. Add green beans to boiling water and cook until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.  Drain and transfer immediately to the ice bath for 2 minutes, then drain again.
3. Place garlic, basil leaves, parsley leaves, lemon juice, olive oil and 1/4 tsp salt in a food processor or blender.  Blend for about 1 minute, stopping and scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Pesto should be smooth and slightly thick.  If needed, thin out with extra olive oil 1 tbsp at a time.
4. Add parmesan cheese and blend for 15 seconds more.
5. Transfer to a large bowl and adjust with salt and pepper to taste.  Add green beans and toss to coat.  Can be served chilled or at room temperature.

Bon Appétit!

No 9 Park- Boston

Barbara Lynch has a veritable culinary empire out here in Boston, with her main restaurant, oyster/raw bar, charcuterie, catering company, and produce storefront (complete with ridiculously priced items like a $5 heirloom potato).  It's quite admirable to see a female chef be so successful, and I was curious to see what her food would be like.

When I was visiting Boston a few years ago, I tried to drop by for lunch but was unsuccessful since No 9 Park wasn't open on Sundays.  Now that the city is my home base, it was finally time to take the plunge.  What better way to celebrate the end of my internship in December than with a nice lunch there?

The restaurant itself is located between the shadow of the Statehouse and the historic Park Street Church.  It's very understated on the outside, black with shiny brass fixtures.  Inside is a cafe, bar area, and the formal dining room.  We sat in the dining room and ordered the lunch 6-course tasting ($54) with wine pairing ($80). 

I'd scoured Chowhound for some advice before going, and was told of an off-menu cocktail pairing that you can opt for instead of wine.  Since I know next to nothing about cocktails and was told No 9 Park had phenomenal ones, I immediately chose to go for it.  H opted for the wine pairing so that we could have sips of each other's libations.  I'm not sure if the cocktail pairing was the same price as the wine pairing, but I feel like it was pretty close.

The wine pairings were selected by our waiter, and the bartender selected my cocktails after finding out my likes/dislikes.  I'm quite a novice when it comes to alcohol, and I only ended up finishing two of them.  Still, I could tell that they were expertly made: the right balances of bitters, sweets, acid, and temperature.

The food itself is what I would describe as seasonal with French technique.  The only exceptional course was the homemade pasta sheets with truffles and butter.  In fact, it was so good that it made my Top 10 of 2006.  Most of the other things didn't impress me with creativity even though they were prepared well. A plain hamachi carpaccio with aged soy seemed like a bland stab at fusion, and a deconstructed bouillabaisse didn't have many vibrant flavors.

Would I return again?  Yes, but I think I would opt to have wine or a cocktail paired with a cheese plate in the bar or else have the fresh pappardelle bolognese in the cafe instead.  We didn't have any room left for cheese, but it sure was tempting when the cart rolled by.  The French in me never subsides.

(Unfortunately, I didn't record the concoctions created for me, so I'll leave the photos uncaptioned lest I lead you astray.)

   

   

   

   

   

   

No 9 Park
9 Park Street
Boston, MA 02108
Tel: (617) 742-9991
Mon-Sat 10-9:30, Cafe 5:30-11

Bon appétit!

Brookline Farmers' Market

Spoiled. That's the only word to describe people who are lucky enough to live in the Bay Area and visit the multitude of farmers' markets and produce stands.  The beautiful climate, combined with demanding clientele, always yielded new produce discoveries of high quality. I remember buying boxes of peaches, nectarines, and apricots from Frog Hollow and gorging on stone fruits.  I remember always buying more than I could eat but never regretting the visual satiation of just staring at all the gorgeous food.

Now in Boston, I've been to some of the farmers' markets in the city.  The ones at Copley Square and City Hall Plaza seem so small compared to the ones in Oakland, Berkeley, Napa, & San Francisco.  While they have a varied selection, I was slightly disappointed at not seeing a lot of peaches and exotic vegetables.  But this is due to the facts that the growing season is much shorter and the climate very different.  I shop at these markets but always longingly think of the ones back home.

Last week I was finally able to visit one of the biggest ones in the area, out in Brookline near Coolidge Corner.  It's a great location because I can walk there after work and take the T back into the city.  I picked up a bag of really interesting produce and ended up with a great healthy dinner (post to follow).

There were tons of vendors there, and the late afternoon time slot is perfect since I can go after work.  Crates with rainbows of tomatoes, buckets of apples (which I concede that the East Coast does better than the West Coast), and a fun vibe complete with an ice cream truck, kids running around, and both a pot pie guy and a regular pie lady!  I even got to sample chocolate goat cheese.  Yes, you read that right- cheese and chocolate finally merge together.

The sad thing is that all the farmers' markets out here close after October.  I'm going to try to visit them as much as I can before the season ends, I urge you to do so also.  And if you live in the Bay Area, someone please send me a basket of whatever's in season!  I will love you forever.  Or about as much as I would also love somebody who sends me something from Pierre Hermé.  I'm macaron deprived right now.

 

Brookline Farmers' Market
Centre Street West Parking Lot near Coolidge Corner
June 15-Oct 26, 2006
Every Thursday 1:30PM-Dark

Bon appétit!

Darling but Not Delicious

Interesting + pretty = tasty?

Not always.  Unfortunately, these baby purple carrots lacked any real sweetness at all.  I purchased them at the Copley Square farmer's market here in Boston, intrigued by their color and trying to redeem myself from the fact that I never tried the carrots grown in sand when I was in Paris (which are reportedly sweeter).

But sometimes the eye can be deceiving.  These carrots were more flash than substance, but now I am the wiser.  Still, it won't stop me from trying interesting things in the future though.  I mean, what kind of food freak would I be if I didn't branch out?

It was nice to be back at a real farmer's market.  While Paris is abundant with outdoor produce markets, most of the stands are not from the farmers themselves.  Instead, most of the produce is sourced from Marché Rungis, and you'll see the country of origin on each price sign.  It's a little sad not to talk to the growers themselves, something I was used to in California.

So talking to farmers and getting advice on what to do with the produce (in English, no less) has been a nice treat.  We've made strawberry jam with little strawberries picked the same day.  There are raspberries and blueberries waiting to be served with homemade shortcake. Fresh corn on the cob was part of dinner last night, and heirloom tomatoes were served with scrambled eggs this morning.

J'aime l'été.

Boston Copley Square Farmer's Market
Until Nov 21
Tues & Fri 11AM-6PM

Bon appétit!

dante- Cambridge

Back in the good ol' USA.  I find it slightly ironic that I'm spending some time here in Boston before heading home to the Bay Area.  Boston seems quite European in some ways, with its extended history and quaint feel.  I love it.

Spending my 26th birthday back in the States was perfect.  Not only did I get taken out to a great restaurant for dinner, but I also got a brand new digital camera!  The camera is perfect- small and speedy, just the way I like it.  As much as I drool over big cameras and lenses, I'm too lazy to carry it around with me all the time if it's too big.  Hopefully you like the much-improved quality of my pictures.  (And a hearty merci to my 5 year old digital camera which has worked so hard!) 

The birthday dinner was at dante in Cambridge.  It was a gorgeous summer night, perfect for our patio seats overlooking the Charles River and the Boston skyline.  Chef Dante de Magistris has a magical touch.  The atmosphere was hip and stylish, with food and drinks to match.

View from the patio


Outdoor bar

We (party of 2) shared 4 small plates, one entree, and one dessert.  The entree was quite large, so if I return, I would probably order 3 small plates to share instead.  The friendly and knowledgeable waiter automatically had the kitchen split one of the pastas and salads for us- a nice surprise.  My aperitif was blood orange juice with prosecco, refreshing, light, and perfect on a balmy night.

Amuse bouche- fresh mozzarella with confetti of peppers

Nothing very exciting about the amuse.  It lacked any strong flavors.  However, the warm bread made in-house was the best I've had since leaving Paris.

Starters


Handmade Spaghetti "a la guitarra" ($12)
with Maine crab, guanciale, sweet peas, and lemony crumbs
(split portion photo'd)

The pasta here was picture-perfect al dente, where the pasta actually does bite back!  Light yet full of fresh flavors, it was still a hearty summer pasta.  Tender chunks of crab and crunchy bread crumbs.

Potato Gnocchi ($11)
with Gorgonzola dolce, roasted peaches, speck, and pistachio pesto

Another winner, gnocchi that actually had tons of potato flavor that were pillowy and light.  Grilled peaches were a nice surprise and contrast that added a lot of freshness to a usually heavy dish.

Mini Lobster "Clambake" ($12)
andouille sausage corn dog, roasted lobster,
local clams & fennel reduction

The famous twist on a clambake here didn't resonate so well in execution.  A typical clambake has sausage flavor infused in all the ingredients because they are all cooked together.  However, the only sausage flavor here came from the corn dog, and it just seemed like a mish-mash of ingredients.  Each item was cooked well, but it just didn't come together.  A case of an interesting idea that just doesn't pan out when you try to make it small-scale or in a different kind of environment than the original concept.

Cremini & Zucchini ($12)
arugula salad with shaved mushrooms, zucchini,
lemon, capers, & Parmigiana Reggiano
(split portion photo'd)

Nice, bitter arugula that contrasted well with large shavings of parmesan.  I liked the large pieces of cheese to really add texture that little shavings of cheese just can't add.  It was dressed nicely with a tart vinaigrette that helped to slightly wilt the arugula (which I think was good since it wasn't baby arugula).

Main Dish
Steak Frites ($28)
with grilled lemon thyme aioli & truffled watercress salad

Sorry, no photo here.  We devoured half of it before realizing that I hadn't taken a picture.  The steak was a little overcooked but tender, with a large pile of crispy fries lightly sprinkled with herbs.  I liked the lemon thyme aioli dipping sauce, the intense sauce under the steak, and the perfumed watercress.

Dessert
Ginger Soda ($9)
with salted caramel mousse, almond cookie

Outstanding.  Homemade ginger ice cream in ginger soda, it was so refreshing I wanted to order another one.  Maybe it was the warm night or the birthday glow I was basking in, but I loved everything about this dessert, from the cold creaminess of the soda and ice cream to the salty richness of the mousse to the crunchiness of the cookie.  Yum.

dante's seems to have a winning combination of food with a view.  Fresh food, fun concepts, and a friendly environment.  Highly recommended for special occasions, drinks, or just a relaxing dinner on the waterfront.  Boston is lucky.

dante
Royal Sonesta Hotel Boston
40 Edwin Land Boulevard
Cambridge, MA 02141
Tel: (617) 806-4200

Bon appétit!