Rant: Cheap Chinatown Cakes

At your favorite bakeries, how much does it cost to buy a slice of cake? When a simple cupcake may cost you $3 or more, then a slice of cake can easily run you $4 or $5. Their other desserts are usually similarly priced and purchasing a dozen treats can be rather expensive. You could easily spend $30-$50 for a dozen sweets and that can be tough for many of us to do during these tough economic times.

How many bakeries do you know where a slice of cake, or other desserts, cost only $1? Probably few, if any. They do exist though and you can find several of them within a short distance of each other, if you know where to look.    

Last week, I ate in Chinatown twice and during those visits I stopped at a few bakeries to purchase several treats to take home with me. One of my stops was at Eldo Cake House, a favorite spot, especially as I love their coconut cake slices. It is almost unbelievable that they charge less than $1 for that slice of coconut cake! In fact, they sell a number of cake slices and various other baked goods for under $1. The other Chinatown bakeries I visited have similar pricing and you can find so many different items for under $1.

Cheap, cheap, cheap! 

Though these prices are cheap, what about the taste of these desserts? I have enjoyed nearly everything I have eaten at these Chinatown bakeries and believe they offer an excellent quality for the value. You can find plenty of diversity, something to appeal to all tastes and preferences, and you won't break the bank. I don't think the Chinatown bakeries receive enough credit for what they have to offer. They might not be as flashy as some of the more lauded bakeries, but their more subtle or plainer treats can well satisfy your sweet cravings.

Don't elevate style over substance, especially when that style comes with a much greater cost. What truly is important to you in a dessert? Price? Taste? The next time you want to visit a bakery, why not consider a trip to Chinatown.

What s your favorite Chinatown bakery?

Tuscan Market: A Worthy Italian Destination

There is a new Italian market located in Salem, New Hampshire but is it worthy of your patronage? Is it too expensive as some consumers have alleged? Does it live up to its potential?

Last September, I attended a preview event for Tuscan Market, a new Italian food market that eventually opened in November. You should read my prior review for background on this new endeavor. As I said then, "I think the concept behind the Tuscan Market is excellent, a one stop destination for great, fresh Italian food and wine." I was impressed with what I saw and tasted, and believed that Tuscan Market had great potential. Obviously, I wanted to follow up, to determine if it lived up to that potential once it opened to the public.

Recently, I visited the Tuscan Market for the first time since it officially opened in November, having given it a couple months to work out any initial kinks. In short, Tuscan Market has lived up to its potential and is worthy of my highest recommendation. It is a one-stop shopping destination for a diverse variety of Italian foods, wines, ingredients, equipment and much more. Some of the foods are prepared on premises, such as bread and pasta, while others are imported from Italy. There is also a small café where you can grab a bite to eat, such as pizzas and paninos. Having all of these delicious items available in a single location is convenient.

As you enter your store, to your left are the cashiers and just past them is a section of kitchen supplies, from coffee makers to pizza stones and cookware. You can find wine glasses, cork screws and other wine-related paraphernalia. In a different area of the store, there is also a table of Italian cookbooks and magazines. So it is not all just food and wine.

Past the kitchen supplies it the wine room and their selection currently includes about 220 wines, with more coming. Most of the wines are displayed on the above shelves but there is also a small cooler holding white and sparkling wines. Most of the wines are Italian though you will find others from all over the world, from California to France, and the choices range from big producers to small, more artisan ones. Wine tastings are held on Saturdays, from 11:30am-3pm. Prices are reasonable and some even seem low compared to other wine stores.  

These shelves held a variety of packaged foods, many imported from Italy, including dry pasta to tea, tuna fish to sauces. Once again, the prices are reasonable, and some products are even lower than what you will find at large supermarkets. At this point, I am starting to realize that those people who have claimed the market is too expensive might not have been correct.

There are refrigerated coolers holding homemade frozen pastas and other items. Prices also seem very reasonable and you can get 8 big ravioli, such as cheese or mushrooms, for only $5-$6, while lobster raviolis cost $14.39.

Want a homemade sauce? Check out their 16 ounce packages, including such varieties as San Marzano Tomato sauce $5, Bolognese $7, and Wild Boar Ragu $7. If you don't have enough time to make your own sauce, but don't want to use a jar sauced, then these fresh made sauce are an excellent option. And then are less expensive than some jar sauces too.

Ah, the breads! You can watch them baking fresh bread in their ovens and the smell is intoxicating. They had seven types of bread available, including Ciabatta, Focaccia, Roasted Garlic, Rustic Olive, Seven Grain, Cranberry Walnut, and Pane Pugliese, all reasonably priced from $3.99-$5.99. Their Roasted Garlic is amazing, with large garlic cloves inside the bread. I bought a loaf on my visit and it had just come out of the oven. It was even too hot for them to slice. Beware, you might need to buy two loaves as one might not survive your drive, as you decided to tear off a piece and devour it while it is warm.

They have a good selection of cheeses, though not as extensive as you will find in some other larger markets and shops. However, there are plenty of excellent options and prices are comparable to other cheese vendors.

There is also a good selection of cured meats, sausages, hams and such. Prices are also competitive, such as the Prosciutto di Parma at $16.99/pound. Get some wine, bread, cheese and cured meats and you have the makings for a great meal.

Several varieties of fresh pasta were available, including: pappardelle $5.99/lb, orecchiette $5.99/lb, tagliatelle $5.99/lb, and capellini $5.99/lb. I have tried a couple of the pastas, and they both tasted great, with a nice texture. For two people, a pound of pasta may be sufficient for two meals, making the pasta a great value.

Their fresh filled pastas include items like Short Rib Tortelli $8.99/lb, Mushroom Ravioli $7.99/lb, Butternut Squash Cappellacci $6.99/lb, Quattro Formaggi Ravioli $6.99/lb and Maine Lobster Ravioli $19.99/lb. I tried the Short Rib Tortelli and they were delicious, with plenty of moist, tender meat inside a compelling pasta triangle. They did not skimp on the fillings. Again, you get plenty of pasta in a pound, and the prices are very reasonable.

There is a small, but good, selection of meats. You can find a greater selection at a butcher shop but there are plenty of fine options here. You will find beef options such as Filet $22.99/lb and Aged Ribeye $12.99/lb, and prices are comparable to numerous other markets.

There were three different Sausages available, priced $5.99-$6.99/lb, and once again a reasonable price. You will also find another case with packages of marinated meats, from chicken to lamb. Overall, you have plenty of meat choices.

The Market sells a variety of freshly prepared items such as lasagna, arancini, eggplant parmigiana, chicken parmigiana, meatballs and more. The food looks enticing and comes in good-sized portions.

There was not much produce available but that is likely a seasonal issue.

Presently, they sell very little seafood, except for shrimp, but they are working on changing that. Sometime in the near future, they will likely have a much better selection of seafood available.

At their cafe, you have several options and nearly everything is $10 or less. Above, you can see their Panino sandwiches ($8.99), which are pressed to order and are good-sized, and freshly made that day. They were making sandwiches and putting them in the case while I was there. They also have Soup and Salads available, most salads costing $6 except for the Antipasto at $9.

You can also order Pizza, which I tasted and very much enjoyed during the preview event, or a pasta dish with your choice of pasta, sauce, and finish. Prices are reasonable, making lunch very affordable.

There are plenty of dessert options, from Cupcakes ($2.50) to Tiramisu ($2.99), from Cakes to Cookies. You can buy entire cakes or just slices. They even sell gluten free baked goods, though those are not made on premises as they lack a gluten free kitchen.

Or you can try some of the delectable Gelato, coming in a wide range of flavors, priced from Small ($2.69) to Large ($4.69). The gelato is made on the premises and comes in many compelling flavors.

Service was great, the employees all being very pleasant, courteous and helpful. Free food samples are available, enticing you to buy more. Overall, I found the prices here to be very reasonable, and even lower than other food markets. One must also remember that fresh, artisan food products may sometimes cost more than cheap, mass-produced, prepackaged items. However, they are usually worth the higher price. I love the diversity of food and wine available here, especially as all of it can be found under one roof. The Tuscan Market receives my highest recommendation and you should make the easy drive up Rt.93 to Salem to shop here. I will certainly return soon and hope to see you there.

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.
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1) Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House will celebrate Cupid’s Day, on Thursday, February 14 and Friday, February 15, with a special “Live Large, Love Big” Valentine’s Day menu that includes an eight-ounce filet and an eight-ounce lobster tail for $79.

Featured additions available:
- Steak toppings: Oscar Style $15, Port-Foie Gras Butter $6
- Optional lobster accompaniment: Champagne Beurre Blanc $6
- Dessert: Godiva Chocolate Mousse Cake $12

2) The newly reopened Prezza is about to be struck by Cupid’s arrow with the arrival of San Valentino in the North End. On Valentine’s Day, Thursday, February 14 from 5:30pm–10pm, Executive Chef & Owner Anthony Caturano will dish out five exclusive specials available for one night only.

To start, there are Razor Clams (fregola, garlic, olive oil - $16). For a handmade pasta course, Prezza will serve up Ricotta Gnocchi (artichokes, chanterelles - $18). For entrees, there is Red Snapper (Milanese style - $28) and Grilled Bone-In Ribeye Steak (grilled red onions, lobster mashed potatoes - $46). For the finale, indulge in traditional Zeppolis (honey, hazelnut - $10).

3) Celebrate Monday nights with Chef Evan Deluty as he welcomes friends for Stella's 4th annual "Guest Chef Mondays". This annual event has grown and recommendations are highly suggested by calling Stella at 617-247-7747. Each visiting chef will create a special appetizer, entree and dessert, and Stella's regular dinner menu will also be available. The "Guest Chef Mondays" menu will be available starting at 5:30pm for $40 per guest.

The "Guest Chef Monday's" lineup runs through March 31:
--Dante deMagistris, Dante, Il Castel January 21
--Robin King, from Oro Restaurant January 28
--Will Gilson, Puritan & Co February 4
--Rodney Murillo – Davio’s and Avila February 11
--Marc Orfaly - Pigalle February 18
--Jay Silva – Bambara Restaurant March 4
--Colin Lynch – Menton March 11
--Doug Rodriguez – Clio March 18
--Louis Dibiccari – Tavern Road March 25

4) Post 390’s Chef Eric Brennan shares his latest menu in his “Farm to Post” dinner series, showcasing raw cow’s milk cheese from 5 Spoke Creamery, Goshen, NY. The dairy farm and creamery is located north of NYC, bringing together the dedication of a dairy farm with the artisanal hand of the cheesemaker. Post 390 showcases a farm every month as part of its “Farm to Post” dinner series, creating new weekly menus featuring the particular farm.

5 Spoke Creamery is both a dairy farm and a cheese-maker, as its motto is ‘great cheese starts with great milk.’ Their Holstein cows are grass-fed, roaming free on the farm, choosing from a variety of grasses, herbs, flowers and weeds. 5 Spoke Creamery believes the raw milk of grass-fed cows has a depth of flavor which cannot be duplicated. The cheeses are all handmade in the farmstead tradition, made with milk from their grass-fed Holstein cows. 5 Spoke Creamery milks the cows at 4am and makes the cheese at 9am. It doesn’t get fresher than that.

This Menu begins January 17 and will change each week through mid-February
--Cauliflower and 5 Spoke Heritage Cheese Soup, Brambly Farm Pork and Apple Croquette
--Lobster, White Corn Tortilla and Welsh Cheddar Charlotte, Lobster-Roasted Pepper Salsa
--Grilled Maple Sugar and Spice Rubbed Duck Breast, Bacon-Redman Cheddar Waffle, Apple-Pear Butter, Brussel Sprouts with Peppered Duck Confit
--Herb Roasted Veal Rib Eye, Orecchiette with Broccoli and Crawford Cloth Bound Cheddar Cheese
--Welsh Cheddar Bavarian with Honey Apricots and Cinnamon Phyllo Crunch

5) 62 Restaurant & Wine Bar, located just north of Boston on the Salem waterfront, is celebrating its five year anniversary. Executive Chef Antonio Bettencourt has planned to host a series of three dinners to commemorate three major turning points at the restaurant. Each dinner will feature a five-course, prix fixe menu for $62 (plus tax and gratuity). The three dinners, titled Inspiration, The Opening and Fan Favorites, tell the story of how a dream to open one’s own restaurant becomes a reality. Chef Bettencourt has much to be thankful for, and he wishes to share this five year milestone with all who have taken part in his journey.

The first dinner, Inspiration, will be on Wednesday, January 23, at 6:30pm, and will feature dishes that have inspired Chef Bettencourt throughout the years. He will be recreating some of his most memorable dishes that have shaped his style as a chef, such as Tagliatelle ai Funghi, Porchetta and Agnolotti di Patate.

The second dinner, The Opening, will be on Wednesday, February 20, at 6:30pm, and will feature dishes from 62 Restaurant & Wine Bar’s very first menu. The dinner will include signature dishes that have gone on to become classics and others that are not listed on the current menu but are often requested by customers.

The series will conclude with a grand finale featuring Fan Favorites on Wednesday, March 20, at 6:30pm.  The dinner menu will be comprised of the restaurant’s most popular items. Diners have been asked to vote for their favorite dish from the past five years via Facebook and the winning dishes will appear on that evening’s menu.

Every customer who attends a celebratory dinner will automatically be entered for a chance to win a $100 gift card to the restaurant. Reservations are required for the tasting menu series and can be made by calling  978-744-0062.

6) Taberna de Haro has some interesting Wine Seminars upcoming, concentrating on individual wineries. Each tasting, which starts at 7pm, is open to 20 people and Chef/Owner Deborah Hansen will be joined by someone from the winery.

January 23: The Wines of Abadal
Owner Valentin Roqueta will be at Taberna de Haro to tell us about his modern winery with a 900 year viticultural tradition, in Pla de Bagés, Catalunya. Two unique reds, two exotic whites, plenty of Catalán tapas and spirited discussion.

February 20: The Wines of Val de Sil 
Three expressive whites, made from the godello grape, laden with minerals and mystery; and one beautiful red, a mencia with both earth and grace. Generous Galician tapas and a splash of history about the Valdeorras zone.

February 27: Raventós i Blanc Cava
Pepe Raventós, a man of his land possessed of tremendous humor and formidable knowledge, will be in attendance at Taberna de Haro to lead a tasting on his cavas, arguably some of the very best in Spain. Tradition and grace are the underpinnings of these gorgeous sparkling wines. Lots of Catalán tapas and Pepe's unique personality will make this tasting wonderful.

Cost is $40 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Reservation and pre-payment required.  Call 617-277-8272 for reservations.

7) Valentine’s Day will soon arrive at Towne Stove and Spirits and Culinary Director Lydia Shire and Executive Chef Mario Capone are whipping up some exclusive specials that will be available for four nights so lovers can celebrate all weekend long. To start off your romantic night on the Towne, the culinary duo will be serving Bluefin Tuna Carpaccio (with pickled ginger, white soy, crisped sweet potato - $21). For the main course, there is Potato Wrapped Cod (with cockles, saffron aioli, baby fennel - $35). To end the evening on a sweet note, indulge in a shared dessert for two: Dark Chocolate Cheesecake (with chocolate & champagne strawberries - $16). These items are available from Thursday, February 14 to Sunday, February 17, from 5:30pm – 11:00pm.

Rant: A Conveyor Belt Of No Respect

Ten million men and I share the same genetic abnormality yet it is a problem that few talk about, and even fewer do anything to help. It is an issue that gets no respect yet as it affects 7% of the male population it is something that needs to be brought forth, considered and addressed. Last night, this issue arose for me again when I dined at a new sushi joint.

What is my problem? I am color blind and more specifically, I possess a red-green color blindness. I can see colors, including red and green. However, I can't differentiate between as many shades of red and green as other people. An average person might be able to see ten different shades of red though I might only see five shades. I can determine the correct colors of traffic lights but matching the colors of my clothes is occasionally a challenge.

Color blindness is caused by the lack of certain pigments in nerve cells of the eyes, and red-green color blindness is the most common form. There is also a blue-yellow form though it is much less common. It is a condition mostly prevalent in men and only about 0.4% of women are color blind. Despite its prevalence in men, when is the last time you saw a business worrying about anyone being color blind?

Last night, I stopped at Enso Sushi, a new kaiten-zushi restaurant where sushi glides through the dining room on a conveyor belt. When a dish that appeals to you passes by, you take it off the belt. Each plate is color coded to a specific price so that when your meal is over, the server can easily determine your bill through counting the colored plates in front of you. You receive a color coded menu so you can determine the cost of each item. Most prices range from $2-$5 per plate, with a few specials above that cost.

My problem was that two of the colors looked essentially the same to me, and the difference in their price was about $2. If I just took a plate off the belt, I might have chosen a dish that costs $2 more than I thought it did because I got the color wrong. That could be a significant issue. With some time and effort in analyzing the menu, I was largely able to differentiate which dish cost which amount, but it was a bit of a hassle and should not have been necessary.

The restaurant had other identification options available beside using color coding. For example, they could have assigned each plate a certain letter or number and thus avoided causing any issue with the color blind. I think it is safe to assume that they never considered the issue of the color blind when choosing their color coded system.

I have encountered this issue before in other color coding situations, such as guide books and maps. For instance, I own a sustainable sushi guide that used a color coded system to indicate which seafood was a Good Choice and which was Avoid. The problem was that the colors used for those two designations looked basically the same to me. That was a significant problem and I am not alone in  my difficulties. There are ten million other color blind men.

Color coding may seem to make it easy for many people yet it also makes it much more difficult for others. Restaurants, writers, publishers, and businesses or all types should consider the fact that there is a significant amount of men who are color blind. We deserve respect too.

Rant: The Colonists, Football & Pretentious Wine

Wine is pretentious and elitist, best suited to the upper classes while beer is more the drink of the common man. Or at least that is how many Americans seem to view the two beverages. While many Europeans may view wine as an ordinary drink, a common accompaniment to their meals, far less Americans view it through that prism. And it has been that way since the founding of our nation.

The original Jamestown and Plymouth settlers brought beer and malt with them and it was their favored alcoholic drink. "The colonists’ interest in beer was understandable: it was the most important beverage in England, so much so that English families expended an estimated one-third of their budgets on malt for brewing." Besides continuing to import beer, the colonists also brewed their own beer, creating a wide range of different flavored beers.

The "...colonists tried virtually anything to brew and flavor their beer, including wheat, cornstalks, maple sap, elderberries, gooseberries, nuts, bark, various roots, pine chips, hemlock, and assorted leaves."  The most commonly brewed beers included those made from molasses and those from the berries of persimmons. George Washington was a big fan of molasses beer.

Wine was imported too "...but many colonists eschewed it, considering it pretentious. For the most part, wines were favored by the upper class." As today, price was an important factor in which wines were the most popular. "Wines imported from Europe were taxed, whereas wines imported from European possessions were not. As a result, wines from the Portuguese Azores or Spanish Canary Islands were less expensive than those from Continental Europe, and these wines became popular in colonial America." As we can see, wine attained a reputation from the start as being seen as pretentious and that image remains with us even today, though there are cracks in that facade.

How do we shatter the perception of wine being pretentious and elitist? Currently, the U.S. market is divided into approximately 52% beer, 32% spirits and only 15% wine. Since 1995, shares of spirits and wine have increased while shares of beer have actually decreased, by nearly 9%. Despite the increase in wine consumption, there is still a long road ahead before it becomes more widely consumed. For four hundred years, wine has been seen as pretentious so that is a significant obstacle to overcome and it won't occur overnight.

Over the last few years, there has been much talk of the “democratization” of wine, efforts to make it more accessible to the common person. Such efforts have been made by producers, marketers, retailers, writers, and more. For example, the rise of wine blogs is one such effort, the ability of any person, of any knowledge level, to write about wine, to share their thoughts and experiences. There are some wine blogs which perpetuate the aura of pretension, but the vast majority work at making wine more accessible. As another example, there are more wine stores now that aim at lowering pretension, trying to make the purchasing decision much easier for their customers.

Most of their efforts are still in their relative infancy and efforts need to be continued and expanded. Yesterday, I worked at the wine store and football was on the mind of many, important playoff games to decide who would battle in the conference championships next week. The drink of choice of the majority of customers was beer, not wine. Consider also how many beer commercials you see during football games. Who tailgates with wine? Will we one day see wine become as common a choice for sport events as beer? If that day happens, maybe we can truly say that wine has become democratized.

Do you contribute to the stereotype of wine being pretentious or do you help defeat it? If so, what do you do to help fight the perception? What do you drink for sporting events? And why? We all need to contribute to enhancing the perception of wine.

All of the above quotes are from Drinking History: Fifteen Turning Points in the Making of American Beverages by Andrew F. Smith (Columbia University Press, November 2012)