Hungry Travelers - Page 9 of 82 - Bringing the tastes of travel back home

Going green (chile, that is) in northern New Mexico

Posted on January 20, 2023January 18, 2023 by Pat

Green chile is the signature flavor of New Mexico. The plant seems to thrive in the thin soils along the river and stream valleys feeding into the Rio Grande. Many cultivars are named for the towns north of Santa Fe, like Española and Chimayó. Albuquerque-based Hatch Chile Company has become synonymous with the best green chile peppers on the planet. Simply put, chile is the cornerstone of New Mexican cuisine. To get a taste of the state's traditional cooking, my friend Patti and I drove about 25 miles north to the little town of Chimayó. Situated in a valley of the Sangre de Cristo mountains, the town is perhaps most famous for the Santuario de Chimayó, a Catholic chapel some believe to have healing powers....Read More

Toasting Santa Fe’s Day of the Dead

Posted on January 13, 2023January 10, 2023 by Pat

Someday I'll look back and say that I was there at the beginning. When my friend Patti and I left San Antonio, Texas, we flew to Santa Fe, New Mexico, for that city's first official Day of the Dead observances. Santa Fe's two-day gathering was more modest that San Antonio's well-established event. But what it lacked in size, it made up for in heart. We missed the Friday-night kick-off, but were on hand for the full-day of events on Saturday. Early in the day, people gathered in Santa Fe Plaza to prepare ofrendas (as the altars to deceased loved ones are called), listen to strolling mariachis, and have their faces painted as skeletons and Catrinas. As darkness fell, lights twinkled from the trees and the...Read More

Pharm Table restaurant makes healthy eating fun

Posted on January 6, 2023December 30, 2022 by Pat

Say “Texas” and most people think “beef.” So the quality of the beef that I enjoyed in San Antonio was in line with my expectations, even at the iconic fast-food joint Whataburger (see previous post). But Pharm Table restaurant (611 S Presa St., Suite 106; (210) 802-1860; pharmtable.com) was a delightful revelation. Chef Elizabeth Johnson is on a mission to surprise diners in this beef-centric state with plant-forward dishes that are delicious, satisfying, and fun to eat. That's not to say that Johnson doesn't take healthy eating seriously. Her plant-forward cuisine is informed by research from the Harvard School of Public Health, among other institutions, and by the principles of Ayurvedic eating. “I realized that it was my calling to bring vegetables and plants back...Read More

What a burger! Like the name says…

Posted on January 2, 2023December 21, 2022 by Pat

My friend Patti was incredulous when I told her that I had never eaten a Whataburger. For the uninitiated, that's the signature burger of the chain of the same name. It launched in Texas in 1950. As far as Patti is concerned, few, if any, burgers rival a Whataburger. She was born and raised in Texas, so I might have written off her enthusiasm as local pride. But we share a taste for really good hamburgers, so I was eager to give Whataburger a try when we visited San Antonio. From one burger stand in Corpus Christi, Whataburger now has outposts in 14 states, but none in New England. Transplanted Texans like Patti, who now lives in Whataburger-free Kentucky, often make the orange and white...Read More

Pearl dining stretches from south Texas to the eastern Med

Posted on December 26, 2022December 21, 2022 by Pat

I'm not about to leave New England for San Antonio, Texas. But I have to admit that the apartments springing up in the Pearl neighborhood are sure tempting. It would be a kick to be part of the revitalization and rejuvenation of the Pearl Brewing Company complex that operated here until 1999. And I'd never go hungry. There's a farmer's market every Saturday (above) and enough restaurants, cafes, and bars that I could eat somewhere different once a day for almost a month. Ladino carries the torch for Sephardic cuisine Instead, I settled for an evening of tasting at two of Pearl's newest eateries, both opened in September. My friend Patti and I were especially curious about Ladino (200 E Grayson St. #100; 210-325-6007; ladionsatx.com)....Read More

Food is key to San Antonio’s Day of the Dead

Posted on December 19, 2022December 21, 2022 by Pat

Readers might recall that David and I visited Patzcuaro, Mexico, to be part of the Day of the Dead observances of late October and early November. The trip was everything I hoped it would be — and more. I was heartened and somehow comforted by how naturally Mexicans honor their departed loved ones while simultaneously celebrating life. Folks left favorite foods and drinks at gravesites. Then they headed to the main plaza to eat and drink and embrace life. The experience so resonated with me that I jumped at the chance to join my friend Patti at Day of the Dead observances in San Antonio, Texas, and Santa Fe, New Mexico. We started in San Antonio, where the self-proclaimed largest Day of the Dead celebration...Read More

Up n’ Down’s rock & bourbon hits sweet spot

Posted on December 14, 2022December 14, 2022 by Pat and David

Winter is coming on in a rush, which is all the more reason to seek some golden warmth. Last weekend we visited the spiffy Southern-inflected Kendall Square joint from chef Chris Parson. It's called Lily P's Fried Chicken and Oysters (50 Binney St., Cambridge, Mass.; 617-225-2900; lilypschicken.com). Located more or less in Coder Hollow amid the life sciences labs and condo warrens that now define Kendall, it has a bustling and inventive bar program to go along with the comfort food. Any bar where you can order pimento cheese and Ritz crackers to go with your drink is already steps ahead of the competition. About that inventive bar — one of the perfect cold weather cocktails now headlining the menu is the Vermonster. The base...Read More

Acclaimed baker Adam Young shows how it’s done

Posted on December 5, 2022December 5, 2022 by Pat and David

Whenever we visit Mystic, Connecticut, we always try to stop at Sift Bake Shop (5 Water Street, 860-245-0541, siftbakeshopmystic.com) for cookies, breads, and pastries. Pastry chef and owner Adam Young was anointed Best Baker in America by the Food Network show of the same name, and while we haven't tried the goods of all the other bakers in America, we'd have to say his food is right up there. So imagine our delight to find that he was headlining a dinner at Harvest restaurant's The Book and The Cook series. Harvest (44 Brattle St., Cambridge, MA; 617-868-2255; harvestcambridge.com) is just a few blocks from our home in Cambridge. We could walk to and from dinner and not worry about overindulging on the masterful wine pairings...Read More

Abruzzo means more than just Montepulciano

Posted on November 21, 2022November 21, 2022 by Pat and David

Italy is famed primarily for its red wines, including Montepulciano in Abruzzo. But the region also produces some excellent whites. The best of them are Trebbiano d'Abruzzo, made from the regional clone of the white wine grape that accounts for nearly a third of the white wine vineyards in all of Italy. For example, Soave and Orvieto are based on the same grape. But Trebbiano displays a special character in Abruzzo that justifies going under its own name. We recently acquired a bottle of Trebbiano d'Abruzzo from Cantina Terzini (cantinaterzini.it). The Terzini family has grown grapes for generations but started making wine under its own name in 2007. Cantina Terzini has been a big success in Europe and Australia but is still seeking an American...Read More

Montepulciano spearheads the wines of Abruzzo

Posted on November 15, 2022November 15, 2022 by Pat and David

For one of the most-exported of Italian wines, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo seems to fly under the radar for most Americans. As a rule of thumb, just remember that these DOC wines represent the best value in Italian reds. They are perfect, by the way, with Thanksgiving dinner. Just make sure you read the labels carefully. Many producers give their wines fanciful names like Ottobre Rosso (Red October) or Divus (Rich). Look for the Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOC indication on the capsule. Unless your family hails from Abruzzo, you might not even know where the region is located. Geography says it's central, but most references call it southern Italy because of the cultural links to the south. The main thing to remember is that Abruzzo is a green,...Read More