Paris Eats: Ladurée

Anyone who knows me knows that I love desserts, especially exquisitely prepared and plated desserts, so it should come as no surprise that I had to go to Ladurée while I was in Paris. And a fellow dessert lover in crime (some of you may know her) happened to be in Paris that very day so that just sealed the deal. She and her friend met Jeff and me -- well, we were supposed to meet at the Arc de Troimphe, but we all randomly ended up on the same subway car, so we met on the metro on the way over to the Arc. Then we all strolled down the Champs-Élysées to Ladurée. There were a couple of parties in front of us, but it didn't take long at all to get a table. We opened the menus, quickly flipping past the savory items, and spent time paging through all of the desserts before choosing four to share.

Fregola With Summer Vegetables

Summer is finally here! And boy, is it here. We don't have air conditioning, so we've really been feeling it on those 90-plus-degree days. But I love the sun and the warmth. I'll take it over snow and over gray, cold, rainy days any day. And in addition to all the sunshine, another thing I love about summer is the abundant veggies at farmers' markets and farm stands. I've been to the Roslindale farmers' market twice so far (so impressed with all the vendors there) and have already stopped into Volante Farms and Allandale Farm. Some beautiful squash and fresh shelling peas from Allandale, along with some ingredients already in the house and a recipe on Serious Eats, served as the inspiration for this summer meal.

Boston Cream Pie Pucks

Game 6 is tonight! We need a Bruins win! Those of you who have been reading for a while know that Jeff is a big Bruins fan and has gotten me into watching hockey and following the Bruins too. In the past, I've made treats for the games like black and gold cupcakes, black and gold cookies, and hockey puck-cakes (Ring-Ding-like cakes with gold filling). I was trying to come up with something new and fun to make for the Stanley Cup Finals when I realized that there is a dessert out there that's already basically black and gold, no food coloring needed: Boston cream pie.

Giveaway: "Feel The Taste" Of Summer With Lipton Iced Tea

This summer Lipton wants you to "Feel the Taste" of summer, and they're giving me a prize pack to give away to help one of you do just that! The prize pack includes a variety of Lipton Tea & Honey iced tea mixes as well as some of Lipton's Ready to Drink teas.

Paris Eats: Angelina

After spending a cold, rainy morning wandering around the Château de Versailles, admiring the hall of mirrors (perhaps the one thing I remember from high school European history classes), and trying to explore the grounds without getting soaked, Jeff and I headed back to our hotel room, armed with baguettes and cheese we'd picked up on Rue Cler. We had a mini indoor picnic, and as the weather started to clear up, we decided to trek to Angelina for the renowned hot chocolate L'Africain. It proved to be just the thing for a chilly afternoon.

Paris Eats: Auberge Pyrénées Cévennes

On our second night in Paris, after spending the day exploring the Louvre and Notre Dame and wandering around the St. Germain area (snacking on croissants and macarons and enjoying a light lunch at Da Rosa), we met one of my high school friends and her husband for dinner at one of their favorite spots (they've been living in Paris for a year): Auberge Pyrénées Cévennes.  It's near the République metro stop and trekking over there gave us an opportunity to explore another area of Paris. The restaurant was on a little side street and didn't look very impressive from the outside, but inside it was cozy and homey and the waitstaff was incredibly friendly.

Paris Eats: Café Constant

My old roommate just got married in Germany!! And Jeff and I got to celebrate with her and her now husband, along with their close friends and family, at a gorgeous vineyard in Bissersheim. But instead of jetting straight to Germany for the festivities, Jeff and I decided to start our trip in Paris. Plane tickets are so expensive, and we figured if we were flying all that way, we may as well make a real trip out of it. We flew out of Boston on a Saturday evening, arrived Sunday morning, and after checking into our hotel, showering, and changing, we hit the ground running. We wandered through the Musée d'Orsay, marveling over Impressionist works, we took an elevator to the second level of the Eiffel Tower and looked out over Paris, and finally we went in search of dinner.

Pasta Making With Jody Adams

Jody Adams is pretty much a household name in the Boston area (and beyond) among those who love good food. Most people know of her Harvard Square restaurant, Rialto, which she opened back in 1994. It's one of my favorites. Some have probably already been to her newer restaurant, Trade (still on my must-try list). Those who don't live nearby may have seen her on Top Chef Masters. Or perhaps you've been reading her blog The Garum Factory. Chances are you've heard of Jody in some capacity or another. I think she's pretty amazing, so when I was invited to take a class at Rialto and learn how to make pasta from her, it was an opportunity I couldn't turn down.

One Sunday back in April, I drove over to the Charles Hotel and waited outside Rialto with other class attendees to be let in for the class.

Summer in Massachusetts Preview Party At Boston Chops

I recently attended a Summer in Massachusetts Preview Party at Boston Chops. The location of the party gave me a chance to finally see what Boston Chops was all about, and the theme of the party gave me the opportunity to learn about what's going on in MA this summer.