Tag Archives: postaweek2011

Cuisine - Desserts, Foodie Firsts, Places - Boston, Places - Massachusetts, Places - New England

Whoopie Pies at Chococoa Baking Company

If you remember, a few months ago I posted a list of “6 New England Things To Try.” On the list, one of the things that I most wanted to try was the “Whoopie Pie,” a chocolate cookie sandwich with a fluffy cream interior. Shortly after I posted my list of things, I received a message on Twitter from one of the owners of Chococoa Baking Company in Newburyport, Mass. She invited me to her little shop in this seaside town to enjoy my first Whoopie Pie.

Owned by a husband and wife team, Chococoa Baking Company prides itself on using fresh, natural and organic ingredients in its Whoopies. (By the way, the name Whoopie Pie comes from when kids would yell “Whoopie” for the treat.)

Julie Ganong is a Maine native who remembers baking Whoopies with her grandmother and mother. Her husband, Alan Mons, is the genius behind all of the baking. He’s taken classes all over. The pair has even traveled to France to try the some of the world’s most decadent chocolates to find some of their Whoopie inspiration.

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Cuisine - Italian, Places - Boston

Review: Pizzeria Regina in North End

The masses of people tend to hover around Hanover Street in Boston’s North End, a little Italian escape within walking distance of the Garden, Faneuil Hall and Charlestown Navy Yard.

Of course, there is some great food to indulge in on this main thoroughfare, but if you wander the streets of the neighborhood for a bit, you enjoy some of the best people watching and you can find some hidden gems.

Gelato on Hanover Street in North EndPictured above: Gelato shops like this one pop up all over North End’s Hanover Street. The area is bustling with people heading to the cafes, restaurants and bakeries. But sometimes, you need to veer off the beaten path to find something to fill your tummy.

Pizzeria Regina isn’t so much a hidden gem off of Hanover Street, but a Boston institution. Since 1926, this little spot (which has now spawned locations in shopping malls and in the ‘burbs), is small, cozy and an experience that everyone should try. The line for a table or a booth waits outside under the heat of a warming lamp. It quickly can wrap for a block with large parties ready to enjoy some of these oven-baked jewels.

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Taste Test

Taste Test: Blueberry-Flavored Greek Yogurt

I’m happy to welcome another guest poster to our little family here – My dear hubby Brett! We recently switched to Greek-style yogurt at home. So we decided to do a taste test of one of the most popular fruit flavors out there.

Take it away, Brett!

Yogurt has always been one of my favorite snacks. The all time greatest for me is Dannon’s coffee-flavored yogurt. The rich taste of coffee in a fun-size snack was enough to fill me up. Recently, my wife has discovered a love for Greek yogurt. It is a love bordering on obsession. Every time we head to the supermarket we end up with five or  six packages to head home with. I may pick on her about her new-found food crave, but Greek yogurt has less sugar, less fat and is higher in protein than it’s regular yogurt brothers and sisters. Because of this, it is a snack that I am happy she enjoys.

Christina decided that she wanted to do a taste test of blueberry Greek yogurts. We decided on blueberry because almost every company has a blueberry yogurt. The seven contenders in alphabetical order are Chobani®, Dannon®, Oikos™ (by Stonyfield), Fage™, Trader Joe’s, YoCrunch® and Yoplait. To keep it fair, we decided to leave the crunchies out of the YoCrunch yogurt.
Greek Yogurt Taste Test ContendersMy job was to come up with a grading system and help with the tasting. I decided on a scale of 1 to 5 to rank the yogurts on the amount of blueberry flavor, the consistency, the amount of fruit and sweetness. Our ideal yogurt would have a lot of blueberry flavor, be thick in consistency, have a lot of visible fruit and not be overly sweet.
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Cuisine - Italian, Cuisine - Seafood, Places - Massachusetts, Places - New England

Review: The Great Escape

The Great Escape ExteriorIf I ever happen to be imprisoned for any reason in the near future, please let jail be like The Great Escape in Salem, Mass. This new eatery, which opened its doors in September 2010, gives Italian favorites a spectacular pardon.

Now through April 14, it’s Salem Restaurant Week. Participating restaurants like The Great Escape are offering three-course, prix-fixe meals for only $25. Some also have a two-course option for just $15. Who can beat those prices…and you get top notch cuisine in historic Salem.

The Great Escape is housed in what was once the country’s oldest active jail – built in 1813 and operating until 1991, a portion of the old building has been converted into apartment units (not sure if I’d want to live there.) And, while I’m sure there are some grisly stories from inmates’ stays in the jail, according to our waiter – Matthew – some of the restaurant’s staff do believe the building to be haunted. However, he doesn’t believe in those things.

The building is old brick and sits on the corner of Saint Peter Street and Bridge Street, right across from the Salem Depot Commuter Rail Station. Parking is the biggest issue in getting to the restaurant. We happened to find a short-term lot a block away behind the court house. But, with a lack of parking and rainy weather, the crowds weren’t piling into the restaurant – even with a cost-effective deal like Restaurant Week.

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Dieting

Weigh-in: Through Week 12

I thought I would take this opportunity to do a video blog of my progress. It’s been about 8 weeks since my last update for my “Eating Restructuring Plan.” This is a new thing for me doing the video on my computer – so bear with me. It’s good to know that my vocal tic is the word “um,” so please don’t flog me for that. I’ll work on that before the next video post. 🙂

 

Here’s my roundup through week 12:

  • Weight: 172.8 (-4 pounds overall)
  • Waist: 34.5 inches (-2.5 inches overall)
  • Hips: 40 inches (-2 inches overall)

Things to watch in the next two weeks:

  • Get to the gym 3 times a week. Zumba at least one.
  • Watch the carb cravings. No more biscuits!
  • Stay positive!
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