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Boston Globe
22-04-2025
- Lifestyle
- Boston Globe
How to improve the foods we eat
Advertisement What started me down this path of betterment was a recent bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich. While the ingredients seemed of good quality, it was easy to identify how the sandwich could be improved. The bacon slices were thick and nicely browned but not crisp. The small omelet round was tender but plain. I wanted the cheese to be melty-gooey. And the bun was too soft. Overall, the sandwich lacked flavor; a schmear of spicy sauce would have taken it from so-so to super. Get Winter Soup Club A six-week series featuring soup recipes and cozy vibes, plus side dishes and toppings, to get us all through the winter. Enter Email Sign Up A Waldorf salad. The Boston Globe/Globe Freelance My fix-it thoughts wandered to other sandwiches and salads that often disappoint. Like tuna salad that needs less mayo, a squirt of lemon juice, a liberal sprinkling of black pepper, and something crunchy like diced celery or cucumber. Advertisement Chefs like Michael Scelfo can teach us how to jazz up our meals. Scelfo is the chef-owner of Harlow Hospitality Group, which operates Alden & Harlow, Waypoint, Longfellow Bar, and Josephine. The small plates at Cambridge's Corn pancakes at Alden & Harlow in 2014. Essdras M. Suarez/Globe Staff Take the restaurant's Pickled Corn Pancakes. The dish was inspired by the little corn cakes Scelfo's mother used to make when he was young. 'I grew up in a humble home, and we didn't have extravagant ingredients,' he says. The chef's pancakes, made with pickled corn and cornmeal, are paired with flash-fried shishito peppers, a drizzle of maple syrup, and a sprinkling of popcorn for whimsy and crunch. 'There's heat, sweetness, crunch, a touch of acidity from the pickled corn, and a buttermilk yogurt base for creaminess,' he says. 'It came together in an organic and unexpected way and became a signature dish.' Scelfo's plate of grilled broccoli revolves around smoky flavors, which reminds him of the barbecue he loved in Kansas City, where he grew up. He grills broccoli until it's lightly charred, makes a puree of roasted butternut squash, smoked cashews, and Middle Eastern spices, and finishes the dish with a drizzle of honey and crumble topping of smoked sheep's milk cheese and cashews. Again, diverse ingredients, flavors, colors, and textures mingle on the plate. Advertisement One of the chef's newer dishes showcases New England oysters: He fries the bivalves and plates them with a creamy potato puree and sweet pickle vinaigrette, a riff on a mignonette commonly served with raw oysters. For 'freshness and lightness,' he scatters lightly dressed herbs (dill, tarragon, chervil, parsley, chives) on top. Sheryl Julian's 2-Hour Pickled Sweet Onions. Sheryl Julian Speaking of pickles — sour, sweet, dill, spicy, fermented, or vinegar-brined — home cooks should be using them more liberally and more often. Honestly, the Whopper and Big Mac have the right idea. Mix chopped pickles into chicken, turkey, egg, and tuna salads and add slices to meaty sandwiches for a punch of acidity. Make your own quick-brined pickles from sliced cucumber, carrot, radish, What chefs like Scelfo demonstrate with their well-designed dishes is the interplay of the five tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami (savory). While other factors, such as aroma, temperature, textures, and spiciness, also impact flavor, the five tastes are the key building blocks. You're not necessarily striving for balance, because Here are some tips on flavors and seasoning: To add sweetness to a dish, use sugar in various forms and size crystals, maple syrup, honey, fresh and dried fruits, jam, and chocolate. Sweetness will soften bitter and sour flavors and also mellow spicy heat. For saltiness, add salt, soy sauce, olives, Parmesan, and other aged cheeses. Salt is not only a seasoning, it enhances other flavors. Think salted caramel or chocolate, and how bland most foods are without a dash of salt. Sourness and acidity come from citrus fruits, cranberries, vinegar, pickled vegetables, and dairy foods, such as plain yogurt, sour cream, and buttermilk. Scelfo says chefs are always adding 'brightness' to dishes, often with a splash of lemon juice. Acidity helps balance sweet, spicy, and salty foods. Think of that wedge of lime accompanying many spicy meals. For bitterness, there are bitter greens/leaves, such as arugula, watercress, mustard greens, escarole, and radicchio, as well as beer, wine, dark chocolate, and coffee. Some people love bitter foods, others hate them, but bitter notes bring a welcome contrast to many foods and beverages. Umami is the savory taste of meat, mushrooms, aged cheeses, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, fish sauce, and miso. It adds depth and savory richness to many of our meals. For those of us who are textural eaters, crunch and chew are as important to good eating as flavor. 'Nuts are a great way to add texture to a lot of dishes,' says Scelfo. Crunch can also come from toasted breadcrumbs or croutons, crumbled potato or tortilla chips, and chopped vegetables. For bright-juicy crunch, use crisp lettuce, pickled vegetables, cucumbers, celery, bell pepper, fennel, and cabbage. Advertisement And then there is the world of spices — from floral and earthy to spicy-hot, to perk up our meals — without which our food would be quite bland. Many of Curio's mixes are associated with a specific country or region. 'We like to honor the origins of where the spices and herbs are coming from, but you're not restricted to how you use them,' says Cheney. You can even mix two blends together, such as adding spice or floral tones to herb mixtures. A spice flavor wheel created by Claire Cheney, owner of Curio Spice Co. Handout photo from Curio Spice Co. Cheney explains that you can vary the flavor of everyday foods by alternating the spices. 'If you make a big batch of beans, you can use a different spice mix every night to flavor them,' she says, suggesting accents like Korean BBQ, Indian, and Mexican. She recommends adding spice blends to citrus dressings for salads and vegetables as well as drizzling over cooked meats and fish. Some spices work well with sweet foods. Cheney describes the Sichuan Five Spice blend (star anise, cinnamon, coriander, clove, and Sichuan pepper) as 'very aromatic,' pairing well not only with pork dishes, but also stewed fruits and chocolate in brownies, cakes, and pudding. Another blend, Zenu Spice, inspired by Colombian flavors (including passion fruit, coriander, and chilies), can be stirred into rice pudding, custards, and fruit salads. Advertisement Finally, of course, there's heat, as in spicy-hot, not temperature. According to Scelfo, 'every dish needs a little bit of back heat.' His go-to, an easy option for home cooks. too, is crushed red pepper, but he also uses thinly sliced jalapeno and other fresh peppers and hot sauces. The popular condiment, chili crisp, as well as kimchi, add piquancy and umami to all kinds of foods, including fish, chicken, eggs, and grain bowls. Scelfo's recommendation to home cooks is simple: Start with quality ingredients based on what you can afford, use a variety of flavors, strike a pleasing balance of acidity and richness, and add something crunchy or chewy for contrasting texture. The chef wants us to stop thinking that good, flavorful food is difficult or expensive. Why this matters, says Scelfo, is, 'We eat a lot. Bringing interest and unexpected nuance to your cooking makes food much more pleasurable.' Lisa Zwirn can be reached at . Lisa Zwirn can be reached at
Boston Globe
17-03-2025
- Health
- Boston Globe
Boston's St. Patrick's Day may be known for a boozy good time, but more are opting to forgo the buzz
Yet while the holiday has become connected to heavy drinking over the centuries, a small but growing crowd has found ways to participate in the St. Patrick's Day parades, festivals and banquets without a buzz. They're doing so by turning to nonalcoholic beers, mocktails and solely sober spaces — even in the heart of Boston. A holiday that's not just about booze Advertisement 'St. Patrick's Day is a huge drinking holiday. It is promoted absolutely everywhere,' said Jackie Taylor who has been sober for 12 years. But she's found lots of ways to celebrate the holiday — whether out on the town or at home — without risking a situation where 'you might not make it out of there sober.' Nonalcoholic drinks are popular on St. Patrick's Day weekend during The Burren's four days of Irish music shows, which can last 10 hours each. McCarthy said he's a Guinness drinker but sticks to the nonalcoholic brew when playing the fiddle. 'I top it up with the real creamy alcohol head,' he said. 'You're only getting a small bit of the alcohol, but you get the real cream. But you're also getting the taste of the real Guinness without the alcohol. It kind of beats all.' Michelle Flynn, manager at the Brendan Behan Irish pub in Boston's Jamacia Plain, said most bars now serve nonalcoholic beers — a significant shift from decades ago. 'The neighborhood, society, everything has changed, has shifted a 1,000% — especially in the youth,' she said. Advertisement Young people don't drink as much anymore It's not just bar owners noticing an uptick in a demand for nonalcoholic options. Young adults are drinking less than they were in decades past, according to polling by Gallup, which reported in 2023 that adults under 35 were less likely to say they use alcohol at least occasionally than they were in the early 2000s. Gallup also saw a decline in the share of young adults who drink regularly or say they sometimes drink 'more than they think they should' over the same time period. Michael Scelfo, chef and owner of four Boston area cocktail bars, said his businesses have served mocktails since he opened Cambridge-based Alden & Harlow 11 years ago. But after the pandemic, demand significantly increased. 'It's really kind of an expected and formidable part of the menu now,' he said, with bartenders putting just as much care into a mocktail's execution. Reclaiming St. Patrick's Day for Irish heritage For nearly 15 years, William Spencer Reilly has been throwing a " Sober St. Patrick's Day " in New York City — which kicks off after the parade with Irish bands, dancers and food — and may soon expand the mission to Boston. The sober event's founder and chairman has always had his eye on Boston 'for all the obvious reasons.' According to Reilly, it's about refocusing the typically-booze forward festivities on celebrating Irish heritage and honoring St. Patrick, the priest born in the late fourth century who was enslaved in Ireland and later returned to promote the spread of Christianity. It's also a chance to break hurtful stereotypes of Irish people. When he first proposed the idea of a sober event on such a booze-heavy day, he was met with incredulity and doubt over public interest. Now he's in talks with Boston's local leaders and believes there's finally enough interest and support to branch out next year. Advertisement People generally seem more interested in being healthier, said Scelfo. That includes how they choose to spend their holidays. 'The perils and pitfalls of alcohol are well-documented when not used responsibly,' he said. 'We've got an intelligent young generation that's focused on health and wellness. And I think that that's a great thing.' Krusei reported from Nashville, Tennessee, and Willingham reported from Charleston, West Virginia. Amelia Thomson DeVeaux in Washington D.C. contributed.
The Independent
17-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Boston's St. Patrick's Day may be known for a boozy good time, but more are opting to forgo the buzz
Tommy McCarthy's Irish bar just outside Boston's city limits pours more Guinness than almost anywhere in the U.S., yet come this St. Patrick's Day, the longtime owner of The Burren is stocking up on plenty of nonalcoholic options too. 'It's come a long way since we first opened,' McCarthy said, who started slinging pints at the beloved establishment in 1996 after moving to the Boston area from West Clare, Ireland. There is perhaps no other holiday tied more to a city than St. Patrick's Day in Boston. According to historians, the city was the first in the country to throw a celebration for the patron saint of Ireland on March 17, 1737, as a way to support the city's wave of Irish immigrants. Yet while the holiday has become connected to heavy drinking over the centuries, a small but growing crowd has found ways to participate in the St. Patrick's Day parades, festivals and banquets without a buzz. They're doing so by turning to nonalcoholic beers, mocktails and solely sober spaces — even in the heart of Boston. A holiday that's not just about booze 'St. Patrick's Day is a huge drinking holiday. It is promoted absolutely everywhere,' said Jackie Taylor who has been sober for 12 years. But she's found lots of ways to celebrate the holiday — whether out on the town or at home — without risking a situation where "you might not make it out of there sober.' Nonalcoholic drinks are popular on St. Patrick's Day weekend during The Burren's four days of Irish music shows, which can last 10 hours each. McCarthy said he's a Guinness drinker but sticks to the nonalcoholic brew when playing the fiddle. 'I top it up with the real creamy alcohol head,' he said. 'You're only getting a small bit of the alcohol, but you get the real cream. But you're also getting the taste of the real Guinness without the alcohol. It kind of beats all.' Michelle Flynn, manager at the Brendan Behan Irish pub in Boston's Jamacia Plain, said most bars now serve nonalcoholic beers — a significant shift from decades ago. 'The neighborhood, society, everything has changed, has shifted a 1,000% — especially in the youth,' she said. Young people don't drink as much anymore It's not just bar owners noticing an uptick in a demand for nonalcoholic options. Young adults are drinking less than they were in decades past, according to polling by Gallup, which reported in 2023 that adults under 35 were less likely to say they use alcohol at least occasionally than they were in the early 2000s. Gallup also saw a decline in the share of young adults who drink regularly or say they sometimes drink 'more than they think they should' over the same time period. Michael Scelfo, chef and owner of four Boston area cocktail bars, said his businesses have served mocktails since he opened Cambridge-based Alden & Harlow 11 years ago. But after the pandemic, demand significantly increased. 'It's really kind of an expected and formidable part of the menu now,' he said, with bartenders putting just as much care into a mocktail's execution. Reclaiming St. Patrick's Day for Irish heritage For nearly 15 years, William Spencer Reilly has been throwing a ' Sober St. Patrick's Day ' in New York City — which kicks off after the parade with Irish bands, dancers and food — and may soon expand the mission to Boston. The sober event's founder and chairman has always had his eye on Boston "for all the obvious reasons.' According to Reilly, it's about refocusing the typically-booze forward festivities on celebrating Irish heritage and honoring St. Patrick, the priest born in the late fourth century who was enslaved in Ireland and later returned to promote the spread of Christianity. It's also a chance to break hurtful stereotypes of Irish people. When he first proposed the idea of a sober event on such a booze-heavy day, he was met with incredulity and doubt over public interest. Now he's in talks with Boston's local leaders and believes there's finally enough interest and support to branch out next year. People generally seem more interested in being healthier, said Scelfo. That includes how they choose to spend their holidays. 'The perils and pitfalls of alcohol are well-documented when not used responsibly,' he said. 'We've got an intelligent young generation that's focused on health and wellness. And I think that that's a great thing." ___ Krusei reported from Nashville, Tennessee, and Willingham reported from Charleston, West Virginia. Amelia Thomson DeVeaux in Washington D.C. contributed.
