Brunching at the Harvard Common Press

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boston, boston brunchers, boston events, boston food, Breakfast, brunch, cookbooks, events, food, harvard common press, publishing

Last Sunday, the Harvard Common Press (HCP) invited 40 Boston Brunchers to brunch at their office. This event sign up was first come, first serve. So when I saw Renee tweet about this, I immediately grabbed a spot.

What food blogger doesn’t want to go chat with some cookbook publishers? (especially the brunching kind…do I smell a Boston Brunchers cookbook in the future…?…?)

I have been in contact with HCP before. A few months ago I introduced myself to them and my blog, and Emily from HCP sent me some cookbooks! (That’s where these deviled eggs came from—) I was happy I got a seat, and was eager to learn more about them.

First, it sometimes amazes me that hard copies of cookbooks sell so well in the age of food blogs, iPads, AllRecipes.com, Pinterest, The Pioneer Woman, StumbleUpon—the works. With so many other outlets for recipes, who needs a cookbook?

We discussed just that, though, at the brunch. Adam and Bruce at HCP explained that we the food bloggers are a big chunk of their audience now. And it’s true. I love cookbooks. If I see one, I want it. I want to flip the pages and look at the pictures. I like to take them out of the library and turn to the wrinkled pages—which indicates that those are the good recipes. It makes me smile when I see my mom take out my Great Aunt’s cookbook for her famous baked beans recipe—spine worn and torn, language old and classic. And most bloggers will agree with me. Yes, we find great recipes online, but we’ll always drool over those cookbooks.

So naturally our mouths began to water when HCP announced we could take a few books from their stock room. Like hungry puppies, we swarmed around their shelves and flipped through their vast array of great cookbooks. Eyes sparkling as if it were Christmas morning, I happily walked away with three: Not Your Mother’s Weeknight Cooking, Not Your Mother’s Casseroles, and New England Home Cooking. And I made the Hungarian Paprika Chicken that same night.

As for the brunch, the staff made an array of dishes from the books they publish, including pear ginger bread, spinach and cheese strata, raspberry cream cheese coffee cake, fruit and nut muffins, fresh fruit, and more.

Lots and lots of pictures were taken. (That’s Amanda from Tales from a Kitchen Misfit.)

All in all, a happy happy day for these folk!

Thanks, Harvard Common Press!

Temple Bar Brunch — Cambridge, MA

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blogger events, boston, boston bloggers, boston brunchers, boston food, Breakfast, brunch, food

It’s brunches like these that make me wish I lived closer to Cambridge. I mean, Newton has its fair share of good restaurants, but Cambridge’s food scene is quite wealthy as well.

Saturday the Boston Brunchers headed over to Temple Bar for their brunch. I was lucky enough to snag a seat at the table, and as always, eager to see what they had in store for the brunchers.

The wait staff was incredibly attentive at Temple Bar. My water glass was never half empty at any point during the meal. And right after we sat down, they came around with those pretty drinks above. What service!

We got to order one item off the menu (check it out—you will drool immediately). I decided to go with the Bacon Cheddar Biscuit Breakfast Sandwich. The bacon drew me in, also the egg in the sandwich. And a side of home fries.

The sandwich came with a side of red jalapeno jelly, which was sweet and spicy all in one, adding a great zing to the sandwich (and of course the home fries). The biscuit had little bacon bits and cheddar cheese baked into it. So not only was it buttery and flakey, just the way a biscuit should be, but it also included two of my favorite things — bacon and cheese — roll that into one bite? I’m afraid I’ll never go back to a plain ol’ buttery biscuit again.

And after the main courses were sitting happily in our stomachs, the wait staff came out with an array of desserts to sample. Above, a creme brulee with a hint of ginger and nutmeg — also laid out on the table was a chocolate bread pudding, pumpkin parfait, and a raspberry cake. My favorites were a tie between the pumpkin parfait and the chocolate bread pudding.

Overall, as usual it was a wonderful brunch. I always have a great time meeting bloggers and brunchers I haven’t met before, and of course catching up with the old ones.

Looking forward to the next excursion!

Brunching at Local 149

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boston brunchers, boston food bloggers, brunch, food, food bloggers, food events, restaurants

This post is way overdue for a few reasons:

• This past month I’ve been busy making some important life changes, like getting a new job! Very exciting. Also made me very busy.
• Wedding planning. Every once in a while I have these spurts of wedding planning weeks. This month was one of them. Save the dates, bridesmaid gathering, and dress shopping ate up a gap of my time.
• This post needs to be perfect. I couldn’t just slap it up here with a half-hearted explanation of what we ate at Local 149. It deserves more than that.

So! Last time I went to brunch I was lucky enough to grab a spot at Local 149, a small, cute, very original restaurant located in Southie (owned by the same people as the Biltmore Bar and Grille…so hello. You think I’d miss this one?)

I never go to South Boston. Actually, I had never been before this brunch. Like several restaurants I go to for these events, I am usually trekking out to them because I live in Newton. But they’re always worth the trip. This one especially. The food was to. die. for. And I mean that in the most literal sense. They fed us so much food that some of us may just as well have been diagnosed with an overdose of food. But hey. If someone declared my death as “overeating from delicious brunch items”, I think I’d be very proud of myself in the afterlife:

Dead Someone: “Slipped on a patch of ice. What about you?”

Dead Megan: “Ate too much delicious food.”

Dead Someone: “Jealous.”

Dead Megan: “You should be.”

Alright. Before I get any more morbid than I already have, let’s move on to what was actually served to the brunchers at Local 149.

When I walked into the restaurant, the servers were already placing charcuterie plates on the table. This isn’t a typical brunch item in my book, but I’ve never been picky about what I eat at what time of day. So I dug in. And it was delicious. Crusty bread. Spicy mustard. Salty meat. Salty cheese. Yes. You’re hearing “salty” in positive tones on this blog. If the salt is on the right thing at the right time, my tongue accepts it. I do believe I scraped up the last of the blue cheese on the platter. And I never feel bad about polishing off food. Nor am I shy about it.

Local 149 was not shy about their alcohol. They served us five alcoholic drinks in the span of 2 1/2 hours. Being the lightweight I am, I did not finish all of them. But I did try all of them–and loved every single one. The first one they served was this real coconut, filled with coconut rum and other sugary goodness. If I’m ever a hostess for a party, I’m going to try my hardest to serve this drink. It impressed everyone at our table! Other drinks they served us included the prosecco pomegrante mimosa (pictured above), a bloody mary (which I liked–and I never like those), and a peach and mint sangria. Can you say “yum”? (or “OMG”?)

I can. I did.

Oysters. Again, another item I wouldn’t expect to see on a brunch menu, but Local 149 doesn’t kid around. This is no hotel buffet. This is classy with a casual feel at its finest. These oysters went like candy. They came with a beautiful raspberry puree that made your mouth water for more.

Waffles. That’s more up my alley for brunch food. These were chicken and waffles. Not unlike the ones they served us over at Biltmore. These were slightly different, with blueberries and a blueberry syrup, but just as delicious. One didn’t outperform the other in taste or appearance. I’ll take 3 plates, please. Well, I would have been able to eat more waffles had the next 700 courses not appeared in front of us…

Sausage? Lamb sausage? With some pretty little radishes on top? Don’t mind if I do. Despite our stretched stomachs at this point, the brunchers had no trouble polishing this plate off. It’s rare that I eat meat, especially lamb, so when the occassion presents itself, I leap. Well, more like dive. And my taste buds thank me.

I’m almost afraid to tell you what was on this brunch pizza, because you might try to jump into the screen and eat it. (If you haven’t done so already.) Ready? Bacon. Quail eggs. Arugula. Creme Fraiche. Sesame seed crust. Everyone’s jaws dropped when they saw and heard what was on this pizza. Again, we were stuffed by this point. But I managed to inhale two slices of this. Because otherwise someone else would get the pleasure of eating it. And any leftovers would’ve gone to waste… This pizza was definitely my favorite item they served us. I would eat it every day if I could somehow get a hold of quail eggs..?

Oh what? You thought I was done? Nay. Next up was their French Toast, soaked in espresso martini and then coated in Chex cereal. And yes, that’s bacon on top. As well as whipped cream. And a few M&Ms in the midst of things. At this point I had to skip the bacon and only have a few bites of the French Toast.

But oh. This was good. Give me that pizza with this French Toast for dessert and I’d be set for life.

What’s that you ask? That’s a Lobster McMuffin with a side of home fries. I know, right? That thing is huge! By this point, a lot of people were quite frankly sick of eating. On top of it, more than one person didn’t like this dish at all. I’m not sure if they didn’t like it because they were full, because it was so huge (it doesn’t look that appetizing), or simply because it wasn’t good. Period. I thought it tasted good. But it did not outshine any of the other menu items we sampled. It was just a face in the crowd.

Last course of the day. (Finally!) Yorkshire pudding with chicken sausage and a poached egg. This dish was placed far from me, and I only had one bite. But that one bite was fabulous. It was creamy, savory, perfectly salted, and somehow fit into the depths of my stomach!

And to top off the several thousands of pounds of food that Local 149 served us that day, out came a tray of chocolate shakes. Damn. Just when I thought I couldn’t eat anymore, the old saying “there’s always room for dessert” rung out in my head, so I cautiously took one sip of this shake, and immediately found myself standing at the Pearly Gates. Chocolate is my weakness. Needless to say, this creamy, cocoa-y, sinful delight was slurped down into my stomach cavity.

And no regrets were had that day.

Overall, is it worth the trip to Southie to dine at Local 149?

You don’t need to ask me twice. Next time you’re craving a Sunday brunch, head there and choose one of these amazing items they offer on their menu.

Charming service, too. The wait staff was extremely attentive and answered all the questions we had about the food.

Note: This meal was provided to the Boston Brunchers free of charge from Local 149. But as usual, all the opinions expressed here are my own.

“Om Nom Nom”–Boston Brunchers Dine at Om Restaurant

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blogger events, blogging, boston, boston brunchers, Breakfast, brunch, dining, dining out, events, food

Lately I’ve been lucky. I’ve been picked (by random–not bribing anyone!) to brunch with the Boston Brunchers almost every month!

And I love it. It gives me an opportunity to go out. My food blog is based mostly on homemade food that I make for me and Chris on our fairly low budget. We don’t have a lot of extra money kicking around to dine out at fancy restaurants, or restaurants in general. For us, it’s a treat. I want you all to know that I really love dining out, but money is the main reason why I don’t do it that often. I get a lot of weird looks because of it, too–from foodies and non-foodies everywhere around the Boston area. “Have you been there?” “Don’t you just love this dish of theirs?” “No!? Well, then where do you eat out?!”

So when I do get out. And when I do dine with food connoisseurs much like myself, it is indeed a treat.

This past Saturday, the brunchers were invited to dine at Om Restaurant in Harvard Square in Cambridge. I absolutely love Harvard Square. I don’t go out there that often because it’s inconvenient to get to from Newton, but when I do it’s such a treat. There are so many awesome restaurants and shops around–it’s hard not to find something to do!

Om is right across the street from Upstairs on the Square on Winthrop St. We were greeted by our smiling hostess and seated upstairs by the windows (perfect for blogger pics )

I was lucky enough to attend this brunch with my pals Kathy and Amanda. We oogled at the menu while the other brunchers trickled in at 11 (including Audrey from Boston Food Finds who I’m SO happy I finally got to meet!) Our server started us off to drink with a lovely Lychee Bellini. This drink is 11 times better than a mimosa. And all it is is pureed lychees with champagne. Sweet. Succulent. Superb. I didn’t know what a lychee was either (for those of you who are thinking–what the heck is a lychee?) It’s a berry. And it reminded me of a mix between a pear and a pineapple when I sipped it. They actually look like raspberries in their full form, but have a white pulp in the center. The drink looks and tastes upscale, but it’s incredibly simple to make on your own. And I like that.

So most people would be satisfied to order just one thing off of the menu, right? Not hungry food bloggers. Amanda, Kathy, and I were determined to get the Stuffed French Toast (stuffed with bananas and chocolate…hellooooo beautiful) as an appetizer BEFORE we dove into the egg selection on the menu. And guess what? Om was one step ahead of us. They informed us they were already planning on giving us a French Toast sampler before we ordered our own dishes. I could sense I was going to like this place…

The French Toast, by the way, was excellent. I’ve never had or made stuffed French Toast, but imagine the possibilities with this idea at home! Apples, blueberries, peaches…the bananas were perfect, though. There was not a single bite of these left at the end.

We also decided to try the Lemon Buttermilk Pancakes with Orange Honey Butter (what?!) These pancakes were also filled. With lemon cream. And you could actually see the lemon zest in the filling. So much salivating happened. All of that was consumed, too.

Then the tough choice came along. Ordering our individual main meals. Should I go with the Duck Confit Hash? (pictured above with a poached egg–) The Biscuits, Egg, and Cured Ham? The Hangover Burger? The Country Style Breakfast? More Pancakes?? Amanda and Kathy chose the Duck Confit Hash, which to me is such a novelty for brunch. They absolutely loved it, and Amanda let me try a sample of hers. And look at that egg. That perfectly poached egg!

I decided to go with the Biscuits, Egg, and Cured Ham with Tomato Salsa. I know exactly what you’re thinking, “That’s a biscuit?!!” Actually, there were two pancake-sized beautifully buttery biscuits on my plate, and I’m proud to say I ate the majority of them. The biscuits were so buttery and flaky that  they fell apart when I tried to eat them. I didn’t mind. I like playing with my food. The tomato salsa was a nice pairing with the biscuits–especially when you’re so used to the regular raspberry jam or jelly. The cured ham didn’t really suit my palette, though. But that didn’t phase me. The home fries made up for it. Doused in pepper and spices, these puppies were cut and fried to perfection.

And so, another Boston Brunchers event has come and gone Thank you to Om Restaurant for hosting us. Everyone was beaming when they left–full–yet wanting more (or maybe that’s just the bottomless pit talking over here…) I’ll definitely go back to splurge on brunch again here, whether or not my wallet can handle it. It’s such a delight to go out to eat with your friends, and then spend the rest of the afternoon in Harvard Square.

Note: This brunch was provided to me free of charge from Om Restaurant, but all of the opinions expressed here are my own. Neither Om Restaurant or the Boston Brunchers asked me to write a review of my experience there.

Boston Brunchers Set Sail on the Odyssey

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blogger events, boston, boston bloggers, boston brunchers, brunch, events, food, food bloggers, odyssey

It’s not often you get to go to brunch. On a boat. With your fiance. Free of charge.

But Sunday that’s just what happened! I entered to win 2 seats to brunch aboard the Odyssey on the Boston Brunchers website and won in the random drawing. Hooray! My luck is still holding strong in these drawings

I decided to bring Chris along since he had never been to any of my swanky food events. We dressed in our Sunday best and hopped on the T down to Gov’t Center, then walked down State Street to get to Rowe’s Wharf–and what a beautiful day for a walk and brunch cruise! The sun was shining, and I think I only saw one cloud the entire afternoon.

We were greeted at the table by our servers and a nice glass of champagne (which many people eagerly turned into some Sunday morning mimosas!) After chatting with some fellow friends and food bloggers, Chris and I eagerly approached the buffet line. They had two sides–one for breakfast and one for lunch. And at the end of the line was chocolate fountain and several cakes.

I did not hesitate to load up my plate. The breakfast selection was decent. They had bagels, pastries, and muffins. They also had home fries, french toast, waffles, sausage, bacon, yogurt and granola, and fresh fruit. As you can see, I was going heavy on the carbs and bacon The food itself was pretty good, though nothing like the Biltmore or the Four Seasons. The bacon was a little too overdone. The mushrooms and polenta I grabbed from the lunch station was cold, which wasn’t very pleasant. And the red velvet cake they had out–although it looked gorgeous, lacked in the distinct red velvet flavor. But overall, I did enjoy the food, and it certainly filled me up!

After Chris and I filled our stomachs, we headed to the upper decks of the boat and enjoyed the sunny skies and the views of Boston and chatted with some other wonderful bloggers and their guests.

It was a great ending to my vacation! Thanks to the Odyssey for hosting us on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon!

Note: This brunch was provided to me and my guest free of charge by Odyssey Cruises. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Boston Brunchers Take on 5 Courses at Biltmore Bar and Grille

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boston bloggers, boston brunchers, Breakfast, brunch, dining out, food, restaurant review, restaurants

Dear Biltmore Bar and Grille,

Why have I not heard about you before?

Clearly I need to get out more and explore my own town, Newton, because when Renee announced this month’s Boston Brunchers venue would be at Biltmore Bar and Grille in Newton–I was shocked I hadn’t heard of it before.

But I’m so happy I know it exists now because brunch was without a doubt astounding.

First of all, I was lucky enough to win this brunch. (I know, I know! I’m winning things left and right lately–and loving it ) In order to get into this brunch, we had to write a note stating why we think it’s important that new bloggers join the brunching/Boston blogging community. It was a no-brainer for me. I was new to the Boston blogging scene just a few months ago, and sometimes it floors me how much my blog has grown in readership since then. I’ve grown too–meeting new bloggers at events allows me to make new friendships, discover more about food, and step out of my comfort zone. I’m on the T at least once a week trekking out to new food adventures–or taking a drive out to a new friend’s house to cook/bake/enjoy food and company. So to introduce a new blogger to the community gives me such pleasure. Just imagine how much this can do for them–plus for us! More friends, new ideas–more fun all around So I invited Marie from Chocolate and Wine to join me at the brunch. What a blast we had too! Marie and I used to go to college together, and blogging has reconnected us–!

Biltmore Bar and Grille was incredibly generous to host us and provide us with a five course brunch. Yes, folks–five courses! Everyone showed up with their mouths watering ready to dig into the fabulous tasting menu they prepared for us.

First they brought a colorful array of morning drinks: Mimosas and Bloody Marys. Everyone oohed and aahed at these bubbling brews and immediately started sipping them. The Mimosas were spot on–sweet and tangy at the same time. The Bloody Marys were also a hit among everyone. They had a spicy little kick to them.

Next they brought out the first course: Lobster Frittata. For those of you who don’t know, a frittata is simply a quiche without a crust. Crack a bunch of eggs, mix with milk or cream, add some veggies and meat, bake. Ta-da! Fritta-ta! This frittata was egg-tastic. It was creamy, filled with hunks of tender lobster, and topped with a pea tendril.

Next up was a large chive biscuit topped with the most perfect poached egg I have ever seen. Biltmore chefs, if you ever see this, please share your poached egg secret with me. I try and try and try poaching a perfect egg–they taste alright, but they don’t look nearly as symmetrical and luscious as yours did. This dish was topped with a cheddar jalapeno sauce. My taste buds were tingling with delight after taking a few bites of this. And believe me, it was hard to stop eating this to save room for the next three courses. Many others at the table could not hold back–plates were very nearly licked clean of the egg + sauce.

Our third course was pigs in a blanket. And these weren’t any ordinary mini hot dogs wrapped in crescent rolls. This dish consisted of full-sized sausages wrapped in a puffy pancake sprinkled with powdered sugar. On the side? Maple apple butter syrup. With the sausage juicy and flavorful, the pancakes fluffy and golden, and the syrup hot and sweet–how could you go wrong with this course? That’s right. You can’t. And they didn’t.

Fourth! (This is turning into an episode of Man vs. Food!) Chicken and Waffles. This is a very southern dish, and definitely something Paula Deen would feature on her show (has she? she must has..) And another home run with this dish. The chicken was incredibly moist on the inside but the skin had a delicate crisp to them. The waffles were grilled and had a slight crunch–something that I love in a waffle. They’re often too soft or even get soggy when you add syrup. These maintained their crunch, and chicken and waffles pair surprisingly well together. The south may be onto something…

And last but certainly not least was the Granola and Berry Parfait. First of all, how beautiful is that presentation? Fresh berries and homemade granola were layered in a wine goblet and topped with fresh whipped cream. The granola was sweet and crunchy–and trust me when I say this, I would eat this granola every single day for breakfast if I could. Again, Biltmore, what’s your secret The whipped cream wasn’t too sweet, and paired beautifully with the sweetness of the granola and the oozy berries.

So are you convinced?

This was by far the best brunching experience I’ve had with the Boston Brunchers as of yet–be sure to get out there for brunch if you have a chance. I’m 100% positive you won’t regret it.

However, I have to warn you that they don’t offer all of these items on their menu. The lobster frittata and the chive biscuit are not regular menu items–they were specials. But the other three are regulars–so go get ‘em.

Thanks again to Biltmore Bar and Grille for hosting us!