Sunday, October 26, 2014

FALL FAVORITES: VOLANTE FARMS

JOE Sunday, October 26, 2014
It's always fun to discover a new place to get cider donuts and apples in the fall. A friend told me all about Volante Farms in Needham, Massachusetts. So, yesterday I checked it out.

Volante Farms has several greenhouses and a large market with a deli and bakery. The first thing on my list was to bag up some cider donuts. They are covered in cinnamon and have a nice crispy texture. They have a case full of pastries and other sweets. Volante Farms also has a beer and wine section that's stocked with many pumpkin beers right now. You can also shop around for fresh produce, cheeses and meats. If you're lucky, you'll visit when they are handing out samples of some of their food. We got to tried some pumpkin hummus. If you still have some fall decorating to do, they also have pumpkins, gourds, Indian corn, kale and mums, everything you'd need for Halloween and Thanksgiving. I really enjoyed visiting Volante Farms and am looking forward to seeing what they have to offer this Christmas.

www.volantefarms.com , ,

Thursday, October 23, 2014

CONNECTICUT RESTAURANT WEEK AT FIRST & LAST TAVERN

JOE Thursday, October 23, 2014
Somehow, I made it just in time for Connecticut Restaurant Week squeezing this meal at First & Last Tavern in on Sunday. Three hearty courses for just $20.14. I started off with their famous salad with chickpeas. Under that bed of lettuce is some salami and cheese.
I've enjoyed so many meals at First & Last, but this is my new favorite. This is their Pasta AlForno. It is unbelievably delicious. Baked rigatoni smothered in cheese with sausage and peas. A+!!
Cannoli for dessert!
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Tuesday, October 21, 2014

(Closed) SANDELLA'S FLATBREAD CAFE IN BOSTON

JOE Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Looking for a new place for a quick lunch? Check out Sandella's Flatbread Café in Boston. It's right next to Dana Farber. On the menu are wraps, burritos, rice bowls, sandwiches, salads and quesadillas. I enjoyed the turkey & bacon wrap that's spiced up with just enough chipotle sauce. Sandella's also serves breakfast. I liked their breakfast wrap with eggs, bacon and cheese.

Sandella's has a few other locations in Massachusetts, Connecticut, one at Providence College and one at Central Maine Community College. The Dana Farber restaurant is CLOSED on weekends. , , , ,

Monday, October 20, 2014

FALL IS IN FULL SWING AT STEW LEONARD'S

JOE Monday, October 20, 2014
Fall is one of the best seasons to visit Stew Leonard's in Newington, Connecticut. Right now, you can see a huge pumpkin at the front entrance. Outside, there are tons of pumpkins, gourds and Halloween decorations. There's even a free hay bale maze for kids (and adults). Inside, you'll find their famous cider donuts & donut holes, pumpkin coffee, pumpkin bagels and everything to make a fall feast. 

 There are lots of events for the kids coming up. On Wednesday, October 29th kids can dress up and trick or treat in the store from 4-5 p.m. All of the departments will be handing out candy. On Halloween day, kids wearing costumes will get a free small ice cream.

www.stewleonards.com ,

Thursday, October 09, 2014

ON THE ROAD: ELLEN'S STARDUST DINER

JOE Thursday, October 09, 2014
Singing, dancing and wonderful food. These are the things that the legendary Ellen's Stardust Diner in the heart of New York City is made of. Not only do all of the staffers serve you your food, but they all sing Broadway classics while you eat. Their voices are so good that many of them wind up on Broadway.

The food at the Stardust is sooo good. I had an amazing patty melt with America cheese and caramelized onions. Not to mention, their house fries are waffle fries. Their grilled cheese is really tasty, too. Every time I go, I always admire their lemon meringue pie, but I never have room. One day soon. ,

Sunday, October 05, 2014

BRUNCH AT GLOBE IN BOSTON

JOE Sunday, October 05, 2014
It's October. How lucky are we that it's still warm enough to eat outside? We did just that this afternoon at Globe Bar & Cafe in Boston's Copley Square.

 Globe offers brunch on the weekend. My favorite thing about it are the cheap drinks. Mimosas and bellinis are just $5, so you know we ordered some. The menu is jam packed with some of my favorite comfort food dishes like chicken pot and mac & cheese. Plus, their french fries of choice are STEAK FRIES. The best! 

Apps include hamburger or veggie sliders, New England Clam chowder, nachos, mozzarella sticks and sweet potato fries. Globe has a bunch of salads including caprese, spinach, Caesar and a chopped salad with BBQ grilled chicken. The salads tempted me, but I ordered the turkey sandwich. It's stuffed with cheddar cheese, bacon, apples and tomatoes. You can have it with a side salad or steak fries. It's delicious. Other sandwiches include a steak tip sandwich, turkey burger and club sandwich.

Globe has a full bar with tons of beers, wine and cocktails. You'll find that inside. I really enjoyed the food here and would highly recommend it to anyone visiting the city.  , , ,

Friday, October 03, 2014

NYC PIZZA AT HARRY'S ITALIAN

JOE Friday, October 03, 2014

To quote Willy Nelson, Eat Up New England is on the road again! This time, having some authentic New York City sheet pizza at Harry's Italian in Rockefeller Center. They have many tasty toppings like mushroom, BBQ chicken and sausage. The sausage called out to me and I really liked it! This location is take out with a little room for dining, but Harry's also has two other locations in the city that are sit down.

www.harrysitalian.com , ,

Thursday, October 02, 2014

IT'S APPLE SEASON!

JOE Thursday, October 02, 2014
The seasons here in New England always make it easy to include a lot of fruit in your diet. Of course, right now it's time for picking apples. I was at The Big Apple in Wrentham, MA last weekend where I picked a bushel of several different varieties. I've been going here since I was a kid, but this was the first time I ventured out to pick apples myself. They have acres and acres of land. The place was packed on the weekend, so go on a weekday if you can. Don't forget to bring home some of their donuts and a caramel apple! , , ,

Wednesday, October 01, 2014

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

JOE Wednesday, October 01, 2014
This post has nothing to do with food, but it's extremely important. October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. It's a time to celebrate all of the heroic women and men who have battled breast cancer. It's also a time to remind everyone that early detection is the key to beating this horrible disease. If you notice a lump, some blood, anything strange in your breasts, don't be afraid to go to the doctor. If could save your life.
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