boston local food festival

Harvard Square Tasting Tour: a Culinary Adventure with a Twist

Published on October 16, 2015October 18, 2015 by The Crimson CraveLeave a comment

by Orlea Miller ’16

Bored of the typical Harvard Square eats? Bogged down by midterms? Take a break next Saturday afternoon and take advantage of all that the Square has to offer.

The Harvard Square Tasting Tour is led by Trademark Tours (The Hahvahd Tour; City Wine Tours) and combines history and trivia with an afternoon full of culinary treats. Leaving from Out of Town News at 3 pm, the tour stops at local artisan stops and restaurants including Cardullo’s, Grafton Street, Salt & Olive, Follow the Honey, Russell House Tavern, and PARK.

Tickets are available through Eventbrite (http://www.eventbrite.com/e/harvard-square-tasting-tour-tickets-18100557254) for $43 and include samples at each store and light bites and cocktails at the restaurants.

Tour Overview (provided by Grafton Group):

Start: Cambridge Information Booth, located at 1376 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138.

Cardullo’s: Browse delicious gourmet imports at this iconic Harvard Square grocery, and learn about the shop’s history.

Grafton Street: Quick approaching its 20th anniversary in the Square, Grafton Street is the neighborhood destination for perfectly pulled pints and thoughtful fare.

Salt & Olive: Much like wine, olive oil and vinegars have complex aromatic flavor profiles that, when understood, can greatly improve a dish. Owner Mary Taylor will guide us through a hands on tasting!

Follow the Honey: Did you know it takes 1,125 bees foraging 2,000 flowers to create one pound of honey? Learn all about the amazing world of bees and enjoy a side by side taste test of three honeys from diverse origins led by owner Caneen Canning.

Russell House Tavern: You’re at the heart of Harvard Square when you’re at Russell House Tavern. An elevation of the local, neighborhood tavern experience, Russell House offers seasonally inspired American fare alongside a carefully edited and locally influenced drink list.

PARK Restaurant & Bar: Located in the “Lower JFK” area of Harvard Square, PARK is a vibrant destination for friends, family and acquaintances to linger over lively conversation, playful plates and thoughtful drinks.

Hungry for more?

In addition to the three signature dish and cocktail pairings you’ll enjoy along the way, Grafton Group is offering Tasting Tour participants 10% off food at any of their four properties! Settle in to your favorite spot, show your server your Tasting Tour ticket and sit, dine, drink and linger – at a discount!

*Discount is only valid on the day of your tour.

Pictures provided by Grafton Group.

Our Favorite Foods from the 2015 Boston Local Food Festival

Published on September 20, 2015January 25, 2016 by The Crimson CraveLeave a comment

Cheese steak dumplings with pastrami, bacon, kimchi and swiss cheese from Koy, 16 North Street, Boston MA

Chicken and Biscuits from the Granary Tavern, 170 Milk St, Boston MA

Strawberry smoothies in cantaloupes from Singh’s Roti

Banana cake pop from Tia's Cakes and Pastries, Boston MA — Banana cake pop from Tia’s Cakes and Pastries, Boston MA

Apple pie cake in a jar from Tia's Cakes and Pastries, Boston MA — Apple pie cake in a jar from Tia’s Cakes and Pastries, Boston MA

Chocolate caramel cake jars from Tia's Cakes and Pastries, Boston MA — Chocolate caramel cake jars from Tia’s Cakes and Pastries, Boston MA

Steem caffeinated peanut butter…one tablespoon has the equivalent of one 7oz. cup of coffee! Available online at steempb.com

A spread of seafood from Big Rock Oysters, 501 Depot St, Harwich, MA

Blueberry shortcake vegan ice cream from FoMu, 128 Arlington Street, Arlington, MA

The Crimson Crave’s Guide to Food Festivals

Published on September 13, 2015January 25, 2016 by The Crimson CraveLeave a comment

By Caroline Gentile ’17

As summer draws to a close at the end of September, so too does the season of food festivals. The month of September boasts at least one food festival in Boston every weekend in an effort to make the most of the nice weather while it lasts. In fact, there are two this coming weekend: the Phantom Gourmet Food Festival will be held this Saturday, September 19^th, and the 6^th annual Boston Local Food Festival (our personal favorite) will be Sunday, September 20^th.

While food festivals can be a great way to spend the afternoon and sample lots of great food from a variety of different vendors, there are definitely some tricks to the trade that will make your food festival experience that much more enjoyable! Here are our tips for making the most of this month’s local food events:

Purchase your tickets ahead of the event. Not only is purchasing tickets ahead of time sometimes cheaper, but it also guarantees that you will be able to get into the festival whenever you decide to arrive without having to worry about tickets selling out.
Show up on time, at the latest. The events can run out of food if you get there too late! Also, the crowds can get pretty big,. If you get there early, you won’t have to wait in the long line for entrance AND you’ll get first dibs on all the food you want to try.
Bring a bag for pamphlets and free swag. Many of the vendors will have freebies, and you want to keep your hands free so that you can take as many samples of food as you can.
Bring water. Eating all those samples can make you thirsty, and nothing is more thirst-quenching than water! Also, while some festivals will have vendors that offer beverages, don’t count it.
Walk through the whole food festival first to see what’s out there, then get food. It’s good to have an idea of what the festival has to offer so that you can prioritize going to the vendors that have the yummiest-looking food.
Don’t show up starving; eat something small before you go. Then, you won’t ravenously descend upon the first vendor you see, and fill up on food that may not have been your first priority. Which brings us to our last point..
Pace yourself!! There is seemingly unlimited food at these events, but trust us, your stomach does in fact have a limit as to how much food it can hold. To ensure that you get to eat everything you want without getting too full, limit yourself to one sample from each vendor. If you’re still hungry after making your rounds, though, then definitely go back for seconds!