Hi B3ear Ice Cream

by Caroline Gentile ’17

This past summer, my Instagram feed was flooded with pictures of rolled ice cream posted by friends interning in San Francisco and New York.  Fueled by my novel ice cream FOMO, I searched for a place in Boston that offered rolled ice cream for me to try, but at the time, could not find anything.  Finally, at the end of the summer of 2016, Hi B3ar fulfilled my rolled ice cream dreams and opened in Allston (147 Brighton Ave.).

The owner of Hi B3ar also owns nearby Mala Restaurant, and hopes “to give everyone a hot spicy taste then a cold, sweet taste for dessert.”  Hi B3ar certainly delivers on the promise of a cold, sweet treat.  The shop has 10 different offerings of rolled ice cream, with flavors varying from coffee to chocolate to berry to mango, all for $6.95 plus tax.

My ice cream buddy and I opted to try the First Kiss, which had strawberries, graham crackers, and chocolate sauce, and the Cookie Monster, which had Oreos.  We watched in awe as the server poured a creamy liquid onto the cold surface, sprinkled on our desired toppings, and skillfully manipulated the mixture until it resembled perfect rolls.

When we were finally handed our bowls of rolled ice cream, we dug in immediately.  While the cold surface had allowed the liquid to take on the perfect rolled shape, it made the ice cream far too cold to taste anything at first.  After waiting a few minutes for it to thaw, we gave it another shot.  Still, the ice cream seemed to lack flavor, and had a bit of an egg-y aftertaste.  It was a generous serving of ice cream, but for $6.95, we had both expected better tasting ice cream.

Though I am certainly glad Hi B3ar has brought rolled ice cream to Boston, I found their ice cream to be lackluster in taste.  That being said, the experience of watching the ice cream get rolled up in front of me was worthwhile in itself, and so if you want to try something new, I encourage you to give Hi B3ar a chance!

 

 

Boston Veg Food Fest

By Joseph Winters ’20
Back home in Washington State, there was an annual vegetarian fair in Seattle called VegFest. For an entire weekend, vegan and vegetarian foodies would congregate at the Seattle Center for two days of cheese-less, egg-less, meat-less wonder. Could it get any better?
To non-vegetarians, it sounds lame, I realize. I dragged one friend to VegFest last year who refused to set foot inside the building, instead asking where the nearest burger place was. But one reluctant step into VegFest quickly changed his mind—vegetarian fairs are not about flavorless deprivation from traditional animal products. There’s actually some really profound meaning behind them. But before mentioning that, the shallow truth of what really gets people to show up to a Veg Food Fest: samples.
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My first step into the Boston Veg Food Fest at the Reggie Lewis Athletic Center on Tremont Street revealed that it was going to be everything I loved about Seattle’s VegFest—only in Boston. The gym was packed. I bought a tote bag and immediately began scanning the room for free samples. They weren’t hard to find; I quickly started scooping up packets of meatless teriyaki jerky, raw agave, granola bars, hummus. Other samples were meant to be eaten on the spot: spiced pumpkin seeds, whole-grain mochi balls, tomato goji chutney, sea salt-flavored popped sorghum. There were, of course, the stereotypical vegan substitutes of “Veganaise”, vegan butterscotch “pudding”, and vegan American “cheese”. As an omnivore, I’m never a huge fan of these substitutions, but I have to say the ones I tried at the Veg Food Fest could have fooled me.
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I was pretty hungry, so after my hors d’oeuvres—including Pizza Almonds, Cheeky Monkey Peanut Butter Puffs, and an entire (free) So Delicious coconut ice cream sandwich (from a whole box of ice cream sandwiches I got for free)—I bought a Miso Bowl from Whole Heart Provisions, a sweet little vegetarian restaurant in Allston. Rice on the bottom, cooked veggies in the middle, and miso sauce with crispy chickpeas on top.
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I grabbed dessert at the FoMu booth. Ironically, they have a location right next door to Whole Heart Provisions’s Allston location. They were featuring some seasonal coconut-based ice creams, particularly Pumpkin Caramel, Purple Mu, and Apple Cider Donut. I mixed all three.
The interesting takeaway from the Veg Food Fest, in my opinion, is the variability of reasons for veganism. I walked past booths advocating the humane treatment of animals, booths about the “protein myth” that a vegan diet can’t provide enough nutrients for healthy development, and booths about the ecological benefits of an animal-free diet. For me—not a vegan, as I’ve said—it’s about awareness. I love vegan restaurants and organizations because there’s obvious care that goes into food sourcing (the ecological benefit), food preparation (the health benefit), and they’re often local businesses run by passionate employees (the human benefit).
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Take, for example, The Jackfruit Company. I met Alex Chamallas at the Veg Food Fest as he was serving up something that looked a lot like barbecue sauce-smothered pulled pork. “It’s jackfruit,” he explained to passerby who peered into his steaming crockpot. Jackfruit is a tropical fruit that grows in conditions too poor for other species to thrive, making it “easy to sustainably source,” according to the company’s website. Jackfruit is notably prolific in developing India, and The Jackfruit Company has taken advantage of the stringy, fibrous fruit to “provide income and opportunity for thousands of farming families” in the country. It’s high in fiber, and, subjectively, pretty delicious when stewed with a sweet and spicy sauce. The company was actually started by a Harvard College graduate, Annie Ryu, who calls herself a “socialentrepreneur—a business developer with a conscience.” To me, the jackfruit story is exemplar of the best reason for a vegan outlook on eating because it promotes the three lenses of environmental sustainability, social sustainability, and health, which is a heck of a lot more than a gimmicky low-cal pork substitute.
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With my tote bag—and stomach—full of wonderful vegan food, I left the Veg Food Fest still working on my bowl of FoMu ice cream. Unfortunately, my free box of So Delicious ice cream bars won’t last me until next year’s Fest, but maybe a solid day or two. Until then, I may look twice at some cool new products whenever I visit the grocery store, notably the strangely delicious and versatile jackfruit.
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First Time at the Berg

by Richa Chaturvedi ’18

This weekend, students from all over the world are coming to campus for Visitas, Harvard’s admitted student weekend.  You can see them grouped in front of the John Harvard statue, loitering outside of Canaday, or sitting in on a class at the Science Center.  It’s a weekend of firsts for these students: first friends, first time getting lost on the way to Quad, and, most importantly, first time eating at Annenberg.

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Actual Instagram from my first time at Annenberg because I was the coolest pre-frosh in town

I remember my first time walking into Annenberg.  It was overwhelming and exciting, much like the rest of my Visitas experience.  I walked in to the Berg (which I was too scared to call it at the time in case I sounded like a try-hard) and felt like I had truly made it.  I had a very basic meal – spaghetti and tomato sauce – because I have this theory that you need to start at the basics to really get the sense of a place.  I stayed there for hours, meeting new people and basking in the light of the stained glass windows.

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But when I came to school that fall, I slowly began losing that wonder.  Instead of looking up at awe, I would groan when they ran out of carnival cookies and run to Expos.  I would be there, but never be there, taking it all in.

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My pre-frosh’s first bites of HUDS cuisine

Yesterday, I spoke with a pre-frosh who had just had her first meal in the Berg.  She spoke of it as a thing of beauty, as if it was magical.  Her food was amazing, she met so many people, and she even proudly recounted ordering from the grill (something I finally got the nerve to do freshmen fall).  It reminded me of the wonder I felt the first time I was there, living those experiences, taking my first bites of HUDS food, and freaking out when I realized I could even have Coke with my breakfast.  It’s funny to think about how much has changed in all of our lives since the first time we ate at Annenberg.  That’s why I think Visitas is timed perfectly timed.  Sitting in between midterms and finals, when we’re really feeling grumpy and tired, it reminds us of that wonder.  At least it certainly did for me.

Cabot Culinaries: A Tasteful Treat

by Richa Chaturvedi ’18

The number one thing I crave at school (besides sleep) is home-cooked food. Don’t get me wrong, HUDS has some clutch items on their menu. But nothing compares to a meal made from scratch with love.

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You can find this simple delight at Cabot Culinaries, a student group in Cabot made up of people who really just want to cook and eat some good food. I usually fall in the category of people who show up just for dinner, after all of the cooking is already done. But I decided to take initiative and become an active player in my meals, rather than a passive eater.  Cabot Culinaries met this past Saturday to cook an incredible meal: beet, arugula, and goat cheese salad, roasted spiced cauliflower and asparagus, home made gnocchi made two ways (I couldn’t make this up), rhubarb bars, and coconut mousse. Naturally, I was in charge of the easiest dish – the cauliflower and asparagus recipe that my mom texted me, then called to ensure that I understood, then texted again demanding updates because she has a reputation to uphold. I quickly realized that I was in the kitchen with some seriously experienced cooks. One whisked together an amazing balsamic vinaigrette while another actually made gnocchi starting from scratch. Meanwhile, I was struggling to break cauliflower into florets. It’s more physically exhausting than you would think.

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Overall, we had about 12 people help cook the meal and over 20 eating. I was so stressed out at the thought of 20 people eating food that I made, but all of that stress fell away with my first bite of salad. Everything was so fresh and delicious and, not to brag, but I didn’t even burn the roasted vegetables. So I would call it a success.

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Coming from California, it is sometimes hard to go for long stretches of time without any home-cooked food.  Cabot Culinaries helped me get my home-cooked fix and get over my fear for cooking for a lot of people.  That being said, it didn’t help me conquer my laziness.  I think I’ll rest for now – at least until the next Culinaries comes around.

FLP Thai Cooking Class

by Hayoung Chang ’18

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Today, I ventured down to the depths of Northwest Labs to attend a Thai food cooking class. Led by a Thai chef, the class was filled with a diverse mix of people including hungry college students like me, grad students, as well as old people. After a swift safety briefing, we familiarized ourselves with the authentic Thai ingredients, utensils, and layout of the cooking lab, a neat and comfortable space.

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Following the instructions of our instructor chef as well as the recipe, we got to work. Chopping vegetables and mixing sauces, I was glad to get my hands dirty with some Thai spices. My partners prepared the vermicelli noodles. Mixing it all together, the fresh peppers, hint of spice and succulent noodles combined to create a wonderful dish. I could hardly believe that I had cooked it myself!

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Next, we started preparing the curry by warming some coconut milk. The fragrance bubbling up from the pot was enough to make my mouth water. With my stomach growling, we added dollops of spice and sauces, plopped in some tofu, tomatoes and pineapples, and brought the curry to a gentle boil. Once the consistency was just right, we sprinkled some basil to finish it off. 

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The taste was amazing, to say the least. Perhaps the fact that we had cooked it from scratch had heightened my senses. The curry was just the right amount of spicy, creamy and silky smoothness. The warm and soft tofu complemented the sharp sweetness of the pineapple. Drizzled over jasmine rice, the dish was a huge success.

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Overall, I immensely enjoyed the experience. Not only did I learn how to make some great curry, I also learned to appreciate food, and real food. These days, we consume so many processed and pre-cooked foods, that we often forget where food comes from. By partaking in the process of transforming fruit, vegetables and grain to a delightful dish, my eyes were opened to the true nature of food. Perhaps that’s a little too cheesy, but hey, at least I got the best curry recipe under my belt.

Gluten Free Matzo

by Danielle Leavitt

Matzo, pronounced “mat-zah,” is a special type of bread made with no yeast or leavening. It is the traditional bread of the Jewish holiday Passover, which will be celebrated this year on April 22nd, lasting for 8 days. The history of matzo goes back to when a Pharaoh governed Egypt and the Jewish people living in the land were his slaves. The Pharaoh decided at one point to exile the slaves. Story goes that they left to cross the Sinai desert to the land of Canaan in such haste, that they had no time for their bread to rise, and thus matzo was born! Flour is used as a main ingredient along with water, oil, and salt. Finally, there is now a gluten free counterpart to those that have this dietary restriction!

 

Ingredients in gluten free matzo are tapioca starch, water, potato starch, potato flakes, palm oil, natural vinegar, honey, egg yolks, and salt. These flat bread matzos can be used to make sandwiches, a matzo egg scramble, or just eaten plain. They are great tasting and only 125 calories per piece! A gluten free Passover is now possible!

 

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Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Oreo Icebox Cake

by Danielle Leavitt

I’m getting my sweet tooth back after a winter of warm soups and comfort food. I’m craving something frozen, with whipped cream, cookies, and peanuts….like a hot fudge sundae! This Peanut Butter Oreo Icebox Cake takes the traditional hot fudge sundae to the next level. It is easy, NO BAKE, all gluten-free, and I promise you will enjoy it.  Have fun with this one! You can use many different toppings like peanuts, strawberries, M&M’s, chocolate chips, and caramel or hot fudge sauces.

Ingredients:

  • 1 16oz container Cool Whip or other nondairy whipped topping
  • 1 ½ cups peanut butter, crunchy or creamy (it is easiest to use a creamier based peanut butter for mixing and spreading purposes)
  • ¾ cup fudge sauce
  • ¼-1/3 cup crushed peanuts
  • 2 boxes gluten free Oreo cookies (I use Glutino brand)
  • 8 x 8 aluminum baking pan lined with non-stick tin foil

Preparation:

  1. Create four rows of Oreos along the bottom of the aluminum pan
  1. In a separate bowl, mix the Cool Whip and peanut butter until totally combined
  1. Spread ½ of the peanut butter mixture over the Oreo’s, then top with another layer of Oreo’s
  1. Drizzle ½ cup of the fudge sauce over top
  1. Spread on the remaining peanut butter mixture and drizzle on top the remaining fudge sauce
  1. Crumble all the remaining Oreo’s and sprinkle them, along with the peanuts or other toppings, over the top

7. Place in refrigerator 4-8 hours, or preferably in freezer for 3-4 hours

8. Slice and enjoy!

Spring has sprung, and it’s great to enjoy a gluten-free frozen treat that is so easy to make and tastes great!!!!!

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Crave Follows the Freak Frappe Craze

by Richa Chaturvedi ’18

If there’s one thing New Yorkers do well, it’s setting trends. Let us never forget the cronut, a humble combination of a croissant and a donut, that caused New Yorkers to lose their minds a couple years ago.

There is one food trend Caroline and I can get on board for, however, and it’s the not-so-humble milkshake.

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This trend originated in Black Tap Burgers and Beer in NYC and has found its way to our very own Boston Burger Company!  Dubbed “freak frappes,” these milkshakes are topped with m&ms, brownies, toasted marshmallows, and even bacon. Caroline and I decided to investigate these high-calorie treats to see if they were worth the hype.

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Pro tip: do not attempt to tackle a freak frappe if you are even a little bit full.  I couldn’t even finish mine (the Nutella frappe with chocolate cookies and m&ms), which is saying a lot. The real MVP would have to be Caroline, who fearlessly conquered an Oreo frappe with every cookie offered, a toasted marshmallow, and a brownie.

These milkshakes will look incredible on your Instagram feed and taste equally as good.  Be wary of the pricing, however, because it’s easy to get carried away with all the delicious toppings and lose track of it all. Boston Burger Company is already known for their crazy burger options (the 420 burger has mozzarella sticks in it!), but they have really outdone themselves here. Midterms got you feeling down? Grab a friend, grab a burger, and grab a freak frappe at Boston Burger Company.  I guarantee the sugar rush is powerful enough to overcome any stress that’s coming your way.

Spring Break Slushies

With only one week to go before spring break, I’m sure all of us (21+!) could really use a drink right now.  Or, you know, after we finish our midterms and papers.  Once you arrive at the end of the tunnel that is this Friday, you’ll have really earned it! If you’re looking to celebrate with something other than the classic Border strawberry margs, why not make your own alcoholic slushie?

Whether you are going somewhere tropical and warm, or staying here (which is also surprisingly pretty temperate), these easy-to-make, raspberry and gin slushies will leave you feeling refreshed and relaxed.

 

You’ll need:

  • A blender
  • 2 1/2 cups ice cube
  • 1 to 1 1/2 cup(s) sparkling water
  • 1/2 cup gin
  • 6 to 8 tablespoons granulated sugar (depending on the sweetness of your berries and your sweet tooth)
  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • 10 ounces fresh raspberries, frozen

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Directions:

  1. In a blender, combine ice, sparkling water, gin, sugar, lime juice, and frozen raspberries.
  2. Blend until thick and smooth.
  3. Serve immediately.  Enjoy!

Note: this recipe makes 6 standard drinks and can easily be doubled (or tripled, depending on how rough your midterms were this week).

Recipe courtesy of Joy the Baker.

Dine Out Boston: Starter Kit

By Bovey Rao ’19

The city of Boston is a great place to find an eclectic and engaging dining experience. Home to some of the oldest restaurants in America–and some of the hippest new bars–, Boston has a diverse and incredible food scene for any palette and budget. From March 6-11 and 13-18, 2016, Boston will offer its hungry masses two weeks of good-eating. It’s called Dine Out Boston (formerly called Restaurant Week), an event organized by the city of Boston with the goal to make restaurant dining more economical for two mouth-watering weeks. Enjoy two or three course meals at some of Boston’s finest restaurants (Lunch $15/$20/$25, Dinner $28/$33/$38). While I encourage looking through all 169 restaurants participating, here are some of my recommendations.

Note: You are strongly encouraged to make a reservation at the restaurant, whether by calling, booking through OpenTable, or using the Dine Out website.

 

I Sea Food – Boston’s prime location (i.e. by the Atlantic Ocean) means that fresh seafood is always close and convenient, so don’t miss out!

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Photo Courtesy of Atlantic Fish Company
  • Atlantic Fish Company – 761 Boylston Street, Lunch: $25
  • Mare – 135 Richmond Street, Dinner: $33
  • SELECT Oyster Bar – 50 Gloucester Street, Lunch: $25
  • Union Oyster House* – 41 Union Street, Lunch: $25, Dinner: $38
  • Oceanaire Seafood Room – 40 Court Street, Lunch: $25, Dinner: $38

Best of the North End – The Historic North End is known nationally for its authentic Italian food, and some of their best restaurants are participating this year:

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Photo Courtesy of Terramia Ristorante
  • Bricco – 241 Hannover Street, Dinner: $33
  • Mamma Maria – 3 North Square, Dinner: $38
  • Nico – 417 Hannover Street, Dinner: $38
  • Terramia Ristorante – 98 Salem Street, Dinner: $33
  • Tresca – 233 Hanover Street, Lunch: $25, Dinner: $38

Italian outside the North – While the North End boasts some pretty impressive Italian fare, other exceptional Italian joints are scattered all over Boston.

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Photo Courtesy of Scampo
  • Da Vinci – 162 Columbus Avenue, Dinner: $38
  • Davio’s – 75 Arlington Street, Lunch: $25 Dinner: $38
  • Grotto – 37 Bowdoin Street, Lunch: $25 Dinner: $33
  • Scampo – 215 Charles Street, Lunch: $25

Je Suis Francais – French food has a strong showing this year, with many past and current winners of Best French Boston participating in Dine Out Boston.

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T.W. Food Photo Courtesy of Boston Magazine
  • Bastille Kitchen – 49 Melcher Street, Dinner: $38
  • Bistro du Midi – 272 Boylston Street, Dinner: $38
  • Gaslight – 560 Harrison Avenue, Dinner: $33
  • T.W. Food – 377 Walden Street, Dinner: $38
  • La Voile – 261 Newbury Street, Lunch: $25 Dinner: $38
  • Ma Maison – 272 Cambridge Street, Lunch: $20 Dinner: $33

Something’s at Steak – Do you have a beef with someone? Resolve it at one of the many great steakhouses in Boston!

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Photo Courtesy of Grill 23
  • Boston Chops – 1375 Washington Street, Dinner: $38
  • Capital Grille – 900 Boylston Street, Lunch: $25, Dinner: $38
  • Grill 23 & Bar – 161 Berkley Street, Dinner: $38
  • STRIP by Strega – 64 Arlington Street, Lunch: $20, Dinner: $38

Somewhere Beyond the Sea – Other countries exist besides Italy and France, I promise, and they have delicious offerings as well.

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Bronwyn Photo Courtesy of Boston Magazine
  • Bronwyn – German, 255 Washington Street, Dinner: $33
  • Oishii Boston – Japanese, 1166 Washington Street, Lunch: $20/$30
  • Q Restaurant – Chinese (Hotpot), 660 Washington Street, Lunch: $20, Dinner: $33
  • Estragon – Spanish, 700 Harrison Avenue, Dinner: $33

Murica has Food Too! – Why is it so hard to describe American food…?

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Photo Courtesy of Parker’s
  • Courtyard Restaurant – 700 Boylston Street, Lunch: $20
  • Kitchen – 560 Tremont Street, Dinner: $28
  • Parker’s** – 60 School Street, Lunch: $25 Dinner: $38

Nearby Dining – If you feel like leaving Harvard Square is too much of a chore, fear not! A number of restaurants nearby are participating.

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Photo Courtesy of Henrietta’s Table
  • Beat Brasserie – 13 Brattle Street, Lunch: $25
  • Grafton Street – 1230 Mass Avenue, Dinner: $28
  • Harvest – 44 Brattle Street, Lunch: $25, Dinner: $38
  • Henrietta’s Table- 1 Bennett Street, Lunch: $25, Dinner: $33
  • Park Restaurant – 59 JFK Street, Dinner: $28
  • Rialto – 1 Bennett Street, Dinner: $38
  • Russell House Tavern- 14 JFK Street, Dinner: $28
  • Temple Bar- 1688 Massachusetts Avenue, Dinner: $28
  • Toscano Harvard Square – 47 Charles Street, Lunch: $20, Dinner: $38

 

*One of the oldest restaurants in America with frequent visits from presidential candidates.

** Original creator of the Boston Cream Pie