Tag: festival

The 2014 Boston Local Food Festival

Published on by The Crimson CraveLeave a comment

By Orlea Miller ‘16

As I step off the T, I’m not sure which way to turn. I’m no native Bostonian and using the Subway is still quite the challenge for me. Luckily, someone else has predicted my dilemma and pointed me in the right direction, a mere 20 feet from South Station:

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As a self-proclaimed foodie, I’ve planned on attending Boston’s Local Food Festival for the last two years, but didn’t make it until this fall. Let’s just say I don’t think it’ll be my last time taking advantage of the incredible free food experience I had today.

This year’s 5th annual festival was themed “Healthy Local Food for All,” advertising a celebration of “the virtues of eating locally grown and produced food from Massachusetts and New England.” Translation: tons of free samples of produce, charcuterie, cookies, ice cream and beverages from local farmers and chefs, accompanied by performances by local musicians, and demos and exhibits about cooking, nutrition, health and exercise.

As I approach the beginning of the festival, which takes up about four blocks of Atlantic Avenue (close to Boston’s Aquarium), my face lights up in anticipation of this culinary adventure.

We immediately encounter Cupcake City’s food truck, offering a traditional cookies and cream cupcake, in addition to unique fall flavors including salted caramel, vanilla chai, and pumpkin. Just to the right Bart’s Homemade is parked, an ice cream stand selling its own twist on flavors, such as Deep Purple Cow Yogurt (black raspberry yogurt with white and dark chocolate chunks), Three Geeks and a Red Head (coconut ice cream with coconut flakes, chocolate chunks, fudge brownies, and a raspberry swirl), and Dutch Chocolate with Orange (chocolate ice cream with orange and vanilla extracts).

And in case the sweet, creamy treat didn’t appeal to the taste pallets of locals on Sunday afternoon, Flatbread Company was serving up pizza straight out of their brick oven just a few feet over.

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As my stomach tries to fathom the tastes I’m experiencing, my friend and I make a tough call: we’ll walk the entire festival before deciding what we’ll have for lunch.

Luckily for us, we didn’t have to stay hungry. With free samples from just about every booth, we were full before we made it too much further.

First up is Michele’s—a New Hampshire based popcorn company offering samples of their chocolate, buffalo supreme, sweet and salty, and extra cheddar flavors.

 

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Maple Nut Kitchen is serving up its gluten free and vegan granola just to the right, encouraging samplers to try each of its twelve flavors. The mocha chip was perfect, and the fruity flavors, such as Northern Berry Harvest and Southern Cherry Almond, allow you to experience a crunchy sweet and savory blend all together.

As if the 60 degree weather isn’t doing fall justice, each booth’s display reminds me of the approaching season as well. Decorated with pumpkins and leaves, the offerings of fall fruits and vegetables and vegan/vegetarian chili dishes allow me to spend the day taking in all of the delicious flavors that fall traditionally brings to the East Coast.

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In between the rows of local food vendors were exhibits and do-it-yourself stages, including a cooking demonstration by Red Lentil’s Pankaj Pradhan. After watching the chef display his expertise on Indian-style plant-based foods, I was convinced my lunch would include something from the Vegetarian & Vegan Restaurant’s booth.

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I chose the tofu kabob and rice, a delicious choice that provided the traditional Indian feel, topped off with a cilantro-based sauce which gave it a unique twist.

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My friend started off sweet, enjoying a cantaloupe filled treat. The fruit just provided the container, and was filled with something that resembled a strawberry smoothie that attracted all sorts of attention throughout the remainder of our stroll.

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Afterward, she switched to savory and selected a honey butter biscuit filled with fried chicken, and topped with maple syrup.

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By this point, the two of us were happily stuffed, yet managed to squeeze in seconds at our favorite local food vendors’ booths. We went back for cookies, popcorn, Q’s Nuts’s offerings (a family-owned and operated nut company), and even a pasta dish being prepared by a chef right before our eyes.

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We couldn’t leave the food festival without our ice cream, and ended our afternoon with treats from SoCo Creamery, which unfortunately we consumed before either of us had a chance to snap a photo. My friend went for the Coconut and Brownie flavor, and I had a cone of Espresso Cookie, savoring every last bite while we walked back to South Station to return to Harvard Square.

Boston’s Local Food Festival surpassed any expectations I had for the event. The food samples were endless and delicious, the music added just the right surrounding mood, and the gorgeous weather was the perfect way to experience all that Boston has to offer its residents.

Saint Anthony’s Feast & Saint Lucy’s Feast: A Double Header of Italian Street Festivals

Published on by danaferranteLeave a comment

By Dana Ferrante ’17

Unlike a restaurant, food truck, or vending machine, the opportunity to go to saint feasts only comes around once a year. No cancellations, no rain checks. These feasts come, they conquer, and they make you wait a whole year for their next appearance.

We don’t want you to miss out, so mark your calendars for August 29th-31st, when Saint Anthony’s Street Festival takes over Boston’s North End. For anyone out there who has never been outside Harvard Square, the North End is basically Boston’s “Little Italy.” It’s where you’ll find the city’s best cannoli, more fettucine alfredo than you’ve ever thought possible, and of course, gelato on every street corner. While we highly recommend that one day you make your way to Hanover Street (essentially the Appian Way of the North End) to discover for yourself what treasures lie down its winding alleyways, there’s no better time for an introduction to this Italian-American village than Saint Anthony’s feast.

Source: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/st-anthonys-feast-boston?select=rHKXTUiPcgzSv9HoDyUK9A#rY0IvspFhTGUc4ReRNSBVA
St. Anthony’s festival in the heart of the North End/

Opening ceremonies begin with a small procession of Saint Anthony on Friday at 7pm, with a musical performance starting soon after at 7:30pm, but the real party starts (and practically never finishes) on the weekend. By noontime on Saturday, the Streets will be flooded with white stalls, as local businesses offer their best to the hungry crowds. Arancini, calzones, cannoli, calamari, hazelnuts, sausage and peppers, torrone, pizzele, clams, caprese sandwiches —and that’s just the beginning.

Source: http://discoveringflavor.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/cannoli.jpg
Stacked cannoli shells, ready to be filled with a creamy ricotta filling.

Throughout the entire weekend, Pizzeria Regina will be at the open air piazza selling pizza, Stella Artois, and of course, vino, produced by The Naked Grape. This year’s festival also features a tasting tent and culinary stage sponsored by Filippo Berio Olive Oil and New England Center for Arts and Technology. While at the tasting tent, you can try several varieties of Filippo Berio olive oil using Parziale Bakery’s freshly baked bread and learn useful olive oil tricks and tips. And if you like cooking just as much as you like eating, don’t miss the culinary stage, where local chefs will be showcasing their best Italian dishes. Demonstrations and tastings will run throughout the entire weekend, so whether you attend on Saturday, Sunday, or both, you won’t miss out on any of the culinary spectacle.

Amidst this gastronomical playground, there will be live music, masses, processions, dancing, carnival games, confetti, and of course, a giant statue of Saint Anthony covered with paper streamers by the time Sunday night rolls around.

And there’s more. The party and religious devotion continue onto Monday September 1st , with the celebration of Saint Lucy, complete with celebration and music throughout the day and a nighttime feast. If you didn’t have room for a sfogliatelle (also called a lobster tail) or arancini the first two days, you have one more chance to fill yourself up with Italian deliciousness.

In summary, these back-to-back saint feasts offer great food, a lively atmosphere, and a perfect opportunity to use that Italian accent you have been working on.

 

For a full schedule of events and times, check out the festivals’ website at: http://www.stanthonysfeast.com/schedule.html.