italian

Fresh Dorm Pesto as Easy as 1, 2, 3

Published on October 26, 2015 by The Crimson CraveLeave a comment

by Audrey Thorne ’19
I love Italian food to the point that when I was younger I sometimes wished I was Italian. My family regularly had pasta three times a week, sometimes four, because of our shared love of it. To keep things interesting my mother tried to diverge from the standard spaghetti with red sauce by letting my brother and I pick the pasta shapes (I have my top five pasta shapes and rankings memorized, and a grudge against penne), adding different vegetables, and, when we finally conceded to trying something really new, different sauces. I never liked the store bought pestos so we always made our own at home. It is super easy and perfect not only on pasta, but on sandwiches. The recipe below gives the numbers for a cup of pesto.
Ingredients:
2 cups of Basil
1 cup of Olive Oil
1/4 cup of Pine nuts
1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese

Will also need:
A food processor or aggressive blender

Directions:
1. Add ingredients to the blender or food processor
2. Puree until you like the texture
3. Add more olive oil if the pesto is too dense, or add more pureed basil if it is too liquid-y

Through the Gates with Cambridge Eats

Published on October 5, 2015October 5, 2015 by The Crimson Crave1 Comment

by Emily Brother ’19

A couple of weeks ago, the Freshman Dean’s Office organized a food walking tour that took students to a variety of Cambridge’s best cafes, restaurants, and markets. Below is a list of the places that the group visited followed by a brief description of the food that is served so that when your palate is wanting something different and delicious, you know where to go:

Clover (7 Holyoke St.): Known for using locally grown produce to create delicious vegetarian dishes, Clover is the best place to grab a quick and healthy sandwich on the cheap.

Broadway Market (468 Broadway): Across the street from the Harvard Art Museum, one of the most affordable markets near the Yard. It has everything from fresh fruits and vegetables, baked goods, cheeses, sushi, and more.

Savenor’s Market (92 Kirkland St.): A butcher shop that was supposedly a favorite of Julia Child, Savenor’s sells a plethora of meats. If you’re feeling adventurous, my most exotic finds were Pheasant, alligator, foie gras, rabbit, and buffalo.

The Biscuit (406 Washington St, Somerville, MA): Just a few blocks from Annenberg, The Biscuit is a great café to go to for a nice cup of coffee and a delicious baked treat that is off the beaten trail.

Shiso Kitchen (374 Washington St., Somerville, MA): For those who weren’t able to take Harvard’s Science and Cooking course this semester, you can go to Shiso Kitchen and learn how to prepare foods from places like France, Thailand, and Italy for a variety of occasions. A typical class is anywhere from $50-$100.

Reliable Market (45 Union Square, Somerville, MA): A wonderful Asian food market that sells an endless amount of ingredients commonly used in the preparation of Chinese, Thai, Japanese, and Vietnamese dishes.

Capone Foods (14 Bow St., Somerville): A charming store that specializes in selling fine Italian wines, homemade cheeses, meats, and pasta sheets! This is also the place to get cannolis when you tire of Mike’s Pastry!

Union Square Donuts (20 Bow St., Somerville, MA): A gourmet donut shop that sells delicious donuts including flavors like: Brown Butter Hazelnut Crunch, Sea-Salted Bourbon Caramel, and Boston Cream. You can visit their store (address above) or catch them at the weekly farmer’s market on campus!

Bloc 11 (11 Bow St., Somerville, MA): Not only does Bloc 11 brew amazing fair-trade coffee, it also pays its employees a living wage and benefits while providing them with a comprehensive training program that will prepare them to work in any position in the restaurant.

Cupid’s Cuisine: 5 Valentine’s Day Dates

Published on February 9, 2015February 9, 2015 by The Crimson CraveLeave a comment

Darwin’s Ltd.
148 Mount Auburn Street
Cambridge, MA

By Danielle Leavitt ’17

Darwin’s Ltd., located at 148 Mount Auburn Street is the perfect place for a Valentine’s date. Eclectic decor, a vast array of natural, organic soups, made-to-order sandwiches, wines, and fresh veggies and fruits — it’s a great place to either pick-up a picnic lunch or eat in. Take a seat in the cozy seating area with your date, and sample many of the different flavored coffees and fresh bakery items. However, no great Valentine’s date would be complete without a gluten free option, and Darwin’s is no exception. Their gluten free sandwich bread is incredibly tasty, and the homemade gluten free pastries and scones are to die for. My personal favorite sandwich is the Hilliard: sprouts, Havarti cheese, and turkey on gluten free bread. For the yummiest and best kept secret in Cambridge, take your date to Darwin’s Ltd.!

Giulia
1682 Massachusetts Ave
Cambridge, MA

By Victoria Piccione ’16

There are few things more romantic than really delicious Italian food. It makes sense: the country is romantic, the language is (quite literally) (R)omantic; it only follows that the food be romantic as well. Giulia on Mass Ave. has mastered this romance – and everyone knows it because the restaurant is always packed. The lighting is dim and the venue is small, the perfect amount of cozy for you and your Valentine. And despite below-freezing temps and below-zero wind chill, the food will warm you from the inside-out.

For the antipasto, you can’t miss the burrata: kind of a cross between mozzarella and ricotta, this is probably the best cheese you’ll ever eat. Choosing a main course is virtually impossible, with countless mouthwatering pastas on the menu, each prepared fresh daily at the big wooden pasta table featured right in front of the kitchen. And with amazing secondi, like homemade lamb sausage, you may be better off sharing, so you can both get a taste of everything. Of course, Valentine’s Day is the chocolate holiday, so your meal wouldn’t be complete without the chocolate terrine or the affogato. (The latter may just be the best gelato on this side of the Atlantic.) No matter what you choose, though, you can’t go wrong.

With a three-course meal averaging around $35 per person, I wouldn’t really call it a bang-for-your-buck kind of place. But you will certainly be getting your money’s worth. Let’s be honest: great food evokes feelings of pleasure–all the better to share it with your partner. But even if the date is a total flop, you’ll undoubtedly find yourself falling in love with Giulia.

Beat Hôtel
13 Brattle Street
Cambridge, MA

By Orlea Miller ’16

Looking for somewhere new and exciting this Valentine’s Day? Try the Beat Brasserie (the Beat Hôtel)! The regular Bohemian-themed menu will be offered, along with specials including a Duck Confit Salad, the Blue Crab Crostini, and Roasted Lobster with Squid Ink Pasta. You can’t miss this season’s dessert offerings: banana bread pudding, raspberry and blackberry mousse, and flourless chocolate cake! Live music and drink specials are sure to add to the special occasion. Reservations are highly encouraged, call 617-499-0001 to make yours.

Taranta
210 Hanover Street
Boston, MA

By Caroline Gentile ’17

Located in the always romantic North End, Taranta boasts an unlikely fusion of Italian and Peruvian cuisine that is actually a match made in heaven (perhaps like you and your date!). Any of their six pasta dishes are to die for, but the lobster ravioli are by far the most popular. As for the main dishes, the Petto di Pollo –chicken stuffed with fontina cheese and spinach– and the Amazon paiche are sure to impress. The dim lighting, friendly service and delicious food make Taranta a perfect place for a Valentine’s Day date. Be sure to make a reservation by calling 617-720-0052.

Café Algiers
40 Brattle Street
Cambridge, MA

By Dana Ferrante ’17

Tables for two, apricot cookies, a spiral staircase, peppermint orange hot chocolate. The only thing missing? That special someone. If you’re looking for an intimate environment, made for conversation, warm beverages, and classic coffee shop romance, Café Algiers is the perfect place to go and hide from the sure to be snowy Valentine’s Day weather this year. Chances are it won’t be teaming with people, and you won’t have to wait an hour to get your delicious tabbouli salad or cheese plate with arabic bread. For a causal Valentine’s Day, where you’ll be warm, well-fed, and able to hear what your date is saying, Café Algiers is the place to go.

Mike’s Pastry — Now Open in Harvard Square

Published on November 13, 2014January 25, 2016 by The Crimson CraveLeave a comment

By Dana Ferrante ’17

It’s true. Mike’s Pastry, in all its powdered-sugar-sprinkled, ricotta-filled goodness, has finally opened in Harvard Square. With the interior not quite done, Mike’s opened today unannounced, boasting only the spotless glass cases filled with pastries of all kinds and the smooth granite countertops. But really, what else could you possibly need?

Mike’s Pastry has been open in the North End (basically Boston’s Little Italy) for almost 62 years now. The new satellite shop in Harvard Square will receive deliveries of all sorts of pastries (lobster tails, tiramisu, and empty cannoli shells that will be filled to order) from the main bakery in the North End each morning. To finish off the exciting Italian-American immigration to Harvard Square, the new shop will also offer coffee drinks, including espresso and cappuccino.

For my first Mike’s run of the semester, I thought I would stick to the basics: cannoli and pizzelle.

2014-11-13 12.01.32 — The basics: Pizzelle and Cannoli.

Unlike most bakeries in the North End, Mike’s Pastry fries its own cannoli shells seven days a week. For anyone who has ever bitten into a disappointingly stale cannoli shell, Mike’s fresh, light, and generally larger shells, are nothing short of salvation. It may just be a matter of personal preference, but there’s really nothing like a ricotta-filled cannoli with a plain shell. An oreo or strawberry cannoli may seem tempting, but these are purely Americanized versions of an Italian classic– a classic, which I believe (some people say a little too obstinately) is perfect, and most delicious, in its original form.

For the time being, the shop will open from 8am to 10pm each day, but as the manager explained, “we have already heard from a lot of students that Saturday night is going to be very busy.” He went on to explain how the current hours are soft, meaning if there seems to be a high-demand for cannoli late at night, the shop will change its hours accordingly. Something tells me that late-night Mike’s will soon become the next big thing on Harvard’s campus.