Taking Boston by dinner

Visiting with R during wild and crazy spring break here in balmy Boston. I feel the itch for travel and by travel I mean food. With all the days, hours and minutes at my fingertips I am tapping into my inner foodie (fatty?). So we're on the hunt for meals bought, meals cooked and, above all, meals eaten.

First stop was R's apartment. Feeling snoozy from a early rise in Chicago we settled on a whole foods pizza topped with salad and home made dressing (a Hansen family tradition and secret).

Saturday we met up with my lovely friend Caitlin and her man Eilon (I'm probably wrong about the spelling of his name, though I'm pretty sure this is closer than I've been before because I sneaked a peak at his credit card signature) at this fabulous Middle Eastern restaurant called Red Fez in the south end. Delightful and delicious and there was even some belly dancing in case the grub wasn't enough.

So, anyway. Sunday we ventured out and up the coast. Walking around slightly desolate off season sea towns like Glouster and Westminster or something by the Sea. We had an awesome Cesar salad and this tuna business with jalapenos and avocados. yeah, that was good.

Dinner was late cause we decided to make a light salad with some miso dressing and were inspired by some blond beets. Having never actually made beets before I wasn't even sure how to do it but the little sign above the beets said something about boil and enjoy. It neglected to tell us that it was a 2 hour boil, but nonetheless the salad we ate at 10pm was a light and crunchy, slightly spicy, delectable dish.

But the thing is that when I get cooking (or whatever) I'm always in dire need of some chocolate. And we were watching the Barefoot Contessa earlier that day and she makes you think that 1) it's OK to cook with a stick of butter in every dish and that 2) chocolate is good at every meal. But R's kitchen, it turns out, isn't so much like the Barefoot's, but like a bachelors. Fully equipped with just enough silverware and bowls to get you by on a partially liquid diet.

So here I was inspired by the Barefoot, so much so to purchase a half a pound of dark chocolate and then figure the only thing I could melt it in was a jimmied double boiler involving two mugs, more or less. But it worked and I covered the shit out of some nuts and then this pretzel topped with peanut butter business that was AMAzing.

But NONE of that goodness tops what's simmering on the stove right this minute. Yeah, that's right. Take a big deep breath. That's short rib ragu that I'm gunna put over some pasta and then top with - wait for it - bitter sweet chocolate shavings. Just try not faint.

I'm trying not to. Oh yeah, and there might be some more of those pretzel peanut butter chocolate businesses in the fridge. Just hanging out until we're good and ready. Man spring break is the best.

It's been golden and delicious. And I'm definitely going to pull in another five pounds while I 'tour' Cambridge and all the rest.

Me scuzie, the ragu needs a stirring (genius does not cook itself).
More after we digest and eat again.

xoxoL (&R)