ThumbnailValentine’s Day Food Gifts

ThumbnailWinter Salad, Miso & Ginger Dressing

ThumbnailSparkling Jam Cocktail

ThumbnailFig and Vanilla Vodka

ThumbnailGinger Bars

ThumbnailHoney Saffron Ginger Cocktail

appetizers

Chicken Spring Rolls {a movie}

by Jill Chen
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Superbowl Sunday is imminent and if your menu needs a little something crunchy and fun, these Chicken Spring Rolls from Jill will hit the spot. She even created a quick dipping sauce and a wonderful how to motion photograph to take you through each step. Thank you, Jill and Jill’s hubby, for showing us the

Winter Salad, Miso & Ginger Dressing

by Jill Chen
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KALE is one of the most nutrient-rich leafy green you could ever eat, and we’ve been eating this super food every which way possible, all in an effort to take better care of our body and soul in 2012. When Maggie asked me to do a post on a winter salad, I knew it had

Shucked by Erin Byers Murray

by Shelby Larsson
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I remember the first time I saw the Island Creek Oyster boys. It was at black-tie affair and I was feeling rather out of place. But there, in the corner, were a trio of tanned, scruffy guys, who had obviously tried to clean themselves up for the night. They were standing behind a wooden boat,

Fall Cheese Plate and Cider

by Shelby Larsson
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A few years ago, I met up with a few friends at one of the girls’ home in New Hampshire. It was a beautiful fall weekend, and we took full advantage of the gorgeous setting and great company. After a long hike in the woods, we headed to a nearby orchard to pick apples and

Balsamic Glaze

by Jill Chen
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Thank you, Maggie. Thank you for introducing me to this beautiful dark molasses-like syrup. It never occurred to me to make this, and it’s so simple too. It now sits in a bottle on my kitchen shelf, ready for anything. Intensely flavored, balsamic glaze is simply a reduction of balsamic vinegar with a little sugar.

Curried Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup

by Shelby Larsson
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Let it be known: We are big fans of the state of Vermont here at Eat Boutique. It’s not that much of a stretch, of course — many of us are New Englanders, or New Englanders at heart, and we love the entire region. But there is just something about Vermont and I was ecstatic

Growing Garlic and a Baba Ghanoush Recipe

by Jill Chen
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Just when the rest of my garden is looking fallen and dilapidated, it’s time to plant garlic for next year. Jill and I chatted about her garden last week and she offered to share an easy appetizer recipe that uses the garlic harvest and her garden eggplant. I’ve been roasting these two vegetables together constantly,

Fig and Blue Cheese Tart

by Denise Woodward & Laudalino Ferreira
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It’s officially Fall and we’re all back in the kitchen. After a New York City visit to make new food friends and attend some Wine and Food Festival events, I’m roasting the Brussels sprouts from ripe stalks in my garden. Jill is doing beautiful things with beets and apples and Shelby is making some local

Zucchini Corn Relish

by Jill Chen
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Over the course of the next several months, we’re going to be sharing so many food gift ideas. Jill emailed me with this wonderful idea for a zucchini corn relish that lets you preserve late Summer flavors and store it away for a future meal or a great holiday gift. So gather up all the

Authentic Chinese Dumplings

by Jill Chen
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Every time I see Jill Chen’s photos from China, and specifically her dumpling photos, I get a hunger pang deep in my belly. After a little coercion, Jill agreed to share her adventure and her favorite dumpling recipe, made by her very own Mom. I can’t wait to replicate these at home. -Maggie The whole

5 Little Secrets and a Canal House-inspired Lunch

by Maggie Battista
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I am going to let you in on five little secrets. First, (secret #1) it’s tough to put these words out there but I have totally over-extended myself. Sometimes, I feel like I have 10 different jobs. Eat Boutique is my passion, my heart, really. But it certainly battles for my free time, up against

Fried Plantains in Coconut Oil

by Maggie Battista
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While it seemed unusual to me at the time, I grew up in a fairly typical immigrant home where two families lived in one house, only separated by a staircase. Downstairs in our part of the house, my Honduran mom tried very hard to be a typical American housewife, brushing aside some of her Latin

Oysters in Boston & my Cucumber Mignonette

by Maggie Battista
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I adore oysters, and while we’re coming up on the mythical non-oyster season (months without the letter “R” in it), I tend to still gravitate to them in the warm weather months regardless. There’s just something about sitting by the sea with a pint or a crisp white wine while slurping down a few tastes

Proscuitto Roll-Up Appetizer

by Maggie Battista
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This Proscuitto Roll-Up Appetizer is so easy, even non-cooks will feel like serious chefs. I set all the ingredients for this dish in front of two wonderful dudes who had indulged in a fair amount of booze, guys who may be fabulous cooks under normal conditions but perhaps slightly sloppy after a lot of tequila.

Dressed Up, Smoked Hummus

by Maggie Battista

I needed some nourishment while planning holiday menus. The first two glasses of champagne helped, nourishing my soul but not my belly. I had a tub of hummus in the fridge but thought better of simply eating it straight from the tub. No fancy glass of champagne would permit eating directly from a plastic container.

Apricot Glazed Sriracha Chicken Wings

by Maggie Battista
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I found this recipe via The Splendid Table recipe box last year and now make them for every cocktail party. I’ve switched out the original tabasco sauce for Sriracha, a thai-style hot sauce. These wings always disappear before any other dish. Ingredients 2-3 tablespoons soy sauce 1 generous cup apricot jam 1/3 to 1/2 cup