I met Karen at a food writer dinner earlier this year and now, lucky me, we’re friends. When she offered to profile The Wicked Oyster, I jumped on the opportunity to share the Cape Cod gem with all of you. This place is wonderful, kind of like Karen’s site, Gourmet Recipes for One. Karen’s easy granola recipe, inspired by The Wicked Oyster, would make a perfect gift for a new Mom, a housewarming or those holidays that, despite tropical hurricanes, are just around the corner. -Maggie

Oftentimes when I have a really great experience somewhere, I hesitate to go back. I want to cherish the experience and the way it has come to rest in my memory, untouched and unedited, and leave it alone. And for me, one of those experiences was at The Wicked Oyster in Wellfleet on Cape Cod.

The first time I went to The Wicked Oyster I was with friends. We were on our way home from a weekend at the beach, tanned and well-rested. We were sad to be leaving the Cape and all the memories we had made that weekend. My friends had recommended going there on our way home as a perfect way to end our weekend and they were right. Our dinner, which started with an addicting dish of whole roasted garlic cloves and good, crusty bread for dipping instantly left us wanting more. A crisp wedge of iceberg draped in a thick, creamy blue cheese dressing, covered with thick pieces of bacon followed, and was so delicious that I could have eaten just that for dinner. Seared scallops served over corn risotto and pan-roasted haddock in a light cream broth with leeks and littlenecks soon followed as well, and were as mouth-watering as each of the courses that came before them. We lingered over coffee, hanging onto every last of morsel of our dinner and our summer weekend together.

On a recent trip back to Wellfleet, I decided to tempt fate and try The Wicked Oyster for breakfast, hoping that it wouldn’t taint my sun-drenched memories from my time before. The old-fashioned screen door led me inside to an interior much different from the intimate, dimly-lit ambience you find here at night. Vases of freshly picked sunflowers were scattered around the interior, adding a warm burst of yellow to their chosen spaces. I grabbed a seat at an antique wooden table and quickly began sipping a cup of freshly brewed coffee. The menu had a wide variety of egg dishes from omelets (with plenty of locally-sourced produce as add-ins) to eggs benedict as well as buttermilk pancakes with fresh blueberries and homemade granola. It was a cool, damp morning and I was longing for something warm and comforting so I decided on brioche french toast, something I love but rarely eat. Four thick-cut slices of homemade brioche arrived on a simple white plate, adorned with only butter and maple syrup, which was all it needed. Every buttery bite melted in my mouth. It was simple and perfect, just as it had been before.

Inspired by the simplicity of their menu, I decided to make a batch of homemade granola when I got home. It’s really quick to make and if you’ve never made it from scratch, you might be surprised at how easy it is. My favorite way to eat it is sprinkled over thick Greek-style yogurt, with or without fresh fruit, and this is my favorite recipe:

Homemade Granola

You can add in anything you like to this basic recipe such as almonds, walnuts or seeds (mix in with the oats and toast them all together) or add in your favorite dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, apricots or cherries) to the finished, cooled granola.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon honey

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300°F.

2. In a medium bowl combine oats, cinnamon and salt.

3. In a small saucepan, heat butter and honey over medium heat and cook just until butter has melted. Pour over oat mixture and coat well.

4. Pour granola out onto a baking sheet (leaving it slightly chunky on the baking sheet allows for bigger chunks of granola to form). Bake for 20-25 minutes, until mixture is golden brown. Cool to room temperature and store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Makes approximately 2 cups.

What dining experiences have special memories for you?

All photos by Karen Covey.

Eat Boutique is an online magazine + market for food enthusiasts to celebrate the best pure, local + comforting handmade foods. We call it: food that hugs you back. Looking for the perfect gift? Eat Boutique sells gift boxes filled with handmade sweet and savory treats. Send food that hugs you back today.

Good luck to the soul who stands between a California Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel and me. Seriously, get out of my way.

I like wine and, especially, red wine. When I’m in northern California, I can drink a fancy red bottle or take my jug to the local vineyard to fill up on solid house wine. Either way, I’m happy because in California, I’ve got options.

Not so much in New England.

In fact, when a winemaker from a vineyard along the Coastal Wine Trail (which covers Rhode Island and Massachusetts) told me it’s impossible to make good red wine north of Connecticut, I pouted and considered a move out west permanently.

That was until I battled through thunderstorms to make my annual journey to Woodstock, Vermont in June.

I’ve been visiting Woodstock for ten years. My husband and I met Deirdre Heekin and Caleb Barber, proprietors of Osteria Pane e Salute, when we put ourselves in their hands for one of our first very fancy dinners as a couple. We chose our dishes based on their very seasonal and local menu, and Deirdre paired each course with her carefully-curated wines.

I love when someone who loves wines tells me what to drink.

Each year, we visit their bistro-size restaurant and, each year, I learn about so many boutique wines that Deirdre has discovered during her trips to Italy. Deirdre and Caleb visited during their honeymoon and return to taste, cook and get inspired during the off-season each year.

Lucky for us.

In June, we followed our typical 1-2-3 plan for a visit to Woodstock.

1. We checked into our favorite inn: The Woodstocker Inn

2. We ate and sampled beers at our favorite brewery: Long Trail Brewing Company

3. We dined in one of the best restaurants ** in New England: Osteria Pane e Salute

There was one slight alteration to this pretty awesome agenda. Deirdre and Caleb have started making wine on their eight-acre farm about 10 miles from the restaurant in Barnard, Vermont. And as a little gift to my husband, I surprised him with a tour of their farm, from which they grow vegetables and herbs for the restaurant, and a tasting of their very first wine vintage in progress at La Garagista. (They already make classic method ciders and aperitivi, delicious cordials and liquors to serve before a meal, and digestifs, for after a meal.)

The entire farm was stunning and quite special. And when I relayed the Coastal Wine Trail story to Deirdre just as we sipped her red wine, she gave me a look and a smile, and it was very clear to me that though the wine was still developing, I was soon going to have a favorite New England red wine.

Deirdre and Caleb are very busy with the restaurant and the farm and their wine tastings and all those trips to Italy but if you ask very nicely, they’d let you tour and taste their wines too.

Deirdre and Caleb have written several books: Libation, a Bitter Alchemy; In Late Winter We Ate Pears: A Year of Hunger and Love; and (my personal favorite) Pane e Salute: Food and Love in Italy and Vermont. They’re also on Twitter and write the inspiring blog Fuoricitta. I’ve written about Osteria Pane e Salute before too.

** Now I don’t make a broad statement like this very easily. But my first experience dining at this restaurant, and every single visit since, has inspired me. Their passion for food and wine inspired me to find my own and they’re one of the reasons I choose to work in food. Yes, those are big shoes to fill but they fill them beautifully.

Eat Boutique is an online magazine + market for food enthusiasts to celebrate the best pure, local + comforting handmade foods. We call it: food that hugs you back. Looking for the perfect gift? Eat Boutique sells gift boxes filled with handmade sweet and savory treats. Send food that hugs you back today.

For me, 2011 is about building offline communities. When the clock struck midnight on December 31 of last year, I made a pledge to  evolve all my online food conversations into real life meetings. It just seemed a bit ridiculous that I had all sorts of friends in the ether, sweet folks who have listened to my rants, my loves and my silliness (mostly silliness), whom I’ve never met in real life. I’ve met community members thousands of times via professional meet-ups and focus groups because – um, hello! – I’m a community manager by trade. But 2011 is my remedy to four years of talking and typing about food and rarely meeting a fellow food lover face to face.

After nearly three months of cocktails, dinners, and coffees with many of you, I can truly say, boy, you’re all such a lovely lot! Food enthusiasts may be opinionated and perhaps (secretly) a bit scrutinizing of the food put before them, myself included, but we really appreciate a meal made with love. In late January, I had such a meal at Bondir, a newish restaurant in Cambridge, Massachusetts brought to life by Jason Bond (formerly of Beacon Hill Bistro) and his very skilled and thoughtful team. On that night, Patrick, the restaurant’s manager, offered up the restaurant for Sunday lunch. I booked a February date and invited a hundred friends.

Despite a sudden limp winter storm, 16 people accepted the 16 spots available and drove from as far as Cape Ann and Rhode Island to enjoy a three-course lunch served family style, my favorite style. Rather than bore you with another hundred words describing the meal and all its glory. I wanted to, mainly, thank each person who attended. It was an honor to break bread and sip wine with you.

I’m especially grateful to: the friend who took a red eye from the west coast in order to make the lunch; his wife who picked him up and loaded him with coffee; the rocker who played for a sold out crowd until the wee hours the night before but still showed up; the friend who braved the cold with a cold to join in; the nutritionist who put up with all of our indulgent food chat for a few hours; the lady who loves cheese who parted with her out of town visitors to eat with us; the Rhode Island-based food and wine expert who made the long drive; the columnist (whom I hadn’t seen in a year) who forged past her French jet lag for the meal; the funniest tweeter I know and her beloved; the fisher woman who writes about food and works at that big university; the lady with the tiny urban kitchen whom I barely got a moment with (sadly!); the news producer whom I was finally able to chat with briefly; and the fascinating lady who left her big old house on the sea to meet up with us.

Say all that five times fast! Now, without further hold up, here are the photos from our fabulous lunch. Please know that this will not be the last lunch. It was such a fun day and I’d like to do it again soon. Want to join in? Let me know in the comments.

A bitterly cold February evening. Seven chatty food writers. A brand new pizza restaurant. Almost 10 wood-fired pizzas.

All that just starts to set the stage for a long-awaited dinner I attended with a few fun ladies. We gathered at Pizzeria Posto (Somerville, Massachusetts) to indulge in cheese, red sauce and some rapid-fire conversation, only paused long enough to take another bite of pie or big gulp of booze.

Each of us came to the dinner table with our own stories, personal and professional ties to the food world, and fairly hilarious takes on what’s going on in food these days. And the cool thing: our food writing had lead each of us down very interesting paths (and vice versa). One had just bought a bar (wow), one had recently taken the culinary school leap (wow) and yet another was a culinary school teacher who should probably be a comedienne (totally wow and totally funny).

Despite coming from different places, many of us got a little sad thinking about Boston’s Restaurant Week. In some ways, it’s still a great way for food lovers to sample high end cuisine at affordable prices. It’s also a way to fill seats during a time when people don’t typically eat out. But some restaurateurs have to compromise quality and vision in order to meet price requirements and consumer expectations. It works for some, it sucks for others.

Personally, I’m always looking for my next favorite neighborhood joint (long live the B-side!) and make sure to show the love to my favorite boutique restaurants year-round, so they can keep doing what they do best: deliver delicious food in a warm setting. In turn, they aim to never compromise on flavor, ingredients or service. So for those not interested in Boston’s Restaurant Week, I asked these great ladies: Which single restaurant would you encourage others to visit instead and why? I’m so grateful that they shared some of their favorites, and wanted to share the food love with you.

Erin Nichols, Erin Cooks, XoXo Erin and Yummery, recommends: Garden at the Cellar (Cambridge, MA)

“Garden at the Cellar offers diners a warm and inviting experience complete with gentle lighting, cozy tables, and peekaboo glimpses into the bustling kitchen where you’ll always find the staff hard at work creating a meal that each patron will find irresistible at first bite. Try the crispy Chicken and Thyme Croquettes and the tangy Roasted Beet Salad to start – I promise you won’t be disappointed, and regardless of what your entree might be, I’m absolutely ordering you to tack on a side of the to-die-for Rosemary Truffle Fries. I’m completely addicted to those golden uniform slivers of carb heaven!”

J.J. Adams, Palate-to-Pen and My Life with Bartender, recommends: Green Street (Cambridge, MA) or Central Kitchen (Cambridge, MA)

“Personally, I don’t dine out much. When I do venture out, I head to either Green Street or Central Kitchen in Central Square. Green Street is owned by a friend of ours. The wine list sates my need for a good glass of vino and the drafts impress my mister. I usually select something from their comfort eats: chips and dip, double patty burger, mac and cheese, etc. Central Kitchen is my spot for moules marinière and steak frites. I usually sit at the bar so I may solicit wine suggestions from the bartender. Both rooms are dimly lit and comfy.”

Shelby Larsson, Lady Gouda and Eat Boutique, recommends: Citizen Public House (Boston, MA)

“The newest venture from the folks behind Franklin Cafe, Citizen Public House is a comfortable, yet unique neighborhood restaurant. While they (rightfully) get attention for their great selection of whiskey, craft beer and wine, the menu is what keeps me coming back. Pay attention to their nightly specials for creative and tasty dishes. When you arrive, try to secure what I call “the money seat” – a snug bench at the end of the expansive bar, which is a cross between my two favorite ways to dine: booth seating and bar dining. Or grab 11 of your closest friends, give the restaurant a heads up, and you can have your own personal pig roast – not your typical Restaurant Week fare at all.”

Adrienne Bruno, Hungry Bruno, recommends: Silvertone Bar & Grill (Boston, MA)

“It’s not as ‘fancy’ as some of the places on the Restaurant Week list, but Silvertone downtown on Bromfield Street is reliably good as an after work or late night spot for when standard bar food just won’t do. Not that they don’t have a good bar, because they do (the bartenders are great, actually) but the real appeal is in the macaroni and cheese. And the steak tips. And the meatloaf. And the calamari. And… I’ll stop now.”

Pam Aghababian, Cave Cibum, recommends: Neptune Oyster (Boston, MA)

“Three words: Hot. Lobster. Roll. As the winter drags on, a little reminder of summer is important. Neptune’s hot lobster roll calls to mind warm evenings by the beach, enjoying fresh-from-the-water seafood. Imagine a mess-free steamed lobster, already dipped in butter, and served with a pile of fries, and you’ve got one of the best lobster rolls in the city, no bib required.”

Maggie Battista, Eat Boutique, recommends: Highland Kitchen (Somerville, MA)

“When my week’s been just too full of too much and I’m dreaming about – more like, begging for – my weekend cocktail, I always see myself at Highland Kitchen. I imagine the warm, no-attitude welcome. I remember the cocktail menu that’s not too cool to respect tradition and smart enough to change it up frequently. I see myself snug at the corner table with a big pile of Buffalo Brussels Sprouts and an ever-changing Pig and Pickle Plate, their take on a charcuterie platter, filled with crisp pork belly, some spreadable innards and some refreshing pickled fruit. And get this: when I finally get to Highland on the weekend, it always lives up to the hype in my head.”

Now you tell us: Which single restaurant would you encourage others to visit instead and why, in Boston and beyond?

The photos appear courtesy of the following photographers: (1) Dan4th Nicholas, (2) William Selman, (3) artsnsociety, (4) Lauren K, and (5) Jeremy Brooks.

I spent one-third of 2010 living and eating in Paris. Is there really anything to do in Paris besides eat? I suppose shopping, when I’m not eating. After now 16 weeks there, I found so many tiny food gems that lured me back on more than one occasion. While I can’t go so far as to say that the following list is the absolute best in show, because I really can only speak for myself and my friends, but I can say that (1) I’m picky (just ask those who know me well) and (2) these spots left their mark with me, in more ways than one (just ask my bathroom scale).

So for all my friends, colleagues, family members and readers of Eat Boutique who email regularly asking “Where should I eat in Paris?” I have produced this list of my favorites. Since I’ve always thought of “boutique” as a way of being small, exclusive & handmade, like more than a shop but, rather, a way of shopping or even eating, I shall now encourage you to eat boutique. In Paris.

Fave lunch: Le Miroir in the 18ême (Montmartre)

When I visit Paris, I spend a lot of time in Montmartre. Many afternoons, I gaze out on the roof tops and setting sun from this flat in the 18ême, belly full after a delicious lunch at Le Miroir. Just around the corner from the flat, this modern style bistro serves an efficient and charming two- or three-course meal that ends with the most perfect cafe gourmand in Paris. The cafe gourmand is a relatively new Paris phenomenon that consists of 2-3 tiny desserts displayed on a plate with a strong, short espresso. Some places do cafe gourmands better than others, but you always remember your first. My first and my favorite is at Le Miroir. Le Miroir, 94 eue des Martyrs, 75018, Paris. Telephone: +33 (0)1 46 06 50 73. Metro: Abbesses or Pigalle.

Fave wine bar: Le Baron Rouge in 12ême

Stand or sit or push your way into this dive spot just around the corner from Square Trousseau and below the Bastille neighborhood. Le Baron Rouge is pretty much a hole in the wall, with rickety tables and wine barrels that substitute for a flat spot to rest your glass. But don’t let the comfy look fool you. This wine list is vast and the meat plates are divine, adequately covered with a bit of this or a bit of that, typically porky and always delicious. Be prepared to make new friends during the evening hours, when you’re squished up against the locals and expats alike. Try their raw oysters, shucked right on the sidewalk. Le Baron Rouge, 1 rue Théophile Roussel, 75012 Paris. Telephone: +33 (0)1 43 43 14 32. Metro: Gare de Lyon.

Fave ‘Spanish-dive’ wine bar: Le Cap Horn in 4ême (Marais)

When you’ve had enough of those truly French wine bars – and let’s be honest here, while all that damn good French wine makes you mad you were born in the wrong country, sometimes you need a break from all the awesomeness – I head over to this mellow Spanish spot in the Marais. It really isn’t anything special but the service has always been warm, which is a pleasant break from the French wine bars, and the wine and cocktails are generally Spanish. Well, except for that super-dry, ice-cold rose I sipped on the sunny, warm day when the Icelandic volcano had canceled my flight home. As if 11 straight weeks in Paris weren’t enough, the volcano made it 12. Thank you, Iceland! Le Cap Horn, 8 rue de Birague, 75004, Paris. Metro: Saint Paul.

Fave bistro: Le Petit Pontoise in the 5ême (Latin Quarter)

I dined on bistro fare multiple times over across the city of light. I visited every single bistro you each told me to visit – the hidden gems, the super trendy ones, the place your aunt loved on her visit 10 years ago, and many of the spots on everyone’s must eat lists. It wasn’t until I met this nutty old Parisian woman who practically booked my table at Le Petit Pontoise, saying it was the best bistro on the Left Bank. For me, it was the best bistro in all of Paris. My guest and I were cramped up against our fellow diners, elbow to elbow, our forks practically in their escargot, but we were so happy. The food was really, really good. The wait was wonderfully long but wonderfully worth it. I went back three times in three weeks. I can’t say it was truly Parisian because the staff were so genuinely nice (much of the time). But just go. (A little advice: When you feel like you’ve waited too long for your meal, when you feel like everyone’s eaten in the restaurant before you, when you feel like you’re going to die from hunger, don’t ask where your food is. That’s when the staff becomes truly Parisian. I witnessed it and it wasn’t pretty. So just don’t do it. But don’t let that stop you from going. Seriously.) Le Petit Pontoise, 9 rue de Pontoise, 75005, Paris. Metro: Maubert-Mutualite. Telephone: +33 (0)1-43-29-25-20.

Fave salads: Rose Bakery in the 9ême

Ah, Rose Bakery, where have you been all my life?! This British-flavored export is now a chain and has great weekend brunches (if you can get a seat) but I adore the weekday lunch menu, especially the multicolored, super fresh salad plates that are assembled just for me. (And I’ve forgiven the “chain” fact because the spirit is so very small, exclusive and totally made by hand.) I choose five vegetarian dishes (typically salads of some sort) and they plate it up with a smile. The service is swift but friendly, and it’s best to try speaking English first, as many of the British waitstaff speak very limited French. Everything is organic, and tastes like it, and I found my favorite green tea hidden amid all the British products on the clumsy shelves. I’ve been so tempted to lug home some of their gigantic jars of jam. I’m not quite sure what I’d do with a gallon of rhubarb-vanilla-rosemary-passion fruit-mango-rose-scented jam (I exaggerate but, geez, they do squeeze many flavors into each) but I do feel I must have one at some point. Or now. Anyone have half a suitcase free on their next trip? Rose Bakery, 46 rue des Martyrs, 75009, Paris. Telephone: +33 (0)1 42 82 12 80. Metro: Pigalle or Saint Georges. There is a second Rose Bakery at 30 rue Debelleyme, 75003, Paris. Telephone: +33 (0)1 49 96 54 01. Metro: Filles du Calvaire or Saint-Sébastien – Froissart.

Fave bread: Coquelicot in the 18ême (Montmartre)

I ate a lot of bread in Paris. Some of it was very good. In fact, I remain amazed at how some of the very best baguettes were on every nook and corner of Paris. But, Coquelicot is in a hemisphere all their own. While their baguettes are very good, everything else there is just fantastic too. Being that I spent a lot of time in Montmartre, sometimes up way too early for any sensible French person, I waited for the world to wake up all too often in a back table at Coquelicot, chugging their cafe creme and slathering butter and jam on their baguette halves. Their take-away sandwiches are equally delicious. And don’t even get me started on their frighteningly-plump Madeline cookies.

Fave fruit tarts: Les Petits Mitrons in the 18ême (Montmartre)

On your next visit to Paris, you should endeavor with vigor to be invited to a brunch party, a Sunday afternoon fete that is very “open house” in style, where sweet and savory foods are served liberally with wine, equally liberally. When I got the invitation and the gentle direction to consider bringing the best fruit tart in the world from Les Petits Mitrons, I was skeptical. Fruit in pastry feels like something the Americans have mastered. Take, for instance, pie. We rock at pie. Pie is our thing. We beat our chests singing the praises of our pies. I have since discovered, to my delight, that the French aren’t so bad at fruit in pastry either. In fact, this tart was one of the hits of the brunch! Les Petits Mitrons, 26 rue Lepic, Paris, 75018, Paris. Telephone +33 (0)1-46-06-10-29. Metro: Blanche or Abbesses.

Fave caramels: Jacques Genin in the 3ême (Marais)

I suppose I need to take this moment to apologize to all my friends. When I left Paris, I was certain I had packed two or five metal containers full of Jacques Genin’s other-worldly mango passion fruit caramels. And not the small containers. The severely large containers that house thirty or forty individually-wrapped buttery caramels. Sometime between take off from Charles de Gaulle and seeing YOU over the course of the summer, they all disappeared. I don’t think I ate them all, but they do cause this weird euphoria and do go down so easily that I can’t really recall. This is my heartfelt apology to you. I’ll make it up to you someday. In Paris. Take a peek at their other goodies. Jacques Genin, 133 rue de Turenne, 75003, Paris. Telephone: +33 (0)1 45 77 29 01. Metro: Temple.

Fave pub: The Pure Malt in the 4ême (Marais)

Whirlwind trips to Paris are hard. They sound luxurious, but one night in Paris is just plain hard, especially for someone like my husband, who’s just not quite found his people there. He’s Irish, but lured me into this Scottish pub across the street from our hotel on one random evening this past fall. We grabbed two points, watched a rugby game, got to know the slightly restless but incredibly friendly regulars, and made this spot our home for an hour or two. The rain was pouring down outside and our cheeks were rosy from the beer and the sweet chit chat with folks we barely knew but who also felt like home. I imagine this spot is packed during the late evening hours, but just before our 8pm dinner (early by Paris standards), it was perfect. The Pure Malt, 4 Rue Caron, 75004 Paris. Telephone: +33 (0)1 42 76 03 77. Metro: Saint-Paul.

Fave produce market: Marché Raspail in the 6ême (St Germain)

I’m not even going to begin to defend the prices at this organic market. Just a short walk from the northwest corner of the Luxembourg Gardens, the Marché Raspail is organic and expensive, mainly because it’s located down one of the very affluent residential streets of St Germain. Sure, you may pay more for a pear there than at any other market in Paris, but that damn pear is going to be perfect. This market takes place every Sunday morning, until around 2pm, and plays hosts to farmers, cheese makers, bakers, butchers and all sorts of handmade crafters. I visited nearly every week for a loaf of hearty bread, a heavy bar of demi-sel Bretagne butter, a couple sausages and a few veggies. (A little advice: The ladies who make crepes on demand, filling them with sweet or savory goodies, do indeed make pretty decent crepes. They’re nothing like Breizh Cafe but desperate times…)  Marché Raspail is actually at the corner of Boulevard Raspail and Rue de Rennes. Métro: Rennes.

Fave crepe: Breizh Cafe in the 3ême (Haute Marais)

The folks at Breizh Cafe don’t make just another crepe. They make real crepes, the kind that are inspired by a Bretagne boy’s chef adventures around the globe, including a stay in Tokyo. Mastermind Bertrand Larcher returned to France and his establishment turns out the most delicious buckwheat flour crepes (really called galletes) that I’ve ever tasted. They’re broad, healthy and firm, a strong canvas for the rich homemade caramel sauce or the combinations of savory flavors (think vegetables, seafood, eggs, and cheese, oh yes, cheese). I always wash everything down with a yeasty bubbly cider which almost, but not quite, plays good substitute for a nice champagne. (A little advice: Make a reservation. Please don’t show up at 12pm and think, “Gosh, it’s early enough. I’m sure I’ll get a table!” Except by some miracle from God, you will not. So call a day or two ahead. That shouldn’t be hard for us Americans, as most of them speak wonderful English.) Briezh Cafe, 109 rue Vieille du Temple, 75003 Paris. Telephone: +33 (0)1 42 72 13 77. Metro: République.

Fave sandwich to takeaway: L’Avant Comptoir in the 6ême (St Germain)

You’re certainly welcome to try to squeeze into this tiny place next door to the now infamous Le Comptoir du Relais restaurant in St Germain, but why hassle when you can slide right on up to the little window of L’Avant Comptoir for fresh, exciting takeaway sandwiches. Inside, you’ll get funky tapas that include all sorts of piggy parts. At the window, you’ll watch the staff make a savory style crepe and fill it with whatever your heart desires. Their whiteboard lists off the specials of the day, and I tend to try one of those. My last folded sandwich was stuffed with arugula, mushrooms and so many things, well, it was hard to keep track. But back at my Paris flat, served sliced with a glass of red wine, I was in heaven and for less than ten Euros. L’Avant Comptoir, 9 carrefour de l’Odéon, 75006, Paris. Telephone: +33 (0)8 26 10 10 87. Metro: Odeon.

Fave teatime experience: The Grande Mosquee in the 5ême (Latin Quarter)

I’ve done the fancy teatime at the Ritz in Boston because I get a kick out of all that pomp and love tiny foods (scones, biscuits, sandwiches) of all kinds. In Paris, I got a different sort of tea experience at the Grand Mosquee after a long walk through the Jardin des Plantes. Imagine a multi-umbrella covered patio, adorned with cafe-style chairs and gorgeous middle eastern tiles. I took note of the rich blue hues and quite relaxed clientele. We sat in our private nook and simply waited for little fancy glasses of sweet mint tea to descend upon us. A few chilly rain drops fell but under those umbrellas, and flush with all that natural sugar, we weren’t bothered. We talked and stared and thought hard about how we need to take teatime way more often. (A little advice: Take the metro all the way to Gare d’Austerlitz on a bright day. Walk through the Jardin des Plantes until you find yourself in this tea-soaked patio on the other end. You’ll swear you had the perfect day.) The Grand Mosquee, 39 rue Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 75005 Paris. Telephone: +33 (0)1 45 35 97 33. Metro: Jussieu.

Fave macaron: Pierre Herme in the 6ême (St Germain)

There are about as many macaron bakers in Paris as there are cafes in Paris. Scratch that, there are probably more macaron bakers than cafes. I tried three or four of them, including the legendary Laduree. Even after way too many taste tests and probably as many fights with some of my French friends, I remain enamored with the crazy flavor combos at Pierre Herme. I’ll throw back five of those chocolate & passion fruit treats anytime. Any. Time. With champagne, of course. Pierre Herme, 72 rue Bonaparte, 75006, Paris. Telephone: +33 (0)1 43 54 47 77. Metro: Saint Sulpice or Mabillion.

Of course, with all this said, Paris is an ever changing city, always under renovation and always buzzing with new restaurant openings. Perhaps you have a favorite hidden gem in Paris that you’re certain would be perfect for me? Tell me about it in the comments. Merci!

All photos by Maggie Battista, except for the gorgeous espresso shot at the lead, which was taken by Arthur Rabate.

Certainly, Paris is synonymous with so many food-oriented words. I can think of hundreds, like wine, bread, croissant, macaron… My favorite one is cheese. Just the mere whisper of the word in a crowded house party, and I will crawl to the appropriate corner of the room to inhale piles of the stuff.

While in Paris, I made a vow to hit new food spots during every available moment and while I was sure there’d be some cheese at Le Marché des Enfants Rouges in the north Marais, I really had only  ventured there to check out why every food enthusiast loved this special enclosed market.

The market was darling but I wasn’t as interested in all the stalls of produce. Frankly, most of the produce markets across Paris are absolutely lovely, brimming with local fruits and veggies, all of varying quality and price. I was far more taken by this luscious plate of cheesy risotto I ate in a corner pop-up restaurant in the market. The stall had the sweetest hand-drawn menu and served a hefty glass of white wine.

I ordered the “Risotto with Taleggio and Parma (Prosciutto)” and savored each pillow of a bite while reading “Spécialités de la Maison,” an 1940s era collection of recipes by the American Friends of Paris that was recently re-published. The recipes are incredibly easy (kinda like how easy the risotto went down) and reflective of what foodie socialites craved during the not-quite-so-simple time of World War II.

Taleggio, although Italian and not French, is one of my favorite cheeses. And since I don’t discriminate on cheese origin – Italian is just as good (sometimes better) then French cheese – I kinda fell in love with my risotto, the tiny chalk board and the little market des Enfants Rouges.

I haven’t had a moment to recreate this risotto dish, but when I do, I plan to serve it just as this dish was served – a heaping pile of creamy, slow-cooked rice adorned with stinky Italian cheese and strips of Italian salty pork. I’ll serve it with plenty of white wine too. Perhaps a French wine to commemorate my moment at the market.

Since I have cheese on the brain, here’s a list of cheese-oriented recipes to comfort you as the cold weather grips your region:

• The Minimalist’s Ricotta Cheese Gnocchi
• The Temporary Vegetarian: Raclette
• The Kitchn’s Bacon & Cheddar Cheese Biscuits
• The House Mouses’s Ten-Tacular Mac and Cheese

When I first started dating my now-fiancé, many of our dates would include epic walks that could span most of a Sunday. We would explore different neighborhoods of Boston, Cambridge and Somerville on foot, with no real plan in place. These walks, happily, often turned into somewhat of a long, drawn out pub crawl, as we’d pop into a bar here and there for a beer and a bit of a rest.  And usually some snacks. When you walk all around town, you need to stay fueled – it is the first rule in urban hiking.

Life seems to have sped up a bit in recent years, however, so we don’t go on as many “explore our city” days as we once did, but every now and then we manage to put aside some time to go on one of our city walks. These days, it is our esteemed opinion that the ultimate Boston exploration day might just include a water taxi ride across Boston Harbor to and a meal in an active East Boston shipyard. It is in this shipyard that you will find guys in full protective body suits working at a factory, yuppies walking their dogs around the new parks, and crazy industrial art installations. It is sort of a mish-mash of many different types of people and places surrounded by warehouses, docks, and boats of every kind. It is also where you will find the best possible view of Boston… and a very special place called Scup’s.

Scup’s is a complete original. Truly, I’m not sure this place could be found anywhere else in the world or be replicated in any way. It is a crazy combination of amazing food, unique location, cozy and interesting atmosphere, and warm but slightly sassy service. Plus, you can elect to make getting there an adventure in itself. Sure, you can take the Blue Line to Maverick and walk through the pretty Jeffries Point neighborhood, or hell, I suppose you could drive there. I prefer to arrive by boat.  Go ahead – try it. Head towards the Boston waterfront, give City Water Taxi a call, tell them where you are, and they will let you know where they will pick you up. Tell them to take you to Scup’s, and they give you a discounted rate and a ride right to the dock. Getting there is half the fun!

Scup’s is primarily a breakfast and lunch spot, although they have begun to serve a light dinner on Wednesday through Friday. I have only ever visited during the daytime hours, where my socks have always been knocked off by their unique sandwiches and breakfast dishes. I am still thinking about the Moroccan Sandwich I had here over a year ago, a sandwich so unique and addictive, I sought out the recipe and made it myself (and blogged about it on Lady Gouda).  This past visit, we made our way across the harbor in the morning and indulged in the “Rapture” egg sandwich, baked eggs with tomatoes and mushrooms, and split an order of their famous “Millionaire’s Bacon”.  I think I made a scene with my “oohs” and “ahhs” and “YUM” noises, but no one seemed to care much. The Rapture sandwich would have taken the prize of the best dish, as the geniuses at Scup’s have taken the simple egg sandwich to new levels by introducing potato chips to their scrambled eggs (seriously – it was so freaking good), and spreading a slightly spicy tomato jam over the quality bread. But then we tasted the bacon. Spicy and sweet, the Millionaire’s Bacon was an experience that we needed to repeat at home again and again. While Scup’s is a place that cannot be replicated, we found a way to bring a bit of that quirky deliciousness home with us by coming up with a solution to our Millionaire’s Bacon addiction (recipe below!).

After soaking up all that Scup’s has to offer (or, eating all that you can fit in your stomach this time and promising yourself that you will return tout suite), go ahead and explore the area. Walk around the shipyard. Head to your right and go check out the new(ish) Piers Park, a comfortable seaside landscape with incredible views. Head to your left and explore another new park where you can watch the planes landing at Logan Airport. Check out Boston’s storied Immigration Station before MassPort tears it down. Climb the Golden Stairs for another, yet related, historic immigrant experience and check out Jeffries Point, with its old homes and neat yards. This is East Boston as you never knew it.

Hopefully you’ve now walked off enough of your Scup’s meal that you can go back and do it all over again. Or at least grab a coffee and a scone. Call your taxi and ride the waves back to Boston proper!

Millionaire’s Bacon

Adapted from Gourmet, September 2006

Ingredients:

• 1 lb thick-cut bacon (about 12 slices)
• 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
• Rounded 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• Rounded 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Pre-heat the oven on to 350 degrees and place rack in the middle position. Take out a rack and a jelly roll type of cookie sheet, line the pan with foil to catch the drippings and place a rack on top of pan. Add sugar and spices in a small bowl and mix well. Apply spice mixture to each piece of bacon, trying to spread evenly on each side of each piece. If you run out of the spice mixture, simply make up another batch (I made several batches, so I have doubled the original recipe above here- apparently I like to “over-do” it on the sugar and spice here).  This recipe is pretty hard to screw up: candied bacon with a kick of heat is delicious, no matter what you do.

Lay the strips of bacon out flat across the rack, trying not to overlap any pieces to get premium crispiness. Bake the bacon until it is crisp and golden, which depending on the thickness of your bacon and your oven could take anywhere between 20 and 30 minutes. Watch it carefully after the 20 minute mark. Using tongs, turn bacon over to get ultimate double sided crispness about 2/3 of the way through, if you’d like.

NOTE: I made the whole batch of bacon for a few family members over Labor Day weekend, with hopes that we’d have some slices leftover for a late summer BLT fest for lunch. Unfortunately, I forgot that it would be completely impossible for my family to resist this bacon; there was none left. The next day, they begged me to make the Millionaire’s bacon again so I made an even larger batch so that I could have my special BLT. I thought, “There’s NO WAY they want this much bacon, two days in a row.” They did. Consider yourself warned.

For more information about Scup’s, including how they got their name, visit their website.

If you’d like to try getting there via water taxi, here is my preferred way to do so! Or simply call 617-422-0392.

I’ve worked for too many big companies to know that small companies truly rock. (I’m not sure if I mentioned previously, but I work here now!) Certainly, small companies come with their requisite downsides – like way too much work for far too few people – but the upsides are beyond words, really. It’s fabulous to work with three other fabulous women who care about doing what’s right, who prioritize delivering the highest levels of service and who are seriously in love with their gigs. Trips to Paris don’t suck either.

Earlier this summer, most of us (sadly, absent our fearless leader) gathered in New York City for lots of work and a touch of play. We also said good bye to one of us, a fearless young lady heading off to business school. To toast her new challenge and weep for our loss, we gathered at The Harrison in Lower Manhattan for a perfect send-off dinner.

Luckily, the New York City heat wave hadn’t yet set in and we grabbed a table outside right on Greenwich Street in Tribeca, but not before being welcomed by a friendly hostess and the wonderful Amanda Freitag, executive chef at The Harrison. We were all a little surprised to see her at the front door but after reading up on her a bit more, I learned it was quite in her character to stand at the front door, smiling at guests.

Like Joanne Chang of Flour Bakery in Boston, Amanda realizes that food is only one part of the dining equation and puts a lot of weight into crafting an experience for her guests. Eat Boutique is all about the experience behind the food, the story behind the meal, and how old-fashioned hospitality can transcend your life. Amanda totally gets this.

Thanks to Amanda and her amazing staff, the entire evening was full of fun. The menu is incredibly fresh, served with a light, expert touch – think no weighty sauces or heavy deep fries but amazing flavors seasoned exceptionally well. The octopus salad won all of our hearts, as did the lightly deep-fried troutlings. I challenge anyone to make their troutlings, beautiful tiny trout, taste better.

We practically inhaled our meal, scooping up every last morsel of octopus. Each of our bites were alternated with fun personal stories, giving us a great chance to get to know each other a bit. We also became familiar with the locals and giggled when Maggie Gyllenhaal stood by our table, trying to get a taxi. We thought only in New York City would it be practically impossible for Maggie Gyllenhaal to hail a taxi cab. In any other U.S. city, she might be recognized and helped quickly. But it was rush hour, and while she’s totally cute, New Yorkers don’t really care about celebrity.

Several factors made the night fairly perfect: gorgeous fresh food, a corner table in hip Tribeca, a few unique cocktails, kind new colleagues/friends, and absolutely lovely view of a sliver of the ocean as the sun set just behind it. We toasted hello and toasted good bye, and looked forward to our next amazing meal with each other. Hopefully, in Paris next time.

Life used to be so easy. At least my lunch choices were. I’d saunter over to the Haut Marais, into le Marché des Enfants Rouges, and hit up Alain, “my” sandwich guy. It started one day when I ordered the delicious organic smoked salmon sandwich that he made on ciabatta and slowly, patiently toasted up to crunchy perfection on his crepe burner. I quickly became addicted. Then he introduced the Cornet Vegetarien, and suddenly all bets were off. Inside a savory crepe, he’d combine gobs of delicious ingredients (“tout bio!” he’d proudly point out) such as fresh greens and mushrooms, grated carrots and fennel, marinated onions, sliced avocado and chèvre, olive oil, chives, sea salt, diced parsley, lemon juice, lime zest, and, à la fin, honey—or, ”the French touch!” in Alain’s words. In my own words, the best sandwich in the city.

Merce and the Muse, Tartes Kluger – Julien Hausherr

But suddenly, my choices are a lot more plentiful. Casual eateries keep popping up, making me feel a little torn about sampling the new goods versus sticking to what I know and love. But let’s be honest: a girl can’t live on sandwiches alone. And as much as I’d like to eat several lunches a day, I must make my choices wisely. So, while I still visit Alain as often as possible, I’ve also been eating up the other fresh dishes put forth in the Haut Marais these days.

Cococook – Julien Hausherr

Say it’s a nice, sunny day and I’m heading to Square du Temple or Square Georges Cain, craving something beyond a sandwich for lunch. I exit the back of the Marché des Enfants Rouges, on rue Charlot, to the brilliant Cococook. Open for nearly a year now, it’s the kind of fresh and simple take-out food that has been perfected in U.S. cities like New York and San Francisco: a simple spinach salad, studded with sesame seeds, for example, or quinoa with coriander chicken and butternut squash. There are healthy drinks (carrot-ginger-orange juice) and naughty desserts (chocolate caramel tarte). But maybe the best thing is that the cute and clean operation is open every day and every night and even delivers—a true rarity in this city.

Tartes Kluger – Julien Hausherr

Instead of sitting in a park, sometimes I want a quiet oasis where I can enjoy my food—in which case I hit up Tartes Kluger. Tucked a block beyond the neighborhood’s sceniest intersection (rues Charlot and Bretagne), this serene spot is friendly and comfortable, with two communal tables, Anglo magazines (Bon Appetit and Jamie—yay) and zero pretension. The tartes are available across town at different restaurants such as Colette, and change depending on seasonal inspiration. What I especially like about them—aside from the giant salads they’re served along with—is that there’s usually at least one unexpected ingredient. The salmon tarte, for example, is paired with dill, oui, but also asparagus, rather than spinach. While the spinach tarte is made with ricotta instead of goat cheese. And don’t even get me started on the beautiful and delicious fruit tartes, to say nothing of the killer chocolate tarte.

Rose Bakery – Julien Hausherr

Speaking of amazing desserts, when Rose Bakery descended from rue des Martyrs and opened in the Haut Marais in ’08, it brought its celebrated scones, cheesecake and carrot cake with it. These English baked goods and other veggie-friendly menu items, like potato salad, scrambled eggs and pizzettes, were much more novel—but no less appreciated—than when the original bakery opened in 2002.

Rose Bakery – Julien Hausherr

Even today, every visit to the rue Debelleyme outpost inspires gasps of excitement (tofu and dashi—in gay Paris!) and sighs of contentment (hel-lo, lemon pound cake), whether I cram myself at one of the tables in the long, narrow restaurant so I can inhale the delightful smells coming from the open kitchen, or take my goods to enjoy outside.

Merce and the Muse – Julien Hausherr

And then there’s the new girl in town. Opening next door to the new gelateria, Mary (Nutella gelato for le gouter??), Merce and the Muse is another welcome taste of home. A DC native, Merce (pronounced “Mer-cy”) was always jonesing for a good cup of coffee that could be enjoyed in a casual, friendly hangout. After running her own baking company, and journeying to Denmark’s Coffee Collective to get schooled in proper preparation, she recently opened her coffee shop/café on rue Dupuis. With do-whop on the phonograph, and beet, granny smith and chèvre salad served from big terracotta picnic bowls, you’d swear you were on the East Coast, not the Haut Marias. At least I do. Which is why you’re almost guaranteed to find me there every weekend this summer.

Related Links:

• Cococook, 30 Rue Charlot, 3e, 01 42 74 80 00
• Tartes Kluger, 6 rue du Forez, 3e, 01 53 01 53 53
• Merce and the Muse, 1 bis rue Dupuis, 3e
• Amy’s list of places to score American foods in Paris
• Richard Nahem’s favorite spots in the Marais
• Parisien Salon on cantine-dining in Paris
• Meg Zimbeck on Tartes Kluger
• David Lebovitz on Merce and the Muse, and Mary

Written by Amy Thomas for the HiP Paris Blog. Julien Hausherr is a photographer based in Paris, specializing in architecture, still-life and reporting. Contact: julienhausherr@hotmail.fr. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.