CarolynInInman's Profile
Local wine anyone?
Thanks to everyone for such informative responses. I'm thrilled at the prospect of further supplementing our annual winetasting trips to the Finger Lakes in NY with closer to home wineries like those you guys listed. I will check out the restaurant and liquor store recommendations as well, as the budget permits...
Local wine anyone?
One of our favorites is from a mid-size family owned winery in the Finger Lakes of New York: Hunt Country Vineyards produces a great variety of wonderful wines...it seems like they have a bottle for every dish we are serving or any occasion we are celebrating. Plus they are committed to sustainability on every level.
www.huntwines.com
Local wine anyone?
Many of us love to eat local, and support local businesses, so I'm wondering why Boston wine lists never seem to feature wines that are produced any closer to home than California. What's up with that? Granted, New England isn't exactly wine country but there are some feisty little producers here, and not all of them make dubious blueberry and cranberry wine. I know of Shelburne vineyards in Vermont, which is all organic. Somebody else must be making decent wines around here. (Anyone have recommendations?) I know for sure that there are many world class wineries in nearby New York state but I can't even find them in wine stores here, let alone on a menu. Many restaurants that tout their local sourcing of ingredients don't have a single American wine- not even one from California- on their wine lists. Most have local microbrews, which is a great start, but I like wine with dinner.
So if anyone spots an East Coast wine on a Boston wine list, please post it here. Think of how good that Vermont cheese with Cape Cod cranberry compote would be with a New York dry riesling....
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Shelburne Vineyard
Shelburne, VT, Shelburne, VT
CSA 2009
We did Red Fire farms (veggies and fruit, no meat) last year and absolutely loved it. I can't wait for it to start up again. They have lots of pick up spots- just google Red Fire farms to learn details. They're signing up for this season now I think, and it fills up fast.
Shake my tree a little, Cambridge / Somerville
I heartily second all of the places listed here, and I want to give an extra dose of love to the Druid, though on a Saturday night it will be super packed. It's certainly worth the wait though, especially if you're OK with having a couple of pints while standing shoulder to shoulder in a tiny but lively Irish pub. It's much less formal than Rendezvous or Green Street so you might want to save it for a Monday or Tuesday night, but if you haven't been there before you'll be shocked by how good the food is, especially given the size of the kitchen. If you're looking for something more upscale, do try the Garden at the Cellar... stupendous food and atmosphere with a focus on local and seasonal ingredients. Plus again there are two bars you can wait for your table at, one upstairs and the other downstairs.
Asian Market Near Inman
I'm making Malaysian food tonight and need to pick up galangal, kaffir leaves and thai chiles. Would the Porter Exchange have these ingredients? (I've been there a bunch of times but only to get Japanese stuff.) Or Reliable Market in Union Square? Maybe Christina's? Somewhere in Central?
Normally I would happily explore all over the place myself, but since it's nasty out I'm hoping to just make one trip. Any ideas from local chefs and shoppers will be most appreciated!
