Went there for the first time for lunch today!! (I know - finally!!) Son was taking a break from dieting & celebrating his 40 lb loss. He had the burger, I had the bahn mi - OMG, that bahn mi was divine! The combination of flavors was amazing. Son loved the burger - I was tempted, but lately I get sick whenever I have red meat - but I was elated with my choice.

We both had the blueberry custard pie, which was, again, delicious. Just light enough after that meal so we didn't feel bloated, too.

I forgot to ask the name of our waitress - we were chatting a bit, and she mentioned she had an operation a few wks ago. Wonder if this is why some people had a bit of a hard time with service... it would make sense, if one of their regular staff was out, and they had to hire someone to temp. Don't know - the service she gave was fantastic. No complaints - can't wait to go back.

Edit: They had lobster on the menu today "1 1/4 lb of Snappy's Scituate Lobster" in a roll. Needless to say, it took me a LONG time to decide what to order...

I just read about this on Melomeals Facebook page. I agree about the First Responders being first in line. I know my family wants to do *something* (don't know what) to thank all - maybe we'll start with our local police.

This gesture is important because this will also give people a chance to talk. And I think that's a start in the area's healing...

[edit: I'm not in the immediate area - but Melomeals just posted on her FB page that the Red Lentil is having a free brunch today, between 10 am and 3 pm. They are right there in the center of all that happened - so some businesses are open.]

Besides all the monetary concerns, and the lives who have been changed forever by the severe medical issues, there is also the psychological impact. I know I'm feeling it, and I don't even know any victims directly. I can't even imagine that...

It *is* going to take awhile... I love that area - practically the best part of Watertown. I hope Arax & the rest of the places can recover - and quickly.

When the area finally opens, I urge people to give as much of your business to the stores, restaurants, etc. in that area. As has been noted in this thread, the whole city is going to suffer, but they right in the line of fire (those bullets had to go somewhere - someone in a second floor apt had bullets going through their home!) and hopefully, people are intelligent enough not to avoid shopping there when the area finally opens up.

Effects are going to be felt for a long time. Besides the so painful human scale loss, there is the money all businesses have lost. And people who depend on restaurant trade for their income - for instance, my son works as a bartender & was headed to do about an 18 hr shift, which he needed badly. Needless to say, that didn't happen... multiply that by all the other people around. Mind boggling...

It was so surreal, quiet was eerie - and it all was so frightening - here in Watertown. I'm so glad that it's over... my heart goes out to all the victims.

I was fortunate to have both my (adult) boys here with me through this. Made pizza and muffins... best pizza I made in a long time, better than any delivery here. Good to have that option back, though!

For others who might read this (the OP has already had the BBQ, but I totally agree with Itaunas here. Puritan and Lord Jeff are worth the drive out there, if that's possible. Also - it has been many years, but I still crave the slab bacon we used to get at Lord Jeff's. They would cut it thick (like we love it) and back then, it was cheaper than grocery store generic bacon. I don't have the transportation, so I haven't been there in years.

Sigh, I comfort myself by telling myself that this body doesn't *need* bacon....

The link that Shankins123 posted is for keo me xung. You are right - I used to have an easier time finding them. Recipe (there are lots others online, too) looks easy.

When I lived in Malden (eons ago) we'd go there often. I don't currently have a car - if I did, I'd definitely drive out there for my Italian treat fix.

Used to get his homemade raviolis - mmm! Desserts, can't remember what we'd get - all were good. I think he had homemade gelati (not craving that right now in this freezing cold!) that was delish, too.

So glad he's still doing business. Now I wish I could head out there...

I was buying brussels sprouts (couple of times) there until I found out my kid doesn't like them - and then realized, hey, I'm not really crazy for them either. Prefer actual cabbage, esp. the big flattish kind (got some in Chinatown recently - yum. hahaha - but I'm sooooo glad I realized that I've retained my childhood aversion to this vegetable at these prices, rather than the $3 a lb prices!

I agree with you, hotoynoodle. Haymarket is amazing for prices (I'm always very careful and get bad produce even less than I used to at grocery stores). I find the prices at BJ's and Costco to be way higher. My second choice would be the Asian grocery stores in Chinatown and Brighton, but with the cold we've been having I prefer to avoid too much travel.

The OP mentioned Quincy & South Shore area - I wonder if the large Asian grocery store in Quincy (forgot the name - never have been there) might have good deals on produce?

The other thing I thought of, would be talking to produce managers at stores where they have decent produce (and decent prices, of course) and seeing if you can strike up a deal for larger quantities.

I was going to attempt to travel into Haymarket w/a friend by car, but after reading about the hassles with that, I think I'll stick w/going by T. I'm lucky in that I found a fast bus that goes right to Downtown Crossing - I have a large wire cart to transport groceries & it's been very sufficient for my Haymarket expeditions, even supporting the gi-normous plastic crate of fresh, baby spinach I got one week for a whopping $5. My Lord, we ate spinach salad until it was coming out of our ears, gave lots away, cooked w/it, froze a huge amount and still had more left over. I still don't want to see spinach for awhile... it stayed fresh for much longer than any of those plastic bags or containers I've bought in the stores.

It's deals like this that keep me going there - amazing, but I can't handle extreme cold or heat these days, so I have to be happy w/what I find locally (usually Arax for me).

If I were juicing & used a lot of produce, I'd talk to some of the vendors there (the ones who sold me the best produce) and see if I could work out something every week or so. It's worth a try!

Years ago I used to buy organic produce in bulk at a vendor at the NEPC, (they were totally organic). Forget the name, but I think they're gone now. Lots of places will sell to the public - money is still green...

Looks like another good resource for me! Also good in case I decide to garden this next season. Thanks, DuchesNukem!

Thanks for the link, missbidon! They have a smaller amt available for $10 (including shipping) - that's enough for me to try it out, to see if it's worth the effort & cost - if it works out, I don't mind buying a larger quantity. Great to know they taste good - I especially don't want to go to all this trouble & have it ruined due to crappy soybeans!

Here I am again, hoping the watchful CH observers can tell me if they've found or seen another food item I'm looking for, anywhere around Boston. Trying to find non-GMO soybeans, and I don't currently drive, so this can narrow down my searches tremendously... and a big thanks, ahead of time.

I want to try my hand at tofu making, per Andrea Nguyen's instructions in her book, "Asian Tofu." (LOVE this cookbook, btw - I borrow everything - and I mean *everything* - from my local library, but plan to buy this for my bookshelf). Ordering online is a possibility, but I like to buy as local as possible, AND don't want to order a huge amount until I try this out (and see if it's worth it).

Russo's says they don't carry it, btw...

Right, Allstonian. And they're thick, lol - at least if I had those skewers used for BBQ's - that would have been better. But, it worked out, that's all that mattered. Was a @#$@) getting them out after, though - they managed to hide themselves very well...

I used up the rest of our turkey this morning - made hash with the leftover turkey (not much) and turkey stuffing (mostly ground turkey, spices, milk (!) & a cup of breadcrumbs. (Todd English on Martha Stewart's show- video online) I used milk instead of cream, btw, to keep the fat level down... Wow, the turkey hash was almost worth making the turkey that way! Think the marinade gave the turkey an amazing flavor, too.

Awesome!! Thanks so much, wonderwoman. I copied it on my computer, just in case it disappears here... Love Trader Joe's - never tried their coconut milk. I have a terrible time with puddings for my pies - not thick enough, too thick... and since it's chocolate, and no tofu (some fam. members don't like tofu), I could make one version for both vegan & everyone else in the family (easier for me). I really appreciate your sharing this!

I'm seconding Science Chick's request for your recipe. Interesting that you didn't use any thickeners... do you find the coconut milk thick enough?

Thanks, wonderwoman! Love that site, btw...

I really, really love baking, especially bread. I've been telling myself that this recipe is too much work, but I love a challenge - how I wish I was younger, because if I was, I'd tackle the insane world of the food business. There's such a limited amt of time I can use to stuff my adult kids, lol... and they are using that four letter word lately (diet)... but it was suggested that I see if there's a senior center near me to bring food - so I think that's what I'm going to do. I used to bring my dogs for visits to one near me when I lived in AZ - I honestly got back more than they did, I think. Good memories...

I'm going to try that, StriperGuy. I swear if I keep this up, though, I'm going to gain 20 lbs before Christmas...

Sounds really, really good. I didn't have much for my daughter's vegan chocolate cream pie (don't know where it all went... lalalala... eyes staring at the ceiling...) I keep a steady supply of Hershey's (easy to get) extra Dark Cocoa, so I made it very much as you described, wonderwoman, with a tofu mixture w/coconut cream for the topping. That turned out great - going to try more coconut based desserts for her now.

I'm thrilled now that I found an express bus that goes to Copley Square. I think I'm tried every single TJ's in my area, to see which one is easiest for me to get to by the T. The smallish Copley one is the best (a healthy walk fr Copley Station & the bus stop). I *have* to make my pilgrimages there!

(Not sure if you were referring to me, or to Luther, femmevox)...

I *did* make turkey soup yesterday. Came out incredible - I guess because of the herbs the carcass soaked in. Hmm - didn't think of banh mi for leftovers - that's brilliant! Need to get to Arax to get some bread (they carry a brand that's made in Lynn that is, surprisingly, great for bahn mi - used to live there & was sad when the place was sold as their ciabatta was no longer great... but their french bread is very good for bahn mi.

Stir fry, no - it's falling apart too much. I discovered I had no kitchen twine after I deboned the bird, hahaha - so (my creativity stepped in) I had to use - potato nails - to hold it together.

Yep. Not your typical Thanksgiving turkey at all, lol... too funny. It came out... interesting-looking... and very delish. :D

Thanks, MichaelB! I just put in a request at my local library network. That recipe might be a bit too involved for me, too - but I'll post the results if I do try it!

That's great, teezeetoo!! I can handle that price a lot better than others. I'd love to smoke some, too, someday. We don't really have the set up right now for that - but, perhaps, in the future...

Yes. One would think it's called that because its actually more than a pound. I think its because its what one gains by eating the whole (#$% thing... one square at a time, of course...

Ah, I stole that from my beloved (now passed away, sad to say). He swore by soaking chicken cutlets in milk for as long as possible, before breading & frying - said it made them sweeter, more moist. I could attest to those cutlets tasting fantastic - since it worked for chicken, I figured, why not turkey? I throw in all the herbs & spices I think we'll like, and just a tad bit of salt. So far, the turkeys I've cooked have been super-delish. This year I wanted to try buttermilk, but since my daughter gave birth in CT a few days before, I decided to go w/what we had in the fridge... I love being creative w/my cooking & baking! ;-)

This might be an old Italian way of preparing poultry - or, as he used to know all the meat & poultry sellers in Newmarket Square (the poultry place went out of business a short time after the owner passed away - cannot for the life of me remember the name - maybe *they* told him to do that... will never know...)

Edit: since I was rushing to CT for the early birth of my granddaughter, I opted to defrosting the frozen bird in the water method, with almost a gallon of milk added. It worked! That's all that matters... oh, and I have a beautiful, healthy baby granddaughter - now THAT'S what REALLY matters!!! :D

Can I ask how much the turkey was this year at Mayflower - and if you were as pleased with it this year?

I was near that store a few times & wondered about it! Wasn't shopping for meat (or poultry) at the time, so I didn't go in - I just might make a special trip. Their site says the turkey is "farm fresh", but doesn't give any other info.

While I really would prefer a free-range turkey from a particular farm, the reality is, I've checked those prices & I may not be able to afford the cost... but if I am cooking something once a year, I can at least plan ahead!

edit: Just realized how far away from the original posting I'm going - so I'm starting a new thread with these questions! second edit: looks like there are a couple of threads on this already - will refrain from posting yet again!! I'll ask my questions on the existing threads - been away from CH for awhile - need to catch up. :D

Thanks for the update. I'm not vegan, but my daughter is, and their site gave me ideas for future holidays. The lemon meringue blew my mind - finally did searches to confirm this is possible.

Of course, I bet she's eaten there.. so I need to go at least one better with my creations, lol...

Thanks, jgg13!!

Can you share with us which CSA you use?