Boston Archives - Page 2 of 3

Spring in the city of Boston…and seasonal dish of Lemon Cumin Chicken with hearty wheat berries

May 14, 2018 By Sarah 5 Comments

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The funny whimsical statues of the mother duck and her ducklings in Boston’s Public Gardens

After having several fun weekends in Boston during the New England winter, it is amazing to see the city transform into a much gentler softer palette of colors as springtime transforms this fabulous historical city.

We’ve been going back and forth to Boston much more often than is typical so seeing the city transform has been such a pleasure to witness. Boston isn’t a city the really grabbed my enthusiastic attention when we moved to the northeast three and a half years ago. It seemed each time we initially visited the city we didn’t have luck with the weather. It was either beastly hot or frigidly cold. However, that first perception is changing for sure as we move through the different neighborhoods and explore the many character filled areas that make up the rich tapestry of Boston. Springtime emerging in the city is truly something to experience. It’s like the entire city went to a spa and came out transformed and beautiful and ready for a grand ball.

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Making life easier in the country after returning from the hubbub of the city…this Lemon Cumin rubbed Chicken over a bed of colorful spinach, dried cherries, toasted walnuts was a flavorful fresh and healthy meal for our weekend projects.

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Boston’s Public Gardens…awash with soft pinks and pearly whites of the blossoms on all of the cherry trees

The reason for the many upcoming back and forth trips to Boston is that a job situation has offered us the opportunity to live in the city part of the week and then return to our beloved New Hampshire the rest of the week and weekend. There isn’t a rush to make living arrangements so we decided to try out the various neighborhoods, explore the characteristics of them, and see which area might fit us the best.

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Bathroom redo and first Baltimore Oriole sighting!

On top of apartment hunting in Boston and exploring various parts of the city we decided to add to the tumult by throwing in more renovation house projects to keep weekends lively. The upstairs bath mostly used by guests was in sore need of a makeover from top to bottom. We have been tearing out the ceiling to expose the pretty wooden beams that had been dry walled over, adding a touch of William Morris wallpaper (because I am in love with their pattens and cannot resist), changing out the damaged tile flooring. A beautiful claw foot tub was already in the space and we’ll keep that along with a fabulous marble antique sink and old silver faucet that adds great character to the room.

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Strolling around the Boston Commons and Boston’s Public Gardens

It seems no matter where we stay in Boston, walking to the Boston Commons and the adjacent Public Gardens is an easy walk away whether coming from the North End, Chinatown, the Financial District, Beacon Hill, or Back Bay neighborhoods. What a completely different scene it is to be in the park in the winter time compared to the spring time. Both seasons display beautiful landscapes from snowy dreamy scapes to ones filled with fairy tale displays of tulips and cherry blossom trees … the difference is so remarkable!

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So to make this back and forth lifestyle between city and country work easily, we’ve discovered this fabulous company out of Concord, New Hampshire that organizes healthy meal options in coordination with local producers in New Hampshire, selects and packages all of the ingredients in their correct portion sizes, and delivers it right to our local coffee shop, Schoodacs, which is 3 minutes from our farmhouse.

The company is called Local Baskit and we have been smitten with their recipe quality, ingredient selections, and use of local farmers to ensure that we are shopping more locally than ever.

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The Public Gardens in Boston on the brink of springtime bloom

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Our first Sonders Apartment rental in the Theatre District of Boston. The apartment was fabulous, looked over the Orpheum Theatre and had everything offered by a hotel

In order to make settling into Boston for a partial week as smooth as possible, we’ve discovered a company called Sonder. Sonder has fully furnished and equipped kitchens in locations all over Boston. Their apartments are placed strategically to be nearby to T stops as well as tourist attractions.

Our first Sonder rental was in the Downtown Crossings neighborhood. This is probably the most tourist oriented area of Boston off the northeaster portion of the Boston Commons. The historical walks, Faneuil Hall, Theatre and Boston Ballet District, and Boston Public Market are all within walking distance.

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Cherry Blossoms in full bloom in Boston’s Public Gardens

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Our first Sonder apartment rental overlooked the Orpheum Theatre and is in the heart of the Theatre District of Boston

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Beautiful, sensual, artistic Yvonne’s restaurant in the heart of the Theatre District

The absolutely gorgeous restaurant, Yvonne’s, captured our hearts and palette. This restaurant was a few blocks away from the Sonder apartment rental we chose and is the perfect before or after theatre choice for an intimate, 1920’s vibe that is both intimate and artistically decorated. We loved everything we ate at Yvonne’s and have this restaurant on our list to return to again.

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Where can you find French macarons in Boston? Inside the Boston Public Market there is a little place called Finesse Pastries

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Back in New Hampshire over the weekend, French macarons from Finesse Pastries in the Boston Public Market made for a sweet weekend ending to a fun filled week in Boston

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The North End Italian neighborhood is only a 10-15 minute walk from our centrally located Sonder apartment. This cozy neighborhood stuffed with one Italian eatery after another also makes for a perfect before or after theatre dining option. I was pulled into Modern Pastry right on Hanover Street (which is the main street going through the Italian district) to ogle at these divine looking pastries.

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Boston, Boston Massachusetts, Spring in Boston

(above) Limoncello was a very fun restaurant filled with diners and wonderful murals painted on their walls. The entire wall abutting the side walk opened up and dining spilled onto the sidewalk

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While roaming around the pastry shops and fabulous Italian restaurants in The North End, it’s really easy to stop in the Paul Revere House and take a little tour. The cost is only $5/person.

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So after apartment hunting and neighborhood exploring, we returned to New Hampshire for much needed garden tending, recipe sampling of Local Baskit meal kit deliveries, total bathroom renovation work. Because we’re taking the city in sections as we get to know Boston better, I thought I would list below what I had fun visiting in this particular Theatre District/Downtown Crossing area of the city.

Boston Commons

Boston Public Gardens

Yvonne’s restaurant in the Theatre District

Sonder fully furnished apartment rentals

Boston Public Market

North End Italian neighborhood

Finesse Pastries (for French macarons and located in the Boston Public Market)

Modern Pastry (located in The North End Italian district)

Limoncello (fun lively Italian restaurant a little tucked off of the main Hanover Street of The North End)

Local Baskit – New Hampshire’s own locally sourced meal delivery kits based out of Concord, NH

Schoodacs Coffee & Tea – one of the pick up locations for meal deliveries to our area.

5.0 from 3 reviews

Lemon-Cumin Chicken with Wheat Berries

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Recipe type: Chicken

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 cup heard wheat berries
½ cup walnuts
6 TBS dried cherries
1 tsp ground cumin
2 lemons
2 celery stalks
fresh parsley
handfuls of baby spinach
1 scallion
4 chicken breasts

Instructions

Place wheat berries in a medium saucepan and add water to cover the wheat berries by 3 inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for about 1 hour until tender. Add additional water if necessary during cooking time to be sure pan does not become dry. When wheat berries are tender, drain and allow to cool.
Meanwhile, prepare the remaining ingredients. Coarsely chop the walnuts. Heat a small, dry skillet over medium high heat until hot, then add chopped walnuts and toast until golden and fragrant, about 3 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning. Transfer to a medium bowl. Rinse and trim the celery, then chop it into small dice. Coarsely chop the parsley. Halve the lemons and juice them. Trim the scallions and thinly slice the white and light green parts. Add the chopped celery, parsley, scallion slices, and dried cherries to the bowl with the toasted walnuts. Add 1 TBS plus 1 tsp lemon juice and 2 TBS olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper and toss to combine.
Place the chicken breasts on a piece of waxed paper on a work surface. Cover with another piece of waxed paper and use mallet or the flat side of a heavy skillet to pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness. In a small bowl, season the ground cumin with salt and pepper and mix together. Drizzle the chicken breasts with olive oil and rub the cumin mixture all over both sides of the chicken breasts. Heat a grill pan over medium high heat and oil it. Add the chicken breasts and grill until golden brown with grill marks on both sides and cook through. Use an instant read thermometer set to 160˚F. Remove chicken and the internal temperature will rise a bit while resting. Rest for 5 minutes and slice thinly.
Add the cooked drained wheat berries to the bowl with the celery/walnut mixture and toss to combine. Divide the baby spinach between serving plates and top with some of the wheat berry mixture. Top with the chicken slices and drizzle with remaining lemon juice. Serve!

Smoked Salmon & Herbed Goat Cheese Quiche…to celebrate one 24 hour spring day!

March 8, 2018 By Sarah 4 Comments

That’s right. Approximately one and a half weeks ago, there was one day of a full 8-10 hours when New England basked in a balmy high of 70 degrees IN FEBRUARY!

We happened to be in Boston that week and had the fortunate experience to see the harbor front piers of the city absolutely come to life with the exuberance that only springtime weather can elicit after months of one snowfall after another.

It was also Massachusetts winter break week. Along the harbor front stretch of Boston there is the Aquarium as well as The Children’s Museum. Truth be told…I saw children running all over the area in shorts and even some in flip flop sandals. I walked so much up and down the wonderful harbor walk that is built all along the wharf side that I had a touch of sunburn on my nose at the end of the day!

So it was somewhat of a coincidence that I chose for our stay…The Seaport Hotel. This charming hotel sits right across from the World Trade Center with lovely blue views of the ocean front. Springtime decor in sweet hues like bright greens, fresh yellows, lovely pinks, and sea blues gave the impression that the hotel knew today was the day for those rare tickles of temps into the ’70s… so out came the most wonderfully inviting spring inspired ensemble.

I heard back home in our little village, the locals were flinging open their windows and ushering in a full day of soft warm winds to fill their houses with the promise of seasonal change. For a few minutes I wished I could split myself to be at the farmhouse with our windows also thrown open…to hear the rushing sound of our river with all that melting snow coming from the mountains creating rhythmic tumbling sounds. But, I was determined to explore the coastal harbor area of Boston, check out the waterfront piers, visit The Institute of Contemporary Art, and indulge in some fresh catches of seafood.

I love to walk through cities as much as possible to get my bearings and to explore things on foot. Like I mentioned, Boston has a wonderful wooden planked Harbor Walk that has been built to hug the shoreline of the city for miles and miles. I took off from the hotel and once I stepped onto the Harbor Walk, I really didn’t have to worry too much about constantly checking my map to orient myself. The wooden pathway is attractive, winds its way all along the waterfront, passes alongside all of the beautiful hotels overlooking the ocean with their tables and umbrellas spilling outdoors, and through little pocket parks which provide lovely spots to stop and relax.

I knew that there would be this one blessed day of 70 degree springlike weather before temperatures plunged back down into the 30’s so I passed up The Institute for Contemporary Art and saved it for one of the remaining days of the week. True to form, the very next day, the winds were howling, the temperatures dropped, snowflakes were swirling…so I spent most of my day at The Institute wandering the halls of contemporary installations.

The air is so salty and filled with seafood smells all along the water front. I chuckled when I realized that there are many ports where fresh seafood and fish arrive daily and are unloaded at the nearby Boston Fish Pier. Little delivery trucks are all lined up with the names of the restaurants painted on them as they move in and out during the day bringing the day’s catch to nearby Boston seafood restaurants.

Children and families were having so much fun being outdoors and unencumbered by heavy coats, mitts, and hats. It was delightful to watch them laugh and play. Easily, families can walk from one The Aquarium to The Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum to The Children’s Museum.

Many food trucks lined the common areas between the museums and office buildings giving such a fun lively air to the spaces offering all varieties of fresh and ethnic food options.

I was walking along enjoying all of the waterfront hotels when this one in particular caught my attention…The Boston Harbor Hotel. It is a beauty. It’s interior feels timeless as if the hotel’s elegance has been charming guests for hundreds of years.

Boston, you continue to delight and surprise us with every visit. Next time, we’re hoping to walk along the Harbor Walk a bit more and make our way into The North End to explore the shops and restaurants of the Italian district of the city. We’ve been there on fleeting visits and could tell there is much more to discover. Until next time!

Mentions of places visited in this post:

Boston Seaport Hotel

Boston Harbor Hotel

Sorelle Coffee Shop & Bakery

YokiExpress Sushi Burritos

The Daily Catch – Sicilian Style Seafood & Pasta

Institute for Contemporary Art – Boston

The Boston New England Aquarium

BonMe Vietnamese Food Truck

Nebo Restaurant

Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum

4.0 from 1 reviews

Smoked Salmon & Herbed Goat Cheese Quiche

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Ingredients

Savory Quiche Crust:
1¼ cups (5¼ ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
4 Tablespoons (2 ounces) cold unsalted butter
4 Tablespoons (2 ounces) cream cheese
3 tablespoons (1½ ounces) ice water, with more as needed
generous sprinkle of dried thyme
Quiche Filling:
2 large Spanish onions, thinly sliced
oil as needed
6- 8 ounces smoked salmon cut into pieces
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups milk
1 cup cream
6 eggs
2 teaspoons kosher salt
nutmeg to taste (about 5 gratings)
½ cup or 1 cup grated Swiss and/or Gruyère cheese (I add some goat cheese to my quiche because I like the flavors alongside salmon)

Instructions

Savory Pie Crust:
Start by mixing the flour and the pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Cut the butter and cream cheese into ½″ cubes. Toss the butter and cream cheese in the flour a few times until each piece is well coated (separate any big clumps with your hands). Cut the butter into the flour by pressing the pieces between your fingertips. The goal is to flatten the cubes into big shards, then toss them again with the flour to coat. Or, alternatively use a food processor and pulse the mixture.
Make a well in the center of the flour-butter mixture, and add the ice water. Mix to incorporate, then add more water 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough comes together. You can knead it a few times to make sure it’s fully combined. Over-mixing your dough can make it tough down the line, and can also warm it up, making it more difficult to work with. The dough should hold together and not look dry or crumbly – it also shouldn’t be overly wet or feel sticky. Form the dough into a disk about 1″ thick and wrap tightly in plastic wrap to chill for at least 30 minutes.
To blind bake a crust, you need to fill the shell with something heavy to prevent the crust from buckling up. Pie weights are made specifically for this, but a layer of aluminum foil and a pound of dried beans reserved for just this purpose does the job well. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Weight the bottom of your shell with pie weights or beans and bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove the weights or beans and continue baking until the crust is golden brown and cooked through, another 15 minutes or so.
Quiche Filling:
Saute the onions over medium heat in a few tablespoons of oil. You might cover them for the first 15 minutes to get them steaming and releasing their moisture, then uncover, reduce the heat to medium low and continue cooking them until they are cooked down but not overly brown, about 45 minutes to an hour. Set them aside when they're finished.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Roll out the dough to a thickness of about ¼ inch. Place a 2-x-9-inch ring mold or a 9-inch cake pan on a baking sheet (line baking sheet with parchment if you're using a ring mold; if you're using a cake pan, line its bottom with parchment). Lightly oil the inside of your ring mold. Lay the dough into the mold — there should be plenty of dough overhanging the edges to help it maintain its shape.
Reserve a small piece of dough to fill any cracks that might open in the dough as it bakes. Line the dough with parchment or foil and fill it with dried beans or pie weights so that the crust bakes flat. After a half hour, remove the weights and parchment or foil. Gently patch any cracks that may have formed with the reserved dough, and continue baking until the bottom of the crust is golden and cooked, about 15 more minutes. Remove it from the oven and patch any cracks that may have opened; this is especially important if you're using a ring mold, or the batter will leak out. The shell should be anywhere between cold and warm when you add the batter, not piping hot from the oven.
Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees.
In a six- or eight-cup liquid measure, combine the milk, cream, eggs, salt, pepper and nutmeg and, using a hand blender, blend until frothy. This can be done in a standing blender as well (though depending on the size of your blender, you may need to divide the quantities in half). Or you could even mix the batter in a large bowl using a whisk (beat the eggs first, then add the rest of the ingredients. The idea will be to add the ingredients in two layers, using the froth to help keep the ingredients suspended.
Layer half of the onion-salmon mixture into the shell. Pour half the frothy custard over the mixture. Sprinkle with half the cheese. Layer with the remaining onion-salmon mixture. Refroth the batter and pour the rest into the shell. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top. You may want to put the tray with the quiche shell into the oven and pour the remaining batter into it there so that you can get every bit of batter into the shell. You can even let it overflow to make sure it's up to the very top.
Bake in the 325 degree oven for about an hour and a half, or until the center is just set (it may take as long as two hours, but don't overcook it here should still be some jiggle in the center).
Allow the quiche to cool, then refrigerate it until it's completely chilled, eight hours or up to three days.

Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies studded with L.A. Burdick’s little mice truffles…and a romantic stroll through Boston in winter

February 13, 2018 By Sarah 4 Comments

Red roses look so beautiful with the snowy white New Hampshire scenery out the windows

I originally thought I would come here to my little space in the world, my ‘thyme’, and write about a romantic stroll through the streets of lovely winter time snowy Boston for a Valentine’s Day treat. And I will…but my mind keeps wandering over to a few snippets of unexpected happiness that might just define a day like Valentine’s Day in a bit of a different vein. I’m reflecting on the so tiny daily passings that make me stop, just for a minute, and smile at the world of human nature around us. So as all stories begin here in NH…it was a bitterly cold day…

Yes. It continues to be bitterly cold here in New Hampshire…it is February, I might add. Patrick stayed a little longer in Boston for work. Back here up in New Hampshire, I realized that one task he often does, without ever a complaint, of driving to the transfer station, shoveling buckets full of sand/salt mixtures, and covering our icy path to the barn with it so that we don’t slip on the icy driveway…was up to me to do this time.

I saw the shiny layer of ice shimmering in the teasingly frigid sunlight between the end of my porch and all the way to the big black barn doors which nest my car inside. I procrastinated. I waited a day thinking the ice would miraculously melt away. I wished for those cleat like rubber shoe fittings that go over winter boots and help one to walk on ice that we saw recently at LL Bean. Finally, the need to run errands and get things done pushed me out of the house. I crunched through knee high snow away from the slick ice path to get to the barn. I drove over to the transfer station (also known affectionately as “the dump”) where the village provides us with huge piles of sand/salt mixture to layer on our icy paths at home. I pulled up to the huge pile of sand/salt and began the first time task of shoveling it into the bins that I put in the back of my car. The sand mixture was much heavier than I expected. This wasn’t going to be a quick nor tidy task.

A truck pulled in behind me, waiting its turn, so I sped up my shoveling a bit, anxious not to take too long. But, the sand was really heavy. I brought a shovel that was more like a child’s toy (actually its an antique shovel that I thought was so quaint when I bought it) than anything that would be productive at this moment. Three burly men with more facial hair than can be described adequately sat peering through their very large pick up truck at me. I shoveled a little faster feeling 3 sets of impatient eyes. Without hesitation, however, the 3 burly men, all adorned with even longer amounts of facial hair once they jumped out of their truck, shovels in hand, came over to me and began shoveling scoopfuls of the mixture into my bins.

“Looks like you need a hand!” one man in his 60’s with a mass of curly red beard reaching down to his chest bellowed before his twinkling blue eyes crinkled into a toothy grin. “Thank you so much!” I replied in sincere relief. After failing to adequately get a good fire started in our hearth that morning, grumbling because I then had to haul more firewood from the outdoor pile than usual as a result, and errands piling up because I wouldn’t brave the icy drive…my fretting led me to have my own little self-indulgent pity party as I shoveled away and assumed the 3 men were having a good chuckle in their warm truck at my expense.

My thoughts that these 3 men would get so aggravated that I was using a rather toy-like shovel and would take forever to fill my bins with sand…was wrong. But, as I’ve mentioned before in previous stories, this is New Hampshire for you. I thought yet again to myself how surprisingly generous the people are when I least expect it. I experience moments like this all the time up here in New England and marvel at the sincerity and helpfulness of the people on frigid cold days like this one. It was freezing cold outside and I was diligently exercising the prescribed crankiness. They could have sat all warm and snug in their truck having their good chuckle into their burly beards. But, that’s not what happens here in the granite state.

“There you go, miss! All full and you’re on your way!” declared one of the men, garbed in nothing more than a thick flannel jacket covering blue jean overalls.

I was there all of about 5 minutes (instead of MUCH longer) and then I was indeed on my way, back in my toasty warm car! They jumped back into their truck, pulled it up after me, and got to work filling the back end with their portion of sand…working out there in the bitter cold.

So there you go. A tiny story of Valentine’s sweetness…nothing as grandiose as a tour through the streets of handsome Boston during a beautiful snowstorm…just everyday normal kind of sweet.

Every day normal kind of sweet…is so much sweeter. Thank you guys! Wish I had some of these chocolate thumbprint cookies with little mice on top to give you!

Now…on to a very romantic Valentine’s Day photo story in the heart of beautiful elegant Boston…

Omni Parker House Hotel in Boston, Massachusets

The Omni Parker House Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts…everything elegant and beautiful as one imagines. A perfect place if looking for a romantic getaway stay in Boston, Massachusetts. Pushing through the gold revolving doors feels like stepping back in history.

Chocolaty Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies topped with little truffle mice from L.A. Burdick’s Chocolate shop in Boston, Massachusetts. The store is right off of Newbury Street and is so lovely inside. I realized that this is the L.A. Burdick’s chocolates made in our little village of Walpole, New Hampshire.

The Omni Parker House Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts. The lobby, front desk, and dining room. These are all cell phone photos but next time, I am going to bring my big camera to capture its elegance better.

L.A. Burdick’s little chocolate mice truffles to top off my Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

Marliave Restaurant in Boston, Massachusetts is only a few blocks from the Omni Parker House and tucked down a sweet little private street. The Beef Wellington was the star dish of the night and I had to declare it better than mine. The views out the window of the restaurant frame all of the twinkling light of downtown Boston at night.

Beacon Hill neighborhood in Boston, Massachusetts is a wonderful quiet residential neighborhood just on the other side of the Boston Common. Strolling through the streets in winter, just as huge snowflakes began to fall, was a delight!

Chocolates, Cookies, and Roses...as romantic as strolling through Boston's Public Gardens, Beacon Hill, and Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

Chocolates, Cookies, and Roses…as romantic a combination as strolling through Boston’s Public Gardens, Beacon Hill, and Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

Beacon Hill neighborhood, Blackston's of Beacon Hill gift shop on Charles St

Beacon Hill neighborhood and their beautiful window boxes is a great stroll to take while working up an appetite and getting ready for the beautiful shops of Charles Street and Newbury Street. I particularly enjoyed chatting with Jennifer, owner of Blackstone’s of Beacon Hill gift shop on Charles St…a stone’s throw away from the Boston Commons. Her shop was full of charming gifts and I picked up some lovely hand cream and Caspari cards.

Boston Public Garden, L.A. Burdick's Chocolate Mice Truffles, DeLuca's Deli on Charles St, Churches of Boston

The snow started to drift down lazily and covered the Public Gardens with a light blanket of white. My favorite part of the stay in Boston was walking with a handful of other visitors through the park as the snow flakes transformed the city into a magnificent snow globe. Several stops were in order to warm up… into L.A. Burdick’s Chocolate for their little Mice Truffles, DeLuca’s Deli on Charles St for their tea biscuits, and several Churches of Boston for their sheer quiet and beauty.

Boston Public Garden, Ralph Lauren window shopping on Newbury St

Walking right through the middle of the Boston Public Garden spills you onto Newbury Street. As always, the Ralph Lauren window display was my favorite stop along this high end attractive shopping street. With the snow turning the city to white, that lovely pale blue flowing dress was a perfect match.

L.A. Burdick's in Boston, Massachusett but originates not far from us in Walpole, New Hampshire. Their Valentine's Day little mice truffles are so sweet

L.A. Burdick’s in Boston, Massachusetts but the shops originates not far from us in Walpole, New Hampshire. Their Valentine’s Day little mice truffles are so sweet.

Boston Public Library...beautiful...a must see!

Turning off of Newbury Street, the Boston Public Library was a complete surprise stop…beautiful and alluring…a must see! Fortunately, someone in passing kindly mentioned that I should stop there and walk inside…glad I listened.

The Fairmont Copley Hotel...majestic...elegant...a true gem in the Back Bay area right across from Trinity Church

Right across the street from The Boston Public Library is The Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel…majestic…elegant…a true gem in the Back Bay area right across from Trinity Church.

L.A. Burdick’s Chocolate shop in Boston, Massachusetts…a wonderfully beautiful shop off of Newbury Street

Flowers at the Boston T train station, Trinity Church in Back Bay, the Boston Public Library, the Boston T train

Flowers in the middle of winter at the Boston T train station; Trinity Church in Back Bay; the Boston Public Library staircase; the Boston T train which I took to get to The Isabella Stewart Garner Museum

The Boston Common statues, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Isabella Stewart Gardner portrait

(L to R) One of the many statues gracing The Boston Common; Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum portrait of Isabella; one of the many handsome rooms filled with her global collection of artwork; the striking courtyard at the center of the museum filled with lush green plants

Chocolaty Chocolate Thumbprint cookies with L.A. Burdick’s Chocolate Mice truffles

Old fashioned phone in the Omni Parker House hotel, The Parker House lobby, Isabella Gardner Museum

(L to R) Back home in New Hampshire, we’re hearing that a foot of snow has fallen but in Boston we got only about an inch. Surprising since we were only 1.5 hours away; Old fashioned phone in the Omni Parker House hotel; The Parker House lobby; another lovely room of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

Sweet Cupcake Shop with its sweet pink decor, a white out snowstorm covering the Old City Hall, Dig Inn eatery (delicious healthy food bowls)

(L to R) A day of walking miles and miles calls for a treat from “Sweet” Cupcake Shop with its charming pink decor; a white out snowstorm covering the Old City Hall which is directly across from the Omni Parker House; Dig Inn eatery, which is a terrific stop for healthy bowls of food, sourced regionally, that they will bundle up to go if too tired to cook wholesome food.

Planning a romantic getaway to Boston? Here are links to where I visited:

The Omni Parker House Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts

The Old City Hall in downtown Boston

Marliave french restaurant

“Sweet” Cupcake Shop

Dig Inn…healthy quick food bowls locally sourced ingredients

Beacon Hill Neighborhood, Boston

Blackstone’s of Beacon Hill – wonderful charming gift shop

DeLuca’s Market on Charles Street

L.A. Burdick’s Chocolate Shop

The Boston Public Library

The Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

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Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup Dutch process or unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
⅔ cup granulated sugar
1 egg yolk, at room temperature
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¾ cup nonpareil sprinkles
25 Hershey’s Kisses, unwrapped

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat baking mats and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer or using a handheld mixer, beat the butter on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat on medium-high speed until creamed, about 2 minutes. Add the egg yolk, milk, and vanilla extract, and beat on high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed to combine.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until combined.
Pour the sprinkles into a small bowl. Roll the balls of dough, about 3 teaspoons of dough per cookie, then roll each ball into the sprinkles to coat. (**My red sprinkles would stick very well. Possibly they were too big for the cookie. I melted a little butter and brushed it on the dough and they stuck just fine) Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, 2 inches apart.
Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes.
Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Press the chocolate kisses into the center of each cookie. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Spring in the city of Boston…and seasonal dish of Lemon Cumin Chicken with hearty wheat berries

Smoked Salmon & Herbed Goat Cheese Quiche…to celebrate one 24 hour spring day!

Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies studded with L.A. Burdick’s little mice truffles…and a romantic stroll through Boston in winter

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