518 Culinary Travel Destinations Boston - Part 2

from APRIL, 2023 - 518 PROFILES MAGAZINE

The Key to a Happy Life

by Chef Armand Vanderstigchel

After a noteworthy day savoring the superb dining options at Encore Resort on the Mystic River, we await our car service the following morning at the hotel entrance to transport our group off to breakfast in the North-end district of Boston – “the Little Italy of Boston.”

Our host Scott Varley, beckons the chauffeur to drive to Modern Pastry on Hannover Street. This legendary outpost of an Italian Bakery is famous for its pastries like Cannoli & Cream filled Lobster tails – a Cream Puff Dough baked inside a Sfogliatelle Shell filled with Ricotta & whipped Cream. Founded in 1930, Modern Pastry created the one-of-a-kind cannoli that keeps loyal Bostonians and tourists coming back.

We arrive around 10 am, which by chance of luck evades us standing in a long line-a common ritual typically later in the day. We choose from the omelet se lection but our focus is on the world-class Cappuccinos and sharing a creamy Lobster tail as the finale. Indeed, the crispy shell crackles as the fresh creamfilling oozes out, generating the temptation to order another one!

On the agenda is local food shopping. We quickly grab a box of Cannoli from another bakery legend Mike’s Pastry which is directly across from Modern. From there to Richmond Street on the Freedom Trail and near the Paul Revere House, in pursuit of Salumeria Italiana. It opened almost 50 years ago, selling olive oils, vinegars, pastas, dried sausages, and specialty products. Its is also great place to also pick up some hearth oven bread or one of their famous Italian sandwiches featuring sliced fresh Moz zarella, Mortadella and Porchetta.

Ensuing our shopping expedition, we visit Monica’s Pasta Shop at 141 Richmond Street next door. The homemade pasta story at Monica’s goes back to 1995 when Chef Jorge Mendoza brought fresh pasta to the menu at the original Monica’s restaurant. These pastas are available retail along with cheeses, meats, breads, pre pared foods, soups, salads, and Italian prod ucts. The pasta is hand-made daily. The Italian sandwiches are excellent, enveloped in homemade bread and fresh delicacies. While there, grab some fresh Arancini Rice Balls and crispy home-made Beef Empanadas displayed on the counter.

Since 1926, visitors have been flocking to Boston’s “Little Italy” for a taste of Regina’s famous brick-oven, thin-crust pizzas. At this local staple, known as “Boston’s original Pizzeria,” diners wait in line at this original location for the spicy sauce, salty cheese, and local ingredients. Yes, indeed folks-a line did await us as we headed for lunch over on Thatcher Street. After a noble 15 minutes in the cold, we are ushered into the holy grail of Boston

Pizza, anxious to try that perfect chewy, thin crust, lots of fresh mozzarella and great saucereminiscent of pizza from Naples. The crowded diner-like atmosphere featuring cranky under pressure wait-staff and thuds of pizza cutters chomping through the crispy crusts is entertaining. We ordered the original Pizza and a Shrimp Scampi variation. After one bite, it became abundantly clear to us all, the motive behind such a mass frenzy nourishing this pizza destination – spectacular pizza!

A short walk brings us to the Boston Public Food market on 100 Hannover Street at Hay Market Station. The Boston Public Market is an indoor, year-round marketplace featuring 30 New England artisans and food producers of fering fresh foods, prepared meals, crafts, and specialty items locally sourced from New E ngland. Year-round festivals, workshops, cooking classes, and tours are an engaging, educational experience for visitors. This is the ultimate shopping experience for foodies and the variety made our visit eventful, especially the awardwinning Union Square Donuts made from scratch every day. We tried the Brown Butter Hazelnut crunch, Maple glazed and classic Boston cream. They are pillowy soft laced with high quality confectionary ingredients. It is perhaps a blessing they are remote from our home in Saratoga Springs-one cannot stop thinking and craving about them after the experience.

Our final stop - The Union Oyster House – it’s the oldest restaurant in continuous service in the U.S. — the doors have always been open to diners since 1826. Located on the Freedom Trail and one block from Faneuil Hall, it has hosted celebrities, sport-stars, presidents, and politicians who all came here by Boston tradition to enjoy the food, a piece of history and the cozy speak-easy atmosphere.

The famous New England Clam Chowder is silky and perfect, accompanied by corn-bread. The freshly shucked oysters never fail since the freshness is so prevalent with the high volume of Oyster turn-over. Boston Bread-crumb crusted Scrod and Fish & Chips are classics not to be overlooked-comfort food done right. Sam Adams brews an exclusive Colonial Brown Ale for the restaurant which makes a great beverage accompaniment.

The old taverns, cobblestone streets and Faneuil Hall (a must visit) conveys one back in time when America was young and celebrated vi sionaries and revolutionaries roamed these streets of the Freedom Trail. Boston is a delightful city to visit year-round and a true culinary destination where the roots of American cuisine originated as we know it today. Boston beckons you to visit.

April 1-30 Schuylerville

David Eddy & John G reenhut | Juxtaposition. David Eddy creates semiabstract figurative paintings, full of raw energy and emotion, exhibiting a sophistication of color, marks, and composition. There is an obvious and seductive physicality in the process, with a complexity of texture and line. The artist’s interest in exploring the relationship between abstraction and figuration is evident in each of his paintings, offering a very unique, very personal vision. In creating sculpture, John Greenhut takes great influence from his mentor, John Terken. In Greenhut’s own words: “John Terken taught me how to see art and appreciate the innumerable ways of seeing. With my sculptures, I hope I can inspire that experience of seeing in others and honor John and the lessons he taught me.” There is a seductive nature and passion that oftentimes blurs the border between plaintive and joyful in Eddy and Greenhut’s work. The Laffer Gallery is pleased to present work from both artists as part of the Juxtoposition ex hibition beginning April 1, 2023 and running until April 30 with an opening re ception on April 1 from 5pm until 8pm.The Laffer Gallery, 96 Broad Street Schuylerville, NY 12871. (518) 695-3181 Gallery Hours: Thursday - Sunday 12pm - 5pm

April 1 - 22 Glens Falls

"Elements of Style" Exhibition at our main gallery location inside The Shirt Factory building in Glens Falls, NY (71 Lawrence Street, Suite #120.) Event runs 5pm - 7pm and is free to the public.

April 1 - 15 Lake George

“Here and There”, a solo exhibition of paintings b y Kathryn Lynch. Kathryn Lynch’s paintings draw from a variety of subjects, often da ily en counters that range from NY’s Hudson Valley landscape, NYC cityscapes, New England seascapes, and sometimes dogs, people, flowers, and even tug boats. Her paintings are not “plein air”, or observed from direct observation, but capture what is caught in the periphery, or peripheral vision – a sense form, light, and at mosphere. The simplicity of forms, and di rect, yet seemingly loose strokes in her paint handling, become distilled records of passing moments. Lake George Arts Project, 1 Amherst St, Lake George, NY 12845

April 1 - 22 Ballston Spa

The JRM Artists' Space will have a group exhibition presented by the Guild of Adirondack Artists. This group consists of 30 artists from the Lower Adirondack Region. Many of their artists have participated in previous shows in the gallery as individual artists.There will be an Artists’ reception to be held on March 25th from 2-4pm. Please spread the word about this show and come out to the reception or throughout the show to support these artists and The National Bottle Museum! National Bottle Museum, 76 Milton Ave, Ballston Spa NY 518-885-7589.

April 4 - May 13 Clifton Park

The Blooming Artist welcomes the Oakroom Artists to our gallery. The group exhibition, fea turing works of various mediums & styles, premiers on April 04th and remains until May 13th. Our Opening Community Art Reception is on Friday, April 14th from 6-8pm; as always, this celebration is open to the public and includes live music & light provisions. For more information, please contact us and join our mailing list. The Blooming Artist Gallery 675 Grooms Rd, Clifton Park, NY. 518-280-4928 www.thebloomingartist.gallery

April 8 Saratoga Springs

NEW!! Art Classes at Soave Faire!!!

"Intro to Sketching" with David Sokol. $35.00 , sketching supplies included. 5 spots available, call to reserve your spot! April 8th 11am - 12:30. Soave Faire, 449 Broadway, Saratoga Springs,

April 14 - May 13 Glens Falls

The Tom Myott Gallery is showing the latest artwork from Master Pastelist, Dave Francis from April 14th - May 13th. The opening reception will be on April 14th, 6 PM - 8 PM. Along with Dave's colorful pastel drawings depicting antique toys and fantasy compositions, he will showcase his most recent pen drawings of Megalithic cities and castles. The exceptional detail in his latest work is inspiring. The Tom Myott Gallery Suite 102, located at 71 Lawrence St. Glens Falls, NY.

April 1 - 22 Albany

Albany Center Gallery (ACG) presents the 24th Annual High School Regional Juried Exhibition features over 100 works of art made by students from over 25 high schools around the Capital Re gion, selected by jurors out of over 550 submis sions. The exhibit showcases a variety of student work including painting, drawing, pho tography, film, digital media, and sculpture. ACG is open noon-5pm, Tues- Sat. Public special invitation: Saturday, March 25, noon - 5 p.m. Albany Center Gallery, 488 Broadway, Suite 107, Albany, NY https://albanycentergallery.org/events/24th-annual-high-school-regional-juried-exhibition 518.462.4775

April 15 Saratoga Springs

"Intro to Gouache" with Eden Compton. $50.00, painting supplies included. 1pm - 3pm. 6 spots available, call to reserve your spot! 518- 587-8448. Soave Faire, 449 Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY