Category: Food

January 31, 2018

8 Great Things! February on the South Coast

Put January behind you! We’re chugging toward spring and we’ve got 8 Great Things to keep you busy in February. March will be here before you know it!

Nature Valentines

The perfect way to get the whole family into the Valentine’s Day spirit! The Buzzards Bay Coalition’s Saturday at the Sawmill series is hosting a Nature Valentine making program, including a short walk around the Sawmill to find natural materials to create the valentines. The program is free, bring your little ones and learn about wildlife around the Sawmill while getting an early start on your valentines! The Sawmill, 32 Mill Road, Acushnet. February 3, starting at 11 am (the Hawes Family Learning center is open 10am-1pm). Learn more here.

Frederick Douglass Read-a-thon

You know how much we love a good community read-a-thon (see our January pick for the Moby Dick Read-a-thon). If you missed January’s event, you’ve got a second chance! 2018 is the bicentennial of Frederick Douglass’ birth, and the New Bedford Historical Society is celebrating with its 18^th Annual Frederick Douglass Community Read-a-thon. Celebrate Douglass’ life (and his connections to New Bedford!) by reading along to excerpts from his Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave. Sunday, February 11, 2-6pm at the First Unitarian Church, 71 Eighth Street, New Bedford. See here for more information. If you’re interested in being a reader, contact the New Bedford Historical Society by emailing [email protected]

Snowshoe the Shoreline!

BYOSS (bring your own snow shoes or rent them here)!! Hike along the beach loop trail of Allens Pond Sanctuary with Mass Audubon. The walk is approximately 2 miles long and promises views of winter wildlife and the channel that feeds Allens Pond. Along the way, you’ll look for migrating snowy owls and waterfowl and track the signs of animal activity. The walk will continue even without snow, in that case, just bring hiking boots! February 11, 10 am – 2 pm. Allens Pond Wildlife Sanctuary, 1280 Horseneck Road, Westport ($10 for members, $12 for non-members). Learn more here.

It’s Fat Tuesday!

Brass Bands and jambalaya buffets and auctions, oh my! Come out and celebrate Mardi Gras in style with the South Coast Brass Band at the Greasy Luck Brewery. The event benefits the Boys and Girls Club of Greater New Bedford and has a jambalaya buffet and dancing, as well as an auction to benefit the club. So get moving for a good cause! Tickets range from $50-$60 and can be purchased here. February 13, 7-11pm, Greasy Luck Brewpub, 791 Purchase Street, New Bedford.

Catch Some Magic!

As winter trudges on, we all need a little extra magic. Join the Masters of Illusion (the nation’s number one touring magic show!) to get your fill and experience a modern twist on the traditional magic show. Check out this video below for a sneak peek of what to expect! February 15, 8 pm. The Zeiteron, 684 Purchase Street, New Bedford. For more information and to buy tickets, go here.

Get Cookin’!

We love Farm & Coast Market, and we love that they strive to be the front porch, kitchen, and family room of Padanaram. This month, you can get cooking with them and learn how to whip up a French Bistro style menu (including a roast chicken!). The timing of the class is perfect for a late Valentine’s Day date — and we’re sure you’ll continue impressing your friends and family with all your new skills. February 15, 6:30 -8:30pm. Reservations are required, call or email Farm & Coast to make yours (774-992-7092 or [email protected]). 7 Bridge Street, Dartmouth.

24 Hour Theater Project

Scripts written, scenes rehearsed, lines learned, shows performed; all in 24 hours!

The Collective New Bedford is hosting their 2018 Kickoff, featuring original 10 minute plays and performances that are completely created and performed in just 24 hours. You don’t have to be an actor (or a writer, or a director) to get in on the fun (although check out their Facebook page if you want to audition. Auditions are coming up this week!) The day’s creations will be performed twice, admission is $10 and you can reserve seats by emailing [email protected]. February 17, performances at 7 and 9 pm at Gallery X, 169 Williams Street, New Bedford.

A Little Fiddlin’

Every fourth Saturday, fiddlers gather on the South Coast for food, dancing, and jamming. There’s good music, great pizza, and it’s open to all. If you’re a musician, bring your instrument (it doesn’t have to be a fiddle! Guitars, banjos, cellos, and all other string instruments are welcome). Otherwise, come prepared to listen and dance. Check out this video of December’s session (and keep your eyes peeled for the cutest young fiddler jamming along, around 30 seconds in!). This month’s session is February 24 at 4:30 pm at Brick, 213 Huttleston Avenue, Fairhaven. See the their Facebook page for more information on Old Time Fiddle Session.

That’s all — enjoy this short month!

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October 24, 2017

The Buzziest of Buzzes: Nitro Coffee on the South Coast

It’s 11:00 am on a weekday (and workday) morning and I’m sitting with what looks like a Guiness draft in front of me. What’s going on?

At Dog Days Cafe in Onset, Lexie just poured me a glass of nitro brew, the newest coffee trend and it may be the best so far. It’s cold brew coffee, poured straight from a keg and, although Lexie swears there’s nothing but coffee in it, it looks suspiciously creamy.

What is it?

Nitro brew is coffee with nitrogen gas percolated into it. Its resemblance to Guiness Stout is no surprise. Many light beers use carbon dioxide for the fizz, but Irish brewers have long been adding nitrogen gas to the darker stouts and ales, creating a smoother, thicker taste. It was only a matter of time before hipster coffeemakers decided to try it. Though it’s unclear where the trend started (some say in Portland, Oregon, others say Austin, Texas or Astoria, New York), it’s made its way to the South Coast.

The result: a smooth, sweet brew that looks (and tastes) like you’ve already added some sugar and cream. Lexie says that while she generally likes her coffee “light and sweet” she doesn’t add anything to her nitro coffee. (Bonus! You’ve saved those 90 or so calories for something else.)

Scientists are trying to figure out why it tastes better (I love the headline in the otherwise pretty staid Chemical & Engineering News: What’s nitro cold brew, and why is it so damn delicious?). But if you’re more a humanities major, don’t worry about it and just try it.

At Dog Days, they start with kegs of their cold-brew which have been saturated with their signature Scandinavian coffee beans for 72 hours. Lexi pours a glass from a tap that combines the cold-brew with a canister of nitrogen which sits besides the keg. She’s right. It tastes smooth and creamy, delicious.

Who’s drinking it?

Lots of people! At Dog Days, it’s outselling cold brew by almost 4 to 1. Many people are willing to go with the higher price tag ($5 for a small) because it tastes so smooth (and maybe because it delivers more of a caffeine kick). People on the night shift love it. Lexie says that police officers swear by it. They come in before their 16 hour shifts to buy growlers filled with the stuff.

Where can you find nitro brew?

Dog Days Coffee, obviously. 2W West Central Avenue, Onset, (508) 295-2328.

Cup2Cafe, 3175 Cranberry Highway, East Wareham, (508) 743-0410.

Onset Bay Cafe, 1B West Central Avenue, Onset, (508) 273-0178.

Simmons Cafe & Market, 78 Crandall Road, Little Compton, (401) 635-2420.

Flour Girls Bakery, 230 Huttleston Avenue, Fairhaven, (774) 202-5884.

Charred Oak Tavern, 57 Center Street, Middleboro, (508) 923-9034 (note: for diners only, Charred Oak Tavern does not serve coffee for takeout).

Are there other local places serving nitro coffee? Let us know…

To keep up with this and other trends on the South Coast, sign up here for updates on what we’re up to…And shoot us an email at [email protected] if you have suggestions for us.

October 16, 2017

Good Eats: Breakfast at Coffee Milano in Middleboro

As you might expect, from time to time we meet with our advertisers, usually at their offices. We’ve decided to make these meetings even more efficient (and fun) than they were before. The idea: meet them for breakfast, at a favorite place of their choosing, and review the place for this blog.

Today, Kristi Cornuet from T.M. Ryder took us around the corner from her Middleboro office to Coffee Milano. Kristi says her office orders either breakfast or lunch from there nearly every day. The restaurant staff will see the Caller ID on the phone, know that it’s her and answer: “What’ll it be today?” Then, they’ll ask after others in the office “How about for your Dad? Your sister?”

Here’s the lowdown on our meal:

Coffee Milano is a no-frills place where you order at the counter and they bring your food to the dining area when it’s ready. Kristi told me she usually gets the Breakfast Sandwich (sausage, egg & cheese) on a croissant with a side of spicy jam. That sounded so good to me that I ordered it too. Side note of apology: sorry we didn’t order different dishes so we could give you a sense of the variety but, honestly, that order just sounded so good.

Kristi says she orders the breakfast sandwich about 90% of the time. But she sometimes chooses the Cali Burrito. At lunch, she often has the turkey and brie sandwich but there’s even more variety for lunch here than there is for breakfast. Kristi loves the flatbreads and quesadillas. Her father gave a shout out for “The Steak Bomb.” And her sister Kira says, “the Big & Juicy Cheeseburger is amazing.”

But back to our meal! Kristi ordered an iced green acai tea, made to order. I got a plain coffee, nothing added, because although there is an extensive menu of coffee drinks, I felt like I needed something simple to justify my leap into the hedonism of a fully loaded breakfast sandwich on a croissant.

The sandwich was everything I hoped for –and I’m grateful for Kristi’s insider trick of ordering the spicy jam on the side. It put the sandwich over the top. Hours later, my stomach is still happy.

You Can Ring My Bell

While we were eating, we heard a bell clang cheerfully. We found the bell by the door as we were leaving, and got the scoop on it. If you feel you’ve gotten good service, you can ring it on the way out. Kristi rang it. She smiled. I smiled. I saw an older man drinking his coffee smile.

It was a great way to start the week.

The verdict: 2 thumbs up!

Where to find them: Coffee Milano, 58 Center Street, Middleboro. 508-946-4006. Open for breakfast and lunch daily.

Kristi & Kira of T.M. Ryder Insurance

This review has been brought to you by T.M. Ryder Insurance Agency. After breakfast, Kristi and I walked just around the corner to her office. Over breakfast, she had told me that T.M. Ryder has been invested in the Middleboro community for over 100 years (started in 1877 by Mr. Ryder, Kristi’s great grandfather took over one hundred years ago in 1917). But when I looked at the photos and old equipment prominently displayed in their offices, I got a more tangible sense of how much time (and experience) that really means.

I snapped pictures of an antique adding machine:

vintage filing cabinets;

and old photographs of the business:

More than that, I experienced a business actively engaged in its community. In the short time I was there, two gentleman separately came in to make inquiries about their policies. You sure don’t see that personal service with the giant insurance companies.

If there were a bell at the door of T.M. Ryder, I would have rung it loudly. T.M. Ryder Insurance Agency, 8 Thatchers Row, Middleboro. 508-947-7600.

If you want to stay in the know about other cool breakfast spots, as well as stories about the people, places, food and other things that make the South Coast special, sign up for our free emails right here.

Look for more in our series coming soon. And feel free to tell us your favorite breakfast nooks by commenting below or emailing us at [email protected]

Maybe we’ll see you there sometime soon.

July 14, 2017

The Perfect Burger: In the kitchen at dNB Burgers

We’re big fans of dNB Burgers here at South Coast Almanac. Every burger we’ve tried there has been a home run so we decided to do a little investigative journalism—figure out what really makes the dNB burger perfect.

The answer? Balance.

Owner Josh Lemaire wisely reminds us that the perfect everything begins with balance. In the case of his burgers, he says “you gotta have a good bread ratio to your meat ratio, the meat has to be seasoned properly, there’s a fresh element, a greens element, spicy, sweet…it’s just a balance.”

Watch our quick behind the scenes video to get a closer look right here.

Use Josh’s zen-like approach to burgers when you’re grilling this weekend.

Sign up here to get more tips, secrets and insights about South Coast living. And let us know in the comment section where else we should go behind-the-scenes.

June 20, 2017

Fun, Fun, Fun & a Bonanza of Food Trucks!

Nothing screams summer quite like food with lawn games and Heritage Museums and Gardens has cornered the market on this summertime fun! Heritage will be hosting Food Truck Fridays from 5-8 pm on Friday June 23^rd when the museums and grounds will be filled with laughter, games, and some of the most delicious food around. A discounted ticket price of $5 per person* will provide access to the event, which includes a mélange of food trucks, family fun activities, and exclusive access to the exhibits and grounds. Some of the must-see exhibits that are the classic auto gallery exhibit and this season’s special exhibit, Painted Landscapes: Contemporary Views. (* Folks, this is such a deal from the regular rate of $18/per person for admission — don’t miss out on it!)

Food trucks will include Cape Cod Cannoli (over 170 different flavors of cannoli!), The Pineapple Caper Catering (grilled cheeses galore!), Wolf Pizza, and The Local Scoop (homemade frozen yogurt and ice cream). In addition to the food trucks, the Magnolia Café on Heritage’s grounds will serve their usual fare with beer and wine and The Casual Gourmet will offer some classic cookout food with a gourmet twist! Heritage Museums and Gardens, 67 Grove Street, Sandwich, 508-888-3300. (Note: the food at the event is not included in the ticket price.)

Family Fun at Heritage. Photo courtesy of Heritage Museums & Gardens.

If the Heritage event has given you the food truck bug, we’ve found some other great, local food trucks where you can get your fix throughout the summer.

The Mad Batter Bakery

The school bus that every kid dreamed of! This bakery on wheels sells gourmet cupcakes in all your favorite flavors and then some. Beside the more predictable chocolate and vanilla, Mad Batter isn’t afraid of mixing things up so they also serve flavors like lemonade or Guinness. They can be found on Facebook and often they are in Onset on Wednesday nights at the Summer of Love concert series.

Flip N Roll

Find Flip N Roll driving through the streets of Fall River. A brand new food truck opened just this past spring, Flip N Roll serves delicious American and Portuguese food. Find them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for updates on their location.

Mad House Grill

Also in Fall River, Mad House Grill serves fresh American classics with a Portuguese influence. Keep an eye out for the hot pink truck as it drives through the streets. Find them on Facebook or on their website for updates on their location.

Fenway Sausage Works

If your favorite part of Fenway is the food, then Fenway Sausage Works is the food truck for you, providing the ballpark food experience right here in New Bedford. At Fenway Sausage Works, you can order everything from linguica dogs to classic ballpark hot dogs, sausages, nachos and more. On hot days, they even offer shaved ice. Check out their Twitter to see where they’ll be located next.

Big Daddy’s

Chicken, chicken, and chicken! Located in Wareham, Big Daddy’s has all the fried chicken that you could ask for. Its specialty are chicken tenders in a variety of different sauces (anything from Teriyaki to Extra Hot Buffalo), but it also serves up delicious wings, BBQ, ribs, burgers, dogs and more. Check them out on Facebook to see where they’ll be next!

Did we miss your favorite food truck? Leave a comment below to let us know about it!

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March 1, 2017

Get Out of the House! 6 Fun Things For March

In these days before spring really arrives, it’s so easy to stay on the couch and binge-watch TV episodes. We’re trying to resist that temptation (although This Is Us is very good.) Here we give you 6 fun reasons to get out of the house.

Photo courtesy of Buzzards Bay Coalition

1. Get Fit, and Smart (at the same time)

The Buzzards Bay Coalition and the Wareham Land Trust have partnered to bring us fresh air and history with Wednesday Walkabouts: Historical Tour Series. Take a stroll through four conservation properties and learn about their previous lives as cranberry bogs, iron works and mills. Thanks to Southcoast Health, these events are free. But you should register online. See how to do that here.

Photo courtesy Ray Drueke

2. Jazzin’ Around

We know we’ve mentioned the South Coast Jazz Orchestra before. More than once. That’s because they’re that good. Get out and listen to this tremendous group of musicians on either March 13 or March 27 (or both!), hosted by the incomparable Gilda. You will be blown away by their talent. You will also need reservations because the place fills up. Gilda’s Stone Rooster, 27 Marion Road, Wareham, 508-748-9700.

Photo courtesy of East Wind Lobster & Grille

3. Turn Up the Gas

Jean Lanahan, owner of the East Wind Lobster & Grille, gives us hands-on cooking lessons. On March 8, she offers Fish 101. She’ll teach you Pan Seared Scallops, Rolled Flounder, Poached Salmon and Fried Calamari & Banana Pepper. On March 15, she invites you to play with quahogs. You’ll work with ‘hogs, ‘necks, and cherrystones to create Stuffed Quahogs, Quahog Stew, and Littlenecks with pasta. Then on March 22, she’ll be teaching easy pasta dishes and wine pairings. Just $30 per class, participants will learn how to cook, eat dinner together and take home the leftovers. You can’t beat that.

You must reserve your space in advance — check out East Wind’s Facebook page here for more info. March 8, 15 or 22 from 6:30 to 8:30. 2 Main Street, Buzzards Bay, 508-759-1857.

4. Irish Adventures

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, go check out the current exhibit at the New Bedford Whaling Museum: Famine, Friends & Fenians. It’s a fascinating tale of New Bedford/Irish history just waiting for a Hollywood screenwriter to create a swashbuckling movie. We wrote about the Fenians last year on our blog so if you want to get up to speed before going to the exhibit, check that out here. New Bedford Whaling Museum, 18 Johnny Cake Hill, New Bedford, whalingmuseum.org

Photo courtesy of Ella’s Woodburning Oven Restaurant

5. Farm-to-Table Party

The spring equinox is March 20. Two days later, Ella’s Woodburning Oven Restaurant celebrates with a farm-to-table dinner, featuring meat from Weatherlow Farms and greens from Eva’s Garden (see more about Eva here). Chef Marc Swierkowski of Ella’s teams up with Chef Ed Rosazck from Mattapoisett’s How on Earth to create a delicious celebration of our local bounty. Bog Iron Brewery of Norton rounds out the dinner with local craft beer pairings for the dinner. Contact Ella’s Woodburning Stove Restaurant for more information at 508.759.3600 or [email protected]

6. Page to Stage

Page to Stage at the Z (Photo courtesy of Zeiterion Theater)

For a different kind of pairing, the Z is offering three stage performances with a twist this month. To deepen the theater experience, the Z will offer community book clubs to accompany each performance, delving into the themes of the books before the topics come alive on stage.

A March 1 book club will discuss Life, Animated: A Story of Sidekicks, Heroes, and Autism by Pulitzer Prize-winner Ron Suskind, which is linked to Spencers: Theatre of Illusion performance on March 4. Life, Animated is a twisting, 20-year journey that follows the author’s autistic son Owen, and inspired the Oscar nominated documentary of the same name.

On March 2, the book club discusses The Giver by Lois Lowry before seeing American Place Theatre’s superb adaptation the same night. A Newberry Award-winning book, The Giver has become a staple of young adult reading lists but it’s engaging for adults as well, with a story that will have you thinking about big concepts like ethics and individuality long after you put the book down,

On March 30, prior to the arrival of Argentine company Che Malambo later that night, the Z’s book club will discuss Evita: The Real Life of Eva Peron by Nicholas Fraser and Marysa Navarro.

The book groups are free and open to the public but please RSVP here. To purchase tickets to the shows, go here. The Zeiterion Theater, 684 Purchase Street, New Bedford.

If you have any other suggestions to tear us away from Hulu and Netflix, leave them in the comment section. And if you want to stay in the know about cool and eclectic South Coast events, sign up for our free emails right here.

February 23, 2017

The Beet Goes On! CSA Season Is Just Around the Corner

There’s a national day for everything and February 24 is “CSA Day.” It’s been feeling like spring all week so it makes sense to think about the growing season ahead. And to dramatically declare that CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) changed my family’s life.

For over 15 years, we’ve been getting a big weekly bag from Bay End Farm in Buzzards Bay from June through October. We pay upfront in April for a season’s worth of produce. And then we wait for the bounty to arrive. Each week, it’s like getting the mystery bag of penny candy at the candy store. You don’t necessarily know what will be in it. But you know you’re going to enjoy it. All of a sudden, you have a stake in the weather and the growing season. You are grateful for rain. And sunshine.

All of a sudden, you have a stake in the weather and the growing season. You are grateful for rain. And sunshine.

Having a bag full of vegetables delivered each week taught me how to cook. I had a refrigerator filled with fresh produce – and more was coming in seven days. I had to do something with it. I couldn’t procrastinate. So I hauled out my Joy of Cooking, received as a wedding gift, and figured out how to cook beets and kale and soups. And now I can cook. That’s the first life-changing thing our CSA bags brought us.

Erin & Kofi, our favorite farmers

People ask if we sometimes get sick of some vegetables. Occasionally, maybe. I still don’t quite know what to do with escarole, for example. But that is more than made up for by the vegetables that we’ve been introduced to. As young kids, my daughters were willing to try unconventional things like kohlrabi and bok choi because it came from Kofi and Erin’s farm. And, guess what? Nine times out of ten, they loved the new vegetables. I’ve also enjoyed the introduction in my kitchen to old favorites that I would never buy otherwise. Beets, for instance. I love ’em. But outside of my farm share, I never buy them because cooking beets seems like too much of a commitment.

So that’s the other life changing thing for us: we eat better. We eat better because we must eat better – those vegetables aren’t going to eat themselves.

A few years ago, we added to our CSA lifestyle by signing up for chicken and pork at Copicut Farms. Once you’ve eaten their meat, you’ll never want supermarket meat again.

We’re so lucky to be on the South Coast where it’s easy to support local farms and eat wonderfully.

We’re also lucky to have the Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership (SEMAP) which helps direct us to local food and sustainable farming. They have a website that you can easily lose yourself in to find local beef, duck, lamb, cut flowers, fruit, and more. To find a CSA near you, click here. (I’ve plugged in a New Bedford address because that’s central for the South Coast but feel free to enter a town closer to you. Just click on the “change town” link on the right hand side). Then, celebrate CSA Day by calling or emailing a farmer to sign up for your food this summer.

Years into this CSA experience, we all look forward to the harvest of favorite vegetables like they are old friends: “I think it should be time soon for lemon cucumbers.” “Oh, look! The sugar snap peas are back!” “Tomatoes soon…” We now have a healthy appreciation for seasonal eating. We also have a healthy appreciation for the passage of seasons and time. There is something bittersweet about wondering if you’re eating the last heirloom tomato of the year from the place you’ve come to think of as your farm.

Do you want to be kept in the loop? Our email list is the first to learn about special events, offers, and giveaways…..Keep up with us by signing up for our free emails here.

February 9, 2017

Five Great Valentine Dates on the South Coast

Valentine’s Day is coming up and we asked Rebecca of the Almanac team to give us some suggestions for celebrating. We’re not surprised she came up with a great list! Read on….

Chocolate and Wine. What Else Do You Need?

Stop by Portugalia Marketplace for its Annual Chocolate Festival this Saturdayfrom 11 – 2 p.m. and enjoy tastings from chocolatiers and vintners, with live music by Birdtalk jazz trio to get you in the mood. February 11. See more here.

Maybe Some Music…

While you’re in the neighborhood on Saturday, the Narrows Center for the Arts welcomes singer-songwriter Paula Cole to the stage. With an extraordinary voice, she has opened for Peter Gabriel, Melissa Etheridge and Sarah McLachlan. Book reservations for dinner beforehand at The Abbey Grill, a restored former monastery with an open kitchen and sprawling bar.

Or A Romantic Walk?

Break out your wellies and head to Destruction Brook Woods for a short or long walk exploring the rolling woodlands and the old mill and farmstead. Grab a map, or just get lost here. Make sure you find the footbridges and bubbling waterways.

If you’re celebrating Valentine’s with the kids or with some canine friends, bring them to walk at the Bogs in the Mattapoisett River Reserve. With four miles of dog-friendly woods, wetlands and cranberry bog trails to wander through, there’s plenty to stimulate conversation pondering who and what was there before.

A Nightcap (or two)…

New Bedford is bursting with plenty of new spots and established favorites where you can enjoy good drinks and food. Check out Cultivator Shoals, a chic new bar serving up craft cocktails. A Rose By Any Other Name is their ode to Valentine’s Day, designed by Devon McGrath and featuring rose petal infused Tito’s vodka, fresh lemon juice & strawberry puree. She gave me the recipe but it takes three days from start to finish. Trust me, let them do the work!

Or try The Bitter End Lounge on Route 6 in Fairhaven. Intrigued by its name and sign, I made this a launching spot for a date night recently. It’s a self-proclaimed dive bar where you can sidle up to the bar or shoot some pool. Wrap up the evening at Gilda’s Stone Rooster a little further east on 6 in Marion where you’ll find local legend Gilda tending bar (Secret tip: Gilda opens the house to the fabulous South Coast Jazz Symphony Orchestra periodically on Monday nights. The upcoming dates are February 27, March 13 and 27, April 10 and 24, May 8 and 22, June 5 and 19. Always from 8 -10 pm.)

The Morning After…

Great pancakes. That’s love. The Barn in Little Compton, RI is the perfect spot to indulge in a romantic breakfast. They’re serving up a Valentine’s special of fluffy buttermilk pancakes topped with fresh strawberries, chocolate kisses (yes, chocolate kisses!) and whipped cream. Afterwards you might want to walk it off at South Shore Beach, a true gem no matter the time of year.

We hope we’ve inspired you to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Be sure to check in with all of these locales before you go to make sure nothing’s changed since we posted. All of us at South Coast Almanac wish you and your sweethearts another day filled with love and adventure!

Keep up with South Coast Almanac updates, news and events, by signing up for our free emails here.

Special shout out to AJ Marks Jewelers in Wareham and Hyannis for sponsoring our Valentine blog posts. Thanks, guys!

January 10, 2017

Oh, Right! It’s January…Time To Get Healthy

(Or, How To Make Delicious Food with South Coast Tricks)

We’re pleased to introduce a special guest blogger this month to help us restore our healthy equilibrium after all those Bloody Marys. Margaret Bane is an avid health and wellness guru, and the founder of the blog www.bareboston.com where she curates plant-based recipes and an overall guide to holistic health. Margaret lives in Boston but spends a good chunk of time in Marion golfing during the summer.

Welcome Margaret as she shows us how to incorporate a little South Coast magic into our healthy New Year’s routines.

Food is one of those rare topics that elicits an emotional response regardless of age, gender, or ethnicity. I should’ve gotten the salad. How many calories is in this? I’m starting my diet tomorrow. No one is immune to a relationship with food, not even your favorite athlete or celebrity. We all have some type of daily interaction with our plates, and quite frankly a perfect relationship with food doesn’t exist (don’t let the Tom and Gisele’s of the world fool you, they too think heavily about every bite).

Being thrown into emotional turmoil after a meal, even if only once a week, can actually be more detrimental than that bowl of white pasta and meat sauce. If we’re programmed to evaluate our decisions post-indulgence, why not tweak the end result?

Luckily preparing for the inevitable is actually quite simple. One first step I always recommend is to become more aware of menu and grocery items that are seasonal and locally grown. More often than not, seasonal produce will lead to a more well-rounded fulfilling meal.

Consuming seasonally often means eating locally grown foods which leads to the bigger picture here: the environment. So, in an attempt to reduce your carbon footprint, skip the nutrition facts and remember to first check food labels for where its traveled from. As an ode to the South Coast of Massachusetts, I’ve curated recipes highlighting the natural flavor of locally grown and produced, Paradise Meadow organic cranberries. Enjoy!

“…don’t let the Tom and Gisele’s of the world fool you, they too think heavily about every bite”

Overnight Oats (all photos in this post by Margaret Bane)

Healthy Overnight Oats

Who has time to slave over a hot stove in the morning before work? Not I! Overnight oats is my go-to breakfast for a kick of nutrients first thing in the morning, without the time consuming cooking. This recipe takes a whopping 7 minutes to throw together at night, and is ready to eat on the go in the morning.

There is a major difference between regular old water-based oats, and gooey-ooey, sticky overnight oats. The secret to achieving a perfectly thick consistency is all about the liquid base. I add dried fruit to my cashew milk to create a touch of sweetness and added nutritional boost, while adding a more thick sticky consistency.

Ingredients:
½ cup Cashews (soaked overnight)
¼ cup Dried organic cranberries
2 Dates (pitted and soaked for a few minutes)
1 tsp. Cinnamon
½ cup Organic rolled oats
1 Heaping Tbsp. chia seeds

Recipe:

Rinse and drain the soaked cashews, and add to a blender (I use a bullet) with cranberries, dates, and cinnamon.
Blend until milk-consistency has formed. Store in the fridge for up to a week.
In a tupperware, combine the oats and chia seeds. Pour cashew milk over the dry mixture until well covered, but still bumpy at the top (see photo below). Mix well, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
The next morning, add your choice of fun healthy toppings. Photographed here is melted almond butter, a mix of pumpkin and sunflower seeds, and dried cranberries.

*You will have extra cashew milk, use in your coffee or with cereal!

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Cranberries and Balsamic Glaze

There’s nothing quite like crispy caramelized veggies on a cold winter night. You’ve probably seen this on the Thanksgiving table with traditional fall root vegetables like carrots, parsnips, and turnips. But when winter finally rolls around, I love to incorporate brussel sprouts into my recipes! In many cases you’ll notice sugar added as the ingredient that achieves the caramelized glaze, but not this one! These crispy caramelized brussel sprouts are a dish you can feel good about!

Ingredients:

3 lbs. Brussel sprouts (trimmed and halved)
½ cup Coconut oil (melted)
½ cup Balsamic vinegar
¼ cup Raw honey
1 cup Dried cranberries
Himalayan sea salt & black pepper to taste

Recipe:

Preheat the oven to 375 F.
On a lined baking skeet, toss brussel sprouts with coconut oil and salt/pepper and roast until crispy (~30 minutes).
In a saucepan, boil balsamic vinegar and honey, and reduce to a simmer. Cook until thick reduction consistency.
Drizzle the glaze over the sprouts and toss with cranberries.

Stay tuned. Margaret will be back later this month with a South Coast skin care discovery. And, remember, you can keep up with South Coast Almanac updates, news and events, by signing up for our free emails here. Then, wander over and check out Margaret’s home at bareboston.com.

January 1, 2017

Hold the Resolutions! Bloody Marys to Soothe Your New Year’s Hangover

Put all your resolutions on hold and head to Fall River. Our Director of Advertising and Marketing Rebecca Hemsley researched the best places for Bloody Marys so that you can extend the holiday just a little bit longer (and soothe any overindulgences):

Maybe you rang in 2017 toasting with close friends and family around a roaring fire. Maybe you were out and about on the town. Either way, you may have indulged in just a bit too much bubbly. We’re here for you!

New Year’s Day is a day to drag out the holiday, to take advantage of a lazy decadent morning and to embrace our old friend Bloody Mary to repair last night’s damage. She debuted in the 1890’s as a non-alcoholic health elixir. Tomato juice boasts high levels of simple sugars which provide our brain with the glucose it needs to help get back in action after a late night of popping corks. Lycopene doesn’t hurt either by providing anti-inflammatory benefits you’ll need after a week of celebrating.

Depending on your mood we’ve found a few spots in Fall River for you to spend the first day of 2017 to tackle the hair of the dog.

Al Macs Diner will be serving Bloody Marys until they close at 2. They have a tangy recipe, the perfect complement to their cookie dough pancakes. Yes, that’s right…I said cookie dough pancakes! They’re surprisingly delicious. But if it’s savory you’re after, try their Portuguese omelet with chourico and pepper jack cheese. 35 President Avenue, Fall River.

Pop in at the Tipsy Toboggan Fireside Pub to warm up by the fire and enjoy the sweetness of their Bloody Marys. It’s just next to the Borden Marina where you can see the Borden Flats Lighthouse in Mount Hope Bay (featured as a “Surprising Stay” in our 2016 inaugural edition). Maybe you’ll be inspired to book at night there in 2017. 75 Ferry Street, Fall River.

At Jerry Remy’s Sports Bar & Grill, you’ll find a real kicker Bloody Mary. It’s a thick, hearty recipe that rolls satisfyingly over the palette. Remy’s Manager Ashley Dusoe tells us that it’s entirely made from scratch. It’s a secret recipe but I did manage to get a few key ingredients out of her (lime juice, celery salt, horseradish and ground mustard seeds). They’ve nailed the perfect blend. It’s everything you’ve ever hoped for in a Bloody Mary. As an added treat, you can choose vodka that’s been infused with wasabi or garlic and basil. Match it with the Remy Burger on Portuguese sweet bread and it’s a sure fix for a New Year’s hangover. 1082 Davol Street, Fall River.

Keep up with South Coast Almanac updates, news and events, by signing up for our free emails here.

Here’s to a happy and prosperous 2017 from all of us at South Coast Almanac!