Whether you’re hosting a dinner party, or planning a special at home dinner, a delicious salad can leave a lasting impression. To truly wow your dinner companions, think beyond the traditional “house salad” of lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes and carrots and seek inspiration from vibrant fruit, crunchy vegetables, flavorful cheese and tangy dressing. Here are three colorful and delicious salad ideas to get you started!
Browsing Tag
Italian Food
Photo by Le Pain Quotidien
SavvyBostonian Note: I traveled to NYC the weekend before Hurricane Irene.
I cannot resist the thrill of a jam-packed weekend in New York City, so when my favorite dynamic duo invited me for a visit, I jumped at the opportunity. Before I knew it, I was hopping aboard the Acela with visions of wine bars, sightseeing adventures and lots of amazing food.
Interior of The Grove by Jessica Gioglio
It probably won’t come as a surprise to the more frequent readers of this blog, but I adore charming little restaurants and boutiques. When traveling, I purposefully seek out places like San Francisco’s Fillmore Street that contain a mix of both. Delightful, yet not overly posh, this street is situated in the city’s beautiful Pacific Heights neighborhood, and is perfect for a lunch and shopping jaunt.
Christian Science Center Plaza Fountain by Jessica Gioglio
Hot. Sticky. Humid. Oppressive. Unbearable. Just a few words that I have been abusing this week. In between sucking down water and fighting my urge to jump into the Charles River, here’s how I’ve been beating the heat this week:
Sip: Coconut Water. Sweating depletes both sodium and potassium, making this lightly sweet beverage a nice way to refuel. Offering more potassium than two bananas, sodium and sugar for energy, I’ve been sipping on one per day to replenish. Though there are many brands available, I’m partial to Vita Coco.
Stay: Air-Conditioned Office Building: I’ve never loved my office so much. Usually I complain about the overly cold air conditioning, but this week, the temperature feels just right. I’ve actually found myself staying a bit later than usual to postpone going back to my heat box of an apartment. Don’t work in an office building? If I didn’t, I’d be spending my time in public buildings, like the Boston Public Library, Prudential Center, movie theatre and local museums.
Splash: Christian Science Center Plaza Fountain: While there are several great fountains around the city, this one has attracts both locals and tourists equally. Though a shorted power cable temporarily disabled the fountain yesterday, it’s now back up and running. It’s not only little kids that can shriek in delight while running through the spiral streams of water! Who’s dashing through with me!?
Savor: Summer Soups. My friend Gabi has a fantastic food blog with oodles of soups, slaws, salads and salsa recipes perfect for cooling off after a hot day. I can personally attest to going gaga for her Summer Gazpacho and slurping the wine-infused Chilled Watermelon Soup with delight.
Splurge: Double Shot Affogato. When this Health.com recipe popped into my inbox this week, I was instantly taken back to Italy, where I first tried this yummy espresso and coffee ice cream dessert drink. Why didn’t I think to try and re-create this at home sooner? Click here for the recipe.
With scorching temperatures scheduled to run through the weekend, how have you been keeping cool this week?
I recently popped into Coppa on a Monday night for a light meal. I’d already been at an event with appetizers and was tempted with the prospect of a small, yet flavorful nibble. The problem was, after savoring one small plate of pasta, it just left me wanting more.
Coppa Restaurant, Boston by Bellyglad From Flickr
Coppa is located on Shawmut Ave., a quiet street in Boston’s South End. The restaurant itself has a neighborhood feel and a cozy atmosphere. Tables are aligned close to one another, making it an ideal spot to visit in parties of two. Plan to wait with a larger party, as Coppa does not take reservations. However, as discovered by savvy locals, you can swing by, put your name in and come back later when your table is ready.
Even on a Monday night, Coppa was packed with a lively crowd. My wonderful dining companion and I didn’t want to wait for a table, so we sucked it up and took quite possibly the worst two seats in the house, which are located along a small side bar directly to the right of the entrance. At first, we felt like we were encroaching on the hostesses space by the door, but they couldn’t have been more kind and gracious.
I ordered a small bowl of the fettuccine with a wild boar ragu and my friend the spaghetti alla carbonara with smoked pancetta, sea urchin, farm egg and scallions. Both were fantastic. I adored the fat fettuccine noodles and the leftover wild boar ragu was so good that we kept dipping our bread into it. We also appreciated the carbonara’s melt-in-your-mouth sea urchin. Similarly notable was their hot buttered rum, which put any other hot toddy I’ve ever tried to shame.
Coppa is located at 253 Shawmut Ave. in Boston’s South End. For more information, please visit their website at http://www.coppaboston.com/