Earlier in the week I posted about possible Valentine’s Day date spots.  Today I have one Valentine’s Day gift idea for the food lover in your life (or you!) that will give again and again and do a world of good for hungry children in Massachusetts.

Taste of the Nation tickets are currently 20% off with this code: VDAY2012. The Taste of the Nation event is on April 19, 2012 at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston. It is an AMAZING gathering of chefs from around Boston, and it is absolutely one of my favorite events of the year.

Just check out this year’s honorary chef chairs:

Jody Adams, Rialto and Trade

Joanne Chang, Flour Bakery and Myers + Chang

Gordon Hamersley, Hamersley’s Bistro

Andy Husbands, Tremont 647

Taste of the Nation benefits Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign, which is dedicated to ending childhood hunger by making sure kids get the healthy food they need every day.

One hundred percent of ticket sales goes to this cause.

For a recap and photos of last year’s Taste of the Nation, check out my post. Hope to see you there this year!

http://traveleatlove.com/2011/04/take-the-pledge/

Technorati Tags: Boston, charity, charity events, events, Food, Share our Strength, wine

http://traveleatlove.com/2012/02/attention-boston-bloggers/ 

Hearty, warm, comforting, and mostly healthy, shepherd’s pie is a cold weather staple that can be changed up to suit the individuals making and eating it. The best part about shepherd’s pie, is of course, the leftovers. I made this shepherd’s pie for dinner on Tuesday night, and it made dinner for two and six lunches. There’s nothing I love more than having lunches out of the way. For some reason I have always hated making work week lunches!

There are many shepherd’s pie recipes out there, some vegetarian, many using beef or lamb, and some, like mine, that use ground lean turkey as the filler of choice.

I started off my pie by boiling four large Idaho potatoes and one sweet potato that had been hanging around, just waiting to be eaten.

While the potatoes were cooking, I thawed some sweet corn.

Chopped up half of a yellow onion

And I used my mandolin to cut perfect carrots. 

Photos are missing, but I cooked the turkey and onions in a little bit of olive oil in a pan, then added the carrots and corn and 3/4 of a bottle of this delicious Stovepipe Porter that we picked up in Vermont. Vermont has some great beer!

The beer added a great flavor and richness to the turkey and veggie mixture. While it simmered on low, I got my potatoes mashed with some butter, cream, and salt. I ended up with way more mashed potatoes than I needed, but who doesn’t love leftover mashed potatoes?! As you can tell, I left the skins on the potato. I’m not lazy, I actually like the skins, and they have all of the fiber.

I popped the shepherd’s pie into the oven for 10 minutes at 400 degrees. At the end, I set the oven to broil for about two minutes to brown the top. It was delish!

On the side we had shredded Brussels sprouts sautéed in a bit of olive oil and topped with an almond “cheese” sauce I made. I have seen so many vegan cheese sauces made with nuts, and I had some almonds in the house so I decided to make my own. I played with a mix of almonds, olive oil, water, nutritional yeast, and garlic until I got it nice and smooth. It didn’t taste like cheese or remind me of cheese in the least, but it was good!

This meal provided the perfect mix of protein and vegetables for us. It was definitely a winner!

Since we’re talking recipes, do you have an all-time favorite?

Technorati Tags: beer, dinner, Food, recipe

Details are below. I hope you will participate.

Attention Chefs & Foodies!

Where Hash Rules, an ebook on the history of Charlie’s Sandwich Shoppe in Boston’s South End, will soon be available at the iTunes Store.

We’re soliciting favorite recipes from chefs and foodies in the Boston area (and beyond) and we invite you to make a submission or two and spread the word to your friends in the culinary community! Charlie’s, winner of a James Beard Award, has been a Boston landmark since 1927.

All contributors will have their photos, blog/website/Facebook/twitter info, and a bio blurb included with their recipes. Thank you for helping with this project!

—

To make a submission, please do the following:
1. Email your recipe, a recent photo of yourself, a short bio, and any social media contact information to wherehashrules ( @) gmail.com.
2. We’ll respond with a confirmation, then let you know if your submission has been accepted.
3. The deadline is Friday, February 10, 2012.
Follow on Twitter: @wherehashrules

Technorati Tags: Boston, cookbook, Food, recipes

Anyway, for some reason I thought wearing a handkerchief for a dress on a cold and damp Irish day was a good way to celebrate the holiday.  Times have changed! This year our Valentine’s Day plans are very much up in the air, but I thought I would share a few options based on information I have received and experiences I have had.

Del Frisco’s – If you want to go all out and wow a special someone with a decadent meal, swanky surroundings, gorgeous views, and killer cocktails, Del Frisco’s is where I would go. They’re offering a special deal just for Valentine’s Day, featuring a filet and lobster tail for $79. Yes, it’s pricey, but if you have someone in your life who loves a great cut of meat and that old glam steakhouse vibe (with a modern twist), it’s a great option. Just looking to go out for a drink with the girls? Head to Del Frisco’s bar for their special holiday cocktail,  the Pomegranate Kiss, a concoction of
Ciroc Red Berry Vodka,Triple Sec, Pama and Monin Pomegranate syrup.

Les Zygomates – This is our go-to date night spot. I have blogged about it a couple of times before, but we have been there probably a dozen times in the years I have been blogging. The food is always good, the service is always charming, they have a great wine list and raw bar and sultry, nightly jazz. If I had to pick one place to go in Boston on a date, Les Zygomates would probably be it.

Café Polonia – Never had Polish food? If you and your Valentine are both into food, try a new-to-you cuisine. A place like Café Polonia, one of our Dorchester favorites, is cozy and quaint, offers a great bang for your buck, and can be more than sharing just a meal, sharing an experience. If it’s wintry out, even better. Polonia’s hearty cuisine is the perfect comfort food.

Enzo Bar & Restaurant – If you live up there or feel like venturing North of Boston to the lovely seaside community of Newburyport, Enzo is the place to be. It’s cozy, romantic, rustic, and offers some of the best food I have had in awhile. Ten Tables is also another deliciously cozy option in the area. With multiple fireplaces and great food, you just can’t go wrong.

Pizza to go – This is more our speed for Valentine’s Day these days. You can’t beat really good pizza (Maybe from Stone Hearth!), Champagne, and a dessert like an easy Nutella mousse. Champagne and pizza are a match made in heaven, and with Valentine’s Day on a weekday, letting someone else do the cooking makes for a relaxing evening for all.

Stay in and cook together. – If Valentine’s Day fell on a weekend, this would be a great option for us. Unfortunately, with the husband working far away, it just doesn’t make sense for us for a weeknight, unless we want to eat at 10:00. Plan a meal together or have each person choose a course to make within a certain cuisine. Pop some bubbly, dip some strawberries in chocolate, put on your favorite songs, and spend some qt together.

What’s your favorite way to spend Valentine’s Day? Do you have memories of a magical or nightmarish Valentine’s Day to share?

Technorati Tags: Dining out, Food, holidays, Restaurants, Valentine's Day