Category: Eats

A True Pub Experience on the North Shore

Posted on by DIY SKI GUY

Bring your kids to most Bars on a Sunday at 4PM and 9 out of 10 people look at you like you are a bookie checking in on the scores. A true Pub to me is one that goes beyond serving drinks and plays a vital social role in the community. It caters to the locals, but welcomes new patrons with open arms. I have not been there at other times, but the Sunday Irish Session (4PM) at O’Neills in Salem fills that void.

Sundays is a time you can come watch the games, listen to some good Irish music and even bring  the kids. I don’t know if the guy who told us to seat ourselves works there or was just part of the welcoming committee.  The wait staff brings a perfectly poured Guinness and dodge the 3 year olds doing the jig. They do this while all having smiles on their face. I like their Irish offerings and recommend their Guinness Stew with a Guinness or a Magners pint!

What other places have a Pub feel around town? I went to Stone’s Pub and immediately felt right at home. They really made us all feel welcome. Kitty O’Shea’s (Beverly) is another favorite Irish Pub in the area. Others?

Thanks – Paddy Ryan

Atwood On The New Dining Initiative At Alchemy

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Heather Atwood writes-
The half-block space on Duncan St. in Gloucester, that to the unschooled looks like a basement entrance to the CVS around the corner on Main St., has always been a restaurant to love. For years it was The Glass Sailboat, where everyone in Gloucester, from the fish piers to Bass Rocks, stopped in for good coffee, a homemade muffin, and maybe some homeopathic remedies from the Common Crow across the room. The place grew up a little, got liquor and music, and became the Sunny Day Cafe. While people mourned the old Sailboat, The Cafe was accepted in a community that doesn’t even like its vacant lots to change.

Check out the rest of her blog post about the Exciting New Dining Initiative At Alchemy-

http://blogs.gloucestertimes.com/foodforthought/2011/01/09/montmartre-or-gloucester/#more-3381

“The Cafe was accepted in a community that doesn’t even like its vacant lots to change.”
Wow! Pretty Ballsy Atwood!

After reflecting a bit on that comment I’d say that in defense of the community at large that they would like to see change on vacant and unproductive lots but all too many times the vocal minority of people who oppose everything get their way. It’s far too easy for them to manipulate and stymie progress through the insane permitting process on the waterfront.

To our current Mayors credit it seems she is involving the public big time on the I4 C2 lot. I just hope the people whose proposals do not get incorporated don’t try to stand in the way of the proposals that do.

Native Shrimp

Posted on by Alicia Pensarosa

If you don’t already know, the native shrimp are in!

For New Year’s Eve, I tried something new and made Ceviche with native shrimp and scallops. It was delicious! While  I was cleaning the shrimp for the ceviche, I noticed how beautiful the eggs were.  I had to take a pic to share with GMG readers.

They are ice blue, like the color of glaciers!

And here is the final Ceviche:

Kevin Henry Crushin On Sista Felicia’s Rosa Rugosa Jelly

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Hi Joey,

Last time up there we stopped @ "Stuff" on Main St. and bought a jar. It was worth saving for the holidays !

Happy New Year…

(going to Fla. to thaw out after the plunge ?)

Best,

Kevin & Vanessa

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Giuseppe’s Ristorante Gets A New Sign

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Memory Layne Writes-

Hi Joey, I had to send this, Joe spent the last three weeks in our friend’s shop carving our sign, which has been a project waiting in the wings as we have been working night and day  pummeling  through our first six months…I think we held the world record for "length of time a banner has been out front of a new business"….alas, it  finally fell down. What a great way to start the new year with our new sign…the wood is a few hundred years old, we found it last may in Maine, it comes from an old barn up there.  Joe designed it, carved it, sealed and painted and gold leafed it, with the help of some friends who had the right tools and experience….we wanted to have it somewhat match the old Blackburn sign that hangs above it, keeping it consistent with the historic look of the building.
Here are some photos of the progress…

Julie Geary Does Two New Years’ Appetizer Videos At The Taste of The Times

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Pesto Terrine served with Semolina Bread

According to Julie, people get tired of seeing slices of cheddar and other cheeses laid out on a platter. This is a perfect cheese alternative for your party or entertaining to start out the New Year and you can combine all of the ingredients in several minutes. You can also make this a day or two ahead and keep in your refrigerator.

This Mediterranean style dish is also a little healthier than many other appetizers. Goat cheese, cream cheese, pesto and sun-dried tomatoes are layered into a bowl. Julie shows you a simple technique for getting it onto a plate for a perfect presentation. Perfect for 20 to 25 people if it is one of several appetizers.

click the pictures below to see the how to video recipes

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Phyllo Tartlets with Roasted Red Pepper, Pesto and Buffalo Mozzarella

Another five-minute appetizer recipe from Julie Geary of Classic Caterers. Small Phyllo tarts, roasted red peppers, small mozzarella balls (called pearls), and some pesto. All of the ingredients can be obtained in the supermarket.

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Cape Ann Brewing Kills It On Opening Night!

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

The Boys Knocked it out of the park with rave reviews, huge smiles and killer food all the way around on opening night at Cape Ann Brewing’s new location on Rogers Street directly across from the Saint Peter’s Club.

This was the place to be tonight without question as an excitement and electricity filled the year in what is destined to be yet another top destination for craft beer lovers WORLD WIDE.  Yeah I said it- WORLD FUCKING WIDE!  The place is unlike anything around and expense was not spared in bringing the masses a dining and drinking establishment that is uniquely Gloucester.

Here are a few pictures- more to come tomorrow along with video.

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Sista Felicia’s Salami Crisps With Crème Fraiche Video On The Taste Of The Times

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

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This three-ingredient appetizer from Felicia Ciaramitaro Mohan travels very well and is so simple to make. Once again all of the ingredients can be obtained in the supermarket.

Simply bake thin-cut salami slices in an oven for about 10 minutes at 325 degrees F. and dry off excess grease between two pieces of paper towel. You want to get them crispy, like a potato chip. Once they are cooled and you are ready to complete them, add a dab of crème fraiche and top off with a leaf of fresh basil. (Felicia uses a disposable piping bag to add the crème fraiche but you could use a spoon.)

Click Picture Below To View The Video at The Gloucester Daily Times Taste of the Times website

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Mark Ring’s Deviled Eggs

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Tradition.

The Captain Joe and Sons Christmas Party and Mark Ring’s Deviled Eggs.

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In theory deviled eggs don’t sound all that appetizing to me.  Anyone else’s deviled eggs, I’m not going to cross the street to eat and probably if they are sitting on a platter at someone’s house I’d most likely pass them by. 

But not Mark Ring’s deviled eggs.  Heaven on earth.

At What Point Do We Take Responsibility For Ourselves Series

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

I’m not sure when this happened but lately at every restaurant you go to you see these little signs plastered all over the place and on the menus.

They read “Before placing your order, please inform your server if a person in your party has a food allergy”

I understand the premise and importance, but really, if you have a food allergy wouldn’t you say something anyway?  Do the people that have the food allergies need to be reminded that they have the food allergies?  I mean if you eat a handful of peanuts and your lips blow up like a balloon one time wouldn’t you make sure to ask for something when you go to a restaurant that doesn’t have peanuts from there on out????  You need a sign right up in your grill telling you to make sure to inform your server?  At what point do people take responsibility for themselves?

Is this not right up there with smokers suing cigarette manufacturers after 30 years of smoking cigarettes because they got lung cancer?

Is this not right up the fat bastards who sue Mcdonalds because they stuffed down Big Macs every day for 10 years and are now obese?

Why must we clutter every single restaurant with these signs?

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Sista Felicia Keeps Grandma’s Recipes Alive Through The Gloucester Daily Times Taste of The Times Series

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Every Christmas this dish was prepared by grandmother Felicia. It is an assortment of raw vegetables specially marinated in oil and vinegar and placed around the living room and kitchen in serving dishes. The main ingredients are carrots, celery, onions and extra large Sicilian green olives. Everyone who grew up with this dish ended up having their favorite vegetable that they would choose, hoping that they could get them before someone else did.

The celery and carrots are cut julienne style to allow more of the marinade flavor to penetrate and the olives were prepared by Felicia’s grandfather using a special cooking implement, his hammer. Rather than try and pit them, just smash the olive and place in the salad along with all of the other vegetables. The pit will come out easily once someone goes to eat one.

Click The Picture For The Video at The Gloucester Daily Times Taste of The Times Site

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At the site there are options to print the recipe and share it.  This is one of my favorites from our Grandmother Felicia