My View of Life on the Dock
Karen Pischke submits-
Our first dinner at Pinoli’s was like an episode of Cheers- seeing friends neighbors and colleagues from Cape Ann! Plus met a number of newcomers to Gloucester. Delicious food, great service, lots of fun! Chef Paolo knows how to delight the eyes and the palate. 🙂
I hope that folks will support our updated Chinese Restaurant, China Port, under a new owner, next to Friendly’s. They have cleaned up an old establishment and are serving terrific food. Eben and I had lunch the other day from their luncheon specials – I had General Gau’s Chicken with pork fried rice and a choice of one appetizer for 8.25, and Eben had Sweet and Sour Chicken wit pork fried rice and an egg roll. The tea was hot and delicious and the waiter was most attentive. Hope folks will support this little gem – easy parking and most affordable – our lunch for two was a total of $17.66. Lovely portions that we even took some home. Sandy and Eben Andrew
Al Bezanson Submits-
Over at the Causeway a cup is a bowl and a bowl is a super bowl. With a heap of haddock, cooked just right. If they had more seating Gulf of Maine haddock might become endangered.
Mark McDonough Holding Court With Deb Coull and Creative Salem Marketing Genius John Andrews
Check Out Creative Salem Here
You know those pretentious “Foodies” that think they know everything there is to know about Seafood?
The next time you’re invited to a cocktail party and they start in on how “Monkfish tastes just like lobster.” You know what you tell them?
“Get out my face sucka!”
That’s got to be one of the biggest laughs know to anyone who has handled or tried monkfish. Not even close. But you’ll hear every foodie spout it out. Idiots.
Next up is that skatewings taste just like scallops. Another idiotic statement. You know back in the late 80s early 90s there were days that we’d handle over 10,000lbs of skatewings at under 20 cents a lb. And some marketing guru at a rag like today’s “Edible Boston” probably got some idea to pitch the idea that skatewing tasted like scallops and the mindless lemmings that most Foddies are, they bought it hook, line and sinker.
You want to know the best underutilized species? Well I’ll tell you. Number one and my all time favorite fish fried similar to smelt is Whiting.
Another great one is ocean catfish (also called wolfish).
Idiots.
Monkfish, just like lobster. 
Skatewing, just like scallops.
So next time you’re at the cocktail party with the pretentious foodie, you tell them to keep the monkfish and skatewing on their side of the table and push the lobster and scallops your way.
The Gloucester Times Taste of The Times Is Hosting Felicia’s Video Today check it out-
Click here for the printable recipe as well
December 13th is Santa Lucia Day Learn more About The Day Here
From wikipedia-
St. Lucia is the patron saint of the city of Syracuse (Sicily), where she was born. Celebrations take place on the 13th of December and in May. St. Lucy is also popular among children in some regions of North-Eastern Italy, namely Trentino, East Lombardy (Bergamo, Brescia, Cremona and Mantua), parts of Veneto, (Verona), parts of Emilia-Romagna, (Piacenza, Parma and Reggio Emilia), and all of Friuli, where she brings gifts to good children and coal to bad ones the night between December 12 and 13. She arrives in the company of a donkey and her escort, Castaldo. Children are asked to leave some coffee for Lucia, some flour for the donkey and bread for Castaldo. They must not watch Santa Lucia delivering these gifts, or she will throw ashes in their eyes, temporarily blinding them. In Sicily and among the Sicilian diaspora, cuccìa is eaten in memory of Saint Lucy’s miraculous averting of famine.
GloucesterCast Podcast New Subscriber Contest #4 Will Win A 2015 Dinner Dealer Deck. A Dinner Dealer Deck Will Go To One Of The First Ten New Subscribers To The GloucesterCast Subscribe to Enter Here (winner picks up Dinner Dealer Deck at the dock)
To purchase Dinner Dealer Decks Direct From Dennis and Jess and Emerson – https://www.dinnerdealer.com/decks/
Subscribe to Get The GloucesterCast Podcast by Email For Free
Listen To The 12/7/14 GloucesterCast Here
When out and about checking off your holiday to-do list, stop in to Passports. The food is always prepared and cooked to perfection, with extra generous helpings, and the ambiance is warm, comfy, and inviting.
India, Laila, and Dawn
Today I met my friend Catherine there and we had a luxuriously long chatty lunch. Despite the hours spent catching up, Laila, our beautiful waitress, never once made us feel anything less than entirely welcome. Catherine had the sumptuous cobb salad, topped with chicken salad, and I had their wonderfully delicious Caesar salad, with perfectly grilled shrimp. Even Passports regular coffee is rich and full flavored!
Happy Dining and Shopping Main Street!
Passports Cobb and Chicken Salad
Passports Caesar Salad
Hi Joey-
Hope all is well with you-Here is the flier for our last market of 2014-hoping you can post it.
Most of our farmers and food vendors will be there, a great chance to stock up for the long winter!!!
Take care and thank you
Niki
Nicole Bogin
Market Manager
Cape Ann Farmers Market
Sunday afternoon, my friends and family joined me for my 5th annual personal Christmas Party. My childhood friend Katrina Lafata Haskell’s husband Jim kick off of our evening with a special wine tasting, which included a bottle of homemade wine produced here in Gloucester, by Friends Neil & Bridgett Mathews, and their Family. Every year we looks forward to learning something new from Jim about his line of wines. This year wine was served in hand painted wine glasses adorned rhinestone “PEACE” symbols made by my mom. The hand painted glasses have become an annual tradition my mom and guests equally enjoy! Mom loves to create them, and our guests enjoy taking them home at the end of the night. I want to thank my husband St. Barry and my mother Pat for insisting I keep tradition and host the party this year, when they heard talks about me not hosting it this year, shortly after my daughter recent surgery. They knew I need a night of fun, and knew this night would raise my spirits….and that it did! Thank you ladies and Merry Christmas!
Continue reading “Pics-Crazy Women Take Over Sista Felicia’s For The Boxwood Tree Party”
Hi Joey,
Hope all is well! The time is finally here: Pinoli will be opening on December 18th. Pinoli is the result of the partnership between the Serenitee Restaurant Group and Chef Paolo Laboa. The restaurant’s menu will highlight the cuisine of Chef Paolo’s native Genoa, Italy, featuring fresh, local ingredients.
Pinoli Bring Genuine Northern Italian Cuisine to America’s Oldest Seaport
The Serenitee Restaurant Group has partnered with Chef Paolo Laboa to open the greatly anticipated Pinoli, in the heart of downtown Gloucester. Pinoli will serve Northern Italian cuisine utilizing the freshest, local ingredients at affordable prices. The restaurant itself is designed to feel like you are stepping into a familiar space, where guests are encouraged to walk right into the kitchen and say “hello” to Paolo.
“Cooking is what I love and I want to make each ingredient sing,” explained Chef Paolo. “If I make a dish with artichokes, I want you to taste the artichoke, not a heavy sauce. My goal is to have it be the best artichoke you have ever tasted.”
Paolo’s menu highlights local ingredients. With fresh seafood straight from the docks in Gloucester to seasonal vegetables from local farms, Paolo believes each dish starts at the source. His opening menu will be accented by an abundance of nightly specials, based on what is available that day.
Born and raised in Genoa, Italy, Paolo grew up in the kitchen. He worked at a number of restaurants in the region, earning the 1st Young Chef Award in Genoa and Milan. After moving to the United States, Paolo served as the executive chef at Farina in San Francisco. In 2008, Paolo won the Pesto World Championships in Genoa, Italy. Upon moving to the North Shore with his family, Paolo was the opening chef at Prides Osteria in Beverly, MA. Most recently, Paolo has been touring the kitchens of the Serenitee Restaurant Group, where his specials have quickly become guest favorites.
The New Dinner Dealer Decks Just Came Out-
Jess and Dennis (and baby Emerson) will ship them out to you the same day you order them and guarantee delivery for Christmas right up until December 21. They are good from now through next year so you get an extra month to use them if you get them now.
No Brainer City Baby! Order Your Decks Here- https://www.dinnerdealer.com/decks/
Who’s in the 2015 Deck-
Newburyport
Brown Sugar By The Sea
Georgetown
The Spot
Topsfield
Whoo(Pie) Wagon
Ipswich
En Fuego
Salt Kitchen & Rum Bar
Hamilton
15 Walnut
Essex
The Farm Bar & Grille
Gloucester
Duckworth’s Bistro
George’s of Gloucester
Latitude 43
Mile Marker One
Passports
The Pub at Cape Ann Brewery
Wally’s Blackburn Bistro
Willow Rest
Manchester-by-the-Sea
Cala’s
Casa De Luis
Essen
Foreign Affairs
Rockport
Nate’s At Front Beach
Beverly
Half Baked Café
Marino’s Café
Organic Garden Café
Prime Meats & Provisions
The American B.B.Q.
Vidalia’s
Danvers
9 Elm
Daily Harvest Café
Goodies Ice Cream
Peabody
Little Depot Diner
Maki Sushi Bar & Grill
The Nest
Middleton
Maggie’s Farm
Salem
Adriatic
Boston Hot Dog Co.
Comida Mexican Taqueria
Flying Saucer Pizza
Longboards Café & Bar
Naumkeag Ordinary
Opus
Scratch Kitchen
The Ugly Mug Diner
Marblehead
Cygnet Bakery
Le Bistro
Lime Rickey’s
Palmers
Shubies
Warwick Cinema
Swampscott
Caffe Paolina
Nguyen’s
76 Prospect Street, Gloucester
Dear Joey,
We hope you had a wonderful, delicious and peaceful Thanksgiving.
Looking ahead to Decembers festivities, let us assist with the final touches of your Holiday Celebrations. We have many items prepared, and in the case, and many more available for order and pick up.
Don’t forget to stop in on Ladies Night (12/4) and Men’s Night (12/18). There will be wine tasting and hors d’oeuvres.
Our Winter Classes and Chef’s Table dinners have been scheduled and are beginning to book up. Call to reserve your space today!
Holiday Menu
It’s the season to celebrate with friends and family! Let the professionals at beach gourmet help ease the pain of entertaining, we will fuss over the menu details while you prepare to celebrate.
Call now 978-282-1414 or stop by to place your order. It is that easy!
For Christmas, please place orders by noon on Thursday, 12/18.
Pick up by 4 p.m. on Wednesday, 12/24.
Holiday Hors d’oeuvres
Available in the store throughout the holiday season:
Artichoke Dip – $7.95/8 oz.
Smoked Salmon Spread – $9.95/8 oz.
Rosemary Spiced Nuts – $8.95/10 oz.
Creamy Brie en Baguette with Cranberries, Walnuts and Sage – $9.95/ea.
For pre-order (by the dozen):
Caramelized Pear and Brie Cheese Tartlet, $18/dz.
Lump Crab Cakes with Lemon Aioli, $24/dz.
Salmon Cake with Remoulade, $18/dz.
Smoked Salmon and Asparagus Crepe, $18/dz.
Tuscan Grilled Shrimp Cocktail with Lemon Aioli, $18/dz.
Sausage Stuffed Mushroom, $18/dz.
Chicken Satay with Royal Thai Peanut Sauce, $18/dz.
Cocktail Meatballs, $18/dz.
Chevre Crusted Grape with Toasted Pecans, $18/dz.
Port Poached Fig with Goat Cheese and Prosciutto, $18/dz.
Family Style serves about 8 people:
Whole Roasted Tenderloin of Beef, $150/ea.
Whole Side of Salmon with Accoutrements, $85/ea.
Quiche, $20/ea.
Salads, $40/ea.
Dessert, $30/ea.
Winter Cooking Classes
Spanish Tapas
January 15, 2015
Tuscan Comfort Foods
January 29, 2015
Mardi Gras
February 17, 2015
French Classics
February 26, 2015
Sautes and Stir Fry
March 26, 2015
Work side by side with beach gourmet Chef’s Matthew Beach and Meghan Pozzi to learn techniques for the beginner or the seasoned in-home chef.
All classes are offered at $65 per person. Class will start at 6 p.m. and run
until 9 p.m. Participants will enjoy the meal they created at the end of the class.
Watch and Learn or participate in the cooking demonstration.
All classes will be held at the beach gourmet “Exhibition Kitchen” located in Savour Wine and Cheese.
Private Classes also available in home or in the exhibition kitchen. Email catering@beach-gourmet.com to reserve your space today.
About the Chef’s Table
Upcoming dates:
Saturday, January 17th
Saturday, January 31st
Saturday, February 28th
Saturday, March 28th
The Chef’s Table is a great way to extend our hospitality to clients or private tastings and classes. Our antique, hand-crafted table seats up to twelve people comfortably and is uniquely located inside Savour Wine and Cheese, adjacent to the beach gourmet exhibition kitchen. Guests at the table experience an exclusive private dining experience with a menu that is designed specifically to compliment the wine pairing by our wine expert, Kathleen Erickson.
These events are typically booked for private parties and are not open to the public, however we periodically open the table to reservations on a first-come, first-served basis. Sample Chef’s Table menus can be viewed on our beach gourmet web page. Do not delay in making your reservations. Open Chef’s Table events tend to sell-out very quickly.
Quick Links…
beach gourmet
76 Prospect Street
Gloucester, MA 01930
978/282-1414
In the office at the dock and Jimmy Jaws shows up (jimmy Jaws got his name Jaws because he never shuts up). He comes out with the statement- “$5 for 4 slices, best deal in town.”
I ask where he was talking about and he says Sclafanis. Hard to argue with but what surprised me was the statement from Frank who says “Gotta go corner slices.”
To my thinking I’ve always gone with a side slice so you have a little crust edge to hold on to. When you go corner it’s like you get less cheese and sauce, no? I never even contemplated going corner unless it was the last slice on the tray.
What’s your play when you go to Sclafani’s for a 9AM slice?
Middle
Side
Note: no image of corner slice, just because, well IMO the star of the pizza is the sauce and cheese, to take away that critical pizza mass in exchange for crust just doesn’t make sense IMO. You gotta be an all out crust fanatic to go corner.
Partners in Pinoli Chef Paolo LaBoa and Mark McDonough
Signs signs everywhere a sign…
There was no way I could let this photo opportunity slip by.
Thanksgiving preparations were a breeze–and lots of fun–with Alex, my #1 Son (and fabulous cook) lending a hand all afternoon. I am thankful!
cornucopia
A lovely note from GMG FOB Leslie Heffron:
Hi Joey –
Here’s a painting I did of apples. I wanted to share it with Kim in response to her “Apple Pie Centrale” photo. Apple pie is my favorite to make!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and all the contributors of the blog. I appreciate all you do for the community!
Leslie
Thank you Leslie for your thoughtful note and for sharing your beautiful painting!!
Good Morning Gloucester 