For the Love of Eggs Benny! Mamie’s & Two Sisters

I have a passion for food. And I have an even greater passion for breakfast food. Wether it’s prepping, making sauces, waffles, pancakes, fried eggs, scrambled, home fries, green chili covered breakfast burritos, bacon, and biscuits…I LOVE IT ALL!
Then there’s Eggs Benedict, no first meal has a sense of class and sophistication like Eggs Benny. So I offer to you my first two masterful examples fashioned by two of our finest local King’s of the Cooktop. First up: Linguica Eggs Benedict by Chris DeWolfe.

Sweet baby Jesus, just look at that!
Pure Portuguese porky perfection lies just below soft egg pillows draped with the hollandaise of the gods!

If your yolk doesn’t ooze out like a river of gold, you’ve been betrayed and bamboozled! And if you don’t like an oozing yolk, you have failed as a human.

Next up is Two Sisters, home of some very impressive breakfast masterpieces. Most of the time you will be pampered by great food and tons of laughs with this young man, Aaron Poole, and I mean tons of laughs!

Aaron has prepared perhaps the greatest combo in Eggs Benny history. May I present to you, Eggs Benedict Surf and Turf!

What’s under there you ask? The “Surf” comes by way of the Fisherman’s Benny Fish Cake, and the “Turf” travels to your plate from the Emerald Island of Ireland, the Homemade Corned-beef hash! That right there is what dreams are made of folks, dreams.

I should mention the masterful home fries, but I think you can smell them from where your at. Now go, venture out, eat well, and report back your findings of true love.

Oh, Well Hello There!

Today, being the first day of spring, I’ve been getting all giddy about the fun that is dangling like a dandelion in front of our noses.  I’m not a winter person.  Honestly, I kind of hate it.  Summer is without a doubt our first round draft pick in the seasonal line-up.  But spring is at least, thank goodness, the gateway to summer.  So, I’ll take it!

Bring on the sunshine!   Bring on the fun afternoons after school rather than the dreary drive home in the dark for yet more cooped up cuckoo-crazies in our far-too-small bungalow by the beach.

Bike rides, roller blading, baseball, runs with the dog, ice cream, driving ranges, quick round of mini death golf.  Bring. It. On!  I can’t even stand how excited I am.

Here is a perfect example of how the Schraffts roll when spring’s earthly goodness finally graces us!  Just after spring’s long awaited arrival this time last year, we left school with that “the world is our oyster”+ “no one can get in our way” slap happiness that can only come with the sunshine.  When given a choice of spring-esque activities the boys chose to head to Richardson’s Dairy in Middleton for a little ice cream therapy.  While there, we checked out the cows in maternity row (I kid you not) and saw a big mommy looking like she was ready to blow.  Indeed she was!  Within minutes she (and we) welcomed her little calf into the world.  Although, by the “Oh, well hello there” look upon her face, she hardly seemed to notice.  Must be nice.  Behold spring and all of its warm fuzzies!!!

Check out Richardson’s Dairy here! 

Brooke Welty Asks- What’s The Deal With St Joseph’s Novena In Our GMG Community Google Plus Group

Brooke asks-

I’ve been seeing all these posts about a St. Joseph novena. As an unchurched heathen, I’m utterly clueless. On top of that, I’m not Italian so I literally have no idea what any of this is about.

And yes Joey, before you say it, I GOOGLED IT. But Google isn’t very enlightening sometimes. Sure, it gives me dates and tells me who St. Joseph is, and something about “a feast of the rank of double of the first class” (???) but it doesn’t actually explain much.

Is it a women only thing? Most of the pictures I see seem to feature only women.
Why the feast in the first place?
Why do you build a giant altar and make special pasta?
Novena trolley…I’m picturing a trolley car picking up novena-ers. Is that what it is? Like a Christmas Caroller trolley, but in Italian?

Inquiring minds want to know.

My response-

The Novena trolley was organized by Sefathia and the first one I went on was I think 4 years ago.  Cape Ann Transportation CATA offers the trolley up and it picks everyone up at the Fitz Henry Lane House and they make the rounds and go to about 12 different people’s homes who have St Joseph’s Novenas and Altars.  Men and women and children can go on the trolley but it’s mostly women.

The tradition of St Joseph’s Day as I understand it is that it was a day back in Sicily when people would open up their doors to the orphans and feed them and the symbolism in today’s St Joseph’s Day is that you say that your doors are always open to feed those in need.

They pass out three items at each house, an orange, a lemon and a loaf of bread.  The orange symbolizes the sweetness of life, the lemon so you don’t forget the hard times and the bread to say that you’ll never go hungry in that house.  (I could be a little off on any of these things but this is how I understand it all)

The altars are a tradition usually started by a family who wants to pray for a specific thing.

Like say way back in the 50’s a fisherman may have been out at sea and the boat was overdue.  The wife may have started an altar to ask St Joseph to return him to her and she would maintain her altar and pray each St Joseph’s Day.  Or it may have been to pray for a sick person.  Or a host of other reasons.

The women start out saying the Rosary together and then sing Sicilian songs all together.  Usually they have lots of books so you can read along and before long you get the cadence and words and you’re singing right along with them.

Some houses are open to let everyone in, some may keep them more to their family.  Most I believe welcome everyone of any denomination in to celebrate.

This year we saw a huge increase in the number of younger women participating which is nice because for a long while St Joseph’s started to wane off.  It’s great to see so many taking it up again.  It may or may not have had anything to do with the intense coverage we devote to it each year here on GMG but the heavy lifting is done by the families of those who maintain the altars and invite so many guests into their homes.

Most of the men are in the kitchen eating BTW, LOL.

I’m not 100% sure I got everything right but I hope this answers most of your questions.

You should watch +Kim Smith  videos, if a picture tells a thousand words, her videos will tell a million.

Here’s one-
https://goodmorninggloucester.wordpress.com/2014/03/17/new-film-making-the-saint-joseph-bread/

To join the GMG Community Group and be able to ask us questions directly you can join here-

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Join the GMG Google+ Community and further your GMG experience Smile

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Live Streaming St Joseph’s Novena At Sista Felicia’s House and Arrival Of The Novena Trolley Tonight at 6:30PM

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Here’s the link to the live stream which will go live at 6:30PM-
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/sista-felicia-s-kitchen

We will be live streaming Sista Felicia’s Rosary tonight along with the arrival of The Novena Trolley and all it’s occupants starting at 6:30PM.

Also you are invited to jump on the Novena Trolley With Sefathia at 3:30PM in the Fitz Henry Lane Parking Lot.   First Come First Served.

It’s a great experience.

Maple Syrup time at Bothways Farm in Essex!

Hi Joey,

          I thought the GMG readers might enjoy seeing a couple pictures of our Maple Syrup production at Bothways Farm in Essex,We have 10 Maple Trees tapped with 20 metal buckets that we collect the sap from.So far we have collected about 90 gallons of sap.It taking us 70 gallons of sap to make a gallon of syrup.We boil it down in the wood fired evaporator for hours until the sap starts to turn brown from its original clear color.Once it just starts to stick to a ladel we transfer about a half gallon to a smaller pot.We then burn the rest off until the sap starts to foam,that means its real close.We then test the sap in a metal tube with a Hydrometer which tests the density of the sap.Once it hits a red line of the Hydrometer that means its now got a high enough sugar content and has changed into the syrup you put on your pancakes.Lets just say its about 10 hours of watching sap boil to 10 minutes of pure terror getting to density just right,because if you don`t and it gets too thick you get sap rock candy.The cold weather has been delaying our collecting of the syrup just like everyone else in New England.

Thanks

Dean Burgess

cliffy_bday,maple_syrup_008cliffy_bday,maple_syrup_011

They Came, They Clawed, They Fricked It Up!

Would You Look At These Pretentious Bananaheads Crowing Around All Proud Of Themselves For Messing Up Perfection?

If you want to read the horror story that they pass off as a recipe (and claimed they conquered no less) Click Here-

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Will They Ever Learn The Rules Of Lobster Roll Making Is To Not Get In The Way Of The Most Delectable Meat Known To Mankind- Lobster Meat?

Why I ask you do, they feel the need to mask the flavor of the most succulent meat on earth with not one, not two, not three, but no less than unlucky 13 lobster roll ingredient violations???

Why not squat down over the mixing bowl and lay down a nice fat shit in there to compliment the flavors while you’re at it?

Read the ingredient list these dopes from The Tasting Table put together (Violations Highlighted in Red)-

We Came, We Clawed, We Conquered Messed It Up

Building the perfect lobster roll (Or Not)

INGREDIENTS

  • Salt
  • 1 lemon
  • 5 whole star anise pods
  • 2 heads garlic, halved
  • 4 dried árbol chiles
  • 1 (6-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into ¼-inch coins
  • 3 stalks lemongrass, trimmed, tough outer layer removed and stalk bruised and tied into a knot
  • 2 (1½ pound) live lobsters
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon finely minced parsley
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives plus 1 tablespoon chives, cut into ½-inch pieces
  • 2 teaspoons reserved lobster cooking liquid
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon lemon zest
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon celery salt
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
  • 4 split-top hot dog rolls

Anise?????  Like as in Licorice anise?  In a lobster roll?   I wish Patrick Ewing was still in his prime so we could set him up right in front of where ever these dopes tried to serve these lobster roll abominations and he could swat them into the stands like a basketball and then stand over the servers and flex and growl like he just made the most impressive shot block in the history of the NBA.  Just like “Get That Shit Outta Here!” 

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Arbol Chile?   Really????  What are we at Taco Bell now?  Lemongrass?  Ginger?  Please.  This is absolutely criminal.  

I guess I should have stopped reading when I read these pretentious buffoons were writing in from New York where they root for the Yankees and all.  I mean WTF do they know about lobster rolls anyway, right? 

Maybe it’s a March thing where they want to get out in front of all the other pretentious food bloggers who will inevitably write their own versions of the Perfect Way to Fuck Up a  Good Lobster Roll.

When I saw the laundry list of lobster roll purist violations I just couldn’t leave this debacle go unchecked.   There are plenty of pretentious food bloggers who will throw in 2-5 violations but when you go over the top with 13 you have to know that someone with some common sense is gonna call you out on it.

Listen here anyone who would describe themselves as  a “Foodie”.  Do all us normal real folk a favor and spare us your stupid frickin lobster roll recipes that include anything other than a split top roll.  Spare us your French baguettes, spare us your frickin lemon zest bullshit, spare us your ginger and your anise and your arbol chlis.  

Hellooooo, we wanna taste the lobster.  How hard is that to comprehend?  If we wanted to eat Mexican we’d order a goddamned Burrito.    

This is a lobster roll.   The purist of the pure.  Time tested.  Tradition.  Like a Fenway Frank, only a bajillion times better.

It’s easy, there’s no need to go out of your way to try to fuck it up with your laundry list of  Lobster roll no-nos like anise and garlic and lemongrass.

Here’s the way to do it and not to do it-

Bad-

How to F^@K Up a Lobster Roll

Good-

Ingredients For The Worlds Greatest Lobster Roll

Read the ingredient list these dopes from The Tasting Table put together (Violations Highlighted in Red)-

 

  • Like a right of Spring I feel compelled to get us all off on the right path to Lobster Roll righteousness.  I’m not sure if we should have expected more considering the source- Foodie Bloggers From New York.  Maybe we don’t have to expect more but we certainly can’t let this shit go unchecked.

    Read past year’s lobster roll rants-

    Rating and Ranting- The Lobster Rolls From Tasting Table’s Lobster Roll Rumble

    A Preemptive Lobster Roll Refresher Course Before Anyone Gets All Crazy

    Bastardized Lobster Roll on Tap Today At Gloucester Gourmet

    What Is Wrong With People???? Another Lobster Roll Disaster From Some Broads In California

  • Groppo Family Saint Joseph Day Pasta

    Filming continues for Gloucester’s Feast of Saint Joseph community film project, today at the beautifully warm and welcoming home of Nina and Frank Groppo.

    Many Hands Helping Feast of Saint Joseph Groppo Family ©Kim Smith 2014Many Helping Hands

    Thank you from the bottom of my heart Groppo Family and Friends. I could not have felt more welcomed. Your kindness and good-heartedness reflects the true spirit of the Feast of Saint Joseph tradition.

    Groppo Family Feast of Saint Joseph © Kim Smith 2014I arrived at Nina and Frank’s home early this morning, just as Groppo friends and family were beginning to stream through the door, with everyone carrying armfuls of breakfast treats. The first order of business was starting several batches of homemade ricotta cooking on the stove. After filming the ricotta-making, I headed to the garage where the men were getting set up for making pasta. They had prepared the dough the night before and were spreading white cloths on the tables and setting out many hand pasta cranks.

    Homemade Ricotta

    Groppo Family Feast of Saint Joseph  11 © Kim Smith 2014All morning more and more friends arrived to lend a helping hand. There were perhaps 50-75 people there in the kitchen and in the garage, and all working at super high speed shaping, rolling, flouring, cranking, stacking, and cooking. Mid-morning and it was time to take a break. Nina and her crew fed the entire pasta-making team steaming bowls of the most amazingly delicious fresh ricotta. I had never had freshly made ricotta and after observing how it is made, I would love to give it a try.

    Frank Groppo Feast of Saint Joseph © Kim Smith 2014

    PASTA Feast of Saint Joseph ©Kim Smith 2014Towering Tiers of Fresh Pasta

    One of the tables that Frank and his crew had set up in the garage was for drying the pasta. As batches of pasta were rolled, cut, and floured, they spread the pasta on the tables to dry. The first batches quickly filled the tabletop. The men then placed wooden blocks on the table and retuned from the shed with a new tabletop to stack on top of the first, covered that with a fresh white cloth, and spread the next batch of pasta. This happened eight times, to total a tower of pasta nine tiers high. Extraordinary!!!

    Groppo Family Feast of Saint Joseph  -14 © Kim Smith 2014

    Groppo Family Feast of Saint Joseph -6 © Kim Smith 2014

    After all pasta-making was done, amidst much dancing and merry-making, it was time to eat again! Frank and his crew cooked pasta in the garage, while Nina and her team prepared a large stockpot filled with sauce, which she had made from her homegrown harvest of tomatoes. Everyone crowded around the stove for beautiful aromatic bowls of pasta and red sauce, topped with freshly grated cheese.

    Groppo Family Feast of Saint Joseph -7 © Kim Smith 2014JPG

    Enzo Groppo Feast of Saint Joseph © Kim Smith 2014

    Groppo Family Feast of Saint Joseph © Kim Smith 2014How I wish editing wasn’t so time consuming and that I could share in a flash all the great footage captured today! Stay tuned for more to come.

    Groppo Family Feast of Saint Joseph -3 © Kim Smith 2014JPG

    Groppo Family Feast of Saint Joseph  -4© Kim Smith 2014

    Groppo Family Feast of Saint Joseph -5 © Kim Smith 2014

    Groppo Family Feast of Saint Joseph  -4© Kim Smith 2014 -12Everyone Lends a Hand

    Continue here for several more photos ~

    Continue reading “Groppo Family Saint Joseph Day Pasta”

    Broadcasting Live Now As Of 10:53AM St Joseph’s Pasta Feast Prep In Sista Felicia’s Kitchen

     

    We’re Live Now As Of 10:53AM  St Joseph’s Pasta Feast Prep In Full Effect!

    Click Here To See Sista Felicia’s Kitchen Live

    http://www.ustream.tv/channel/sista-felicia-s-kitchen

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    Live Broadcasting Sista Felicia’s Friday Night St Joseph’s Feast

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    Click here to see the live feed, ask questions, we’re live!

    http://www.ustream.tv/channel/sista-felicia-s-kitchen

    Make Sista Felicia’s Orange and Finochio (fennel) Salad

    Orange and Finochio (fennel) Salad

    all photos and recipe from Sista Felicia

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    Ingredients:
    5 Finochio (fennel bulbs)
    8 oranges
    1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
    ¼ cup fresh oregano leaves
    1 medium onion
    Juice of 2 lemons
    ½ cup pitted black olives
    ¾ cup olive oil
    1 tablespoon Masala wine
    1 teaspoon sugar
    ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
    ¼ cup fresh squeezed orange juice

    Directions:

    Step 1: using a sharp knife cut both ends of orange, off and discards ends

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    Step 2: place flat side of orange on a cutting board and place the blade of the knife under the pith of orange and guide the knife in a downward direction removing the skin

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    Step 3: repeat steps 1 & 2 with remaining oranges

    Step 4: place one skinless orange in your hand and insert a paring knife into both sides of orange sections membrane’s to remove skinless orange slices and reserve in a bowl

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    Step 5: reserve fresh orange juices in a small bowl by squeezing juices from reaming sectioned orange membranes

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    Step 6: remove the long stems and any outer damaged skins from the fennel bulbs and discard

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    Step 7: Using a mandolin slice onion very thin and reserve

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    Step 8: using mandolin slice fennel bulbs very thin and reserve

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    Step 9: Juice lemons over a small strainer to capture any seeds and pulp

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    Step 10: chop fresh mint

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    Step 11: Chop fresh oregano

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    Step 12: layer ½ Finochio (fennel) slices onto a large platter

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    Step 13: top Finochio (fennel) slices with 1/2 of the orange slices

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    Step 14:  layer ½ the onion slices over the orange layer

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    Step 15 Repeat steps 12, 13, and 14

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    Step 16: Sprinkle chopped mint and orange over the top layer

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    Step 17: scatter black olives over the top of the salad

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    Step 18: add reserved orange juice, olive oil, masala wine, sugar, salt and pepper to the lemon juice pulse until dressing ingredients become evenly incorporated

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    Step 19: pour evenly over the entire salad and finish with a dusting of fresh ground pepper, serve at room temperature or chill in the refrigerator for one hour before serving

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    Enjoy!

    Sfinci di San Giuseppe Rounds off a Trio of Traditional Saint Joseph Treats from Maria Cracchiolo and Family at Caffe Sicilia

    Sfinci Caffe Sicilia ©Kim Smith 2014Sfinci di San Giuseppe

    For non-Sicilians, like myself, you may be wondering what exactly are Sfinci di San Giuseppe? The way Maria, Nina, and Domenic make them, Sfinci are amazing creamy puffs, fried to golden-brown perfection, and filled with Caffe Sicilia’s heavenly light and fluffy sweetened ricotta, or the same ricotta, with mini-chocolate chips added.

    Inside the beautiful box of Zepplole that Maria sent me home with after filming, were two Sfinci’s made moments earlier, fillled with ricotta, and garnished with candied orange peel and cherry. I hope my husband and son never read this post because after eating the first Sfinci di San Giuseppe, it was so fabulously delicious that I never gave anyone else a chance to try one and ate the second (although managing to save them each a Zeppole)! Habit-forming!

    Sfinci have been a part of Sicilian cuisine for centuries. Traditionally they were served for dessert on Saint Joseph’s Day. Today they are a specialty of Palermo and are served all year round. Both Maria’s parents, Nina and Domenic Damico, were born outside of Palermo and spent their early childhoods there. I imagine that is one reason why the family knows how to create this sumptuously yummy treat!!! Sfinci is a wonderfully fun word to say and is pronounced something like this: sah-fin-chee, only you say the sah-fin syllables very quickly together.

    Caffe Sicilia’s Sfinci di San Giuseppe are available, as are their Zeppole, through Easter. Because their Sfinci fly out the door as quickly as their Zeppole, place your orders for both ahead of time and call (978) 283-2345.

    Filming Continues on Gloucester’s Feast of Saint Joseph Film Project, Today at Caffe Sicilia!

    Caffe Sicilia’s St. Joseph Zeppole or, in Other Words, A Cloud of Sweetness Sent from the Heavens!

    Caffe Sicilia’s St. Joseph Zeppole or, in Other Words, A Cloud of Sweetness Sent from the Heavens!

    Maria Cracchiolo Zeppole ©Kim Smith 2014 copyFrom the first moment I sampled Maria and Nina’s Zeppole, I thought I had died and gone to food-lovers heaven! And I am not the only one in my family who felt the same. After spending the morning filming at Caffe Sicilia where Maria, Nina, and Domenic graciously demonstrated making the special Saint Joseph bread and Zeppole, they very sweetly sent me home with a treasure box full of freshly made Zeppole. My husband and son generally prefer savory to sweet, but now I see I will have to make frequent stops at Caffe Sicilia to pick up Zeppole during Saint Joseph’s feast time!

    Maria Cracchiolo Zeppole pastry ©Kim Smith 2014 copyMaria’s Zeppole pastry is airy and tender and makes a perfect nest for one of three different fillings offered at Caffe Sicilia; a light and fluffy perfectly sweetened ricotta filling, the same ricotta filling, but with tiny chocolate chips added, and the third filling is yellow cream. Honestly, I have never been a tremendous yellow cream filling fan, but that is because I never had Maria’s yellow cream. Hers is neither gluey nor gloppy, but rather a pale buttery yellow sweet and smooth-textured filling of creamy yumminess. Not only were the fillings mouth watering delicious, she also sandwiches a very generous helping of beautiful Amarena cherries between the layers of pastry and filling. Amarena cherries are a favorite of my husband’s and I think that too may be another reason why he fell in love with Maria’s Zeppole.

    RUN, don’t walk, to Caffe Sicilia to sample their Zeppole! Although a traditional Saint Joe desert, Maria makes the Zeppole through Easter time as many have given up sweets for Lent. Because the Zeppole fly out the door as quickly as they are made, having the opportunity to try the dessert is rather hit or miss. I strongly advise that you place your order for Zeppole ahead of time. The Zeppole are conveniently available in a large and a smaller size. Call (978) 283-2345 to place your orders.

    End Note ~ Amarena cherries are made from a small, bitter dark colored cherry, the amara cherry, which is grown in the Modena and Bologna regions of Italy. Gennaro Fabbri from Bologna developed the Amarena combination of cherries with syrup and it is still a family-owned business that produces a variety of cherry based products, including syrups, beverages, and pastries. Amarena cherries are often used to decorate chocolate desserts.

    I typically find Amarena cherries in the pretty blue and white Fabbri jars at William Sonoma, but after looking up the spelling for this post, they are also readily available online.

    Amarenca opaline 600

    You put what on my burger??? Stones Pub Perfection

    I was a bit skeptical about this one folks. I love me a proper burger, and nobody fire grills one in this town better than Stones Pub….but Dayum! May I introduce to you, The Peanut Butter Bacon Burger from heaven!!

    At first glance, it appears to be a fine example of a perfect bacon-cheese burger. No silly stack of off-season tomatoes and tired lettuce here, just bun, bacon, cheese, and burger..Right?

    But with closer observation, a powerful and mysterious ingredient melts it’s way around the pile of swine. What is that oozing down that perfectly grilled mound of meat? Is it mayo? Mustard? Special Sauce? That red stuff southerners put on dogs?? Nope, it’s peanut butter! And if you love your momma, and this country, you better get your ass down to Stones and show that you have a pair!

    Once you start, it’s on! Your mouth, and your soul, cannot believe what’s happening at this moment!! You are now part of a love affair you swore you would never be a part of, ever. Soon you will realize it’s True Love.
    Now, if you can’t find it on the menu, or specials menu, just ask! Stones Pub and Eatery, dear Geezuz, it’s a life changer! If you dare to dabble, please let me know what you think of your first peanut butter bacon burger experience!

    Joe Virgilio Making the Saint Joseph Rolls

    Joe Virgilio ©Kim Smith 2014 -2.This morning we continued filming for Gloucester’s Feast of Saint Joseph Film Project; today at Virgilio’s! So many thanks to Joe Virgilio for taking time from his busy, busy work day running the bakery.

    Joe Virgilio ©Kim Smith 2014We talked a bit about the history of Virgilio’s, founded in 1934, and at its current location since the 1950’s. At that time, Virgilios was not only a bakery, but a full grocery store as well (before there were supermarkets) and you could purchase goods such as whole chickens and sausages.

    Joe Virgilio St. Joseph Bread ©Kim Smith 2014

    The Virgilios began making St. Joseph rolls in the early 1950s, specifically for the Feast of Saint Joseph and today, they make them year round. Back then, there were so many families that celebrated the Saint Joseph traditions that even as young kids, Joe and all his cousins had to hurry to the bakery after school to help their grandfather fill the St. Joseph roll orders. Now the bread is made with state of the art equipment but in his grandfather’s day it was all made by hand. Joe smiled thinking about how his grandfather would love today’s mixing and baking machines. I went home with a camera-full of stories and bag full of Joe’s bread, both generous, and much-appreciated gifts.

    Virgilio’s Saint Joseph rolls are super yummy plain, with a touch of butter, or olive oil, and are even more super delicious made into one of their world-famous sandwiches!

    Virgilio's ©Kim Smith 2014

    In case you missed the Virgilio’s Phantom Gourmet episode, here it is:

    As did Maria, Nina, and Domenic from Caffe Sicilia, Joe took time from his tremendously full work day to allow time for filming and sharing his stories. We’re so blessed to have these fabulous and welcoming bakeries/grocerias in our community. Next week, filming at Sclafani’s is scheduled!

    Addendum ~ Al Bezanson writes in the comment section (see below):

    “As a side note, did you know about the tradition of delivering donated fresh (sometimes warm) Virgilio’s bread to schooners as they arrive for the Labor Day Schooner Festival? When you get around schooner people you may hear them talking about the need to have extra butter aboard in Gloucester. This is a very big deal in fending off other ports that are vying for schooners that same weekend. Thanks Joe and the high speed Ramsey/Nesta delivery guys!”

    THANK YOU AL for your always super helpful comments. This is information about Joe’s generosity that we would never have know without you sharing!

    Virgilio's ©Kim Smith 2014-2