Category: Eats

The Results Of The Good Morning Gloucester Italian Sub Challenge

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

I decided to end the nomination period early so we could perhaps catch the nominated sub shop/bakeries off guard.  There was 4 nominees clearly in the lead at the time of the tally.

Our judges Craig Kimberley, Ed Collard, Toby Pett and Erik Lorden each individually placed their orders for a large Italian sub with oil and seasoning at the respective sub shop/bakeries.  Again, wanting to perhaps throw off the nominated sub shops/bakeries that may have been on the lookout for a sub order for a “Large Italian Sub with everything on it”.

I assigned a point system that heavily favored taste (totally subjective) and value cost per pound (totally non-subjective) with 40 possible points awarded in each of those two categories.

Remaining was 20 possible points for equal distribution of meat and condiments.  5 points for the least equally distributed meat and condiments 20 points for the sub with the most equally distributed meat and condiments.

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The scoring went as follows-

Cost per pound

Sclafanis $6.09 per lb- 40 points

Virgilios $7.14 per lb 34 points

Destinos $7.16 per lb 34 points

Jeff’s Variety $7.44 per lb 32 points

Taste 1-40 possible points

average of all 4 judges-

Sclafanis 33 points

Virgilios 21.25 points

Destinos 26.25 points

Jeff’s Variety 25.75 points

Equal Distribution of Meat

5-10-15-20 least Equally distributes to most equally distributed

Sclafanis- 10

Virgilios- 15

Destinos- 5

Jeff’s Variety-20

Total of Scores Combined for Your Winner

SCLAFANIS 83

JEFF’S VARIETY 77.75

VIRGILIO’S 70.25

DESTINO’S 65.25

Again I’d like to thank the four judges- Ed Collard, Toby Pett, Craig Kimberley and Erik Lorden. Thanks to Kim Smith and Craig Kimberley for taking photos.

 I’d also like to reinforce that there’s no shame in coming in 4th.

It’s true what they say, just like the Oscars, just to tally the number of votes to be nominated makes you a formidable joint to get a sub in the first place.  No losers all winners in my book.  I wouldn’t hesitate to order a sub from any of these places as well as many other sub shops in GTown that didn’t get nominated.

We’re crazy lucky that way, spoiled with great eateries in Gloucester.

#BOOM!

Cape Ann Farmers’ Market

Posted on by Donna Ardizzoni

So glad to have this back, so great to have fresh veggies, fruit, breads, sausages, etc.  Every Thursday from 3:00 pm – 6:30 pm. at Stage Fort Park with free parking.

June 20, 2013 Fresh Strawberries

June 20, 2013Charlie Fogerty Balloon Man

June 20, 2013 Patty's Guacamole

June 20, 2013 038

June 20, 2013 Frsh Herbs

June 20, 2013 Now that is a tomato

 

Rubber Duck Quick Tip: Rockport Goings On

Posted on by paultmorrison

I’m not listing stuff here because I can’t keep up but Rubber Duck has found someone else who updates several times a day. Follow BearskinNeck.Net on Facebook. <<<Click.

That’s it. OK, I’ll give you three examples why BearskinNeck.Net is awesome. Today Rubber Duck found out:

1) The Rockport Dump is open on Sunday from 8AM to 11:45 AM until Nov 10. Huge news. This is why I love Rockport and gladly pay my town taxes. Now those fish guts and lobster shells from the Saturday festivities do not fester in the garage until God knows when.

2) The Red Skiff has several Specials including Crab Cake Benedict and Corn Beef Benedict. Make mine a double!

3) Brothers’ Brew is open at 7AM every single day all summer With a fresh made Butternut Crunch Doughnut with my name on it.

4) Why stop at three? Forgot the Farmers Market 9am-1pm at Harvey Park on Saturday! Harvey Park? End of Broadway if you hit the lighthouse in the middle of the street because you saw a large rabbit named Harvey you should park.

BearskinNeck.Net one stop shopping so you don’t spend more than three minutes on a computer every day. Today is the first day of summer! Get off that goddamn computer and go bite someone in the butt!

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I don’t want to be one of those people who’s on his death bed and says, “I didn’t spend enough time on the Internet.”  -Andy Borowitz

Judging Best Italian Sub in Gloucester is Serious Business!!! Results Revealed at 7:10PM

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

Eric Lorden ©Kim Smith 2013Judge Eric Lorden, Passports Restuarant

Craig, Ed, Eric, Joey, Toby ©Kim Smith 2013Craig and Joey ©Kim Smith 2013

Judge Craig Kimberley and Moderator Joey

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Not Really!

Ed ©Kim smith 2013

Judge Ed Collard

Toby Petit ©Kim Smith 2013Judge Toby Pett

Update: It’s Been Decided. The GMG Gloucester’s Best Italian Sub Challenge Judging Has Just Commenced- Results Coming

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro
Click the arrow to watch the set-up ordering video-

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So I’ve got an idea for a challenge.

Top four nominations for best Gloucester Italian Sub as submitted in the comments on this post.

To submit a nomination you click the title of this post and then under the post where it says “Leave a comment”, click that and write the name of the sub joint who you consider makes the best Italian Sub in Gloucester.

Nomination period runs through Friday at 8PM.

Once we tally up the top four sub shops according to your nominations, 4 GMG contributors independently and at the same time order the exact same subs to go from the nominated sub shops.  We pick them up and bring them back to the dock.

Then we place them on the digital scale for the Weigh In.  We will divide the weight into the price and come up with the best value weight wise. Then we cut it in half and then in quarters to look at the cross section for the equal distribution of meat.  If a place loads up the sub in the middle and leaves the ends empty they will be exposed.

Then we each take a quarter of the sub and grade based on taste.

We will present the findings in a post to the readership.

I’m pumped for this challenge!

So start sending in your nominations now in the comment section of this post (again if you don’t see words that say leave a comment directly below this post then click on the title of the post and you should see where you can submit a nomination)

Also please share the link through Facebook or twitter using the buttons below the post to get the most nominations as possible.

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Best Father’s Day Lunch Ever

Posted on by paultmorrison

32rdlong

Fish Tacos on the Front Porch
Fish Tacos on the Front Porch

Best Father’s Day lunch ever. Catch one keeper striped bass 5AM and by noon, take one fillet cut into chunks, egg, milk, then dredge in Panko and deep fry. Serve on home made tacos (also deep fried) with home made tarter sauce heavy on the chopped up dill pickle and some Mrs Renfro’s Green Salsa (Gloucester Market Basket aisle 3)

That was yesterday. For Father’s Day, heat it up and eat it again for lunch.

Serve with a decanted growler of Cape Ann Brewery Fishermans IPA.

That may sound like a lot of work but it really wasn’t. I did catch the fish but the rest was magic. I just sat on the porch in my rocking chair and this plate appeared in my lap. (I don’t even know what that corn and black bean thing is except it was also mighty tasty.)

Mamie’s Kitchen Happy Fathers Day! Free Coffee for Dad With His Meal!

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

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Mamie’s Kitchen $5 MF Friday Burger-

Killah Muzza Fuzzah!

My Boy Chris DeWolfe Just Redefining the $5 Burger Game Right Here!

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The Spirit is Unstoppable

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Fred Bodin writes-

his is the fire scene at 91 Washington Street the day after. The Gloucester Fire Department did a textbook-perfect job knocking this fire down. There was damage to the top two floors, and only water damage to our Happy Dumpling restaurant. We were all Blessed!

Their enlarged menu was in the front window. The glass is clean and they’re mopping up. Neighbors and family were coming and going. Thankfully, they’ll open next week. The Happy Dumpling will be fine.

Yes, there was a fire, but this woman’s spirit is fireproof. I only knew her from Joey’s video, and she seemed very nice. When I barged into her water-damaged restaurant this afternoon, I noticed something very special: Twinkle in the eyes, playful demeanor (she stuck her tongue out at me), and is forever moving forward. Go there and you’ll see.

Fire at 91 Washington Street, Home of Happy Dumplings

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

It’s so sad that the happy Dumplings had to encounter this mess just as they got set up and opened. They’re on the first floor in this photo. Two Sisters? They could probably use some support and some +++ local business.

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Fred Bodin

info@BodinHistoricPhoto.com

Like us on Facebook- http://www.facebook.com/BodinHistoricPhoto

Video- Introducing Happy Dumplings!!!!

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

At 91 Washington Street In The Former Location Of Turtle Alley

Check Them Out On Facebook- Happy Dumplings Facebook Page

Where else do you see bout the latest local restaurant openings but right here on GMG!

Make sure if you go in tonight or tomorrow that you tell them you saw their video here on the blog.

One item is $9.99 and everything else is way less expensive.  Cheaper than a sub and everything made from fresh ingredients. #Boom! 

Gets the Joey C MUST TRY Recommendation.  ASAP!

At the bottom of this post click to share it on Facebook to share the good word and get this new business off to a rousing start!

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The Rockport Farmers Market is Coming to Town!

Posted on by S.D. Kelly

All the details about the upcoming Rockport Farmers Market are here on GMG! The  market will be small but mighty, featuring some great Rockport and Cape Ann-based food producers. Word on the street is that Brothers’ Brew will be there with fresh doughnuts AND and espresso maker so you can have your morning caffeine while shopping for all sorts of homegrown goodness! The first week, June 22nd, coincides with Spiran Hall’s annual Midsummer Fair, also held in Harvery Park where the Farmers’ Market is located, so you can grab some pickled herring and other Scandinavian goodness along with your produce. For more information and to stay updated on vendors, etc, go to http://www.rockportartfestivals.com/farmers-market

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The official RFM press release:

The Rockport Farmers’ Market opens on June 22nd in Harvey Park in downtown Rockport, Massachusetts, at the corner of Broadway and Mt. Pleasant Street, across the street from T-Wharf.

The new, open-air market specializes in locally grown fruits, vegetables, eggs, meats, and honey, as well as fresh, locally sourced baked goods. Producers include First Light Farms of Hamilton, Seaview Farms of Rockport, Pride’s Osteria of Beverly, Brothers’ Brew of Rockport, and a selection of community home growers. The weekly market will also feature Garden Talks, a program offering short, informative presentations made by local experts on topics ranging from tips for growing tomatoes to vegan cooking.

The Rockport Farmers’ Market takes place every Saturday, rain or shine, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., June 22nd – September 7th, 2013, and is organized by Rockport Festivals, a group of volunteers seeking to build community through cultural events and activities in downtown Rockport.

For updates to the weekly vendor list and Garden Talks schedule, visit rockportartfestivals.com or contact rockportfestivals@gmail.com.

A $25 Gift Pack For Dad From Dinner Dealer- No-Brainer

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Back by popular demand, Dinner Dealer designs a rockin’ Gift Pack just for Dad. It’s the perfect gift for the Dad that loves to eat out locally, drink quality coffee, chow down on some steamed hot dogs, drench food with hot sauce, decorate his desk with cool photography and bathe himself with manly (sexy) soap.

Yep! Dad will get all of the above in his wicked cool DAD PACK.

Only available online at https://www.dinnerdealer.com/dad

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Here’s the 411 on what’s inside — all local North Shore businesses!

  1. Dinner Dealer
    Deck of Cards (duh!)
  2. Glosta Joe’s
    Package of Locally Roasted Coffee (Perfect Storm Blend)
  3. Social Palates
    Signed Photograph Print
  4. Gifts 4 Soul
    Sexy Dragon Natural Goat’s Milk Soap (women love it)
  5. Foreign Affairs Market
    Bourbon Maple Roasted Nuts (Manly Nuts)
  6. Little Depot Diner
    Buy 1 Get 1 Hot Dog + Bottle of Hot Sauce

p.s. There’s a limited supply, so giddy up and order your DAD PACKS now. Heck, even order some for your kids’ favorite teachers or soccer coach! Each pack only costs $25 + shipping — no lie.

Only available online at https://www.dinnerdealer.com/dad

Lobster Meat Debate- Tail, Knuckle, Claw. What Ya Got?

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

If I’m eating straight lobster meat or lobster in a a lobster roll I want a majority of the meat to be tail and knuckle meat.  Claw meat is still good and all but no where near as good IMO as tail and knuckle meat for the simple fact that you get that one section of claw meat out of the skinny section of the claw that is more like sponge like in texture compared to the succulent knuckle or tail meat.

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Which leads me to the lobster roll produced by Luke’s Lobster in New Yawk City.

Photos from http://newyork.seriouseats.com

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Their lobster roll described here-

Whole chunks of lobster claw was stuffed in a top-split bun at Luke’s stand. Each roll was made to order, with a swipe of mayo on the inside, lemon butter and secret seasoning on top.

I’m not gonna go into a wild crazy rant because Luke’s got a lot of things right here and only a few things wrong, the point I ‘m trying to make in this post is in asking you, our viewers, would you be happy with a lobster roll that consisted of all claw meat?

The ideal lobster roll actually consists of meat from all parts of the lobster, if I got only claw meat I’d feel like I was getting jipped.

Let’s poll this to see how you feel-

Snapshots from this Morning’s Deviled Egg Competition

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

Contestants and judges ©Kim Smith 2013Contestants and judges left to right Janet, EJ, Joanne, Linda, Paul, Adam, Joey, Ed, Richard, with Gigi in the front

1st place winner ©Kim smith 20131st Place Winner Linda Sadja

Judges Adam and Joey EJ's award ©Kim Smith 2013Judges Adam and Joey

EJ 2nd place ©Kim Smith 2013EJ Wins 2nd Place

Gigi wins third ©Kim Smith 2013 copyGigi Wins 3rd Place

Nick Avelis and Dahlia ©Kim Smith 2013Nick Avelis and Dahlia

Brian M and Amelia ©Kim smith 2013 copyBrian and Emilia

Amelia and Dahlia ©Kim Smith 2013Emilia and Dahlia

Amelia mastering the trike ©Kim Smith 2013Emilia

Honorable Judges ©Kim Smith 2013Honorable JudgesHonorable Judges Paul M, Adam, Joey, Ed and Richard

Taste the Promise! – Great food for a great cause!

Posted on by Matthew Green

Taste the PromiseA very appetizing fundraiser for a very worthy cause! Family Promise helps homeless families get back on their feet by providing temporary housing and a variety of services to assist them in finding employment and permanent housing.

– Matthew Green

 

We Used To Brew Before Cape Ann Brewery

Posted on by paultmorrison

We used to brew in the kitchen before we discovered the Cape Ann Brewing Company.

Brewing the old way
Brewing the old way

Then we found out that it was so much easier to just load up a set of six empty growlers (a growler is a half gallon jug) and walk into Cape Ann Brew and say, “filler up!” Bam, that just happened.

We did make a few tasty brown ales but every once and a while we would get the dreaded taste of rubberband. Chew on an old rubberband. That’s it. But no more. Before you go you can click here to see what is on tap. Bring back those empties and these growlers filled with tasty brew are very economical. Try the sampler then fill up on your favorites. The fiesta stage is cutting down on parking but circle the block, you can do it. Have a fish taco while you wait.

ps. 44 days until the Blackburn Challenge.  Register now and add 44 growlers to your training regime. Circumnavigation of Cape Ann Complete!

Our Boy Ed with Gloucester’s Small Business Person of the Year, Jan Bordinaro

Posted on by Vickie & Peter
Jan Bordinaro with Ed Collard
Jan Bordinaro, owner of Atlantis Oceanfront Inn and Cape Ann Chamber’s Small Business Person of the Year for Gloucester with Chamber President, Ed Collard at Lobsta Land 6/4