Grub Will Keep Us Together

Okay, I know. I know! Where the F have I been? I told you that this was going to be a weekly column about food around town. Now I post, oh, every month or so.

So what’s taking me so long? Where have I been? Have I stopped eating?

Nope. Broke. I’ve been broke. I bet many of you know the feeling.

Suddenly you realize that that owner-occupied apartment was not such a good idea after so many months of late rent. That wonderful, understanding friend has insisted on taking you out for another Julian’s brunch on her dime, as you shamefully promise to, someday, return the favor. Your phone just got shut off. And if it weren’t for ‘Gansett, you’d never be drunk. (more…)

Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is

Six months ago I was convinced that Rhode Island was the greatest place to live. Every day was sunny and warm, the nights were jam-packed with groups of beautiful, tanned people carousing, and with more than half a dozen farmers’ markets to choose from, I never went a day without a juicy tomato or an aromatic bunch of basil.

These days, Rhode Island is miserable. Have you been outside this week? Windy and cold and the sky just decided to open up and pour buckets of freezing rain. Did anything interesting happen last Saturday? I was in bed by midnight still wearing whatever could pass for a wintertime party dress. And finally, much as I try to eat local, seasonal food, there are only so many winter squash, frozen blueberries, and stored potatoes this lady can stomach.

Longing for the days of summer, there is one way for us to jump start into the warmer months. Over the next few weeks, dozens of Rhode Island farms are beginning their annual CSA signups, giving you the opportunity to make a claim on all of the fresh and delicious local fruits and veggies making their debut with the sunshine. You won’t reap the benefits of this investment until June, but it’s a hell of a lot more effective than throwing on your bikini and sitting in front of your heater for hours. (And let me just say, I strongly advise against this activity. It’s energy inefficient and will make you realized how much weight you’ve gained this winter.)

What is a CSA anyway? More after the jump, along with some info on options.

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I’m not an expert, I just drink a lot.An aperitif, or topped off with orange juice in the morning. Engagements, weddings, divorces, graduations, pay raises or lay-offs. We’ve always found reasons to drink champagne.

Now, I drink champagne as often as possible and for no occasion at all, but there is one day of the year when popping a bottle is de rigueur. New Year’s Eve is the perfect time to figure out how to open a bottle without taking out your best friend’s eye, and then let the bubbles go straight to your head.

While it’s easy to find a delicious bottle of non-fizzy wine for under $10, what we think of as the really good champagne costs upwards of $35. Andre is a super-cheap solution to expensive sparkling wine, and it’s quite drinkable for $4, but you can avoid the initial wincing of the first sip and the unfortunate hangover for just a few more dollars. (more…)

In culinary terms, the amuse bouche refers to the tiny bite-sized morsel that precedes the first course, an introduction of the chef and preview of the meal to come. Amuse My Bouche refers to the food column that you find here on Providence Daily Dose, promising local restaurant reviews, Providence food&bev industry gossip, and general sass on the subject of eating & drinking.

Forget Italy, Providence is Now the Center of the Slow Food Universe!

I’ve already pointed out how much I dislike the holidays, but there’s always some silver lining to the grey clouds of December. For me, it’s that last jolt of social activities before my hibernation period from January to March. There are holiday parties and fundraisers with free booze and hors d’oeurves which double as my meal for the night.

Tomorrow is December 1st, and already it’s shaping up to be a busy holiday celebration season. This weekend is especially exciting, as there are three different events that will let you celebrate and sample, or perhaps purchase, some of the finest locally grown and produced foods in our little state. If there was any doubt in your mind that Rhode Island is home to some of the highest quality food in the whole wide world, the next few days will give you the opportunity school yourself.

On the agenda: It’s Local Veggies in Abundance and Why You Should Buy Them, Fox Point Gardeners Do Contra Dancing, and The Honorable David Cicilline Cuts the Cheese.

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In culinary terms, the amuse bouche refers to the tiny bite-sized morsel that precedes the first course, an introduction of the chef and preview of the meal to come. Amuse My Bouche refers to the food column that you find here on Providence Daily Dose, promising local restaurant reviews, Providence food&bev industry gossip, and general sass on the subject of eating & drinking.

This Holiday Season, Stick It To The Man

Right after Halloween, or on even years, right after the elections, an inexplicably dark cloud enters my world and my mood begins to shift. It’s cold and grey outside. I’m forced to sleep in two sweaters over a fleece onesie, a hat, and two pairs of socks, all in the name of energy conservation. And finally, the coup de grace, my mother calls me to make plans for thanksgiving. (more…)

In culinary terms, the amuse bouche refers to the tiny bite-sized morsel that precedes the first course, an introduction of the chef and preview of the meal to come. Amuse My Bouche refers to the food column that you find here on Providence Daily Dose, promising local restaurant reviews, Providence food&bev industry gossip, and general sass on the subject of eating & drinking.

The Morning After

Earlier this year, Washington Post reporter Laura Stepp brought us the book Unhooked: How Young Women Pursue Sex, Delay Love, and Lose at Both. Stepp follows around a bunch of privileged, ambitious female high school and college students as they “hook up” with young men, avoiding relationships and keeping things casual. She tries to convince young women that if they keep putting out, they’ll spend the rest of their lives alone, never able to commit to a stable, caring partner. I haven’t read the book, but from what I hear it’s a patronizing, sex-negative rant by an uptight witch who’s probably never had an orgasm. She upholds archaic gender assumptions, advising young women that, “He will seek to win you over only if he thinks you’re a prize.” She never takes into account that many women like sex just as much as men claim to and that, just maybe, it’s a good thing for women to explore their sexuality without shame, so long as we’re doing it safely. (more…)

In culinary terms, the amuse bouche refers to the tiny bite-sized morsel that precedes the first course, an introduction of the chef and preview of the meal to come. Amuse My Bouche refers to the food column that you find here on Providence Daily Dose, promising local restaurant reviews, Providence food&bev industry gossip, and general sass on the subject of eating & drinking.

I’m a lady who loves her drink.

One thing I don’t love, however, is the markups on wine at restaurants. There’s nothing more frustrating to a thrifty patron than an $8 glass of wine that comes out of a bottle you can get for $11 down the street. I understand why restaurants do it. It’s not an easy business, and if customers accept it and pay a 100% markup, how can I blame them?

A noted antidote to the standard alcohol markup is the BYOB. In case you didn’t know, a Bring Your Own Bottle (or to be crude, Booze) is an establishment that hasn’t obtained a liquor license, but in many cases serves some of the best food in town. It’s a great deal: you enjoy a meal where the focus is on the food, all the while sipping the super-cheap wine you would have been drinking on the couch with the mediocre takeout or the half-assed homemade grub you put together after a long day at work. (more…)

 In culinary terms, the amuse bouche refers to the tiny bite-sized morsel that precedes the first course, an introduction of the chef and preview of the meal to come. Amuse My Bouche refers to the food column that you find here on Providence Daily Dose, promising local restaurant reviews, Providence food&bev industry gossip, and general sass on the subject of eating & drinking.

20+ is the new 18

Before I even begin to address the subject of food, there’s something I need to clear up. Before I take you on a tour of my most favorite and most disappointing meals in Rhode Island, before I give you any hints on where to take your parents or third dates out to dinner, before I even let you in on my tried-and-true dinner party or potluck themes and recipes, I’m going to give you some useful insight into the culinary universe:

Psst… 20+ is the new 18.

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