Dessert Pizza

Everyone loves pizza, right? RIGHT?! I certainly do. I also love sweets. So, put "pizza" and "sweet" together and you get the perfect meal: Dessert Pizza. I posted the how-to on this delicious dish over at From Scratch Club. Check it out if you get the chance. Nectarines and black raspberries not your thing? Here are some other Dessert Pizza suggestions:

- Raspberry jam, mixed berries, drizzle of chocolate

- White chocolate, strawberries, chopped pecans

- Lemon curd, candied citrus peel, mint leaves

Enjoy, and for more of my From Scratch Club posts, click here.

V-formation (The Geese Travel): Geneva, NY

So, you might be thinking that this is a travel/food only blog. It's not intended to be. However, that wouldn't be such a bad life, would it? Just baking all day, gallivanting around the world and whatnot?

For the long weekend, Dave and I decided we needed a break - from work, from volunteer and charitable obligations, from house projects,  and (I feel so guilty saying it) from kids! I grew up near the Finger Lakes region of New York State, and it feels like Dave and I have been talking about doing a wine tasting trip for ages. On Friday we packed out bags and off we went. We made a quick pit-stop at my parents' house to drop of the kids (both the two-legged and four-legged varieties), kissed them goodbye, and were well on our way for three days or R&R.

via 

We decided to stay at Geneva on the Lake. I had heard many good things about the inn, and one of my very dearest friends worked there during college. Nestled on the northern tip of Seneca Lake, it was the perfect setting for a romantic get-away. A wine and cheese tasting was held at the inn that evening, but (as usual with kids) we got a later start than anticipated and missed it. After checking in we were shown to our suite (a Landmark Suite).

The living room of our suite

The nice thing about Geneva on the Lake is that all rooms are suites, and are decorated with Stickley furniture (the people who now own the inn also own said furniture company - how convenient). Our bed was already turned down, and a bottle of Cayuga White wine and chocolate-covered strawberries were awaiting us. I realize this is totally cheesy, but i don't think a little "cheese" ever hurt a marriage.

After freshening up and putting on "nice" clothes, we made our way down to the Dining Room for a lovely four-course dinner. Wowie. The food was out of this world, as was the dining room.

The ceiling of the dining room

We booked a package that included our dinners and breakfasts, and it was well worth it. (Author's note: please excuse the vivid details of the food you'll be witness to... I love to eat) When we sat down, we were presented with a beautiful bread basket and three types of butter. A small crudites platter with a Dip du Jour was also placed on our table (roasted red pepper that evening). I ordered a glass of Riesling (my favorite wine), Dave stuck to water. For the first course, I had the jumbo shrimp cocktail and Dave had the cream of mushroom soup. Second courses consisted of a black tea-smoked duck breast on micro greens with a champagne vinaigrette (me) and a baby spinach salad with cremini mushrooms and baked goat cheese in phyllo-dough shells with mustard vinaigrette (Dave). We were served an intermezzo of champagne-soaked melon balls with a relatively generous helping of caviar. I had a bourbon-glazed pork chop with mashed potatoes and fall harvest stuffing for my main course, while Dave opted for the Raspberry-reduction filet mignon. Both we delicious. We could barely finish them, so we had them wrapped for a "midnight snack" in our room. We also took dessert to our room. Dave chose the caramel-pumpkin cheesecake while I enjoyed a genoise with fresh berries and a vanilla sabayon. Before heading up to our room, we walked around the property and enjoyed watching the twinkly stars in the black sky. We made coffee in our suite to accompany the dessert (we dove into those strawberries, as well), and enjoyed them in our bathrobes. I think my dress was about to pop anyway. We called it an early night, as we knew there was a long day of boozing it up awaiting us in the morning.

On Saturday, I woke up bright and early, as I had a fabulous in-suite massage awaiting me. I tried to convince Dave that we should have a couple's massage, but he insisted he'd rather get a little more sleep than have his kinks worked out (no, not those kind of kinks you dirty people... sheesh!). So, I had a massage and Dave slept in. We had a delicious breakfast in the dining room (some of the best pancakes I've ever had!), and worked off some calories with a mean game of Bocce on the lawn (Dave won... that is to say, I let him win :-).

We took off for our first tasting stop, Three Brothers. This winery is a bit unusual, as it has a brewery and three wineries all in one location. Whenever given the option of beer or wine, 9.5 times out of 10, I choose beer. So I bellied my way up to the beer tasting bar. I'll admit it was quite the scene - me in a dark pink sweater amongst a sea of manly plaid. I tasted the Riesling Ale (the best of wine and beer in one glass), American Black Lager (tasted like chocolate and coffee), and the East Coast Amber. I was impressed with all three, but decided to go buy a growler of the Ale, Lager, and one of Root Beer.

Rows of wine grapes at Three Brothers

We decided to venture to Cayuga Lake and visit an old favorite, Swedish Hill. Dave and I have been here before (Dave did a tasting, I was preggers with Eric, so I only sampled the grape juice), so we knew what we liked. Being that Columbus Day Weekend is the busiest weekend for tastings, we decided to forgo the sampling and just grab two bottles of Doobie Blues. We already have two bottles of this vintage at home, so this purchase was a thank-you gift for my dad. We also grabbed some artisan cheddar cheese to snack on. While at Swedish Hill, we of course had to pay a visit to Doobie himself!

Doobie shows us his teeth

Then looks at his shadow

Just in case you drink too much and can't remember where you're going... Next stop: Montezuma!

Montezuma was the next on our list. I was impressed with how generous the tasting was and the knowledge of the staff. Montezuma is known for the variety of fruit wines it produces. It also makes Honey Vodka (with great packaging!). We tried the Cranberry Bog, Pear Perfection, Sparkling Mead, Riesling, Diamond, Lake Effect Blush and Blue Moon. I really liked them all, except the Sparkling Mead. We took home four bottles of the Cranberry Bog (two were for mom, it's one of her favorites), and a bottle each of the Riesling, Diamond, Lake Effect Blush and Pear Perfection.

View of Seneca Lake from Fox Run Vineyards

We were hungry for lunch at this point, and had free tasting passes to Fox Run. How convenient, then, that Fox Run has a great cafe! After a long wait, we finally sat down to enjoy a Smoked Turkey, Brie and Raspberry Aioli on Ciabatta. Tasting was next. We tried two vintages of Rieslings (2007 and 2008), Drink New York Riesling, Artic Fox, Cabernet Franc, Ruby Vixen and the Ruby Port. I wasn't very impressed, although, I did like the Cabernet Franc, and I don't usually like Reds. I also liked the Ruby Port. It coated my throat, and I bet it works great as a cough syrup substitute. Needless to say, with the lackluster tasting, we didn't bring anything home with us.

Love this poster (at Fox Run)

Considering my last name is Fox, I had to get this picture

Our inn was right down the road from Fox Run, so we snuck bag to brush our teeth and freshen up. Because we had booked our reservation late, we had to switch rooms in order to stay for two nights. We didn't mind, especially because we were given the Library Suite, which was amazingly historic (it was the Library when the inn was a private home). We were happy to find another chilled bottle of wine in our fridge :-)

The living room of our Library Suite

Because of the inconvenience of having to move rooms, the inn gave us complimentary tickets to the local movie house. We saw "The Social Network." I've heard mixed reviews, but in my opinion, it was a great movie and struck up interesting conversations between Dave and I. We went back to the inn to get ready for dinner. Another fantastic meal. I had the shrimp again, a green salad with horseradish dressing, and roasted duck breast (duck is my favorite food, btw!). Dave had a roasted cauliflower soup, the black tea-smoked duck breast on micro greens, and pork chops. We shared a Riesling-steeped apple for our intermezzo, as well as Bananas Foster for dessert. We took another stroll after dinner, and retired to our room to cozy up next to the fire.

Our fireplace for the evening

In the morning, we enjoyed the breakfast buffet in the dining room (some of my favorites were the ham with horseradish sauce, baked brie and lox). We challenged each other to another round of Bocce - Dave thought we should make things interesting and add "shot put" as an option.

We walked down to the lake and examined all the interesting statues. Dave commented it was kind of like Mr. Potato Head - just pick and choose body pieces (I love him so much, if only for how much he makes me laugh).

Pick a head...

...Then a body

The water was so blue and a stark contrast to the white sails of the small boats.

We bid adieu to Geneva on the Lake and checked out. We took a walk through downtown Geneva and the campus of Hobart and Williams Smith Colleges.

Downtown Geneva

Random photo next to a giant deer

We headed South between Seneca and Cayuga lakes to Ithaca. We stopped at the Carriage House Cafe for lunch (Dave had an Americano and a breakfast sandwich, I had a root beer and juicy cheeseburger).

The Carriage House Cafe

We ventured to Ithaca Commons in search of something sweet (that manifested at College Town Bagels in the form of ice cream). It was only a brief 1 hour drive to my parents house from Ithaca. We were excited to see the kids, who simply looked at us like "who are you?" Glad to know they missed us as much as we missed them. We spent the night at my folks' place and came back to Silly Goose Farm on Monday.

As you've probably realized by now, brevity isn't my strong point. But, only a few people actually read this blog (thanks!!) and those who do know that fact about me already. Either way, thanks for lasting through this long travel post. I'm so glad you stuck around til the end.

Now, back to regularly-scheduled programming of baking and farming and stuff.

Blueberry Buckle

My parents were at the farm over the weekend, and whenever they come I always make sure to feed them. The main reason they come to visit is, of course, to play with their grandkids, but I usually have some project I need them to help me with when they are here. Making sure my folks are well-fed is a small price to pay for their help. Plus, I don't want them to start thinking I only keep them around for the cheap labor (just kidding, Mom and Dad!).

So, this weekend, I made a meal of yummy vegetable pasta salad, grilled corn-on-the-cob with a little lime butter, and London Broil marinated and seasoned in the Montreal style and cooked to medium over slow-burning charcoal. But to me, no meal is complete without something sweet at the end. I needed to whip up dessert quick, and also had fresh, plump, richly indigo blueberries on hand.

I decided to make this delicious Blueberry Buckle. I found the recipe in the Ginsberg's Cookbook that celebrates the company's 100th anniversary (Ginsberg's Foods was one of my clients, and I assisted them in the planning and publicity of their 100th anniversary celebration. Hi Nancy and David!!). The recipe is so easy, and the results are divine (this was my first buckle, and I think it turned out great).

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Dot's Blueberry Buckle

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

1 cup fresh blueberries*

Crumb Topping (recipe follows)

Mix dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl blend sugar and butter until creamy; then add egg. Alternate adding dry ingredients and milk to egg mixture.** Fold in blueberries, batter will be thick. Pour batter into round greased cake pan. Equally distribute crumb topping over cake batter. Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes. This recipe doubles easily.

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Crumb Topping

1/2 cup sugar***

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon****

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup butter, softened

Using a pastry cutter, blend ingredients.

*I think you could use frozen blueberries for this, but allow them to thaw and drain before use. Too much liquid will make this buckle heavy and soggy

**When alternating wet and dry ingredients, be sure to always incorporate dry ingredients last. This ensures the smoothest batter.

***I used brown sugar in this recipe, just because I could :-)

****I also doubled the cinnamon, again, just because.

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I think this is best served warm with a dollop (or two... or four) of homemade sweetened whipped cream. I add a little vanilla to mine. This buckle is very reminiscent of a light and airy blueberry muffin, but the crumb topping sweetens it to dessert level.

Ever had a "buckle" before? Do you prefer simple Americana desserts like this, or sweets that are more complex and indulgent?

Hip Girls Party

I attended the most wonderful party on Friday night, hosted by From Scratch Club. It was part dessert potluck, part food swap, part book signing, and entirely awesome!

My orange biscotti is in the giant mason jar in the top-left of this picture

The dessert potluck part highlighted many gluten-free and dairy-free offerings. I made gluten-free biscotti, then dipped them in chocolate (which probably wasn't gluten-free, oh well). To be honest, I'm not very familiar with cooking or baking with special dietary needs in mind, and I'm very lucky I don't have to typically be conscious of such things. I love milk and wheat too much.

"The Hip Girl's Guide to Homemaking," by Kate Payne

The book signing portion of the evening was to celebrate the release of Kate Payne's "The Hip Girl's Guide to Homemaking." I had the chance to speak at length with Kate and learn about her writing process and why she chose to pen this how-to. She is one of the most genuinely sweet, nice people I've met, and still seems so grounded despite all her success!

The food-swap was the brainchild of From Scratch Club (who also hosted this soiree). I brought homemade sweet and sour salad dressing, and received macaroni and cheese, hummus, spinach tarts and paneer palak. Yum!

For more info on the wonderful party, please head over to Christine's amazing blog, Unspeakable Visions. All pictures are courtesy of this lovely lady!


A Night of Cheese - Fifth Course

The fifth Night of Cheese course was a slam-dunk favorite. Everyone loved it! And how could one not? Cheese, chocolate, and delicious booze all in one course? Sign me up.

This course consisted of Rupert from Consider Bardwell Farm (West Pawlett, VT), Cornelius Applejack from Harvest Spirits (Valatie, NY), and homemade chocolate Chantilly cream (which might be the easiest chocolate dessert ever, besides eating a straight-up chocolate bar). The cheese has subtle notes of butterscotch and custard. It is aged a minimum of six months and has a thin rind, indicative of even turning and rotating of the wheels of cheese on a frequent, regular basis. It certainly has a sweetness with the characteristics of an Alpine-style cheese.

Applejack and chocolate Chantilly were natural choices to feature with the Rupert. Both have a similar depth and roundness of flavor, but were perhaps surprising at the same time: Chocolate is typically paired with a blue cheese at dessert, and hard alcohol with cheese is not a common accompaniment. Altogether, though, it was a fantastic combination. One warning about the chocolate Chantilly: It's addictive. You'll be making it often and eating it all. By yourself. Just be sure to use a very good quality chocolate since it's really the only ingredient in this recipe.

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Chocolate Chantilly
Adapted from this recipe via Cafe Fernando
Makes approximately two cups

9 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup water
4 tablespoons sugar, optional

1. In a double boiler (or, just a small pot with 1 inch of water with a larger bowl on top of it), heat together the water, sugar and chocolate. Whisk together until melted.

2. Place bowl with chocolate mixture in a second larger bowl filled 1/3 to 1/2-way full of ice water. With a whisk or electric mixer, whip the chocolate mixture until it thickens (about five minutes). Do not over whip or it will become grainy. Serve immediately, or let set up (covered) in the refrigerator - it's great straight-up or as a filling to cakes and cookie sandwiches.

A very special thank you to Eric Paul, The Cheese Traveler, for his expertise. Without him, this night would not have happened! Be sure to follow him on Facebook. Consider Bardwell cheese can be purchased through The Cheese Traveler or online.

Sundays on the Sunporch: Three Berry "Pop-Tarts"

Now that spring is here and the weather is beautiful (save for all the rain we've been having), it's time to re-instate Sundays on the Sunporch. This is one of my favorite little traditions Dave and I have started for our family. Just lazing around on the sunporch, testing out a new breakfast/brunch recipe with a full pot of French Press, and enjoying each other's company.

Yesterday, Edith and I tried our hands at homemade three berry "Pop-Tarts." I think deep-down we all secretly love Pop-Tarts (or the childhood nostalgia that surrounds them). This recipe provides a glimpse into the classic shelf-stable breakfast food but elevates it to something you can actually feel good about eating. If you prefer, you can make a simple milk glaze (two parts confectioners sugar to one part milk - whisk until smooth) to drizzle on top of the pastries once cooled slightly, but I like them straight-up.

My little helper, Edie. She brushed the egg wash on the dough and

 assisted with mixing. And yes, she also likes to wear a sand pail as a hat

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Three Berry "Pop-Tarts"
Makes 6 servings

For the Dough*
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt (preferrably sea salt)
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) plus 2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small cubes
1/4 cup ice water
1 egg
1 tablespoon cream or milk
Raw/Demerara sugar

For the Filling
1 1/2 cups berries of choice (I used raspberries, blueberries and blackberries)**
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare two baking sheets with parcement paper or Sil-Pat mats.

2. In a large bowl, combine dough allowances of flour, salt, and white sugar. Whisk to combine. Cut-in butter using a pastry blender or hands.

3. Add water (but not ice!) a tablespoon at a time. Add/reduce recommended about based on the point the dough just forms a ball.

4. Cover dough an refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

5. In a new bowl, mix filling ingredients together, macerating the berries slightly to release juice. Be sure flour is well-mixed with berries.

6. Once dough is chilled, remove and roll out into a large rectangle 1/4-inch thick (cut dough in half if needed and roll each half separately). Be sure the rolling pin and surface are both well-floured.

7. Using a knife or pastry wheel, cut dough into twelve rectangles.

8. Mix egg with heavy cream to form an egg wash. Brush egg wash onto the edges of all dough rectangles.

9. Spoon filling onto half of the dough rectangles. Cover with other half of dough rectangles. Push edges together with fingers, then crimp or seal with the tines of a fork.

10. Brush remaining egg wash on the top of the pastries. Sprinkle with raw sugar. Pierce the top of the pastries with a knife to make three small steam holes.

11. Place pastries on prepared baking sheets, bake for 10-15 minutes or until edges and golden brown.

Pastries can be wrapped in waxed paper, stored in a Ziploc bag or storage container, and placed in the freezer for up to three months. They can be re-heated in the oven or in the toaster (it might take two "rotations" in the toaster if frozen). I think I might also make these for a summertime dinner party with a sprig of fresh mint and homemade vanilla ice cream as a dessert! Ooo, the possibilities.

* The dough recipe is adapted from La Buena Vida.

** Do not hesitate to use frozen berries. In my opinion, it is better to pick (or buy) fresh fruit locally and freeze it (or buy bags of frozen fruit from the grocer) than to buy fresh supermarket berries grown halfway around the world. Fresh doesn't always mean better!

A Night of Cheese - Sixth Course

The final course for the Night of Cheese was the simplest course to assemble. A play on a classic dessert offering, Seaver Brook Blue (from Bonnieview Farm, South Albany VT) was plated next to a dollop of buckwheat honey. Traditionally, chestnut honey would accompany this style of cheese, but chestnut honey can be tough to come by here in the States. Buckwheat honey is a comparable alternative and is just as tasty.  It's gentle earthiness and rich flavor help to balance the pungency of the blue cheese. The sweetness of the honey compliments the sweetness in the cheese.

The Churchill's 10 Year Tawny Port was paired alongside the Seaver Brook Blue. The port's rich and complex taste is typical of a tawny port, but it's unique brightness balanced the other heavy textures of the cheese and honey.

No recipe here. It was all about simple, delicious ingredients and easy assembly.

A very special thank you to Eric Paul, The Cheese Traveler, for his expertise. Without him, this night would not have happened! Be sure to follow him on Facebook. Bonnieview Farm cheese can be purchased through The Cheese Traveler, online, or at regional farmers markets.

A Night of Cheese

I recently hosted a truly magical evening at Silly Goose Farm. With the help of my friend Eric Paul (aka The Cheese Traveler), I invited a group of fellow foodies to the farm for an intimate evening of cheese! The "Night of Cheese" was  a six-course cheese tasting (with full beverage pairings and accouterments) that went beyond the normal parameters of a "tasting" and broke into workshop territory. I think the attendees learned more about cheese than they ever thought possible! Eric explained how each cheese was made and the style and history of each offering, plus suggested other potential pairings and the best practices for assembling a cheese plate. Our tasting focused on the sweeter side of cheese and opened minds to the power of cheese for dessert!

I set the table simply - white linens, my collection of Bell Flower china and mismatched silver flatware, new and vintage stemware, and a recent acquisition of antique Anchor Hocking green glass tumblers. Menu cards were wrapped around each napkin, and I made itty-bitty notepads that I fastened to the inside of the menu cards so that guests could write down tidbits of information from the evening. White tulips in old salt and pepper shakers and lots of (unscented) candles finished the table.

The menu of the evening was as follows:

First Course: Fresh Goat's Milk Cheese (Coach Farms, Pine Plains, NY), Cuvee M (Non-Vintage, Mumm Napa, Rutherford, CA), Candied Orchids

Second Course: Eclipse (R&G Cheesemakers, Cohoes, NY), Sancerre (2010, Domaine Des Vieux Pruneirs, France), Orange Marmalade, Toasted Pistachio

Third Course: Manchester (Consider Bardwell Farm, West Pawlett, VT), Ommegang Witte (Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown, NY), Walnut Praline

Intermezzo: Lemon Sorbet

Fourth Course: Battenkill Brebis (3-Corner Field Farm, Shushan, NY), Syrah (2008, Magnificent Wine Company, Columbia Valley, WA), Fresh Pear with Balsamic-Steeped Cherries

Fifth Course: Rupert (Consider Bardwell Farm, West Pawlett, VT), Cornelius Applejack (Harvest Spirits, Valatie, NY), Chocolate Chantilly

Sixth Course: Seaver Brook Blue (Bonnieview Farm, South Albany, VT), Tawny Port (10 Year, Churchill's Portugal), Buckwheat Honey

The night was really amazing! I had the best time planning and prepping with Eric, and based on the responses of the attendees, everyone had a phenomenal time! To learn more about what The Cheese Traveler is about, what he is up to, and where he is going, please be sure to visit him on Facebook!

I'll be posting about the details of each course (with recipes!) this week, so stay tuned for more cheesy goodness.

Classic Brownies

You know why brownies are the perfect dessert? Because you can eat them with anything, at any time. Cabernet Sauvignon and brownies (as a night cap)? Check! Brownies and icy cold milk (for breakfast)? Check! A brownie as the base for a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a drizzle of hot fudge, and a dollop of whipped cream (for dinner - duh)? Done, done and done (as my pal Melissa would say).

For a long time (and I hate to admit this) I thought no brownies could ever taste better than those that come from a boxed mix. At least, none that I made tasted that good. But then I found the below recipe from the Williams-Sonoma Cooking at Home cookbook, and my mind was changed. These are, hands down, the absolute best classic brownie I have ever tasted -- from a box or from scratch or otherwise. The top is perfectly crunchy, while the center is ever-so-slightly gooey and moist. The key, I think, lies in melting the chocolate first and the quantity of eggs (whereas other recipes I've tried call for fewer eggs and cocoa powder). Whip up your own batch pronto!

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Classic Brownies

Makes 16 Brownies

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 eggs

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1. Preheat oven to 325 degree Fahrenheit. Line a 8-inch square pan with foil, allowing the foil to overhand the sides slightly.

2. In a double-boiler, combine the chocolate and butter and allow to melt completely over medium-high heat.  Allow to cool slightly.

3. Whisk the sugar, vanilla, and salt into the chocolate mixture. Slowly add in eggs, mixing well after each addition. Continue to whisk until the mixture is very smooth (about two minutes). Add the flour and whisk until just incorporated.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan (scrape the bowl down!) and smooth the top of the brownie mixture. Bake for about 40 minutes or until the top it set and a toothpick inserted into the brownies comes out slightly moist and crumby. Let cool in the pan on a rack.

5. Pull the brownies out of the pan using the foil overhang. Cut into 16 squares. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days (or freeze for up to three months). Enjoy!

V-formation (The Geese Travel): Boston, MA

In late May, Dave and I celebrated our third wedding anniversary. We decided to go to one of our favorite places, Boston, to celebrate. In 2007, we were THISCLOSE to moving to Boston, but found the farm instead and decided to make it our home. Needless to say, we love Boston and so enjoy each visit there!

Our hotel room

We stayed at the Inn at St. Botolph, my favorite hotel in Boston (trivia tip! Boston's original name is actually St. Botolphston, and St. Botolph is the patron saint of travelers). It has the feel of a pied-a-terre with the comfort of a luxury boutique hotel (without the price tag of either). It is located right where the South End, Back Bay and Theatre districts meet. It has a residential feel while only being steps away from some of Boston's finest attractions.

When we arrived in our room, a bottle of Prosecco awaited us to kick-off our weekend. After a quick cat-nap, we freshened-up and dressed for the American Craft Beer Festival (held at the Seaport World Trade Center, which was only a quick T-ride and walk away). I would post pictures of all the amazing craft beer I sampled, but I was honestly too busy enjoying myself. Besides, trying to take pictures while double-fisting beer, downing about 30 samples, and keeping track of beers I adored (or hated!) was a bit tough. I think my favorite of the night was the Goose Island Bourbon County Vanilla Stout (though there were many others I loved - let me know if you would like more info in the comments).

Giacomo's, via Stef's Smorgasboard

We grabbed a cab back to our "home base" and then walked to Giacomo's for some tasty Italian. The atmosphere was super-cozy, and the food unbelievably good (we split an order of garlic bread, Dave had the best Chicken Parmesan either of us have ever tasted (no lie), I had the other-worldly Pumpkin Tortellini in Fresh Sage Sauce, and we shared the Chocolate Bomb for dessert). The quick walk back to our hotel was the perfect digestif for our beer-laden, Italian-stuffed bellies.

Saturday morning, we grabbed a quick coffee at the Prudential Center, then headed down Boylston and Newbury Streets to do a little window shopping. We decided to sit-a-stay by the Lagoon in Boston Common and watch the Swan Boats pass slowly by.

  

We crossed through the park to enter the Beacon Hill neighborhood. We hopped in the (45-minute long!) line at Paramount for lunch. Dave opted for breakfast (egg, bacon and cheese on toast with homefries), while I had the apple, candied walnut and bleu cheese salad with chicken. Both were worth the wait. We walked through the history-rich district and stopped to pick out some antique artwork and prints (our anniversary tradition - we buy a piece of art each year!). I also picked up a great old Currier and Ives book of plate listings and illustrations. While there, Dave found a Dartmouth yearbook from 1939. We looked for Dave's grandfather (both Dave's dad and grand-dad went there), but the book post-dated him.

I am obsessed with boating and sailing, and Dave indulged me and took me down to the Charles River Esplanade to watch the dinghies. It made me love boats even more. We headed back towards the park, stopping at Cafe Vanille for a coffee and sweets (I couldn't choose between a chocolate eclair or a Night and Day bar - a bruleed sponge cake paired with vanilla bavarian cream and chocolate mousse), so I bought both, eating half of each (file this under This Is Why You Are Fat). We stopped to smell the new blooms on the roses in the park and laugh at Boston's pride for its sports teams (the Bruins were in the Stanley Cup finals, so all available statues donned jerseys, including the famous ducks (of Robert McCloskey fame) and George Washington).

After getting gussied-up at the hotel, we took the T down to Long Wharf to board a yacht for a sunset cruise of Boston Harbor. We met a lovely couple from London and chatted with them for a bit before witnessing sunset ceremonies of the USS Constitution (aka Old Ironsides).

Bad Blackberry photo of our view from the Top of the Hub

We walked around downtown and the harbor under the romantic glow of streetlamps, then headed back to the South End for dinner at Mela. Listen, I have had Indian cuisine all over the world, and I can honestly say this was the best I have ever tasted. Once our dishes arrived (Naan, Chicken Tikka Masala, and Vegetable Korma - all organic), Dave and I spoke nary a word to each other. Our faces were in our plates for the rest of dinner. The waitstaff was so incredibly nice, and when I mentioned how much I loved the food, our waiter brought us a $10 gift card for our next visit. Don't worry that we are not Bostonians... we will definitely be back! Even though our bellies were full, we decided that the night sky was too clear to not take advantage of the views at the top of the Prudential Center. We journeyed up 52 stories to The Top of the Hub, where we enjoyed a Kamakazi (Dave), Gin Gimlet (me - downed in about three minutes because of how perfect it was!), a plateful of freshly baked cookies, and perfectly-perked coffee. Needless to say, we slept hard that night.

Views of the South End

Splash Fountain

Sunday morning was a bit lazy, as we strolled through the South End, grabbing a quick bite at Thornton's and making our way to Splash Fountain at Christian Science Plaza. We sometimes fantasize about buying a little apartment in Boston, so we snuck into an open house to check out the real estate scene in the city. Finally, we headed back to the car and out to Brookline for a late lunch at Zaftigs, one of America's Ten Best Delis (as rated by National Geographic). We could have built our whole meal just on the bagel chips and herbed cream cheese (complimentary with every order!), but we also shared Holly's Heavenly Salad and the Challah French Bread.

Dave and I always joke that we must look like we know what we are doing when in Boston, because we get asked for directions so much (on this trip, we were asked five times - it must be the Irish lass in me). We are now home, safe and sound at the farm - albeit fatter, but more in love than ever. It was an amazing trip, and I can't wait to head back to Beantown!