North Shore Noshing with Alex and Luke

Who the heck are Alex and Luke? That’s what I wanted to know. Better known in their native Canada, these adventurous pals from Toronto have embarked on a whirlwind road trip/social media experiment.

Recently featured in the Toronto news, Alex Sabine and Luke Vigeant set a goal to visit every state and province in North America, guided by suggestions given to them on Twitter, Facebook, e-mail, etc. Where to drive next? They put it up for a vote and let the public decide. Where to eat, where to sleep? You tell them.

Having made their way through the Maritimes into New England, they hit Boston and continued on to Salem earlier this week. Apparently, when it comes to road trip destinations, witch history is a big draw. “When we said we were coming to Massachusetts, Salem was the place people wanted us to visit, even more than Boston. People from all over, some who had never even been to the state, suggested Salem.”

That’s what is fascinating about the social media driven model; the quirky randomness of the experience. You’re not going to a restaurant touted by Fodor’s or lauded on Trip Advisor; you’re having a burger at a place some tweeter’s cousin thought was awesome.

“Most of the suggestions that come our way are food related. Everyone wants us to try their favorite restaurants, but there are so many suggestions, and you can’t use every one. We’ve both already gained weight,” Alex grinned. They claim that so far, they haven’t been given a bum steer yet—they’ve enjoyed every place suggested.

While in Salem, they stayed in one of the purportedly haunted rooms in the Hawthorne Hotel. Exhausted from traveling, then ended up having pizza delivered from Engine House , which they gave two thumbs up. Their Salem stay also included a visit to A&J King, where they enjoyed the laid-back atmosphere along with the delicious macaroons and cookies. Taking a suggestion from a follower, they had a meal at In A Pig’s Eye, about which they later tweeted “It’s a cool place—neat building, food is pretty good— great nachos!”

I caught up with them for breakfast at the Driftwood in Marblehead. “This is the kind of place we love,” said Alex, “and Marblehead is beautiful. That’s what is so great about this—we never would have known to come here.” While Alex enjoyed her poached eggs and “brown toast” (Canadian for wheat), Luke dove into a plate of chocolate chip pancakes, which he declared among the best he’s eaten.

The two are now off in Rhode Island, and who knows where after that. If you’d like to follow their progress and make suggestions, you’ll find them at alexandluke.com, where you’ll also find links to their Twitter and Facebook accounts. And the next time you’re thinking about where to eat, why not try asking the social media world for a suggestion?

Field Trip to First Light Farm

Want to learn more about sustainable farming? We’ve got just the thing: a conversation with Mike Raymond, owner of First Light Farm. The Hamilton farm is in its third season of community supported agriculture, having provided shares to 120 members last year and planning on at least that many this year.

As in the past, First Light CSA members pay $600 for a 20-week share that begins mid-June. Members can pick up their boxed share in Beverly or Danvers on Tuesdays, Topsfield on Thursdays, Ipswich on Saturdays, or (new this year) at the Salem farmer’s market on Thursdays. First Light will also be selling produce at the Georgetown farmer markets on Saturdays this year.

First Light operates a bit differently from other CSAs in the area (Green Meadows and Appleton Farms come to mind) in that there are no pick-your-own opportunities. That’s because Raymond doesn’t own the six acres of land he farms. Rather, he barters with Brick End Farm, a large composting operation. But don’t assume that means Raymond isn’t invested in the business—just the opposite.

Raymond graduated from University of Vermont nearly 20 years ago with a degree in environmental and resource economics and has been farming ever since. His passion for growing vegetables organically in the most sustainable way possible is infectious. On a tour of the hilly field where fast-growing crops like lettuce and herbs are planted, we immediately saw why Raymond is so excited. The field is divided into many small beds with strips of clover growing in between, a technique called permanent bed strip tillage in which the clover and the crops form a symbiotic relationship.

“We feed the soil, not the crop,” explained Raymond, a Beverly native. “And we don’t do anything in a field that doesn’t make sense.” Unlike most farms, the field is not plowed under each year. Rather, the clover strips provide the soil with the necessary fungus and bacteria, and when mowed during the growing season, they provide additional organic matter for the growing crops. In keeping with Raymond’s desire to use resources at hand, irrigation water is pumped from a small pond at the bottom of the field.

For shareholders, this unusual technique (along with strategic use of the farm’s greenhouse) means more variety in their shares each week, since each bed in the field is like its own little garden. It also means maximum production with minimum damage to the land—Raymond and his crew have gone so far as to modify old equipment to facilitate this updated version of back-to-basics farming.

Tomatoes, potatoes, onions, and other slower growing crops are planted in the farm’s upper field, which Raymond described as bio-intensive, meaning it’s designed to produce as much as possible in the space. An unusual moveable greenhouse is used section by section to maximize growth, and after each part of the field is harvested, a cover crop is planted to fertilize the soil.

Those interested in the CSA will be happy to find a picture of each week’s share from last year on the First Light site, along with delicious-sounding recipes for 40 vegetables and quirky descriptions of First Light team members. You can also e-mail Raymond directly for more information on the farm, his philosophies, and the CSA program.

First Light Farm
www.firstlightfarmcsa.com
firstlightfarmcsa@gmail.com

A Great Big Thank You

North Shore Dish has put together a Tasting Tour of the North Shore gift basket to be auctioned off as part of a fundraiser for Marblehead’s Charter School, at their yearly auction night tomorrow evening at the Tedesco Country Club.

We asked some of our favorite purveyors of food and drink on the North Shore if they could donate something to the basket, and we were overwhelmed by the terrific response! We are proud and grateful to know such generous people who care about and give back to their community.

We’d like to give a huge thank you to the individuals who made this beautiful basket come together so spectacularly: Tony and Valerie Bettencourt at Sixty2 on Wharf, Matt and Joanna O’Neil at The Blue Ox, Matt and Jean Sanidas at Nine Elm, Diane and Lee Wolfe at The Lobster Shanty, Steve Feldmann at Gulu Gulu Café, Michael Goodman at Manhattan Sandwich, the good folks at Coffey Ice Cream, Harbor Sweets, Stowaway Sweets, Ryan and Wood Distilleries, and Mercury Brewing Company. We’d also like to offer special thanks to Donna Olivero at Caffe Italia, who not only donated a gift certificate, but a pile of Italian goodies from her much-anticipated Italian Market opening soon at the restaurant.

With these beautiful, tasty treats and generous gift certificates, our basket is sure to earn a tidy sum for the Charter School!

Dish Tid Bits

It’s been a busy week here, leaving us little time to post, but we wanted to keep you up to date on the latest news.

First off, Salem has seen a few restaurant closings in recent weeks. Lunch Guy was saddened to see that Clucky’s Wings has closed its doors for good. Where will he get his wings fix on the North Shore? Also closed is the Mexican Edgewater Café on Washington Street. While the food had gone downhill of late, they were a live music venue and will be missed as part of Salem’s vibrant entertainment scene.

Yesterday, The Lyceum on Church Street celebrated its grand re-opening with Mayor Kim Driscoll, who awarded the restaurant for its continued commitment to the community. The 20-year-old restaurant has been reborn with a new team, a grand renovation, and new Web site.

Founder George Harrington, Sr. has partnered with his son, George Harrington, Jr., and Nicola Savignano to update the restaurant with European bistro fare. “Using fresh, sustainable seafood, quality meats and poultry, and other regionally-sourced ingredients, The Lyceum’s chefs introduce new dishes with wholesome accompaniments that complete each plate,” says the site. From what we’ve seen, the new interior and the food both look terrific, and we can’t wait to give them a whirl.

The month of October also saw the opening of not one, but two raw food restaurants in Newburyport. Grezzo, the upscale North End restaurant owned and created by Alissa Cohen, opened a 55-seat second location there on October 5. For a more casual meal, the Revitalive Café just opened in the Tannery Mall, offering both take-out and dine-in options.

Last, but far from least, if you are a fan of the Food Network, mark your calendars. On Monday, November 9 at 10:00 pm, Guy Fieri of “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives” will feature one of our favorite local diners, The Little Depot Diner in Peabody. Wonder if he tried the special butter…

Check It Out: Northshore Magazine’s Best of the North Shore

Northshore Magazine’s Best of the Northshore issue is out in print and online. Of course, we immediately scanned the food section to see who had made the list and look for new places to try.

We were pleased to see so many intersections between Dish favorites and the BONS winners (great minds think alike?). A&J King for best bakery, The Little Depot Diner for best breakfast, and Shubie’s for best gourmet market. Also Ithaki for Greek, Agavé for Mexican, Azorean for Portuguese, and Sixty2onWharf for best new restaurant.

Since we’re huge fans of Asian cuisine, we’re looking forward to trying Sawasee in Danvers (best Thai) and Fuji Sushi in Peabody (best sushi). If anyone has been, please recommend dishes for us to try.

Oh yes—there are winners to check out in the entertainment, kids, salons, and shopping sections, too.