Yo Ho Ho and a Bottle of (Local) Rum

As New Englanders, we love a good story. We also love local products—especially the kind you can make cocktails with. So it was with great pleasure that we attended a party to celebrate the one-year anniversary of Turkey Shore Distilleries and the launch of their Greenhead Spiced Rum last weekend.

The company was formed by Mat Perry and Evan Parker, who grew up as neighbors and friends on Turkey Shore Road in Ipswich. It turns out that barrels of molasses from the West Indies were unloaded at a wharf in Mat’s backyard along the Ipswich River on their way to John Heard’s local distillery from 1770 to 1836. In fact, rum making was a major New England industry in colonial times. Today, Perry and Parker use table-grade molasses to create artisanal rum using a 250-gallon copper pot still built in Kentucky.

We took a tour of the small operation, taking in the gorgeous still, the fermenting tanks, and the tiny bottling operation. Mat told us that the company’s barrels are unusual in that they are smaller than most and built for them from white oak. Most rum these days is aged in barrels already used to age scotch, but the colonials used new barrels, so Turkey Shore does as well.

Along with Old Ipswich White Cap Rum (which we tasted in a fantastic adult version of lemonade) and Old Ipswich Tavern Style Rum (bolder than White Cap and truest to the original New England rums), Turkey Shore is now offering Greenhead Spiced Rum. Delicious and unusual, it has notes of lemongrass, spearmint, and green tea.

We enjoyed meeting the Turkey Shore team, sipping their terrific rum, and learning about their operation. We’ll definitely be seeking out their product, which is available at Kappy’s in Danvers and Peabody, Main St Liquors in Beverly, Cape Ann Liquors in Gloucester, Marcorelles Liquors in Ipswich, Haley’s in Marblehead, Port Wine and Spirits in Newburyport, and Quality Liquors in Salem. It’s also at some of our favorite restaurants, including Hale Street in Beverly, The Farm in Essex, 15 Walnut in Hamilton, and Choate Bridge Pub in Ipswich. For a full list of stores and restaurants, please visit the their website.

If you’d like to see the distillery for yourself, you don’t have to wait until their next anniversary to check out Turkey Shore. Tours are available between 12pm and 5pm Monday through Friday and also by appointment. You can see more photos from the anniversary event on our Facebook page.

Turkey Shore Distilleries
23 Hayward Street #8, Ipswich
(978) 356-0048
www.turkeyshoredistilleries.com

Pitch-Perfect Pub Grub at Ipswich’s Choate Bridge

After spending hours doing yardwork on Saturday, we were in the mood for relaxation: laughing over a few beers, hearty sustenance, and a laid-back atmosphere.  We found ourselves at the Choate Bridge Pub in Ipswich, which filled the bill perfectly.

Long a favorite hangout for Ipswich locals, the pub is named for the adjacent historic bridge, one of the oldest stone-arch bridges in the country.

The restaurant’s configuration, divided between a bar and dining room is a bit odd to navigate, with three entrances but no obvious hostess station to inquire about seating. The large bar was packed and pretty loud, so we opted for the dining room. The atmosphere is typically pubby, with friendly waitresses, wooden booths, menus printed on the paper placemats, and specials scrawled on a chalkboard.

Taking advantage of the free popcorn machine, we munched fresh, hot popcorn while sipping our drinks and perusing the menu. We started off with a buffalo calamari appetizer special that was fine but unspectacular ($11.95). The squid weren’t particularly tender, but this at least helped them from being overwhelmed by the buffalo sauce, and the portion was plenty for four people.

For entrees, two of our party decided on the haddock special, ($11.95) which was a deep-fried bonanza that included both onion rings and fries. The fish portions were generous and the fillets were tender, fresh, and lightly breaded.

I opted for the deluxe pub burger ordered medium rare ($8.95 accompanied by french fries. For $7.50, the regular pub burger comes with chips). It was  served on an onion roll with lettuce, tomato, and pickles and done perfectly—a tasty grilled char on the outside but lightly pink and juicy in the middle.  Really, it was a damn good burger I would order again without question.

Aside from burgers, Choate Bridge is known for their pit barbeque plates, and the last member of our group went for the lamb tips plate served with choice of starch and vegetable/salad ($14.95). The meat was tender and flavorful, grilled with a house-made sauce and once again, the portion quite generous.

If you’re headed back from the beach this summer and looking for a change from the ubiquitous clam shacks, try stopping into Choate Bridge to see what they’ve got on the grill. It’s not fancy, but neither are the prices or their attitude.

Choate Bridge Pub
3 South Main Street, Ipswich
(978) 356-2931
www.choatebridgepub.com

Please Join Us Saturday Night at the Warwick Film & Food Festival

Just a quick reminder that the Warwick Film & Food Festival is this Saturday night at 7:00 at the Tower School in Marblehead. There are still tickets available at the UPS store at Village Plaza and Crosby’s Market (both in Marblehead). Tickets are $50 at the door or $45 in advance ($80 for two in advance) and can be purchased online at http://www.warwicktheatre.org/film-food-fest.html and http://warwickf3.eventbrite.com.

We’ve got a great lineup of food and beverage purveyors offering tastings: 62 Restaurant & Winebar, Alfalfa Farm Winery, Blue Ox, Caffe Italia, Cape Ann Brewing Co, City Grill, Every Little Breeze, Finz, Hungry Betty’s, Kappy’s Liquors, Ken’s Kickin’ Chicken, The Landing, Le Bistro, The Lobster Shanty, Pickwick Baking Co, Rockhopper Café, Ryan & Wood Distilleries, Sea Street Soups, Starbucks, Starlight Creative, Three Cod Tavern, Turkey Shore Distilleries, and Victoria Station.

Live entertainment includes Marblehead’s The Jewel Tones, Luminescence, Hayley Reardon, and The Marbleheadstones, along with Boston band The Chicken Slacks, with its famous horn section.

Every participant has chosen a film to pair their food or beverage with, and we hear that some are even dressing the part, so we are looking forward to a creative  and fun evening. Who chose Silence of the Lambs? What will Hungry Betty’s serve to pair with Attack of the Killer Tomatoes? Will Doug from Ryan and Wood really dress up as  a pirate to serve his rum punch?  Please join us for this fantastic event to benefit the Warwick Theatre Foundation—great food and great fun for a great cause. See you there!

Pellino’s: A Perfect Date-Night Spot

We’re often asked for a recommendation for a romantic night out, so we are happy to add another favorite to our list. Pellino’s in downtown Marblehead has all the essentials: a quiet side street in a quaint area, a small dining room, perfect lighting, terrific food, and low-key service. As though that weren’t enough, we were pleasantly surprised by the prices.

On a recent Saturday night, we were seated in the window of this lovely spot, where we sipped the house Chianti while surveying the menu. Our appetizers were both memorable: lightly fried calamari with a flavorful marinara ($10) and a generous portion of caprese (fresh mozzarella topped with tomatoes) accented with balsamic syrup, a dollop of smoked eggplant, and a crisp crostini ($9.50).

The pacing of the meal was just right, and our waitress was both friendly and attentive. Our entrees were as successful as the appetizers. The mushroom ravioli were the perfect combination of feather-light pasta and earthy mushrooms, accented by a light mushroom/cream sauce that contained more mushrooms ($18). The chicken parmesan was super crispy outside and extremely tender inside. It was accompanied by a large serving of perfectly sauced angel hair pasta ($18).

We had opted out of pre-ordering the bread pudding or molten cake for dessert, so our choices were limited. But we were in no way disappointed by the vanilla gelato with biscotti. The lavish portion of ultra-smooth ice cream went down easily accompanied by the crunchy, highly-flavored cookies.

Pellino’s has gotten a good deal of positive press in the past, and we’re pleased to be able to say it lives up to its reputation, providing a fine dining experience at reasonable prices in a romantic setting.

Pellino’s
261 Washington St, Marblehead
(781) 631-3344
www.pellinos.com

A New Spin on Dinner and a Movie: The Warwick Film and Food Festival

Posts have been a bit light on the Dish over the past month, and I must fess up. I’ve been moonlighting on NSD (which is, in fact, moonlighting on my day job) to help the folks at the Warwick Theatre Foundation put together a fundraising event.

The WTF, as they are affectionately known, is a non-profit group dedicated to preserving the history of Marblehead’s original Warwick Theatre and creating a new, community-based, state-of-the-art movie theater. What many don’t realize is that Marblehead’s local commerce has taken a huge hit lately, with the closing of at least five storefronts this month alone. The Warwick folks feel a new theatre can become a community-gathering place, enliven downtown foot traffic, and boost the economy of surrounding businesses.

The Dish is partnering with WTF and many area restaurants to create the Warwick Film and Food Festival. It’s a tasting event with a twist: local chefs are asked to create offerings where each dish, drink, or dessert has been inspired by a favorite film.

Local celebrities will judge the event on presentation, taste, and film pairing, and attendees will select their own people’s choice winner. The evening includes alcoholic beverage tastings and a full roster of live music.

So far, the entrants have really piqued our interest. Some chefs, like Tony Bettencourt of 62 Restaurant and Wine Bar have yet to reveal their movie inspiration and are keeping us guessing. Others have got everyone buzzing with their choices, like Matt O’Neil of the Blue Ox, who registered for Silence of the Lambs. Other movies chosen include The Perfect Storm, True Grit, The Rum Diaries, and Tortilla Soup. Intriguing, to say the least.

As the event nears, we’ll publish a full list of participating restaurants, but mark your calendars now—this is shaping up to be a fun food event unlike all others, especially if you’re a film fan! The evening starts at 7pm on March 24 and takes place at the Tower School in Marblehead. Tickets and more information are available on the Warwick ‘s website. We are still accepting entries and warmly invite all local  chefs and restaurant owners to register here.

Not Your Typical Coffee and Donuts

We’ve heard of breakfast for dinner, but ice cream for breakfast—in January, no less? Still, it was for a good cause, so off we went to Cherry Farm Creamery in Danvers this weekend. They were celebrating National Ice Cream for Breakfast Day (who knew?) by serving special flavors on Saturday morning and donating half of the proceeds to the HAWC organization.

The creamery went all out for the event, making fresh waffles for waffle sundaes and coming up with great flavors like banana grape-nut and maple bacon, so we were glad to see a line out the door when we arrived. Yes, it was chilly, but it was also fun and thought-provoking. The maple ice cream with real bacon crumbled in was especially interesting, with a strong maple flavor mixing with that wonderful salty element.

Our waffle sundaes were amazing—the waffle soaked up the melting ice cream and mixed with the delicious hot fudge. The coffee ice cream with chocolate-glazed donuts mixed in truly put it over the top, and one of our party opted for the bacon topping. We didn’t try it, but there was a sundae option featuring a warm blueberry or strawberry Pop Tart, and in addition to bacon, toppings included granola, warm maple syrup, and warm blueberry sauce. Maybe we should have ice cream for breakfast more often…

Cherry Farm Creamery
210 Conant Street, Danvers
(978) 774-0519
cherryfarmcreamery.com

A Tale of Two Brunches

Extraordinarily for us, last weekend saw not one but two brunches, both in Beverly. On Saturday, we had relatives staying who wanted to go to brunch, and our favorite Wellesley student is vegan, so we let her choose the venue. She decided on The Organic Garden Café on Cabot Street, which not only serves vegetarian and vegan fare but largely raw foods as well.

The space is small and comfortable, and our waiter was attentive. We were offered both the breakfast and lunch menus and chose items from both, sipping our drinks while we waited for the food. The coffee was respectable; the hot cocoa, made from raw cacao, was super rich; but my favorite was the lemon ginger and raw honey tea. Blended fresh, it arrived frothy and hot and was a perfect antidote for winter weariness.

Our entrees ranged from “live”(dehydrated instead of baked) granola ($6) and quinoa porridge with agave nectar, cinnamon, cardamom, and raisins ($4 with additional toppings $1 each) to the Southwestern faux omelet on baby spinach ($7), made with a combination of ground nuts and veggies in lieu of eggs. We also tried the omelet, nausage patty, & crepe combo ($9) where a mix of sunflower seeds, flax, onion, portabella, and seasonings stand in for the sausage.

Clearly, the faux versions of traditional meat items are not meant to replicate the carnivore’s experience; they are fanciful takes using similarly spiced or textured food. Everything was extremely fresh tasting and well seasoned, and in the end, the savory foods with their layers of flavor won out over the sweet; the southwestern plate being a real standout.

The large case displaying great-looking desserts was enticing, but we were so sated that we opted to purchase a few treats to take home for later. Eschewing the cakes and cookies, we had to try the “I am Mighty” balls ($3.50) for the name alone. A dense combination of fruits, nuts, and seeds dipped in dark chocolate; it was like the ultimate protein bar—tasty, satisfying, and energizing.

On Sunday, we ended up back on Cabot Street just a few doors down from the Organic Garden, to meet a Beverly friend at Tryst. As one would anticipate, this meal offered a much more traditional brunch menu, including the standard Bloody Mary’s and mimosas. Two of our party went for alternate benedicts; the spinach enhanced eggs florentine ($8) and the eggs royale ($11), with a generous portion of Scottish smoked salmon. Our third entrée was the French-style omelet with goat cheese, broccoli, and roasted red peppers ($9) and a side of bacon ($3.50)

The menu mentions that eggs are local, but isn’t specific as to the source. The omelet was huge, and the vegetables tender but a bit heavy on the peppers. The benedicts were lovely, with velvety lemon hollandaise and excellent quality smoked salmon. Each plate included a portion of hash browns and two huge orange wedges. The hash browns seemed an oddity; a small, dry half-patty that I wanted to be tastier than it was.

The weekend turned out to be a lesson in expectations. Having had lovely dinners at Tryst and heard good things about their brunch, our expectations were high. The meal was certainly tasty but didn’t knock our socks off. It’s a solid choice for those seeking a good brunch in a nice room (not as common as you’d think on the North Shore), but in future, we’ll stick to Manhattans and roast chicken at the bar.

My only assumption about Organic Gardrn Café was it likely had a “hippy-crunchy” vibe, which it did, though not oppressively so. The opportunity to sample foods I had never contemplated making at home made it very enjoyable. What fascinated me was not the raw aspect of the food, but the creative combination of textures and tastes. I found myself thinking about returning for lunch or dinner to explore more menu items.

Tryst
282 Cabot Street, Beverly
(978) 921- 2266
trystbeverly.com

Organic Garden Café
294 Cabot Street, Beverly
(978) 922-0004
organicgardencafe.com

Pleasing a Crowd at Gloucester’s Latitude 43

We had a diverse group last weekend, with some craving sushi and others leaning toward fried food. Luckily, we thought of Gloucester’s Latitude 43, which perfectly filled the bill. Overall, we had a terrific meal with a welcoming atmosphere, attentive service, and the freshest of seafood.

There were a couple of missteps, including the mussels appetizer ($12), which we found quite bland. Go for the calamari instead; we had them Asian style and quickly finished the generous, crispy portion ($9). The bacon clam chowder was also outstanding: thick and smoky with a perfect amount of clams ($6). With our appetizers we sampled one of the bar’s specialties, an apple old fashioned that was tart and refreshing ($9).

The restaurant’s sushi menu features a huge selection of specialty rolls, and several of us chose these over an entrée. The dragon roll, with shrimp tempura, crab, avocado, and fresh water eel, was an unbeatable combination of textures ($15), and the titanic roll was also well received (spicy tuna, salmon, yellow tail, albacore tuna, escolar, and shishito peppers, $16). The Lat 43 roll was good but didn’t hit the heights of the others (tempura tuna, wasabi goat cheese, avocado, enoki mushrooms, tobiko, and mango wrapped with daikon radish, $18). We also sampled the maguru nigiri (tuna), which was meltingly tender and delicious ($7).

The fish and chips entrée was perfectly cooked and seasoned, with crisp, salty fries and a sweetened tartar sauce that was addictive ($18). The corn and lobster tortelloni was not as successful. The lobster was succulent and plentiful, but the pasta was slightly undercooked, and the filling had an unpleasant mealy texture ($21).

It’s hard to go wrong with a flourless chocolate cake, and this one did not disappoint, with vanilla ice cream, a caramel crunch, and plenty of oozy chocolate to go around ($6).

Whether you’re craving fried food, sushi, a warm bowl of chowder, or just need to please a crowd, Latitude 43 is a great choice.

Latitude 43
25 Rogers St, Gloucester
(978) 281-0223
http://latfortythree.com

Hidden Gem: White Dove Serves Up Affordable, Delicious Middle Eastern Fare

A convenience store in Salem that serves a range of fresh Middle Eastern food? It sounded strange, but so many people raved about it, we were more than intrigued. Located a half-block from the main Salem State campus, the White Dove appears to be an ordinary corner store, but the food we sampled was far from the typical deli fare.

We ordered the chicken kabob, falafel, shawarma, and kafta kabob sandwiches. Each came rolled in extremely fresh, soft pita and would easily feed two people. The falafel was tender and flavorful; the chicken was fine but not outstanding. The shawarma (thin slices of marinated beef cooked on a rotisserie) was marvelous, with a lemony tahini sauce. The kafta was equally good: small charred meatballs of beef and lamb highly flavored with herbs, spices, and onion.

We bookended our sandwiches with some baba ghanoush and a piece of baklava. Both were fresher than we’ve had elsewhere and made with care. The baba ghanoush was a creamy smoky revelation. We don’t have individual prices for the items (and they’re not on the website), but our entire meal cost $32 and constituted enough food for eight people—although you’d probably want to add one more piece of baklava to avoid any dessert disputes.

White Dove
59 Loring Ave, Salem
(978) 744-3143
www.salemmadining.com/restaurants/menus/whitedove.html

I Pazzi: We Wanted to Love You, But We Just Couldn’t

A series of service missteps and kitchen issues added up to a very disappointing meal last weekend at I Pazzi in Danvers. We had heard good things about their authentic Italian food, but we had serious issues with flavor, among other things.

The menu looked very interesting, with traditional Italian fare mixed with the somewhat more exotic, including pasta with pheasant or wild boar meat sauce. We ordered a bottle of chianti, and our bread plates were filled with an artistic blend of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, parmesan cheese, and red pepper flakes.

But as we waited for our appetizers, which took more than 30 minutes to appear, we also waited for bread to dip into the oil. After we reminded the waitress, she brought warm rolls in the style of scali bread. A nice touch, although not appreciated by those in our party who dislike sesame seeds. Our appetizers were just okay, a very small timballo of eggplant that needed more flavor or at least texture ($8), and clams and mussels with a nice sauce for dipping the bread ($10).

With the exception of the osso buco ($29), which was tender and had good flavor, there were issues with all of our dishes. The beef filet was tender and cooked properly, but the peppercorn/cognac sauce was bland ($30), as was the garganelli with pheasant ($25). The salmon filet was wildly oversalted on top, although the rest of the filet was tender and quite good ($22). The thin slice of polenta underneath the salmon had no flavor at all. The asparagus on several plates, along a side dish of spinach, was delicious.

The menu description of the filet did not mentioned any accompaniments, so we asked and were told it came with asparagus and potatoes. But when the plate arrived, there were no potatoes; they were also missing from the veal shank plate, and no explanation was given. When we asked, we were told they had run out of potatoes, with no offer of a substitution. A couple of minutes later, the waitress returned and offered us polenta or pasta as a substitute, so we said we would try one of each. Neither had any flavor, so we were again disappointed.

With so many options for great Italian food on the North Shore, we’re a bit puzzled as to why the dining room was packed full (although, granted, it was a Saturday night); we certainly won’t be returning any time soon.

I Pazzi
50 Maple St, Danvers
(978) 777-1955
www.ipazzirestaurant.com