by Sam Tackeff | Nov 3, 2012 | Barbecue, Local stores, Meat
Today we headed over to Formaggio Kitchen for the last of their weekly seasonal barbecue. We’ve braved the lines a half dozen times this summer to partake in this wonderful tradition. It would have been more, but usually I’m too ashamed about how many times I’ve been there during the week to show up again on a Saturday. I drink a lot of coffee at Formaggio.
We’ve devoured their sausage, beef brisket, lamb brisket, hot dogs, tongue tacos, Turkish lahmacun (“llama-june” – think: very, very thin pizza topped with ground meat), cornbread, grilled corn, jicama coleslaw, smoky-sweet-meaty baked beans, potato salad, grilled peaches, and their grilled chicken. It’s always a treat.
We arrived late this afternoon, around 1:45, and queued up before I even had a chance to go in and grab my favorite coffee. I didn’t want to risk it.
It was chilly, but the smell of barbecue kept us distracted. We stood behind two men wearing leather jackets and babies in papooses. A small child behind us was getting enthusiastically licked by two patient dogs. I love the line for people watching here almost as much as I love the barbecue. Everyone is always smiling with anticipation, and you get a real motley crew. We were once invited to a house in the Virgin Islands by a complete stranger while waiting in the line – you never know who you are going to meet.
When we got to the front, Devon got a few hot dogs, and I will have you know that I managed to score the very last serving of barbecue beef brisket. That’s right, the crispy, bottom of the pot, the “Sorry, that’s all folks!” serving, the ultimate, pinnacle of meat. A moment later and we would have been out of luck, and I would have likely been sobbing on the sidewalk.
For a single split second I felt bad for the folks standing in line behind me. Yes, just one tiny fraction of a second. And then I sat there, selfishly and un-apologetically, eating it slowly, savoring every last bite of the falling apart tender, profoundly meaty, infused with the memories of the season serving of barbecue brisket. I assure you, it was the best barbecue of the summer.
Plus, I got to spend the afternoon with this guy. I lent him my favorite cable knit, and he looked particularly handsome in it. I might have to just let him keep it.
So long, barbecue, we’ll be anxiously waiting your return in Spring.
by Sam Tackeff | Aug 15, 2012 | Local stores, Lunch
Yesterday I met up with a lovely woman named Anna for coffee at Formaggio Kitchen. She brought along Alex, her sweet mellow baby and we sat outside and talked for a good long time while Alex ate cheerios and keenly observed trucks and dogs and bicycles.
Having worked busily in my very small office this year without much reprieve, I’d forgotten how nice it is to have long conversations with new people. It re-charges you. Inspires you. Makes you feel like skipping down the street, which you avoid doing when you are an “adult” because someone will look at you disapprovingly. Don’t worry about them – they can live their miserable lives – you go ahead and skip if you feel like it! Have that coffee with someone new. You won’t regret it.
Before heading home, I picked up this sandwich to go.
Anna’s Big Jim : ham, salami & cheddar or Swiss on ficelle. Pressed in the panini press. Usually I get the ficelle with sesame seeds on it, but they were out. It looks huge, but it’s actually quite modestly sized – that is my smallest salad plate. It’s a perfect combination of bread, cheese and meat, and reminds me of Paris in the summertime.
by Sam Tackeff | Aug 13, 2012 | Random
The power went out in our neighborhood as I was cooking on Friday night. I momentarily panicked about all of the beautiful Copper River salmon that their marketing board sent me as part of the Fresh Catch Crew. Then I panicked about the many containers of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream in our freezer. Then I walked outside and took this photo. Then the power came back. Thank you, freezer deities.
Lunches: 1. Fregola salad with fresh tomato and basil from Formaggio Kitchen, with a quarter of a rotisserie chicken. (Pictured). 2. A bowl of baked beans. 3. Devon made an amazing sandwich with roast beef, ripe tomatoes, melted cheese, and a chile-garlic-caesar dressing on ciabatta. It was masterful.
There was a trip to IKEA where we finally got some lighting for under our kitchen cabinets. And some fabric covered in ships. We didn’t get any Swedish Meatballs, but we did head back to Pho So 1 Boston in Randolph for the second meal there in two weeks. Their Bun Bo Thit Nuong – vermicelli noodles with grilled beef – is spectacular.
We watched Mark Wahlberg in Rock Star. The supporting cast includes members of both The Verve Pipe and Third Eye Blind. We watched several episodes of Agatha Christie’s ‘Hercule Poirot‘ with David Suchet. We watched team USA win the gold in Olympic Basketball. Were you watching? It was pretty thrilling.
I went to CrossFit and am still aching from a running WOD and lots of Curtis P’s.
We finished three out of the four containers of Ben and Jerry’s in our freezer. Do yourself a favor and find some of their new ‘Chocolate Therapy’ if you can.
Happy Monday, everyone!
by Sam Tackeff | May 5, 2012 | Lunch, Mexican
A Cinco de Mayo lunch from Formaggio Kitchen’s weekly Saturday Outdoor Barbecue. Tongue tacos, topped with a punchy heaping of cabbage slaw and a side of pickle. I can never turn down a pickle. I hope everyone is enjoying today’s festivities!
