Cape Verdean Food at Restaurante Cesaria

Massachusetts has a pretty big Cape Verdean and Portuguese population from my understanding so it is only natural to have a couple more dining spots specializing in this kind of cuisine
over places like Tampa. I’d really like to get my buds on traditional dishes like katchupada, a slow simmered
stew of hominy, pork, beans, and kale or cabritada, which is comprised of stewed goat served with potatoes, mandioca and white rice.
While my heart beats passionately for hominy, I’ve never had goat, but have been wanting to try some for the
longest time.

 

Perhaps all that will require a special trip up to the city of Boston or Dorchester and more specifically
Restaurante Cesaria, a
favorite amongst locals who dig this sort of food. Judging from the menu, the prices are no
where close to outrageous, so if the experience should be less than favorable (which I doubt it would be) at least you
wouldn’t have shelled mucho bucks smackin’ your gums on something new. As a side note it looks as if they
also have live Cape Verdean music every Thursday.

Drinks for Two, With a View

Good for the folks at Fodors Travel to come up with a short list of the best places around the city to grab a stiff
one and gaze across the glorious skyline of the city at the same time. This fine little list of watering
holes with a vista is nicely done, and gives props to a couple of my favoriet spots including the Rainbow Room and the Top of the Tower, on the 26th
floor of the Hotel Beekman.  The Lobby Lounge at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel is not a place I know ,but the photo
sure looks swell. I might have to give it a go when a buddy of mine arrives soon to visit the city. 

Sawatdee Cooking Classes

Ever go to
one of your favorite restaurants wishing they’d provide you with that secret recipe that makes your taste buds melt
every time? Maybe it’s the one that sets them on fire. Sawatdee, a
small chain
of Thai restaurants with locations in Minneapolis, Maple Grove, Bloomington, and St. Cloud is offering
interested folks the opportunity to learn how to make some of their popular and most commonly ordered dishes. Imagine
sweet, spicy, savory Thai aromas drifting from your very own kitchen. The owner, Supenn Harrison presents recipes,
anecdotes, and Thai cultural information during the two hour Saturday
sessions
. The cost is $50 per person with the promise to eat tons of what is made. Coursework includes cooking
fresh spring rolls, egg rolls, Toam Yum soup, fried rice, and an introduction to Thai spices. Yummy.

Next
two classes are on Saturday, January 21, 2006 1-3PM and Saturday, January 28, 2006 1-3PM. Enrollment is limited.

What Does the World Eat?


That is a fine question. In some places, depending on what news you read, you might be led
to believe that the world eats nothing but fast food, now that the big chains are pretty much everywhere. Yet others
might think that the third world gets by on donated grain. Of course, neither of these are true. But if you want to get
the truth, the fascinating truth, about what the world eats, you should turn to this new book called

Hungry Planet: What the World Eats
by Peter Menzel and Faith D’Aluisio.  The photographer/writer duo
hoofed it to 24 countries to interview some 30 families, and the result is this interesting study
of global nutrition. And to read more,
here is an interview with
the authors from USA Today.

2006: AOL CityGuide Trends

Cupcakes, spelling bees, and beauty food all made the forecast for AOL City Guides list of trends
in 2006. First off, who gets this job? How many bakeries does one survey to
find cookies were the pastry of choice last year and a backpacking couple in 2006 is probably going to splurge on a
sugary cupcake with strawberry
icing and sprinkles? On the flip-side there’s also a push toward
beauty food in places like
glitzy Miami. Think gotu kola and goji berries. Forget belting slurred lyrics of ” My Cherie Amor” at the karaoke bar.
A new kind of night crowd has emerged and they’re taking the world by storm, one letter at a time.
Freddy’s Bar and Back Room in Brooklyn, N.Y. host
spelling bees for the 21 and up
trivia night crowd. “Uh, Freddy… Can you use that in a sentence please? And, um, what’s the origin of the
word?”  

See the full list of trends including others like roller derbies, WiFi cities, and Vegas haute cuisine,
here. BTW – Thanks AOL City
Guide. Without you guys spotting the trends I’d still be eating oatmeal raisin cookies in the New Year. Now I
know.