Many restaurants will surely be changing their menus as the news catches up with worldwide events. Sushi anyone? I didn’t think so. Although you may not know where your fish comes from in your California Roll, many people will be unwilling to take the chance that it came from somewhere a little west of the golden coast. This line of thought led me to question: where do our more geographically identifiable victuals get their monikers from? Is it really a story of their origins, or is it simply an advertising ploy? Let’s explore a few of our favorites for some answers. Cheesecake is something …

The Panthers are on the prowl in Marlborough! The roar of pick-up truck drowns out the low growl of the mini van as herds of mothers and fathers make the rounds, transporting young athletes to and from practice, to and from games, and home again to work hard fulfilling the first requirement of the student-athlete. Between academic demands and the rigors of athletics, a lot of calories are burned and a lot of time is spent in transit. Quick, nutritious meals are the easiest thing for a parent to offer with demands of their own. These quick pizzas are alarmingly easy, deceptively delicious and …

Spring is in the air! Or will be as soon as the snow stops flying. After the wacky weather of late March this year, there is really no telling when true spring weather will arrive.  But when it does, you know the people of Marlborough will be loving every minute of it. This time of year it’s easy to get caught up dreaming of the epicurean delights of fresh meals to come. With the price of food going up, the fact that dried herbs from the store are never quite fresh enough and the power that comes from being a self-provisioned embellisher, there are many good reasons to grow your own herbs, as…

There's no good reason "junk food" should be junky. Gourmet grilled cheese, french fries and pizza can be found far and wide in  restaurants from downtown Marlborough to uptown NYC, complete with wine pairings! The reason these foods are so appealing to us is multifold. We remember chowing down on them as kids, the drippier the better with the cheese literally stretching two feet from face to plate. This warm, gooey reminder of more carefree days, without a thought toward calories or cholesterol, is what we’re savoring along with the flavor. So why not recapture this with a little more flair…

What’s the most important part of being a cook? Whether every night is a culinary delight, or you must wait until the end of the workweek to pull together something borderline edible, every one of us has the potential to be a cook upon entering the kitchen. So what is the most essential part? As any working man or woman will tell you, one of the things that will make or break you is having the right tools to do the job. Importantly, one must know how to preserve those tools of the trade. How many of us can remember a cast iron skillet? That one that grandma had that never touched the soapy …

Valentine’s Day has come and gone, Groundhog’s Day brought the promise of Spring, and the weather has turned decidedly away from winter’s chill (this week anyway). With days bringing us closer to summer’s warmth and nights clinging to winter’s cold the sap is beginning to run. Whether a sugar farm or not, if you know where to look, you can find the spigots sticking out of trees everywhere. It is this fickle spring weather that brought on this recipe, that and the blueberries I picked in August still keeping the ice cubes company in my freezer. A syrupy, sweet breakfast that sets itself far …

Diets turning you into a raving lunatic too? Right around this time of the year people are worrying about losing those extra winter pounds in preparation for vacations to skin-baring beaches or taking the agonizing slow and steady route to a leaner, meaner self come June. Starving ourselves is clearly the wrong way to go about trimming, slimming and defining our bodies. And diets can feel so restricting, so why not eat ourselves healthy? Here are ten good reasons: 10. Nuts are powerhouses of vital nutrients. B and E vitamins, protein, healthy fats, iron . . .  The list goes on. All in a very …

Olive oil is becoming as much a treasure today for its health benefits as in ancient times, when the oil was representative of purity and burned in sacred temples. The leaves were bestowed upon Olympians as a victory crown. But what about the olive itself? Well the olive isn’t just for martinis folks. Over three dozen varieties exist today of various sizes, textures and ranging from green to black. Inedible until put through a long brine process, what compelled the ancients to do this? They are jam packed with all sorts of healthiness, that’s why. Lutein, carotenoid, polyphenols and beta-…

They say that Valentine's Day cards originated right down the lane in Worcester. That could be, but in any case this may be the year it's time to start a different tradition with your loved one: a tasty, edible reminder that you're sweet on them. Cookie bouquets sell on-line for $40 and more. Who has that laying around nowadays? And doesn’t homemade sound a little more significant than ordering one from some mystery-cookie-shop-site- I- Googled-this-afternoon-dot-com? A trip to the grocery store and you’ve got just what you need to do one up in one afternoon of baking delight. You’ll need:— …

Everyone likes pie. Using a delicious, flaky pastry to package some tasty filling is exponentially fabulous. Mathematically speaking I feel safe deducing that pie = yummy2. Relegating pie to the desert table is an insult to the dish that has served us so well. Quiche is a wonderfully quick dinner to simply put together and cook. It can be made to fit any taste preference, and is one of those amazing dishes that makes leftovers into an exciting meal all their own.  And so what better tonight than delectable dinner pie in the form of quiche? So versatile, so easily personalized, and so easy to …

The hectic nature of the school year combined with the winter issued demand of warm, filling dinner options makes the concept “quick and easy” a difficult one to reconcile. Imagine a one pan wonder, a ten minute masterpiece. Warm and filling, this simple meal remains versatile enough to personalize for the family. What you’ll need to do is visit your local Hannaford, right down the road on Rt 20, and then run over Nature’s Place section. Here you’ll find a host of wholesome and organic foods for your family. Eden Organic black soybeans are the star of our dinner bowl tonight. These legumes …

Winter is a time of blustery winds and warm fires, snow forts and hot cocoa; long nights, and snow days. This is when the snow comes not in flurries, but in piles and the dual harmony of cheering children and groaning parents is the song of the season. Solutions for getting through these hard times include bundling the kiddies up and locking them out, popping in DVD after DVD for their entertainment while loading them up with popcorn, or taking this opportunity to let our inner child out and play with them.      There will come a point in the day when even the most outdoors-content child will…

     The new year has come, the parties have gone, and what's left? The same job, same obligations, same school schedules. The difference? New demands leave us overwrought. New years' resolutions are still fresh in mind when we forgo a healthy meal to grab fast food on the way home, adding guilt to the equation.     This season is the time for fresh starts, and so we bring on a series of quick, easy meals that are as filling as they are fulfilling, with fresh ingredients and a refreshing flavor that will leave you a little impressed with yourself.     For quick, easy meals anytime, one must …

By this time of the year we all know where we stand as a guest or as a host. As a host it is our sworn duty to provide the perfect atmosphere for the festive gathering, from meal preparation to seating, it is an art. Fortunately, most of us find ourselves on the guest list far more frequently. This doesn't mean, however, we guests can pass the buck quite so easily. Even if, as host, the meal is planned down to the dish-washing treaty, or as a guest we have the carpool perfectly plotted, one final detail is all too often left to a last moment, and that would be the wine. This is the portion of…