Tag: MA

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#SundayFunday: Boston Burger Company – A Frappe Lover’s World

Smores from Boston Burger Company

Traveling for a food adventure has become the highlight of most weekends but in our #SundayFunday column, we look to expand the gastronomic pleasures of travel to feature some of Massachusetts’ most underrated food destinations.

Known for its baked beans, creampies, and clam chowdah (yes, chowdah – not chowder,) Boston is a place of no-nonsense eating. Sticking to its traditional values and food groups, Boston is all about its history, its baseball franks and its hearty meals. That is why, it’s no surprise that hidden behind the name Boston Burger Company there is a tradition of sweet, satisfying, over-the-top frappes. If you’re not from Boston, then the term “frappe” is just as confusing as “chowdah” but not to worry, at the Boston Burger Company in Cambridge, MA, you can have it all.

A milkshake is New England is only shaken milk and syrup, not to be confused with a frappe which is a mixture of ice cream, milk, and syrup (in Boston, words have different meanings.) To compensate for the confusion and the battle between frappe vs. milkshake, Boston Burger Company takes it a step further with their #freakfrappes – a combination of ice cream, milk, and syrup, topped with sweets like an actual layer of strawberry shortcake or a horizontal graham cracker smothered in marshmallows and melted chocolate. Each frappe is presented in a tall sexy glass and every part of the glass is used as part of the #freakfrappe. No space is overlooked. The S’more Than You Can Handle #freakfrappe is a frozen hot chocolate frappe with a graham cracker rim (crumbled graham crackers sprinkled onto the rim of the glass), chocolate syrup, and topped with a wicked (a.k.a “great”) big s’more.

Visually, the #freakfrappes are a play on adult nostalgia. It is a calling to our childhoods, when all we wanted to do was mix all our favorite sweets into one great big bowl of ice cream. M&Ms, Oreos, Nutella (a cult classic), peanut butter, and melted chocolate are only but a few of the options offered at Boston Burger Company and they are the essential components of any good frappe.

Of course, the Boston Burger Company serves their famous burgers like the Hot Mess, featured on the Rachel Ray Show, a burger with bacon, sweet potato fries, homemade thousand island dressing, diced pickles, jalapeño, red onion, lettuce, and American cheese – but honestly, who cares about the delicious burgers and fries when you can sustain yourself with a #freakfrappe? Oh, and since it’s #SundayFunday, ask for a Boozy Frappe – you’ll thank us later.

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The Peabody Essex Museum Sails with a Light Menu

The Hawthorne Sandwich at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, MA

Enjoying the warmer weather we turn to a summer series visiting museums to partake in a summer journey of art and food, after all, #FoodIsArt. (Eat at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Peabody Essex Museum; Worcester Art Museum; Norman Rockwell Museum, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum… and more).

The simplistic sentiments of community reign at Peabody Essex Museum through its vibrant, collaborative nature and open-door policy. With a rich history of captains and sailors, Peabody Essex Museum remains true to its ocean ties with its architectural design by Moshe Safdie. The expansive glass ceiling offers a glimpse into Salem’s obsession with skies and seas while a contemporary flair echoes through the walls of the museum and resonates on the delicate pages of the Atrium Café menu.

The Atrium Dining Space at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, MA
The Atrium Dining Space at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, MA

Open to all Salem residents at no cost, the Peabody Essex Museum embraces the use of the well-lit Atrium Café as a gathering center to indulge in Salem’s history. “The atrium is Salem’s living room,” said Whitney Van Dyke, Director of Communications. “With folks from Salem, we keep our doors open and inviting. We embrace the food scene that is is booming in Salem and partner with local brewers and food specialists. We do not see the outdoor eateries as competition. Instead, we embrace them with invites to our Atrium Cafe and special events.” With a contemporary menu inspired by Salem’s story, the Atrium Café infuses the culinary skills of the Hawthorne Hotel – named after Salem’s favorite son, Nathaniel Hawthorne –  into its weekly menu options.

Chefs Emmy Nelson and Nicole Nadeau bring the culinary flair of the Peabody Essex Museum’s sailing culture with light dining choices like The Hawthorne – a candied maple bacon, oven roasted turkey sandwich with spinach, Dijon mustard and sliced shallots – and the Clam Chowdah – a New England specialty. The menu, while in constant state of change to reflect inspired cuisines, is always comprised of featured soups and salads alongside gluten-free dishes and child-friendly options.

Vegetarian Chili at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, MA
Vegetarian Chili at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, MA

Casual dining at the Atrium Café is certainly a staple of Salem culture; however, PEM’s third Thursdays offer a true showcase of the culinary skills that drive the Atrium Café. On these monthly occasions, the museum opens its doors until 9 p.m.

PEM’s PM is a night of celebrating Salem’s well-bonded community with an artistic emphasis, yet the highlight of the evening is often a treat from the Atrium Café’s PM menu. The Café’s savory and inspired dishes breathe life into the simplest culinary cuisine, like the pesto arugula chicken breast and roasted purple cauliflower.

From Jalapeno cornbread to roast beef paninis and shrimp skewers, the dishes prepared by the Hawthorne Hotel for the Atrium Café speak to the modest beginnings of Salem’s History.