Cheers, Neptune
As most of you know, the snow here in Boston is never ending. Enter storm "Neptune". We decided to stay in over the weekend with lots of tea & wine. We made a quick trip (more like an hour, I couldn't stop looking at all the unique local products!) to American Provisions in South Boston to gather our fuel for Valentines Day.
As much as I am over the snow, there is something magical about it. Nothing better than curling up with loved ones and spending quality time. We got out of the house a few times to stroll and take some photos. As for the feast, we ended up with a large charcuterie board to snack on. We decided to try some new things & here's what we ended up with:
Cheese: Manchester Goat (Consider Bardwell Farm, VT), Bayley Hazen Blue (Jasper Hill Creamery, VT), & Mt. Alice (Von Trapp Farmstead, VT). We both agreed our favorite of the three was the Manchester Goat, although it's smell was less than appealing. It's a hard, aged cheese with a great earthy flavor. We loved the Bayley Hazen Blue too, a strong, nutty blue cheese with a great crumbly texture. For a creamier cheese, we tried Mt. Alice, which was unique & pungent. Texture is perfect, creamy & smooth.
Meat: coppa, proscuitto, soppressata & lardo. All were solid choices. The soppressata was sliced to perfection, just thin enough to see through. I'm drooling thinking about it. The coppa had a nice spice with a hint of orange zest. The prosciutto was just perfect. We've both never tried lardo before, so we went for it, even though we weren't exactly sure what to do with it. Per the stores recommendation, we sliced up a baguette with about a 1/4 inch slice of lardo on top and made crostinis. So simple - two ingredients followed by a toss in the broiler 'til the bread got a little crispy. Their baguettes are perfect and only $4. The crispiness of the crostini against the fattiness of the lardo, with hints of rosemary & other herbs - it was to die for.
Onto the fabulous wine selection - they have multiple bottles for any price range, starting around $9! We went for the bargain bin wines priced at $10.99 - one Pinot Grigio & one Cabernet Savignon. They have an incredible hand-selected beer wall as well. On Thursdays & Fridays they have small tastings of varying cheese, wine and beer. Even though the store is tiny, I could easily spend aIl afternoon here.
I love American Provisions for so many reasons. While things are a small price point higher than the big box grocery stores, everything is top quality, local and fresh. Knowing you are supporting local farms, produce and artisans is worth every penny. And the taste is unparalleled. Everything there is made with passion, and the staff is friendly & knowledgable. After talking about it, I may attempt to trek in the blizzard for a coffee & a sandwich... (their sandwiches deserve their own blog post.)
Stay cozy!
M
American Provisions
613 E Broadway, South Boston, MA 02127.
$-$$ (under 10, 10-25)
Good for: local cheeses & meats, sandwiches, beer & wine