The Round Up: December 2024
Food:
December started off strong at home in the Bay Area with, dim sum at Yank Sing. For anyone new here, I actually host my Bat Mitzvah at Yank Sing when I was 13. I believe it was the first event they ever hosted in the space. Yank Sing remains one of my favorite dim sum spots in SF.
When we got back to Boston, we tried Someak and it was really fun. We sat at the bar, had some delicious cocktails and bites. It was really nice to find yummy Korean food in the Boston area, as coming from DC, that is something I was spoiled with. We will definitely be back - my favorite bites were the banchan (specifically the mu radish kimchi, sesame spinach, stewed potato, and the garlic chive), bossam and the pork bulgogi was unreal.
When my husband craves Indian food… we go get Indian food immediately, as it is a rarity. We tried out The Maharaja in Cambridge and had a nice time! Nothing mind blowing but if you are looking for delicious classics, this is a really good option. Plus the mango martini was very yummy.
I made some pork cutlet schnitzel and it was delicious, but what was even more fun was that the next night, with all the leftovers, I turned that schnitzel into a tonkatsu meal with some rice, cabbage salad with sesame dressing and some Bachan’s Japanese BBQ sauce.
It is freezing in the North East, which means I will only be eating warm food for the foreseeable future. I love a savory pie made so easy with pre-made puff pastry. Pro-tip, Trader Joes only carries their puff pastry in the winter and it is so cheap compared to others I have found. I always stock up and stick a bunch in my freezer for future use.
We tried Fat Hen in Somerville and had a really nice meal! They have a great cocktail / wine list and the pastas were really delicious. We loved the fresh pasta with Bolognese and the fungi pasta.
We met my sister in law at Ming’s Seafood in Quincy. It is a huge banquet room with a pretty big menu. Was it the most delicious dim sum I have ever had? No, but I would go back. It did the job and next time I want to try more of their dishes (noodles and meat, etc.).
We had some friends come and stay with us during the end of the year and I made a batch of granola to have in the house for breakfasts. I did my mom’s classic recipe but swapped the dried cherries for blueberries and did extra walnuts instead of almonds.
For Christmas Eve we went into Boston’s Chinatown and went to Peach Farm. We had a really nice meal - the highlights for me were the string beans with pork and the Cantonese style lobster. I will definitely be back.
During the down time between Christmas and New Years, we took the 1.5 hour trip to Portland, ME for lunch at Mr. Tuna and to be honest with you, I would make that trip once a week. It was so beyond delicious. If you are anywhere near Portland, please make an effort to go visit Mr. Tuna.
We had some of our very best friends come and visit us up in Boston from DC for the last week of December and they introduced us to their favorite casual sushi spot called Ocean Sushi in Melrose. It was so good and the fish quality was really fresh. We will definitely be back!
We finally made it to June Bug in Somerville and it was very delicious. We really loved the food, the cocktails and the vibe was great!
We had a really lovely NYE with some friends at our place. For the food we did a ton of apps and made a few recipes from Wishbone Kitchen, including her twice baked potatoes and buffalo beer cheese (minus the buffalo). We also made the Bon Appetit extra green goddess dressing. It was such a fun night with old and new friends!
Other:
I saw Gladiator II and absolutely loved it!
The amount of shopping / purchases I have made and done at GAP this month has been insane. I have gotten 5 sweaters and a pair of jeans and I am thrilled with all of it! I got this Oversized Split-Hem Mockneck in the black, light oak beige and brown and off white stripes. I also got this CashSoft Turtleneck Sweater in the flannel taupe beige and this CashSoft Cropped High V-Neck Sweater in heather grey. Lastly I got these pull-on jeans horseshoe that I am THRILLED with.
I finished All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker this month and it was absolutely incredible. This is a mystery story like I have never experienced in my life. Whitaker really brought to life a set of characters, trauma, and a small-town community rattled by murders in their town. I would highly recommend this book!
I watched all of Bad Sisters on Amazon and absolutely loved it. I loved how the mystery was played out in this show - I really didn’t see the twists coming. Also, I generally love any TV that takes place in the UK or Ireland.
December also brought the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. We lit candles all 8 nights and got to celebrate alone, with family and with friends. While Hanukkah is not the most important Jewish holiday, there is something so cozy and calming about taking a second in your evening and lighting some candles.
Lenny:
