New England

The Chowdah Project Loves Harry’s Restaurant

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It’s been a while since I delved into the world of chowder. But The Chowdah Project is back!

My friend L lives west of Boston. I live just south, and usually we meet in Boston. This time when we decided to get together, I suggested going to her part of the state.

I mentioned that I’d like to try some chowder and asked about some local places. She suggested three, and we decided on Harry’s Restaurant. It’s easy to get to from Boston on the Pike and it’s close to the 495 exit for her. Plus, L said that she had gone by it a million times and always planned to go, but never did.

Harry’s has a great website, so all the information that we needed was easy to find. I was very intrigued by all the different types of chowders (clam, seafood, fish & corn) they have in addition to a variety of foods.

The menu and website invite you to try the food, the same way that you’re invited in person once you arrive – friendly in a way that feels comforting. It’s classic Americana and the type of place that you could return to over and over. I definitely want to go back!

Harry’s is a family owned restaurant that’s been operating since 1946. Not surprising either. The food is delicious! When I was posting pictures on Instagram, I received immediate positive feedback from someone who has been there many times.

It’s a local hangout. Great comfort food!

So the chowder! L had the bowl of clam chowder shown above. She loved it! We both noted that it was the perfect consistency and had nice sized chunks of clams.

I had a cup of corn chowder. Perfection! It made me happy and I would get a bowl next time, so I could have more. So many big chunks of corn. Sweet creamy goodness.

I definitely recommend trying Harry’s for chowder and more!

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Harry’s Restaurant ~ Clam, Seafood, Fish & Corn Chowder
Location: 149 Turnpike Road, Westborough, MA

A Collection Of Moments: November

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A Collection Of Moments, is my attempt to actively notice the changes and beauty within each month. Because what is life, but a series of moments strung together like twinkling lights on a string?

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NOVEMBER is …

Recently bared tree limbs

swaying in the wind

against the gray blue sky.

Moving through mounds of leaves

swirling and crunching under your feet.

The sun low in the sky

creeping down and

almost fully gone by five.

A pen and ballot in hand

to mark the box and

dream of a better future.

Cinnamon, ginger, sugar and butter.

Root vegetables, onions, turkey.

Slicing, dicing, cooking, stirring.

Baking, basting and eating.

Family and friends gathered as one.

Thankful for this day.

The Chowdah Project

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While I’m more of a baker than a cook, and known for my sweet tooth, there’s another side to me. A savory side.

That side especially shows itself when the temperature dips and the winds pick up. Unless I’m outside in the sweltering heat of summer, I’m probably feeling cold.

Growing up in New England, chowder was a staple – especially clam chowder. So when there’s a chill in the air and I’m thinking about food, I think about chowder.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been thinking that I’d like to try the chowder at different restaurants and make a chowder catalog. I decided to set up a separate Twitter account to do this. Because so much of my main Twitter is politics, this will be a dedicated feed of chowder.

My plan is to share chowder recipes, history, trivia and places where you can eat some good chowder.

Since I’m all about creating different fun projects for myself, this one is named The Chowdah Project. A cup of chowder is a great way to begin a meal. A bowl of chowder can be a perfect meal by itself. Both are relatively cheap and a great way to warm yourself up. So welcome to The Chowdah Project!

Why chowdah? Cause that’s how we say it here!

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Yesterday, I visited a new restaurant in Quincy called Brick & Beam. It was my first time trying the restaurant and I was pleased. The ambiance is nice and it’s very close to where I live. The service was good too and I plan to go back for a full meal at some point.

I had a cup of clam chowder for a warm late afternoon snack. It was piping hot and soothing for the soul. The wind was whipping outside and I was glad to escape the chill. The flavor of the chowder was good. But it was a bit thicker than I prefer. Everyone has their own preference when it comes to consistency. For someone else, it would have been just right.

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Brick & Beam ~ N.E. Clam Chowder
Cup: $6.00
Bowl: $8.00
Location: 705 Adams Street, Quincy, MA

A Collection Of Moments: October

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October falling leaves

It’s October. But summer is my favorite season. Living in New England, we don’t get to pick and choose the season we exist in.

As summer faded away and turned to fall, I decided it’s best to appreciate each season. Days sometimes feel long, but life is short. What we resist persists, so my goal is to be all in with each season that life brings. Even October.

This monthly series, A Collection Of Moments, is my attempt to actively notice the changes and beauty within each month. Because what is life, but a series of moments strung together like twinkling lights on a string?

October outdoor fire

OCTOBER is …

The beauty of fiery red, orange and yellow leaves.

Falling at your feet.

Winding up on your windshield.

The bounty of the harvest at farmers markets.

Sweet maple syrup on warm pancakes.

A cup of hot tea.

Looking out a window at the sky.

The sparks and crackle of an outdoor fire

that warms your hands

and smoke that smells like memories.

Quincy Farmers Market

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This past Friday, I finally made it to Quincy Farmers Market. Even though I live in Quincy, I’m usually working in Boston. So the only farmers markets that I can get to in time tend to be in Boston.

I’ve been between projects for a couple of weeks, so I’ve had some free time to spend out and about closer to home. A few years ago I went to Quincy Farmers Market, when it was at a different location.  I was not impressed. If I remember correctly, it was in a parking lot in Quincy Center. There wasn’t much there and I encountered some less than friendly people.

Now the farmers market is in a much better location. It’s in a wide open green space at Pageant Field on Merrymount Parkway. There is a wonderful selection of fruits, vegetables, maple syrup, honey, baked goods, some prepared foods, skin care items and more.

The one thing that I don’t remember seeing and hoping for was fresh flowers, but maybe they have them at other times. There were lots of pumpkins though if you’re looking!

Everyone was friendly and eager to tell me about their products. It was a very welcoming atmosphere and  stayed longer than I had planned. The farmers market goes on through November 16th, so hopefully I’ll have the chance to go at least once more. The hours are limited though, Fridays from 11:30am – 5pm.

While I was there, I bought some sweet potatoes, onions, carrots, apples, pears and maple syrup. Maple syrup is one of my favorite things. I use it on my oatmeal and in my morning coffee.

The syrup that I bought is from Ackermann Maple Farm in Vermont. There were so many lovely flavors and I enjoyed a sweet taste testing!

The pears that I bought are Asian pears from Sky Meadow Orchards, in Scituate. A taste test revealed a very crisp and juicy fruit that I enjoyed immensely — almost more like an apple.

Even though summer is over, many summer farmers markets continue through late October mid-November.

Winter Markets will be open soon and we still have the year-round Boston Public Market. So there are still plenty of opportunities to continue getting fresh produce as the New England chill turns to frost, ice and snow.