A food writer’s favorite culinary indulgences
If ever there was a time of year to be a little indulgent, it’s December. After all, isn’t it payback for having to slog through 31 short, dark, chilly days? In that spirit, I’ve put together my personal top 10 of micro, mini, and maxi indulgences for the month. The key to making the most out of these small pleasures is conscious ceremony. You don’t just eat the great, juicy cheeseburger on the run, or slice off cold chunks of artisanal cheese before it comes to room temperature runny-ness. You construct the ambience carefully, hold the bite in your mouth, marvel over it, rhapsodically describe it, and thus transform a small moment of sensual pleasure into a big helping of self-love.
1. Oysters at Neptune Oyster. “Like lots of creatures, oysters fatten themselves up to cope with the cold. The colder the water, the plumper the oyster,” says Neptune co-owner Jeff Nace. “Most people think of oysters as summer food. But they are best in the winter.” Indulge in a sampling of oysters from Puget Sound to Provincetown. At $2.50 each, served on a bed of ice chips and with the requisite spunky condiments, each gulp of oyster is like a brisk skinny-dip in the sea.
2. A cheeseburger and some really good fries. Give in to the urge for a little grease. The key is to eat it with mindful pleasure. I’m addicted to ordering the humble burger in upscale places — steakhouses and fancy bistros. I love the cheeseburger and fries at Eastern Standard. It’s one of the best in Boston, served on a brioche bun with a slice of really good cheese and a pile of hand-cut fries.
3. Chocolates from Chocolee. What can you say about a place that serves warm fried chocolate beignets on the weekend and makes the only really great éclairs in Boston (filled on demand instead of pre-prepared and soggy)? Easiest to share? A little quarter-pound brown box, tied up with a peach ribbon, with eight or nine handmade chocolates inside, every one a winner. And remember: dark chocolate is supposed to be heart-healthy.
4. A late-afternoon drink at the bar at the Taj. The perfect hideaway for an end-of-the-day holiday drink with a friend. It could be a martini or a glass of wine (their selection of wines by the glass is lovely), but it really is the place, not the choice. For 20 bucks, you get a seat by the fire, a three-tier tray of warm nuts, and the sense that Boston is still the most civilized city in America. They changed the name but couldn’t erase the old Ritz charm.
5. Two or three perfect cheeses from Formaggio, savored at home at room temperature. Here’s the key: enter into a dialogue with the cheese monger. Find out what’s special, what’s new, what cheese he or she thinks is exceptional on this particular day. Enjoy the tasting process, the banter. Then select one or two and accept advice on the perfect bottle of wine. My recent hot picks: Cevrin al Pepe, a pepper-crusted, velvety goat’s milk cheese from Piedmonte; Robiolo Tre Latti; and an amazing Greven Broecker, a swirly blue cheese formed by hand on a small farm in Belgium.
6. Sushi at O Ya. Oh, yeah — it’s worth it. If you give yourself permission to pay the ridiculous premium for the ambience, then the price of the sushi won’t melt your socks. It’s probably not the best restaurant in America outside New York City, as The New York Times indicated, but it’s pretty damn excellent. Sushi is a perfect small indulgence: lovingly crafted in full view, it’s all about the ritual.
7. The Adult Ice-Cream Soda at Picco. Actually, I think it’s more of a float than an ice-cream soda, but never mind. The idea of a dark, thick, Belgian lambic beer poured over vanilla ice cream seemed odd (even a little disgusting) to me when I first heard about it. But boy, is it good. A close second: Picco’s Affogato — ice cream drowned in freshly brewed espresso, served with hot fudge and whipped cream.
8. Morton’s Double Porterhouse Steak for Two. It’s expensive, but it’s worth every bit for the quality of both the meat and the performance art. Not just a meal, this is restaurant as theater. When the server wheels the cart over to your table, snaps the knife against the steel, and begins to carve, the internal carnivore awakens with gusto. It’s way too much food, and you know you should only be eating half, but it’s an indulgence of the first order.
9. A Kitchen Toy. Buying a new culinary tool for yourself is a little like buying a squeaky toy for your pet: fun and functional, but probably not a necessary upgrade to your current battery. But buy something beautiful and convince yourself that you need it — a new paring knife, one of those silicone basting brushes in a wow-y color, a cast-iron frying pan that you have to season just right. I love the hand-forged, super-cool knives made by Boston-based chef and industrial knife designer Adam Simha. Check out his line at www.mksdesign.com.
10. Pizza. Pizza — best if it’s oozing with cheese — is the perfect small indulgence. You can go upscale (the pizza rustica at the bar at Via Matta works for me); midscale at Cambridge 1 and the Upper Crust; or the downscale takeout pizza place on the corner. As long as it’s warm, crisp, and cheesy, pizza says “party” to me.
Louisa Kasdon can be reached at food@stuffatnight.com.
