The Wooden Toy and Craft Store: Now They Have A Hammer (Or Two)

Imagine a safe place for children to create cars, trucks, boats, birdhouses, wooden animals, and even chairs (for stuffed animals. )  We discovered it as a site for a birthday party for my preschool son and we have continued to return on our own.  In the back of Trombetta's Farm in Marlboro is a wonderful crafts paradise of sorts.

At the Wooden Toy Store, owned and run by Bob ("The Original Bob the Builder"), children (and adults) can drop in anytime to create wooden toys with pre-made kits.  Bob teaches kids how to handle  hammers, nails and even screwdrivers without hurting anyone.  For my 6 year old's birthday party, his friends were as content as could be creating biplanes.

You can also buy the kits to go and kids can bang away happily on rainy days at home.   Even better, you can buy buckets filled with wood pieces to make fabulous creations on their own.

Wooden Toys and Crafts, 655 Farm Road, Marlborough, 508-485-6992

The Wayland Winter Farmer's Market: More Reasons We Love it There

Because, not only are there so many types of produce, but there are heirloom beans.

Baer's Best Beans are grown in Maine and are perfect for heaping bowls topped with sea salt, olive oil and a bit of vinegar.

Because there are blue eggs, care of Pete and Jen's Backyard Birds that are laid by chickens right in Concord.

Because there are homemade pickles-grapes, carrots, asparagus and even, yes, cucumbers.

Because, if you are lucky, there are goats, bunnies and baby lambs.

And because the setting, Russell's Garden Center provides color in the grey winter.

(Photos care of my four year old son who was enamored with the silk flowers and ribbons!)

We love the Wayland Winter Farmer's Market at Russell's Garden Center in Wayland.

Dim Sum is Still Fun at Green Tea

For the first time I took my two sons, solo, to Dim Sum at Green Tea in Newton.  We had been talking about Chinese New Year throughout the week and decided it was time to celebrate. Forgetting that our best friends, Kami of The Fence and Seth of Dadventures in Beantown had abandoned us moved to Brooklyn, I ordered, I kid you not, 10 different items!  My older son devoured a freshly cooked pile of chicken wings.  He also dove into the lo mein. And my other son (already a foodie!), loved the rest as much as I did. We ate green dumplings, full of spinach. We shared tapioca dumplings filled with mung bean custard. We enjoyed creamy bowls of tofu in ginger syrup. We shared shrimp dumplings and roast pork buns.  We only passed on the Chinese crullers that tasted of old oil.  It wasn't the same as the last time we were there with our BFFs...but we enjoyed it just the same.

Why You Should Go to a Winter Farmers Market

Because there aren't just potatoes. There are 10 different types of potatoes! (Along with purple carrots, watermelon radishes, fresh eggs, just created olive oil, newly ground cornmeal and locally raised pork.)  I've been visiting the Wayland Farmers Market this winter. But if memories of last year are still reality, the Somerville Winter Market and Rhode Island/Providence/Pawtucket Market are also gems.

Uni, Umami and Art

The deCordova Biennial was a festival of exciting and creative artists. Each of the featured artists offered a diverse selection of mediums, from quilting, to wood, animation to beautiful prints. True, my sister-in-law is one of the co-curators of the exhibit, but trust me-it is that good.  The reality is that the deCordova is a great place to  visit anytime.  And after you are inspired at the deCordova, stop at another Lincoln gem: AKA Bistro. I wrote about AKA when it first opened almost 2 years ago. I was optimistic about the combination of Chef Chung (who had created one of my most memorable meals at the Uni Sushi Bar) and Christian Touche.  This time my mother loved her salad from the French side of the menu, while I strayed over to the Japanese side. Three dishes from Chef Chung and I was as smitten, if not more so, than in my previous visit.  Each plate was artful in its design and taste. The Suzuki consisted of hybrid striped bass, mango kosho, umeboshi, red shiso seasoning.  Chef Chung also suggested trying the delicate kampachi or amberjack.  Finally, the Chef was generous enough to send out one other treat: fresh uni (sea urchin) sitting on homemade tofu and topped with a wonderful sauce.  The deCordova and AKA are a perfect duo and easily worth a trip to Lincoln.

Edamame, ketchup, marshmallow cupcakes anyone? Yup!

The snow has arrived. And I do adore watching my sons bundle up in layers of winter clothes, barely able to contain themselves at the soon to be snow balls and snow angels outside. However, as the dark comes early, or when it is just a sleet storm, there are just so many pillow forts and recycled box castles that we can make.  So, recently, inspired by our reading of Roald Dahl's book George's Marvellous Medicine we decided to cook. Or rather, my sons "cooked."

I loaded up muffin tins with aged spices, beans, rice, marshmallows, shriveled old edamame, and any other goodies that hid in the corners of my pantry. I gave them each a cupful of flour. They were in charge of finding measuring cups, mixing spoons and bowls. Then they designed their recipes. It was over an hour of sheer pleasure. They mixed. They measured. They readjusted. They decorated.

And, in the most classic of moments, one of my sons actually, yes, tasted the creation! (I promise no raw eggs were used!)  They chose the oven temperature and time (with my guidance) and checked the items for doneness. Needless to say, I just don't think a recipe is necessary!

Inspired by Sofra's Parfait: Wheat Berry, Yogurt and Kumquat Compote

It is a delight to dig into a nutty, creamy parfait and know that it is ridiculously healthy. Inspired by a dish that I had at Sofra in Watertown, I have been regularly making this for breakfast and lunch. At Sofra, they used grano, Greek yogurt and a fruit compote. I have swapped out wheat berries for the hard-to-find grano and use non-fat Greek yogurt. The simplest way to do this is to use fresh fruit or a store-bought compote. But I delight in creating the compotes themselves, often trying to take advantage of the fruits at Russo's in Watertown. This week, for example, I made two, both sweet and tart. For the first, scarlet rhubarb with a hint of ginger. The second was a gorgeous kumquat-lemon. Once cooked, the wheat berries last in the refrigerator all week. My son loves the wheat berries with a bit of maple syrup and milk. I have also used them in savory salads mixed with lemon, olive oil and chopped vegetables. But the parfait is what I eat after going to yoga or before starting out on my day.

To make the wheat berries, simply simmer 1 cup wheat berries in 3 cups of water for about an hour until tender. Drain and let them cool in the refrigerator. You can store them in the refrigerator or in the freezer.

Simply layer the wheat berries with the yogurt and fresh fruit or any fruit compote. You can eat it immediately. However, if you keep it in the refrigerator for about an hour, the wheat berries gently absorb some of the fruit and yogurt, making it even more delicious.

For the rhubarb compote, I simmer 4 cups of chopped rhubarb with 1 1/2 cups of sugar and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. I cook the mixture on low heat until the rhubarb collapses. Other times I throw in thin slices of ginger.

For the kumquat compote, I simmer begin by slicing the kumquats. I try to remove the seeds as I do so. I then simmer about 2 cups of kumquats with 1 cup of sugar and the juice of one lemon. Again, I cook this on low heat until the mixture reduces slightly.

Both compotes will thicken as they cool.  I use them as jams, on frozen yogurt, and to drizzle on hard cheeses.