Archives: Know-How

Festive Easter & Passover Holidays At Home

Spiral Hams, Butcher Boy Market

The arrival of Easter and Passover is the annual cue that winter is over, and we can look forward to longer days and warmer temperatures as spring moves in. Celebrate the season of fresh beginnings with a holiday meal!

Lamb Lollipops, Butcher Boy Market

The spring holiday season is upon us, and we have plenty of options to make family meals special. If you are thinking of ham or lamb for Easter, we can help you choose the perfect one, depending on how you want to prepare it — whether it’s a classic spiral ham or lamb roast. For smaller appetites or something perfect for individual servings, give lamb ‘lollipops’ a try. Some families prefer to celebrate with brunch rather than a big meal later in the day.

Lamb Roasts, Butcher Boy Market

Passover — April 12  through April 20 this year — begins its week of customs with a ceremonial Seder. The meal’s menu might vary among families, but brisket, roast chicken, or lamb often are the main entrée to accompany traditional items. Our expert butchers can help you select the ideal size and cut of meat for your meal.

We have everything available to make your meal complete — including side dishes and desserts ready to serve. We have the selection you need and the people who know meat best. What are your favorite menu items for spring celebrations? We’d love to hear from you!

Grandma O’Connor’s Irish Soda Bread

Butcher Boy’s latest in our guest blog series is here. We highlight our customers and their recipes, inspirations, and enjoyment of great food. Follow #RealPeopleRealFood on Instagram for our latest posts and updates from previous contributors.

Guest Blogger
Guest Blogger Kathleen O’Connor Potter

Our March guest blogger is Kathleen O’Connor Potter from Bradford, MA. Kathleen shares her Irish grandmother’s Irish Soda Bread recipe direct from County Kerry, Ireland. Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day.

My Grandparents, Jack and Ethel O’Connor, were born and grew up in Dingle Bay, County Kerry, Ireland.

Jack left Ireland in 1919 when he was 23, all alone. I often think about his bravery — if he had not had the courage to leave everything he knew behind — where would we all be now? After he found work, he sent for Grandma. They married and settled in Springfield, Massachusetts. Grandma was very proud of the fact that they were not matched by the matchmakers who arranged marriages in Ireland — they were in love. They became part of a community of Irish immigrants who yearned for the old country while celebrating their new life in America.

Jack Ethel O'Connor
Jack and Ethel O’Connor with Kathleen

Jack and Ethel raised their four children in the Hungry Hill (Irish) section of Springfield, where they faithfully attended Our Lady of Hope Church and observed the holy days with feasts of simple food, carefully prepared for a house full of grandchildren.

This is what I remember most about my grandmother’s immaculate kitchen — there was always a warm loaf of Irish soda bread on the counter.

Many traditions and cultures have come together in the persons of my two marvelously diverse granddaughters. And now I am the grandmother who will be baking the soda bread and celebrating the Irish in them, with Ethel and Jack looking on from the “other side.”

Irish Soda Bread Recipe Card
Grandma O’Connor’s handwritten Irish Soda Bread recipe hangs in Kathleen’s kitchen today.

Grandma O’Connor’s Irish Soda Bread

  • 4 cups flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • 6 tablespoons butter
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 6 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup raisins
Cooling loaves for family & friends

Sift together flour, baking powder and baking soda

Cream together butter and sugar – add buttermilk and eggs and blend

Add wet ingredients to dry and blend

Stir in raisins

Place in greased tins (I use small cast iron frying pans) – and bake at 350º for one hour (test for doneness after 40 minutes) – After about 15 minutes in the oven – I brush the tops of the loaves with a mixture of egg and water and cut a cross in the top with a knife (the dough is too wet to do this when it first goes into the oven). Baking time can vary depending on how hot your oven is.

Makes two loaves.

ps: We are a no caraway seed family.

Download and print the recipe here.

Special Occasion Dinners for Any Home Chef

Special Occasion Dinner at HomeFor many of us over the past year, an evening to celebrate a special occasion with dinner out on the town has been put on hold. In the meantime, we still need to celebrate, perhaps now more than ever. No matter your culinary talents — or lack thereof — any home cook can upgrade an ordinary night in, to give a birthday, anniversary, Valentine’s Day (hint hint), or any big announcement or milestone the recognition it deserves.

Create a restaurant-quality meal right at home. It is easier than you think, but the results are just as impressive as if it were prepared by a professional. One of our most popular cuts of beef for a special dinner is the filet mignon. Keep it simple with a classic pan-seared cooking method that can’t be beat for tenderness. The same goes for the porterhouse, often a steak that is a real treat for hearty appetites. Serve with your favorite steakhouse sides, and it’ll taste truly authentic. Another special occasion meal that might be far from your usual at-home menu: grilled lollipop lambchops. The “rack of lamb,” has incredibly tender meat. It’s a perfect meal for two, either for Valentine’s Day or any weekend night and easier to prepare than you’d think.

lollipop rack of lamb
Lamb Lollipop (chops) at Butcher Boy

Focus on the cooking and let us help with the dessert. Butcher Boy has a sweet selection of cakes and pastries to pair with your savory entree. Looking for something decadent? Try a chocolate lava cake, Mousse Tower, or the Konditor Meister ganache cake for two. Need a great bottle of wine or the makings for a fancy cocktail? We have that, too!

Even though you’re at home, there are some easy ways to make it feel like a special night out. Change out of your usual attire and dress the part, break out the good dishes and glasses, light a few candles, and set the mood with music. If you have a fireplace, create some fireside dining romance. If the weather cooperates, how about an outdoor winter wonderland? String up some lights around the deck or patio. Sit around a crackling fire pit under blankets take the time to reconnect under the stars.

What are your time-tested romantic meals and at-home date ideas? Share with us on Facebook or Instagram.

Sweet and Savory Sue

Butcher Boy’s guest blog series is an opportunity for us to feature some of our customers, and to share their recipes, inspiration, and enjoyment of great food. Follow #RealPeopleRealFood on Instagram to see new posts in this series.

February’s guest blogger is Sue Cobb, an attorney by day and a food enthusiast at home. See her story below:

Hi! I’m Sue and I started Sweet and Savory Sue because, during this unprecedented time, I decided to ride out the pandemic focused on joy and gratitude. What better way to celebrate the joy of staying home with loved ones but to come together over great food! I do have a day job practicing law in downtown Boston, but teleworking has allowed even more time (no more long commutes) for creating and preparing wonderful meals that I love to share on sweetandsavorysue.com and on Instagram and Facebook.  Sweet and Savory Sue has become a family affair as well with regular posts that include my husband, Grill Master Steve, and our two wonderful adult children, Guest Chef Harrison and the Lovely Lydia!  The whole family loves to call and text about getting together for a great meal, and meal planning has included many masked-up shopping trips to Butcher Boy.

steaksAs I share on my website, I grew up in Andover, went to college in Maine and law school in Boston, and spend a lot of time in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.  My family and I love all things New England including its natural beauty and rich history.  I try and include interesting pieces in my postings about the many wonderful things in New England, and have in the past posted about the tradition of the local farmer’s market, the Ammonoosuc River that runs off of Mt Washington, and visits to Whitefield, Littleton, Bethlehem, and Sugar Hill, New Hampshire.  My hope is to include more posts about interesting places to visit throughout New England when travel is safer.

We all know the month of February includes Valentine’s Day which for Sweet and Savory Sue means another opportunity to prepare a wonderful meal.  This year I’m thinking of making filet mignon with herbs de Provence and a red wine bearnaise sauce, which will of course include another trip to Butcher Boy. I haven’t prepared this in a while, but if I recall correctly – it was so good! So good!  I usually serve this with some simple sides like roasted new potatoes and asparagus with mustard bread crumbs. Please check out sweetansavorysue.com for these and other recipes.

The goal of my food blogging journey has been to share some of my family’s favorite dishes in the hope that my recipes and postings might inspire others to try them at home with their loved ones, or, at the very least, make people smile.  There has been a lot of stress and dark news during these past months, but Sweet and Savory Sue has provided me, and I hope others as well with some much-needed respite and the opportunity to connect and collaborate about food.

Please connect with me at sweetandsavorysue.com or on Instagram.  I look forward to collaborating with you!

Winter’s Best Comfort Foods

Winter has settled over us, and with more time spent at home, there’s more time for cooking and finding comfort in our favorite foods. These are the kinds of meals that bring us emotional comfort — reminding us of fond memories, occasions, people or places in our lives. What are your go-to meals for chilly evenings and weekends when the only thing on your schedule is to stay cozy at home?

There are classics, such as pot roast, meatloaf, stews, pastas, and casseroles from family recipes. Others have a modern twist, some are simple enough to prepare on a weeknight, and still others are even better as leftovers. Here are a few ideas that will fill your home with delicious aromas and meet all your comfort food needs.

Sometimes there’s nothing better for Sunday dinner than a traditional roast, accompanied by a variety of vegetables. The same goes for beef stew. These are the meals that simmer for hours and make your mouth water while you wait… and it’s worth it. Meatloaf is another meal often associated with reminiscing about childhood or making us feel better when we need a boost. No matter which beef entree is on your menu, Butcher Boy can provide the freshest cuts of meat, including ground beef prepared right in our store so you always know you’re getting the best quality.

bone in center cut pork roast

If pork is more to your liking, how about a bone-in roast? It looks more elaborate than it is to prepare, so you can impress the family with an amazing meal. For something different, how about Butcher Boy pork pinwheels stuffed with spinach, mozzarella and breadcrumbs? It’s a fancy-looking meal that is prepped for you – but no need to tell the family that little secret!

stuffed pork pinwheels

No matter the time of year, sometimes there’s nothing like lasagna or baked ziti to bring a family together. Many of the conventional recipes we love can be tweaked for something more sophisticated, like this recipe for baked rigatoni with lamb ragu. The most basic spaghetti and meatballs can hit the spot, too. For the side, we think you’ll love a fresh focaccia bread from local favorite Iggy’s Breads – available at Butcher Boy Market. Just slice and serve.

After a cold winter’s day in the snow and ice, either sledding, skiing or skating, what’s better than a hot homemade chicken noodle soup or chili to warm you up? Talk about comfort! Make a big batch to feed your family for days or freeze some for later. Don’t forget to shop for all your ingredients at our market — from fresh veggies to poultry and your meats of choice.

When time is tight after working all day or you just don’t have the energy to prepare a large meal, simple is best during the week. For a change of pace, try sizzling beef steak fajitas. But on the nights when cooking is more of a chore, Butcher Boy has you covered, with prepared foods like rotisserie chickens and side dishes to go with anything on your dinner table.

It’ll be weeks before we can think about grilling without winter coats and wind chill, so we hope you can find some seasonal inspiration in some of these ideas. For more ideas and inspiration, check out the recipes and guides on our website!

‘Tis The Season of Local Giving

This year more than ever, we want to highlight the small businesses and charitable organizations in our community during the season of giving. These businesses employ our friends and neighbors, contribute to our local economy, and provide a vast array of goods and services. And in a year with overwhelming need and disruption, the charitable organizations in our community have stepped up efforts to provide food, housing, programs, and necessities to individuals and families, adapting their distribution and fundraising efforts to find new ways to continue meeting those needs safely.

The North Andover Merchants Association is working to put resources in one place for customers to find local restaurants and retail locations open for eating and shopping. Purchase gift cards, grab a bite to eat, browse for gift ideas, and shop until you drop while supporting your local economy.

All of our Butcher Boy Marketplace neighbors are open for business and want to make your holiday shopping celebration planning convenient. Among them:

  • Art and Frame has great gifts for the creative people in your life – wall art, sculpture, or something more personal like custom framing a favorite photo or creating a shadow box for special mementos.
  • Plan your holiday dinner with specialties from Lobster Tail Seafoods Restaurant and Fish Market or Orzo Trattoria. A gift card for hungry loved ones is also a great gift idea and can be used for take-out meals.
  • Tran Tran Nails is the place to go to pamper yourself or a friend. Services include manicures, pedicures, massages, and Reiki.
  • Don’t forget to give your pets some special treatment this holiday, too. Ciao Bow Wow Ciao Meow has everything you need for animal essentials and luxuries.
  • Stop at Perfecto’s Caffe for a snack and hot beverage to-go or pickup some muffins and bagels for an easy holiday breakfast at home.

While you’re here, don’t forget to pick up your dry cleaning at Nature’s Cleaners, and take care of any banking business at the drive-up window at Pentucket Bank.

If you’re looking to support the charitable organizations that directly give back to those in our community, check out the Emmaus House Tree of Love campaign. They provide shelter and critical services to our most vulnerable neighbors in need, all year long. The Merrimack Valley YMCA offers several options to support its youth programs and the children who use them this holiday season, as well as a holiday toy drive. Monetary donations can be made directly to the Lawrence YMCA Food Pantry here, and non-perishable food or personal care items such as toothpaste and baby wipes can be dropped off on Wednesdays from 3-5pm at the Andover/North Andover YMCA.

The North Andover Police Department is hosting ‘Cram-a-Cruiser’ events to benefit the North Andover Food Bank on Saturdays in December. If you’d like to donate, please bring non-perishable food and personal care items to the Middle School. See dates, times, and details here.

What’s your favorite traditional winter activity that you can still enjoy despite current pandemic circumstances?  Let us know how you’re celebrating the holidays this year. Stay healthy!

Christmas In the Old Center

Nathaniel House_North Andover MA
Nathaniel House at Christmas, North Andover

Our December guest blogger, Wendy Wakeman, takes us to a historic hearth and kitchen in North Andover’s Old Center for a peek into her family’s Christmas traditions.

Nathaniel House, with its ample, sun-soaked rooms, was built for entertaining. When Brad and I were considering moving here, its suitability for hosting parties was a factor in the decision.

We were happy in our previous house, a sweet cottage near the library which Brad’s family had occupied for more than 70 years. A baby grand took up almost the whole living room. My favorite Christmas tradition is gathering friends around to sing carols. Over the years, our annual caroling party grew to include a punch bowl full of homemade eggnog and so many friends that we worried about the floor joists. As much fun as the party was, the little house had reached maximum capacity.

Nathaniel House would accommodate the party, and even had room in case we found new friends to invite. Brad and I are always making new friends. We’ve hosted five great Christmas parties here. This year, we’ll take a break.
I’ll miss that happy tradition. Fortunately, Christmas holds many other joyful rituals.

Aga Cooker_Nathaniel House
Traditional Aga Cooker at Nathaniel House

Christmas Eve belongs to Brad’s family. A quiet and adult celebration, we gather for a candlelit dinner followed by services at St. Paul’s. Christmas Day belongs to my big, noisy clan. My brother Josh was born on December 25, 1967. My mom was on her own that year taking care of me, 2, and Barbie, 6. My dad was in DaNang, serving our country in the Vietnam War. For us, Christmas holds extra meaning.

Traveling from family to family is fun, but wanting our own tradition, too, Brad and I carved out a quiet space Christmas morning.

I rise early and toss a batch of popovers in the Aga cooker. The gold-trimmed china tea set that belonged to Brad’s grandmother comes out of the cupboard. I set a tray with tea, softened butter, honey, and a few flavors of jam. Last year, the jam was a jar of grape made by our neighbors the Wordens.

When the popovers are ready, I arrange them in a silver bowl lined with a linen tea towel. The three of us sit by the tree, a fire ablaze in the hearth, and enjoy a special meal while we open gifts.

May you and your family find peace, joy, and love this holiday season. I am certain we will.

Wendy as Santa at Butcher Boy
Wendy, dressed as Santa, shopping at Butcher Boy for a past Christmas.

Writer Wendy Wakeman is a former Selectman for the Town of North Andover.  She and her husband Brad share quarters with a couple of cats.  While daughter Millicent now calls Minneapolis home, Brad and Wendy keep a sunny bedroom at the ready, in case she wants to visit.

Thanksgiving Made Simple

Our Thanksgiving Order Guide has everything from fresh turkeys and turkey breasts to sides and desserts, or you can order a cooked turkey or complete turkey dinner from our kitchen, and all you have to do is heat and serve!

Shop early to avoid lines if you have the refrigerator space because almost anything you order from Butcher Boy can be picked up as early as four days ahead, and even earlier for some items. You can pick up uncooked turkeys up to a week ahead of time due to the way they are packaged.

If you’re interested in cooked options from our kitchen, you can order whole, cooked turkeys or complete family-style dinners – see details here.

Make us your one-stop-shop for all your ingredients and groceries, including beverages. Browse our beer, wine, and spirits selection while you’re here and avoid the extra running around.

Wondering how long to cook your dinner, and at what temperature? Bookmark or print our Turkey Roasting Guide for at-your-fingertips information on the big day.

What are your favorite Thanksgiving foods? We’d love to hear from you – share your holiday meal photos with our community on Facebook or tag @ButcherBoyMarket on Instagram.

Not Quite Home For The Holidays

Laura Ciampa, Kitchd
Laura Ciampa, KITCHD

We asked Laura Ciampa, owner of KITCHD and longtime customer, to share some of her thoughts about enjoying the upcoming holidays in a challenging year—she was excited to do so! 

KITCHD helps cooking enthusiasts fall in love with their kitchens by curating a personalized selection of housewares and appliances tailored to an individual’s needs and interests. Using data, research and experience, the KITCHD team sources and suggests the best cookware and products to help customers create the optimal culinary environment for their lifestyle and aspirations. 

Not Quite Home for the Holidays 

Ordinarily, for me, Thanksgiving planning is a satisfying ritual that usually begins in September. My family’s traditional celebration consists of dear friends, immediate family, and other nomadic guests lacking a festive option. A small group of us orchestrates this annual gathering, from menu planning to meat carving. In all the years we’ve been doing this, we like to mix it up by introducing new dishes to complement the timeless family favorites: poblano chili cornbread stuffing rubbing elbows with mom’s homemade cinnamon applesauce. 

Each year, we begin perusing notes from the previous Thanksgiving, deciding which recipes to keep and which to retire. And then we brainstorm about what new dishes we should introduce to our ever-food-curious guests. Once settled, we move to the logistics: ordering the turkey, planning the appetizers, coordinating the side dishes, and determining the desserts. We then distribute the cooking and preparation tasks across many cooks in many kitchens, ensuring that everything shows up at the table at right time, in the right amount. 

But this year, as we all know, is different. Even if “home for the holidays” right now conjures up some anxiety, stress, and uncertainty, we have to make a concerted effort to keep it special. Many of us will not be able to travel. Some have sadly lost loved ones. And dining inside together in large groups is considered a dangerous option, especially for guests of advanced years. But celebrate we will. And for my geographically scattered group of loved ones, it will be a much different, pared-down version of our traditional feast. 

So right here and now, let’s commit to finding joy in the face of these challenges and unusual circumstances! In addition to giving thanks, why not seize this opportunity to reflect, reimagine, and hope? 

Celebrating one of the biggest holidays away from family and friends doesn’t have to be sad when you creatively infuse it with elements with intention and meaning. 

Here are a few things to consider for making your Thanksgiving a bit brighter: 

To feel closer with those who are far away or no longer with us: 

  • Use a family heirloom at the table, perhaps a serving piece, vase, candlestick holders, tablecloth, or something passed down, given to you, or borrowed—a lovely way to remember special people 
  • Make a treasured recipe that may or may not be specific to the holiday 
  • Play music that was special to them 
  • Select a favorite color theme 
  • Burn a scented candle that reminds you of a particular time together 

To melt the miles away: 

  • Connect with friends and family for a virtual toast or blessing at a designated time 
  • Create a holiday cocktail and share the recipe with family and friends 
  • Invite new guests, especially those living alone, to share in your virtual toast or blessing 
  • Send those not able to attend a bouquet of flowers or a small gift for entertaining to use at their table 
  • Write a short note or card telling them that you are missing them at your table 
  • Drop off a card, flowers, plant, or small plate of Thanksgiving goodies to those in assisted living or the hospital who are able to eat but not able to visit 
  • Mail a special note, photo, or poem for them to share at their table 

In your home:

  • Treat yourself to a new serving piece, vase, or linens that you love and will look forward to using
  • Plan the meal around a special bottle of wine or pick up a special bottle to compliment your meal 
  • Give yourself permission to reshape, innovate traditional staple dishes, or try new dishes to expand your culinary repertoire (you’ll be ready to use them next year!) 
  • Set up your table in a different location from where you normally eat 
  • Make it a family affair, involve children by enlisting their help with food planning, prepping, cooking, making table decorations, and setting the table 
  • Remember that most recipes can be halved or quartered, adjusting accordingly except for baking cakes (but really, an abundance of cake is probably not a problem) 

Most of all, be kind to yourself. We’ve all been doing a lot more cooking this year. Permit yourself to keep it simple and smaller. It won’t be any less delicious. 

How will you make your Thanksgiving special in this most unusual time? However it feels right to you. 

From our family to yours, have a healthy, safe, and delicious holiday!

Laura Ciampa

Kitchd

 

 

 

You can follow KITCHD at kitchd.com or on Facebook or Instagram @kitchdco  

Gluten-Free, Vegan, and Delicious – Onesto Foods

Onesto Foods_Gluten Free Onesto (OH-NEST-OH) means “honest” in Italian. 

After having children, Jane Ciccone and her husband, Jesse, wanted to continue the same Italian tradition they both grew up with: gathering in the kitchen as a family around 5 o’clock and sharing an antipasti platter before dinner. However, their young daughter at the time seemed allergic to gluten. Rather than give up the delicious combination of crackers, cheese, olives, and roasted veggies, Jane began searching for gluten-free crackers that her daughter could eat. Discouraged at the amount of overly-processed and preservative-filled options on most grocery store shelves, Jane began tinkering with her own recipes and promised to never use less than honest ingredients.

Because food that is made with the best possible ingredients not only tastes better, but also makes one feel better, Jane began creating her own “honest” recipes and the seeds of Onesto Foods were planted.

Onesto Foods will never sacrifice taste. Just like you, we care about what we eat. Each cookie and cracker recipe starts with simple, real ingredients. Every hand-crafted batch is baked with the promise of being gluten-free, vegan, and non-GMO. We strive to make food that we want to eat and feel good sharing with others. We think eating honest has never tasted so good.    

Onesto Foods is also passionate about doing its part to protect our environment. Did you know that…

  • our bakery is solar-powered?
  • our packaging is printed with sustainable vegetable and soy dyes”
  • 90% of the waste generated during the printing or our cookie packaging is recaptured and reused in a Waste to Energy Program?
  • our cracker packaging is printed with 100% wind energy?
  • we participate in the Forest Stewardship Council?

  “There is nothing else that can nourish your body and soul more than sharing delicious, healthy food with family and friends. It doesn’t have to be fancy or overly complicated. Slowing down and enjoying good food, a glass of wine and laughing with good people–always fills my cup!”     – Jane

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WINNER: 2019 BEST ACCOMPANIMENT by CULTURE MAGAZINE

WE’RE ECO-MINDED!

We’re proud that our cookies and crackers are baked using solar power. And, our packaging is produced using 100% wind energy, printed with 100% vegetable dyes, printed on recycled cardboard and is 100% recyclable. 

“…make amazing food, as responsibly and mindfully as we can.”