Teddy Kennedy, Tree Huggers and Trips to Cambridge

Saturday, August 29th, 2009 marks a few major events in Massachusetts: the landing of Hurricane Danny and subsequent rainstorm, Senator Teddy Kennedy's funeral and my discovery of Formaggio Kitchen in Cambridge. I would like to personally thank my friend Dave, who has his own food blog, the SeasonedNoob, because it was his recommendation that led me there.

I am listening to the Black Key's "You're the One" right now and longingly thinking of my trip over to Cambridge for lunch. It's interesting how great food and great music somehow manage to fill your chest cavity and empty your wallet. When they are enjoyed with people you love, I'm not quite sure what could possibly be better. It's the reason we are here.

Formaggio Kitchen has a Saturday BBQ during the summer, and I'm not quite sure how I didn't hear about it before. They had all sorts of goodies: roasted pears, grilled chicken and corn on the cob. The Kitchen actually serves as a neighborhood grocer with specialty cheeses, meats and other high-end, bourgeoisie goodies. The place was crawling with people who can afford $17 cookies. We didn't get to try the cookies, but we had some cheese and some spicy pickles and they were delicious. In fact, the blue cheese was so great that I bought some. And of course, hot dogs, which sounded good enough for Liz and I to trek over there while Hurricane Danny was raining down.

The hot dogs were truly fantastic. There are actually 3 or 4 types to choose from, so Liz and I chose 2: Niman Ranch and "Pearl"-in-a-Hole. Niman Ranch is a very well known organic hippie farm, one of the founders of the back-to-the-land movement in the 1970s. For some reason, I was thinking that they were in Maine (sorry, guy behind me in line, I misinformed you) but after some strategic googling this afternoon, I realized who they really are. I remembered reading about the Farm's history in the New York Times a while back, am sure I have had their steak (it was delicious) and was thrilled today to try the hot dogs. The Niman Ranch dog was probably the most flavorful dog I have had to date, and could easily stand on its own without condiments. But why would you not have condiments? We did: mustard, ketchup, relish, sauerkraut and onions. The dog was smokey and had a slight honey-ham flavor to it. The bun was toasted perfectly, was just slightly crispy and buttery. Every bite was like a revelation of new flavors, and frankly, I wanted a post-coital Marlboro Light. I've always been partial to Hebrew National dogs, but the Niman Ranch ones just about blow them out of the water. Expensive, at $5, but worth it when you consider you're (a) getting an all-natural, humanely raised product and (b) supporting a great local business.

The staff there was really knowledgeable and friendly, especially Trip, who was manning the BBQ that had moved inside because of the rain. He impishly handed us the full baguette which the "Pearl-in-a-hole" comes in and instructed us to fill it with our condiments of choice (same as above). Pearl hot dogs are from Randolph, of all places, and I love their website...Pearl Meats. So direct. The website says they come in 3 sizes, and I can only assume we were eating large, because the dog fit into an entire baguette. It was indecent enough that a 50-something British dude kept bumping into us and asking us how everything tasted. Really, and we were eating in the cookie section. It was awkward. The dogs were shoved into a hollowed-out baguette and were very juicy. I liked them very much as well and if we had not been comparing them to the gloriousness that was the smoked Niman Ranch dogs, the Pearl would be a stand out, but it just doesn't seem to be a fair competition. If you are the type to love the bread that comes with your dog, and want an indecently sized weiner that will fill you up for the entire day, go for the Pearl...otherwise stick with the Niman Ranch.

I've been home all afternoon, thinking I want another hot dog. And thinking about Teddy Kennedy, whose funeral is going on at my father's childhood church. Formaggio Kitchen was such a tiny little place, tucked onto Huron Avenue in Cambridge, and it seems like the type of neighborhood store that breeds community the way the Mission Church and Mike's Doughnut Shop do - through diligence and reliability. By being there, every day, always providing quality products and a quality way of life. These are the things that Teddy was fighting for, and I sometimes forget how lucky I am, that I live in a place in the world that values such continuity and community heritage. Thanks Teddy, for fighting for these things, and thanks, Formaggio Kitchen, for delivering them.