Please Come To Boston

One of the most beautiful trips we experienced while living in Maine, was our trip to Boston last May. The sights and sounds of this bustling city are sometimes overwhelming, but oh my goodness...the history found here is incredible!

The Swan Boats in Boston Commons

Greg and Jenn were making their first visit to us shortly after we moved up to Maine. It was THE most beautiful spring of our entire living experience up in New England. We packed a lot of sightseeing into that week and decided to include Boston for a few days before they headed back to Texas. It was a really good decision to do so. 

This rather fashionable sweetheart was resting in front of the Old South Church

The Old South Church of Boston-Huge and Architecturally Beautiful

A small Italian grocery in the North End of Little Italy. A bird had flown into the grocery and was currently being shooed out the front door

I thought you might enjoy just seeing the ordinary sights and what it would be like to live in Boston. We all agreed that the way to see Boston, as there is so much ground to cover, is to research and plan your trip before your arrival.

The Boston Harbor Hotel..How Grand! We had champagne brunch here out by the harbor view!

We were sitting right up there under the umbrellas. A small portion of the hotel is in this view.

This is a private residence Brownstone. Want to live in one? This particular one is in the Beacon Hill area and they are normally priced at 1 million and up!

This was a view of the Charles River taken from one of the trolley tours. We preferred the trolley tour from one of the Duck Tours as you are able to see more traveling through the city. The Duck tours will take you half of the time through Boston and the second half floating down the Charles River. Boston is so big there are certain areas of the city you will tour on each trolley.

Yes we took many pictures of some of the famous places, such as the Old North Church, Paul Revere's house, etc., but I love seeing just everyday living sometimes!

I simply could not get enough of the magnificent brownstones. Can you imagine living in one?

Boston....Beautiful Works of Art

"Years ago I decided that the greatest need in our Country was Art…

We were a very young country and had very few opportunities of seeing

 beautiful things, works of art…

So, I determined to make it my life's work if I could."

~ Isabella Stewart Gardner, on the creation of her museum, 1917

Isabella Stewart Gardner

Isabella Stewart Gardner was born in New York City on April 14, 1840. She was the child of David Stewart, of Scottish descent, who made his fortune in the Irish linen trade and later in mining investments. Her mother was Adelia Smith, descendant of Richard Smith, an Englishman who had settled in Boston in 1650. She was named for her beloved paternal grandmother, Isabella Tod Stewart.

Isabella Stewart was educated at private schools in New York and Paris. Her first connection with Boston came through her schooling, between 1856 and 1858 in Paris, where a friendship with schoolmate Julia Gardner led to her eventual marriage to Julia's older brother John ("Jack") Lowell Gardner Jr. (1837-1898) on April 10, 1860. The couple was married in New York City and moved to Boston, Jack's hometown, where they settled into a house, a wedding gift from her father, at 152 Beacon Street in the Back Bay section of the city.

Isabella  gave birth to a son, John L. Gardner III, known as "Jackie." At just two years of age, Jackie died of pneumonia in March 1865, and during the two years that followed his death, Isabella Stewart Gardner endured depression and illness. At a doctor's suggestion, John Gardner took his wife to Europe to travel throughout Scandinavia, Russia, Vienna, and Paris and, upon returning home, Isabella Gardner was in good health and spirits. Although the Gardners had no more children, they raised their three nephews following the death of Jack's widowed brother.

Back in Boston, Isabella Gardner was an avid entertainer and frequent patron of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The Gardners hosted dinner parties with well-known guests, including author Henry James, writer Sarah Orne Jewett, philosopher George Santayana, and writer of the Battle Hymn of the Republic, Julia Ward Howe, as well as friends and artists like John Singer Sargent. The archives hold more than 7,000 letters from 1,000 correspondents as testaments to Isabella Gardner's social nature. These include glowing letters of thanks for dinner parties, concerts, and celebrations in her magnificent palazzo ("Has the music room dissolved, this morning, in the sunshine? I felt last night as though I were in a Hans Anderson Fairy Tale, ready to go on a flying carpet at any moment," T.R. Sullivan, Jan. 10, 1902). Isabella Stewart Gardner was also interested in sports. She attended Red Sox games, boxing matches, and hockey and football games at Harvard College. She relished in horse races, particularly if her horse won. Her motto was "Win as though you were used to it, and lose as if you like it."

In 1919, Isabella Stewart Gardner suffered the first of a series of strokes and died five years later, on July 17, 1924. Her will created an endowment of $1 million and outlined stipulations for the support of the museum, including that the permanent collection not be significantly altered. In keeping with her philanthropic nature, her will also left sizable bequests to the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, Industrial School for Crippled and Deformed Children, Animal Rescue League and Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Isabella Stewart Gardner is buried in Mount Auburn Cemetery, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, between her husband and her son.

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

280 The Fenway

Isabella Stewart Gardner traveled the world and worked with important art patrons and advisors Bernard Berenson and Okakura Kakuzo to amass a remarkable collection of master and decorative arts. In 1903, she completed the construction of Fenway Court in Boston to house her collection.

The museum which bears her name also stands as a testament to her vision. Isabella Stewart Gardner, known also as "Mrs. Jack" in reference to her husband, John L. ("Jack") Gardner, was one of the foremost female patrons of the arts.

Connecting You To A Summer Adventure!

The Maine House is headed out  for a few days in Boston. We have planned a walking tour for one afternoon taking in key sites in Bean Town! If you ever decide to head for New England, this is a perfect time of year to escape that southern heat index. Boston offers so many historic sites and you will never run out of great places to eat, whether it is grabbing lunch at Santarpio's or savoring the fine Italian cuisine at Antonio's. The Divine Miss M and I love to tour historic homes, so these will be well worth the walk! Happy vacationing!

PAUL REVERE  HOUSE , CIRCA 1680

This is Boston's oldest and most famous house which is located in the North Square. The home has been restored to reflect both the 17th century lifestyle of it's first owner and Paul Revere in the revolutionary era.

OTIS HOUSE MUSEUM, CIRCA 1796

This home is located on Cambridge Street in  Boston. It was built by Charles Bulfinch for the wealthy congressman and lawyer, Harrison Gray Otis and his wife Sally. The interior reflects high-style Federal design. When you tour their home you will hear fascinating details of the lives of the Otis family. As you continue your walking tour, you will be able to see the changes over time in the Beacon Hill and West End neighborhoods.

NICHOLS HOUSE, CIRCA 1804

The Nichols House can be found on Mount Vernon Street. It is an intimate home attributed to Charles Bulfinch. The home's authentic interiors reflect the evolving tasted of the 19th and early 20th centuries of Boston. The museum in the former home of Rose Standish Nichols, who was a  landscape designer, suffragist and pacifist.

PRESCOTT HOUSE, CIRCA 1808

This magnificent home is located on Beacon Street. It is a Federal style townhome designed by Asher Benjamin and overlooks Boston Common. The townhome is furnished throughout with antique objects, paintings and furniture. This home also features a faithfully restored bedchamber, along with a study of famed historian, William Prescott and reflects a most gracious 19th century home, complete with a fine costume collection.

GIBSON HOUSE, CIRCA 1859

A few blocks down on Beacon Street, you will find a wonderfully preserved Victorian townhouse occupied by three generations of a prominent Boston family. It features original late 19th century interiors and intact servant's area.

Estelle's has the menu for dinner prepared in advance as we

 motor back from Massachusetts.

It promises to be an amazing day!

Tri-Colored Stuffed Peppers

1 green bell pepper

1 red bell pepper

1 yellow bell pepper

1/2 pound ground beef

1/2 pound ground turkey

2 slices white bread, cut into cubes

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes with basil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 egg

1 small onion, chopped

1 tablespoon chopped sage leaves, plus 6 to 8 whole leaves, for frying

A few dashes Worcestershire sauce

A few dashes hot sauce

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon oil

Vegetable oil, for frying

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Remove core and seeds from peppers. Slice into 1 inch rings and place on nonstick baking sheet. You should get about 3 rings per pepper. In a large bowl mix together beef, turkey, bread, 1/2 cup of the tomatoes, garlic, egg, onion, chopped sage, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and season with salt and pepper. Press meatloaf mixture evenly into pepper rings. In a skillet over medium-high heat, add oil. Saute meatloaf rings on both sides until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Add remaining tomatoes to skillet and bake until cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat 1-inch vegetable oil until a deep-fry thermometer reaches 325 degrees F. Drop sage leaves into oil and fry until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Garnish meatloaf rings with fried sage leaves.

Cheesy Stuffed Peppers

6 green bell peppers

salt to taste

1 pound ground beef

1/3 cup chopped onion

salt and pepper to taste

1 (14.5 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, chopped

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup uncooked rice

1/2 cup water

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed tomato soup

water as needed

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cut the tops off the peppers, and remove the seeds. Cook peppers in boiling water for 5 minutes; drain. Sprinkle salt inside each pepper, and set aside.

In a large skillet, saute beef and onions for 5 minutes, or until beef is browned. Drain off excess fat, and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the tomatoes, rice, 1/2 cup water and Worcestershire sauce. Cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until rice is tender. Remove from heat, and stir in the cheese.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. (175 degrees C). Stuff each pepper with the beef and rice mixture, and place peppers open side up in a baking dish. In a medium bowl, combine tomato soup with just enough water to make the soup a gravy consistency. Pour over the peppers. Bake covered for 25 to 35 minutes, until heated through and cheese is melted and bubbly.

The Boston Italians!

The Maine House is hosting Friday Night Bookclub!
Our recommended read is...THE BOSTON ITALIANS!
Authored by Stephen Puleo!
A Story of Pride, Perseverance, and Paesani,  from the Years of the Great Immigration to the Present Day!

"Stephen Puleo breaks new ground and dispels old myths about Italians who settled here."

"The Boston Italians is a thorough, readable and detailed recapitulation of the Italian experience in America and Boston."

“Puleo captures the spirit of proud, hard-working people who rallied around each other to make a better life.”

“Puleo has crafted an unsparing, but mostly admiring, account of a colorful and vibrant community as it battled for social acceptance and political recognition.”

"I strongly recommend that everyone read this masterfully written book."

"Puleo has honored our ancestors by telling their story truthfully and with compassion."

"At long last, a historically accurate and well-crafted history of the Italian community that flourished in Boston’s North End. Drawing upon original documents, as well as anecdotes from the lives of his own family, Stephen Puleo has produced a work that is a great read for the generalist and a gold mine of information for the specialist.

 The Boston Italians is the inspiring story of a people who rose from poverty and discrimination to become a prosperous and productive part of Boston’s colorful history."

Thomas H. O’Connor, university historian at Boston College

 and author of The Boston Irish

Excerpt from The Boston Italians

On January 26, 1931, nearly a full quarter-century after he passed through the gates of Ellis Island, my paternal grandfather, Calogero Puleo, became a United States citizen. The 48-year-old fruit dealer, married and the father of ten children, was listed as five-feet, five-inches tall and weighing 145 pounds. His “race” was identified as Southern Italian. A court officer had written “lacks education in English” in purple ink across the Certificate of Citizenship. Two North End paesani, Nicola Cesso, a street cleaner, and John Raso, another fruit peddler, served as my grandfather’s witnesses, each swearing that they had known him since 1920. This concluded the citizenship process that he had begun with the filing of his Declaration of Intention in July of 1925, two months after his tenth child, my father, was born.


In the spring of that year, to mark the pride of the occasion, all twelve members of the Puleo family posed for a photo in a studio on Little Prince Street; my father, then six, clutched a small American flag and huddled close to my grandfather, the new citizen.


Also that spring, on May 19, my maternal grandparents, David and Rose Minichiello, celebrated the birth of their second child, another daughter. My mother, Rosina, or Rose, was born six weeks premature in the home her parents rented in Everett, a small city near Boston. But my grandparents’ joy was short-lived and quickly turned to heart-wrenching loss. My mother was a twin, born first; her sister, named Christine after my grandmother’s mother, followed shortly after, struggled for each breath once she arrived in the world, and died less than twenty-four hours after her birth. My mother’s older sister, Mary, then not yet three-years-old, remembered years later Christine’s small white coffin that sat atop my grandmother’s sewing machine table in the brief, but sorrowful, home wake that followed. Neither of my grandparents spoke much of their daughter’s death in the years that followed. It was yet another of life’s hardships to overcome and move beyond.


Angela and Calogero Puleo and David Minichiello had cleared many other hurdles to make America their home: leaving their beloved small towns in Italy, enduring the misery of a transatlantic passage in steerage, suffering the pain of stereotyping and discrimination, engaging in backbreaking labor, carving out a life in an unfamiliar and crowded urban setting. Yet, they and thousands of other Boston Italians also experienced the contentment of sharing their new life with paesani, the warmth of the neighborhood enclave, the pride in saving money, starting a business, or buying a home.


America was hard, but she offered something Italy never could – the hope, perhaps even the promise, of a better future.


As 1931 drew to a close, the Puleos, the Minichiellos, and all Boston Italians would find their faith in that promise severely tested. If they believed they had survived all the hardships and cleared every hurdle America had placed in their path, they were mistaken.


With little warning or time for preparation, Boston Italians and Americans of all nationalities and geographic regions were about to come face to face with the Great Depression.

Estelle's is serving one of our all time favorite

Italian Spaghetti dinners for bookclub!

Cousin Frankie's Pasta & Gravy

2 pounds ground beef

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups plain bread crumbs

3/4 cups grated Pecorino Romano cheese

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

1/4 cup olive oil

Gravy (sauce):

1 medium onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, chopped

1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste

2 (28-ounce) cans ground tomatoes

3/4 (28-ounce) can water (from empty ground tomato can), or 21 ounces water

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

For the meatballs: Combine all ingredients except the olive oil in a large bowl. Mix well. Form about 16 meatballs and place on a platter. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and fry meatballs over medium heat until browned. Repeat until all meatballs are browned. Place meatballs on new clean platter. Do not discard the oil.


For the Gravy: In the skillet, heat the reserved oil, add the onion and garlic and saute for approximately 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook on medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Fill the empty tomato paste can full of water, add to the skillet, and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Remove from heat and set aside.


In an 8-quart saucepan, add the ground tomatoes and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. Fill the empty ground tomato can 3/4 full of water and add to the saucepan, along with the tomato paste mixture from the skillet and the reserved browned meatballs. Mix thoroughly but carefully with a wooden spoon so as to not break the meatballs. Add the salt, ground pepper, and parsley and cook on medium heat for 15 minutes, then cover and cook on low heat for 2 1/2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes to prevent sticking and burning on bottom of pan. Serve over al dente pasta and sprinkle with some grated Pecorino Romano cheese, along with crusty Italian bread and a good bottle of red wine.

Steve Puleo donates a portion of his book proceeds to the

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

JDRF is the leading charitable funder and advocate of juvenile (type 1) diabetes

 research worldwide.

 To learn more, visit www.JDRF.org.

Bella Alimentare...Sul Lato Più Leggero!

Beautiful food....on the lighter side!

The Maine House is planning another trip to Boston. In visiting this magnificent city in the past, we discovered that it is so necessary to research and plan ahead for particular sights you want to include in your visit. The city is fast-paced and there are so many historical sights you will not want to miss. On this visit, we are spending a day in Little Italy in North End!


The "North End" is a neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. It has the distinction of being the city's oldest residential community, where people have lived continuously since it was settled in the 1630s. Though small, with a 1/3 mile distance, the neighborhood has approximately 100 eating establishments, and a variety of tourist attractions. In the early 20th century, the North End became the center of the Italian community of Boston. It is still largely residential and well-known for its small, authentic Italian restaurants and for the first Italian cafe, Caffe Vittoria.

 Boston's Freedom Trail also passes through the North End and you will be able to see early structures such as the Old North Church (1723), the Paul Revere House (1680), the Pierce-Hichborn House (1711), and the Clough House (1712).



While visiting "Little Italy",  be certain to schedule a walking tour which will enable you the opportunity of experiencing the" Markets of Boston's North End." The secret of Italian cuisine is the high quality of ingredients, a sense of regional tradition, and that very Italian love of life. Sources for ingredients abound in the narrow streets of the North End.

• Discover the pasticcerias that offer the best biscotti, amaretti, sfogliatelle, cassata, taralli, cannoli and other confections.
• Visit an authentic salumeria in search of the best olive oil, balsamic vinegar, olives, salami, cheese, prosciutto and pasta.
• Savor the scents of an Old World 70-year-old coffee, spice and candy store.
• Learn and be inspired by how the Mediterranean diet has influenced peoples' health since antiquity.
• Tour an enoteca to learn how to select aperitivi to begin, wine to complement, and digestivi to conclude your meal.
• Enjoy the colorful sights, the tantalizing aromas and authentic tastes of America's most vibrant Italian neighborhood.
• Relive memories, perhaps of holidays past, of growing up in an Italian household.
• Understand how the Italians adapted their dishes to their new country and created the familiar Italian-American cuisine.

Be sure to add these lighter versions of wonderful Italian dishes to your collection!

Baked Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Turkey Sausage Meatballs
1-1/4 lb. sweet Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
1-1/4 lb. hot Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
1-1/2 lb. whole wheat spaghetti
28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
2 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes in juice
1-1/2 cups fat-free ricotta
1 cup reduced-fat grated Parmesan
2 cups shredded reduced-fat mozzarella
2 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley


In a large bowl, mix together the sweet and hot Italian turkey sausage. Form sausage into 1-inch meatballs and place on a nonstick baking sheet. Bake at 375°F for 12 – 15 minutes until cooked through. Remove and set aside.

Bring a large stock pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook for 7 – 9 minutes until cooked through, yet firm to the bite. Drain and set aside.
In a separate large bowl, mix together the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, ricotta, Parmesan, 1 cup of mozzarella, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Add the spaghetti, toss to combine, and carefully stir in the cooked meatballs. Spray the inside of the 6-qt. roaster oven with nonstick spray and add the mixture. Top the spaghetti with the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella and parsley. Bake in the roaster oven at 275°F for 50 – 55 minutes until bubbly, warm throughout, and nicely colored.



Antipasto Salad
1 pound fusilli pasta
1/2 cup hard salami, cut into strips
1/2 cup smoked turkey, cut into strips
1/4 cup provolone cheese, cut into strips
1/4 cup grated Asiago cheese
2 tablespoons green olives, halved and pitted
2 tablespoons roasted red peppers, cut into strips
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper


Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta.
In a large bowl, toss together the cooked pasta with the remaining salad ingredients. Drizzle with dressing and toss to coat. Serve


Vinaigrette

1 bunch fresh basil, stemmed and leaves chopped (about 2 cups)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil


Vinaigrette: In a blender, add the basil, vinegar, garlic, mustard, salt and pepper. Blend until the herbs are finely chopped. With the machine running, drizzle in the olive oil until the dressing is smooth.

"Sharing Delicious Food is the Italian Way"