Our latest snack obsession is Effie’s Oatcakes: tasty homemade, all natural morsels that are sweeter than a cracker, but not as sweet as a cookie. Crisp, lightly sweetened, with a slightly nutty flavor, they are great with cheese, a smear of jam or unadorned with a glass of port after dinner. Baked right outside Boston, Effie’s Oatcakes are available at multiple locations across the Cape including Chatham Natural Foods Market, Far Land Provisions in Provincetown, Mainstreet Gourmet in Orleans, Satucket Farm Stand in Brewster and The Brown Jug in Sandwich. For a complete listing of Cape distributors, visit www.effieshomemade.com.
CAPE COD BROWN BAG BBQ RUB
Kim and Tim Rumberger of Hyannis have been making their secret recipe barbecue rub and gifting it to friends and family since the 1980s; Kim reckons that over the years they have given out hundreds of brown bags of rub. Each year, more people asked where they could buy it, so the couple finally decided to produce the rub year round. While their recipe is a secret, there are a few things that they do share: there are no nuts, glutens or other allergens, there are no preservatives, and there are just enough sugars to produce a crusty coat on grilled meats and veggies and to break down food during slow cooking. Salt is minimal; Kim and Tim believe you should be able to add your own to taste. Delicious on chicken, pork, beef and fish, it also makes an excellent seasoning for grilled vegetables. Right now, it’s only available at Cape Cod Beer, 1336 Phinney’s Lane, Hyannis, but check their website at www.capecodbrownbagbbqrub.com for new distribution venues as they become available.
THE CHATHAM CHEESE COMPANY
Last August, on Route 28, slightly west of downtown Chatham, a new cheese, wine and gourmet food shop opened its doors to catch the tail end of the season. Personal chef Heather Cantin and her lifelong friend Leslie Polk, a self-described wine expert, joined forces to fill the shelves of The Chatham Cheese Company with over 80 varieties of artisanal cheese from around the world. In addition to several Vermont cheeses, a few familiar local labels including Great Hill Blue Cheese and Shy Brothers’ famed Hannabells grace the cheese case. To complement each offering, Heather and Leslie have a hand-selected wine from the same region. Every Saturday from noon-3:00 pm you can test their pairing acumen during featured tastings. The shelves hold many goodies, such as specialty spreads, crackers and bread, which can be wrapped on site in a gift basket. The ladies often host special parties after hours and will prepare platters for an in-home affair. New this summer: made-to-order sandwiches built around cheese, using fresh-baked Pain D’Avignon baguettes, spreads and crunchy greens for an on-the-go gourmet lunch. 902 Main Street, Chatham 508-945-1605 www.chathamcheese.com
PIES A LA MODE INDIVIDUAL LOBSTER PIES
We are smitten with the housemade individual lobster pot pies at Pies a la Mode: chunks of fresh local lobster tail and claw meat in a sherry cream sauce topped with their own homemade flaky butter crust (no hydrogenated oils here) and packaged in a reusable ramekin. At $14.95 each, they make an indulgent lunch or an elegant dinner party entree. Serve with a crisp salad and an even crisper Chardonnay and you’re good to go. Open Monday-Saturday 10:00 am-10:00 pm, Sunday 12:00-9:00 pm 352 Main Street at Liberty Square, Falmouth 508-540-8777 www.piesalamode.com
GREAT ISLAND TRADING COMPANY
According to Cara McLaughlin, her Olive Tapenade, Wild Mushroom & Herb and Tuscan Parmesan spreads are based on recipes that have been handed down in her family and perfected by countless hours in the kitchen. Made with fresh, natural, highquality ingredients they’re delicious served as spreads, sauces, dips and condiments. We also appreciate the serving suggestions and recipes on her website www.greatislandtradingcompany.com. Made just over the bridge and available for $6.99 each at Peterson’s Market in Yarmouthport, Fancy’s Market in Osterville, Cape Cod Natural Foods in Dennisport and Chatham, and The Brown Jug in Sandwich.
COMFORT CUISINE
“We clearly had more guts, than brains,” was Jayce Hall’s response when asked why three years ago she and her husband Erik Hall started Comfort Cuisine, an online and retail store specializing in prepared meals. Tired of working all day and then having to come home and cook for her young children, Jayce decided to seek out a frozen prepared food provider. The nearest she could find was a company out of upstate New York and she thought her problems were solved until she ate one of their meals. It was absolutely tasteless. This is the part where the guts took over. Erik, a chef, and Jayce, a natural sales person, realized the need for,this type of service and opened Comfort Cuisine as an online site for prepared meals. As a professional chef, Eric understands that freshness equals quality. He starts each day by making the stocks for many of the menu items. All the dishes are made on-site from scratch with the freshest ingredients available. As soon as the cooking is done, they let the entrees cool and then vacuum seal and freeze them in individual packages. The wafts of fabulous aromas coming from their kitchen facility in Sandwich encouraged passersby to pop their head in the door and ask what type of business was being run out of the space. Brains decided that turning away potential walk-in customers would be crazy, and the retail store was born in January 2008. 8 Merchant’s Road, Sandwich 508-888-4773 www.comfortcuisineinc.com
LYRIC
Fans of the old Abbicci restaurant in Yarmouthport have a reason to sing. Local jazz crooner Ann Austin has opened Lyric in the same sexy, recently-renovated space. The menu, which features Crab Cakes with Pickled Mango Strudel, Sautéed Local Cod with Pommery Mustard, and Organic Crisp Pork Loin & Apple Butter Coulis, flows like a Billy Holiday ballad. The man behind the magic is Chef Jerome Watkins, whose mile-long resume includes time at the Boston Ritz Carlton; opening a Sullivan Steakhouse in Indianapolis; a two-year stint with Beantown’s darlin’ Lydia Shire; and a three-year traveling apprenticeship under the captain of the U.S. Culinary Olympic Team. Until Ann’s recent trumpet call, Jerome had been at Mac’s Shack in Truro and preparing dazzling Slow Food dinners at Willy’s Gym in North Eastham. Most notably, Lyric is fun. Entree prices range from $18-$32 (still the high-end experience guests expect sitting in the familiar yellow building), but in concert is the new “At The Bar” menu where Pan Roasted Chicken Austin, Lamb Medallions and Pistachio- Encrusted Quail can be enjoyed at a bistro table for $7-$12. Add a perfectly-played piano, a killer wine list and attentive service and you’ll experience a melding as agreeable as the Lennon-McCartney catalog. Dinner daily from 5:00 pm 43 Route 6A, Yarmouthport 774-330-0000 www.lyriccapecod.com
THE ISLANDER
Bev and Joe Dunn, owners of the wildly popular Island Merchant in Hyannis, have just opened their second restaurant, The Islander, in the former Keepers Location at Crosby Boat Yard in Osterville. The cuisine here, as at their flagship restaurant, hews to an islandinfluenced theme, incorporating as many local ingredients as possible. Standout apps include the Redneck Surf & Turf (linguicia and local littleneck clams), Griddled Cod Cakes with Chipotle Aoli, and Seared Sea Scallops with Bacon & Honey with a Maple Grain Mustard Glaze atop Arugula (both honey and arugula from E&T Farms in West Barnstable). For entrees, Smoked Pulled Pork over Housemade Gnocchi with Carmelized Onions, BBQ Jus & Goat Cheese; Red Stripe Battered Fish & Chips with Homemade Piccalilly; Merchant Fish Tacos and Jerked Day Boat Cod have already made a hit with the locals. Open noon til 9:30 pm (last seating), seven days a week 72 Crosby Circle, Osterville 508-428-6719
ASA GRILL
With his relocation to Asa Grill, Edible Cape Cod 2008 Local Hero/Best Chef winner Michael Crowell moves a scant block up Main Street in Hyannis from his former gig at Embargo. He continues his flair for ratcheting restaurant standards up several notches by using homemade condiments and combining interesting flavors and textures. For example, the housemade crab cakes (two for $8.00) are served with smoked tomato remoulade and roasted corn and black bean relish. The result is a dish at once unctuous, sweet and crunchy that makes you clean your plate and sit up for more. The steak tip skewers are marinated in-house and served in a cabernet sauce. And the outstanding pepper-grilled swordfish is served atop a white bean, corn, linguicia and scallion succotash. The crispy skin of the fish combines nicely with the crunchy scallions and the creamy white beans. The wine list is affordably priced (the most expensive bottle is $50) as are the appetizers ($7-$14) and entrees ($13-$25). 415 Main Street, Hyannis 508-775-9600 www.asagrill.com
THE GLASS ONION
Josh Christian (owner) and Stephen Skelton (chef ) of the brand new restaurant The Glass Onion first started talking about opening their own place when they met at the now-defunct 902m Main restaurant. They found they had similar ideas about offering a seasonal American menu with French and Italian influences using local produce and seafood. They talked about freshly made breads, pastas, ice cream and desserts. Back then, it was a nice dream. Flash forward seven years and the conversation has become a reality. When the space at Food for Thought catering became available in Falmouth, Josh and Stephen agreed that the timing and the space were right. They’ve already lined up relationships with several local farms, including Cape Cod Organic, Coonamessett and Tomten. Signature dishes will include a Creamy Parmesan Risotto with Balsamic Drizzle (appetizer) and Seared Cod with Littleneck Clams, Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes & White Wine Clam Broth (entree). As of press time, the restaurant was on schedule to start serving dinner nightly in early July. 37 North Main Street, Falmouth 508-540-3730 www.theglassoniondining.com
