A Cool Dip on a Hot Summer Eve

No better treat on a hot summer night than a quick swim or dip in a refreshingly cool pond or lake. And it's a much better bargain and much cheaper deal than installing a pool ($75K because installation requires blasting through alot of ledge , renting a Chatham beachhouse ($3K/wk), joining the Westford swimclub ($700/year),or snagging a day pass to use at Stonehedge Inn to use their spa's pool ($20). And there's no maintenance to be done, so you always save time and money. Net, net - Your local public lake or pond may be your best bargain for a cool dip on a hot summer eve.

Springs Brook Park, Bedford MA. - The swimming hole by which all others should be judged by. This place must be one of greater Boston's best kept secret. Fantastic man-made pond with underwater filtration system that keep the water clear and the muck away from the sandy bottom, aqua slides and water parks for the kids, basketball & volleyball courts, picnic areas and a snack bar. Well-staffed with lifeguards and a super clean bathhouse to boot. $7 per person (all day); $3 after 4 p.m., Free after 5PM. Truly paradise has been found in suburbia.


Other great swimming holes (though none as delightful as Springs Brook Park) include: (1) Walden Pond, Concord MA ( $9 /person daily) and (2) Crystal Lake, Newton MA. ($10/person daily)

And after cooling off at Spring Brook Park, end your day with an ice cream at Bedford Farms Ice Cream Stand. Delicious!

Kitchen Wisdom

A few simple tips to a better baking experience based on lessons learned in the kitchen. Ahh, the kitchen wisdom I've learned through trial and error and few good cookbooks! These tips should save you some effort when working in the kitchen; the substitutes should help you save some cash by avoid the overstocking of your shelves with ingredients rarely used.

Meringue: For the stiffest of egg peaks, beat your eggs whites in a well-chilled metallic bowl rather than a plastic bowl.

Cheesecake: Avoid having your cheesecake crack as it cools by running the knife around the edge of the pan as soon as you remove it from the oven to cool.

Buttermilk. If you don't have buttermilk on hand, use the following substitute. For every one cup of buttermilk needed, mix one cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of vinegar.

Ledges on Edges. -Eliminate the unwanted rims around the edges of muffins and breads. Grease your pans on the bottom and half way up the sides of the pans.

Flaky Pastry. For the lightest, flakiest dough, use butter not margarine. Make sure the butter is well chilled. And grate your butter rather than use pastry knifes.

Chocolate Substitutes. Always best to use the type of chocolate called for in a recipe. In a pinch, use one of these substitutes: (1) 1 ounce unsweetened = 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder + 1 tablespoon cooking oil. (2) 1 ounce semisweet = use 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate & 1 tablespoon sugar.

Melting Chocolate. Make sure the bowl you're using to melt the chocolate is clean and completely dry. Else, you're likely to create to lumps.

Soft/Stale Crackers. They make great cracker crumbs. Crush them, place them in an air tight container, keep them on hand in the freezer to use as a topping on casseroles or a coating for baked chicken or fish.

Cracker Crumbs: Save yourself the headache of clean up. Crush your crackers in a plastic ziploc bag and by using a rolling pin or a large drinking glass. Leave the bag open so a bit of air can escape as you complete the rolling.

Baking Pan Substitutions. I try to minimize the number of pans that I own. Here's how to manage your inventory of pans by using substitutes. - 10" bundt= (2) 8" x 2" rounds

- 10' x 2" round = 9" x 9"x 2" square

- 12 cup muffin tin = 8" x 4"x 2" loaf pan = 9" round = 8" square

(Note: baking times will vary depending on pan size, so you may need to adjust times slightly).

Check out Getting Serious with Baking Substitutes for additional tips on ingredient substitutes.

Easy Dinner Idea

I can never understand why most folks think lobster is too special to make for dinner any old day of the week. Price per pound, Lobster is cheaper than most cuts of steak. Most local markets are willing to steam them for you for free. And, it's a great summer meal that doesn't require you to heat up the kitchen. So, if you're looking for a dinner bargain that's easy to pull together, here's the main course suggestion and a few sides to round it out that makes a great complete dinner during the summer when you don't want to heat up the kitchen.

Lobster. Estimate 1 - 1/2 lb per person. Steam it at the market approx 1 hr before dinner. Store in a plastic bag or a cooler to keep it warm/hot.

Corn on the Cob. Some people grill corn; others boil it. Me? I steam it in the 5- 6 qt crockpot. Shuck the corn. Place in crockpot with 1 cup of water. Cook 2-3 hrs on low. (Yes. It's that simple.)

Clam Chowder. Grab yourself a few pints of Legal Seafood's Clam Chowder at your local market or BJs Warehouse. Place in crockpot. Cook on warm 2-3 hours.

Coleslaw. Make it yourself, grab the semi-premade Fresh Express bag and some Kraft Coleslaw dressing, or pick up a container at your deli.

Ice Cream Novelities. Go retro and pull together a selection of your favorite Ice Cream treats from your youth (e.g, drumsticks, ice cream sandwiches, italian ices, dillybars, etc.)

Havaianas Flip Flops

Attention Fashionistas! Save money while you look good this summer. Head to your local BJs Warehouse where you can buy Havaianas' flip flops for $8 (normally $44).

Havainas flip flops are often referred to within the fashion industry as the "rolls royce of flip flops". These flip flops are on the pages of the hottest fashion magazines (e.g., Vogue, InStyle, etc.) and on the feet of some of the world's biggest celebrities (e.g, Gisele, Jennifer Aniston, etc.).

A summer staple on the cheap, cheap! Hurry. Supplies are limited. This bargain won't last too long.

New England Book Mobile

About to head out to my favorite bookstore - New England Book Mobile on Needham Street, Newton. It's a truly a booklover's adventure. Shelves and shelves of books; the type of store you go into looking for one book but end up exiting with an arm full; a place to get lost in for just a few minutes or a few hours. And honestly, a bit overwhelming - so many books, so little time to read them all. All books organized by publisher. Excellent room of book bargains. Great selection of children's books supplemented with games, Klutz crafts and other wickedly cool things. Net, net - A great place to grab a good read.

Book Fair EveryDay Values include
20% off Paperbacks and Hardcovers Every Day
30% off New York Times Best Sellers (Hardcovers)
40% off 50 best selling cookbooks
Spend $50. Get a choice of 1 yr subscription to Bon Apetit, Gourmet, or Conde Nast Traveler.


Added Bonus: Today's Boston Globe features a 30% coupon off retail price for a one item. Nice savings particularly if you have a specific book in mind.

Looking for some inspiration - here's my short list of good reads to buy:
That Old Cape Cod - Richard Russo
The Condition - Jennifer Haigh
Perfection - Julie Mentz
The Girl Who Played With Fire - Steig Larsson

Directions to New England Book Mobile
Rte 128, exit 19A - 1 1/2 miles on right