Boston, MA
Boston cream pie: A love letter to our official state dessert – The Boston Globe
These days, iterations of Boston cream pie abound — there’s even a sub-category, the Boston cream doughnut, named the official doughnut of Boston in 2003. Which ones are worthy of the “official dessert” crown? We made it our mission to sample as many versions of Boston cream pie as possible, before revulsion set in. We only tested desserts that are available on a daily basis, no special-order situations. Our testers included Charlotte Ames, a foodie who worked for the Zagat restaurant survey (now owned by The Infatuation), and Steve Porter and Audrey Doyle, creators and cofounders of www.Washashores.life, a lifestyle website dedicated to restaurants and nightlife on Cape Cod. (Extra dessert-cred: Doyle has worked at an Italian bakery.) About 50 forkfuls of pastry cream and 10 trillion calories later, here’s what transpired in our blind taste test.
Boston cream cheesecake: Ritz Carlton Boston’s Artisan Bistro
Can’t decide between Boston cream pie and cheesecake? Artisan Bistro serves a single-serving dome of velvety golden Boston cream cheesecake. Topped with chocolate-covered shortbread and a flower blossom, it’s a pretty dessert, but does it satisfy a craving for BCP? Sorry, no, our testers agreed, but it’s a darn good . . . cheesecake. “The filling is light and fluffy, almost mousseline,” Doyle said. “But if I wanted a hint of Boston cream pie, I’d be disappointed.” (www.ritzcarlton.com; $9 per slice.)
Boston cream cupcake: Modern Pastry
They say you eat with your eyes first. For sheer cuteness, it doesn’t get better than Modern Pastry in the North End — witness its delicious dupes of that childhood favorite, the Hostess chocolate cupcake. True to form, its Boston cream cupcakes are Instagram-perfect, the golden sponge peeking out from under a layer of shiny chocolate decorated with a white swirl. Our testers loved the rich pastry cream center and the fine crumb of the sponge, but deemed the ganache “a minor player” in this dessert. www.modernpastry.com; $5 each.
Boston cream pie slice: Bova’s Bakery
Recently used as a filming location for “The Instigators,” starring Matt Damon and Casey Affleck, this 24-hour bakery is famous for sweet treats like Italian cookies and cannoli. Rich and decadent, a slice of Bova’s Boston cream pie holds a nice surprise for chocolate lovers — a slick of chocolate is sandwiched between three layers of yellow sponge, along with the expected vanilla cream. The ganache was “the perfect thickness, and not too sweet,” Ames noted, but the pastry cream was a tad bland for her taste. The final verdict: Good, but not one of Bova’s greatest hits. www.bovasbakery.com; $6 per slice.
Boston cream doughnut: Veggie Galaxy, Cambridge
This one isn’t a looker, but what a tasty option for those looking for some Boston cream joy minus the dairy component. How do they nail the flavor? According to Veggie Galaxy’s pastry chef Miranda Gray, “Our Boston Cream doughnut is a brioche doughnut filled with coconut-based vanilla bean pastry cream, topped with a Dutch cocoa glaze. A long fermentation and generous amounts of vegan butter make for rich and full-flavored brioche.” Our only quibble: We could use a bit more of that pastry cream. www.veggiegalaxy.com; $4.
Boston cream pie: Legal Harborside
Legal’s for dessert? Who knew? Their version is an orb of yellow cake with a light coating of chocolate ganache and a crunchy element: shards of almonds and toffee bits, plus a mound of whipped cream. This one gets a 10 for presentation, and it’s a solid bite of food when you load your fork with cake and pass it through the whipped cream and toffee shards. “The bittersweet chocolate is good, and doesn’t overpower the sponge,” our tester said, although the ganache got a bit mangled in our takeout container. Do they make this dessert onsite? They do not. “Mike’s Pastry makes this for us,” our server confided. www.legalseafoods.com; $11.
Boston cream tart: Thinking Cup
At Thinking Cup, the Boston cream pie is a pie — a tart, actually, with a butter tart shell, vanilla bean pastry cream, and a top layer of Valrhona chocolate ganache (blended with heavy cream and butter). This triumph of dessert deliciousness, made in-house, is decorated with a swirl of vanilla whipped cream and chocolate curls. No sponge in this bad boy. That didn’t deter our testers, who scraped every last morsel off the plate. One panelist called it “satisfying but light — you get lots of flavor in each bite,” and the avowed chocoholic in the group appreciated the “slightly bitter bite” of the chocolate. Not a conventional BCP, to be sure, but definitely delicious. www.thinkingcup.com; $5.25.
Boston cream pie: Flour Bakery + Café
Is there a soul among us who hasn’t swooned at one of Flour Bakery’s diabolically indulgent baked goods? We visited the Clarendon Street location for a slice of their Boston cream pie, and felt like judges at a baking show as we admired the perfect layers of coffee syrup-soaked vanilla sponge and vanilla pastry cream: So even! And that fudge ganache: So smooth! But the star of this dish (to go all Bobby Flay on you) was . . . coffee. “The coffee syrup is strong, diminishing the Boston cream pie-ness of this dessert,” according to our tester. If you love a jolt of coffee with your cake, though, consider this one a two-fer. www.flourbakery.com; $6.30 per slice.
The OG Boston cream pie: Parker’s Restaurant at the Omni Parker House Hotel
What’s the secret to a fabulous Boston cream pie? Perfect pastry cream, and plenty of it, says pastry supervisor Laura Figueroa: “It provides that punch of vanilla. It’s not a pudding, but it’s super-soft and keeps its shape.” Even their smallest pies have a whole scoop of pastry cream inside. Although you can get this BCP shipped via Goldbelly, it’s a slightly different recipe, she notes. Best to experience this one in all its glory at Parker’s Restaurant, where it’s served with fresh berries and a dollop of whipped cream, atop a swirl of berry sauce. Happily, our leftovers survived the trip to our kitchen (including public transportation) in fine form, with the crushed almonds still clinging and the spiderweb design intact. Our testers were impressed. www.omniparkerhouse.com; $10 per serving.
. . . and a mystery contender
“So moist and light, not cloyingly sweet.” “Love the generous layer of ganache!” “Fantastic!” our testers said, in praise of a certain 8-inch Boston cream pie. Our last entry in the Boston cream pie taste-a-thon features two layers of delicate sponge and a thick middle of pastry cream, topped with gooey ganache and a maraschino cherry. Our panelists hooted when they learned of its provenance: Market Basket’s bakery counter (www.marketbasket.com; $10.99). A local wholesale bakery supplies them to the store, previously frozen, Market Basket told us via e-mail. So — if you need a quick BCP fix, there you go. Or you can bake it yourself. (The Parker House shares its recipe on its website.) But nothing beats going into a bakery and admiring the beauteous bounty of sweetness in the pastry case.
Diane Bair and Pamela Wright can be reached at bairwright@gmail.com
Boston, MA
How to Watch Orlando Magic at Boston Celtics on Friday, January 17
BOSTON – The Orlando Magic and Boston Celtics do battle for the second time this season Friday evening. Tipoff between the two Eastern Conference foes is at 7 p.m. ET from TD Garden.
Each team will be looking to bounce back after uncharacteristic losses. But, one team will be much healthier when attempting to do so.
On the front end of this chilly Northern road trip, the Magic handled by the Milwaukee Bucks by 29 points Wednesday night in Milwaukee. They’ll be without three of their top four scorers and five total rotational players in looking to wash the taste of that contest away.
Boston went north of the border to Toronto and dropped their Wednesday outing by 13 points. The Celtics report no injuries ahead of Friday’s bout.
Regarding this season’s series, Orlando (23-19) took the first matchup over Boston (28-12). Friday’s nationally televised matchup is the second of three this year between the two teams.
Who: Orlando Magic (23-19, 5th in East) at Boston Celtics (28-12, 2nd in East)
What: NBA Regular Season Game
When: Friday, January 17, 7 p.m. ET
Where: TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
TV: ESPN, FanDuel Sports Network Florida, NBCS Boston
Radio: 96.9 The Game, Orlando Magic Audio Network, SiriusXM
Point Spread: Milwaukee -6
Last Meeting: Orlando 108, Boston 104 on 12/23/24
Orlando Magic
Boston Celtics
Jamahl Mosley, Orlando Magic: Mosley tipped off his fourth NBA season as a head coach this season, all of which having come with the Magic. He’s 126-162 in the regular season all-time. Before Mosley was named the head coach of the Magic, he was an assistant with Dallas, Cleveland, and Denver. He’s a Colorado alum, and played four years of professional basketball in Mexico, Australia, Finland and South Korea.
Joe Mazzulla, Boston Celtics: Mazzulla, 36 years old, mans the sidelines for his third season as the Celtics’ coach this year. In each of his first two seasons, Boston finished atop the Eastern Conference. They hoisted the Larry O’Brien trophy a historic 18th time this past June after his team cruised through the playoffs in just 19 games (16-3). Prior to taking over as head coach, the former West Virginia Mountaineer was an assistant on the Celtics bench for three seasons. He’s regarded as one of the brightest, young polarizing minds in the game. today
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Boston, MA
State plans to overhaul the Arborway in Boston, remove rotary
BOSTON — The Arborway is home to nature. The Arboretum along the road is no stranger to ponds and amphibians, so it’s fitting that crossing the street feels like a game of Frogger. The state has taken notice and has a proposal to overhaul the entire thoroughfare.
Neighbors hope for changes
“You are definitely taking your life in your own hands trying to cross this road. There are a lot of crashes right here because you have four lanes going into one,” said Ed Narenkivicius, a dog walker who’s lived here for 25 years. “The current model isn’t working, so hoping for anything with common sense.”
Out of the 13 intersections on the Arborway, only two are signaled, which means at 11 of them, pedestrians have to wait for the cars to stop to cross. With multiple lanes, people can be waiting a while or choose to risk it to run across.
“I don’t use a crosswalk that doesn’t have a signal, and the ones up here are just flashing yellow. I wait until cars stop,” said Narenkivicius.
“It is challenging at times. We have to dodge cars from time to time or wait,” said Heidi Blake, another neighbor out walking her dog. “As a driver, I have seen cars run into one another, and very dodgy entrances and exits.”
Blake is onto something. She’s lived here for 10 years, and studies back up her fears. Over the last five years, there have been more than 100 sideswipe crashes at both Murray and Kelley Circle.
“You can see the sideswipe crashes are clustered and concentrated near the entrances and exits to the circle,” said Project Manager Teren Wong while showcasing data during a public meeting online.
Two traffic circles removed
In response, the state is working to overhaul the entire Arborway by doing away with both circles altogether. Bike and pedestrian lanes will be added, as well as reducing the number of pedestrian crossings. The ones that remain will be signaled. The proposal increases green space as well.
Many of the people we spoke with were in favor change, but skeptical of the current design. During the public meeting this week, one Pondside neighborhood resident worried the new design will make it difficult to access his street.
“You’ve got to think about this seriously, and you’ve got to resolve it because this is not going to stand,” the resident said.
The proposal is still being tweaked. They hope to have it finalized by 2026.
Boston, MA
Explore The Luxurious Side Of Massachusetts At This Year’s Boston Wine And Food Festival
Equipped with a lengthy coastline and a fishing culture that dates back centuries, Massachusetts has earned widespread acclaim for its world-class seafood scene—but that’s not all that this historic state has to offer. In addition to being the birthplace of beloved baked goods like the Boston cream pie and chocolate chip cookie, the commonwealth also boasts one of the finest dining scenes in all of New England. During a visit to the capital city of Boston, tourists can discover all sorts of polished bars and prestigious restaurants within city limits, and for a truly lavish experience, there’s no beating the Boston Wine and Food Festival.
First launched in 1989, this esteemed affair is set to return for its 36th iteration this year, with no shortage of elevated drinking and dining experiences taking place within the city’s world-class Boston Harbor Hotel. As one of the longest food and drink-focused events in the nation, the Boston Wine and Food Festival spans from late January until the final week of March, with festivities officially kicking off on January 31st at Opening Night. Taking place in the Harbor Hotel’s opulent Wharf Room, this lively event invites guests to sample more than 100 different wines sourced from all across the globe, all while enjoying live music and bites crafted by Executive Chef David Daniels.
After Opening Night, festival participants can look forward to twenty wine-focused events taking place throughout February and March, many of which shine a spotlight on the natural bounty of both California and Western Europe. For a deep dive on the agricultural history of France’s Rhône Valley, the Châteauneuf-du-Pâpe Dinner is the perfect event, while concepts like The Tuscan Sun Dinner and Marchesi di Barolo Dinner are ideal for discovering the rich array of wines that hail from the Italian peninsula.
When it comes to specific varieties of wine, the festival offers curated master classes focusing on Nebbiolo, Champagne and rosé, but for those in search of a particularly romantic experience, it’s tough to beat Valentines on the French Riviera. Taking place on February 14th, this intimate affair invites participants to enjoy a private dinner under the golden glow of candlelight, with seven refined wines from the French Riviera served alongside flavorful Mediterranean fare.
While the Boston Wine and Food Festival is particularly elegant all on its own, its host hotel is offering an opportunity for guests to elevate their experience with The Presidential Burgundy Experience. Taking place on March 21st, this grandiose event provides up to eight participants with an opportunity to bask in the beauty of the property’s Presidential Suite—a 4,800-square-foot space that comes complete with a private elevator, open-air terrace and floor-to-ceiling windows—and enjoy a sommelier-led Burgundy tasting experience and lavish, six-course dinner prepared by Chef David Daniels.
During the Presidential Burgundy Experience, guests can also take advantage of the full-service open bar available all throughout the meal, while the following morning brings the opportunity to enjoy an elegant brunch served in the comfort of the suite. And to sweeten the deal, a stay at the Boston Harbor Hotel also allows guests to pay a visit to Rowes Wharf Sea Grille—a top spot for lobster, oysters and clam chowder—without having to step outdoors and brave the winter weather.
While Massachusetts has long been renowned for its thriving seafood scene, the Boston Wine and Food Festival highlights far more than just the Bay State, with no shortage of acclaimed restaurateurs gathering to pay homage to the world’s most esteemed wineries. From Hollywood-inspired dinners to deep dives on the world of Pinot Noir, this lauded festival grants guests an opportunity to enjoy the elevated ambiance of the city at its very best—and with winter in full swing, the Boston Wine and Food Festival provides the perfect opportunity to escape the cold and immerse yourself in the flavors of Napa, Tuscany or the French Riviera for a truly unforgettable night.
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