I am sure everyone is sick of hearing about my adventures at our local market City Feed, but seriously every time I go there I am floored by how much community activity is happening. My plan was to pick up a few components for my naturally dyed Easter egg project and head back with my Hoefler-Frere-Jones tote full of red cabbage, eggs (from Allendale farms) and turmeric.
What I walked into was a bee hive of activity.
Somerville indie-rockers Mount Peru were in the front part of the store. You wouldn’t think bands would sound all that fabulous in this space, but it’s actually a decent room. Anyway, I recommend these guys… really nice harmonies and huge props to the vocalists. I’ve noticed that City Feed seems to book bands with an Okerville River vibe, I’m very ok with this. These guys remind me a lot of Luna, Grant Lee Buffalo and other mid-to-late 90’s acoustic rock bands. In an ocean of auto-tuned sonic perfection it’s refreshing to hear real drums and a live acoustic sound. You can listen to their catalog for free on their nicely designed website.
City Feed was not only hosting great music but also not one, but two tastings.
Notch Brewery based in Ipswich, MA had three brews to sample. I’m familiar with their Session Ale, but I was pleasantly surprised by their Pils. From their website:
Notch Session Pils salutes the unfiltered lagers of the Czech Republic: crisp, herbal, and hoppy. The Czech culture is a beer culture – drinking more beer per capita than any other nation. And their beer of choice is the low gravity, unfiltered and unpasteurized Pilsner, known as “workers” or “tap” beer. In the end, Czech Pilsner serves the same function as Brit Session Beer – lower ABV, great flavor, and built for multiple pints.
This is exactly what I was looking for the other night, a lower-alcohol yet flavorful and crisp beer. Look, I love IPA’s and all the hoppy and happy feelings that come with it, but sometimes I want to enjoy a beer without feeling completely wasted after half a bottle. I really can’t stand domestic commercial beers so I see a lot of the Session Pils in my future this summer.
Up next, Westport Rivers Vineyards with a few whites and some bubbles. I didn’t try their wines instead opting for their 2006 brut reserve. I’m not a wine expert and I am not completely knowledgable about Massachusetts wineries, but I thought this was tasty. My initial thought about this was not so much about the flavors as much as the feel. When I think of Brut I think dry and punchy. Initially this Brut seemed to have a bit of snap but then finished gentle and soft. Again, I’m not an expert these are only my own observations.
Heading home someone was selling seedlings to benefit something or other. I bought $5 worth. Why not? Hopefully I will not kill them.
Is it interesting that politicians and pundits talk about the disappearance of Main Street? I wonder how many of them actually shop there. Regardless of your political persuasion, I am happy to say Main Street is alive and well in the Boston neighborhood of Jamaica Plain.
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