1. Eggsactly what I needed
2. Om-a-lette you finish
3. I pancake it anymore
4. You drive me glazy
5. In a hollan-daze
6. Club can’t even handle me right now
7. This is how I roll
8. In-pastable to resist
9. Pasta point of no return
10. A penne for your thoughts
11. Send noods
12. I’m soy into you
13. Sashimi rollin, they hatin
14. All that and dim sum
15. Bao down
16. I am pho real
17. Give ’em something to taco bout
18. Say queso!
19. We’ll guac your world
20. Slice slice baby
21. Slice up your life
22. You’re a pizza work
23. I’ve got a crust on you
24. You stole a pizza my heart
25. You’ve burrata be kidding me
26. We brie long together
27. I think you’re grate
28. Lookin’ sharp
29. Let it brie
30. Sundae funday
31. We are mint for each other
32. You got (soft) served
33. Out of cone-trol
34. Anything is popsicle
35. None fro you
36. This cake had me in tiers
37. Can’t cake my eyes off of you
38. Don’t mind if I dough
39. Chip chip hooray
40. On cloud wine
41. Sauving my problems
42. You had me at merlot
43. Happiest when I am with brew
44. Life without you would be unbeerable
45. You make me hoppy
46. Hop on this
47. License to distill
48. Renewing my gin membership
49. Call me old fashioned
50. Sip me baby one more time

Even if you are not one of the 11 million restaurant employees out of work in the United States right now, you are probably still feeling the hurt missing your favorite Saturday night spot. Restaurants have provided the setting for many special occasions in life whether it be a birthday, anniversary or holiday. Our favorite restaurants have even been places of comfort when we’ve needed to grab a drink after a bad day at work or after the Patriots lose a game. With all of the restaurants in the area being mandated to close to the public due to the Covid-19 situation, a lot of us are looking for ways to support those businesses who have always supported us in times of need. Lucky for us, businesses in our area have found ways to provide us with their services without requiring us to be physically present. Check out below for ten ways you can help out some of the best restaurants in the Boston area.

1. Order Fresh Oysters

If you haven’t tried Island Creek Oysters at your favorite oyster bar here in New England, you are surely missing out. Their Restaurants Island Creek Oyster Bar and Row 34 in Boston are a true “tide to table” experience, drawing inspiration from their own oyster farm located in Duxbury, Massachusetts, just 40 minutes outside of the city. Now you can bring that same just-harvested feeling to your own kitchen table by having fresh oysters shipped overnight (and still cold!) directly to your door. They have a variety of options including the additions of scallops and caviar, and even have a 200 count for the oyster-obsessed. For those who are not so brave, this week they started offering “The Starter Pack” which includes two dozen oysters and shucking tools. But be warned, we ordered a 50 count for two people and inhaled them all in one sitting. If anyone has a picky eater in their house, check back on the blog later this week for my bourbon grilled oyster recipe that even those who can be a bit.. particular will love.

2. Pick Up Some House-Made Pasta

Some of you may have seen our recipe for Easy Cheesy Carbonara earlier this week or my Instagram story of Fox & The Knife’s bolognese. Trust me, there is a reason I am blowing up the @foxpastaboston Instagram. Not only is Chef Karen Akunowicz a James Beard Foundation Award Winner and Top Chef Star, but her and her team also make some of the best damn pasta I have ever had. For those lucky enough to be in the Boston vicinity, make your way to Fox & The Knife to pick up some of their house-made pasta and sauces, complete with instructions on how to put it all together at home. Fresh pasta takes about two minutes to cook, and this is an easy and affordable way to brush up your own cooking skills and experience a piece of an incredible restaurant at home, especially if your grocery store is *still* out of boxed pasta.

3. Bring Home Some Local Brews

Even if you don’t consider yourself a beer enthusiast, its no secret that Boston is home to a number of fantastic local brewing companies like Trillium, Night Shift and Harpoon. While most liquor stores do carry your locally-made favorites, you also have the option of ordering some of these craft brews for pickup or delivery. This is a great zero-contact way to avoid going into the liquor store and stocking up the possibly most essential grocery item you need.

4. Place an Order of Pretzels

Without a doubt these troubling times can call for some comfort food, and what is more comforting than a soft, salty, pull-apart pretzel you can eat with your hands? Especially if you took our suggestion for bringing home some local brews, pretzels are needed now more than ever! Eastern Standard Provisions Co. has them in all shapes and sizes with an array of different salts that can be shipped straight to your home. They also make a great gift for the person you have been missing most, or a first responder working to keep us safe. Follow the link below to check out all of the different options- bonus points if you keep your mouth from watering.

5. Curbside Your Favorite Cocktail Kit

I don’t know about you, but taco Tuesdays have just not been the same paired with store-bought margarita mix. Lucky for us, our favorite restaurants have found a solution. Offering everything but the booze, some of your favorite crafted cocktails can be delivered or picked up curbside. Just add the liquor of your choice, follow the instructions and viola! that blood orange margarita with a smoky salt rim you have been craving appears in your living room. I had posted a blood orange margarita on Instagram earlier this week using margarita mix courtesy of Perro Salado in Newport, Rhode Island, but there are a number of Boston restaurants offering their own kits like Blossom Bar, Bartaco and Loco Taquerina & Oyster Bar.

6. Order Takeout

Although greasy takeout is never a bad idea, the options for higher quality food could definitely be limited on delivery apps pre-Covid 19. Now even high-end restaurants are trading their silver clad dining rooms for your kitchen table. Popular delivery apps like Doordash and Uber Eats are offering $0 or reduced delivery fees, but I recommend downloading the app Caviar if you haven’t already. They are currently offering $0 delivery for the entire month, and offer some of the best restaurants in Boston to choose from. If you have an upcoming special occasion that may have been cause for a fancy dinner, you still have the option to order Beef Wellington or Wagyu beef from Mooo…. or milk-fed pig’s head from Craigie on Main to celebrate. Enter promo code HIBOSTON20 for a little something off of your first order.

7. Show Some Love on Social Media

In return for support for their workers, restaurants are using social media giveaways to give back to their customers, first responders and essential workers. Local favorites like The Broadway and Tavern in the Square are asking their followers to tag friends, share their posts and even donate small amounts to their employee relief funds in exchange for a chance to win prizes like gift cards and merchandise. These giveaways will be happening every week, so be sure to follow them on Instagram to get your shot at that $500 gift card!

8. Buy Merchandise

Just like you would purchase a tee-shirt to show love for your favorite band, you can also represent the places you love to eat. Groups like JK Food Group have started brushing up their retail skills to make it as easy as possible to support their staff with every purchase: “With the purchase of every shirt you are helping your favorite restaurant and the staff we’ve come to love. Nothing to hide here, half of the proceeds from each shirt will go directly to the restaurant(s) you have chosen to support, a portion of the rest going to a charity to support the relief efforts overall. The remainder will help us continue funding programs like this one and hopefully we will all be able to raise a glass in toast once we are through!”. If that isn’t enough of a reason, their stuff is also really cute! Waiting for my Little Donkey teeshirt to get here this week has been like a kid waiting for Christmas.

9. Get a Gift Card

One way to keep positive during the Covid-19 situation we are currently facing is to look towards the future. There will be an end to this, and when there is, our favorite restaurants will need our help to reopen. That is why purchasing a gift card now that can be used at a later time, could be detrimental to assisting some businesses get back on their feet. There are currently a number of restaurants who are donating a portion (if not all) gift card sales to their employee relief funds to support the members of their teams while restaurants are closed. Newport Restaurant Group, who recently opened Bar ‘Cino in Brookline is entering all who purchase gift cards in raffles to win items such as a weekend getaway at Castle Hill Inn or dinner for two at 22 Bowen’s in Newport, Rhode Island.

10. Donate to a Good Cause, an Employee Relief Fund or Virtual Tip Jar

Its truly touching to see the amount of support our local restaurants have offered first responders and those working during the pandemic, despite most having to close their doors, temporarily lay-off their employees, and potentially lose their businesses. Organizations like Off Their Plate have brought restaurants together to provide nutritious meals to the hospital teams we depend on, while providing jobs to those who have lost them. The teams behind infamous Boston favorites Trade, Porto and Saloniki have partnered with organizations like Off Their Plate and World Central Kitchen to create a fund to provide meals to Boston’s front line healthcare workers and displaced restaurant employees during this difficult time. If you are looking for a way to help restaurants and also give back to essential workers, consider donating to the link below.

If you can afford to help your local restaurants in any way, we hope you feel inspired to do so by some of the suggestions in this article. If there any additional services or programs that you think we should know about us, please feel free to comment them below. Thank you for reading!

Ingredients

• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 8 tablespoons salted butter (1 stick), room temperature
• 3 tablespoons bourbon
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon canned chipotle peppers in adobo, finely chopped
• 50 oysters, scrubbed and soaked

Preparation

Mix the garlic, butter, bourbon, brown sugar and chipotle peppers in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Preheat grill to medium to high heat. Place the oysters cupped-side down directly on the grill. Close lid and cook until oysters just pop open, about 4 minutes. Discard any oysters that do not open at all after 6 minutes or so.

Remove oysters from grill. Using an oyster knife if needed, remove the top shell (flat side) carefully and discard. Do your best not to lose any of the liquor or the juices that are naturally inside the oyster.

Top each oyster with a spoonful of bourbon mixture and place back on the grill, cooking until mixture is melted and bubbling, about 2 minutes. Remove from grill and place on serving tray. Let cool slightly then enjoy!

Additional Tips

• We recommend using Island Creek Oysters for this recipe. Click here to order.
• Never cook with a spirit you won’t drink. We used Buffalo Trace Bourbon for this recipe, but any well-balanced bourbon will do.
• If having trouble keeping oysters balanced on grill top, or to avoid losing any juices, use crinkled aluminum foil underneath while cooking.
• Spread a layer of salt onto serving tray to avoid cooked oysters from spilling over.
• Serve with grilled bread to soak up any additional liquid.

Get the Tools

Select the image below to view R. Murphy Duxbury Oyster Knife from Amazon.com

Major disclaimer: I have never been to Walt Disney World. Growing up, my family just never took those kinds of vacations. You can imagine the wide-eyed looks I received in grade school when kids would come back from April vacation, recounting their adventures throughout the giant theme park only for me to admit that I had no idea what they were talking about. Aside from not being able to bond over the experience with my classmates, I wasn’t effected too much by this disgrace to American culture. As an adult, it did provide me a good “never have I ever” to use during a game of kings. However, the second I was informed I was attending a business trip to Orlando, you better bet I began planning what little free time I did have to be spent at the Disney for adults: Epcot.

As a self-credited foodie, eating around the world appealed to me more than any other attraction in Orlando. I researched all of the tips on where to go first, the best strategies, how to keep yourself hydrated, etc. Everything I read said to start early and pace yourself, but unfortunately as a business traveler I did not have that kind of time. I was still determined to eat and drink my way through every country, but my early afternoon flight barely allowed me enough time to de-board the plane, grab my luggage, head to my hotel to check in, and head to the park. I understand most of you won’t head to Disney in such a rushed manor, but if you ever do, my guide below will help you hit the highlights and enjoy as much as possible in a short period of time.

Start in Mexico

Once you enter the park, walk to the left to start in Mexico. Head inside the pavilion and go to La Cava De Tequila. This shaded spot is the perfect place to cool down and get your game plan together for the day. They serve margaritas both frozen and on the rocks, over 200 tequilas including many top shelf brands, and they even have a tequila flight if you are feeling ambitious. Their ice cold margaritas are tangy and refreshing, not too sweet, and perfect to start your walk around the park with. You can even get some chips and queso as a amuse-bouche. Pictured to the left: the jalapeno margarita with tequila Altos resposado, muddled jalapenos, fresh lime juice, agave nectar, and muddled cucumbers, served on the rocks with a hibiscus Himalayan salt rim.

Although Norway doesn’t have the best food options, they do have the Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe with a number of sweet pastries you can snack on. If you are brave, take a shot of Linie Aquavit. I have no idea what it is, but its rumored to be the only shot to make you officially part of the drinking around the world group, so you sort of have to do it.

Do not miss Joy of Tea in China

Just steps away from the China pavillion’s gate, Joy of Tea is home to my favorite drink in all of epcot: the Canto Loopy. Made with cantaloupe juice and vodka, this sweet drink tastes like literal summer and won’t make you too loopy for your next few stops. If you need a quick bite to eat here, Joy of Tea also has the lucky combo. This affordable option comes with a curry chicken pocket and your choice of two egg rolls. It also comes with your choice of a soft drink, so this is a good time to grab a bottle of water to keep yourself hydrated.

Luckily, you’ll have a bit of a break between China and Germany as you walk through the Outpost. Take this time to digest and drink water to keep you going.

Bring on the pretzels and beers in Germany

Yup, that’s right, its time for pretzels and beer. Although it may seem like some heavy additions for this point in your adventure, its probably time to put some bread in your stomach after mixing different types of alcohol. The jumbo pretzel from Sommerfest was exactly what I needed. Soft and salty, its the perfect snack (?) to sober you up a bit. If you are feeling too full, only eat part of the pretzel or skip the German beer. I however took finishing mine as a challenge, and paired it with the Schöfferhofer Pink Grapefruit Hefeweizen, hoping the crisp and fruity notes of the grapefruit would balance out the heftiness of the hefeweizen and the jumbo pretzel I was consuming. It wouldn’t be Germany without the option of having your beer served in a souvenir stein, or if you are looking tasting they also have a beer flight you can enjoy. If beer isn’t your thing, try some of their traditional German wines.

Say cheers in Italy

Soak up the shade inside the Tutto Gusto wine cellar. The bar is standing room only and offers a variety of different wines, beers, and my personal favorite All Bubbles All the Time, a flight of three different champagne varieties. Growing up so close to Italian neighborhoods like Federal Hill and the North End, and especially after eating that giant pretzel, I chose not to try any food in the Italian pavilion. However if you are looking for a bite to eat, Tutto Gusto has high top tables and a great menu of small plates to indulge on.

In an effort to leave room in my stomach, I chose to skip both drinking and eating at The American Adventure. However, if you are looking for something sweet at this point, the funnel cake stand comes highly recommended.

Save room for sushi

Katsura Grill is a great place to grab a quick bite to eat between drinks. They have quick serve sushi that is absolutely delicious. Take it with you and walk out into the park to people watch or enjoy the views. Katsura Grill does have alcoholic beverages like hot and cold sake, but the best drinks are located at the sake bar inside Mitsukoshi Department Store. The kiosk is pretty easy to walk by but it should not be missed, featuring several different types of sake that you can purchase by the glass or bottle and several other Japanese spirits.

I did a quick walk through Morocco and decided not to stop at any of the kiosks here. While most of my research told me Morocco is seriously underrated, I just could not fit it in at this point. If you are looking for a quick drink here, most recommendations online say to get the Moroccarita at the drink stand.

Disney die-hards look away, here is my second major disclaimer of this post: I also skipped France. While I did walk through to give myself time to digest, I did not indulge on any libations, crepes, or french pastries. If I had stopped, it would have been at the Les Vins des Chefs de France kiosk for one of their signature slushies.

Try not to fill up on fish and chips in the UK

If you skipped the last two countries like I did, you’ll be ready to stop at Yorkshire County Fish Shop for a United Kingdom staple: fish and chips with a Bass Ale. The fish and chips entree comes with two piping hot pieces of fried fish and french fries. They have Bass Ale on draft to wash it all down. It also has great views located next to the World Showcase lagoon.

Pass the finish line with beer and poutine in Canada

Being that Canada does not have an official quick service kiosk, you’ll need to make two stops. First, head to the popcorn cart to grab an authentic Canadian beer. Then head to the refreshment port next door for some perfectly prepared poutine. Find a bench near the waterfall to enjoy your last few bites and gather your strength to walk through the parking lot.

Looking to get yourself into the holiday spirit? These fudgy Easter brownies are eggsactly what you need!

Down in the dumps being stuck inside? Follow this recipe for the ultimate comfort food you can make at home.

Pan-Fried Soup Dumplings

Makes approximately 26

Ingredients

Soup:

• 2/3 cup hot water
• 1 packet (.25 oz) gelatin powder
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon chicken stock

Dough:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
• 1 cup hot water
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• Optional: purchase dumpling wrappers in place of this step

Filling:

• 1 lb ground pork
• 2 green onions, finely chopped (will want additional for garnish)
• 2 shitake mushrooms, finely chopped
• ½ inch piece ginger, peeled and grated (may want larger than ½ inch piece to grate easily)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons red wine (can also substitute sake)
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce

Sauce:

• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon hot water
• 4 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon chili oil
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon minced or grated ginger
• ½ teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
• ½ teaspoon sesame oil