Oxford Creamery

It got to be a joke.  It seemed every time we passed the Oxford Creamery on Route 28 in Mattapoisett it was closed, and we speculated they saw us coming and had all the customers move their cars and hide. We’d heard rumors of good food, but had just about given up tasting it. The other day, however, we detected activity. We were headed for Turk’s, and my mouth was watering for their shrimp Mozambique, but life stirred at the Oxford Creamery and it was an opportunity not to be passed up.

 

Having operated on the spot for eighty-two years, Oxford Creamery is the type of old time eatery I love.  Brightly painted in blue and white, it evokes the past.  The interior is festooned with signs that substitute for a menu.  Their prices are old fashioned too, and with sandwiches starting at $2.50 and soft drinks at $1.25 you can easily get lunch for under $5.00. 

 

Seats inside may be at a premium, but there are picnic tables just outside the door and in a grassy area on the far side of the parking lot.  The food is available to go, and you could take it to Ned’s Point Lighthouse, and eat it with a beautiful view of Mattapoisett Harbor.

The lobster roll is $11.50 and comes with coleslaw and fries.  It’s packed with lobster meat with no filler and only a light coating of mayonnaise. We each had one. The accompanying raspberry lime rickeys were a tad sweet and benefitted from squeezing the eighth of a lime garnish to add a little tartness.  

 

If, upon reading this, you are motivated to journey to the South Facing Coast and eat at The Oxford Creamery, you’ll have the same experience we used to have.  We got lucky on the last day before it closed for the winter, and they weren’t sure exactly when they are going to reopen in the spring.  Let the thought of sitting in the sun enjoying some old fashioned New England food sustain you through the ice and snow and visit http://oxfordcreamery.com/  when the crocuses bloom.  By that time the management  will probably have decided on the opening day. 

Glen Breton

 

For whisky to be called Scotch, it must be made in Scotland, but a spirit made elsewhere of the same ingredients and using the same methods can have remarkable excellence.  One such is Glen Breton, which is made in “New Scotland,” or Nova Scotia, Canada.  This fall I visited the beautiful  Glenora Distillery on Cape Breton Island and brought home some of what they term North America’s first single malt whisky. 

The claim could be disputed.  Under Scotch whisky regulations, single malt Scotch whisky must be made exclusively from malted barley.  It must be distilled using a pot still, and must be aged for at least three years in oak casks of a capacity not exceeding 700 liters. There are some American whiskey’s advertised as single malts that are made from malted rye.   

My friend John Sgammato and I briefly discussed the technicalities as I poured out glasses of the souvenir I’d brought home , but our main interest was to discover (1.)  did Glen Breton taste like Scotch? And  (2.) did it taste good?  Our answer to both questions was yes.  A review by P.P. at the Wine Enthusiast website had this to say:

“The delightful aroma features scents of spice, dried banana, cinnamon/nutmeg; ginger, egg cream, and a hint of honey. The palate entry offers a  zesty, spirity warmth; by mid-palate the pleasing tingle is replaced by round tastes of honey coated cereal, sweet oak, and candied almond. Finishes elegantly, smoldering warm, and resiny  bittersweet. A world-class malt whisky.”

Wine critics are well known for their imaginations.  As  we sipped, neither John nor I mentioned Honey Bunches of O.  In fact I think the flavor is simpler than the review implies.  John referred to the mid-palate taste as biscuity. We found the whisky approachable and easy to drink. 

Each single malt whisky has its own personality.  Unless you have a lot of money and a very large liquor cabinet, you have to choose a favorite.  Glen Breton would make a comfy friend.  It has the attraction of being made on our very own continent, and the disadvantage that it doesn’t seem to be sold in Massachusetts.  You can buy it in Connecticut, however.  The Glenora Distillery website provides a list of merchants in the United States where you can find it.  Check it out at http://www.glenoradistillery.com/ It has the added advantage of being a rarity.  You will enjoy offering it to your friends.

"Gravity"

Yesterday Annette and I went to see "Gravity."  The movie is extremely well made and absolutely harrowing.  Cured the last of my desire to be an astronaut.  Only two characters played by George Clooney and Sandra Bullock do a great job.  Would I go see "Gravity II?"  No.  I came out theater wrung out.  It was very realistic, especially if you see it in the big screen 3D version as we did.  You can probably get the DVD for the price of two tickets.  Then you can take a break and catch your breath and come back to it when you feel able. 

Legal C Bar

  

I was an early fan of Jasper White.  I traveled to Boston to eat at Jasper’s, his dazzling restaurant on Atlantic Avenue.  I still swear by his book, Jasper White's Cooking from New England.  When he opened Summer Shack in Cambridge I made the trek and found it huge, cold in atmosphere, and mediocre in cuisine.  I love real seafood shacks, and White’s version wasn’t even close. 

When they opened a Summer Shack at the Derby Street Shops in Hingham I kept trying it. After all, I thought, it’s owned by Jasper White, surely he’ll bring it around.  I had some good fish there, but never an entire meal without a serious flaw. The restaurant deserved to close and did. 

The good news is that it has been replaced by Legal C Bar.   Okay, it’s a dumb name, and the sparkly sign looks like it belongs on a used car lot.  The atmosphere inside might be better when the places is full.  It’s a large dim room devoid of charm, and it was nearly empty when we were there for lunch on a Tuesday.  Never mind that; the food was outstanding. 

It’s a new concept by Legal Seafood.  I’ve always found their restaurants dependable.  I’ve never had fish that wasn’t fresh and well-prepared.  That’s saying a lot.  Where else would you eat at Logan Airport or bring an out-of-towner for scrod?  A lovely piece of fresh fish, perfectly cooked is exciting enough for the likes of me, but Legal Seafood never went for glitz.

Until now. 

For lunch Annette had fried Malpeque oysters from Prince Edward Island with a seaweed salad.  You squeezed a fresh lime wedge over a mixture of salt and cinnamon and dipped each oyster into it.  Cinnamon on oysters? It not only worked; it made your taste buds snap to attention and salute. It’s a marvelous thing to go to lunch when you’re shopping and get a dish that gives you something pleasant to think about for the rest of the week. 

I had the signature crab cake.  It was made of lump crabmeat that was not overdone.  In fact it was like a warm crab salad just stuck under the salamander long enough to brown it a little.  It was moist and flavorful and came with a sprightly green salad.  I got a side of onion strings that were expertly done.  To drink, Annette enjoyed a perky rosé wine, and I had a draft Fisherman’s Ale from the Cape Ann Brewing Company. 

Annette got a side of sautéed Swiss chard that was a little too chewy.  This was the only flaw, and I must admit underdone greens are fashionable.  The chard was garlicky and studded with toasted pine nuts.  I think the dish was the way it was supposed to be; it just wasn’t to my taste.

For dessert we shared a banana bread pudding that was sweet and tasty.  This was particularly pleasing after the disastrous desserts we suffered at Summer Shack.  We got a wedge of blueberry pie there that is  enshrined in our all-time pastry hall of shame.  I must add that the coffee at Legal C was so good I’m still thinking about how it tasted.  I must also commend Mary Ellen our server, who was helpful and charming.   

I’m recommending Legal C Bar to you and anyone else who will listen.  I think you’ll find the daring dishes aren’t just gimmicky, they’re well thought out.  If you’re not the sort to take risks, there is plenty of plainer fare backed by Legal Seafood’s well-known dependability. 

 

Stuffed Clams

Ingredients

12 coarsely chopped little neck clams.  Ours were cooked.

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1/2 cup chopped Portuguese Chorizo

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper

1/4 cup chopped celery

2 tbs. clam juice.

1/2 cup crisp breadcrumbs.  We get them from My Little Bakery in Duxbury

1/4 teaspoon seasoning mix.  We used Penzy's Southwest Seasoning. 

2 dashes hot sauce.  We used Tabasco.

1 grind black pepper

1 pinch dried time (not powdered) or finely minced fresh thyme -- optional

1 tbs. olive oil

1 tbs. butter plus a little more to dot clams

 
Method

Sauté the clams, onion, red pepper, celery, and chorizo in the butter and olive oil.
Season with seasoning mix, thyme, hot sauce, and black pepper. 
Mix in breadcrumbs and moisten with clam juice.
Stuff the mixture into clam shells, dot them with butter, and put them in an aluminum foil lined pan.
Bake in a 375 degree preheated oven for ten to fifteen minutes or until nicely browned.