Boston, Massachusetts - The 102nd Fisherman's Feast

 The Fisherman's Feast 2012
This past weekend marked the Fisherman's Feast, an annual event that began in Boston's North End in 1910 and is based on a tradition that goes back to the 16th century in Sciacca, Sicily. The Feast is based on the devotion of the fishermen from Sciacca to the Madonna del Soccorso (Our Lady of Help). When the fishermen immigrated to America in the early 1900's, they brought their traditions with them. Today's Feast is much the same as it was over 100 years ago with lights adorning the street and the smell of sausage in the air. The current Feast is organized by the descendants of those original immigrants and still includes a procession of the Madonna through the streets of the North End.

Each August since 1910, the Feast has been held in Boston's historic North End on North and Fleet Streets, making it the North End's oldest continuously running Italian festival. The Feast traditionally starts on Thursday when the statue of the Madonna is moved from her home in the Fisherman's Club to a chapel at the center of the feast. This will be her home throughout the weekend. Thursday is also when the fishermen that founded the Feast are remembered with a blessing of the fishing waters. Each night and during weekend days there is entertainment on the bandstand and vendors selling food (Italian sausages, calamari, pizza, pasta and much more) as well as crafts. The Feast culminates on Sunday night with the spectacular "Flight of the Angel".

All photographs © Matt Conti

Watch the Flight of the Angel here:

If you missed the Fisherman's Feast last weekend, not to worry, this weekend is the equally famous St. Anthony's Feast in the North End.

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Boston, Massachusetts - Galleria Umberto

HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY TO DESTINATIONS PERFECTED!!!!

Today marks one year that I have been eating, sleeping, shopping and gallivanting around the world and reporting it all back to you! Thanks to all of my faithful followers who both read and use my travel advice. As a special treat, I am going to reveal, what I believe to be, my most coveted food secret in Boston: Galleria Umberto (289 Hanover Street in Boston's North End).  I hesitated to share this special place, as the line to reach the counter is already long enough, but it is just too sacred an eatery to keep to myself. I grew up on this food.

Arancini, panini, potato croquettes and calzone 

Galleria Umberto, located in Boston's North End, opened its doors in 1965 (originally on Parmenter Street) and was founded by an Italian immigrant. Today his family carry on the tradition of homemade square pan pizza, calzone, panini, potato croquettes and arancini (the size of oranges). The two brothers work the counter and the rest of the family are in the kitchen. This is as authentic as you get; the minute you step through the door you feel like you have been transported back in time to the old Italy of long ago.

The menu is simple and only features a few items, at dirt cheap prices. Galleria Umberto is only open from 11am to 2pm each day and closed on Sundays. But beware, unless you show up when the doors open at 11am, you will wait in line for at least an hour.

Ralph serves up the juicy and hot square pan pizza

Paul grabbing boxes to fill the take-out orders

The inside of an arancino: ground meat, peas and melted cheese fried in a ball of rice

Food can be taken away or eaten inside here at tables

Only a few menu items, and look at the low prices!

The original founders of Galleria Umberto

At lunchtime, the line is out the door!

The store front on Hanover Street in Boston

And still to this day, you can see the old Italian immigrants doing their daily shopping in and around the shops of Boston's North End:

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Boston, Massachusetts - Prezza

If you want a place in Boston where everybody really does know your name, and locals flock there because they are treated with a familiar smile and delicious plates of some of the best Italian food in the city, then look no further than Prezza restaurant in the North End. I've been coming here for years, and resident bartenders Kim and Lisa will greet you by name, clear a place for you at the bar, serve up your preferred drink and ask how your week was, before you've even had the chance to take your coat off. There is a wonderful sense of camaraderie at their lively bar. Beyond the actual bar itself there is a warm and inviting dining room, though nothing speaks louder than the quality of the food here. Named after the town in Italy where chef Anthony Caturano's grandmother was born (in the region of Abruzzo), Prezza prides itself on fresh, seasonal ingredients coupled with authentic Italian recipes that are full of flavor and gusto.

I want to share with you some of my favorite dishes. If you are not panting after seeing these food photos then get out the defibrillator. The menu changes seasonally, so there is always something new to try, though they are careful to maintain those signature dishes that keep people like me coming back so often. They also have a serious wine collection that exceeds 8,000 bottles and covers around 900 labels. Hands down my favorite appetizer in the city is Prezza's crispy shrimp on a bed of Italian cole slaw and drizzled with cherry pepper aioli.

I always order the homemade potato gnocchi alla bolognese, with rustic meat ragout, tomato, porcini cream and pecorino roman cheese. Creamy, rich, flavorful, yet light and not overpowering, this classic bolognese dish (as well as all of their pastas) can be ordered in a half portion as well, so you can leave room for the main dishes.

My father's favorite dish here is the spicy mussels cooked in a tomato and fennel stew and served on a bed of chorizo polenta. If I had a dollar for every time he has ordered this I would be lounging on a beach somewhere. The sausage adds a nice kick of flavor to the broth and the polenta absorbs all of the delicious juices. Dunk some of their onion focaccia bread in here and you have yourself a full meal.

As we continue into main dishes, one should note that Prezza serves a rotisserie special each evening from their wood grill, but it disappears quickly; they only have about 5 or 6 portions, so order immediately as availability is limited. This next dish is a mainstay on the menu and does not disappoint. It is a veal porter house chop served with saffron lobster risotto, broccoli rabe and red wine sauce. Bring your appetite, as this is a robust portion.

A seasonal menu addition is the Buffalo milk ricotta ravioli served with a wild boar ragu, rosemary and pecorino cheese. Wild boar ragu is a dish that I always seek out when I am in the Umrbia region of Italy and I make it a point to order it whenever I see it on a menu here in the States. These pillows of ricotta nestled in the hearty wild boar ragu are divine.

For die hard fish lovers, look no further than the fish stew with tomato, lobster, swordfish, shrimp, clams, mussels and squid. I'm pretty sure that every living sea creature is in there, so if you are in the mood to sample some fresh New England seafood, this dish is for you.

Lastly we have a crispy bone-in pork chop with vinegar peppers, potatoes and roasted onions that is coated in seasoned bread crumbs and lightly pan fried. I love to eat half of this and then bring the rest in to work the next day for lunch. Its a simple dish with a few key ingredients that is done very well. 

Again I have to say, my most favorite dessert in the city is Prezza's piping hot white chocolate bread pudding drizzled with creme anglais and topped with vanilla bean ice cream. I have dreams about this dessert when I'm asleep at night. Trust me on this one. 

As we were celebrating a special occasion on my last visit here, we ordered several of the desserts on the menu to share. Clockwise from the top left we have the aforementioned white chocolate bread pudding, then the vanilla creme brulee with fresh whipped cream and chocolate pecan brownies on the side, followed by a warm chocolate flourless cake with a molten center, vanilla ice cream and raspberry puree, and lastly, a very refreshing limoncello cheesecake on a biscotti crust.

As my maternal family members were all born and raised in the North End over many generations, we are often asked to suggest our favorite restaurant in this Italian neighborhood (outside of our own kitchens, that is). If you are looking for red and white checkered tablecloths and a heaping plate of chicken parmigiana covered in spaghetti, then there are many generic restaurants that can satisfy those needs. However, if you want truly authentic, genuine and flavorful Italian dishes cooked to consistent perfection, look no further than Prezza. This is our favorite.

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