Abundanza!

When I went to NYC for my birthday back in March, my sisters and I went on a food/walking tour of Greenwich Village. It was really, really terrific! A great way to see the historical neighborhood, sample some great food, and find some restaurants. The funniest part was that we ended the tour with reservations in four or five different restaurants for that evening - then ended up using NONE!

So, when I began planning my Boston trip, I looked around for something similar. Boy, did I hit the jackpot! My sister Meg and I went on the North End Market Tour offered by Michele Topor's Food Tours of Boston this morning, and it was really terrific. The tour was led by Jim, a former chef, and we visited some interesting markets and food sites. We sampled pastries at Maria's Pastry Shop - I had to go back and get a few to take back to the hotel. Amaretti, Totos. Biscotti. Yum. We also visited some Italian markets and butchers, as well as a terrific wine shop. And our guide was a font of information on Italian cooking. I mean, did you know that there are male and female eggplants - and that the male is much sweeter, preferred by most chefs?

If you're in Boston, love food, and are looking for a terrific way to learn about the North End, definitely check out Michele's tours. I am planning to do the Chinatown tour on my next visit!