Well, a rainy day calls for a hot beverage - whether that's a coffee, cocoa or hot chocolate.

Zagat named L.A. Burdick Handmade Chocolates as having one of the best hot chocolates in the country. So, I made it a point to stop at the L.A Burdick in Boston.

Started in New York, before relocating to New Hampshire and expanding from there, this French-style confectionery makes some of the most coveted chocolates in the Northeast. One of the signatures is the dark shaved chocolate (available for mail-order). It’s a mix of three to four dark chocolates from South America and the Caribbean, generally warmed with 2% milk. However, you can go as fat as you want — whole and skim are offered, as well.

So, I walked in and immediately saw the beautiful, expensive chocolate boxes lining the walls. Beautiful wooden floors, gold-striped walls, and perfectly crafted chocolates, bonbons macarons and other delicacies.

And, I went to the counter to order my "drinking chocolate." It's a Burdick Blend Dark Chocolate, so it's a bit more bitter than I am used to. But so velvetty smooth. I almost feel like it's in the middle of the spectrum between coffee and hot chocolate - without the espresso, of course.  But, the flavor was right on point.



Grade: A

So, I woke up in Boston, intent on exploring a bit while Kaitlynn was at work. Harvard Square isn't too far, so I set off on my way to that area to sight-see, shop and, of course, eat. My first stop was Crema Cafe to fuel up.

Crema Cafe is a cute, trendy cafe that was bustling with people dressed far better than me. It was inspired by neighborhood cafes with freshly baked pastries and perfectly steamed cappuccinos around the world.

History: All of our pastries are made from scratch daily using traditional techniques. Our pastry collection combines classic favorites with our own signature creations. Whichever pastry you’re craving, at Crema it will always be just-out-of-the-oven perfection. Pair it with a latte poured with love by one of our talented baristas, and you’ve got yourself the breakfast of champions. As the day carries on, we roll out an array of freshly made desserts (including our famous cupcakes!) and a lunch menu full of hot-off-the-press sandwiches with house-roasted meats, inventive spreads, many homemade breads and seasonal soups that change daily. 

Crema has bloomed into something all its own, but our initial intentions are still at its core. From the beginning, local customers responded to Crema as their neighborhood cafe, and tourists came in and delighted in finding this buzzing local spot – it was exactly the reaction we’d dreamed of. Every time we see someone new excited to discover Crema we remember exactly why we opened. We hope Crema leaves you with a smile; whether it’s the smile from the person making a sandwich, the one from a new friend at the communal table, or the smile you feel across your own face as you take the first sip of your morning coffee. 

So, I ordered at the counter a Golden Crema, which is a latte with honey and cinnamon. It seemed like a house specialty, so I went with it. You could really taste the cinnamon in this, but the honey flavor wasn't overwhelming. It wasn't super sweet, which was just perfect for this day. It was pouring outside, and I was about a mile from the apartment so I had to pick up an umbrella at a CVS. I was mostly soaked by that point, but I sat at a high top, sipping on this latte, as the caffeine coursed through my veins, warming me up.

And a few minutes later, the bagel I ordered - asiago with herb cream cheese - was up. Perfectly toasted with a nice veggie cream cheese on top. Little bits of pepper added some texture to the cream cheese, and I enjoyed. I indulged. It was this lovely moment of serenity - so much so that I even forgot for a moment how my simple jeans and flats getup did not fit in with the business casual. Oh well.

Grade: A

After a long drive, we were exhausted once we finally hit Boston. So, we called for pizza. What else is a millennial to do?

Kaitlynn ordered from Venus Pizza & Grill. They actually had a good bit more on their menu - like subs, wraps, burgers, fried chicken, pasta, gyros, kabobs and more. Because they had pizza in their name, I went with that theme and got a calzone. It was cheese and spinach and mushroom, and I wanted to get chicken inside but I couldn't figure out that option.

So, it was huge. It was a large pie folder over and cut into segments (that's a first), but I think they put at least three pounds of spinach in there. SO much. And, that made it a bit watery. That definitely didn't stop me from eating it - it was pretty average. My problem is that I tend to think literally everything in Boston is amazing because I've had such amazing food here. But this was pretty average. I think I might try the regular pizza if we do this in the future.

Grade: C

So, our time in Quebec City was over, and we began driving back toward Boston. It's about a six-hour drive, so we scheduled in a small detour through New Hampshire so we could fill our bellies. After a little bit of searching, I discovered the much beloved Polly's Pancake Parlor.

Polly's Pancake Parlor has been featured in regional and national publications, garnering "glowing reviews" in Road Food, Every Day with Rachael Ray, Cooking with Paula Deen, the Food Network Magazine, New Hampshire Magazine, and Yankee magazine. They also received a James Beard Award in 2006 for "American Classics."

So, I called ahead to put in a reservation (yes! a reservation for a pancake place!). This place has been around for 75 years and has a very loyal following.  As an aside, driving up here was absolutely beautiful. Snow-capped mountains reminded me of home.

And as soon as we arrived, we were seated in the wood-panelled open dining room decoraded with country farm tools and other memorabilia. The menu has waffles, french toast, omelets, sandwiches, salads, quiche --- and, of course, pancakes.

The pancakes are pretty customizable with your choice of batter (plain, buckwheat, whole wheat, cornmeal, oatmeal buttermilk, gluten free) with your choice of add-in (blueberry, walnut, coconut, chocolate chip). They come in sets of six. I got the "Polly's Sampler Combo," which allowed me to mix and match three different kinds of pancakes along with a side of sausage (or bacon or ham).

Batters for our pancakes and waffl es are prepared by us from our own original recipes. We use no prepared mixes! In an effort to serve the lightest, fluffi est pancakes possible we use the best ingredients obtainable. Our Buckwheat, Whole Wheat and Cornmeal batters are made with organically grown grains, which we stone-grind ourselves. The Oatmeal-Buttermilk batter is prepared with powdered buttermilk, canola oil and egg whites as a healthy alternative. All whole grain batters contain no added sugar. All Polly’s pancakes are 3” in diameter and served in two sets of three. Waf es are 7” in diameter. All pancakes and waf fles are made by your server and served with an unlimited supply of our own pure maple products. The fake stuff, fruit syrup, fruit spreads and diet syrup, are available upon request. 

They also have specials each day with a special batter or a special add-in. So, my three pancakes were whole wheat pumpkin with apple filling, oatmeal buttermilk with blueberry and plain. The pancakes come out in sets of three - so I had one of each pancake (3) on my first plate and then one of each on my second plate (3). For a total of six small pancakes, which was more than enough.

One kinda cool thing is that the servers themselves actually make the pancakes, which you can watch them doing as they run around the griddle in the front part of the kitchen. And, how are the pancakes? They're really good. The blueberry oatmeal buttermilk pancake was by far my most favorite. Perfectly fluffy with sweet blueberries inside. But not mooshy - absolutely perfect.

On the table was the maple syrup, maple sugar and a maple cream. My only complaint about this is - because it stays on the table - it wasn't the most clean.

One of my favorite parts of the meal, though, was that Kaitlynn ordered a maple bacon biscuit, and I kid you not, it was amazing. Like, actually amazing. The sweet, the salty, the crumbly -- it was SO good.


They also have a shop at the front where you can purchase their pancake mix, syrup, maple sugar and more. If you can't make it in person, they also have an online shop available.

So, if you have the opportunity to stop, it's definitely a fun little experience. Touristy? Definitely. Still tasty and homey? Absolutely.



Grade: A

It's finally our last meal in Quebec City. And, Restaurant Aux Anciens Canadiens was the restaurant of choice.

This restaurant is a "well-worn tourist destination," serving up country cooking in a Quebec style. The historic, red and white building has small windows, low ceilings and tight dining quarters. The servers are clothed in historic garb, and the former house has lots of small rooms.

The historic Maison Jacquet, one of the largest houses in upper-town in its day and the oldest in Quebec, was built in 1675-76. The site was granted to François Jacquet on November 30, 1674 by the nuns of the neighboring Ursuline Convent. Its thick walls, solid joints, marvelous wainscoting and recessed cupboards are characteristic of the houses constructed during that period. The premises consist of two buildings, that on the westernmost side being the newest, and that on the east dating back to the French Regime. Several prominent figures have resided in Maison Jacquet, including the author of the novel "Les Anciens Canadiens", Philippe-Aubert de Gaspé, who lived here from 1815 to 1824. Though it is contradicted by history, the myth persists that General Montcalm also lived and died in this famous house. Since 1966, the Maison Jacquet has housed the restaurant Aux Anciens Canadiens, internationally know for its fine cuisine and warm hospitality.

We didn't have reservations, but they managed to fit us in. I looked over the menu with precise calcualtion to see how much Canadian money I had left and what I could get (with the hopes that it would break out even with tip so I didn't have to exchange any back). There are a few things they are known for - wild game, meat pies and sugar pie. The menu has a wide range of items, though - including wapiti, which is elk and common in Quebec City.

First, we were served some fresh bread, which was pretty decent.

So, I ordered a couple appetizers - wild caribou and bison rillettes, confit of carrots ($7) and Quebec meat pie with homemade fruit preserves ($12). I became fascinated with rillettes after being served one at a cook-off, and my fellow judges explained to me what I was eating. Rillettes are similar to pate - made with pork (or other meat) that is cubed/chopped, with lots of salt and cooked slowly until the fat is tender and easy to shred, and then it's cooled to form a paste. This was good, but not super exciting. I did appreciate the pairing of the carrots, which gave off some sweetness to the dish.

The Quebec meat pie elicited a similar response from me. The meat itself was fine - I think more seasoning would help? But I relied on the combination of the fruit preserves with the meat for a more balanced bite. Think of a flaky pot pie with a side of applesauce. It's fine, just not crazy amazing.

For dessert, I ordered the maple caramel bread pudding, which was very good. So rich, but the perfect texture and not fussy with chocolate chips or anything like that. Just mapley, caramely and thick.

Overall, I think the restaurant was OK. It was dark, and it was clearly more touristy. The food was a bit on the bland side - but traditional. So, there is value in that. But, the bread pudding made the meal worth it for me. Definitely good.

Grade: B