Photo of the day: Fishing Buoys on Nantucket

Fishing Buoys on Nantucket.

The Cape Cod Bracelet

I had my eye on a Cape Cod Bracelet for some time. They are simple and classic silver bands with either a silver or gold ball that screws the two sides together so that it never slips or slides off your wrist. Some people wear theirs for years without ever taking them off. I was out to dinner with my mom in Hyannis off Main street when I saw the jewelry in the window at The Silver Seahorse. I slid the silver ring on my wrist and loved how it looked. My mom treated me to the bracelet as a impromptu gift. When we got home, she googled the design and realized the original was created in Dennis by a John Carey in Dennis, MA almost 30 years ago. The bracelet was the first design and now there are necklaces, rings and earrings with the same simple ball concept. The design was never patented and it is now ubiquitous in shops all over Cape Cod. She said, “Chris, we should have bought yours from the Dennis jeweler– these are the original!.” I had to talk her out of returning it and convinced her mine was just as beautiful and high quality. But it had me thinking though– are the originals that much more special? I may have to go to Eden Hand Arts on 6A and see how it really compares. Anyone have an original? Send me your thoughts.

Linguine with Clams, revised

I apologize for the lack of cooking posts in the last couple of weeks. I had a severe case of Strep Throat and could barely talk or swallow, let alone eat anything other than water and applesauce. My appetite was non-existent and a sad state to be in here. But I’m back to my old self and happy to report my apron strings are tied back on!

I’ve been perfecting my Linguini and Clams recipe and it is getter tighter each time. I’m trying to recreate it to be the same consistency I had in Rome several years ago. The key is to keep your pasta super al-dente as it continues to cook while you are piling the steamed clams on top. My only addendum to my previous recipe is to reduce the wine, garlic and shallot sauce for a good 15 minutes rather than 10 minutes until the liquid is reduced in half before adding the clams. When the clams open, they release more liquid and it will dilute your sauce otherwise. More updates to come as the recipe is perfected further…

Photo of the day: High Tide at Red River Beach

Piles of slippersnail shells washed ashore after high tide on Red River Beach, Harwich MA.

Photo of the Day: Family fishing for Crabs

Edgartown Lighthouse Beach, Family fishing for baby crabs.

12 hours on Martha’s Vineyard

What to do with 12 hours in Martha’s Vineyard? We took the first Hy-line Fast Ferry from Hyannis out at 8:15 am and the last ferry back at 9:10 pm from Oak Bluffs. It was a full day and we packed it all in. We rented bikes right off the ferry on Circuit Street and biked along the picturesque ocean shoreline to Edgartown. It was only 5 miles, but it seemed longer through the open sandy trails.

We stopped at Edgartown Lighthouse and had lunch after on the roof deck at The Seafood Shanty. Spicy Bloody Mary’s, fresh local oysters and sushi rolls were the perfect pick-me-up while dining overlooking the harbor. We shopped around town and biked back through the same trail, stopping for a couple hours on State Beach, the beach made famous in the movie, Jaws. It was a perfect sunny day and the calm waters were cool and refreshing.

After the beach, we biked back to Oak Bluffs and toured the neighborhood with the famous gingerbread cottages. There are over 300 colorfully ornate houses built in the 1800’s in this historic district. They looked like something out of a fairy tale book and Hansel and Gretal were awaiting around the corner.

We turned our bikes in to the rental shop and had 5:00 cocktails overlooking Oak Bluffs Harbor at Nancy’s. Word on the street was that the Obama’s just lunched here the other day and we heard the view was perfect for a sunset snack. Multiple drinks were paired with shared nibbles including bacon wrapped scallops, steamers, oysters and a Boursin cheeseburger. It was an all-evening graze as we watched the sun set over the harbor. A truly perfect day on the Vineyard.

Photo of the day: Edgartown Light, Martha’s Vineyard

I just returned today from an all day adventure to Martha’s Vineyard. Edgartown Lighthouse was one of the many stops along the way. More to come tomorrow.

Photo of Day: Sunset in West Harwich

Sipping vino watching the sun go down overlooking the Nantucket Sound in West Harwich. I can’t think of a better way to end the day.

Photo of the day: Old Bike off Cape Rail Trail

It was parked off the Cape Rail Trail in Dennis, MA. Maybe he’s retired or maybe just waiting for someone to come along and clean him up and take him for a joy ride.

Cape Cod Summer Town Concerts

There are certain things about being here that make you wonder if you have gone back in time to another era. The Cape Cod Summer Town concert is one of them. Every town has a band playing in the center square on different evenings of the week. The Chatham band at the gazebo on Friday nights is famous and has been depicted in many paintings and photographs. Tonight, we stumbled on a concert on the Hyannis Village Green, on Main Street, Hyannis on our way to dinner.

For a full schedule of Summer Band Concerts, read here.