Taste #2: True Grounds...A favorite spot

Take a peek into a cool place that I adore... {image}

I am quite partial to True Ground's lattes and pumpkin chocolate chip muffins...{image}

Mismatched tables makes for an ecclectic, cozy feel. The checkered table is hot real estate come Sunday mornings...{image}

Menu recommendation: the pearson sandwich = turkey, fresh buffalo mozzarella, pesto, green apple, toasted to perfection...many have swooned at their first bite. {image}

The Chai here is stellar. It's still sweet and delicious, but not the sugary/ less-than-authentic kind from Starbucks. Hot or Iced, I could drink one of these just about anytime... Sometimes my lovely housemate and I drive here just to get one! {image}

Sometimes I wonder if they realize how often I come here! {image}

Game night. Cool. They also feature local artists on the walls...each month is a new talent, providing nice things to stare at while taking breaks from writing papers or studying. {image}
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Free wireless, good tunes, and fresh, healthy, tasty food and drink keeps this place quite busy and popular. Interesting people come here, as well as adorable families and children--it makes for a nice mix. I don't think I have taken anyone here who didn't like True Grounds and its welcoming, unpretentious aesthetic space. Most of you who read this don't even really need to be told this, as you already frequent this gem of a spot. But it's too great not to post about. In fact...I am sitting here as I write this.

If you've never been:
True Grounds
717 Broadway Somerville, MA 02144

Taste #1: Easy Gourmet

Greatest round bread ever!
{Image from here}

Things with cheese generally make my mouth very happy.

Regardless of if you are a football fan, it's hard to miss the fact that tomorrow is the Super Bowl. However you plan to spend your Sunday, perhaps it will involve some yummy munchies? I thought perhaps I could start off my first taste post with a really simple (truly), yet ridiculously delicious appetizer that can be made for just about any occasion. Depending on how you present it, you can dress it up or down (kind of like a little black dress)--either way, it generally always tastes wonderful and fancy (even though it's not).

My mom (the alchemist from whom I learned this), always gets compliments on it and people often ask her what her secret is. Seeing as there are only three ingredients, we always giggle about the fuss. So here it is, it takes about five minutes to prep:

-1 round baguette (it really doesn't matter what kind)
-bruschetta sauce (Trader Joe's has this, but many other grocery stores carry similar products)
-1 wedge of brie

a) Cut the top 1/4th off of the round baguette
b) Digg/scoop out the inside of the baguette (so it looks like a "soup in a bread bowl" bowl)
c) Alternate layers of hunks of brie and the bruschetta sauce until the bread "bowl" is filled
(at this point, you are essentially done, so you can bake it immediately, or save it for later)
d) Put the "top" of the bread bowl back on and wrap the loveliness in tin-foil. Bake for 30 minutes at 325 degrees! Voilá!

Pac man brie?! Excellent.
{Image from here}

Admittedly, this is quite cheeeeesy (hah), but kind of cute.

{Image from here}

My friends and I are having a sort of girly "we are going to pretend to be watching the game" event, thinly disguised as just an excuse to hang out together. I think I might just have to bring this along...