objecterie the slow curated home

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Atomic stovetop espresso maker

1948 Brevetti Robiati Atomic-era stovetop espresso maker.

Hard to find.

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Fishmonger in Boston

Next door is a place called “the fishmonger”. This is a kitchen with a glass counter to sell things they are languidly making right there (to take home and eat). They sell fresh fish and they make fish stews, chowders, saffron mussel soup, salmon en croute, crabcakes, shrimp bisque etc. We got a whole smoked bluefish (1.2 lbs), which will last a long time in the fridge, and we think it will be good broken up over pastas and squashes.

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Formaggio’s Kitchen, Boston

At this sensuous shop, the cheese is piled high above your head and everywhere you turn there’s a hand-lettered sign describing an artisanal product. When it’s our turn, a relaxed person walks up to us and asks us what we’re looking for. We describe something with whatever cheesewords we can muster and they go away and they come back to find us in the crowded store. They have with them part of a wheel of cheese. We stand there, very close together, with the cheese in the middle, tasting and talking about it. It’s so intimate. More »

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Lionette’s Market, Boston

Boston’s only food market committed to regional products. House-fabricated and cured meat. Meat education.

Regional cheeses. Deli & café.

http://www.lionettesmarket.com/

The market, and its next-door restaurant, The Garden of Eden, run by Jamey’s brother, are located in the uber-gentrified South End. But the restaurant, Jamey insists, is for everyone, all classes. He says we have to talk about class when we talk about food. Local food must not be a “boutique product”. The restaurant is meant to be comfortable to working class Bostonians, but offering higher quality and local ingredients, including 100% grass-fed beef, than the $60 a plate place “across the street”, serving IBP beef.

The tiny market is “airplane-free”, a new concept of eco-ethical trade All of the young cheeses are from New England. The only European cheeses are old enough to ride on a boat. Preserved items are all locally made. He knows his 100 purveyors by first name. But it’s immediately obvious that Jamey’s true love is meat. A chalkboard at the door advertises “Today’s Fats”, including house-rendered Lard, Duck Fat, and Vegetable Shortening. Jamey buys a half cow a week and a whole pig, grass-fed from Vermont. He makes all his own sausage and cures the bacon and steams the ham and takes up 1/3 of his deli counter to proudly display the side of bacon. Its a whole new world of pig. (In fact, Jamey runs educational events at which he has a talented young butcher demonstrate his art on 1/2 a pig while we drink wine.)

Jamey trades off with the guy who buys the other 1/2 of his cow. Some weeks he gets the flank steaks and some weeks gets the New York strip, from the other side. So it’s after the lard is rendered and the sausages made, and he’s helped Massachusetts’ new farmers learn how to “sell to the city” again, that the real work begins. He stands in the shop and convinces his customers to buy all the other cuts of meat.

We decided to ask him to choose an inexpensive cut for us each week. This means “chuck roll” and “nerve steak” (the part of the New York steak just a little to close to the fat. Usually discarded. He cuts and sells it for 1/2 the price of the New York, but it’s the same meat.) We also buy grown-cow osso buco which is fabulous, pork butt, and capon. We buy guanciale to cook with brassicas.

And we live for his bacon. Jamey’s fat bacon generates a lot of grease. The bacon ends up cooking submerged in fat, and shatters in your mouth like puff pastry.

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West Elm has affordable sturdy beds

décor and photo artisanmodern.com

It’s hard to find a modern bed under $1500. Ikea is not well made. West Elm has a good selection of beds $300-600.

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O’Keefe & Merritt vintage gas ranges

These gorgeous gas ranges are sent straight to the dump in some states. They are also being refurbished and sold for $4000. Hunt around locally and you may find one for a few hundred dollars. They come with grills, adjustable broilers, and many other fabulous features.

To buy a restored one, visit antiquegasstoves.com

In Los Angeles: http://www.antiquestove.com/okeefe.html 310.287.1910

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Onguard bike locks

Now that your old U-lock can be picked with a ballpoint pen and you have to reinvest, choose the best. Kryptonites can be cut in about 3 minutes. Buy 7 more minutes with an Onguard lock. Available at REI.

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Sean James rolling garment racks

Expand your closet with sturdy, attractive, and easy to un/assemble garment racks. SeanJames also sells clear plastic covers to protect the clothes (not listed on the website. call).

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Salesman hangers to hold any kind of garment

These hangers swivel and they will hold onto dresses with straps, men’s pants, etc. Use clothespins or other clips to attach skirts.

Buy them by the box from hangarsdirect and replace all of hangers for a clean look in your closet. These hangers also take up less space than others.

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Bravo espresso cups

A proper espresso cup should have extra ceramic at the base of the cup to keep the precious espresso warm as long as possible.  Bravo cups are very heavy and much cheaper than the prissy Illy ones with their dated handles.

They do sell cups without the logo, call to arrange.