Get Lucky

The idea of serving a wonderful home cooked, everything-made-from-scratch Thanksgiving dinner has universal appeal. But not all have the time to live the dream and there are those, let’s be honest here, that are just not up to the challenge. Heather Haviland can help. She’s offering a full line-up of sides, sauces, and desserts to go. Many of the dishes feature local produce, including fruit and vegetables that she and her staff put up during the summer. There’s jalapeno scallion spoon bread; green bean casserole with fried shallots; sage scented stuffing; winter squash soup; caramelized sweet potatoes; pumpkin black current brioche bread pudding and apple pie with pecan praline crumb topping. Heather told me that the gravy, made with a demi glace from turkey stock that’s reduced and reduced until it turns into a thick rich concentrate, is so good “you’ll want to bathe in it.”

The full menu is available online. Food MUST be pre-ordered by November 19 and can be picked up on the west side at Lucky’s in Tremont or on the east side Vine and Bean on Larchmere with instructions for re-heating and serving.

Whether you chose to tell your guests where the food came from or opt to let them think you spent days chopping, mixing and baking is a personal decision. But while she’s happy to supply all the “go-withs,” Haviland leaves her customers to their own devices when it comes to the turkey. “You have to roast the bird yourself,” she insists, “to get your house smelling just right.”

Love on Larchmere

For an intimate, affordable, and sure to be absolutely amazing Valentine’s Day dinner, I suggest taking the object of your affections to the Vine & Bean Cafe on Larchmere Boulevard. Heather Haviland, who owns the place along with Lucky’s Café in Tremont, wants you to feel the love…her love, that is, for local farm fresh food. And if sets off some sparks between you and your sweetie, all the better. Since the fields around here are not actually full of good things to eat right now, she’s raiding the stash of stuff she froze and canned when it was at its seasonal peak. With help from her new Chef de Cuisine the talented Ky-wai Wong, formerly at Lockkeepers and Dante, she’s using it for a three course prix fixe meal that features handmade pasta and dessert surprises. The cost is a mere $25 per person plus optional wine and beer pairings. Click here for menu details and reservations (required) .

The two chefs are a good pair, both equally driven to make virtually everything from scratch, and that includes the bread and sauerkraut for a Reuben as well as the ketchup, and pickles that go into the 1000 Island dressing. Starting Feb 25, their sandwiches and a couple of weekly entrée specials will be available at Vine and Bean until 8 PM.

A few days ago Heather shared some exciting news with me. Beginning Feb 21 she’s going to be spending her Saturday and Sunday mornings cooking at Vine & Bean. Now I won’t have to drive across town to get her divine burritos, biscuits and gravy, and those egg extravaganzas known as The Shipwreck and The Canoe. These are the dishes that have made Lucky’s famous. And I use the f-word with good reason. In the February issue of GQ Magazine it was named one of the best places to have brunch in the entire countrty. When the reporter called her, Heather being the self-effacing soul that she is assumed it was a prank. But for those like me and all my clan who regularly enjoy her weekend cuisine, the recognition comes as no surprise and is well deserved. Schedule an eastside or a westside pit stop and judge for yourself. One word of advice- come hungry.