Last week, I was invited for dinner at my yoga teacher’s apartment. Obviously, it was a big deal for me: this was my first “girl’s night out” since I moved to Boston. I was so excited about it! Of course my first concern was, what should I wear?! But it was a snowy day. Problem solved concerning my outfit! NB: Contrary to our expectations, this Boston winter was very mild. We didn’t get the chance to wear a huge, ridiculous, North Face parka. Actually, we were very cold, but relieved that it wasn’t as cold as usual. So when it snowed: we were in heaven! Let’s get back to my story: snow and first girl’s night out. After the dinner, I was so happy: awesome dinner, great people and atmosphere. And my dream came true when Sarah (aka, the yoga teacher) told me about a gourmet food shop: Formaggio Kitchen. Cheese, wine and deli: I knew immediately that this was where we would spend Sunday afternoon.

There are three Formaggio Kitchens in Boston. We went to the South End shop. The South End is a very chic neighborhood, with lovely red brick houses with stairs in front of them. Very charming. The shop is very small, it’s a deli with lots of products from several countries, mainly southern Europe. We also found plenty of great American products. Because of this, we are now considering the possibility of a gastronomic journey in Vermont …

Yummy… They had plenty of cheese for me to choose from, for my morning breakfast! I really needed a change: I was fed up with oatmeal. I didn’t know that there was a California made mortadella. The taste is stronger that the Bolognese version. We also asked for a local Saint Marcellin, a very creamy cheese. They gave us a piece of Winnimere, from Vermont. It’s actually closer to Vacherin (Mont d’or), but it smelled like dirty socks. I love it.

Oops… The jam cost $16. We’ll wait until we’re hypoglycemic to buy some. I’ve already noticed that jam is very expensive here. Manu had to eat Bonne Maman jam: not a great jam, but the choices are limited. I was happy to find Saveurs. I used to buy it in France. I have to try to bake the big cake on the cover…  The magazine is very different from the French edition: a lot of text and only a few illustrated recipes. The exact opposite!

Popcorn with Maple Syrup … Sounds awesome … Cute cookies. We definitely have to come back again to grab some sweets.

Formaggio Kitchen is my new paradise. And it’s open every day!

Go quickly: 268 Shawmut Avenue, Boston