Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1125082
91 But honey isn't the only ingredient the res- taurant produces. Running along the left side of the building are 20 raised beds brimming with fresh herbs and veggies. If the zucchini bed yields enough blossoms, Panagos will stuff them with ricotta and serve them fried and garnished with rooftop honey. Sungold cherry tomatoes will combine with fresh mozzarella and basil, and Persian cucumbers will become a feta and tomato salad with oregano vinai- grette. For vegetarians, he'll offer an entrée of smoky, wood-grilled garden patch goodies. "All the staff and cooks tend to the garden," says Panagos, who adds that the restaurant will give tours to guests, upon request. "Basically, we see what needs to be picked and come up with something to serve that day." Joshua Smith, chef-partner of Short & Main in Gloucester, patronizes as many farms as pos- sible to find the perfect produce for his needs. "We're known for doing really awesome simple but thoughtfully curated salads," he says, "like roasted squash and cherry tomatoes in a to- mato water–olive oil dressing." Iron Ox Farm in Topsfield supplies the chef with "insanely beautiful" lettuces, like speckled romaine and little gem, while other nearby farms, such as Alprilla Farm in Essex and Cedar Rock Gardens in Gloucester, provide veggies for appetizers, sides, and the restaurant's dozen daily pizzas. When corn season arrives, Smith plans to roast it until caramelized and finish it with aioli, Pecorino Romano, and fresh chives. For the squash blossoms, he'll fry them until crunchy and serve them scattered with capers and mint. "The herbs we get are super green, grassy, and fragrant versus the dull, bland ver- sions from the supermarket," says Smith. "The parsley is crunchy and it's kind of like re-tasting that herb. The basil is really floral and we'll put it on pizza and in sauces." When local eggplant appears, Smith plans to roast and scatter it over tomato pizza with ricotta salata. He'll make a tomato salad with chevre and pesto and turn fresh berries into a black raspberry gelato and strawberry upside- down olive oil cake. "When you're getting such great product," says Smith, "you basically just want to get out of its way." bancroftandco.com, gibbethillfarm. com, ceiakitchenbar.com, davios.com/ lynnfield, landanagrill.com, shortandmain. com