The Round Up: March 2026
Food:
The start of March brought the Jewish holiday of Purim, which celebrates the story told in the Book of Esther. In the story, Queen Esther and her cousin Mordechai help save the Jewish people of ancient Persia from a plot by the villain, Haman. To celebrate, I made hamantaschen, which also happen to be my husband’s favorite cookie that I make! These triangle-shaped cookies are traditionally eaten on Purim and are said to represent Haman’s hat. This year I made four fillings: poppy seed, Nutella, raspberry jam, and almond.
We made Julius Roberts’ schnitzel with winter greens and Caesar dressing, and it turned out to be a great—and easy—weeknight meal.
My friend and I went to a special event hosted by Saigon Babylon in Cambridge in collaboration with the Vietnamese gin distillery Song Cai Distillery. The evening featured a special tasting menu with cocktail pairings, and everything was fantastic.
We started with several dishes to share: hamachi crudo in a spicy peanut sauce; coconut eggplant with grilled chicken and nuoc cham; Wagyu Viet carpaccio with spicy lemongrass sate and nuoc cham; and Manila clams with lemongrass and ginger. Each dish was bright, flavorful, and perfect with the cocktails.
For our mains, we split the braised oxtail stew and a charcoal-grilled duck Hà Nội–style bún chả vịt. To finish, we had a delicious homemade soft serve topped with young coconut and cashew.
I have no idea why it took us a year and a half of living in the Boston area to finally make it to Coppa, but we’re so glad we did—it was incredibly delicious. The cozy South End spot serves some of the best Italian food we’ve had in Boston. We started with an array of meats and cheeses along with a citrus and radicchio salad, then split the carbonara with uni, a bolognese pasta, and a pizza topped with soppressata and honey. Everything was fantastic, and we’re already looking forward to going back.
We finally made it to Le Madeline in Quincy, MA, which offers a fresh and creative take on Vietnamese cuisine. We had such a great meal, with highlights including the fried spring rolls and the beef cheek fried rice. The food was playful and full of flavor, and the cocktails were excellent as well. Our server was incredible and made the whole experience even better. I’m already looking forward to going back to try more of the menu.
Some coworkers and I walked over to Penang Malaysian Cuisine in Boston’s Chinatown for lunch, and it was delicious. We ordered the three-entrée combo and chose the spare ribs, mango chicken, and a beef dish, and everything was packed with flavor. It was such a great, satisfying meal and a fun way to try a few different dishes. What an incredible find in Boston’s Chinatown.
I made Alison Roman’s creamy cauliflower pasta with pecorino breadcrumbs from her new cookbook Something from Nothing. It’s such a delicious recipe that uses minimal ingredients but still feels special. The result is creamy, comforting, and full of flavor. It’s perfect for an easy weeknight dinner but impressive enough to serve at a dinner party.
I made my mother-in-law a birthday cake! It was a chocolate sponge layered with espresso cream cheese frosting and covered in a rich chocolate ganache. It came out really beautifully, and I was definitely impressed with myself. Always a good feeling when a homemade birthday cake turns out just right.
In March, we spent a warm-weather long weekend with close friends at Resort Atelier in Playa Mujeres, Cancun. While the resort’s food overall wasn’t particularly memorable, some of our favorite bites came from one of the Mexican buffets. The grill station was a standout, and they served up delicious soups—like Menudo on Sunday—along with plenty of other highlights.
We found another amazing sushi takeout spot to add to our rotation: Sumo Sushi Organic in Wakefield, MA. We ordered a mix of fun rolls, a kani salad, and some nigiri, and everything was fresh and delicious. The quality of the fish really stood out, and we were super impressed—this will definitely become one of our go-to takeout spots.
One of the new things I’ve learned since moving to England is that sugaring season in the Northeast runs from February through April—which means you can visit sugar shacks and get fresh maple syrup. We had a free weekend in March and decided to check it out for ourselves.
We went to Parker’s Maple Barn in Mason, NH, and had brunch at the restaurant on site. We enjoyed some delicious maple coffees, and the menu had some really fun options, like maple chicken breakfast sausage and maple pecan pancakes.
It’s totally worth the trip for a great brunch (just be prepared to wait—they don’t take reservations) and to pick up some of their maple syrup.
Other:
I watched the show Ponies on Peacock and really enjoyed it! It’s a drama-filled Cold War–era thriller that doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s a fun, entertaining watch if you’re looking for something a little suspenseful without being too heavy. Definitely worth checking out.
I have started a laser facial treatment at Skin Laundry to treat my rosacea and acne and it has been a really great experience so far.
Like I mentioned, we spent a few days in Mexico in March. This trip was the perfect chance to defrost from the Northeast winter. While we wouldn’t necessarily recommend our resort, it was still so nice to soak up the sunshine, enjoy a few fun blended drinks, and spend quality time with friends.
I recently read Butter by Asako Yuzuki, and I can’t recommend it enough. In short, it follows a woman in Japan who’s been accused of killing three men—all of whom had eaten her beef stew before they died. She refuses to speak to the press, until a female journalist reaches out with an unusual request: her recipe. While the story centers on the relationship between the journalist and the accused, as well as the mystery surrounding the deaths, it also offers a sharp commentary on Japanese society and gender dynamics. So worth a read!
Lenny:
