Food Truck Lineup at SoWa Announced for Upcoming Season

More than 35 different trucks will gather in the South End during this year's SoWa season.

The organizers behind the SoWa market have been busy this winter. The 2013 SoWa Open Market will feature its usual open market, vintage market and farmer's market, and this year, will include an expanded lineup of food trucks, featuring more than 35 different food vendors and restaurants on wheels.  The open market, which will be celebrating its ten year annivesary this year, is open every Sunday from May through October from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with several different locations up and down Harrison Avenue in the South End's SoWa district. The 2013 season will begin on May 5th.  The farmer's market is located at 500 Harrison Avenue and features produce from local farmers and specialty food vendors. The open market, at 460 Harrison Ave. …

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Boston's Food Truck Program Still on A Roll

The city's food truck program that launched in 2011 is gearing up for the spring 2013 season.

More trucks in more places. That's the takeaway from the upcoming spring 2013 food truck season in Boston, when hungry Bostonians will welcome 56 new trucks to the city's streets to serve up everything from short-rib infused grilled cheese to tempeh tacos.  In just a year and a half, Boston's Mobile Food Truck program has gone from a pilot of 15 vendors to a full-fledged fledging industry, with more than 50 different vendors occupying 18 public sites, and hosting events like a Boston vs. New York Food Truck Throwdown. Just in the last year, 16 new trucks have launched, according to the city: Benny's Crepe Café Boston's Baddest Burgers, Boston Super Dogs, Captain Marden's Cod Squad, Chicken & Rice Guys, Chubby Chickpea, Cookie Monstah, …

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Super Bowl Sunday, the Boston Food Truck Way

Serve up these game-day recipes from by your favorite Boston food trucks.

With a big football game just around the corner, Boston’s new and veteran food truck chefs and owners have marked the occasion, and the start of the April 2013 vending season, by sharing some of their menu items and recipes that make for great game day – or any day – eating. -------------- The Cod Squad, Captain Marden's Seafoods food truck’s Scalibut Cakes Makes about 10 3/4 lb fresh halibut fillet 3/4 lb fresh sea scallops 1/2 cup diced green pepper 1/2 cup diced red pepper 1/4 cup diced purple onion 1 tsp. Lawry's Seasoning 4-5oz. Mayonnaise 1 egg, well beaten Panko breadcrumbs 1. Blanch scallops and halibut, cut into 1/4" pieces, set aside 2. Combine red/green peppers and onion in a large bowl and add Lawry's seasoning. 3. Add …

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Boston Beats New York in Food Truck Throwdown

The first food truck competition between the rival cities took place Saturday. It drew 10,000 people to downtown Boston.

The Boston-New York sports rivalries have tilted a bit recently toward our obnoxious neighbor down I-95. So what? On Saturday, Boston won where it counts: The Food Truck Throwdown. The daylong competition pitted seven food trucks from Boston against seven food trucks from New York City as contestants vied for the title of Best Food Truck. The idea for the event came from Sara Ross, owner of Kickass Cupcakes, and was supported from the city of Boston, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, and the Boston food truck community. Ross gives a recap of the competition in this Herald video. Boston Contenders included: Bon Me, Kickass Cupcakes, Lobsta Love, Mei Mei Street Kitchen, Roxy’s Grilled Cheese, Staff Meal and Cookie Monstah. Bon Me has been a …

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A Chat With Ron Sarni, Co-Owner of The Grilled Cheese Nation Food Truck

The native Melrosian talks about how Boston’s burgeoning food truck movement is preparing to get through the coldest months of the year.

Ron Sarni, who grew up in Melrose, owns the Grilled Cheese Nation food trucks with his business partner, Todd Saunders. Sarni, 57, also founded the Boston Area Food Truck Association and leases food trucks to entrepreneurs through his other enterprise, Food Truck Nation. Sarni spoke with Patch about bringing smoked Gouda and melted Brie sandwiches to the streets of Boston, how he plans to prepare “Cheese Force One” and “Minnie” for use in cold weather and where a food truck might set up shop in the suburbs. Patch: Over the past year, you’ve helped persuade Boston’s elected officials that food trucks would benefit the city. Were there any advantages to Boston embracing food trucks much later than New York, Los Angeles or Portland, OR did?  …

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Building Blocks

Three Cheers for the Mayor!

It's summertime in Boston. Here are some of the things I love right now about living in the city.

Living in the city can often lead to feelings of anxiety, stress, and grumpiness, especially during the dog days of August. Therefore, I thought I’d be the optimist for once and mention several of the things that are making me happy right now (well, mostly), courtesy of Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino and the good people at City Hall. Food trucks – There are now fifteen food truckslocated around the city. Food trucks serve hot, tasty food similar in quality to what you'd find at any two/three-star restaurant in Boston; in other words, these are definitely not glorified ice cream trucks. I've seen five or six of the trucks located around the city and they often seem to gather a good-sized crowd. The Kick-*ss Cupcakes truck was on Boylston …

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City Council in 60 Seconds: Council Approves Tax Exemption for Seniors

At Wednesday's meeting the Boston City Council increased the residential tax exemption for the city's seniors and discussed a new food truck ordinance.

At Wednesday's meeting the Boston City Council voted unanimously to pass an increase in the residential tax exemption for the city's elderly. "This will increase the exemption for our elderly from $500 to $750, which hasn't been raised in quite a number of years," said Ways and Means Committee chair and district nine Councilor Mark Ciommo. The change will help to alleviate the burden on the many elderly city residents living on a fixed income budget, said at-large Councilor Stephen Murphy. In addition, the Council voted to approve the residential tax exemption for fiscal year 2011. The exemption will remain at a value equal to 30 percent of the average assessed value of all residential parcels in the City of Boston. Bonds Approved for …

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