Brrr!
This has been a tough, tough winter. My mom just told me the other day that my hometown of Toledo, Ohio just beat its own record for total accumulated snowfall - a record that's been held since that infamous year I've been hearing about ever since I was a kid - the Blizzard of '78.
Personally, even though I usually love the snow, I'm getting a bit tired of all these snowstorms too - or maybe just the frigid weather in general. These sub-freezing temperatures make me lethargic, tired, and generally less motivated to do things.
I don't feel like going out. I just want to sit at home.
I long for the warm days of summer, which still feel so far away (even though it's March already!).
Despite the fact that summer is more than three months away, there was a tiny burst of "summer" in Boston last week.
For just one day, Tuesday February 25th, Backyard Farms teamed up with Clover Food Trucks to host a "Summer Came Early" event in Dewey Square (right at South Station for those of you not as familiar with Boston).
Even though it was barely in the twenties (Fahrenheit) outside, it was "summer" in this tiny little triangle. There were heat lamps, picnic tables, and even a huge green turf.
All proceeds would benefit the Greater Boston Food Bank, which I thought was very cool. In fact, I believe Backyard Farms is donating $5000 outright PLUS any proceeds from this event.
The lunchtime Boston crowd came by and enjoyed a two new sandwiches that Clover Food Trucks designed specifically for this event (yes, that's me with my poofy down jacket on, enjoying some delicious sandwiches). 
Because I work in Fan Pier now (just across the bridge!), it was really easy for me to step out during my lunch break and stop by for some scrumptious sandwiches (a cool benefit of working in Boston city proper!).
After walking more than ten minutes in the freezing weather, my extremities were very, very cold. I was thankful for a warm cup of their spicy tomato soup, which was fantastic. The kick was actually pretty strong (which I liked!), and the tiny croutons on top added a nice textural crunch to the soup. It was deep, flavorful, and very satisfying.
I absolutely loved this unusual seaweed and tomato sandwich. The seaweed is locally harvested off the coast of Maine. They bake it in just a bit of oil and salt until it's nice and crispy. It reminds me of the kale chips I make at home all the time, which I love. The spicy mayo sauce added additional flavor and bound everything together nicely. I heard that Clover may actually be adding this sandwich to their permanent offerings. If that's true, I definitely recommend checking it out. It's quite tasty.
They also had a cheese and tomato sandwich that was actually quite nice (despite how simple it looks). The cheese was a harder, saltier cheese, which was a nice complement to the sweet and juicy tomatoes.
But the best part?
They had promised free boxes of Backyard Farms cocktail tomatoes to the first hundred people that came. It turns out they actually brought two hundred boxes, so virtually everyone that came walked away with a free box of tomatoes.
These were fantastic. I ate them with basil, salt, and a 62 degree sous vide egg for lunch the following day and it was perfect.
Now if only summer would really come . . . soon.
Disclaimer: this post is sponsored by Backyard Farms Tomatoes. I did not pay for the food at the event. All opinions are my own.
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