Misstropolis

Wednesday, January 02, 2008

Barbara Lynch Stirs up a Gem

by Clara Silverstein

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Call it a case of the real estate leading the retail. When a storefront became available down the street from Barbara Lynch’s B&G Oysters and other South End ventures, she couldn’t resist putting in an offer for it. The only problem was, she didn’t know exactly what to put into the space.

Hard at work on a cookbook to be published by Houghton Mifflin next year, Lynch decided to install a kitchen so she could test her recipes. Before long, she was inviting staff members in for training about the menus and wine lists, and realized the kitchen was a perfect spot for classes. One more element seemed to fit right in – a cookbook store and library of foodie favorites.

Named Stir, the space opened in the fall at 102 Waltham Street, and has been booked steadily ever since. At a time when cooking demos have moved into television studios or crowded kitchen equipment shops, Stir creates an intimate, hands-on experience in its 10-seat, 300-square-foot space. It is also Boston’s only store devoted exclusively to cookbooks, where lengthy browsing and even note-taking from books is encouraged.

“It turned into a really special little space – there is nothing like it in Boston. I am really proud of the class offerings and the cookbook selection,” says Lynch, who also owns No. 9 Park, B&G, the Butcher Shop, Plum Produce and the catering company Niche Catour. Another restaurant is slated to open later this year in the Fort Point Channel area.

Stir’s offerings have caught on in the neighborhood and beyond. A December truffle-making class with Dede Wilson, author of “Truffles: 50 Deliciously Decadent Homemade Chocolate Treats” (Harvard Common Press, 2006), as well as a series of Baker’s Field Guides, attracted a standing room-only crowd around the stainless steel work table. The audience obligingly sampled different types of chocolate as Wilson, clad in a pale pink chef’s jacket and apron, explained how to find the best ones for truffles.

“You only have two basic ingredients – chocolate and cream – so what you use should be high quality,” she said, adding that just one bite could reveal a lot. “There should be no grittiness. You should get a smooth, smooth sensation on the tongue.”

The intimacy of the space – at Wilson’s demo, people could crane their necks and peer right into a pan of ganache on the stove – seems to keep audiences engaged, no matter what the topic. Stir hosts wine dinners each Monday, typically led by No. 9 Park wine director Cat Silirie. Tuesday and Wednesday classes usually focus more on cooking. Lynch regularly teaches how to make her signature recipes. Other chefs at Lynch’s restaurants, and guest experts, round out the schedule. Upcoming topics include Italian-style braising, fresh pastas from Italy’s Piedmont region, love potion cocktails (for Valentine’s Day) and caviar. Prices range from $85 to $165 per class; many sell out in advance.

Members of Lynch’s staff help plan the schedule, explains Sarah Hearn, marketing manager. “It’s kind of an extension of our staff training. We all talk about what we’d like to taste, and who can share their experiences, travels and knowledge.” Stir can also be rented for private parties with a chef leading a cooking demo for the group. “It’s the ultimate in dinner as theater,” says Hearn.

The books, which fill one wall, represent current bestsellers, such as “Pork & Sons” and “The Omnivore’s Dilemma,” as well as classics by Julia Child and Lidia Bastianich. Books about wine, including several by Robert M. Parker, anchor the Wine and Spirits selection. The store is open daily: Monday-Wednesday from noon to 6 p.m. and Thursday-Sunday from noon to 8 p.m. People are encouraged to sit with a cup of coffee or tea and browse as long as they want.

Lynch, who grew up in South Boston’s housing projects and once worked in the kitchen at a rectory, now enjoys her role of reaching out to the community through Stir’s cookbooks and classes. “There is so much more to be done with this – there will be lots of new projects down the pike. We are just getting started,” she promises.

Lemon Bittersweet Chocolate Truffles
Makes about 50 truffles

The combination of lemon and dark chocolate might seem unusual, but it is absolutely delicious. You will be grating some of the chocolate for the coating, so begin with chunks of good-quality bulk chocolate. The chocolate-cream mixture that forms the base of the truffles is called ganache.

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
4 teaspoons lemon zest (from 1-2 lemons)
10 ounces bittersweet chocolate (8 ounces finely chopped, 2 ounces in block form)
2 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice
Dutch-processed cocoa powder, as needed

1. Place the cream and zest in a wide, 2-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat until it just comes to a simmer. Remove from the heat and immediately sprinkle the chopped chocolate into the cream. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes. The heat should melt the chocolate. Stir very gently until smooth. Whisk in the lemon juice until combined.

2. Pour the mixture into a shallow bowl. Cool to room temperature. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, then allow to sit, preferably overnight, until firm enough to roll. (Or refrigerate the ganache until firm, about 4 hours).

3. Grate the remaining 2 ounces of chocolate on the largest holes of a box grater. Place in a small bowl. Coat your hands with the cocoa powder and roll the ganache into 3/4- to 1-inch balls.

4. Toss the balls in the grated chocolate until coated. Place in fluted paper cups for serving, if desired. Serve at room temperature.

Adapted from “Truffles: 50 Deliciously Decadent Homemade Chocolate Treats,” by Dede Wilson.