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Boston Globe
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
The sweet (but not too sweet) story of how Mary Alisa's chocolate cake went from family favorite to famous
Get Winter Soup Club A six-week series featuring soup recipes and cozy vibes, plus side dishes and toppings, to get us all through the winter. Enter Email Sign Up More than 1,300 cakes later, Sherman is as happy making the chocolate confections as she was when the restaurant opened in the fall of 2021. 'I L-O-V-E it!' she says. 'I can be corny, but I feel like I'm living in a Christmas Hallmark movie. I love making people happy with it. Advertisement To maintain quality, Sherman makes each cake individually. The ingredients are: King Arthur flour, high-quality cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, Kosher salt, oil, whole milk, pricey Nielsen-Massey vanilla, and white eggs. David L. Ryan/Globe Staff 'The best time is in the restaurant — people don't know who I am — I will see someone eating it or sharing it, and they have smiles on their faces.' Before it made the menu, Sherman's cake was vetted by Cosmo Goss, The Winsor House's executive chef. It was never meant to be a permanent menu item. Advertisement 'I frankly thought it was a special thing we could do for the opening,' says Chris Sherman. 'My biggest fear was that people wouldn't like it. Then we started reading reviews and online comments where people said, 'You have to try the cake.' After four years, it's still a hit.' The cakes are prepared at The Winsor House kitchen well before the restaurant opens. David L. Ryan/Globe Staff Sherman is becoming known around this historic shipbuilding town as the 'Cake Lady.' 'My only claim to fame is I've made a few whole cakes for Steve Carrell,' she says. 'I've never met him, but he has a house on the South Shore and he orders around Christmas.' (Attempts to reach the A-List actor for his take on the cake were unsuccessful.) The cakes are prepared at The Winsor House kitchen well before the restaurant opens. Sherman makes at least 4 cakes every week — and up to 8, depending on demand. Summertime, when folks head to ICO's nearby outdoor raw bar for its famous oysters, often brings more customers to the restaurant. (The cake is not sold at the Island Creek Raw Bar in In the kitchen of The Winsor House restaurant, Mary Alisa Sherman bakes the layers of her chocolate cake. David L. Ryan/Globe Staff To maintain quality, Sherman makes each cake individually. The ingredients are: King Arthur flour, high-quality cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, Kosher salt, oil, whole milk, pricey Nielsen-Massey vanilla, and white eggs. 'It's easier to find egg shells in batter with white eggs,' she says. (The cake also includes a secret ingredient that can't be divulged.) The frosting consists of sifted powdered sugar, cream cheese, Land O'Lakes unsalted butter, and the aforementioned vanilla. Sherman buys her own ingredients (stocking up at area grocery stores when items go on sale and relying on Amazon) and brings them in Tupperware containers to The Winsor House for mixing. Advertisement The cake layers are baked for one hour and 15 minutes. After cooling, Sherman assembles the cake and gives it a Cake pans cool in The Winsor House kitchen. David L. Ryan/Globe Staff Sherman's daughters are delighted at this new stage in their mom's life. 'I love how my mom can now share this piece of our childhood with her community,' says Elise Sherman. Adds Devon Daley, Elise's twin: 'It was a sacrifice for my mom to stay home with us. It was meaningful, but it's nice to see when people can pursue roles they're passionate about. Second lives can happen organically.' Sherman grew up in Connecticut, moving to Duxbury in the '80s. Her professional career included a stint at a software company and a graduate degree in education and certification to teach Spanish. She's an active volunteer Duxbury history guide for schoolchildren and local assisted-living residents. Mary Alisa Sherman frosts her chocolate cake. David L. Ryan/Globe Staff For 20 years, she was a South Shore representative for the Friendly Towns arm of The Fresh Air Fund, a nonprofit that paired underserved New York City children with families during the summer. (The fund this year began placing kids only in camps.) She and her 'crazy, supportive high school-sweetheart' husband, Chris senior, regularly hosted a child in their home. Advertisement Now it's Chris junior who's her boss and who signs Sherman's paycheck. He always includes a message in the memo spot: 'Hey Mom, Hope you're having fun!' Mary Alisa's Dank Chocolate Cake, $13 per slice, available at The Winsor House at Island Creek Oyster Farm, 390 Washington St., Duxbury, 781-934-0991. Peggy Hernandez can be reached at . Follow her on Instagram @peggy_hernandez Mary Alisa Sherman decorates her chocolate cake. David L. Ryan/Globe Staff
Scottish Sun
13-06-2025
- Scottish Sun
I swapped Costa del Sol for this local Spanish beach spot – it's cheaper, calmer and there's no Brits in sight
SOL LONG I swapped Costa del Sol for this local Spanish beach spot – it's cheaper, calmer and there's no Brits in sight Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) AFTER years of bouncing between the usual Spanish hotspots like Barcelona, Madrid, and the Costa del Sol, there's one beach town I keep going back to - and hardly any Brits know about it. Called El Palmar de Vejer - or just El Palmar by locals - this little surf town on the south-west coast in the province of Cádiz, is one of Spain's best-kept secrets. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 7 I've found the quieter side of Spain without the Brits Credit: Alamy 7 It's not easy to get to, but that's exactly why it still feels like a secret Credit: Lee Bell 7 There's no high-rise developments, no big hotel chains, no resorts Credit: Alamy It's laid-back, raw, and totally free of the usual Brits-abroad buzz. And that's exactly why it's so good. It's not easy to get to, but that's exactly why it still feels like a secret. Spanish locals love it - especially those from Madrid, who drive down for the summer holidays. But it's rare you'll hear anyone speaking English, and I've never once seen a big group of British tourists here. If you want sun, space, proper Spanish food and a bit of surf, this is the place. El Palmar is all about the beach - and it's a big one. It's long, wide and open, with soft golden sand and a breeze that rolls in off the Atlantic. Locals even call the area 'Cádizfornia' because it's got that same laid-back, surfy vibe you get in California. And they're not wrong - it really does feel like Spain's answer to the west coast of the US. Just less polished - and no loud Americans. Phew. What's more, there's no high-rise developments, no big hotel chains, no resorts. Instead, you'll find only small holiday apartments, beachside glamping sites and independent surf lodges. A lot of the accommodation is low-key - think bungalows behind the dunes or boutique guesthouses a short walk from the beach. One of Spain's oldest beach bars that was loved by A-List stars forced to close — as fans say goodbye to €4 beers and sea views 7 It feels more like California Credit: Alamy The town itself is more of a strip - a few shops, surf schools, and beach bars, all built into the landscape. There's no real centre, but that's part of the charm. It's the kind of place where you can go barefoot all day and no one would batter an eyelid. The whole of El Palmar feels peaceful and raw in the best way. It's not overly polished or fancy, but that's the appeal. You wake up to the sound of waves, stroll out to a café for breakfast, hit the beach, maybe do a surf lesson or just lie in the sun, then head to one of the chiringuitos for lunch. These chiringuitos are what make it for me. These are beach bars right on the sand, serving cold drinks and some of the best seafood I've had in Spain. You can get a table with your feet in the sand, order a plate of prawns or tuna tartare, and just sit watching the waves roll in and the sun in your face. Locals even call the area 'Cádizfornia' for the surfy vibe Most places also do proper Andalusian paella, fried fish, grilled sardines - all cooked fresh and served with a side of salty air. It's not expensive, either. You can get a great meal with drinks for under €20 if you know where to go. In the evenings, some bars have live music - usually acoustic, sometimes a bit of flamenco. It's never full-on party mode, but it's sociable and fun. You won't find bar crawls or club reps here - just locals and in-the-know visitors enjoying the sunsets, which are nearly always amazing. El Palmar's great for doing absolutely nothing. But if you fancy mixing things up, there's a lot to explore nearby. About 15 minutes inland is the whitewashed hill town of Vejer de la Frontera. Here you'll find quaint narrow streets, flower-filled balconies and sweeping views. 7 Visit the nearby Vejer de la Frontera Credit: Alamy 7 Make sure to explore the Old Quarter too Credit: Alamy You can head up for lunch or dinner, wander the old quarter, and enjoy a change of scenery without going too far. Further down the coast is Tarifa - Europe's southernmost town and the meeting point of the Atlantic and the Med. It's more built-up, with a mix of surf shops, Moroccan cafés and tapas bars. It's a great spot if you want something a bit more lively for a day or two - or even to bolt onto your El Palmar trip. And just up the coast is Cádiz city, one of the oldest cities in Europe. Cadiz is full of history, with colourful buildings, crumbling castles, seafood markets and buzzing tapas bars. You could easily spend a day there before heading back to your beach base. How to get there El Palmar's not the easiest place to reach - but that's why you don't see many tourists there, adding to its charm. Hiring a car from airports Seville or Malaga is probably your easiest option. It's under two hours from Seville, and about 2.5 from Málaga. The roads are easy, the views are decent, and once you're there, you'll be glad you didn't mess about with transfers. But if you're lacking a driving licence but have plenty of patience, you can still get there by public transport. From Seville, take a train to San Fernando Bahía Sur station, which is about 1.5 hours away and costs about €17 (£14). From there, it's a 35-minute taxi ride to the beach, which will cost about €70 (£60). You can also go via Cádiz, which has a direct bus to El Palmar run by Transportes Generales Comes. It takes just over an hour and is fairly cheap, between €5–€14. However, buses aren't super frequent and can be even more limited outside of summer. Coming from Málaga? You'll need to train it to Cádiz first (about 3 hours), then catch the same bus down to the coast. All doable, but if you want to avoid the faff, just hire a car. Where to stay, when to go You're not going to find anything super lux at El Palmar, but that's part of its appeal. If you want somewhere stylish but low-key, look at Nexo Surf House, it's got spacious, airy rooms, a restaurant and surf lessons all rolled into one. For something more rustic, the glamping options at Kampaoh are worth a look. Here you'll find safari-style tents with proper beds and private bathrooms, all a short walk from the beach. There are also plenty of local Airbnbs scattered along the coast, many within walking distance to the beach. Some are simple studios, others are bigger houses that are ideal for groups or families. Wherever you stay, you're never far from the sea - and that's the whole point. In the busier summer months of July and August, however, be sure to book well in advance as rooms do get booked up fast by locals. Even then, it's mostly Spanish families, not hordes of tourists. The beach is big enough that it never feels rammed. It's not built for mass tourism, and that's why it's so good. If you want a quieter vibe, I'd opt to go in June or September. The weather's still hot, the sea's warm, and there's lots of space. Flights to Seville from the UK start from around £25 return if you book early enough. If you want a break that's off the beaten track, full of charm, and free from the usual Brit holiday clichés, this is the place to go.
The Irish Sun
13-06-2025
- The Irish Sun
I swapped Costa del Sol for this local Spanish beach spot – it's cheaper, calmer and there's no Brits in sight
AFTER years of bouncing between the usual Spanish hotspots like Barcelona, Madrid, and the Costa del Sol, there's one beach town I keep going back to - and hardly any Brits know about it. Called El Palmar de Vejer - or just El Palmar by locals - this little surf town on the south-west coast in the province of Advertisement 7 I've found the quieter side of Spain without the Brits Credit: Alamy 7 It's not easy to get to, but that's exactly why it still feels like a secret Credit: Lee Bell 7 There's no high-rise developments, no big hotel chains, no resorts Credit: Alamy It's laid-back, raw, and totally free of the usual Brits-abroad buzz. And that's exactly why it's so good. It's not easy to get to, but that's exactly why it still feels like a secret. Spanish locals love it - especially those from Madrid, who drive down for the summer holidays . But it's rare you'll hear anyone speaking English, and I've never once seen a big group of British tourists here. Advertisement Read more on Spain If you want sun, space, proper Spanish food and a bit of surf, this is the place. El Palmar is all about the beach - and it's a big one. It's long, wide and open, with soft golden sand and a breeze that rolls in off the Atlantic. Locals even call the area 'Cádizfornia' because it's got that same laid-back, surfy vibe you get in And they're not wrong - it really does feel like Spain's answer to the west coast of the US. Just less polished - and no loud Americans. Phew. Advertisement Most read in Beach holidays What's more, there's no high-rise developments, no big hotel chains, no resorts. Instead, you'll find only small holiday apartments, beachside glamping sites and independent surf lodges. A lot of the accommodation is low-key - think bungalows behind the dunes or boutique guesthouses a short walk from the beach. One of Spain's oldest beach bars that was loved by A-List stars forced to close — as fans say goodbye to €4 beers and sea views 7 It feels more like California Credit: Alamy The town itself is more of a strip - a few shops, surf schools , and beach bars, all built into the landscape. There's no real centre, but that's part of the charm. Advertisement It's the kind of place where you can go barefoot all day and no one would batter an eyelid. The whole of El Palmar feels peaceful and raw in the best way. It's not overly polished or fancy, but that's the appeal. You wake up to the sound of waves, stroll out to a café for breakfast, hit the beach, maybe do a surf lesson or just lie in the sun, then head to one of the chiringuitos for lunch. These chiringuitos are what make it for me. These are beach bars right on the sand, serving cold drinks and some of the best seafood I've had in Advertisement You can get a table with your feet in the sand, order a plate of prawns or tuna tartare, and just sit watching the waves roll in and the sun in your face. Locals even call the area 'Cádizfornia' for the surfy vibe Most places also do proper Andalusian In the evenings, some bars have live music - usually acoustic, sometimes a bit of flamenco. It's never full-on party mode, but it's sociable and fun. You won't find bar crawls or club reps here - just locals and in-the-know visitors enjoying the sunsets, which are nearly always amazing. Advertisement El Palmar's great for doing absolutely nothing. But if you fancy mixing things up, there's a lot to explore nearby. About 15 minutes inland is the whitewashed hill town of Here you'll find quaint narrow streets, flower-filled balconies and sweeping views. 7 Visit the nearby Vejer de la Frontera Credit: Alamy Advertisement 7 Make sure to explore the Old Quarter too Credit: Alamy You can head up for lunch or dinner, wander the old quarter, and enjoy a change of scenery without going too far. Further down the coast is It's a great spot if you want something a bit more lively for a day or two - or even to bolt onto your El Palmar trip. Advertisement And just up the coast is Europe . Cadiz is full of history , with colourful buildings, crumbling castles, seafood markets and buzzing tapas bars. You could easily spend a day there before heading back to your beach base. How to get there El Palmar's not the easiest place to reach - but that's why you don't see many tourists there, adding to its charm. Hiring a car from airports Advertisement But if you're lacking a driving licence but have plenty of patience, you can still get there by public transport. From You can also go via Cádiz, which has a direct bus to El Palmar run by Transportes Generales Comes. It takes just over an hour and is fairly cheap, between €5–€14. However, buses aren't super frequent and can be even more limited outside of summer. Coming from Advertisement All doable, but if you want to avoid the faff, just hire a car. Where to stay, when to go You're not going to find anything super lux at El Palmar, but that's part of its appeal. If you want somewhere stylish but low-key, look at Nexo Surf House, it's got spacious, airy rooms, a restaurant and surf lessons all rolled into one. For something more rustic, the glamping options at Kampaoh are worth a look. Here you'll find safari-style tents with proper beds and private bathrooms, all a short walk from the beach. Advertisement There are also plenty of local Airbnbs scattered along the coast, many within walking distance to the beach. Some are simple studios, others are bigger houses that are ideal for groups or families. Wherever you stay, you're never far from the sea - and that's the whole point. In the busier summer months of July and August, however, be sure to book well in advance as rooms do get booked up fast by locals. Even then, it's mostly Spanish families, not hordes of tourists. The beach is big enough that it never feels rammed. It's not built for mass tourism, and that's why it's so good. Advertisement If you want a quieter vibe, I'd opt to go in June or September. The weather's still hot, the sea's warm, and there's lots of space. Flights to Seville from the UK start from around £25 return if you book early enough. If you want a break that's off the beaten track, full of charm, and free from the usual Brit holiday clichés, this is the place to go. 7 The best way to get there is via Seville Credit: Alamy Advertisement
Straits Times
06-06-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
SailGP roars back into action in New York after Rio cancellation
FILE PHOTO: SailGP F50 team Canada competes in front of the Statue of Liberty after the start of the finals race during the SailGP sailboat racing event won by team New Zealand in New York Harbor, New York City, U.S. June 23, 2024. REUTERS/Mike Segar/File Photo NEW YORK - SailGP teams will shake off the rust in New York this weekend, as the global racing championship gets back into action after a wingsail defect forced a brief hiatus with the cancellation of May's Rio event. Organisers identified the defect after the Australian boat's wing collapsed in San Francisco in March and carried out repair and upgrade work to remedy the issue on the F50 fleet in time for the highly anticipated New York competition. "We had almost two months of learning to take from the previous events," said Brazil's twice Olympic champion Martine Grael, SailGP's first-ever female driver. "We have a lot of changes in our sailing - there are almost too many changes and we know you can only handle a few changes at a time. We're focusing to see what we can adapt here." The recently added Brazil team hope to move up the standings from 10th as the action kicks off on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET (1700 GMT), two and a half hours earlier than planned due to inclement weather. The three-times champions Australia, who hold just a one-point advantage over Britain in the standings, want to impress after making headlines off the water, with new A-List co-owners Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds announced this week. The great equaliser between the celebrity-fronted top dogs and the up-and-comers has been the competition's tech-first approach to sailing, with each of the vessels equipped with 125 sensors continuously feeding data. "We give the data to everybody," SailGP's Chief Technology Officer Warren Jones told Reuters. "Top teams hate it, but the newer teams love it." Jones was able to build the robust analytics operation from "a blank sheet of paper" by cherry-picking from billionaire co-founder Larry Ellison's Oracle capabilities. The hope is that the data points broadcast across the competition can help transform the next generation of fans - newcomers and diehards alike. "There are the basics - you need to know how fast people are going because then it adds the jeopardy of what's going on," said Jones. "Then there's people out there who want to know how many tacks they've done and what the tack is compared to the last tack - we can rate that." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
How Grindr's new 'Right Now' live feature enables even quicker hookups
Grindr has officially gone live. The app's newest feature, Right Now, is a scrollable feed where users can post photos and text for an hour at a time, letting nearby folks know exactly what they're looking for right now. Unlike the traditional grid view that sorts profiles by proximity, Right Now functions like a stripped-down, sexed-up version of Twitter. Posts disappear after an hour, but users can mark themselves as ready to host (yes, that kind of host) and make their intentions clear upfront. See on Instagram Grindr says the idea came from user demand. 'We built this intention-based feature based on feedback from our community,' said Chief Product Officer AJ Balance in a statement, 'so they can connect with like-minded people without wasting time on mismatched expectations.' The feature soft-launched in March, and thanks to overwhelming engagement, Grindr accelerated its global rollout. For now, users will receive a few free sessions per week, depending on their location, with the option to purchase additional sessions. Accessing the feed is simple: it's now embedded into the app via a new button on the main grid, the bottom nav bar, or the side drawer. Right Now is part of a larger Grindr overhaul that includes AI-powered tools like A-List (a chat summarizer) and Wingman (an AI flirting assistant). It's all part of the company's plan to revamp its image, recover from a rocky IPO, and cash in on immediacy. Call it 'the Global Gayborhood in Your Pocket™,' as Grindr's branding goes—but now it's also your local live feed for horny dispatches. Because when someone asks if you're up, Grindr wants to make sure you answer fast.
