Food

This section includes pieces related to food products

GATHER-ING SUPPORT

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Our food community is made up of not only some of the most talented chefs and restaurateurs but also some of the most giving!

From Steve Peljovich at Michael’s Deli to Karen Masterson at Johnny’s Luncheonette to Jeanie Gruber at Wish Dish, the list of food makers and food sellers who often give away more than they make to support their community is inspiring!

Apparently, this noble tradition of giving goes back quite some time – all the way back to 1816, in fact!

It was then, in Portsmouth, NH, that a group of charitable women who wanted to support the families of local fishermen started a social services organization named Gather, which was one of the first such groups in the country.

Since then, Gather has continued to grow, gathering more support and also gathering more people it supports with its pantry and food delivery programs.

As evidence of its continued development, Gather opened the Gather Cafe at Great Bay Community College just last year as a means of combatting food insecurity among college students. The Cafe charges the general public reasonable prices for freshly-made food and catering services so it can subsidize the food purchases of area students, allowing them to fuel their bodies so they can fuel their minds and fuel the future for all. Though this may be an underexposed issue (especially considering that nearly 40% of all students go hungry from time to time), it is one that is unfortunately very real and that other schools and organizations would be wise to get involved with as well.

Another way to get involved is through the Seacoast Half Marathon on October 29. Proceeds from this year’s event will benefit Gather! 

With food and tuition prices rising and campus gun violence more prevalent than ever, students have a lot to worry about when they go to school. Eating should not be one of them.

Please go to www.gathernh.org and help gather support for this historic helping hand.

QUAK-ING UP THE FOOD DESERT

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As a proud Penn Quaker who has written a book about the Ivy League and who tutored Philadelphia students as captain of the Penn boxing team and director of the Boxing Scholarship Foundation, I was thrilled to hear that some younger alumni were carrying on the proud Penn tradition of town and gown community support through the food space and just had to take a minute to tell everyone!

When they found the boxes of ingredients they were trying to distribute being turned down by residents who did not know how to use them, recent Penn grads Alexandre Imbot and Eli Moraru went to Harvard Law School’s Food Law and Policy Clinic to develop a new model that would allow and encourage people to use food stamps om foods they would actually eat. It is called The Community Grocer.

Serving as an antidote to the food deserts that exist in to many communities that are primarily inhabited by people of color, The Community Grocer partners with other organizations to help people who are involved with Federal food aid programs like SNAP stretch their dollars further while making food that is healthier and more nourishing for their families and the communities. They also encourage people to cook and eat at home more often, making healthier meals in a healthier environment.

By offering market space with social gathering rooms and classes about nutrition and other sustaining subjects ,and other offerings that are often not offered in many neighborhoods, the Community Grocer provides goods and services that are necessary for survival and growth and will hopefully offer a model that others can adopt and spread across the country and around the world.

Watch for the Community Grocer team in a future edition of Lions, Tigers, and…Bulldogs?

Founder Franklin would be proud!

www.thecommunitygrocer.org

JELLY THAT CAN GET YOU PICKLED

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We have used many words for food over the years, but here are two I have not heard together before- jelly and alcohol!

I have been a fan of PB&J since I was a kid, but now that I am…older, I sometimes seek a more sophisticated sweetener for my legumated lunch.

That is why I am so thrilled to have found Olde Haven Farm!

As it is a family-run farm in Maine, it may be no surprise that Olde Haven uses traditional and ethical techniques to process and distribute its many delicious products. What might be interesting, however, is that many of these products combine flavors and ingredients that are not usually combined.

In addition to their home-grown produce and meats, Olde Haven is known for their preserves and preservations. From authentic salsas from south of the (Canadian) border to mustard pickles that combine the two best hot dog toppers in one to dill-brined green beans and garlic honey carrots, the folks at Olde Haven know how to use old techniques to make new taste sensations. But what may be the most sensational are their fresh fruit jams that, as mentioned before, are often laced with liquor!

In addition to familiar faves like strawberry rhubarb and (of course) wild Maine blueberry, Olde Haven whips up boozy batches of cherry Amaretto, cinnamon apple Whiskey, pomegranate Rosé, and Bourbon peach (which is GREAT on ice cream!), and even a Christmas flavor that is perfect for mull-ing over a gift list. Speaking of gifts, Olde Haven’s products can be combined to fit any occasion and any recipient, regardless of age or tolerance.

From the famed Maine farmer’s markets to your local grocer (just ask!), Olde Haven is growing in popularity thanks to its combination of family tradition and creative ingenuity- Just like a farm in Maine should be!

www.oldehavenfarm.com

GLUTEN-FREE FOR ALL

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As we try to stay on the forefront of consumer desires, we talk a good deal about the latest in gluten-free options. Among our recent scoops have been Mightylicious cookies, the latest Celiac-friendly faves at Kane’s Donuts, and the newest tummy-friendly temptations at South Street Diner.

While gluten-free foods remain popular and have been shown to reduce the chance of developing many other diseases, they can still post complications for many people who want to cook and bake on their own.

Fortunately, there is a new set of gluten-free doughs that allow even the most amateur chef to become a gluten-free pro in no time!

Appropriately named Gluten Free Easy, this raft of recipe starters includes puff pastry, pita and pizza doughs that are not only gluten-free, but also vegan and kosher!

Created by a pair of women, who wanted to allow and encourage friends with sensitive stomachs enjoy more dough Gluten Free Easy doughs have been tested by hundreds of blindfolded fans, many of whom claim that they taste even better than their proteined partners!

To use Gluten Free Easy doughs, all you need to do is take them out of your freezer and top or fill them with whatever you choose to make everything from blintzes Spanakopita and whatever your edible imagination conjures.

If you need more gluten-free inspiration, Gluten Free Easy doughs are available at thee Gluten Free Shoppe (spelled with the old-timey “ppe” at the end), a Brooklyn-based marketplace that is a safe haven and epicurean wonderland for those dealing with Celiac or those who just want to try new versions of traditional favorites.

In addition to the doughs, the Shoppe has premade baked goods (including challah and donuts!), as well as snacks and supplements and their site has a handy Q&A about Celiac so those with it and those who love them can be more informed as they all expand their menus with these delicious foods.

https://www.gf-easy.com / https://theglutenfreeshoppe.com

SLAW DANCING

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There is so much information out there about so-called “superfoods” that are supposed to help keep you healthier or even improve your body, mind, and spirit.

And while we love examples like IQBAR, Flava Naturals, Forij, and even items from Boston legends like Harpoon Beer and South Street Diner, what they have in common more than nutritional value are great taste and great local people behind them.

Two more who fit this category are Lost Art Culture Foods and Pigeon Cove Ferments.

Lost Art is run by a single mom in Charlestown, who wants to give her daughter (and everyone else) not only wholesome, healthy, organic, sustainably-sourced food, but a better future. In addition to some of the best kraut around, Lost Art offers truly artistic options like their combination sauerkraut-kimchi and a beet-based kraut that can color your plate and your life.

Pigeon Cove is a fermenting family from Gloucester who are also taking the hyper-local and kombucha trends to new places. In addition to delicious and refreshing kombuchas that mix bold and balanced flavors like pineapple and chamomile, jalapeno and cucumber, and raspberry and basil, they also have a fermented coffee that adds brain-helping lion’s mane mushrooms to the gut-supporting probiotics and tastes so good it has often replaced my morning joe (though not IQJOE, of course!).

As a fitness trainer, father, and food recommender, I am all about finding and haring healthy options that may improve and even extend my life. But if you don’t enjoy that life, why bother extending it? With friends like the folks at Lost Art and Pigeon Cove, I do not have to choose., I can just enjoy. And so can you!

https://lostartculturedfoods.com / https://pigeoncoveferments.com

SHARING YOUR DOUGH

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I love to support Veteran businesses and I also love to support those who give back to their community, so I LOVE talking about Chris Wysong at Bucket of Bread!

As he was intricately involved in Operation Provide Comfort in Iraq, it may be no surprise that Wysong now makes his mark on society by providing some of the best comfort food around- homemade bread.

And as he has been at it since before COVID made home baking a thing, Wysong truly knows what to do with dough!

His certified-organic Bucket of Bread kits now not only come in traditional white, hearty wheat and his amazing seven-grain variety, but all come in two sizes- neither of which comes with preservatives, added sugars, or challenges for the baking novice. In a further effort to help others afford and enjoy healthy, delicious, comforting food, Chris recently lowered his prices, despite inflation – making his mouthwatering breads even more appealing!

While it is always fun and fulfilling to bake for friends and neighbors, Wysong takes the idea of breaking bread with others one step further by offering an online option by which visitors to bucketofbread.com (which also has great recipes and fun merch) can donate buckets directly to food pantries, knowing that an additional 10% of profits got help others as well! Especially at this season of giving, such extra-mile operations not only befit a Veteran but benefit the givers and receivers (who receive a tax deduction in addition to the good feelings that come from being generous).

So whenever you need a gift (or just a delicious, nutritious, homemade treat), forget the fancy paper. Grab a Bucket of Bread instead!

http://bucketofbread.com

DON’T “SKIP” THIS TASTY HEALTH FOOD

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As is so often the case, I am here to dish about the latest trend in the healthy food space.

While we continue to rave about the flavonoids in FlavaNaturals and the brain-boosting adaptogens in IQ Joe, Kickstarter Coffee, and Four Sigmatic coffee, another favorite trend is fermenting, an ancient process that can help with everything from immunity and inflammation to irritable bowels and also improve hair, skin, and overall well-being! 

While the most popular fermented foods are admittedly acquired tastes like kraut and kimchee and kefir (noting a “k”-trend here?), tasty new tastes are applying for acquisition all the time. 

As she was born in Korea, Kathryn Oh knows about the special, nutrient- and probiotic-enriching art of Koji fermentation as she was making kimchee since childhood. As she is also a primary care doctor, she also knows the health benefits of many things.

So when she told me that she is coming out with her own line of plant-based, naturally- (and deliciously) flavored, nutrient-packed cups of fermented brown rice called Hopscotch (in a nod to another accessible childhood activity) that could benefit my belly, brain, and entire body, I was interested.And when I tried the sweet, umami-laced cups that come in chocolate, strawberry, coffee, and even Snickerdoodle (flavors that Oh admits “start funny but taste yummy!”) and that can be enjoyed alone or in smoothies, sauces, or many other means of enjoyment), I was hooked on Hopscotch and think (and hope) that you will soon be too!

www.hopscotchfoods.com

GET INTO A JAM

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While any of the items I discuss on Matt’s Meals can make for a great gift (if even for yourself!), I recently found a local maker who can solve pretty much any holiday giving jam.

In fact, jam is the source of the solution!

Starting with a parental promise to spread sweetness, Holly Condon started Holly’s Heavenly Creations – a handmade jam and jelly company that has some of the most creative and carefully-crafted varieties I (a devout jam fan) have ever tasted!

When I first saw Holly at the Needham High School craft fair, my eye was caught by a jar of Dirty Monkey Nuts. When I tasted this perfect combination of chocolate, peanuts, bananas, and a touch of locally-sourced honey, I was ready to swing from the trees myself!

While the grape, raspberry, and even cranberry jams are great, it is through more adventurous offerings like Figgy on a Bog (featuring figs, cranberries, and ginger sugar), Mother’s Embrace (which is flavored with actual roses!), and Sweet Wookie (RAWR!) that Holly truly sets herself and her creations apart. And with flavors like Boo Berry, Love Spell, and Nutcracker, there is truly something for everyone at this season and every season of giving.

As I perused the overflowing table of choices, I saw such seductive selections as Lavender Skies and Fear the Reaper jam (which has a VERY appropriate warning on the front where Holy usually reveals her ingredients). There were also a few flavors the names of which made me laugh but that might not be appropriate for this venue. You will just have to go to https://hollys-heavenly-creations.square.site or www.facebook.com/hollysheavenlycreations to read (and order) them for yourself!

SELECT-ING THE BEST BERRIES

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Especially at this time of year, many people are thinking of what to make for their family that will keep the gratitude and enjoyment up and the arguing and bickering down. With all the political and dietary limitations people bring to the table these days, it can be harder than ever to please everyone!

Especially as traditional mains may be problematic, perhaps it is best to stick to sides for now.

When it comes to best sides, there is little that can beat fresh MA cranberries. 

But what to do if you want that fresh-from-the-bog taste at other times of year?

Cape Cod Select is a multi-generational, family-run, sustainable business that picks and provides locally-sourced cranberries in a wide array of delicious ways, including frozen berries and extra-nutritious smoothie kits that can be used anytime you want something to feel thankful for.

In addition to leaving out any extra sugar, Cape Cod Select also eschews a bunch of other unhealthy stuff that many other berry baggers and canners use, which has allowed them to become the first American cranberry grower to achieve GLOBAL G.A.P Certification which sets stringent compliance qualifications for farms around the world.

After starting your day with a tropical smoothie (which will be an especially welcome respite if a traditional New England winter ever comes back), try their chutney with anything from cheese to charcuterie (which they also offer) and their amazing cranberry mustard on pretty much anything and in many of the recipes that are on www.capecodselect.com.

With all the issues in the world, we do not need a special day to be thankful. But when we want to add a bit of healthy sweetness to any day, Cape Code Selects can surely help!

STRENGTHENING THE BONDE

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I was recently back on my old stomping grounds of Harvard Square to promote my book on the Ivy League (www.lionstigersbulldogs.com) and, after visiting my old friends at Grendel’s for a delicious meal, I dropped by my other friends at Bonde wines for an after-dinner drink and a bit of oenophilic education.

In addition to learning about some of the most expertly-curated, independently-crafted, ecologically-responsible wines, I also learned that Bonde has come up with even more fun and creative ways to share and pair their wines with some of my (and your) favorite foods!

On Wednesday, October 4, Bonde will be crafting complements to what they call Cuisine Manufacturielle d’America (a.k.a., American junk food) in a perky pairing event that will be perfect for anyone who is gearing up for late-season grilling sessions, football season wings and nachos, or even Halloween season candy. If you are not such a fan of frankfurters but love the food of Frankfurt, there will be an event dedicated to Oktoberfest fare (Might I suggest Eastern Standard Provisions‘ pretzels? Yes- I might!) on October 11. If a visit to French Canada is more convenient, a quartet of poutines will be on the menu on October 25, each with its own hand-picked pairing

Though the latest installment of Bonde’s Chef Series (which features Vietnamese master Vincenzo Le) is sold out there will surely be more amazing food makers lining up to have their fare paired with flair at Bonde, so be sure to keep an eye out on www.bondewines.com.

Each of these classes cost $89 per person and include not only delicious food and extraordinary wines (some of which are only available at Bonde) but also the comprehensive and collegial consultation of curator Bertil Jean-Chronberg (a native Frenchman who knows his way not only around a wine cellar but a stack of gravied frites as well!), making a vinicultured visit on these (or any other nights) well worth it! So keep checking bondewines.com to see what fruited fun is coming up next!