Food | The Swellesley Report - News about Wellesley, Massachusetts

Yet ANOTHER juicy Wellesley story

June 20, 2017 by bbrown Leave a Comment

Pressed Juicery, a Santa Monica-based seller of cold-pressed juices ranging from those steeped in roots and fruits to citrus and greens, has gone before a Wellesley board to get permission for signs for a shop in Linden Square that appears to be in the space occupied by Pinkberry since the summer of 2011.

While big on cleansing through juicing, Pressed Juicery isn’t coming clean yet on any details about its Wellesley plans (“Unfortunately, I don’t have any additional information to share at this time, however, I’ll absolutely keep you posted once I do,” a spokeswoman writes). It’s unclear exactly when Pressed Juicery might be arriving. Linden Square property manager Federal Realty doesn’t “comment on lease related matters” and Pinkberry hasn’t responded to our inquiry.

But Pressed Juicery has been given the town’s blessing for signs it wants to erect in Linden Square at 180 Linden St.

If Pressed Juicery does, as expected, set up shop in Wellesley, it will be the third juice business to target the town in recent months. Thirst Juice expanded beyond Boston into Wellesley in November as the only retailer so far to fill a spot in the Belclare complex. Cocobeet opened in Wellesley Square in February. Other new Wellesley eateries, such as B.Good and CrepeBerry, have also upped the healthy food ante in town.

Pressed Juicery started up in California, and has expanded into Las Vegas, New York and Massachusetts, including on Newbury Street and in Harvard Square.

As for Pinkberry, we don’t know what their plans are. But there is a space in Wellesley Square that has been home to at least 2 ice cream/frozen yogurt shops that’s begging for a new tenant.

8 summer Farmers’ Markets and farm stands near Wellesley

June 16, 2017 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

Over the past several summers, Wellesley has sometimes had a weekly Farmers’ Market, and sometimes not. This summer is one of those sometimes not summers, but there’s still amazingly fresh produce, beautiful flowers, and other farm products to be found at many nearby farm stands and outdoor markets. Here are eight of our favorites:

The Natick Community Organic Farm

Where: 117 Eliot St., Natick
When: The Barnside Stand at the Farm is open seven days a week, spring, summer and fall during daylight hours.
The Farmstand on Route 16, run by youth in the Farm’s summer programs, is open Monday through Friday, 10am to 4pm, from July 1 through August 1.
Founded in 1975, The Natick Community Organic Farm is a nonprofit, certified-organic farm providing productive open space, farm products, and hands-on education for all ages, year-round. Committed to farming methods that are ecologically healthy and sustainable, the Farm places special emphasis on service to youth through year-round classes, work-experience programs and volunteer opportunities for working the land.

The Natick Farmers’ Market

Natick Commons, at the intersection of Rts. 27 and 135
When: Saturdays, 9am – 1pm
The mission of the market is to bring locally grown or made foods to the community as well as provide an opportunity for music, crafts and community gatherings to occur.

The Needham Farmers’ Market

When: Sundays, noon – 4pm, through November 19
Where: Garrity Way at Town Hall
Their Market Calendar page lets you know which vendors will be there

NEWTON Farmers’ Markets, 2 locations:

New Cold Spring Park, 1200 Beacon St.
When: Tuesdays, July 11 – Oct 31, 1:30pm-6pm

Elm St., West Newton
When: June 24 – October 7, 10am – 2pm
Farm-fresh fruits and vegetables, turkey, beef, fresh fish, goat cheese, gouda, eggs, olive oil, baked goods, popovers, jams, jellies, plants, and flowers.

Sherborn, Dowse Orchards Farm Stand

Where: 98 North Main St., Route 27
Hours: 9am – 6pm, daily

Dowse Orchards is a Massachusetts Century Farm with a 200-year history of family production in apples, vegetables, greenhouse crops, flowers, christmas trees and pumpkins, to name just a few. The roadside farm stand has been in operation for more than 60 years, selling the products raised on the farm on a seasonal basis.

Wayland Summer Farmers’ Market at Russel’s Garden Center

Where: 397 Boston Post Rd.
When: Wednesdays, noon – 5pm, through October 11
The Farmers’ Market at Russell’s features Massachusetts-grown vegetables, fruit, bread, baked goods (including pies), eggs, locally made pasta and cheese, fresh pork, lamb, fish and lobster, and more. Plus, you can wander Russell’s garden center for everything you could possibly need to make your yard beautiful.

WESTON: Land’s Sake Farm, Farmstand

Where: 90 Wellesley St., Weston
When: Tuesday – Friday, 11am – 7pm; Saturday – Sunday, 11am – 4pm; Closed Mondays
Open through October 29
The Land’s Sake Farm Stand features in season produce grown using organic methods from its own farm. Located in the center of Weston, it’s easy to swing by and stock up for the week or pick up a few things for dinner. In addition to a diverse selection of vegetable crops, the small-scale farm offers other local produce and artisan products.

Wellesley food pantry asks for summer donations

June 15, 2017 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

Wellesley Food Pantry is asking people to remember to clean out their pantries and cupboards before going away this summer, especially for items that are close to their expiration dates. WFP relies on the community’s generosity to support the needs of the 400+ Wellesley residents who use the pantry.

Summer is a leaner time for the pantry, as many donors are away. But the outfit’s needs don’t abate, especially considering that kids don’t have access to reduced price or free meals from the schools.

No Wellesley Farmers’ Market this summer — stay tuned for a September opening

June 13, 2017 by Deborah Brown 1 Comment

Wellesley has always had a complicated relationship with the concept and execution of a Farmers’ Market. On paper, the town’s demographics of an affluent population concerned about health and wellness make it an ideal spot for farmers to sell their arugula and heirloom tomatoes. The reality, however, is that the town has a well-deserved reputation for clearing out in the summer as residents de-camp to their Cape houses or travel to more exotic locales (or a little bit of both).

When I reached out to the Wellesley Farmers’ market team, asking whether Summer 2017 would include a Farmers’ market in town, I received this response:

“To continue with our mission of supporting local food growers and producers, while serving our community and complementing Wellesley’s sustainability movement, the Wellesley Farmers’ Market team is proud to announce that we are working on a new model. This model will enable us to bring you more variety and extend our season, while we also continue to serve the Wellesley Food Pantry clientele. The new model requires town approvals. Once we receive the go-ahead, we hope to open for business in September.”

OK, so the answer is no to a Summer 2017 Farmers’ Market.

A Farmers’ Market has struggled over the years to gain a real foothold in town. There was a small one in 2012 and 2013 in the Whole Foods parking lot, which then went on hiatus in 2014. In 2015 it came roaring back at a very pretty and much roomier location on the grounds of the Unitarian Church at 309 Washington St, where the usual healthy stuff was on hand: fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as meats, eggs and cheeses from local farms, and food from speciality providers. That one came back again for the 2016 season.

Now, however, Wellesley is faced with a Farmers’ Market desert for the Summer of 2017.

If you can’t just wait around until the new model hopefully opens in September, keep in mind that Natick has the most lovely Farmers’ market on the Natick Green that runs every Saturday, 9am – noon. Spend some time exploring this town, contiguous to Wellesley but somehow ignored and even scoffed at as “too far” by many Wellesley-ites. Here at The Swellesley Report, we love Natick Center’s Common Kitchen Cafe, the beautiful Morse Institute Library, and the many interesting indie shops, all within walking distance of each other. And of course, their Farmers’ Market.

Blue Ginger says final goodbye at yard sale

June 5, 2017 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

The last butterfish has been served and the last Pollytini has been shaken. The party is over, folks. After nineteen years of serving the best in East-West cuisine, Blue Ginger has officially closed. (Here’s our exit interview with owner Ming Tsai). They ended things today in the Church Square parking lot with the yard sale to end all yard sales. Tsai sold off saute pans, food processors, chefs’ coats, cutting boards, plates, and pretty much everything he ever used (or bought thinking he might someday use) for every season of his TV show, Simply Ming, as well as stuff from the legendary Wellesley Blue Ginger kitchen, where it all began.

Seriously, they had more stuff there than Target, and people came in droves with money to spend. Some of the proceeds from the yard sale will benefit Family Reach, for whom Ming has raised over 5 million in seven years. The Church St. merchants set up a sidewalk sale as well, because why should Ming have all the fun?

They came ready to buy at the Blue Ginger yard sale.

Lyn Evans, Jenn Shotkus — Jenn Shotkus, co-owner of Lyn Evans, on hand at the sidewalk sale component of the Blue Ginger yard sale.