Boston Local Food Festival

by Katya Simkhovich

This was the first year that Boston endeavored to sponsor 110 booths for local vendors and exhibitors in Massachusetts to come and give out samples to eager, hungry customers (I know because I was one of them), sell their fresh, local products, to educate, and to bridge the gap between the producer and the consumer.  My parents and I spent nearly four hours filled of sampling, eating, and talking to vendors in the bright, pleasantly warm October sun.

Upon entering the market I was overwhelmed by the music, the sheer amount of people, the booths (of which I absolutely had to visit each at least once, and ended up visiting at least two times), and the food.  Oh, the food.  There was so much.  So much good food.  I pride myself in saying that I tried every available sample and spent a good $20 on food – which can buy you quite a lot of food considering that everything except for the seafood was less than $5 dollars.

So give me (and my stomach) our moment of glory as I share with you some of the most memorable things I tried.  Ok, so maybe I just didn’t get pictures of everything I ate; somehow the salsas, jams, cookies, cakes, lassi, edamame hummus, chips, and toast with pastured butter didn’t make it onto my camera but instead made it into my stomach.  I wonder how that happened?

Raw Taco from Prana in Newton, MA. Fresh, delicious, organic. The perfect appetizer that didn't leave with me with an ounce of guilt - which proved useful, considering all the food I had ahead of me.

Fig and Nuts granola from The Best Damn Granola Company (I had to resist writing in all capitals because that would be improper, but they really are THAT DAMN GOOD. Excuse my improperness - but granola this good can cause one to abandon all properness.

I want this heavenly fresh whole wheat pasta (from Nella Pasta in Jamaica Plain, MA) to rain down from the heavens.

Avocado Tea Cake from 3 Little Figs. Wait, there was avocado in there? All I could taste was sweet, moist, deliciousness.

More yummy in my tummy from 3 Little Figs.

Moments away from being devoured.

Piping hot and fresh from yo mama's kitchen. Okay, not your mother's kitchen but somebody else's, and that somebody's mama sure does make darn good empanadas.

Award-Winning Cheese from Shy-Brothers Farm in Westport, MA. I wonder if I can get an award for eating the most award-winning cheese? Well, I guess there's only one way to find out...

This is some special cheese.

Hey ho Bobby O! I love your chips.

This will have to suffice as a replacement for the deliciously, creamy banana-flavored lassi that I mysteriously did not get a picture of.

Buckwheat Crepe with cinnamon apple filling from Pejamajo Cafe. Pejamajo, whoever/whatever you are, I welcome you into my home to make crepes for me whenever you want.

Mouthwatering smoked mozzarella from (see previous photo).

Hello nutcakes. It was nice to meet someone as nutty as me. Ok, see you around in my mouth sometime.

Is it wrong that I want to elope with all of these cheeses from City Feed and Supply?

Be a local hero and eat some salsa. Really, it's that easy.

Healthy, crumbly, macadamia-nutty, chocolaty, budi bar. Hello healthy, delicious eating.

Unfortunately blurry, but fortunately delicious maple cream atop a buttery biscuit.

Delectably savory butternut squash turnovers from Canto Bakery and Cake. Seriously, how can you resist that presentation?

Well, I couldn't resist and I gave into it's seductiveness. I'm glad I did.

Some delicious meat, some more delicious, smokey meat, and a little more delicious, peppery meat on a stick. Doesn't get much better than that folks.

Please take a moment with me to appreciate the beauty of meat on a stick.

Let's keep this between you and me, okay? We don't want this factory store to run out of Taza's delicious, stone ground chocolate now, do we? (because based on what I tried, I could easily buy out the entire factory)

Hi, my name is Katya and I like brownies. Especially whole-wheat brownies. I still say nothing beats home-made but I have to check out my future competition, you know?

I think it's safe to say this is my natural habitat. Besides the kitchen.

TO BE CONTINUED…

*In order to not overwhelm you (or myself for that matter) I’m separating my wonderful experience at this festival into several blog posts, so stay tuned for more info!