I had a great afternoon at Whole Foods in Bedford, MA. It was “local day” and a bunch of local food companies were giving out samples of their products. I noshed my way through the isles, eating samples, and talking to some wonderful people.
I ended up buying way more than I planned, but it was worth it to support the local businesses!
Who did I meet?
Three Acre Kitchen – I was constantly seeing so many TV chefs using balsamic vinegar in their dishes. Most recently, Jamie Oliver (At Home with Jamie) using a whole bottle of balsamic on top of roasted vegetables, so I was really intrigued to try it, but intimidated because I had no clue which brand to buy.
It was fate to meet Nancy, the delightful woman behind the Three Acre Kitchen. She sells three different balsamic products: Balsamic Marinade, Balsamic Vinaigrette, and Blueberry Balsamic Glaze. I tried a couple of samples, and decided that the marinade would be a great choice. Nancy gave me tips on using it with roasted potatoes and/or vegetables, along with reducing it for sauces. I’m now excited to experiment!
Oak Knoll Dairy Farm – I met George, the owner of the farm. They raise goats! I love goats! I want a goat! Maybe when we move to a nice big farm somewhere.
Anyway, I tried a sample of the goats milk plain yogurt and started to ask questions; he proudly showed me some photos while explaining about the goats and their farming practices. Hey did you know that goats are picky eaters? It’s not true that they eat everything in sight, like tin cans!
I also tried a sample of the goat whole milk, and it was good. I am generally not a big milk drinker, so I really am not a good judge. I did taste a teenie tiny smidgen tang of goat’s milk, but it really don’t think it would be noticeable if you didn’t know it wasn’t cow’s milk. I enjoyed the yogurt, so I picked up a container. I might get their milk for my dad, as he likes milk in his coffee.
SoCo Creamery – they had samples of coffee, mission fig, and pumpkin ice cream. The pumpkin ice cream was good, but I think it might be a bit too much for a whole bowl. I really loved the mission fig flavor, so I bought a pint. Just finished a bowl tonight. Very creamy, and not overly sweet actually! It had little bits of figs!!!!
Blue Moon Sorbet – I tried a sample of blackberry lime, and yum, it was fab. Very sweet and sugary, which is expected with shorbet. I had just grabbed the SoCo fig ice cream, so I really didn’t want to buy another frozen treat, but I will keep them in mind for future visits to Whole Foods.
Ozioli’s Cookies – I ate samples of the chocolate, lemon and almond cookies; I thought they all were delicious, but I especially loved the almond flavor, so of course I bought them! The owner was super friendly, and very proud of her product. It was nice to hear about how she was baking her cookies using her nana’s old recipe. I loved the almond cookies so much that I went back for a second serving. At 55 calories (4g sugar) they are a nice snack! hehee.
WS Badger Company – The demo rep was set up near the front registers, so she was my last stop. I rubbed a little of the original Badger Balm, with a touch of wintergreen scent. It seemed to work very well. I specifically asked if the balm could be used in the kitchen while cooking. I explained the main reason my hands are dry is because I’m constantly washing them but can’t apply any lotion because I’m cooking. Who wants lotion chemicals on my food? She informed me that their products were natural and could actually be eaten! Cool! So yes! It would be great to use them while cooking.
I also inquired about the Capsicum balms for my mom, and she explained how they were very hot when used, and the extra strength could be irritating to some skin.
She told me that they only sold a few products at Whole Foods (like the original balm) but until the end of the month, they were offering free shipping on their web site. I’ve been checking out their products and definitely want to order. If not, then I will definitely pick up some of that original balm at Whole Foods.
Raw Honey – There was also a woman with samples of spreadable raw honey, but I can’t recall the name. It was very sweet, and I might have thought about buying a jar, but I really didn’t need anymore raw honey.
I hope I didn’t leave out anyone. It really was a fun afternoon and I truly enjoyed talking to everyone! I loved it!