Admist finals season, I decided a break was called for – somewhere away from the libraries and study spaces overflowing with stressed students. Then, something divine came my way: Facebook sent me Vegan Market in Somerville.
I looked up how far it was from Tufts – 40 minute walk – and decided that it was just what I needed. I would walk there, eat a ton, walk back, and then write about it!
Below are the four stands I loved.
Not all vegan cheese is created equal. Some taste like rubber, some have paragraphs as ingredient lists. Barrett’s Garden cheese is different. It’s made of gmo-free ingredients that are ethically sourced. My favorite flavor was the Pink Himalayan Salt and Cracked Pepper Cashew Spread, but you can’t go wrong with their Farmesan or Fauxcotta as well.
This company was started a couple years ago by Christine, when she started the paleo diet and created Chrissy’s Crumble Wicked Good No-Grain-Ola. Their products have since expanded to include cookies, scones, savory crackers, and more. All the sweets are handmade, and mildly sweetened with organic VT maple syrup. I got her chocolate chip cookie which was delicious; at first, I thought it was oatmeal chocolate chip, but since oatmeal is a grain, the owner told me the “oatmeal” effect actually comes from crushed walnuts 🙂
Out of all the stands at the market, I would say Blush Bakeshop had the longest line. This is not surprising though – they had donuts! I took their apple cider donuts and cosmic brownies. Although I’m used to less sweetness in personal baking, these treats perfectly mimicked regular high-quality bakery products. Furthermore, I was blown away by the fluffy texture of the donuts lightly coated in a thin, sugary-crisp icing. Chocolatey and fudgy, the cosmic brownies were the perfect study snack for the next day. Other treats Blush Bakeshop sold that day included pizza buns (which seemed to be very popular among customers), cranberry orange pop tarts, and Samoa donuts. The Blush Bakeshop is owned and operated by pastry chef Samantha Chamberlain, and uses all natural, organic, and local ingredients when possible.
Koshari Mama was started by chef Dina Fahim, who worked with her mother to create their vegetarian take on the Egyptian dish Koshari. Their koshari is made of rice, lentils, pasta, deep fried onions, chickpeas, and your choice of sauce. With it being freezing, I was really craving soup, so I didn’t have their koshari, and opted for their red lentil soup with deep fried onions on top. It was just what I needed.
For all those New Englanders out there, keep your eyes out for these businesses. I can’t wait until next year for the Vegan Market!