Important Update from Specialty Foods Boston

March 16, 2020

“We’re all in this together” is a cliché, but in this case it couldn’t be more accurate. Our success has always been entwined with yours. When you’re busy, we’re busy. When you’re slow, we’re slow. We’ve always thought of ourselves as partners in your success, and you’ve certainly been partners in ours. We’ve tried to create relationships with all of you that are intimate and personal, and in turn you have rewarded us with a degree of trust and loyalty that is humbling and inspiring.

We all still adjusting and learning how to navigate this evolving situation, but for those of you who are continuing to offer take-out and delivery, we will be here for you. At this point we will continue to be open six days a week, but with a very limited staff and shortened hours of 7am-noon. We’ll be buying everything day-to-day, with the goal of giving you the freshest possible food so that it doesn’t spoil if it takes longer to use.

No one knows what we’ll face in the weeks ahead. Right now, our world is more unpredictable than any of us would like it to be and it feels like we are all united in anxiety. But this crisis is also a reminder that we are all in this community together, and it is with that spirit that we will get through it – together. Now, more than ever, we offer you our support, and in turn extend our deepest thanks for yours.

Spring Begins

March 12, 2020

Spring produce is beginning, slowly and then suddenly. Here’s the outlook:

Now: Equinox Mesclun, Knoll Farms Stinging Nettles and Green Garlic, Brokaw Passion Fruit, Champagne Mangoes, Richter Rhubarb, Muscat Grapes, Greengage Plums

Limited Special: Pink Pineapples! These have beautiful pink flesh throughout and are quite sweet and delicious. More perfume than a typical pineapple.

By the weekend: Fresh Green Garbanzos, Fresh English Peas, and Fava Beans

NOT YET: Knoll Farm Artichokes in about a week. Sometime in the next two weeks, we expect to see Greg Paul (Stockton) Asparagus, and Wild Ramps. The outlook on Morels is poor- early-season morels come from China, and even if there were pickers available, they couldn’t be flown in.

Notes // 86: fresh red currants

First of the Season
Brokaw Passion Fruit
Champagne Mangoes
Pink Pineapples (limited)
Knoll Farm Stinging Nettles

Rising C Ranch- Reedly, CA
Page Mandarins
Blood Pumellos
Cara Cara Pink Navels
Meyer Lemons
Moro Blood Oranges
Seville Sour Oranges
Fresh Bergamot
Oroblancos

Equinox Farms- Sheffield, MA
Mixed Baby Mesclun

Knoll Farms- Brentwood, CA
Green Garlic
Stinging Nettles
Cardoons
Wild Rapini

Harmony Meadows Farm- Smyrna Mills, ME
Fingerling Potatoes

Frith Farm- Scarborough, ME
Black Radishes

The Buckle Farm- Unity, ME
Watermelon Radishes

Red Fire Farm- Montague, MA
Green Kohlrabi
Purple Kohlrabi

Queen’s Greens- Amherst, MA
Green Daikon
Purple Daikon (ltd)

Two Farmers Farm- Scarborough, ME
Organic Rainbow Carrots
Organic Purple Dragon Carrots

Fishbowl Farm- Bowdoinham, ME
Organic Yellow Kimbe Carrots

Now in Season

Artisan Red Gem & Little Gem Lettuce
Artisan Mixed Baby Head Lettuce

Cut Baby Watercress
Firecracker Red Mizuna

Kyoto Carrots
Oregon Black Trumpet Mushrooms
Oregon Hedgehog Mushrooms
Trumpet Royale Mushrooms
Chef’s Mix Mushrooms

Spigarello Kale
Romanesco Cauliflower
Fioretti Cauliflower
Baby Brussels Sprouts
Shanghai Baby Bok Choi

Champagne Mangoes
Muscat Grapes
Greengage Plums
Richter Rhubarb
Kumquats

Heirloom Chicories, Passion Fruit, Green Garlic

February 28, 2020February 28, 2020

A shipment arrived containing some of the most incredible chicories we’ve ever seen come through our warehouse. Pictured above are the mixed heirloom chicories, baby size. We also have Rosa di Gorizia, pictured below, variegated Castelfranco radicchio, and pink Radicchio del Veneto.

Who says late winter has to be all root vegetables? The crisp chicories above are a natural pair with the heirloom citrus that’s at its peak right now. Blood Pumellos, new to us this year, are everything you want in a grapefruit but can’t get, like a perfect acid-to-sweetness ratio, and a grapefruit-meets-tangerine peel aromatic oils. Oroblancos, also known as melogolds, are another grapefruit cousin with white-gold flesh and, as billed a mellow sweetness.

Muscat Grapes are now in, and Knoll Farm Green Garlic is arriving twice weekly. Richter Rhubarb is now available. The short Greengage Plum season is now here- use fresh, or lacto-ferment some for later. Expected Saturday: Will Brokaw’s Passion Fruit! From Will Brokaw, grower of the excellent avocados we are anticipating in about two weeks. A first for us, can’t wait to try it.

86/season over/no mas: all winter squash

1st of the Season
Brokaw Passion Fruit
Champagne Mangos

Mixed Baby Heirloom Italian Chicories
Variegated Castelfranco Radicchio
Pink Radicchio del Veneto
Rosa di Gorizia

Rising C Ranch- Reedly, CA
Blood Pumellos
Paige Mandarins
Meiwa Kumquats
Cara Cara Pink Navels
Meyer Lemons
Santa Theresa Lemons
Moro Blood Oranges
Seville Sour Oranges
Fresh Bergamot
Oroblancos

-Rosa di Gorizia Radicchio-

Knoll Farms- Brentwood, CA
Cardoons
Wild Rapini
Green Garlic

Weiser Family Farms- Tehachapi, CA
Purple Sprouting Broccoli

Harmony Meadows Farm- Smyrna Mills, ME
Fingerling Potatoes

Frith Farm- Scarborough, ME
Black Radishes

The Buckle Farm- Unity, ME
Watermelon Radishes

Red Fire Farm- Montague, MA
Green Kohlrabi
Purple Kohlrabi

Queen’s Greens- Amherst, MA
Green Daikon
Purple Daikon

Two Farmers Farm- Scarborough, ME
Organic Rainbow Carrots
Organic Purple Dragon Carrots
German Butterball Potatoes

Fishbowl Farm- Bowdoinham, ME
Organic Yellow Kimbe Carrots

-pink radicchio del Veneto-

Now in Season

Artisan Red Gem & Little Gem Lettuce
Artisan Mixed Baby Head Lettuce
Blue Sky Mesclun

Cut Baby Watercress
Firecracker Red Mizuna

Oregon Hedgehog Mushrooms
Oregon Black Trumpet Mushroom (Sat)
Trumpet Royale Mushrooms
Chef’s Mix Mushrooms

Green Garbanzo (limited)
Baby Garnet Yams
Crosnes
Sunchokes
Celery Root
Cippolini Onions
Parsnips
Salsify

-variegated Castelfranco radicchio-

Baby Brussels Sprouts
Purple Baby Brussels Sprouts
Romanesco Cauliflower
Fioretti Cauliflower
Shanghai Baby Bok Choi

Muscat Grapes
Richter Rhubarb
Kumquats
Fuyu Persimmons
Medjool Dates

Heilala Vanilla

February 15, 2020February 28, 2020

Heilala Vanilla’s origins began in 2002 as an aid project founded by New Zealander, John Ross, and his family. We caught up with the good folks at Heilala to learn more about why they what they do.

SFB: What made you decide to go into vanilla farming?

Heilala: For a significant birthday, our founder John Ross (a retired New Zealand farmer) sailed to Vava’u, in the Kingdom of Tonga on a boat he’d built himself. He fell in love with the place and the people and when Cyclone Waka caused extensive damage to the Vava’u island group, he traveled back with friends from his Rotary Club to help with the clean-up. As a way to thank John for his efforts, a local family gifted him a plot of land in exchange for him using it to provide employment for those in the village. On a previous trip to Tonga, John had discovered vanilla orchids running wild and after some research and visits to established vanilla farms in Réunion Island, Tahiti, and Madagascar, he got to work on his own plot and subsequently partnered with other growers throughout Tonga to establish vanilla plantations

SFB: Your vanilla is different than the stuff that’s commercially available. Is it harder to do things your way? Why do you do it anyway?

Heilala: Home bakers and chefs today are demanding to know more about the ingredients they’re consuming, they want to know exactly what’s in their food, how it was sourced and produced. Heilala’s transparent supply chain, clean label ingredients and positive social impact to local grower communities along with support from customers inspire us to continue growing vanilla best practice.

SFB: Anything you wish people (chefs, consumers) realized about your product that they might not know?

Heilala: As one of the most labor-intensive crops in the world, there are lots of challenges growing vanilla! The orchid flower must be pollinated by hand and then the beans must be blanched, sweated, dried and cured. Climatic conditions play a major role as vanilla grows best in hot, humid conditions, and the plants require moderate rainfall evenly distributed through 10 months of the year, in order to thrive.

SFB: What do you wish people knew about the commercial/commodity/mass-market version of your product that they probably don’t?

Heilala: Typically vanilla is traded as a commodity similar to cocoa and coffee and can go through over ten sets of traders to reach the customer. which makes Heilala unique as a vanilla producer that grows, manufactures and markets the spice itself.

SFB: What are your hopes for the future of your field?

Heilala: In 2018, we completed 100 acres of vanilla planting in Tonga, which will enable us to continue to positively impact our grower communities in Tonga into the future. The growth will result in increased employment, particularly of local women in Tonga. As a result, there is an instilled sense of purpose and pride, which has a powerful effect on their independence, families, economic growth and the well-being of their communities. Heilala has a goal for 200 women to be employed in the Vanilla Industry in Tonga by 2022.

SFB: What is the most satisfying part of what you do?

Heilala: It’s always satisfying to see Heilala being used by a top bakery or restaurant and we were extremely excited when Flour bakery started using Heilala Vanilla. Each time a new customer comes on board a small group of villages in the South Pacific continues to be supported and have opportunities and options that they would not have had without the vanilla industry in Tonga. This is what gets us out of bed every day and is the most satisfying part!

Heilala Vanilla Comes Straight From The Source

Grown on rich, Pacific soil and dried under the Polynesian sun, the world’s best vanilla is an all-natural product of a perfect climate. With a highly-scientific, unrefined process (cold-pressed, slow-extract), and an artisan work culture of the hard-working local farmers and families, Heilala Vanilla is innovating outdated Vanilla products and production.

Many know orchids to be a delicate, fickle flower, but few realize that Vanilla is a genus of the very same plant and that beans take 3 to 5 years to grow. Our farmers are dedicated craftsmen, tending to each plant with in-depth wisdom and expertise.

What makes Heilala Vanilla different?

The freshness and quality of Heilala Vanilla beans set them apart. Heilala Vanilla Beans are glossy, dark brown and supple—all indications of quality and freshness.
Heilala Vanilla is traceability from their plantations straight to the consumer’s pantry ensuring that there is s no unnecessary handling.
Heilala Vanilla partners with growers throughout Tonga to provide employment along with access to running water, housing, and facilities for education.

Masalu Halahala, 65, a vanilla farmer from central ‘Eua.

Words and photos courtesy of Heilala Vanilla

Fresh Red Currants, French Crosnes & Seville Sour Oranges

January 15, 2020

First of the Season Crosnes have arrived. Also known as Chinese Artichoke, Knotweed, and perhaps coolest of all, Artichoke Betony, these have the winning nuttiness of a sunchoke, textural pop like a water chestnut, and taste really good with other white winter root veg, or prepared in the style of carbonara.

Ending soon: Chantarelle mushrooms will be done soon; we will continue to have other foraged winter mushrooms such as black trumpet and hedgehog. Heirloom apples are done, and winter squashes are winding down. As mentioned above, County Line had a very short season this year, and as a result, the mixed chicories will be over sooner than usual. We do have many interesting single-variety chicories; scroll down to see!

-First of the Season-
French Crosnes
Fresh Red Currants
Seville Sour Oranges
Knoll Farm Rapini

Rising C Ranch- Reedly, CA
Cara Cara Pink Navels
Meyer Lemons
Moro Blood Oranges
Seville Sour Oranges
Ripe Yuzu
Coming mid-next week: Fresh Bergamot

Knoll Farms- Brentwood, CA
Cardoons
Wild Rapini

Harmony Meadows Farm- Smyrna Mills, ME
German Butterball Potatoes

Frith Farm- Scarborough, ME
Black Radishes

The Buckle Farm- Unity, ME
Watermelon Radishes

Red Fire Farm- Montague, MA
Green Kohlrabi
Purple Kohlrabi

Queen’s Greens- Amherst, MA
Green Daikon
Purple Daikon (ltd)

Two Farmers Farm- Scarborough, ME
Organic Rainbow Carrots
Organic Purple Dragon Carrots
Fingerling Potatoes

Fishbowl Farm- Bowdoinham, ME
Organic Yellow Kimbe Carrots

Featured Chicories
Puntarelle
Endive & Red Endive
Pink Radicchio (ltd)
Castelfranco
Tardivo
Treviso
Escarole
Frisee
Radicchio

Now in Season

Artisan Red Gem & Little Gem Lettuce
Artisan Mixed Baby Head Lettuce
Blue Sky Mesclun

Cut Baby Watercress
Firecracker Red Mizuna
Micro “Purple Ice” Watercress

Oregon Hedgehog Mushrooms
Oregon Black Trumpet Mushroom
Trumpet Royale Mushrooms
Chef’s Mix Mushrooms

Delicata Squash
Row 7 Koginut Squash
Acorn Squash
Kabocha Squash
Spaghetti Squash
Butternut Squash

Native Macomber Turnips
Baby Garnet Yams
Sunchokes
Celery Root
Cippolini Onions
Parsnips
Salsify

Baby Brussels Sprouts
Purple Baby Brussels Sprouts
Romanesco Cauliflower
Fioretti Cauliflower
Shanghai Baby Bok Choi

Bosc Pears
Bartlett Pears
Seckel Pears
Asian Pears

Kumquats
Pomegranates
Fuyu Persimmons
Medjool Dates