Watertown Arbor Day Celebration Features Food Trucks, Demonstrations

Watertown’s Commander’s Mansion will host a free Arbor Day Celebration on Thursday, April 27. The celebration will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 27, rain or shine. In case of bad weather, the events will be in side the Mansion, 440 Talcott Ave. in Watertown (behind the Arenal on the Charles).  

Grab a bite to eat from the food trucks (they accept credit cards) or pack a picnic and join us for an afternoon of fun for all ages!

Free Low Carb Cooking Demonstration Offered for Watertown Residents

Learn how to make a healthy and tasty low-carb meal during a free cooking demonstration organized by Live Well Watertown. The Eat Well Watertown Event will be held on Wednesday, April 26 from 6:30-8 p.m. at Church of the Good Shepherd, 9 Russell Ave., Watertown. Live Well sent out the following information:

Join us for our next Eat Well Program featuring “Chef” Lisa, who will teach you how to prepare healthy, tasty, low carb cuisine. This series offers hands-on experience and fun with a focus on Watertown’s diverse ethnic cuisine. We are excited to include a health education component to our program and we welcome new team member, Leila!

Watertown Farmers Market Opening in June Under New Management

The Town of Watertown, in collaboration with Live Well Watertown (LWW), is excited to announce that it has assumed management of the Watertown Farmers Market, which is generously sponsored by athenahealth. The Watertown Farmers Market was established in 2014 and run by Relish Management through 2016, with funding support from athenahealth. The Town and LWW thank the Relish partners for opening a Farmers Market in Watertown and providing a community marketplace with a variety of fresh produce, farm, and specialty products. The Farmers Market is a natural link to LWW’s mission of promoting healthy and active living through its community partnerships and educational programs. LWW efforts include strengthening access to local, healthy foods and connecting people to community resources and opportunities that can improve quality of life. LWW’s longest running program, Eat Well Watertown, teaches people how to select a variety of seasonal and locally grown foods and prepare healthy, multicultural dishes.

Intelligentsia Coffee Opening Cafe, Training Lab in Watertown

A chic, high-end coffee house and a “training lab” will be coming to Watertown and take over the spots on Mt. Auburn Street formerly occupied by Olympic House of Pizza and Viva Amore. The following information was sent out by Intelligentsia Coffee:

Direct Trade coffees and the meticulous process of sourcing, roasting and brewing them are on display as Intelligentsia Coffee introduces a new Coffeebar and Training Lab in Watertown, Massachusetts, opening May 4. The locations are Intelligentsia’s first in the Boston area as the brand expands its East Coast presence and the first to operate adjacently. The Watertown Coffeebar and Training Lab invite guests to fully experience the company’s vision for serving exceptional coffee, while illuminating the finer points of crafting it.

Historical Society Invites Public to “Dining Out Boston” Authors Talk and Slide Show

The Historical Society of Watertown invites you to their March program:

Dining Out in Boston: A Culinary History
An Author’s Talk and Slide-show Lecture
Presented by James C. O’Connell

The event is on Wednesday, March 29, 2017 at 7 p.m at the Watertown Free Public Library’s Watertown Savings Bank Meeting Room, 123 Main Street, Watertown, MA 02472

The book Dining Out in Boston: A Culinary History (2016) is a comprehensive historical overview of the development of Boston’s restaurants. Boston has been one of America’s leading laboratories of urban culture, including restaurants, and its history provides valuable insights into American food ways. Dining Out in Boston explains how the city was a pioneer in elaborate hotel dining, oyster houses, French cuisine, ostentatious banquets, ice cream parlors, ethnic cooking, the colonial revival of traditional New England dishes, the “gourmet revolution,” student hangouts, and contemporary locavore and trendy foodie culture. Mr. O’Connell will talk about the food served at some of the historic restaurants covered in the book, which includes Julien’s Restorator (the city’s first restaurant), the Parker House, Durgin-Park, Union Oyster House, Locke-Ober, Café Marliave, Jacob Wirth, Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Anthony’s Pier 4, Dini’s Sea Grill, Maison Robert, Bailey’s Ice Cream Shop, Longfellow’s Wayside Inn, and many long-forgotten eateries. Jim O’Connell is a planner for the Boston Regional Office of the National Park Service.

Watertown Chef to be Featured on Food Network Show This Week

A Watertown chef showed off his cooking abilities on a Food Network show focusing on food to eat while watching football – just in time for the Super Bowl! 

Chef Mike Fucci traveled to California to be part of “Cutthroat Kitchen,” one of the network’s most popular shows, hosted by Alton Brown. The show will air Wednesday night at 8 p.m.

The name of the episode is “Fry-day Night Bites,” and Fucci and the other contestants had to make loaded nachos, fried chicken sandwiches, and an ice cream sandwich. “It sounds simple for a chef to make, but when you are bombarded with challenges it is not as easy as it sounds,” Fucci said. Fucci has been cooking in restaurants since he was a teen, starting when he worked working with his Uncle Mike. Now Fucci runs Chef Mike’s Kitchen, a catering business based in Watertown (see more at his website www.chefmikeskitchen.com).

Final Watertown Farmers Market of the Year Has a Halloween Theme

The final Watertown Farmers Market of the season will feature a Halloween theme, complete with a cauldron full of treats. “Come in costume or as you are. We’ll have little toys for the little ones (non-candy) among the vendors and a special cauldron where adults can draw among a collection of tricks and treats,” Farmers Market organizers said. This week’s featured guests and music are:

Chocolats Passion, fine boxed chocolates

Jennifer Lee’s Gluten Free Bakery

Performance by Kali Stoddard-Imari

The Watertown Farmers Market runs from 2-6 p.m. from June to October, rain or shine on Arsenal Street, at Kingsbury Ave., in the Arsenal on the Charles. Payment options:

All vendors accept cash & tokens, some accept credit cards. Purchase tokens at the Manager’s booth with credit, debit or SNAP.

Watertown Community Gardens Hosts Annual Real Meal Pot Luck

Celebrate the season of harvest at a special potluck dinner. Bring something you grew, something made from local produce, or a family recipe. Watertown Community Gardens and Church of the Good Shepherd invite all lovers of real food, real community, and pleasant Sunday evenings to enjoy this event! Kids especially welcome – craft table for them. No sign up: Just show up!