Part of combo plate 1 from St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church: Fatoosh, Falafel, Hummus, and Pita. The falafel is fresh cooked and the fatoosh is super good.
Fried Noodles
Samosa from the Seed – it’s got a kick.
Sweet sticky rice. The outside part is made of sticky rice flour, and it is almost impossibly sticky. The inside was super sweet and coconut flavored.
Shwe Kyi, an awesome semolina dessert with coconut.
The Lowell Folk Festival is a melting pot of street food. Here are our reviews, from the delicious to the meh.
Matt had one of the best gyros he’s had, from the booth by the Hellenic American Academy PTA. He ate it all before I could snap a photo!
I really liked the fried noodles from the
WAT LAO Mixayaram Temple. They had fresh cilantro and bean sprouts, strips of egg, and a tasty sauce. Amazing for $3!
We tried an ice cream from a food truck that you can buy from the grocery store. The brand is called batch. We tried the green tea and ginger flavors, which go well together, but the ginger was the one that really shined for me.
Shwe Kyi was a coconut based Burmese dessert that we tried and really enjoyed. We also got a sweet sticky rice from the Overseas Burmese Christian Fellowship, which requires skill to eat.
Don’t bother getting a raspberry lime rickey or lemonade that isn’t fresh squeezed; neither are worth it. I wish there were a booth selling horchata!
The Lowell Folk Festival is a free 3-day International Music Festival that takes over downtown Lowell for a weekend every summer, and if you are in the area I strongly encourage you to check it out!
The music plays on 5 stages, and we saw and heard Taiko drumming, Egyptian music and dancing, and Moroccan trance music, Bachata, go-go, bluegrass, and Irish Folk. They have much more. One of the stages is a dedicated dance pavilion. The streets downtown are closed to cars, and everyone is out walking around. Lots of businesses have special offers, there are free giveaways and coupons from different companies, and there are beer tents for those who are inclined.
Saturday schedule for the Dance Pavilion
If you are like me, you’re wondering about the food at the festival, and there’s good news: There is a huge amount of delicious ethnic food available throughout the festival, which different nonprofits use as a fundraiser- check out our reviews in a separate post.
Logistics:
If you are driving, there are a number of city lots near the festival with parking, or you can arrive early and grab street parking, or take advantage of the public transit and take the bus. I saw some people with bikes and skateboads, but the crowd can be hard to navigate through.
There’s seating at most of the stages but if you want to be sure, bring your own. Blankets work at some of the stages and low lawn chairs would work at all of them. I spotted someone with a tiny folding stool, which looked awesome for this event.
Bring cash for food, CDs, and parking. Wear sunscreen, and a hat if you need more sun protection. Your shoes need to be comfortable enough for some serious walking, and dancing if the music strikes you. If you choose to donate to the festival, they’ll give you a set of beads.
This event caters to families and pet owners. There’s face painting and crafts in addition to the music fun.
Stages:
Dutton St Dance Pavilion is my favorite location for the festival, and if I could resist wandering around and trying to see everything, it is where I would stake out. Everything is under a huge tent, so you have some protection from the sun. They also pick bands that play danceable music; the crowd is filled with energy and even if you don’t want to dance the music will get your toes tapping! Finally, the people watching is fun.
St. Anne’s churchyard and Market St stage are both smaller grassy areas.
I drink lots of varieties of tea, and love to try new and different flavors – but there is a piece of my heart that is forever reserved for the British teas.
Today I’m drinking the Fountain Blend by Fortnum & Mason (Piccadilly since 1707!). On the bag, it says “Light and Informal”, and I would agree that this tea is quite delicate. I really like the way this tea hints at the rich powerful flavor that black tea can provide, but stays mild and soft. Try it if you’re interested in black tea but usually find it too intense.
Preparation: If you are a person who likes a sweeter tea, avoid honey or agave with this one – their flavors will overpower the tea. Go with sugar, and try adding less than normal (or maybe even no sugar at all?) I’d make the same judgement regarding milk – I think this tea tastes best on its own, brewed light.
I am a big fan of ice cream. I’ve been going to Kimball Farm in Westford since I was young. It is a favorite of many from all over central Massachusetts – for good reason. They have been making home made ice cream since 1939. With over 40 flavors that are ever-changing, it is the perfect treat for a hot day or even a rainy one! Our most recent trip to Kimball Farm was on the 4th of July. We wanted two flavors, so we had to get a large. The sizes are bigger than big. They are huge! I usually am full with a kiddie for small size if I am hungry. I highly recommend stopping by Kimball Farm. They have 4 locations: Westford, MA, Lancaster, MA, Carlisle, MA, and Jaffrey, NH.
Kimball Farm in Westford is not just about heaping amounts of delicious ice cream. They have many fun attractions on site. You could spend an entire day there. They have a country store, mini golf, bumper boats, a driving range, pitch and putt, volleyball courts, lawn games, batting cages, animal adventures, an arcade, and yummy grilled food/seafood. Pictured below is a peacock from the Westford Location.
If you’re looking for a tea with a more beach-y vibe, you could try the honey ginger tea from Bambarra, and imagine you are drinking it in the Turks & Caicos.
This tea has a more delicate flavor (it’s the white tea to the english breakfast of the three ginger tea). It is also mildly sweet – if you don’t have too much of a sweet tooth, don’t add any sweetener to it.
Pairings: I think this tea would be lovely for dessert, paired with a similarly delicate panna cotta.
Those of you who talk to me in person know that I’ve had marquesitas on the brain ever since I ate them in Mexico, but a trip to TJ Maxx (of all things) reminded me of another waffle-y travel favorite: they were selling some version of stroopwafels!!
If you have never had the fantastic experience of eating a stroopwafel, it is a delicious way to enjoy a sweet treat with a hot beverage. Here’s how it works: get yourself a hot cuppa, place the stroopwafel on top of your steaming mug, and relax for a few minutes. Your beverage will stay nice and hot, and in the mean time, the waffle portion of the cookie is getting soft and the inner syrup filling is getting gooey. When you are done with your moment of relaxation, work, or if you are just too excited and you can’t wait, take a bite of the stroopwafel: perfect!
I was first introduced to stroopwafels by my coworkers in the Netherlands, who told me it was one of the things I had to do while I was there. They originated in Gouda, but I found them for sale in the open-air markets where I shopped for produce, and was able to get one that was still warm. Some google searching has shown me that there’s a chance I can find one at some chain grocery stores – I am going to have to hunt a bunch down and review- Matt has never eaten one!
Celestial Seasonings Slepytime Vanilla has a warm vanilla scent that begs to be sipped before one slumbers. The vanilla is a perfect way to balance out their classic Sleepytime blend. Halfway through my eyelids grow heavy. I recommend a cup for those late nights when sleep does not come easy. Enjoy and have a goodnight!
The best queso I’ve ever had in my life, super top ranking tacos (Matt says the best for him, and they are in my top 5), and delicious salsas can all be found at Torchy’s Tacos. We went to one of their food trucks in Austin, but they have a number of locations all over Texas. Promise me you’ll try it if you’re in the state!
Pukka has a three ginger tea, which I’m drinking this week due to a head cold. It is so aromatic that even stuffed up, I can smell it 🙂 This tea is spicy in the same way that extra strong ginger beer is spicy, but without the sweetness of ginger beer. I would recommend only drinking it if you really love the flavor of ginger!
Pairings:
I’ve only ever had this tea by itself, but it might be fun with maki rolls. Or maybe you could brew an iced tea version of it to mix with spiced rum? When I try, I’ll update the post.
When venturing through the crowded market square of Merida, we happened upon a girl selling Xtabentún. We exchanged 70 pesos for a 250 mL bottle and continued on our way.
Xtabentún is a Licor de Anis y Meil de Abeja or, as Matt likes to call it, ‘nectar of the Mayan gods’. It is leggy and has distinct tastes of honey and anise. It is thicker than wine, but thinner than honey. The flavor is akin to ouzo and sambuca, but is sweeter and oh-so-much smoother. This is my new favorite liquor, and we both wish we had purchased a much larger bottle! If you are at all open to the anise/licorice flavor, I strongly recommend you try it.
Serving Suggestion: Xtabentún is great as a desert drink, served neat or on ice. I am also hoping to try it as a ice cream topping! (Will update when I try it, and let you know how it is.)
For more information about why honey is a unique product of the Yucatán, and a recipe for your Xtabentún, I highly recommend Rick Bayless’s Season 5 Episode 12.
the mint tea drinkers society 