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This Week's Winchendon News
The Farm Stand Partners with Chef Alan Castillo to Launch Farm-to-Table Menu
Chef Alan Castillo, surrounded by antiques and ready to share his love of good food with you!
Photo by Inanna Arthen
The Farm Stand, the retail branch of Farming Is Life, is launching a new in-store meals menu with their newest partner (and one of Winchendon's newest residents), chef Alan Castillo. Food will initially be available on a take-out basis in the store, but eventually owners Jody Mendoza and Richy Peña hope to be offering sit-down meals on the premises. The "Farm to Table" menu will be based on fresh produce grown at Farming is Life and other local farms.
On Saturday, September 5, The Farm Stand held a tasting and meet-and-greet for customers, with Chef Alan, as he is known, there to chat, explain some of his signature recipes and offer visitors free samples of dishes including Basque cheesecake, fresh herb and 4 cheese empanadas and apple cider doughnuts. Farm Stand customers, interested visitors, and members of town boards all came in to check out the menu items and hear more about what was planned for the days ahead.
The Courier found a quieter time a few days later to sit down with Chef Alan and learn more about his enthusiasm for cooking, what his style is like and how this new partnership will work. We met after hours in the second floor of The Farm Stand, which is now filled with antiques, curios and vintage art for sale (be sure to visit the second floor the next time you're in The Farm Stand!).
Asked how he got started as a professional chef, Chef Alan said, "I knew that I always wanted to be a chef, since I was five years old. I never looked at any other career or any other pathway but being a professional chef, and the reason for that is my grandmother. Being raised by both my grandparents, my grandmother would help us survive by cooking, but not just cooking to help survive. It was more. I learned the love of cooking versus just cooking to cook because of her, and it's because of the smiles, seeing the family come together over a meal and talk about everything, and being able to put people together with food is what drove me to have that passion."
Chef Alan's determination didn't flag at all as his family emigrated to the United States when he was a child and he grew up here. He went on, "I went to culinary school, and started working at a few great places in Boston, and then unfortunately we had 9/11 happen. After 9/11, I was at the Ritz Carlton, and my chef, who is a Frenchman, said, 'Well, our business unfortunately is dying here, so I'm going back home to open a restaurant,' and I asked him if I could come along. Six months in France turned into a year. We opened his restaurant. After that, it was off from France to Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Germany. After Europe, I skipped over to parts of Asia. So I did Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Japan, and then after that came back to the United States to hone even more of my craft. That's when I started working at Cafe Louis on Newbury Street. I also did Ten Tables in Jamaica Plain for a little bit, and after that started doing private catering and private consultation."
Chef Alan explained that he knew Jody and Richy long before food entered the conversation. "Richy was a music producer, and Jody was one of the greatest club owners in Boston, one of the biggest Latin nightclubs in Boston," he said. "So I would frequent that club a lot." Eventually their relationship moved from a proprietor and customer level to discussion about going into business together. "Maybe it was a couple years ago, Richy and I have a mutual friend who's a teacher at a Boston public school, and she invited us both to do Professionals Day, and she partnered both of us up," Chef Alan related. "But at this point, I didn't know Richy had a farm. I still knew him as a music producer, so when he went first to speak with the kids, and he said he has a farm, I started paying attention even more. I said, 'What? You have a farm now? This is great!' Then it was my turn to speak, and he heard my resume pretty much by me speaking to these children, and he was like, 'Wait, what? You've done all of that in cooking? This is great!' So that day pretty much sparked this relationship that we currently have right now."
Chef Alan said that he would come out to meetings at Farming is Life, out on River Street, and stay over at the farm for the weekend, "just feeling how relaxed and how great the farm was. The community is nice and quiet. The town is nice and little, and I was like, you know what? I think I'm about ready to give up city life and do this again." It was more of a homecoming than a big leap. Chef Alan explained, "The year in France, my chef's restaurant was farm to table, so we had the farm right next to the house and next to the restaurant. And then me being from Dominican Republic, my grandmother's side of the family owns a lot of land, so we have a lot of crops and things like that."
He has now moved to Winchendon himself. "I love Winchendon. It's very homey. I've been very comfortable here," he said.
Asked what some of the next big things are coming up for The Farm Stand, Chef Alan said, "The one thing that I love about our partnership is that they have given me the freedom to bring my expertise and my items to Winchendon and The Farm Stand. So at the moment, we want to start off a little bit slow, where we are going to offer farm-to-table ready meals to go, as well as a few desserts. Specifically, my cheesecake. That's one recipe that I have been perfecting for a long time, and I think that it's there...at the meet and greet, everyone went crazy for the cheesecake, so I knew we need to offer this right away."
He went on, "We want to start off with a few menu items that we want to put out to the community to be able to come and pick up during the store hours. As we move forward in time, the biggest goal is to have a farm-to-table restaurant. I will be opening a full-blown kitchen here. We will be having seating, dining, hopefully breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But again, this will all take time. I just want to get the town used to me first and what I'm offering."
At the meet-and-greet, Chef Alan mentioned that his cooking was a "fusion cuisine." He elaborated that this meant far more than many people are used to thinking of when they hear that term. "When someone says fusion cuisine, they only think about certain things, just one or two things put together. For me, I am full-blown Dominican from the Dominican Republic, so I was raised on Caribbean cuisine. That's my foundation, let's say. Then after culinary school, I was pretty much trained as a classical French. So once I moved to France, it was French Brigade, classical French. So those are the techniques that I use to cook with, and then I also infuse Asian flavors. These Asian flavors that I culminated from Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, as well as Japan, I infuse together along with my Caribbean food, and then I cook them in a French style."
He gave an example: "My garlic soy pork. So, in Dominican Republic, our chicharrones are one of our biggest staples that we love to have. So what I did was I converted a pork chop into a nice crispy chicharrón. Then I marinate it in a garlic soy sauce, which is from Japan, and then I cook it in a French technique where I use a cast iron skillet with butter, and then I baste it with that garlic, the ginger, the soy, and the butter, and I just baste that pork chop as I go."
The theme of Caribbean cuisine itself, Chef Alan explained, "pretty much comes from the diaspora, a fusion of African slaves who have culminated into the Caribbean islands through Portuguese people who were bringing them over from Africa to here. So they pretty much had to use what was available to them, not what was given to them. So whatever they can forage, whatever scraps they had, and things like that. That builds what we call now a sofrito, which is pretty much the basis to give flavoring to the foods. So we use a lot of peppers, a lot of cilantro, a lot of cumin, oregano, and things like that to make sure that that seasoning goes great with whatever they had available to eat. So the foundation for my Dominican cuisine is pretty much the seasonings and the freshness of the ingredients that I'll be using from the farm as well. Jody will be helping me out in making sure that I have a lot of cilantro, a lot of garlic, a lot of peppers, a lot of oregano. So all those things that we need for basing will be there."
He went on, "My number one message for this is very simple. I just want to bring people together with my food and the expertise that I bring with it, and it's the love that I'm going to be pouring into it. I will be bringing flavors that you've never had before, and if you have had them before, these are going to be different. So I would love a place where people can just come, enjoy a great meal, leave satisfied, and come back for more.
"A lot of my food are homages to a lot of people, so that's what I mean by love. For example, the garlic soy pork means a lot to me, and it will be a staple this year because that is the last meal I cooked for my grandfather before he passed. It was one of the greatest things that he enjoyed. So seeing him be so happy to see me be able to do that is why I chose to make sure that that is a staple dish that will never leave the menu."
All of his cooking will be filled with that kind of passion, as well as memories and personal stories he could tell if he had the time. He will be sharing all of that with everyone who tastes the food he prepares for The Farm Stand. He wants to change people's palates and minds about food they haven't tried before--but, he emphasized, he welcomes feedback of all kinds.
The Farm Stand's menu offerings will be seasonal and variable, because this is true "farm-to-table." New items will be continuously inspired by what is being harvested that week from the farms, while some items might be "on hold" until their fresh ingredients are once again available locally.
As a vegetarian, the Courier noted that it's very hard to find good meatless cooking away from home. The fresh herb and 4 cheese empanadas at the meet-and-greet were delicious. Chef Alan said that there will be vegetarian versions of most of his menu, such as a garlic soy mushroom dish inspired by the garlic soy pork, using fresh local king trumpet mushrooms. He also makes an all-vegetable borscht with beets, potatos and carrots which people who had tasted it became almost misty-eyed describing.
Chef Alan's cheesecake is based on Basque cheesecake, which is a light French cheesecake that normally doesn't have a crust. These cheesecakes, however, have Chef Alan's signature crust which he has been perfecting for years. There are currently classic and pumpkin cheesecakes available, and customers will be able to pre-order whole cheesecakes and take them home.
The Farm Stand's menu items are rolling out this Saturday, September 12, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. They will have two kinds of empanadas--Fresh Herb and 4 Cheese, and Seasoned Skirt Steak with Veggies--Coconut Curry Corn Chowder, the Borscht soup, apple cider doughnuts, and "Alan's Amazing Cheesecake," pumpkin and classic, by the slice or by the pie.
To stay updated on The Farm Stand's menus and times, follow them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61564057540592. The Farm Stand is located at 244 School Street, Winchendon (if you haven't been there before, they're right across the street from the former Cruisin' Diner and before you get to the American Legion). Their phone number is 978-407-7378.
The Beals Indie Author Book Fair Spotlights Self-published Authors
Anne Goltz
Jack McClintock
Laurie De Lima
Michael Glenzel
Melanie Meadors
Ruth Madison
John Daly
Via LuinoThe Beals Memorial Library in Winchendon is excited to host its first Indie Author Book Fair on Saturday, September 19, 2026 from 10:30 AM to 5:00 PM. The event shines a bright light on self-published, independent authors, eight of whom are highlighted below. The Fair also features the work of 16 other writers who will be featured in upcoming articles, and as a whole, write in a variety of genres from Mystery and Science Fiction to Historical Fiction, Poetry and much more for your reading pleasure.
Authors spotlighted today include; Ann Goltz of Massachusetts; Jack McClintock of North Brookfield, MA; Laurie De Lima of Worcester, MA; Michael Glenzel of Westfield, MA; Melanie Meadors of Worcester, MA; Ruth Madison of Concord, MA; John Daly of Clinton, MA; and Via Luino of Billerica, MA.
Ann Goltz writes fiction that deals with complicated family dynamics and questions of women's identity. She wrote her first short story at the tender age of six, and went on to write dozens more, as well as poems, plays, and a novel during her early school years. Ann worked for the US Air Force, managing the financial aspects of various defense programs. During this time she also earned a BS in Management, only to discover that she didn't want a career in business. She quit her job in order to pursue a Master's in Divinity full time. Ann graduated from Wartburg Theological Seminary and became an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). After serving congregations in South Dakota, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Iowa, she left active ministry to care for her family. Being a classic GenX latchkey kid, Ann didn't know much about traditional homemaking, so she researched it online. This led her to discover the Quiverfull movement, and the idea for her award-winning debut Virtuous Women was born. Learn more about her projects at AnnGoltz.com.
Jack McClintock spent over fifty years as a psychologist in mental health services working in rehabilitation and psychiatric hospitals, prisons, and private practice, in community clinics as well as urban and rural school districts. He's worked with cannibals and killers, monsters and madmen, individuals of every color and kind; been attacked physically, threatened, demeaned, and brutalized, sometimes fairly, sometimes not. Jack has tasted the sadness of great loss, made mistakes that would shame anyone, and struggled with personal demons that have shown him, and anyone who loved him, just how big a fool a man can be. All of it has enabled him to mature, adopt a healthy respect for life, and develop a deep sense of gratitude for the things that brought him joy, as well as genuine acceptance of the sorrows that enabled him to appreciate that joy. Learning has been his passion. It's opened his eyes to reality, showing him both its light and its darkness. Writing is the safety valve that enables him to share and discover at the same time. While he's always written for himself, he is also motivated to share his understanding of our world, in the hope that through communication we may make the world a better place for those yet to come. Go to www.amazon.com/Jack-McClintock to find out more.
Laurie Rose De Lima writes deeply moving poetry exploring the complex landscapes of trauma, grief, and healing. Writing in her spare time, she captures the quiet, profound moments of the human experience with raw honesty. When not writing, Laurie works professionally in the safety field. She lives with her spouse and cat, often finding peace, inspiration, and renewal in the beauty of nature.
Michael Glenzel is an independent author of science fiction, fantasy, and horror whose stories explore what happens when ordinary people are forced to confront the impossible. Growing up in Winchendon, Massachusetts, Michael developed a lifelong love of storytelling through fantasy novels, monster movies, science fiction, and countless hours of Dungeons & Dragons. Those early influences continue to shape the fast-paced, character-driven adventures he writes today. His latest novel, Crack of Dawn: Part One - Gone to Hell, launches a series in which creatures once thought to exist only in myth invade the modern world, forcing humanity into a desperate fight for survival. The series blends urban fantasy, creature horror, military action, and apocalyptic adventure into a story that asks what happens when legends become terrifyingly real. In addition to his novels, Michael has published numerous short stories spanning science fiction, fantasy, horror, and supernatural suspense. He currently lives in western Massachusetts and is completing the second installment of the Crack of Dawn series, Hell to Pay.
Melanie Meadors (Mel) is a science communicator who specializes in astronomy and space exploration. She's the founder of "Looking Up! with Mel," a website and zine devoted to sharing information about space with people of all ages and backgrounds in a fun way. She currently serves as the public outreach coordinator of the Aldrich Astronomical Society, one of the oldest astronomy groups in the country. She is also a NASA Solar System Ambassador. She gives talks around New England to audiences of all ages, celebrating astronomy and our exploration of the universe. Mel studied astronomy and the geography of space as an undergraduate, and the history of science and science communication for her master's degree. In her spare time, she can be found wrangling monkeys, cursing clouds, and saying bad words at her astrophotography set-up.
Ruth Madison has been publishing romance novels featuring disabled characters since 2009. She is passionate about using literature to eliminate ableism and showcase that love overcomes all odds.
John Daly (pen name, J Paul Gordon) writes literary speculative fiction concerned with memory, ideology, moral responsibility, and the endurance of love under political systems of power. He studied Soviet and East European history, with particular interest in the relationships between political authority, ideological certainty, historical memory, and religious, philosophical, and intellectual life under totalitarian regimes. His debut novel, The Whisper of Falling Snow, is set in the late twenty-first century, in a future society shaped by surveillance, ideological conformity, and the quiet administration of death.
Via Luino is the bestselling author of the local phenomenon All the Scattered Stars. Raised in the wilds of Western Massachusetts, she is a queer writer, librarian, and activist living just north of Boston. When not ferociously crocheting or doting on her chaos gremlin--better known as Moose the dog--she can be found dreaming of dragons or plotting how to make her latest book even gayer. She has more than 25 short stories, essays, and poems published, including a Pushcart Prize nominee, and holds an MFA in fiction from the University of New Hampshire. All the Scattered Stars is her debut novel.
Throughout the day, these and the other authors will take to the outdoor stage to talk about their work or do a reading. Roundtables will also take place in the Library auditorium covering the subjects of Intro to Publishing: How to Get Started; Scams to Avoid; and Working with Third Party Contractors: Artists, Editors, etc. There will also be two workshops covering the topics of E-pubs Unzipped, and From Book to Audiobook.
To top the day off, there will be a performance of a live "Mystery Making" Improv show featuring regional authors Nicole Asselin, Judith Carlough, and Mike Ciaraldi from the Sisters in Crime network, who will be brainstorming on their feet to build a brand-new crime story using live audience suggestions. This fast-paced, interactive workshop-style performance highlights how mystery writers build plots and convention.
In addition, the kids will have a variety of fun activities to keep them occupied while parents find a new book to love. Also on hand will be the Lickity Splitz Food Truck serving grilled foods & ice cream, and Pepe's Eatery, serving wood fired pizza.
For more information visit the Library website at bealslibrary.org/bookfair, or call the Library at 978-297-0300. The Beals Memorial Library is located at 50 Pleasant Street in Winchendon.
The Beals Indie Author Book Fair is a collaboration with By Light Unseen Media, and is funded in part by the Winchendon Cultural Council, and the Friends of the Beals Memorial Library.
The Beals Indie Author Book Fair Welcomes Sisters in Crime
Nicole Asselin
Judith Carlough
Mike CiaraldiThe Beals Memorial Library in Winchendon is excited to welcome the New England chapter of Sisters in Crime to its first Indie Author Book Fair to be held on Saturday, September 19, 2026 from 10:30 AM to 5:00 PM. The "Sisters" will top the day's festivities off at 3:45 PM, with a live performance of their "Mystery Making" Improv Game featuring regional authors Nicole Asselin, Judith Carlough, and Mike Ciaraldi, who will be brainstorming on their feet to build a brand-new crime story using live audience suggestions. This fast-paced, interactive workshop-style performance highlights how mystery writers build plots and convention.
Sisters in Crime New England are passionate about great crime fiction. As one of the largest chapters of Sisters in Crime International, they've built a thriving community where NYT bestselling authors, multiple award-winners, emerging voices, and devoted readers come together to celebrate mysteries, thrillers, and suspense in all their forms.
Nicole Asselin graduated from Curry College in Milton, MA with a degree in English/Creative Writing, minoring in Dance in 2004. She also attended George Mason University and received a Master's in Arts Management. She worked in the Government sector for over ten years before transitioning to Healthcare. She lives on the South Shore of Massachusetts with her three cats Madeline, Captain, and Cooper Maye. Her website is www.nicoleasselinwriter.com. She currently serves as president of Sister in Crime New England, and is the author of the Concession Stand Crimes series.
Judith Carlough writes mysteries and rom-coms with heart and humor. She has published multiple short stories and is the winner of the 2024 Writer's Digest International Short Story Award/Humor, was a finalist for the 2025 Al Blanchard Award, as well as the winner of a NY Times short fiction competition. In her previous career in radio and TV (including WBZ-TV and radio, and Boston's legendary rock'n'roll station, WBCN), Judith learned how to connect with an audience and keep them tuned in. Later, as the Chief Marketing Office for the radio industry trade association, she was a sought-after panelist, host, and keynote speaker. As an author, her favorite topics are: short stories (how to write them, then use them to build your writer credentials), public speaking (especially for authors who hate to read their work aloud), handling rejection (it's going to happen, so what are your tools to repair the psychological damage?) and the writer's journey (where my ideas come from, how I write, improving your craft, goal-setting, celebrating). Contact Judith for your event or for a private coaching session.
Michael J. Ciaraldi writes mysteries, science fiction, fantasy, and horror, often with a touch of humor. His stories have won the Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine Mysterious Photograph Contest three times. He retired a few years ago from teaching computer science, robotics, and playwriting. He lives in Shrewsbury, MA with his wife and Daisy, a Chihuahua. Find out more at ciaraldi.com.
The Beals Indie Author Book Fair shines a bright light on 24 self-published, independent authors who write in a variety of genres: fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Come meet, connect with, and support your next favorite author!
Throughout the day, these authors will take to the outdoor stage to talk about their work or do a reading. Roundtables will also take place in the Library auditorium covering the subjects of Intro to Publishing: How to Get Started; Scams to Avoid; and Working with Third Party Contractors: Artists, Editors, etc. There will also be two workshops covering the topics of E-pubs Unzipped, and From Book to Audiobook.
In addition, the kids will have a variety of fun activities to keep them occupied while parents find a new book to love. Also on hand will be the Lickity Splitz Food Truck serving grilled foods & ice cream, and Pepe's Eatery, serving wood fired pizza.
For more information visit the Library website at bealslibrary.org/bookfair, or call the Library at 978-297-0300. The Beals Memorial Library is located at 50 Pleasant Street in Winchendon.
The Beals Indie Author Book Fair is a collaboration with By Light Unseen Media, and is funded in part by the Winchendon Cultural Council, and the Friends of the Beals Memorial Library.
