Farm hosts seniors for French cooking

By Katrina Margolis
Hometown Weekly Reporter

The Westwood Council on Aging (COA) provides more events for their members than many of them know what to do with. Not only do they offer exercise classes, painting courses, and weekend excursions, but they have recently begun to partner with Powisset Farm to offer cooking classes, as well. The first of these was held on Thursday, April 11, the topic of which was French cooking. Powisset is hosting another class for the COA in June featuring different herbs.

These two classes are just the beginning of what promises to be a long partnership between the COA and the farm.

Lina Arena-DeRosa, the director of the COA, was introduced to Powisset Farm by a Dover friend of hers. “I had never heard of this place - I live in Holliston, I grew up in Concord. I was told: ‘You have to go check this place out,’” she explained. “Well, I fell in love not only with Powisset, I fell in love with Nicole.”

Nicole Nacumuli, Engagement Site Manager, has been partnering with Arena-DeRosa to host intergenerational cooking. “We’re working with little kids and seniors, and it’s just been above and beyond anything I could’ve imagined. It’s so much fun!” Arena-DeRosa exclaimed. Before beginning their foray into the French culinary arts, Arena-DeRosa concluded: “It’s a really fun thing for us to do! It’s a great way for people to get out of their houses, but it’s also… yummy!”

The class was led by Meg Tallon, a recent addition to the Powisset Farm team. After graduating from culinary school in 2005, Tallon worked as a bread baker for many years before selling wine. She now teaches all sorts of classes. This was the second class she had taught at Powisset, in addition to being an active volunteer on the farm. “We’re going to make two tartes today. We’re going to make a strawberry tarte, and a quiche Lorraine,” Tallon explained. “We’re going to learn about dough making. Then we thought it could be fun to do a quick pan sauce. A lot of times in France people will make up a quick pan sauce, they’ll throw in their local meat, and it’s an easy way to make a quick dish that has a lot of flavor.”

An interactive, fun, and delicious experience for all of those involved, there is no doubt that the partnership between the Westwood Council on Aging and Powisset Farm will continue far into the future.