Tina Zlody of the Market Pantry at the Worcester Public Market shares comfort food recipe

Expect the unexpected when shopping at The Market Pantry Store at the Worcester Public Market. Director Tina Zlody is the dynamo who runs the store and based on her experience, passion and creativity, she has the recipe for success.

Combining her love for art and business, Zlody was able to create a pantry store concept that includes more than 3,000 items (variety of food and home goods, etc.), prioritizing local and regional sources. She’s committed to supporting women in the food and beverage industry, from entrepreneurs to chefs, and helps promote vegan, allergen-free, handmade, immigrant-owned and Worcester-made brands.

One item you won’t find at the pantry store is fresh produce because it has a short shelf life, said Zlody. Local produce is sold at places such as Maker on Main, which recently relocated to 162 Harding St., Worcester. New Braintree’s Rock Harvest Farm also sells produce at a seasonal Sunday Farmers Market at Worcester Public Market. During winter months, the farm will locate inside the market, according to Zlody, who said farmers market hours will post on social media.

A lifelong resident of Worcester, Zlody doesn’t back down on a promise to “help support the Worcester community as much as I can.”

For starters, she’s founder and co-director of stART on the Street, a one-day arts, music and cultural celebration on Park Avenue in Worcester. An annual event since 2002, it attracts 250-plus artisans, with restaurants and food trucks providing specialties along the route. stART is organized by a group of dedicated volunteers committed to changing the cultural scope of Worcester and Central Massachusetts, according to Zlody, who said, “The September 2023 stART was a great year. Participants report it was the most profitable and hundreds of visitors were engaged to have a great time.”

In addition, Zlody held membership in Worcester Arts Council for eight years, chairing for six. She is the recipient of numerous community awards and accolades.

Zlody left her job after 17 years as Program and Event Director for the Visual and Performing Arts Department at Clark University when Allen Fletcher, founder and president of Worcester Public Market, reached out to her about developing the market pantry concept. Preparations began in 2019 prior to the public marketing opening in February 2020.

Even though Zlody is in the midst of chefs and independent food businesses at the public market and can easily order takeout food, she still enjoys cooking at home. Her Corn Chowder with New Potatoes and Basil recipe is featured in the Dining In column. It’s perfect for transitioning from summer into cooler weather. Home cooks especially will appreciate recipe variations and a wine pairing for the dish is an extra bonus.

Zlody considers herself fortunate to have met so many first-time entrepreneurs, enabling her to introduce “truly unique food items to the public and the people who make them.” She often schedules food tastings or pop-ups, showcasing what’s new on the market pantry shelves. The space is jam-packed with products and Zlody does a great job assisting customers.

“Anyone who knows me knows I love to talk,” said Zlody. “I’m all about meeting and sharing knowledge with people. I believe we should pay more attention to where our food comes from and who makes it. And, food equity really matters.”

There’s a good mix of businesses at the public market, said Zlody, and an integration of cultures. The pandemic led non-food businesses to put more items on the market pantry shelves, she said. Things like handmade, wooden cutting boards, aprons, etc.

How does Zlody learn about new products?

Networking and friends tip her off about what’s new on the local scene, she said, and the Worcester Regional Food Hub provides a variety of services for start-ups and a place to connect with food entrepreneurs. The hub’s director Shon Rainford does a great job at growing the network, added Zlody. “I tell people all the time, I’ll try anything (food items) once. I can never tell what will work, but I’ll always give it a try.”

A vegetarian for 40 years, Zlody said non-vegetarian pantry items often get taste tested by the chefs who work at the public market. “A thumb’s up most times puts a product on the shelf,” said Zlody, who follows a vegetarian diet for health and moral reasons. Heart health is especially important as her family has a history of hereditary heart disease, she said.

Communication skills make for an effectual business. The market pantry’s team of local college students work together seamlessly, according to Zlody, who said dealing with the public gives staff a new level of confidence. She trains young members and admits, “I’m not easy. But, I’m so lucky to have people who are so good at their job. When I’m away, I remind staff that I don’t always hear my phone ping, but I hear it ring.”

In March 2023, Zlody and friend Nicole DiCello, owner of Bedlam Book Café in Worcester, were driving forces behind bringing Mark Bittman, award-winning cookbook author and food activist, to Worcester as part of a Taste + Talk event. Bittman floated the idea of a nonprofit restaurant, based on “pay-what-you-can.” He reportedly hopes to line up investors and build his restaurants in locations not yet locked in.

Zlody said she keeps in contact with Bittman and hasn’t given up on the idea of him bringing his Community Kitchen project to Worcester. “It would be terrific for the Canal District neighborhood,” she said.

Self-described as an “outdoorsy person,” Zlody and her husband, Louie Despres, a professional photographer, like to hike, travel and try new restaurants, sometimes “on a whim.” Years ago, not many restaurants offered options for vegetarians, said Zlody. These days, the majority of restaurants have vegetarian choices on their menus and new restaurants continue to open throughout the city and Central Mass.

In her late 50s, Zlody said she has given thought to consulting work, helping companies on brand development strategies, especially with people who are passionate about what they do. “It would be a side hustle,” she said. “I’m not thinking about leaving my day job because I really love what I do. Every day, I meet so many amazing people. I’m so lucky.”

The Worcester Public Market, 160 Green St., is closed Monday and Tuesday. Visit worcesterpublicmarket.org for business hours. Foodie or not, you’ll find the Market Pantry Store an interesting shopping experience. The holidays are just around the corner!

Enjoy Tina Zlody’s comfort food recipe:

CORN CHOWDER WITH NEW POTATOES AND BASIL

1 quart homemade vegetable stock, or store bought

1 large leek, white part of stalk and about an inch of light green part, sliced into thin rounds

Kernels from 6 ears of corn, see note

1 pound new potatoes, peeled and diced, see note

2 basil stems, about 8 leaves, see note

2 tablespoons, plus 2 teaspoons butter or vegetable oil

1 large onion, finely diced

1 bay leaf, see note

4 sprigs of thyme, or ¼ teaspoon dried

1½ teaspoons salt

Salt and white pepper, to taste

2 cups milk or additional stock

Notes: In fall and winter, roasted frozen corn sold at stores, such as Trader Joe’s, will give the chowder a heartier flavor, according to Zlody.

New potatoes: Zlody said she likes to keep the skins on.

Bay Leaf: Oregano can be a substitution.

Directions: Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a soup pot and add the onion and the leek, bay leaf and thyme. Cook over low heat until onions are soft, about 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add peeled potatoes to strained stock, 1 ½ teaspoons salt and bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer (partially covered) until potatoes are tender about 20 minutes. Note: May take longer if potato skins are left on.

Press some of the potatoes up against the edge of the pot to break them up, or use an immersion blender in pulses to break up a few of the potatoes.

Add corn and milk and simmer until soup is heated through and corn is tender, about 5 minutes. Add sliced basil leaves to serving bowls, then add chowder. Add salt and white pepper, to taste. Makes 4 to 6 servings. Note: Toasted crusty bread and creamy butter is perfect accompaniment to the chowder.

Recipe variations: Zlody said when simmering the potatoes, she sometimes adds the rind of a hard cheese, such as Parmesan or pecorino, and removes it before serving. “This will add a beautiful, bold and creamy flavor and cuts the sweetness,” she said. Zlody also adds extra freshly ground salt to punch up the flavor of the chowder. A smidge of ground garlic added to the simmering onion and leek also lends a nice flavor, she said.

Wine Pairing: “Working with our friends and Worcester Public Market neighbors, Canal District Wines, we came up with a delightful pairing to the Corn Chowder and New Potatoes and Basil recipe,” said Zlody.

The wine: Fento Albarino, a white wine from Rías Baixas, Galicia, Spain.

Tasting notes: Full and vibrant. Melon and white flower on the nose. Crisp green apple on the palate with subtle minerality and well-balanced acid. Hand harvested and lamented with natural yeast. A “delightful wine.”

Cheers!

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Dining In: The Market Pantry highlights local, regional sources