Is Nashua ready for a Whole Foods? I say yes. Yes it is. I love this museum of organic edible jewels, but everytime I walk out w/ a bunch of grapes and a candle, Im 50 bucks lighter. Start spreading the nutella, the gourmet grocer is coming to Nashua Landing.The new lifestyle center slated for 45 abandoned acres off Spit Brook Road is like a faux village, the kind springing up all over Cali. And w/ faux villages come faux restaurants. I mean, chains. Most lifestyle centers are anchored by a big wig like the Capital Grill and then peppered by your Bugaboo Creeks and Macaroni Grills. (Yawn) The last thing this area needs is another Olive Garden. Right? Breaking ground this spring and opening by fall ‘09, Nashua Landing is like a new town coming to town. Most tenants (besides whole foods) have not signed up yet, so Im taking an informal poll, what food establishments would you like to see here? A Ruth’s Chris? Benihana? Or how about a hip little wine bar w/ thin crust pizza? Start saving your paychecks for the whole food’s experience now. I know this is Costco country, which I understand has some good products, but I only have one roomate (my husband) and we don’t need a lifetime supply of toilet paper. But I wish we did. www.nashualanding.com.

We all want to do our part for the planet, right? Hell yeah, we’re no cretins. But beyond recycling and getting on your neighbor for buying bottled water, what can a green gourmand do?How about shopping at two-month old 1 World Trading Co. on Main St., In DTN (downtown nashua folks)? I just got off the phone w/ owner Paul to see just what was edible in his environmentaly friendly, locally made, fair-trade boutique. Maple syrup from Tilton, organic cookies from Windham, and coffee roasted a few blocks north at the Riverwalk sounds like a good start. He’s also commissioned Swan Chocs. (my new home) to make a dark organic bar. i World may be across the street from the chocolate chapel, but they don’t carry what he wants — chocolate in its purest form. More power to him. My pedestrian palatte doesn’t know the difference between organic choc/coffee and really good stuff sans the almighty O. Does your? Seems a tasting is in order. Anyone know of good chocolate/coffee parings? I guess there’s no such thing as a bad one. A green pantry in back has all the cooking herbs your outdoor BBQs will need. Oh and Glee Gum from Rhode Island receives top billing here. Who knew that was a fair trade? Sounds like a kitsch item perfect for a gag gift.1 World’s open to carrying whatever you/we ask for. So let’s ask for bread. Really it’s so hard to find great, artisan loaves around here. No?

Since Oct., new Mediterranean restaurant Adria has been slated to open near the Noodle House on Main St. in Nashua. I’ve had visions of hummus, musaka and all things olives on my mind ever since. You could say I’ve been feta-sizing. But a quick peek in the window shows …zero signs of life. Just some bunched up electrical wires from the ceiling and ripped up insides.Mums the word with the restaurant owners and merchants I polled. Anyone know what happened w/ Adria? This is not a good time to be losing anymore ethnic eats, what w/ Seven Hills biting the dust last week. That was a harsh blow. This Turkish rest. known for great stuffed grape leaves, opened last yr. w/ such high hopes. It seemed the friendly owners put an enormous amount of care and TLC into the operation. But a pesky thing like taxes got in the way. (What, we have to pay them?) Timing is poor because they had the best outdoor patio in Nashua overlooking the river. It was romantic, quiet, perfect.True, restaurants come and go, but they are more than just “shops” or “another business.” They are memory spots. First date, last date, blind date, they all happen in candle-lit rooms, under chandeliers, at Denny’s. When a bistro closes, or dies stillborn, I always feel kinda, sorta glum. Focusing on the what was, or what could have been. A dream deferred.

And this one’s got posh ganache. Swan Chocolates is relocating its Merrimack HQ’s to a new space in a few weeks. What does this mean for you and me? The makers of killer truffles and great cappuccinos will be uping its espresso ante, adding more pastries and a huge gelato case with (you got it) more wonderful flavors of gelato. Sorry, Susan’s Euro Cafe, but Swans’ Italian custard kicks ass. Can I say that on a blog? Located on the Danny Web in a former market next to Buckley’s Great Steaks, Swan’s new cafe will have a porch for outdoor indulging making this THE summer hang for all things decadent. And if ya like brownies, a Tasmanian dark is in the works as I type. I hear the employees at Swan are encouraged to eat as much chocolate as they wish and receive chocolate samplers w/ their paycheck. If it wasn’t for the automatic 5 lbs.to the hips, I’d be all about a job change right now. But that’s right, chocolate is good for you. Anyone excited by this new development?Grab Feast on May 21 where your new fav. blogger goes inside Swans for the full scoop.