Noank now has a new natural food market that has just opened for business at 17 Pearl St.

Rebecca Soleyn and Barbara McLeod have been friends for thirty years; McLeod grew up in Mystic and Soleyn in Gales Ferry. They first cooked healthy, natural cuisine together 23 years ago at Puritan and Genesta in downtown Mystic. They taught therapeutic cooking classes at Natura Medica, ran a healthy food vending cart where Sift now stands, and worked as personal chefs as Good Nature Gourmet, all in Mystic. Their ventures have led them all over the world, and now they’re together again, landing their signature brand a few miles down the road.

Although they have expansive and exciting plans for the Mothership, obviously, COVID-19 has forced them to adapt. For the time being, Mothership Artisan Kitchen and Marketplace is offering pick-up orders of prepared whole-food, plant-based meals several days a week.

The goal is to feed the community healthy meals while being “COVID-conservative.”

The front doors currently act as service windows, and none of the prices will involve coin exchanges to eliminate hand-to-hand contact.

What defines this menu is what you won’t find in it: no artificial sweeteners, colors, preservatives, refined sugars, or chemicals. Everything is fresh. Much of the produce is grown right at Fishing Hawk Farm in Gales Ferry by Soleyn’s husband, who has been using techniques he learned farming in Saint Vincent, where he grew up, for 11 years.

The menu will change based on local harvests and seasons accordingly.

The menu will include staple sandwich meals, desserts and drinks for both children and adults to enjoy. Additionally, vegan and gluten-free meals, desserts, and smoothies will be available.

The concept is that families and friends can order meals to please everyone’s palate and nutritional lifestyle in one place. And for those who don’t feel safe coming out to pick up meals during the coronavirus pandemic, Mothership will be offering local delivery services.

As a father-daughter duo, we had the privilege of sampling a few items. Ed, who has a lifelong passion for all things cheese, sucked down the vegan raspberry swirl cheesecake without noticing it was anything but delicious.

Both of us found the butterfly lemonade light and refreshing. We also received delicious salads featuring seasoned potatoes and colorful fresh vegetables that shockingly didn’t require a drop of dressing. That’s very rare for these inmates.

In short, Mothership made us look like healthy eaters!

Because the pandemic is keeping everyone on our toes, the best way to keep updated on the current menu, hours, and pick-up-drop-off options is to visit mothershipct.com and sign up for email updates.

Questions can be e-mailed to mothershipct@gmail.com or asked via phone at (860) 326-6402. Follow them on Facebook as “Mothership Natural Kitchen and Marketplace” and Instagram as @mothershipnaturalkitchenandmkt.

Bon appetite, Noank!

Ed Johnson and his daughter Lacy both live in Noank.