Thursday, October 30, 2008

Witchville Co-op Weekly Screa-mail: Halloween edition!

Hi folks,

I hope that you are having a swell week. We've got seasonal music playing in the store these days, so don't be surprised by the screams!
To help celebrate, come by the deli this week and get your hands on some Devil's Food cupcakes.  These are great for parties or just for a treat for your little one (or you!!) I swear on the graves of my ancestors that they are delicious!
We like halloween, so it's a good time to come by on Friday and see our staff and your fellow owners decked out in their best halloween gear.

I suppose we should also be playing election music in the store, since it's that season, too. Don't forget to vote in the Wheatsville election. YOu can do it on-line and vote for the board, on whether to approve new bylaws and certificate of formation, on our Community Action Wednesday charitable groups, and on whether we should continue to boycott products tested on animals. http://wheatsville.coop/election/index.html

Oh, I suppose it's worth reminding you that election day in our local, state and national election is next TUesday and you can early vote through tomorrow (Friday!) So be a participator in democracy and vote!
Fresh in the deli
In today's Deli case, we have the golden, kalamata olive-studded Turkish Garbanzo Bean salad, the fruity, chewy Wheatberries with Dried Cranberries and Toasted Almonds and our Asparagus and Orzo pasta salad, tossed in a feta dressing. Seasonal favorite Leek-Roasted Carrots with Tempeh is in stock, as well as Paprika Grilled Yellowfin Tuna steaks and creamy, vegan Garlic Mashed Potatoes
 
Thanksgiving is closer than you think!
Saturday shoppers are in luck! We will be sampling our holiday creations so that you can get a lil' taste of what we will be offering for your Thanksgiving dinner in advance. Come by on Saturday, November 8th and Saturday, November 15th, between 12 pm - 4 pm and sample some items from our tasty holiday menu. You can also pre-order bakery pies from November 1st through the 15th. During the pre-holiday weeks, we will be offering plenty of pies and side dishes in the self serve case for you to purchase, but if you have your heart set on a particular pie, you might want to order that ahead of time. We know how important dessert is and would hate for you to miss out on your favorite!
Pick up a menu and order form at the Deli or Member Center, and give our Deli a call with orders or questions at 478-1164. We look forward to cooking for you and yours! Happy Holidays!
 
Word from Greg on cheese island
Last week I talked about the Pere Joseph trappist cheese. I would like to talk about another trappist beauty, Port Salut. It is a semi-soft, cows milk cheese with a mild flavor that hails from Brittany, France
Though it does have a mild flavor it's aroma becomes stronger the longer it is kept. Trappist monks of the abbey of Notre Dame de Port Salut in Entramess started making this cheese in the 19th century. The monks sold the rights to make this cheese to a local creamery. There are still monasteries that hand make Port Salut.  Just a little Port Salut info for you!!
 
 
Praise-praise and Pasture-raised by Bryan Butler, Meat Buyer
I love Wheatsville! What other grocery store would you get to work, or shop at, with people who care about our environment, our health, respect for life and our futures. Not many, I'm sure. Everyone from the stockers to suppliers, clerks to cashiers have a part in the great positive environment at Wheatsville Food Co-op.  Our great owners and non-owners shop our store everyday, making contributions to the betterment of our society through their purchases. Yea, sure it might just be some groceries, but ultimately it's committing yourself to sustainable processes that are lessening our impact on the world. Individually it may be small, but together we do help.
Wheatsville has grown and will continue to grow in our role to the community:  providing great foodstuffs to customers and providing a retail outlet for the great farmers and producers of central Texas. This brings me to some exciting news in the world of the Meat Department & it's lovers. A favorite at the Sunset Valley Farmer's Market and the Pflugerville Farmers Market has approached Wheatsville with an unprecedented offer. Jane and Terry Levan of Dewberry Hills Farms have offered to raise a flock of all natural, pasture-raised chickens specifically for Wheatsville Food Co-op. This truly pastured chicken is moved from one beautiful field to the next on a daily basis to maintain a high level of exercise and activity. They find and eat every little critter they find. They also eat lots of grass, a high quality grain diet, and fish meal and oyster shell. The resulting bird is so good your mouth is going to for-go all other chicken till you can buy another Dewberry Hill chicken! For now till the renovation is complete, we're going to carry the whole fryers only.  We will part them out for you if you like, just ask!  Dewberry Hill whole fryers will retail for 4.99lb and will be between 2.75lb -3.50lb each. You can look for them at the first of the month. Read more about them here: http://www.dhfarms.com/
Don't forget last week for the .30-off Niman pork products.  Don't miss out!
 
P.S. Turkey pre-order begins the 1st of November.
 
Beer of the Week!
 
Shiner Black 
Bohemian Black Lager, crafted according to exacting old-world standards with imported Czech Saaz, Styrians Hops and selected roasted malts, is the darkest beer they brew. Initially added to the Shiner family as their 97 Anniversary Brew, the unique and complex flavor of this rare brew found such a following that they brought it back for good! Enjoy this dark, dark brew this coming dark, dark holiday! Muahahahaha!
 
 
 Here's the latest news from Chill Buyer Mike Crissey:
 
NEW COCONUT MILK YOGURT!
VEGAN! GLUTEN-FREE! SOY-FREE!
 
We'll soon have another dairy-free yogurt choice in the refrigerated section, Turtle Mountain's So Delicious, which is made with coconut milk. Turtle Mountain is probably best known for theirSo Delicious and Purely Decadent lines of non-dairy frozen treats, using soy, and recently started using coconut milk. This should be a good option for people with allergies to dairy or soy. Like all of our yogurt offerings, the So Delicious yogurts will have live cultures. Check out the new yogurts at http://www.sodeliciousdairyfree.com.
 
To clear space for the So Delicious Coconut Milk Yogurt, we're discontinuing Stonyfield Farms' O'Soy Yogurt cups, which have been lagging our other dairy-free yogurt cups from WholeSoy & Co. Any O'Soy yogurts fans will still be able to special order a case of 12 6-oz cups.
 
REMEMBER WHEN BOTTLE SHAKE-UP
 
I am personally a little disappointed, but Remember When Dairy is switching to opaque jugs for its half-gallons and gallons of low-temperature pasteurized, non-homogenized farmstead milk. Owner Mark Ganske says he made the switch because customers at other retailers in town were returning the milk because they thought the layer of milk fat floating at the top meant it had gone bad. The separation is natural because milk is basically oil (fat) suspended in water. Think of the old adage: the cream always rises to the top. Homogenization, usually done by forcing milk through small holes at high pressure, breaks the fat globules into smaller sizes so it doesn't separate as easily.
 
BULK TOFU BLUES
 
Longtime Wheatsville partner White Mountain Foods has announced that it will stop making organic bulk tofu next month (November). White Mountain has been making tofu since it started in 1980 with a pick-up truck and an insulated box. Chief Executive Officer Jeff Murray, brother of founder Reed Murray, says climbing prices for soy, labor and energy and growing competition have squeezed profits on their organic tofu. White Mountain will still make their tofu salads but with non-GMO tofu from Houston-based Banyan Foods. You can find more information about Banyan Foods at www.banyanfoods.com.
 
Since our patio is so restricted right now, we won't be having coffee with the board until further notice!

I hope that you have a great Halloween and week!

Dan Gillotte
General Mangler and screa-mail ghoul


 

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