Hello friends!
We are gearing up for an awesome New Year! Our 2009 was one of the most incredible in the co-op's history and our success has everything to do with YOU and your incredible support. It's hard to believe, but a year ago today, we were just a little over halfway through with the renovation and the slab for the new part of the store hadn't even been poured yet. What a difference a year makes! We hope that we have been a positive part of your 2009 and that we can continue to serve you well in 2010!
Thanks again for all your support, good wishes, and ideas!
We have some holiday hours-
We are closing early on New Year's Eve at 9pm.
We are closed on New Year's Day.
We're back to normal open hours on January second ready for you to start the new year off right!
Scroll down for:
Collards and black eyed peas
Ring in the new year with the deli
and the Meat department
and take a trip to Cheese Island!
Check out New Year items in the grocery aisle!
Good luck and great fortune in 2010!
I recommend eating collards and black eyed peas on New Year's Day. My wife, Rosie and I have been doing it every year since moving to Texas and it is now a tradition that we DO NOT MISS! Here is a pretty good article about why YOU might want to add this tradition to your life! http://southerncuisine.suite101.com/article.cfm/new_years_black_eyed_peas_and_collard_greens
We have fresh black-eyed peas in the produce department as well as dried in bulk. These are pretty fast cooking beans, so they don't take the work of some dry beans.
We just cook our beans and make spicy collards along with some corn bread, but here is a vegan recipe that include collards and Black eyed peas in one dish!
http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2008/05/spicy-collards-and-black-eyed-pea-soup.html
And a traditional approach:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Ham-and-Black-Eyed-Pea-Soup-with-Collard-Greens-15835
You can also google black eyed peas and collards for even more ideas!
Happy New Year from your Wheatsville Deli! 2009 is about to become yet another page in the book of history, and from our vantage point it has been a big one! The year of the Wheatsville Renovation is coming to a close and what better way to celebrate than take advantage of all of the new offerings in our new space?! Espresso bar! Salad bar! Hot food bar! And so much more!!
For your party-hoppin' convenience, we are assembling some small trays available in our grab-n-go areas, each one suitable for snacking by about ten hungry holiday revelers!
Our $9.99 Crudite Tray brings together a healthy and colorful assortment of fresh veggies for you, and we'll also have large containers of our Cashew-Tamari Dressing on hand for your dipping pleasure.
Our $11.99 Antipasto Tray features a Mediterranean-themed spread of sliced provolone cheese, Bianco d'Oro and Genoa salamis, alongside Greek Country olives, Mixed Antipasto olives and Roasted Red Peppers.
Our $9.99 Cheese Tray includes four hefty portions of cubed dairy delight: Colby, Cheddar, Monterey Jack and Smoked Provolone!
Also available to ensure your New Year's Eve celebration's success are our much-loved Garlic Chive Cheddar Cheeseballs! A spiced-up blend of four cheeses rolled in herbs and sprinkled with paprika, these Cheeseballs make a beautiful and delectable centerpiece for a platter of crackers!
And of course, a southern New Year's celebration wouldn't be complete without a dose of the ol' organic black-eyed peas for good luck! As of right this moment, we are featuring our delicious new Lucky Black-eyed Pea Soup, hearty and filled not only with black-eyed peas, but also with lots of tasty veggies like organic kale, corn and tomatoes. Also on the hot bar through the weekend, we'll have lots of Braised Kale with Black-eyed Peas to accompany fresh, hot Vegan Cornbread. In our Deli's full service case we have our classic Texas Caviar, a cold salad of creamy black-eyed peas tossed with crunchy veggies in a red wine vinaigrette.
So, think New Year's 2010 and think Wheatsville! Whatever your holiday needs, the Deli's got you covered!
Happy New Year from the meat department!!
Got a pot luck dinner on New Year's Day or maybe a BBQ? Swing by the meat case and pick up some delicious treats. Try out our great fresh sausages, made in house, on the grill. Sweet Italian, hot Italian, chorizo, and breakfast sausage all $7.99 lb and made with great Niman ranch pork. Other great grilling suggestions: Turkey burgers (very popular and made with organic turkey) $3.99 lb, Salmon burgers (ginger and toasted sesame oil add to the Asian inspired flavors) $14.99 lb, Cilantro & Lime chicken patties (zesty and tasty on the grill) $6.99 lb, Cajun catfish (a favorite) $6.99 lb.
The meat market has specials!
Niman beef stew meat $8.49 lb, regularly $8.99lb
Niman beef top round roast $7.49 lb, regularly $7.99 lb
Niman ground beef 80/20 $4.99 lb everyday
Be sure to look for great $1 off coupons for Niman and Organic prairie products.
Try these on some of our new items: Niman ranch salt pork (a must for you black eyed peas), Niman Ranch pulled pork (fully cooked, easy to heat and eat) 1 lb $8.49, Niman ranch assorted salami dry cured $6.49 / herbed $7.49.
Have a safe and happy New Year's celebration! See ya next year!
A trip to Cheese Island for the New Year!
The cheese department has a few sales for the holiday season. Organic Valley Pasteurized Sharp Cheddar 8 oz. is on sale for $4.49, regularly $5.29. Organic Valley Shredded Parmesan is on sale for $3.49, regularly $4.29. Organic Valley Blue Cheese Crumbles is on sale for $3.49, regularly $4.29. The blue cheese crumbles are located in the produce department in the same case as the packaged salads.
If you are still thinking of gift ideas, might I suggest a cheese, wine and cracker gift basket? We have all the wonderful items to fill your gift basket here at Wheatsville. Talk to your friendly cheese monger for suggestions.
In The Grocery Aisle
New Year's Party Items:
We've got Knudsen's Sparkling Apple Cider, Sparkling Cranberry and Sparkling Pear on sale 2 for $5 if you're looking for the midnight toast without the alcohol. We've also got party size Garden of Eatin' Chips in three flavors for $3.49, and Salpica salsa and dips for $2.99. Come over to Wheatsville for any of your New Year's party needs. Justin Merrifield, Grocery Buyer
Thank you so much! Let me be the first to say, SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!
Dan Gillotte
Wheatsville GM, e-mail guy and 2010 enthusiast!
Austin's Community Grocery since 1976. We're a funky grocery store in one of the coolest towns in the country, Austin TX. We have all kinds of great food with a focus on local and organic!
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Wheatsville Winter Flavorland!
Hi Wheatsville friends!
We hope you had a good winter solstice! And, we wish you a Merry Christmas and Joyful Kwanzaa!
I also hope that you have a great New Year, but we'll have one more e-mail between now and 2010!
Scroll down for:
Holi-deli!
Grocery stocking stuffers
Cheese Island
Meat department news
Happy Holidays from your Wheatsville Deli! Christmas is coming and your co-op has you covered! We'll have all of your holiday favorites ready to go, like our Vegan Cornbread Stuffing, Leek-Roasted Carrots and Tempeh, Vegan Mushroom Gravy, Garlic Chive Cheddar Cheese Balls and Rosemary Biscuits! Plus homemade Pumpkin, Pecan and Vegan Coconut Cream Pies!
Our hotbar will also be Christmas inspired! We will have lots of yummy hot food for you during the holidays such as Boarshead Honey Ham in an apple Au Jous sauce and Creamy Coconut Mashed Sweet Potatoes. And of course, vegan cornbread stuffing! This is perfect if you are running around, too busy to cook.
The Tiny Brinie Bar is perfect for Holiday snacking. Castelvetrano olives are a fantastic way to impress friends and family with something they may have never tasted. This olive is slightly buttery, very much like a black olive, but with the bite of a green olive. The deli will also be making a new item for the Christmas holiday – Feta & roasted red pepper tortas. These tortas are great with crackers and fruit. Just take the container, score the side so that the torta will come out easy and then flip it upside down on a plate – enjoy!!!
New Year's is just around the corner. We will be making a variety of small platters for an easy quick addition to your holiday party. We have a domestic Cheese Platter – only $9.99, an Antipasta Platter – $11.99, featuring a variety of olives, salami, and roasted peppers, and a crudite platter - $9.99. Grab a bottle of Cashew Tamari Dressing and make this platter a real crowd pleaser.
In The Grocery Aisle
Last minute stocking stuffers.
Everyone loves to find candy in their stockings. We've got plenty of options at Wheatsville. There are chocolate bars of all kinds from Chocolove, Green and Black's and Equal Exchange all on sale. We've also got Q. bel Wafer Bars and Rolls with milk or dark chocolate and peanut butter. If chocolate isn't the right thing, try some Yummy Earth Organic Lollipops and hard candies in flavors like pomegranate and chili mango. Happy Holidays. Justin Merrifield, Grocery Buyer
Word from Cheese Island
The cheese department has a few sales for the holiday season. Organic Valley Pasteurized Sharp Cheddar 8 oz. is on sale for $4.49, regularly $5.29. Organic Valley Shredded Parmesan is on sale for $3.49, regularly $4.29. Organic Valley Blue Cheese Crumbles is on sale for $3.49, regularly $4.29. The blue cheese crumbles are located in the produce department in the same case as the packaged salads.
If you are still thinking of gift ideas, might I suggest a cheese, wine and cracker gift basket. We have all the wonderful items to fill your gift basket here at Wheatsville. Talk to your friendly cheese monger for suggestions
Word from the Meat Department
Wheatsville has lots of specials for this week in the meat market:
Organic Christmas turkeys (certified organic & certified humane treatment) and Spiral Hams (certified humane treatment) now while supplies last!
Organic Prairie whole Turkey 12-15# $2.99 lb (Parts will also be available for extras)
Niman Ranch bone-in Smoked spiral cut hams $6.99 lb. (Fully cooked and includes a glazing packet)
Other specials to make your holidays great:
Look for $1 off coupons for any Niman Ranch & Organic Prairie products this week till the end of the year!
Niman Ranch Boneless Rib Roast $12.99 lb. (lowest price ever!)
Niman Beef top round roasts $ 7.59 lb
Niman Beef stew meat $ 8.49 lb
Niman Salt pork $ 4.69 lb
Niman Lamb Shanks $ 7.59 lb
Niman Lamb boneless sirloin roast $ 14.99 lb
Don't forget our fresh made sausages. Try the breakfast style or sweet Italian in your turkey stuffing for the best stuffing you've ever had. All flavors $7.99 lb.
Need something to snack on? Try some snack meats: Grass-fed Summer Sausage $10.99 lb, Grass-fed snack sticks $6.99 lb, Boarshead Black Pepper Salami $6.29 ea, Niman ranch dry Italian Salami $6.99 ea & herbed $7.49 ea, Applegate farms pepperoni sliced $5.99 8oz pack, Applegate farms Organic Genoa salami $6.49 8oz pack.
Happy Holidays! Yay Rochdale Pioneers! Go co-op!
Dan Gillotte
Wheatsville GM and e-mail guy
We hope you had a good winter solstice! And, we wish you a Merry Christmas and Joyful Kwanzaa!
I also hope that you have a great New Year, but we'll have one more e-mail between now and 2010!
Scroll down for:
Holi-deli!
Grocery stocking stuffers
Cheese Island
Meat department news
Happy Holidays from your Wheatsville Deli! Christmas is coming and your co-op has you covered! We'll have all of your holiday favorites ready to go, like our Vegan Cornbread Stuffing, Leek-Roasted Carrots and Tempeh, Vegan Mushroom Gravy, Garlic Chive Cheddar Cheese Balls and Rosemary Biscuits! Plus homemade Pumpkin, Pecan and Vegan Coconut Cream Pies!
Our hotbar will also be Christmas inspired! We will have lots of yummy hot food for you during the holidays such as Boarshead Honey Ham in an apple Au Jous sauce and Creamy Coconut Mashed Sweet Potatoes. And of course, vegan cornbread stuffing! This is perfect if you are running around, too busy to cook.
The Tiny Brinie Bar is perfect for Holiday snacking. Castelvetrano olives are a fantastic way to impress friends and family with something they may have never tasted. This olive is slightly buttery, very much like a black olive, but with the bite of a green olive. The deli will also be making a new item for the Christmas holiday – Feta & roasted red pepper tortas. These tortas are great with crackers and fruit. Just take the container, score the side so that the torta will come out easy and then flip it upside down on a plate – enjoy!!!
New Year's is just around the corner. We will be making a variety of small platters for an easy quick addition to your holiday party. We have a domestic Cheese Platter – only $9.99, an Antipasta Platter – $11.99, featuring a variety of olives, salami, and roasted peppers, and a crudite platter - $9.99. Grab a bottle of Cashew Tamari Dressing and make this platter a real crowd pleaser.
In The Grocery Aisle
Last minute stocking stuffers.
Everyone loves to find candy in their stockings. We've got plenty of options at Wheatsville. There are chocolate bars of all kinds from Chocolove, Green and Black's and Equal Exchange all on sale. We've also got Q. bel Wafer Bars and Rolls with milk or dark chocolate and peanut butter. If chocolate isn't the right thing, try some Yummy Earth Organic Lollipops and hard candies in flavors like pomegranate and chili mango. Happy Holidays. Justin Merrifield, Grocery Buyer
Word from Cheese Island
The cheese department has a few sales for the holiday season. Organic Valley Pasteurized Sharp Cheddar 8 oz. is on sale for $4.49, regularly $5.29. Organic Valley Shredded Parmesan is on sale for $3.49, regularly $4.29. Organic Valley Blue Cheese Crumbles is on sale for $3.49, regularly $4.29. The blue cheese crumbles are located in the produce department in the same case as the packaged salads.
If you are still thinking of gift ideas, might I suggest a cheese, wine and cracker gift basket. We have all the wonderful items to fill your gift basket here at Wheatsville. Talk to your friendly cheese monger for suggestions
Word from the Meat Department
Wheatsville has lots of specials for this week in the meat market:
Organic Christmas turkeys (certified organic & certified humane treatment) and Spiral Hams (certified humane treatment) now while supplies last!
Organic Prairie whole Turkey 12-15# $2.99 lb (Parts will also be available for extras)
Niman Ranch bone-in Smoked spiral cut hams $6.99 lb. (Fully cooked and includes a glazing packet)
Other specials to make your holidays great:
Look for $1 off coupons for any Niman Ranch & Organic Prairie products this week till the end of the year!
Niman Ranch Boneless Rib Roast $12.99 lb. (lowest price ever!)
Niman Beef top round roasts $ 7.59 lb
Niman Beef stew meat $ 8.49 lb
Niman Salt pork $ 4.69 lb
Niman Lamb Shanks $ 7.59 lb
Niman Lamb boneless sirloin roast $ 14.99 lb
Don't forget our fresh made sausages. Try the breakfast style or sweet Italian in your turkey stuffing for the best stuffing you've ever had. All flavors $7.99 lb.
Need something to snack on? Try some snack meats: Grass-fed Summer Sausage $10.99 lb, Grass-fed snack sticks $6.99 lb, Boarshead Black Pepper Salami $6.29 ea, Niman ranch dry Italian Salami $6.99 ea & herbed $7.49 ea, Applegate farms pepperoni sliced $5.99 8oz pack, Applegate farms Organic Genoa salami $6.49 8oz pack.
Happy Holidays! Yay Rochdale Pioneers! Go co-op!
Dan Gillotte
Wheatsville GM and e-mail guy
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Wheatsville rocks in December!
Hello Wheatsville friends!
If you are celebrating or about to celebrate any of our winter holidays, we wish you the best! We have a lot of nice and easy items to brighten these long nights and make any holiday party sparkle and taste great!
We do have some hours changes for the coming couple of weeks that you might want to make note of-
We close early on Christmas Eve (Dec. 24th) at 7pm
We're closed on Christmas Day (Dec. 25th)
We will have SPECIAL HOURS on Saturday and Sunday the 26th and 27th from 10AM-10PM
We close early on New Years Eve(Dec. 31) at 9pm.
We're closed on New Year's Day (Jan. 1st)
I also want to let you know that we are doing some construction fixes to the produce back room from 12/26- about January 4th. During that time, you may find some reduction in our produce selection. We're going to do all we can to have nearly all you might be looking for, but we won't have a walk-in or normal produce back room while the construction is happening, so it will be a little challenging. Thanks in advance for rolling with this along WITH us!
I must take this opportunity to thank you so much for a tremendous, monumental, exciting and successful 2009! We're looking forward to an even better 2010 and we wish the same for you!
We're chock full with delights this week! Scroll down for:
The deli has your Christmas covered!
Meat specials
Cheese platter tips along wit some wine pairing suggestions!
Savor the produce with a recipe!
Love ChocoLove!
By Owner's request
Staff Top 10!
From the Deli
Happy Holidays from your Wheatsville Deli! Christmas is coming and your co-op has you covered! We'll have all of your holiday favorites ready to go, like our Vegan Cornbread Stuffing, Leek-Roasted Carrots and Tempeh, Vegan Mushroom Gravy, Garlic Chive Cheddar Cheese Balls and Rosemary Biscuits! Plus homemade Pumpkin, Pecan and Vegan Coconut Cream Pies! And be sure to keep an eye on our hot bar during the week of Christmas for some seasonal, holiday-inspired dishes!
And while the weather stays chilly, we'll be keeping a rotating selection of hot soups in our self-service Grab'n'Go case. We are packing both pints and quarts for your convenience – stick some in your fridge or freezer to warm up a quick, satisfying and hot bowl of African Peanut, Mushroom Barley or Broccoli Cheddar anytime!
The Bakery Case is brimming with all of our classic goodies, like Carrot Cake, Buttermilk Cookies and Berry Brownies! And we have just added a tray of all-new pastries for your morning delight! We are excited to introduce some new items from Austin Favorite, Sweetish Hill Bakery, into the store! We are now offering a big, buttery Croissant, Cherry & Cheese Danish, and Cinnamon Roll! Mocha! These three new items are a huge bang for your buck, both filling and delectable, and perfect alongside a hot beverage from our organic and fair-trade Espresso Bar, like the chocolaty This month, owners can save 50 cents off both sizes of our Mocha – a freshly brewed cup of coffee with your choice of steamed milk and a few squeezes of Dagoba organic chocolate syrup stirred in!
The Deli Counter shines this month with our holiday-inspired Very Berry Christmas Smoothie! Blending strawberries and raspberries with bananas, apple juice and soymilk, this frozen scarlet treat is an annual favorite!
December's Salsa of the Month is the Roasted Tomato Salsa! Oven-roasting adds sweetness to vine-ripened tomatoes and onions, and smokiness to jalapenos – when hand-blended with some fresh cilantro and lemon juice, they create a very tasty salsa! Plus, this salsa is an Owner Special for this month, on sale for just 4.49/lb!
In December, the Deli Counter is running a special on Boar's Head Ovengold Turkey, usually $9.99/lb, and on sale this month for $9.49/lb. Also on sale is Boar's Head Muenster Cheese, regularly $5.99/lb and selling this month for only $4.99/lb!
Wheatsville Co-op owners will also find our beloved and best-selling Frito Pie on sale this month! This giant pile of Frito corn chips topped with our award-winning Tempeh Chili, Monterey Jack cheese, onions and jalapenos is on sale now! Or skip the cheese for a totally vegan meal!
Whatever your tastes, come on in to your Wheatsville Deli and we're sure you'll find something you'll love! And be sure to ask for samples!
From Bryan, the Butcher
Brrrrr.... One of my favorite things about cold weather is cooking. I love to make soups, beans, stews, pot roasts and braised lamb. If you feel the same look for specials and new items in the meat case you next time into Wheatsville.
Niman Beef top round roasts $ 7.59 lb
Niman Beef stew meat $ 8.49 lb
Niman Salt pork $ 4.69 lb
Niman Lamb Shanks $ 7.59 lb
Niman Lamb boneless sirloin roast $ 14.99 lb
Get you Christmas turkeys and hams now while supplies last!
Organic Prairie whole Turkey 12-15# $2.99 lb
Niman Ranch spiral cut hams $6.99 lb.
From Greg, Captain of Cheese Island
Wondering what to do for your next christmas dinner or party? Why not impress your friends and family with a cheese plate. It is simple to present and can be served as an appetizer course, the main course or as a desert. Yes, desert. You should serve 3 to seven cheeses with a variety of textures ( soft, semi soft, firm or hard) milks and (cow, goat, ewe) and tastes (mild to strong). The amount of cheese to buy is dependent on where in the meal the cheese plate is being served. If the cheese plate is being served as an appetizer, desert or as an hour dourve 3 - 4 ounces of each cheese per person and 6 ounces if the cheese plate is the main course.
You should allow the cheeses to sit out an hour before being served. The flavors become stronger as the cheese warms.The cheese should be presented from mildest flavor to the strongest flavor, moving clockwise. Don't know which cheese is the strongest in flavor? Then use your nose. The stinkiest cheeses are usually the strongest in flavor. That means that blues are generally the last on the plate.
Use a different knife for each cheese so that the next person isn't left with a Druken Goat Cheese that tastses like English Stilton. You can garnish the plate with grape or fig leaves, sliced apples or pears, maybe some edible flowers for bling. Crackers or a crusty bread are generally served along with the cheese plate. Use plain crackers. Crackers with pepper or herbs will compete with the flavor of the cheese. Remember it is all about the cheese. You want to compliment not compete. To accompany the cheese and bread you could sever a fig spread, quince paste, olives, apples, pears and roasted nuts. Sliced onions go well with blues. Wines go great with cheese and for every good cheese, there is a good wine. Sweeter wines go better with the stronger, saltier cheeses. A good Port or Muscat would compliment a good blue.
You could give your plate a theme. Serve French cheeses from different regions and serve a wine that is from each region. Remember, it's all up to you and your cheese plate can be anything you want. There are no rules. Happy pairing!!!
The cheese department has a few sales for the holiday season. Organic Valley Pasteurized Sharp Cheddar 8 oz. is on sale for $4.49, regularly $5.29. Organic Valley Shredded Parmesan is on sale for $3.49, regularly $4.29. Organic Valley Blue Cheese Crumbles is on sale for $3.49, regularly $4.29. The blue cheese crumbles are located in the produce department in the same case as the packaged salads.
If you are still thinking of gift ideas, might I suggest a cheese, wine and cracker gift basket. We have all the wonderful items to fill your gift basket here at Wheatsville. Talk to your friendly cheese monger for suggestions.
Savoring the Season in produce! with Johnny Livesay
I hope everyone is enjoying the tangerines and other citrus right now. If you haven't eaten any, feel free to ask me or any other produce clerk to open one up for you. The Texas citrus has been really great so far. This week we have Texas Meyer lemons, sunburst tangerines, Rio Star grapefruit, Marrs oranges (loose and in 3 lb bags for juicing) and bower tangerines. We also have delicious satsuma tangerines and navel oranges. Look for more citrus in the coming weeks and enjoy these fruits while they are in season to taste the difference.
What's Local?
In addition to the citrus fruits mentioned above, we have some nice fall and winter vegetables available as well: turnips with tops, jalepenos and serranos from Onion Creek Farm, Kitchen Pride mushrooms, Amador Farms hydroponic bibb lettuce, Texas Naturals Red Kale, and Texas Fuji apples from the panhandle.
Chestnuts
As a Texan, I'm not too familiar with chestnuts, yet after having them I feel like I've been missing out. Commonly referred to as 'tree potatoes' in Europe, chestnuts can be used similarly and have a delicate, nutty flavor. They are a little difficult to get into, but once you do...YUM. Here is a really easy and delicious recipe to utilize them:
Braised Cabbage with Chestnuts
2lb red cabbage
1 lb chestnuts, boiled and peeled
6 Tbsp butter
Chicken stock to cover
salt and pepper to taste
1. With a sharp knife, cut an X in the flat-side of the chestnuts. Bring about two quarts of salted water to a boil and add the chestnuts, boil for 10 minutes. Peel and set aside (you must boil them to get them open, do not eat raw chestnuts).
2. Cut cabbage in half and remove the core. Slice thinly. In a large saute pan, or medium sized pot, add the butter and heat over a medium heat.
3. Add cabbage and chestnuts and stir well to coat with butter. Cook fro 2-3 minutes. Add chicken stock to cover. Bring braise to a simmer, reduce heat to maintain a slow simmer, cover and cook for 45 minutes. Stir often. When 45 minutes have passed add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with roasted pork or beef or by itself. To make this recipe vegan/vegetarian, substitute Earth Balance for butter and Imagine No Chicken Broth for the chicken stock.
In the Grocery Aisle with Justin Merrifield, Grocery Buyer
Chocolove Mini Chocolate Bars:
New from Chocolove! Wheatsville has Mini Chocolate Bars in six varieties on sale right now for 79 cents each. It's a treat that you don't feel so bad about when you realize you've eaten the whole thing. They're the same Chocolove flavors that we know and love, but in at a price and size that are easier to swallow. Of course, we do have the full-size ones on sale right now too.http://www.chocolove.com/ These make EXCELLENT stocking stuffers!
BY OWNER REQUEST—Niki Nash, Wheatsville Merchandising Manager
This week's product we brought in by owner request is Kinnikinnik S'moreables Graham Style Crackers. These crackers are gluten-free and delicious! They're located in the cookie aisle, very close to the vegan marshmallows and the fair-trade chocolate. Yes, that means you can now make a gluten-free, vegan, fair trade S'more! Yum!
Staff Top Ten Picks!
Check out our "Staff Top Ten Picks" posted throughout the store, we work here and shop here!!!
Look for the green signs in front of the products.
From Lucio Gamboa, Cashier & Bagger
1. Smoked Gouda from Holland: I want to eat my way out of this.
2. Niman Ranch Apple Gouda Sausage: Everything about this is delicious.
3. Helwa Choco Wafers: The perfect treat.
4. Spaten Optimator : Will keep you warm and buzzin' this winter.
5. Garden of Eatin' Guac Chips: Add cheese to these and its nachos!
6. Almond Krinkles (in bulk): Make my mornings so much better.
7. Sambazon Amazon Cherry Smoothie Packs: Who needs a smoothie when they taste so good?
8. Bubbie's Sauerkraut: Makes my heart go pitter patter.
9. Pureluck Del Cielo: Del Cielo + bread = Heaven
10. Quorn Gruyere Cutlets: They make great sandwiches.
From Stacy Lamy, Cashier
Wheat-free Thai Style Pasta- kinda spicy deliciousness. Peanuts make it crunchy. Best when warmed up.
La Croix (lah-qwah) - Lime goes great with Mexican fare, mixed berry with everything else. Great price!
The Merry Hempsters Vegan Hemp Lip Balm- Great texture and yummy flavors. From the great land of Oregon!
Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread (soy-free variety)- Never thought I'd find a substitute for butter, but...VOILA!
Texas Longhorns (dark chocolate)- Oh My! I get some when I've been a good girl :)
Pyrenees Cheese with Green Pepper- A little sweet, creamy and peppery...the cheese they eat in heaven.
Aura Cacia Essential Oils- Blend equal parts: clove, cinnamon, eucalyptus, rosemary and lemon for an immunity boosting bacteria killer. Use topically.
Gala Apples- My most "favoritest" apple. Grab some crunchy bulk peanut butter and munch out!
Ravenswood Zinfandel- Always pleasant, never rude. My first Zin is my favorite. From California.
Adbusters Magazine- This stellar publication makes me think, feel and question.
I hope that you have a great week!
Dan
Wheatsville GM and e-mail guy
If you are celebrating or about to celebrate any of our winter holidays, we wish you the best! We have a lot of nice and easy items to brighten these long nights and make any holiday party sparkle and taste great!
We do have some hours changes for the coming couple of weeks that you might want to make note of-
We close early on Christmas Eve (Dec. 24th) at 7pm
We're closed on Christmas Day (Dec. 25th)
We will have SPECIAL HOURS on Saturday and Sunday the 26th and 27th from 10AM-10PM
We close early on New Years Eve(Dec. 31) at 9pm.
We're closed on New Year's Day (Jan. 1st)
I also want to let you know that we are doing some construction fixes to the produce back room from 12/26- about January 4th. During that time, you may find some reduction in our produce selection. We're going to do all we can to have nearly all you might be looking for, but we won't have a walk-in or normal produce back room while the construction is happening, so it will be a little challenging. Thanks in advance for rolling with this along WITH us!
I must take this opportunity to thank you so much for a tremendous, monumental, exciting and successful 2009! We're looking forward to an even better 2010 and we wish the same for you!
We're chock full with delights this week! Scroll down for:
The deli has your Christmas covered!
Meat specials
Cheese platter tips along wit some wine pairing suggestions!
Savor the produce with a recipe!
Love ChocoLove!
By Owner's request
Staff Top 10!
From the Deli
Happy Holidays from your Wheatsville Deli! Christmas is coming and your co-op has you covered! We'll have all of your holiday favorites ready to go, like our Vegan Cornbread Stuffing, Leek-Roasted Carrots and Tempeh, Vegan Mushroom Gravy, Garlic Chive Cheddar Cheese Balls and Rosemary Biscuits! Plus homemade Pumpkin, Pecan and Vegan Coconut Cream Pies! And be sure to keep an eye on our hot bar during the week of Christmas for some seasonal, holiday-inspired dishes!
And while the weather stays chilly, we'll be keeping a rotating selection of hot soups in our self-service Grab'n'Go case. We are packing both pints and quarts for your convenience – stick some in your fridge or freezer to warm up a quick, satisfying and hot bowl of African Peanut, Mushroom Barley or Broccoli Cheddar anytime!
The Bakery Case is brimming with all of our classic goodies, like Carrot Cake, Buttermilk Cookies and Berry Brownies! And we have just added a tray of all-new pastries for your morning delight! We are excited to introduce some new items from Austin Favorite, Sweetish Hill Bakery, into the store! We are now offering a big, buttery Croissant, Cherry & Cheese Danish, and Cinnamon Roll! Mocha! These three new items are a huge bang for your buck, both filling and delectable, and perfect alongside a hot beverage from our organic and fair-trade Espresso Bar, like the chocolaty This month, owners can save 50 cents off both sizes of our Mocha – a freshly brewed cup of coffee with your choice of steamed milk and a few squeezes of Dagoba organic chocolate syrup stirred in!
The Deli Counter shines this month with our holiday-inspired Very Berry Christmas Smoothie! Blending strawberries and raspberries with bananas, apple juice and soymilk, this frozen scarlet treat is an annual favorite!
December's Salsa of the Month is the Roasted Tomato Salsa! Oven-roasting adds sweetness to vine-ripened tomatoes and onions, and smokiness to jalapenos – when hand-blended with some fresh cilantro and lemon juice, they create a very tasty salsa! Plus, this salsa is an Owner Special for this month, on sale for just 4.49/lb!
In December, the Deli Counter is running a special on Boar's Head Ovengold Turkey, usually $9.99/lb, and on sale this month for $9.49/lb. Also on sale is Boar's Head Muenster Cheese, regularly $5.99/lb and selling this month for only $4.99/lb!
Wheatsville Co-op owners will also find our beloved and best-selling Frito Pie on sale this month! This giant pile of Frito corn chips topped with our award-winning Tempeh Chili, Monterey Jack cheese, onions and jalapenos is on sale now! Or skip the cheese for a totally vegan meal!
Whatever your tastes, come on in to your Wheatsville Deli and we're sure you'll find something you'll love! And be sure to ask for samples!
From Bryan, the Butcher
Brrrrr.... One of my favorite things about cold weather is cooking. I love to make soups, beans, stews, pot roasts and braised lamb. If you feel the same look for specials and new items in the meat case you next time into Wheatsville.
Niman Beef top round roasts $ 7.59 lb
Niman Beef stew meat $ 8.49 lb
Niman Salt pork $ 4.69 lb
Niman Lamb Shanks $ 7.59 lb
Niman Lamb boneless sirloin roast $ 14.99 lb
Get you Christmas turkeys and hams now while supplies last!
Organic Prairie whole Turkey 12-15# $2.99 lb
Niman Ranch spiral cut hams $6.99 lb.
From Greg, Captain of Cheese Island
Wondering what to do for your next christmas dinner or party? Why not impress your friends and family with a cheese plate. It is simple to present and can be served as an appetizer course, the main course or as a desert. Yes, desert. You should serve 3 to seven cheeses with a variety of textures ( soft, semi soft, firm or hard) milks and (cow, goat, ewe) and tastes (mild to strong). The amount of cheese to buy is dependent on where in the meal the cheese plate is being served. If the cheese plate is being served as an appetizer, desert or as an hour dourve 3 - 4 ounces of each cheese per person and 6 ounces if the cheese plate is the main course.
You should allow the cheeses to sit out an hour before being served. The flavors become stronger as the cheese warms.The cheese should be presented from mildest flavor to the strongest flavor, moving clockwise. Don't know which cheese is the strongest in flavor? Then use your nose. The stinkiest cheeses are usually the strongest in flavor. That means that blues are generally the last on the plate.
Use a different knife for each cheese so that the next person isn't left with a Druken Goat Cheese that tastses like English Stilton. You can garnish the plate with grape or fig leaves, sliced apples or pears, maybe some edible flowers for bling. Crackers or a crusty bread are generally served along with the cheese plate. Use plain crackers. Crackers with pepper or herbs will compete with the flavor of the cheese. Remember it is all about the cheese. You want to compliment not compete. To accompany the cheese and bread you could sever a fig spread, quince paste, olives, apples, pears and roasted nuts. Sliced onions go well with blues. Wines go great with cheese and for every good cheese, there is a good wine. Sweeter wines go better with the stronger, saltier cheeses. A good Port or Muscat would compliment a good blue.
You could give your plate a theme. Serve French cheeses from different regions and serve a wine that is from each region. Remember, it's all up to you and your cheese plate can be anything you want. There are no rules. Happy pairing!!!
The cheese department has a few sales for the holiday season. Organic Valley Pasteurized Sharp Cheddar 8 oz. is on sale for $4.49, regularly $5.29. Organic Valley Shredded Parmesan is on sale for $3.49, regularly $4.29. Organic Valley Blue Cheese Crumbles is on sale for $3.49, regularly $4.29. The blue cheese crumbles are located in the produce department in the same case as the packaged salads.
If you are still thinking of gift ideas, might I suggest a cheese, wine and cracker gift basket. We have all the wonderful items to fill your gift basket here at Wheatsville. Talk to your friendly cheese monger for suggestions.
Savoring the Season in produce! with Johnny Livesay
I hope everyone is enjoying the tangerines and other citrus right now. If you haven't eaten any, feel free to ask me or any other produce clerk to open one up for you. The Texas citrus has been really great so far. This week we have Texas Meyer lemons, sunburst tangerines, Rio Star grapefruit, Marrs oranges (loose and in 3 lb bags for juicing) and bower tangerines. We also have delicious satsuma tangerines and navel oranges. Look for more citrus in the coming weeks and enjoy these fruits while they are in season to taste the difference.
What's Local?
In addition to the citrus fruits mentioned above, we have some nice fall and winter vegetables available as well: turnips with tops, jalepenos and serranos from Onion Creek Farm, Kitchen Pride mushrooms, Amador Farms hydroponic bibb lettuce, Texas Naturals Red Kale, and Texas Fuji apples from the panhandle.
Chestnuts
As a Texan, I'm not too familiar with chestnuts, yet after having them I feel like I've been missing out. Commonly referred to as 'tree potatoes' in Europe, chestnuts can be used similarly and have a delicate, nutty flavor. They are a little difficult to get into, but once you do...YUM. Here is a really easy and delicious recipe to utilize them:
Braised Cabbage with Chestnuts
2lb red cabbage
1 lb chestnuts, boiled and peeled
6 Tbsp butter
Chicken stock to cover
salt and pepper to taste
1. With a sharp knife, cut an X in the flat-side of the chestnuts. Bring about two quarts of salted water to a boil and add the chestnuts, boil for 10 minutes. Peel and set aside (you must boil them to get them open, do not eat raw chestnuts).
2. Cut cabbage in half and remove the core. Slice thinly. In a large saute pan, or medium sized pot, add the butter and heat over a medium heat.
3. Add cabbage and chestnuts and stir well to coat with butter. Cook fro 2-3 minutes. Add chicken stock to cover. Bring braise to a simmer, reduce heat to maintain a slow simmer, cover and cook for 45 minutes. Stir often. When 45 minutes have passed add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with roasted pork or beef or by itself. To make this recipe vegan/vegetarian, substitute Earth Balance for butter and Imagine No Chicken Broth for the chicken stock.
In the Grocery Aisle with Justin Merrifield, Grocery Buyer
Chocolove Mini Chocolate Bars:
New from Chocolove! Wheatsville has Mini Chocolate Bars in six varieties on sale right now for 79 cents each. It's a treat that you don't feel so bad about when you realize you've eaten the whole thing. They're the same Chocolove flavors that we know and love, but in at a price and size that are easier to swallow. Of course, we do have the full-size ones on sale right now too.http://www.chocolove.com/ These make EXCELLENT stocking stuffers!
BY OWNER REQUEST—Niki Nash, Wheatsville Merchandising Manager
This week's product we brought in by owner request is Kinnikinnik S'moreables Graham Style Crackers. These crackers are gluten-free and delicious! They're located in the cookie aisle, very close to the vegan marshmallows and the fair-trade chocolate. Yes, that means you can now make a gluten-free, vegan, fair trade S'more! Yum!
Staff Top Ten Picks!
Check out our "Staff Top Ten Picks" posted throughout the store, we work here and shop here!!!
Look for the green signs in front of the products.
From Lucio Gamboa, Cashier & Bagger
1. Smoked Gouda from Holland: I want to eat my way out of this.
2. Niman Ranch Apple Gouda Sausage: Everything about this is delicious.
3. Helwa Choco Wafers: The perfect treat.
4. Spaten Optimator : Will keep you warm and buzzin' this winter.
5. Garden of Eatin' Guac Chips: Add cheese to these and its nachos!
6. Almond Krinkles (in bulk): Make my mornings so much better.
7. Sambazon Amazon Cherry Smoothie Packs: Who needs a smoothie when they taste so good?
8. Bubbie's Sauerkraut: Makes my heart go pitter patter.
9. Pureluck Del Cielo: Del Cielo + bread = Heaven
10. Quorn Gruyere Cutlets: They make great sandwiches.
From Stacy Lamy, Cashier
Wheat-free Thai Style Pasta- kinda spicy deliciousness. Peanuts make it crunchy. Best when warmed up.
La Croix (lah-qwah) - Lime goes great with Mexican fare, mixed berry with everything else. Great price!
The Merry Hempsters Vegan Hemp Lip Balm- Great texture and yummy flavors. From the great land of Oregon!
Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread (soy-free variety)- Never thought I'd find a substitute for butter, but...VOILA!
Texas Longhorns (dark chocolate)- Oh My! I get some when I've been a good girl :)
Pyrenees Cheese with Green Pepper- A little sweet, creamy and peppery...the cheese they eat in heaven.
Aura Cacia Essential Oils- Blend equal parts: clove, cinnamon, eucalyptus, rosemary and lemon for an immunity boosting bacteria killer. Use topically.
Gala Apples- My most "favoritest" apple. Grab some crunchy bulk peanut butter and munch out!
Ravenswood Zinfandel- Always pleasant, never rude. My first Zin is my favorite. From California.
Adbusters Magazine- This stellar publication makes me think, feel and question.
I hope that you have a great week!
Dan
Wheatsville GM and e-mail guy
Friday, December 11, 2009
Tour YOUR store!
Hi friends,
apologies for the second e-mail, but I failed to include the most pressing announcement!
On Saturday Dec. 12th, (TOMORROW!) please join me at noon at the Hospitality Desk for a tour of YOUR store!
See the amazing Kitchen that cooks all of our delicious food!
Experience the back room where all the receiving excitement happens!
Marvel at our new facility and its green and aesthetic features.
Meet at the Hospitality Desk. There will be snacks!
Dan Gillotte
GM, e-mail guy and mysteries of the backstore tour guide!
apologies for the second e-mail, but I failed to include the most pressing announcement!
On Saturday Dec. 12th, (TOMORROW!) please join me at noon at the Hospitality Desk for a tour of YOUR store!
See the amazing Kitchen that cooks all of our delicious food!
Experience the back room where all the receiving excitement happens!
Marvel at our new facility and its green and aesthetic features.
Meet at the Hospitality Desk. There will be snacks!
Dan Gillotte
GM, e-mail guy and mysteries of the backstore tour guide!
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Happy December!
Hope you are having a great December!
We just concluded the 2009 election. Thanks to all the candidates and all who voted!
Welcome new and re-elected board members!
As you know, the 2009 Co-op Vote was concluded last night, and the Board of Directors has certified the results. As such, Board President Rose Marie Klee is pleased to present the Director election results:
3-year terms:
Theron Beaudreau
Kitten Holloway
Lee Blaney
2-year terms:
Kate Vickery
Doug Addison
On behalf of the Board of Directors and the Owners of Wheatsville Co-op, I would like to extend our sincere appreciation to all candidates! It is you who become interested and engaged in leadership and oversight of our precious organization, who help ensure our ongoing success.
2010 Community Action Wednesday Groups and their month
2010 Community Action Schedule
January People's Community Clinic
February Safeplace
March Sustainable Food Center
April Ecology Action
May Yellow Bike Project
June Texans for Midwifery
July EmanciPet
August Hospice Austin
September Meals on Wheels and More
October Capital Area Food Bank
Housewares for the Holidays!
We have lots of fun stuff for the holidays in our Housewares Department. Andes Gifts offers fairly traded hats, gloves, ear warmers, kids and baby hats, hand and finger puppets. Hempy's hats are back, along with their wallets. Handmade Expressions has bags and journals. Shanti Imports has shoulder bags, purses and wallets from Guatemala. Bonnie B-Wear has beautiful handmade bags or purses. Back for the season are the handmade South African candles and coming Monday are Barth's beeswax frankincense and myrrh candles. Soy Delite candles are back for good! We also have beeswax and aromatherapy candles , made with solar power, from Sunbeam Candles. Austin Natural Soaps has 3 sampler sets, Lone Star, Flower Power and Austin Power. Blue Heron Photos, local photographer Ron Dessain, has mated nature and animal photos and greeting cards. Cotton holiday dish towel have also arrived. We have a lot more fun gifts for you, so come visit our Housewares Department soon!
Beer tastes good!
BEER TASTING DECEMBER 19th from 2:00 to 4:00! Please join us at the co-op for an historic event, our first ever beer tasting! Tom Allen, the owner of North Coast Brewery will be sampling three amazing beers including my own personal favorite beer, Old Rasputin Imperial Stout. A pioneer in the craft beer movement, North Coast Brewery opened in 1988 as a local brewpub in the historic town of Fort Bragg, located on California's Mendocino Coast. Under the leadership of brew master Mark Ruedrich, the brewery has developed a strong reputation for quality having won more than 70 awards in national and international competitions. Tom Allen will be sampling the following beers. Old Rasputin Imperial Stout is produced in the tradition of 18th Century English brewers who supplied the court of Russia's Catherine the Great. Old Rasputin seems to develop a cult following wherever it goes. It's a rich, intense brew with big complex flavors and a warming finish. Le Merle Belgian Style Farmhouse is a rustic ale, pale in color, inspired by the rich brewing traditions of the Flanders region. Abundant hops and a Belgian yeast strain contribute exotic aromas of tropical fruit. Brother Thelonious Belgian Style Abbey Ale is like a Belgian "Dark Strong Ale", the beer is rich and robust with an ABV of 9.3%. The package is a 750 ml bottle with a traditional cork and wire finish or 12oz 4 packs and features a label picturing the jazz master himself. Please come by the Co-op to meet Tom and try these fantastic brews!
BY OWNER REQUEST!
New frozen ice cream treats! Look in the ice cream side of the freezer doors for new delights such as Julie's Organic GLUTEN FREE Ice Cream Sandwiches. Delicious vanilla ice cream is sandwiched between two chocolatey GlutenFreeda brand cookies. If cow-milk's not your thing try LaLoo's Goat's Milk Ice Cream Sandwiches in Vanilla Snowflake flavor. If you're looking for a non-dairy frozen treat check out Rice Dream's new Rice Dream Bites-bite size nuggets of sweet vanilla rice milk coated in rich thick chocolate. Nom!
Thanks for your suggestions for new products!
-Niki Nash WV Merchandising Manager
In The Grocery Aisle
Mimic Crème Cream Substitute:
We now have both sweetened and unsweetened varieties of Mimic Crème at Wheatsville. Mimic Crème is a non-dairy cream substitute made from almonds and cashews instead of soy. They are also gluten free and vegan. Mimic Crème is a perfect alternative for cream in any recipe, and a very useful item in this dessert friendly season. Find recipes, comments and more about this product at http://www.mimiccreme.com
Justin Merrifield, Grocery Buyer
Winter Produce Bonanza!
'Tis the Season, Citrus Season
Mother Nature knows. Is it a coincidence that citrus season occurs when we need vitamin c the most, flu season? Is it also a coincidence that you happen to live in an area that may grow some of the finest citrus in the world? Right now in produce, we've got Texas Rio Star grapefruit, mars oranges, Valencia bags, meyer lemons and bower tangerines. We also have delicious Satsuma and daisy tangerines. In the coming weeks, keep an eye out for more selection of delicious citrus.
A Staff Favorite for You!
Several of our staff members have told me recently that they really love the new Organic Girl salad kits. Unlike the other clamshells of greens we sell, the Organic Girl packages are complete salad kits, with dressing and other goodies like croutons and berries. We currently offer the Caesar and Balsamic and Berries kits in the tall salad cooler for $4.59. Check'em out!
Brussels
This has been a great year for Brussels sprouts already. The sprouts on the stalks, despite their gnarly appearance (they look like old-school maces to me!) , seem to have caught on pretty well. Also the loose sprouts have been looking great, and have a nice sweetness to them! Yay for little cabbages.
Eat Your Greens
It is also the beginning of greens season. Greens are amazing and you really should eat more of them, c'mon! The kale is looking really great right now, and the collards of your dreams are starting to come in. With the weather cooling down, the greens start to take on a nice sweetness. 'Tis the season!
Bananas
Despite our cooler weather, this is the time to eat bananas at the peak of their season. Since they are mostly a Southern Hemisphere crop, enjoy the taste of summer in the heart of our "winter."
From Bryan, the Butcher
Hey stop by the meat case for some new items:
Rainbow Trout (de-boned) sustainably raised by www.rushingwaters.net $18.99 lb in the seafood counter.
Hot links by Richardson's Farms $8.49 lb in the freezer Niman Ranch spiral cut bone-in ham $6.99 lb This months owner specials:
Beef Top Round Roast $7.59 lb
Beef Stew Meat $8.49 lb
Organic Ground Turkey $4.99 lb
Plan ahead for christmas, wheatsville has Organic Prairie turkeys for $2.99 lb. Average weights are between 13-15 pounds. Super price for a certified organic turkeys take one home to the folks.
From Greg, on Cheese Island
The cheese department has a few sales for the holiday season. Organic Valley Pasteurized Sharp Cheddar 8 oz. is on sale for 4.49, regularly 5.29. Organic Valley Shredded Parmesan is on sale for 3.49, regularly 4.29. Organic Valley Blue Cheese Crumbles is on sale for 3.49, regularly 4.29. The blue cheese crumbles are located in the produce department in the same case as the packaged salads.
If you are still thinking of gift ideas, might I suggest a cheese, wine and cracker gift basket. We have all the wonderful items to fill your gift basket here at Wheatsville. Talk to your friendly cheese monger for suggestions.
Have a great week!
Dan Gillotte
Wheatsville GM and e-mail guy
We just concluded the 2009 election. Thanks to all the candidates and all who voted!
Welcome new and re-elected board members!
As you know, the 2009 Co-op Vote was concluded last night, and the Board of Directors has certified the results. As such, Board President Rose Marie Klee is pleased to present the Director election results:
3-year terms:
Theron Beaudreau
Kitten Holloway
Lee Blaney
2-year terms:
Kate Vickery
Doug Addison
On behalf of the Board of Directors and the Owners of Wheatsville Co-op, I would like to extend our sincere appreciation to all candidates! It is you who become interested and engaged in leadership and oversight of our precious organization, who help ensure our ongoing success.
2010 Community Action Wednesday Groups and their month
2010 Community Action Schedule
January People's Community Clinic
February Safeplace
March Sustainable Food Center
April Ecology Action
May Yellow Bike Project
June Texans for Midwifery
July EmanciPet
August Hospice Austin
September Meals on Wheels and More
October Capital Area Food Bank
Housewares for the Holidays!
We have lots of fun stuff for the holidays in our Housewares Department. Andes Gifts offers fairly traded hats, gloves, ear warmers, kids and baby hats, hand and finger puppets. Hempy's hats are back, along with their wallets. Handmade Expressions has bags and journals. Shanti Imports has shoulder bags, purses and wallets from Guatemala. Bonnie B-Wear has beautiful handmade bags or purses. Back for the season are the handmade South African candles and coming Monday are Barth's beeswax frankincense and myrrh candles. Soy Delite candles are back for good! We also have beeswax and aromatherapy candles , made with solar power, from Sunbeam Candles. Austin Natural Soaps has 3 sampler sets, Lone Star, Flower Power and Austin Power. Blue Heron Photos, local photographer Ron Dessain, has mated nature and animal photos and greeting cards. Cotton holiday dish towel have also arrived. We have a lot more fun gifts for you, so come visit our Housewares Department soon!
Beer tastes good!
BEER TASTING DECEMBER 19th from 2:00 to 4:00! Please join us at the co-op for an historic event, our first ever beer tasting! Tom Allen, the owner of North Coast Brewery will be sampling three amazing beers including my own personal favorite beer, Old Rasputin Imperial Stout. A pioneer in the craft beer movement, North Coast Brewery opened in 1988 as a local brewpub in the historic town of Fort Bragg, located on California's Mendocino Coast. Under the leadership of brew master Mark Ruedrich, the brewery has developed a strong reputation for quality having won more than 70 awards in national and international competitions. Tom Allen will be sampling the following beers. Old Rasputin Imperial Stout is produced in the tradition of 18th Century English brewers who supplied the court of Russia's Catherine the Great. Old Rasputin seems to develop a cult following wherever it goes. It's a rich, intense brew with big complex flavors and a warming finish. Le Merle Belgian Style Farmhouse is a rustic ale, pale in color, inspired by the rich brewing traditions of the Flanders region. Abundant hops and a Belgian yeast strain contribute exotic aromas of tropical fruit. Brother Thelonious Belgian Style Abbey Ale is like a Belgian "Dark Strong Ale", the beer is rich and robust with an ABV of 9.3%. The package is a 750 ml bottle with a traditional cork and wire finish or 12oz 4 packs and features a label picturing the jazz master himself. Please come by the Co-op to meet Tom and try these fantastic brews!
BY OWNER REQUEST!
New frozen ice cream treats! Look in the ice cream side of the freezer doors for new delights such as Julie's Organic GLUTEN FREE Ice Cream Sandwiches. Delicious vanilla ice cream is sandwiched between two chocolatey GlutenFreeda brand cookies. If cow-milk's not your thing try LaLoo's Goat's Milk Ice Cream Sandwiches in Vanilla Snowflake flavor. If you're looking for a non-dairy frozen treat check out Rice Dream's new Rice Dream Bites-bite size nuggets of sweet vanilla rice milk coated in rich thick chocolate. Nom!
Thanks for your suggestions for new products!
-Niki Nash WV Merchandising Manager
In The Grocery Aisle
Mimic Crème Cream Substitute:
We now have both sweetened and unsweetened varieties of Mimic Crème at Wheatsville. Mimic Crème is a non-dairy cream substitute made from almonds and cashews instead of soy. They are also gluten free and vegan. Mimic Crème is a perfect alternative for cream in any recipe, and a very useful item in this dessert friendly season. Find recipes, comments and more about this product at http://www.mimiccreme.com
Justin Merrifield, Grocery Buyer
Winter Produce Bonanza!
'Tis the Season, Citrus Season
Mother Nature knows. Is it a coincidence that citrus season occurs when we need vitamin c the most, flu season? Is it also a coincidence that you happen to live in an area that may grow some of the finest citrus in the world? Right now in produce, we've got Texas Rio Star grapefruit, mars oranges, Valencia bags, meyer lemons and bower tangerines. We also have delicious Satsuma and daisy tangerines. In the coming weeks, keep an eye out for more selection of delicious citrus.
A Staff Favorite for You!
Several of our staff members have told me recently that they really love the new Organic Girl salad kits. Unlike the other clamshells of greens we sell, the Organic Girl packages are complete salad kits, with dressing and other goodies like croutons and berries. We currently offer the Caesar and Balsamic and Berries kits in the tall salad cooler for $4.59. Check'em out!
Brussels
This has been a great year for Brussels sprouts already. The sprouts on the stalks, despite their gnarly appearance (they look like old-school maces to me!) , seem to have caught on pretty well. Also the loose sprouts have been looking great, and have a nice sweetness to them! Yay for little cabbages.
Eat Your Greens
It is also the beginning of greens season. Greens are amazing and you really should eat more of them, c'mon! The kale is looking really great right now, and the collards of your dreams are starting to come in. With the weather cooling down, the greens start to take on a nice sweetness. 'Tis the season!
Bananas
Despite our cooler weather, this is the time to eat bananas at the peak of their season. Since they are mostly a Southern Hemisphere crop, enjoy the taste of summer in the heart of our "winter."
From Bryan, the Butcher
Hey stop by the meat case for some new items:
Rainbow Trout (de-boned) sustainably raised by www.rushingwaters.net $18.99 lb in the seafood counter.
Hot links by Richardson's Farms $8.49 lb in the freezer Niman Ranch spiral cut bone-in ham $6.99 lb This months owner specials:
Beef Top Round Roast $7.59 lb
Beef Stew Meat $8.49 lb
Organic Ground Turkey $4.99 lb
Plan ahead for christmas, wheatsville has Organic Prairie turkeys for $2.99 lb. Average weights are between 13-15 pounds. Super price for a certified organic turkeys take one home to the folks.
From Greg, on Cheese Island
The cheese department has a few sales for the holiday season. Organic Valley Pasteurized Sharp Cheddar 8 oz. is on sale for 4.49, regularly 5.29. Organic Valley Shredded Parmesan is on sale for 3.49, regularly 4.29. Organic Valley Blue Cheese Crumbles is on sale for 3.49, regularly 4.29. The blue cheese crumbles are located in the produce department in the same case as the packaged salads.
If you are still thinking of gift ideas, might I suggest a cheese, wine and cracker gift basket. We have all the wonderful items to fill your gift basket here at Wheatsville. Talk to your friendly cheese monger for suggestions.
Have a great week!
Dan Gillotte
Wheatsville GM and e-mail guy
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
Artsfest this weekend, Vote and Texas Olive Oil!
Happy December everyone!
I hope you had a great Thanksgiving! We sure did. Thanks to you Wheatsville had its biggest and best Thanksgiving ever.
I want to share a couple of comments we received that made us feel great. From Twitter on the night before Thanksgiving "Wheatsville=best grocery store ever. 5 diff ppl just helped me & i didnt even have 2 ask. & it's fairly uncrazy in there. Go give them ur $."
From Facebook: "thank you for making my first vegetarian thanksgiving a succesful and easy one! I would have been lost if it wasn't for your great vegan gravy and selection of alternative meats!!!"
And, my favorite Yelp review lately:
"i went to wheatsville this weekend, for the first time since the massive redesign/revamp, and boy was i impressed. i always loved the charm of wheatsville when in college, and years later, driving by such a great example of grocery store done right brings a smile to my face.
walking into wheatsville, you are immediately greeted by fresh, local, and organic produce. everything is clearly and lovingly labeled with state/country of origin, and organic or conventional farming methods. the staff are friendly and plentiful, and never made me feel like i wasn't part of some elite vegan master-race.
moving on from the produce, the meat freezer and fridge has labels to inform you just how many miles your beef, chicken, or pork travelled to get to said fridge. how awesome is that.
my only complaint about wheatsville is that it is so great, i wanted to spend most of my paycheck here.
congrats on the renovations, wheatsville, and i think i'll be seeing you again soon."
ArtsBEST!
We are very very excited around here because this weekend is the Wheatsville Artsfest! This 2 day arts, crafts and music festival is truly an Austin tradition and one of our favorite weekends of the year. I hope you can make it down between 10 and 5 this weekend. This year, the first in our new store finds us stretching the festival out all over the neighborhood with the help of our friends up and down the street. Look for artists at My Cleaners across the street from Wheatsville and at the plaza with Tom's Tabooley, SOnny's Vintage and Antone's Records. And, art and music at Spider House and the I Love Video and EcoClean parking lot! I'll include a schedule of music at the end of the e-mail. This is truly a team effort and we hope you have a really fun time! Parking is always a challenge for Artsfest so we ask you to consider bussing, walking or biking to the festival if possible. If you do have to drive, please consider parking in the neighborhoods around the festival to free up parking spots at the store for people simply trying to grocery shop. We would sure appreciate it! If you're trying to shop this weekend. I recommend shopping early (we do open at 7:30 am these days) or come by AFTER Artsfest at 6 or later to have the easiest parking time. Thank you in advance for your support of the Artsfest and the store! We sure do appreciate it!
It really is one of the coolest chances to meet local artists and craftspeople and get any gift buying you need to do accomplished locally! (And yes, anything you buy for yourself at Artsfest can be considered a gift!)
Come for the Artsfest, stay for the breakfast, lunch and dinner! We'll have our normal lovely offerings from the deli and our delicious hot bar will be open from 11-7 to fill you up with our awesome victuals! And, experience our brand new heaters on the patio starting this weekend
VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE!
Vote. Seriously. The vote ends on Dec. 9th at 6pm. And that is COMING RIGHT UP! Vote on-line at http://wheatsville.coop/election/index.html
We have some really great board candidates this year as well as some truly deserving charitable organizations. Please take a few moments, review the candidates and issues and vote! Thanks you for your participation.
In The Grocery Aisle with Justin Merrifield, Grocery Buyer
It's a new month and that means NEW specials! Check out the link for a pdf of our monthly Co-op Advantage Deals! http://wheatsville.coop/CAP%20flyers/SW1209.pdf In addition to deals, it has recipes for Spiced Eggnog Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust, Almond Shortbread, and Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus. Check it out!
Texas Olive Ranch Flavored Olive Oils:
New at Wheatsville are the Mesquite and Garlic olive oils from Texas Olive Ranch. These tasty oils are made from arbequina olives grown in Texas. The mesquite oil has been a common ingredient in my house lately. This extra virgin olive oil is actually smoked instead having premade smoke flavor added. The taste is authentic and delicious. I've been quite impressed with it. Read more at http://texasoliveranch.com/
I hope to see you this weekend!
Have a great week,
Dan Gillotte
Wheatsville GM and e-mail guy
Live Music on the Wheatsville Stage
Saturday—
10:00am The Telephone Company
11:30am BBR
1:00pm lili and walter
2:30pm Toni Price
4:00pm Ted Roddy
Sunday—
10:00am gfire
11:30am The Vermeers
1:00pm Justin Rayfield
2:30pm The Studebakers
4:00pm Diana Cantu Band
I hope you had a great Thanksgiving! We sure did. Thanks to you Wheatsville had its biggest and best Thanksgiving ever.
I want to share a couple of comments we received that made us feel great. From Twitter on the night before Thanksgiving "Wheatsville=best grocery store ever. 5 diff ppl just helped me & i didnt even have 2 ask. & it's fairly uncrazy in there. Go give them ur $."
From Facebook: "thank you for making my first vegetarian thanksgiving a succesful and easy one! I would have been lost if it wasn't for your great vegan gravy and selection of alternative meats!!!"
And, my favorite Yelp review lately:
"i went to wheatsville this weekend, for the first time since the massive redesign/revamp, and boy was i impressed. i always loved the charm of wheatsville when in college, and years later, driving by such a great example of grocery store done right brings a smile to my face.
walking into wheatsville, you are immediately greeted by fresh, local, and organic produce. everything is clearly and lovingly labeled with state/country of origin, and organic or conventional farming methods. the staff are friendly and plentiful, and never made me feel like i wasn't part of some elite vegan master-race.
moving on from the produce, the meat freezer and fridge has labels to inform you just how many miles your beef, chicken, or pork travelled to get to said fridge. how awesome is that.
my only complaint about wheatsville is that it is so great, i wanted to spend most of my paycheck here.
congrats on the renovations, wheatsville, and i think i'll be seeing you again soon."
ArtsBEST!
We are very very excited around here because this weekend is the Wheatsville Artsfest! This 2 day arts, crafts and music festival is truly an Austin tradition and one of our favorite weekends of the year. I hope you can make it down between 10 and 5 this weekend. This year, the first in our new store finds us stretching the festival out all over the neighborhood with the help of our friends up and down the street. Look for artists at My Cleaners across the street from Wheatsville and at the plaza with Tom's Tabooley, SOnny's Vintage and Antone's Records. And, art and music at Spider House and the I Love Video and EcoClean parking lot! I'll include a schedule of music at the end of the e-mail. This is truly a team effort and we hope you have a really fun time! Parking is always a challenge for Artsfest so we ask you to consider bussing, walking or biking to the festival if possible. If you do have to drive, please consider parking in the neighborhoods around the festival to free up parking spots at the store for people simply trying to grocery shop. We would sure appreciate it! If you're trying to shop this weekend. I recommend shopping early (we do open at 7:30 am these days) or come by AFTER Artsfest at 6 or later to have the easiest parking time. Thank you in advance for your support of the Artsfest and the store! We sure do appreciate it!
It really is one of the coolest chances to meet local artists and craftspeople and get any gift buying you need to do accomplished locally! (And yes, anything you buy for yourself at Artsfest can be considered a gift!)
Come for the Artsfest, stay for the breakfast, lunch and dinner! We'll have our normal lovely offerings from the deli and our delicious hot bar will be open from 11-7 to fill you up with our awesome victuals! And, experience our brand new heaters on the patio starting this weekend
VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE!
Vote. Seriously. The vote ends on Dec. 9th at 6pm. And that is COMING RIGHT UP! Vote on-line at http://wheatsville.coop/election/index.html
We have some really great board candidates this year as well as some truly deserving charitable organizations. Please take a few moments, review the candidates and issues and vote! Thanks you for your participation.
In The Grocery Aisle with Justin Merrifield, Grocery Buyer
It's a new month and that means NEW specials! Check out the link for a pdf of our monthly Co-op Advantage Deals! http://wheatsville.coop/CAP%20flyers/SW1209.pdf In addition to deals, it has recipes for Spiced Eggnog Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust, Almond Shortbread, and Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus. Check it out!
Texas Olive Ranch Flavored Olive Oils:
New at Wheatsville are the Mesquite and Garlic olive oils from Texas Olive Ranch. These tasty oils are made from arbequina olives grown in Texas. The mesquite oil has been a common ingredient in my house lately. This extra virgin olive oil is actually smoked instead having premade smoke flavor added. The taste is authentic and delicious. I've been quite impressed with it. Read more at http://texasoliveranch.com/
I hope to see you this weekend!
Have a great week,
Dan Gillotte
Wheatsville GM and e-mail guy
Live Music on the Wheatsville Stage
Saturday—
10:00am The Telephone Company
11:30am BBR
1:00pm lili and walter
2:30pm Toni Price
4:00pm Ted Roddy
Sunday—
10:00am gfire
11:30am The Vermeers
1:00pm Justin Rayfield
2:30pm The Studebakers
4:00pm Diana Cantu Band
Artsfest, Vote and Texas Olive oil!
Happy December everyone!
I hope you had a great Thanksgiving! We sure did. Thanks to you Wheatsville had its biggest and best Thanksgiving ever.
I want to share a couple of comments we received that made us feel great. From Twitter on the night before Thanksgiving "Wheatsville=best grocery store ever. 5 diff ppl just helped me & i didnt even have 2 ask. & it's fairly uncrazy in there. Go give them ur $."
From Facebook: "thank you for making my first vegetarian thanksgiving a succesful and easy one! I would have been lost if it wasn't for your great vegan gravy and selection of alternative meats!!!"
And, my favorite Yelp review lately:
"i went to wheatsville this weekend, for the first time since the massive redesign/revamp, and boy was i impressed. i always loved the charm of wheatsville when in college, and years later, driving by such a great example of grocery store done right brings a smile to my face.
walking into wheatsville, you are immediately greeted by fresh, local, and organic produce. everything is clearly and lovingly labeled with state/country of origin, and organic or conventional farming methods. the staff are friendly and plentiful, and never made me feel like i wasn't part of some elite vegan master-race.
moving on from the produce, the meat freezer and fridge has labels to inform you just how many miles your beef, chicken, or pork travelled to get to said fridge. how awesome is that.
my only complaint about wheatsville is that it is so great, i wanted to spend most of my paycheck here.
congrats on the renovations, wheatsville, and i think i'll be seeing you again soon."
ArtsBEST!
We are very very excited around here because this weekend is the Wheatsville Artsfest! This 2 day arts, crafts and music festival is truly an Austin tradition and one of our favorite weekends of the year. I hope you can make it down between 10 and 5 this weekend. This year, the first in our new store finds us stretching the festival out all over the neighborhood with the help of our friends up and down the street. Look for artists at My Cleaners across the street from Wheatsville and at the plaza with Tom's Tabooley, SOnny's Vintage and Antone's Records. And, art and music at Spider House and the I Love Video and EcoClean parking lot! I'll include a schedule of music at the end of the e-mail. This is truly a team effort and we hope you have a really fun time! Parking is always a challenge for Artsfest so we ask you to consider bussing, walking or biking to the festival if possible. If you do have to drive, please consider parking in the neighborhoods around the festival to free up parking spots at the store for people simply trying to grocery shop. We would sure appreciate it! If you're trying to shop this weekend. I recommend shopping early (we do open at 7:30 am these days) or come by AFTER Artsfest at 6 or later to have the easiest parking time. Thank you in advance for your support of the Artsfest and the store! We sure do appreciate it!
It really is one of the coolest chances to meet local artists and craftspeople and get any gift buying you need to do accomplished locally! (And yes, anything you buy for yourself at Artsfest can be considered a gift!)
Come for the Artsfest, stay for the breakfast, lunch and dinner! We'll have our normal lovely offerings from the deli and our delicious hot bar will be open from 11-7 to fill you up with our awesome victuals! And, experience our brand new heaters on the patio starting this weekend
VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE!
Vote. Seriously. The vote ends on Dec. 9th at 6pm. And that is COMING RIGHT UP! Vote on-line at http://wheatsville.coop/election/index.html
We have some really great board candidates this year as well as some truly deserving charitable organizations. Please take a few moments, review the candidates and issues and vote! Thanks you for your participation.
In The Grocery Aisle with Justin Merrifield, Grocery Buyer
It's a new month and that means NEW specials! Check out the link for a pdf of our monthly Co-op Advantage Deals! http://wheatsville.coop/CAP%20flyers/SW1209.pdf In addition to deals, it has recipes for Spiced Eggnog Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust, Almond Shortbread, and Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus. Check it out!
Texas Olive Ranch Flavored Olive Oils:
New at Wheatsville are the Mesquite and Garlic olive oils from Texas Olive Ranch. These tasty oils are made from arbequina olives grown in Texas. The mesquite oil has been a common ingredient in my house lately. This extra virgin olive oil is actually smoked instead having premade smoke flavor added. The taste is authentic and delicious. I've been quite impressed with it. Read more at http://texasoliveranch.com/
I hope to see you this weekend!
Have a great week,
Dan Gillotte
Wheatsville GM and e-mail guy
I hope you had a great Thanksgiving! We sure did. Thanks to you Wheatsville had its biggest and best Thanksgiving ever.
I want to share a couple of comments we received that made us feel great. From Twitter on the night before Thanksgiving "Wheatsville=best grocery store ever. 5 diff ppl just helped me & i didnt even have 2 ask. & it's fairly uncrazy in there. Go give them ur $."
From Facebook: "thank you for making my first vegetarian thanksgiving a succesful and easy one! I would have been lost if it wasn't for your great vegan gravy and selection of alternative meats!!!"
And, my favorite Yelp review lately:
"i went to wheatsville this weekend, for the first time since the massive redesign/revamp, and boy was i impressed. i always loved the charm of wheatsville when in college, and years later, driving by such a great example of grocery store done right brings a smile to my face.
walking into wheatsville, you are immediately greeted by fresh, local, and organic produce. everything is clearly and lovingly labeled with state/country of origin, and organic or conventional farming methods. the staff are friendly and plentiful, and never made me feel like i wasn't part of some elite vegan master-race.
moving on from the produce, the meat freezer and fridge has labels to inform you just how many miles your beef, chicken, or pork travelled to get to said fridge. how awesome is that.
my only complaint about wheatsville is that it is so great, i wanted to spend most of my paycheck here.
congrats on the renovations, wheatsville, and i think i'll be seeing you again soon."
ArtsBEST!
We are very very excited around here because this weekend is the Wheatsville Artsfest! This 2 day arts, crafts and music festival is truly an Austin tradition and one of our favorite weekends of the year. I hope you can make it down between 10 and 5 this weekend. This year, the first in our new store finds us stretching the festival out all over the neighborhood with the help of our friends up and down the street. Look for artists at My Cleaners across the street from Wheatsville and at the plaza with Tom's Tabooley, SOnny's Vintage and Antone's Records. And, art and music at Spider House and the I Love Video and EcoClean parking lot! I'll include a schedule of music at the end of the e-mail. This is truly a team effort and we hope you have a really fun time! Parking is always a challenge for Artsfest so we ask you to consider bussing, walking or biking to the festival if possible. If you do have to drive, please consider parking in the neighborhoods around the festival to free up parking spots at the store for people simply trying to grocery shop. We would sure appreciate it! If you're trying to shop this weekend. I recommend shopping early (we do open at 7:30 am these days) or come by AFTER Artsfest at 6 or later to have the easiest parking time. Thank you in advance for your support of the Artsfest and the store! We sure do appreciate it!
It really is one of the coolest chances to meet local artists and craftspeople and get any gift buying you need to do accomplished locally! (And yes, anything you buy for yourself at Artsfest can be considered a gift!)
Come for the Artsfest, stay for the breakfast, lunch and dinner! We'll have our normal lovely offerings from the deli and our delicious hot bar will be open from 11-7 to fill you up with our awesome victuals! And, experience our brand new heaters on the patio starting this weekend
VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE!
Vote. Seriously. The vote ends on Dec. 9th at 6pm. And that is COMING RIGHT UP! Vote on-line at http://wheatsville.coop/election/index.html
We have some really great board candidates this year as well as some truly deserving charitable organizations. Please take a few moments, review the candidates and issues and vote! Thanks you for your participation.
In The Grocery Aisle with Justin Merrifield, Grocery Buyer
It's a new month and that means NEW specials! Check out the link for a pdf of our monthly Co-op Advantage Deals! http://wheatsville.coop/CAP%20flyers/SW1209.pdf In addition to deals, it has recipes for Spiced Eggnog Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust, Almond Shortbread, and Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus. Check it out!
Texas Olive Ranch Flavored Olive Oils:
New at Wheatsville are the Mesquite and Garlic olive oils from Texas Olive Ranch. These tasty oils are made from arbequina olives grown in Texas. The mesquite oil has been a common ingredient in my house lately. This extra virgin olive oil is actually smoked instead having premade smoke flavor added. The taste is authentic and delicious. I've been quite impressed with it. Read more at http://texasoliveranch.com/
I hope to see you this weekend!
Have a great week,
Dan Gillotte
Wheatsville GM and e-mail guy
Monday, November 23, 2009
The plan for Thanksgiving! Have a great one.
Hi folks!
I wanted to get together an e-mail that would help you in planning your Thanksgiving. This e-mail is a little long, but is THE definitive list of what we've got for your Thanksgiving meal. It includes specials, special prices and recipes, too. I hope that you find it useful as you plan your shopping trip.
Whatever your plans, I hope that you have an incredible Thanksgiving filled with friends, family and thanks.
We THANK YOU for your incredible support in our first few months in the newly renovated store and we look forward to many more Thanksgivings with you!
Remember, we will have complementary valet parking on Wednesday from 10am-9pm. I definitely recommend that you consider taking advantage of this first ever service at the co-op.
In order to help make your Thanksgiving shopping EVEN easier, we've assembled some of the most sough after Thanksgiving items in a refrigerated case right at the front of the store in produce. Look for: Celery, local Green Beans, fresh seasonal herbs, fresh cranberries, the deli's classic and vegan pumpkin pies, Natural by Nature Whipped Cream in a can, Soy-a-too soy whipped topping, farmhouse cage-free eggs and Organic Valley Butter, Earth Balance Buttery Sticks, Organic Valley heavy whipping cream, and Organic Valley half and half.
Scroll down for:
The deli=yummy Thanksgiving
The Meat department is Organic Turkey central!
Bulk makes Thanksgiving affordable
Produce is seasonal and delicious
Thanksgiving on Cheese Island
A whole pile of recipes! How to cook a turkey, fancy and simple; Artichoke and Salami Salad; Salmon Spread; Asparagus wrapped in crisp prosciutto; Scotch Eggs; Rutabaga Puree and Roasted Cauliflower. ENJOY!
The deli rocks Thanksgiving so you don't have to!
It's that time again! Your newly expanded Wheatsville Deli is now more than ever ready to make your Thanksgiving a roaring success with a complete, delicious meal for you and yours! With our new, larger space, we have the opportunity to cook up even more goodies for your holiday table this year. So go ahead and start your T-Day countdown! By letting the Wheatsville Deli do all the cooking, you can have a full meal that is honestly homemade without spending hours in the kitchen!
Leek-Roasted Carrots and Tempeh makes a hearty vegan main course unto itself, or can simply be a delicious side dish for your table. On the side, as always, we will have a bountiful selection of seasonal dishes for you: hand-creamed vegan Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans with sautéed mushrooms and toasted walnuts, the hearty Roasted Fall Root Veggies, fruit and honey-baked Festive Sweet Potatoes and our best-selling vegan Cornbread Dressing. In addition to all of our classics, this year we'll have a traditional, savory Bread Stuffing made with our in-house sausage and even more tasty treats for your family and friends to enjoy! We'll also be featuring six-packs of flaky vegan Rosemary Biscuits, as well as our fresh-baked La Brea Bakery whole wheat dinner rolls. Our ever-popular, veggie-packed vegan Mushroom Gravy will also be on the menu alongside tart, gingery Cranberry Orange Relish – my favorite! – to go with your turkey or Tofurkey! We will be putting together sides for a family of four as well, available in our self-serve area. Just swing by, grab a bag of goodies and go!
And of course everyone knows what comes next – dessert! Your Wheatsville Bakery will be whipping up a delectable assortment of seasonal pies for your holiday dessert table: Pumpkin, Pecan, Coconut Cream and more, all homemade and fresh for you! With some organic vanilla ice cream, or vegan whipped cream, your meal will be complete!
The Co-op Advantage for Thanksgiving-Niki Nash, Wheatsville Merchandising Manager
This Thanksgiving we've tried harder than ever to get the best deals on the packaged products you want to buy. As always, look for the bright yellow signs around the store that call attention to our great monthly discounts. In November and December we have the most specials of the year, so stock up now for your holiday needs and your basic staples. And since we're in a new store this year, stop by the Hospitality Desk by the front door for an aisle by aisle list of all the Thanksgiving essentials.
Here's a quick list of some of the most awesome deals that you can take advantage of for your feasting, (and all sale prices are good until the end of the month!)
In the Grocery aisles:
Arrowhead Mills Organic Herb Stuffing or Cornbread Stuffing Mix $2.29
Arrowhead Mills Organic Graham Cracker Pie Crust $2.29
Farmer's Market Organic Canned Pumpkin or Canned Pumpkin Pie Mix $1.69
Grown Right Organic Cranberry Sauce or Jelly $1.79
Imagine Meat or Meatless Organic Broth $2.49
Imagine Meat or Meatless Organic Stock $2.69
Imagine Turkey or Beef Gravy $1.69
Native Forest Organic Canned Fruit $2.29
Rapunzel Organic Corn Starch $2.29
Santini Sweetened Condensed Milk $1.79
Santini Evaporated Milk $1.19
Simply Organic Gravy Mix $.99
Spectrum 32oz Refined Canola Oil $4.99
Spectrum Organic, Non-hydrogenated Shortening $4.69
Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Dark or Light Brown Sugar $3.69
Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Powdered Sugar $2.99
And I've said it several times but it bears repeating…we have the Dandies VEGAN MARSHMALLOWS!!!!
And yes we even have Karo Syrup, those little Jet-Puffed Marshmallows, French's Fried Onions & Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup for your convenience!
In the Dairy cooler:
Jumbo Giant 45 oz Earth Balance Buttery Spread $7.99
Earth Balance Buttery Sticks or Shortening Cubes $3.49
Nancy's Organic Sour Cream $1.39
Organic Valley Organic Salted or Unsalted Butter $4.49
Organic Valley 8 oz Heavy Whipping Cream $1.69
Soyatoo Canned Organic Soy or Rice Whip $4.49
In the Freezers:
Alden's Organic Vanilla Bean Ice Cream $4.49
Cascadian Farms Organic 10 oz Petite Peas $1.99
Quorn Turkey Style Roast $4.99
Stahlbush Farms Cranberries $2.69
Stuffed Tofurky Roast $8.49- by FAR the best price in town!
Tofurky Giblet Gravy $3.49
Tofurky Vegetarian Feast $16.99
Tru Whip Natural Dessert topping $2.99
Wholly Wholesome Organic Pie Shells-Pack of 2 Whole Wheat, Traditional or Spelt $2.99
From Bryan in the Meat department aka Turkey central!
Hooray, Thanksgiving. This is a time for feasts with friends and family. You know Wheatsville has got you covered, no matter what your preference. Do you have a diverse crowd coming to celebrate this year? Wheatsville can be you one stop shopping this year, no exceptions! Our pals in the frozen department have the Vegans covered with lots of Tofurkeys, and celebration roasts. Over in produce you have all the great fresh local veggies you need. Of course the deli has you covered if this is the year you want to kick back and let someone else do the cooking. So what about the meat department? Are you ready to roll up your sleeves and dive in head first? Try these recipes out…
Check out these specials:
Organic Prairie organic turkey 10 lb -14 lb $2.99 lb! (Allow 48 hours for thawing of your turkey)
Niman Ranch smoked spiral cut hams w/glaze packet $6.99 lb! (Fully cooked just heat with included glazing packet for a great certified humane center piece) Heating directions are on the package.
Niman Ranch smoked boneless pit style hams $8.49 lb! (Small and quick to prepare for a variety of proteins at the dinner table, or maybe day after breakfast…)
That's the standard fare but what can you do for extra snacks and sides?
Niman Ranch BBQ pulled pork makes a great quick easy dinner and a great snack before Thanksgiving Day. I know that I do not really want to cook dinner the night before. The pulled pork is fully cooked and ready to eat, and at $8.49 for a full pound it's a great deal too.
Niman salamis make a great tasty snack, or mixed into a cold salad. You can pick-up either Niman plain for $6.99 or the herbed for $7.49. We also have pre sliced Applegate farms organic Genoa salami for $6.99. Also a nice black pepper salami from our friends at Boarshead $6.29.
Bulk makes your Thanksgiving great AND affordable!
The Wheatsville Bulk foods department is ready to help you create your best Thanksgiving offerings. No, neither Allen, Riley nor Konchok are going to show up at your home to help in the kitchen, but at the store, they have in stock the following super high quality holiday foods. The following are promotional prices:
Organic sugar-$.99/lb
shredded coconut-$2.99/lb
Organic dark chocolate chips-$6.49
dried conv cranberries- $3.99/lb
Organic Thompson raisins-$2.49/lb
whole raw cashews-$7.49/lb,
Organic calif almonds-$5.99/lb
Organic brown rice; short and long-1.29/lb,
Organic green lentils-1.39/lb
Organic black beans 1.39/lb
We also have candies on sale and we have several other tree nuts on sale as well, like pecans, brazils, filberts and a salted mix. Please come in and take a look.
The bulk coffee on promotion this month is the Equal Exchange Breakfast Blend medium roast, which in my opinion one of the best tasting coffee we have. Not very dark and yet it has a full rich flavor. It's smooth texture and delicious flavor will be great for after a meal or a morning pick-me-up.
Thank you for making the Wheatsville bulk foods department the best Bulk foods department in Austin.
From Johnny in Produce
Organic and Local
If your goal is to have an organic Thanksgiving, then your produce department is a great place to start for sides and staples. We got you covered. Organic onions, garlic, yams, celery, parsley, herbs, potatoes, root vegetables, apples and pears, leafy greens, squash, brussels sprouts, carrots, and much much more. We also have some wonderful local green beans from J&B Farms in Hondo, Texas, as well as gorgeous kakai pumpkins from Elgin. We will have plenty of celery and other staples so come on in!
Giving Thanks
It is easy to get carried away with the business of the Holiday Season and all the prep work it takes to pull off a Thanksgiving here at Wheatsville, so I'd like to take a second and give thanks. First off, I'd like to give a big thank you to the produce department staff for being so flexible during the expansion project and beyond. There has been a ton of changes over the past year and they have done a great job adapting to our new department and increased business. Thank you! Secondly, I'd personally like to thank all the other managers here at the store that also rolled with the many punches and cooperated to make our project a success. Lastly, I have to thank the thousands of owners of the co-op that have made everything possible and have supported us during our transition. It is your co-op and I hope that you are as thankful for it as we are. I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday and celebrate it safely and full of light and love!
Cheese Island Thanksgiving
We have a few sales going on for this holiday season. Romanian Feta is on sale for 6.99/lb, regularly 7.99/lb. Drunken Goat is on sale for 16.29/lb, regularly 19.29/lb. Goat Gouda is on sale for 13.99/lb, regularly 15.99. Smoked Gouda is on sale for 7.99/lb, regularly 9.29/lb.
We have a wonderful selection of cheeses that will make your thanksgiving meal that much more festive. What would make those mashed potatoes extraordinary? Cut the rind off a hunk of brie and mix the gooey insides with those mashed 'tators. Or how about Cabot Private Stock, Gouda and Reggiano Parmigiano for a great 3 cheese macaroni. Also we have a variety of cheese for that pre thanksgiving feast snacking. Why not present your guests with a cheese plate made up cheese from our wonderful selection? Need help with selecting cheeses? No problem Whitney or I would love to help you with you selection.
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!!
Lots of varied recipes!
Alton Brown's Turkey recipe plus some links to simple Roast turkey recipes
This is Alton Brown's recipe, it's elaborate but it works great. Your prep should be started Monday or Tuesday. Get inspired! (For a simpler turkey recipe scroll through to the end of this recipe for some links.)
Ingredients
· 1 (14 to 16 pound) frozen young turkey
For the brine:
· 1 cup kosher salt
· 1/2 cup light brown sugar
· 1 gallon vegetable stock
· 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
· 1 1/2 teaspoons allspice berries
· 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped candied ginger
· 1 gallon heavily iced water
For the aromatics:
· 1 red apple, sliced
· 1/2 onion, sliced
· 1 cinnamon stick
· 1 cup water
· 4 sprigs rosemary
· 6 leaves sage
· Canola oil
Directions
2 to 3 days before roasting:
Begin thawing the turkey in the refrigerator or in a cooler kept at 38 degrees F.
Combine the vegetable stock, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, allspice berries, and candied ginger in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally to dissolve solids and bring to a boil. Then remove the brine from the heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate.
Early on the day or the night before you'd like to eat:
Combine the brine, water and ice in the 5-gallon bucket. Place the thawed turkey (with innards removed) breast side down in brine. If necessary, weigh down the bird to ensure it is fully immersed, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area for 8 to 16 hours, turning the bird once half way through brining.
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Remove the bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard the brine.
Place the bird on roasting rack inside a half sheet pan and pat dry with paper towels.
Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and 1 cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Add steeped aromatics to the turkey's cavity along with the rosemary and sage. Tuck the wings underneath the bird and coat the skin liberally with canola oil.
Roast the turkey on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F for 30 minutes. Insert a probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Set the thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 degrees F. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Let the turkey rest, loosely covered with foil or a large mixing bowl for 15 minutes before carving.
Epicurious Simple Roast Turkey with Rich Turkey Gravy
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/SIMPLE-ROAST-TURKEY-WITH-RICH-TURKEY-GRAVY-236409
Simple Roasted Turkey like Grandma used to make
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/a-simply-perfect-roast-turkey/Detail.aspx
Real Simple Roast Turkey
http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/basic-roast-turkey-10000001549022
Try this recipe for salami:
Artichoke and Salami Salad
Ingredients:
4 cups cooked elbow macaroni
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
8 ounces salami, cut into thin strips
1 cup roasted sweet red pepper strips, drained
1 jar (7-1/2 ounces) marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 can (2-1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained
1/3 cup Italian salad dressing
1/4 cup minced fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Directions:
In a large salad bowl, combine the macaroni, mozzarella, tomatoes, salami, red peppers, artichokes and olives. Add the dressing, basil and pepper; toss to coat.
Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. Toss before serving. Yield: 8 servings
Did you know wild Alaskan salmon is now on the "super green" list? You can enjoy the finest Alaskan wild caught sockeye salmon at Wheatsville for $32.79 lb. Great choice for snacking, with bagels or made into a great spread.
Salmon Spread
Ingredients:
1 (8 ounce) package reduced fat cream cheese, softened
4 ounces smoked salmon, chopped
2 1/2 tablespoons capers, plus
1 tablespoon caper juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons dried chives
2 tablespoons dried dill weed
Serve on crackers or bread
Directions:
1. In a bowl, mix together the cream cheese, smoked salmon, capers, caper juice, lemon juice, chives, and dill weed until well blended. Cover, and chill for 1 hour. Serve with buttery crackers.
What about a classic hors d'oeuvre, asparagus with prosciutto? These are simple and elegant, and a crowd pleaser.
Asparagus wrapped in crisp prosciutto
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
16 spears fresh asparagus, trimmed
16 slices prosciutto
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and coat with olive oil.
2. Wrap one slice of prosciutto around each asparagus spear, starting at the bottom, and spiraling up to the tip. Place the wrapped spears on the prepared baking sheet.
3. Bake for 5 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove, and shake the pan back and forth to roll the spears over. Return to the oven for another 5 minutes, or until asparagus is tender, and prosciutto is crisp. Serve immediately.
I can't forget about our fresh made sausages! They're very versatile and useful in the kitchen. Try the Italian or the breakfast sausage mixed with your dressing for the best stuffing you've ever had. The breakfast is also for great for, breakfast! Pick up all flavors of our in store made sausages for the special price of $7.49 lb this month.
Scotch Eggs (4 servings)
1 pound bulk pork sausage
1 tablespoon fresh parsley -- chopped
1 tablespoon grated onion
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 hard-cooked eggs -- shelled
1/2 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
Combine sausage, parsley, onion, cinnamon and nutmeg; mix well. Divide sausage mixture into 4 portions; shape into patties. Place one egg atop each patty, shaping the sausage mixture around egg till completely covered. Roll each sausage-covered egg in breadcrumbs. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F. oven for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
Produce Recipes
Here are a few recipes for some sides that will break from the normal fare on your table.
Rutabaga Puree
2 lbs rutabaga (about three)
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1 sprig of thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup heavy cream (or soymilk)
1/2 stick of butter (or earth balance buttery sticks)
3 cups chicken stock, broth (or imagine no chicken chicken stock)
salt and pepper to taste
Peel rutabaga and cut into one inch chunks. Heat stock and add chunks when it boils. Heat cream over medium low heat, add garlic, thyme and bay. Let simmer as rutabaga cooks. Cook rutabagas until fork tender, about eight minutes. Add chunks to blender of food processor. Strain cream into a measuring cup. Add butter to the blender and slowly pulse the chunks making additions of cream until the puree is the consistency you want, season with salt and pepper.
Roasted Cauliflower
2 heads of cauliflower
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbs minced shallot
1 tbsp capers, minced
1/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup olive oil, divided
a few sprigs of parsley, chopped
1 tbsp red wine or white wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
Pre-heat oven to 350º. Cut cauliflower into florets and toss with half of the olive oil to coat. Arrange cauliflower on a cookie sheet in a single layer. Place in hot oven, roast until golden and tender, about 25 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the rest of the oil in a good sized skillet. Add shallots and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add red bell peppers and saute until tender. Add capers, and garlic, cook for about 2 minutes. When the cauliflower is fork tender and golden place it in a large mixing bowl. Add sauteed aromatics, parsley and vinegar. Toss. Salt and pepper to taste.
I hope you have a great week!
Dan Gillotte
Wheatsville GM and e-mail guy
I wanted to get together an e-mail that would help you in planning your Thanksgiving. This e-mail is a little long, but is THE definitive list of what we've got for your Thanksgiving meal. It includes specials, special prices and recipes, too. I hope that you find it useful as you plan your shopping trip.
Whatever your plans, I hope that you have an incredible Thanksgiving filled with friends, family and thanks.
We THANK YOU for your incredible support in our first few months in the newly renovated store and we look forward to many more Thanksgivings with you!
Remember, we will have complementary valet parking on Wednesday from 10am-9pm. I definitely recommend that you consider taking advantage of this first ever service at the co-op.
In order to help make your Thanksgiving shopping EVEN easier, we've assembled some of the most sough after Thanksgiving items in a refrigerated case right at the front of the store in produce. Look for: Celery, local Green Beans, fresh seasonal herbs, fresh cranberries, the deli's classic and vegan pumpkin pies, Natural by Nature Whipped Cream in a can, Soy-a-too soy whipped topping, farmhouse cage-free eggs and Organic Valley Butter, Earth Balance Buttery Sticks, Organic Valley heavy whipping cream, and Organic Valley half and half.
Scroll down for:
The deli=yummy Thanksgiving
The Meat department is Organic Turkey central!
Bulk makes Thanksgiving affordable
Produce is seasonal and delicious
Thanksgiving on Cheese Island
A whole pile of recipes! How to cook a turkey, fancy and simple; Artichoke and Salami Salad; Salmon Spread; Asparagus wrapped in crisp prosciutto; Scotch Eggs; Rutabaga Puree and Roasted Cauliflower. ENJOY!
The deli rocks Thanksgiving so you don't have to!
It's that time again! Your newly expanded Wheatsville Deli is now more than ever ready to make your Thanksgiving a roaring success with a complete, delicious meal for you and yours! With our new, larger space, we have the opportunity to cook up even more goodies for your holiday table this year. So go ahead and start your T-Day countdown! By letting the Wheatsville Deli do all the cooking, you can have a full meal that is honestly homemade without spending hours in the kitchen!
Leek-Roasted Carrots and Tempeh makes a hearty vegan main course unto itself, or can simply be a delicious side dish for your table. On the side, as always, we will have a bountiful selection of seasonal dishes for you: hand-creamed vegan Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans with sautéed mushrooms and toasted walnuts, the hearty Roasted Fall Root Veggies, fruit and honey-baked Festive Sweet Potatoes and our best-selling vegan Cornbread Dressing. In addition to all of our classics, this year we'll have a traditional, savory Bread Stuffing made with our in-house sausage and even more tasty treats for your family and friends to enjoy! We'll also be featuring six-packs of flaky vegan Rosemary Biscuits, as well as our fresh-baked La Brea Bakery whole wheat dinner rolls. Our ever-popular, veggie-packed vegan Mushroom Gravy will also be on the menu alongside tart, gingery Cranberry Orange Relish – my favorite! – to go with your turkey or Tofurkey! We will be putting together sides for a family of four as well, available in our self-serve area. Just swing by, grab a bag of goodies and go!
And of course everyone knows what comes next – dessert! Your Wheatsville Bakery will be whipping up a delectable assortment of seasonal pies for your holiday dessert table: Pumpkin, Pecan, Coconut Cream and more, all homemade and fresh for you! With some organic vanilla ice cream, or vegan whipped cream, your meal will be complete!
The Co-op Advantage for Thanksgiving-Niki Nash, Wheatsville Merchandising Manager
This Thanksgiving we've tried harder than ever to get the best deals on the packaged products you want to buy. As always, look for the bright yellow signs around the store that call attention to our great monthly discounts. In November and December we have the most specials of the year, so stock up now for your holiday needs and your basic staples. And since we're in a new store this year, stop by the Hospitality Desk by the front door for an aisle by aisle list of all the Thanksgiving essentials.
Here's a quick list of some of the most awesome deals that you can take advantage of for your feasting, (and all sale prices are good until the end of the month!)
In the Grocery aisles:
Arrowhead Mills Organic Herb Stuffing or Cornbread Stuffing Mix $2.29
Arrowhead Mills Organic Graham Cracker Pie Crust $2.29
Farmer's Market Organic Canned Pumpkin or Canned Pumpkin Pie Mix $1.69
Grown Right Organic Cranberry Sauce or Jelly $1.79
Imagine Meat or Meatless Organic Broth $2.49
Imagine Meat or Meatless Organic Stock $2.69
Imagine Turkey or Beef Gravy $1.69
Native Forest Organic Canned Fruit $2.29
Rapunzel Organic Corn Starch $2.29
Santini Sweetened Condensed Milk $1.79
Santini Evaporated Milk $1.19
Simply Organic Gravy Mix $.99
Spectrum 32oz Refined Canola Oil $4.99
Spectrum Organic, Non-hydrogenated Shortening $4.69
Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Dark or Light Brown Sugar $3.69
Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Powdered Sugar $2.99
And I've said it several times but it bears repeating…we have the Dandies VEGAN MARSHMALLOWS!!!!
And yes we even have Karo Syrup, those little Jet-Puffed Marshmallows, French's Fried Onions & Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup for your convenience!
In the Dairy cooler:
Jumbo Giant 45 oz Earth Balance Buttery Spread $7.99
Earth Balance Buttery Sticks or Shortening Cubes $3.49
Nancy's Organic Sour Cream $1.39
Organic Valley Organic Salted or Unsalted Butter $4.49
Organic Valley 8 oz Heavy Whipping Cream $1.69
Soyatoo Canned Organic Soy or Rice Whip $4.49
In the Freezers:
Alden's Organic Vanilla Bean Ice Cream $4.49
Cascadian Farms Organic 10 oz Petite Peas $1.99
Quorn Turkey Style Roast $4.99
Stahlbush Farms Cranberries $2.69
Stuffed Tofurky Roast $8.49- by FAR the best price in town!
Tofurky Giblet Gravy $3.49
Tofurky Vegetarian Feast $16.99
Tru Whip Natural Dessert topping $2.99
Wholly Wholesome Organic Pie Shells-Pack of 2 Whole Wheat, Traditional or Spelt $2.99
From Bryan in the Meat department aka Turkey central!
Hooray, Thanksgiving. This is a time for feasts with friends and family. You know Wheatsville has got you covered, no matter what your preference. Do you have a diverse crowd coming to celebrate this year? Wheatsville can be you one stop shopping this year, no exceptions! Our pals in the frozen department have the Vegans covered with lots of Tofurkeys, and celebration roasts. Over in produce you have all the great fresh local veggies you need. Of course the deli has you covered if this is the year you want to kick back and let someone else do the cooking. So what about the meat department? Are you ready to roll up your sleeves and dive in head first? Try these recipes out…
Check out these specials:
Organic Prairie organic turkey 10 lb -14 lb $2.99 lb! (Allow 48 hours for thawing of your turkey)
Niman Ranch smoked spiral cut hams w/glaze packet $6.99 lb! (Fully cooked just heat with included glazing packet for a great certified humane center piece) Heating directions are on the package.
Niman Ranch smoked boneless pit style hams $8.49 lb! (Small and quick to prepare for a variety of proteins at the dinner table, or maybe day after breakfast…)
That's the standard fare but what can you do for extra snacks and sides?
Niman Ranch BBQ pulled pork makes a great quick easy dinner and a great snack before Thanksgiving Day. I know that I do not really want to cook dinner the night before. The pulled pork is fully cooked and ready to eat, and at $8.49 for a full pound it's a great deal too.
Niman salamis make a great tasty snack, or mixed into a cold salad. You can pick-up either Niman plain for $6.99 or the herbed for $7.49. We also have pre sliced Applegate farms organic Genoa salami for $6.99. Also a nice black pepper salami from our friends at Boarshead $6.29.
Bulk makes your Thanksgiving great AND affordable!
The Wheatsville Bulk foods department is ready to help you create your best Thanksgiving offerings. No, neither Allen, Riley nor Konchok are going to show up at your home to help in the kitchen, but at the store, they have in stock the following super high quality holiday foods. The following are promotional prices:
Organic sugar-$.99/lb
shredded coconut-$2.99/lb
Organic dark chocolate chips-$6.49
dried conv cranberries- $3.99/lb
Organic Thompson raisins-$2.49/lb
whole raw cashews-$7.49/lb,
Organic calif almonds-$5.99/lb
Organic brown rice; short and long-1.29/lb,
Organic green lentils-1.39/lb
Organic black beans 1.39/lb
We also have candies on sale and we have several other tree nuts on sale as well, like pecans, brazils, filberts and a salted mix. Please come in and take a look.
The bulk coffee on promotion this month is the Equal Exchange Breakfast Blend medium roast, which in my opinion one of the best tasting coffee we have. Not very dark and yet it has a full rich flavor. It's smooth texture and delicious flavor will be great for after a meal or a morning pick-me-up.
Thank you for making the Wheatsville bulk foods department the best Bulk foods department in Austin.
From Johnny in Produce
Organic and Local
If your goal is to have an organic Thanksgiving, then your produce department is a great place to start for sides and staples. We got you covered. Organic onions, garlic, yams, celery, parsley, herbs, potatoes, root vegetables, apples and pears, leafy greens, squash, brussels sprouts, carrots, and much much more. We also have some wonderful local green beans from J&B Farms in Hondo, Texas, as well as gorgeous kakai pumpkins from Elgin. We will have plenty of celery and other staples so come on in!
Giving Thanks
It is easy to get carried away with the business of the Holiday Season and all the prep work it takes to pull off a Thanksgiving here at Wheatsville, so I'd like to take a second and give thanks. First off, I'd like to give a big thank you to the produce department staff for being so flexible during the expansion project and beyond. There has been a ton of changes over the past year and they have done a great job adapting to our new department and increased business. Thank you! Secondly, I'd personally like to thank all the other managers here at the store that also rolled with the many punches and cooperated to make our project a success. Lastly, I have to thank the thousands of owners of the co-op that have made everything possible and have supported us during our transition. It is your co-op and I hope that you are as thankful for it as we are. I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday and celebrate it safely and full of light and love!
Cheese Island Thanksgiving
We have a few sales going on for this holiday season. Romanian Feta is on sale for 6.99/lb, regularly 7.99/lb. Drunken Goat is on sale for 16.29/lb, regularly 19.29/lb. Goat Gouda is on sale for 13.99/lb, regularly 15.99. Smoked Gouda is on sale for 7.99/lb, regularly 9.29/lb.
We have a wonderful selection of cheeses that will make your thanksgiving meal that much more festive. What would make those mashed potatoes extraordinary? Cut the rind off a hunk of brie and mix the gooey insides with those mashed 'tators. Or how about Cabot Private Stock, Gouda and Reggiano Parmigiano for a great 3 cheese macaroni. Also we have a variety of cheese for that pre thanksgiving feast snacking. Why not present your guests with a cheese plate made up cheese from our wonderful selection? Need help with selecting cheeses? No problem Whitney or I would love to help you with you selection.
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!!
Lots of varied recipes!
Alton Brown's Turkey recipe plus some links to simple Roast turkey recipes
This is Alton Brown's recipe, it's elaborate but it works great. Your prep should be started Monday or Tuesday. Get inspired! (For a simpler turkey recipe scroll through to the end of this recipe for some links.)
Ingredients
· 1 (14 to 16 pound) frozen young turkey
For the brine:
· 1 cup kosher salt
· 1/2 cup light brown sugar
· 1 gallon vegetable stock
· 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
· 1 1/2 teaspoons allspice berries
· 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped candied ginger
· 1 gallon heavily iced water
For the aromatics:
· 1 red apple, sliced
· 1/2 onion, sliced
· 1 cinnamon stick
· 1 cup water
· 4 sprigs rosemary
· 6 leaves sage
· Canola oil
Directions
2 to 3 days before roasting:
Begin thawing the turkey in the refrigerator or in a cooler kept at 38 degrees F.
Combine the vegetable stock, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, allspice berries, and candied ginger in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally to dissolve solids and bring to a boil. Then remove the brine from the heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate.
Early on the day or the night before you'd like to eat:
Combine the brine, water and ice in the 5-gallon bucket. Place the thawed turkey (with innards removed) breast side down in brine. If necessary, weigh down the bird to ensure it is fully immersed, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area for 8 to 16 hours, turning the bird once half way through brining.
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Remove the bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard the brine.
Place the bird on roasting rack inside a half sheet pan and pat dry with paper towels.
Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and 1 cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Add steeped aromatics to the turkey's cavity along with the rosemary and sage. Tuck the wings underneath the bird and coat the skin liberally with canola oil.
Roast the turkey on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F for 30 minutes. Insert a probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Set the thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 degrees F. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Let the turkey rest, loosely covered with foil or a large mixing bowl for 15 minutes before carving.
Epicurious Simple Roast Turkey with Rich Turkey Gravy
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/SIMPLE-ROAST-TURKEY-WITH-RICH-TURKEY-GRAVY-236409
Simple Roasted Turkey like Grandma used to make
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/a-simply-perfect-roast-turkey/Detail.aspx
Real Simple Roast Turkey
http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/basic-roast-turkey-10000001549022
Try this recipe for salami:
Artichoke and Salami Salad
Ingredients:
4 cups cooked elbow macaroni
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
8 ounces salami, cut into thin strips
1 cup roasted sweet red pepper strips, drained
1 jar (7-1/2 ounces) marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 can (2-1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained
1/3 cup Italian salad dressing
1/4 cup minced fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Directions:
In a large salad bowl, combine the macaroni, mozzarella, tomatoes, salami, red peppers, artichokes and olives. Add the dressing, basil and pepper; toss to coat.
Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. Toss before serving. Yield: 8 servings
Did you know wild Alaskan salmon is now on the "super green" list? You can enjoy the finest Alaskan wild caught sockeye salmon at Wheatsville for $32.79 lb. Great choice for snacking, with bagels or made into a great spread.
Salmon Spread
Ingredients:
1 (8 ounce) package reduced fat cream cheese, softened
4 ounces smoked salmon, chopped
2 1/2 tablespoons capers, plus
1 tablespoon caper juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons dried chives
2 tablespoons dried dill weed
Serve on crackers or bread
Directions:
1. In a bowl, mix together the cream cheese, smoked salmon, capers, caper juice, lemon juice, chives, and dill weed until well blended. Cover, and chill for 1 hour. Serve with buttery crackers.
What about a classic hors d'oeuvre, asparagus with prosciutto? These are simple and elegant, and a crowd pleaser.
Asparagus wrapped in crisp prosciutto
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
16 spears fresh asparagus, trimmed
16 slices prosciutto
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and coat with olive oil.
2. Wrap one slice of prosciutto around each asparagus spear, starting at the bottom, and spiraling up to the tip. Place the wrapped spears on the prepared baking sheet.
3. Bake for 5 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove, and shake the pan back and forth to roll the spears over. Return to the oven for another 5 minutes, or until asparagus is tender, and prosciutto is crisp. Serve immediately.
I can't forget about our fresh made sausages! They're very versatile and useful in the kitchen. Try the Italian or the breakfast sausage mixed with your dressing for the best stuffing you've ever had. The breakfast is also for great for, breakfast! Pick up all flavors of our in store made sausages for the special price of $7.49 lb this month.
Scotch Eggs (4 servings)
1 pound bulk pork sausage
1 tablespoon fresh parsley -- chopped
1 tablespoon grated onion
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 hard-cooked eggs -- shelled
1/2 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
Combine sausage, parsley, onion, cinnamon and nutmeg; mix well. Divide sausage mixture into 4 portions; shape into patties. Place one egg atop each patty, shaping the sausage mixture around egg till completely covered. Roll each sausage-covered egg in breadcrumbs. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F. oven for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
Produce Recipes
Here are a few recipes for some sides that will break from the normal fare on your table.
Rutabaga Puree
2 lbs rutabaga (about three)
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1 sprig of thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup heavy cream (or soymilk)
1/2 stick of butter (or earth balance buttery sticks)
3 cups chicken stock, broth (or imagine no chicken chicken stock)
salt and pepper to taste
Peel rutabaga and cut into one inch chunks. Heat stock and add chunks when it boils. Heat cream over medium low heat, add garlic, thyme and bay. Let simmer as rutabaga cooks. Cook rutabagas until fork tender, about eight minutes. Add chunks to blender of food processor. Strain cream into a measuring cup. Add butter to the blender and slowly pulse the chunks making additions of cream until the puree is the consistency you want, season with salt and pepper.
Roasted Cauliflower
2 heads of cauliflower
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbs minced shallot
1 tbsp capers, minced
1/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup olive oil, divided
a few sprigs of parsley, chopped
1 tbsp red wine or white wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
Pre-heat oven to 350º. Cut cauliflower into florets and toss with half of the olive oil to coat. Arrange cauliflower on a cookie sheet in a single layer. Place in hot oven, roast until golden and tender, about 25 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the rest of the oil in a good sized skillet. Add shallots and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add red bell peppers and saute until tender. Add capers, and garlic, cook for about 2 minutes. When the cauliflower is fork tender and golden place it in a large mixing bowl. Add sauteed aromatics, parsley and vinegar. Toss. Salt and pepper to taste.
I hope you have a great week!
Dan Gillotte
Wheatsville GM and e-mail guy
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Thanksgiving is coming! This is not a drill! We can help!
Hi Wheatsville friends and fans!
We are seriously gearing up to have the best Thanksgiving ever here at the co-op and we want to help you have a great holiday!
But before we get to that, it's TIME to vote! Vote for the board, the Community Action Wednesday groups and on our boycott of products tested on animals. http://wheatsville.coop/election/index.html TIME is running out, the voting will be CLOSED on Dec. 9th at 6pm, so get your vote in TODAY!!!
Scroll down for:
Thanksgiving, local and what's in season in Produce
Vegan Marshmallows by request!
Thanksgiving in the deli
Super Special Thanksgiving Hot bar!
Turkeys, hams and more
Cheese yums! Lots of new and exciting cheeses.
Super Beer!
Staff Top Ten Picks
Grocery news
Thanksgiving in Produce
We're gearing up for a great Thanksgiving here in your produce department and are hoping to have everything you need for a successful holiday. In order to make your shopping experience as easy as possible, we will be converting our front display into a Thankgiving-centric array of staple items. Look for easily accessible items such as green beans, celery, cranberries and packs of mixed fresh herbs. We'll have lots of the other staples like onions, garlic and potatoes as well. We're ready to make this Thanksgiving a success for you!
Local in Produce
This was a pretty devastating summer for local farmers. The drought really impacted our selection of local produce here at the Co-op over the past few months, yet things seem to be coming together for a successful fall season. We still aren't offering too many local options, but here is a short list of local produce we are currently carrying. Green beans from J&B Farms in Hondo, fresh creamer peas from Lightsey Farm in Mexia, fresh sprouts from New World Produce out in by Lake Travis, and bibb lettuce from Amador Farms in Dripping Springs. Wednesday we will have some locally grown kakai pumpkins. These pumpkins have beautifully mottled orange, green and beige skin and have hull-less seeds that can be eaten with the flesh. We will have a limited number of these through the holiday.
What's in Season?
Apple season is in full swing right now. If you haven't tasted our new crop organic honey crisps this year, then you are missing out. Organic ambrosia apples have been a big favorite amongst our owners, as well. When it's apple season it is pear season too! Our new crop organic pears are amazing. My personal favorites have been the organic concord pears and the bosc. The concord pears have a sweet candy-like flavor that to me is unparalleled in the pear world. Bosc pears are my favorite pears for cooking, and keep their shape and texture after poaching or baking.
Persimmons, kiwi and pineapples are in season as well. These fruits are a little bit more exotic, but we've probably all tasted them at some point. Eat them now while they are in season for peak flavor.
On the vegetable front, potatoes, sweet potatoes, hard squashes (kabocha, pumpkin, sweet dumpling, delicatta, spaghetti and butternut), and Brussels sprouts are in season. Leafy greens will start to come into season over the next few weeks.
Wow
We have really excellent Fair Trade avocados right now. Come in and get a few of these ethical delights!
By Owner Request
Niki Nash, Wheatsville Merchandising Manager
This week I want to feature an item that was brought in several months ago by owner request because I want to make sure that everyone knows we have it. I'm talking about the delightful Dandies Vanilla Vegan Marshmallows! Most marshmallows on the market contain gelatin, which is a animal by-product that vegetarians avoid. Dandies are made without gelatin but even if that's not an issue for you, you can enjoy the fact that they are handcrafted, air-puffed and taste amazing. Most people say 'that's what a marshmallow is supposed to taste like!" Use in any recipe that calls for marshmallows, like rice krispy treats, sweet potato pie, s'mores or just use them on top of hot chocolate! Enjoy!
Thanksgiving from the Deli
It's that time again! Your newly expanded Wheatsville Deli is now more than ever ready to make your Thanksgiving a roaring success with a complete, delicious meal for you and yours! With our new, larger space, we have the opportunity to cook up even more goodies for your holiday table this year. So go ahead and start your T-Day countdown! By letting the Wheatsville Deli do all the cooking, you can have a full meal that is honestly homemade without spending hours in the kitchen!
Leek-Roasted Carrots and Tempeh makes a hearty vegan main course unto itself, or can simply be a delicious side dish for your table. On the side, as always, we will have a bountiful selection of seasonal dishes for you: hand-creamed vegan Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans with sautéed mushrooms and toasted walnuts, the hearty Roasted Fall Root Veggies, fruit and honey-baked Festive Sweet Potatoes and our best-selling vegan Cornbread Dressing. In addition to all of our classics, this year we'll have a traditional, savory Bread Stuffing made with our in-house sausage and even more tasty treats for your family and friends to enjoy! We'll also be featuring six-packs of flaky vegan Rosemary Biscuits, as well as our fresh-baked La Brea Bakery whole wheat dinner rolls. Our ever-popular, veggie-packed vegan Mushroom Gravy will also be on the menu alongside tart, gingery Cranberry Orange Relish – my favorite! – to go with your turkey or Tofurkey! We will be putting together sides for a family of four as well, available in our self-serve area. Just swing by, grab a bag of goodies and go!
And of course everyone knows what comes next – dessert! Your Wheatsville Bakery will be whipping up a delectable assortment of seasonal pies for your holiday dessert table: Pumpkin, Pecan, Coconut Cream and more, all homemade and fresh for you! With some organic vanilla ice cream, or vegan whipped cream, your meal will be complete!
The Hospitality Desk, located at the entrance to Wheatsville, will be handling all Deli pre-orders this year, and it will also be the central pickup point for your orders when T-Day arrives!
So leave the cooking to us! You can pick up a menu at either the Hospitality Desk or Deli Counter. You can also give our Hospitality clerks a call with orders or questions at 512-478-2667. We look forward to cooking for you and yours! Happy Holidays!
EXTRA SPECIAL THANKSGIVING HOT BAR ALL NEXT WEEK!
Yep, get your Thanksgiving early and build up your excitement for the big day!
We'll have Boar's Head Oven Gold Roasted Turkey Breast, Tofurky (yep! we're gonna have it!), Vegan Cornbread Stuffing, Bread Stuffing featuring housemade pork sausage, Garlic Mashed Potato and more! So, have Thanksgiving for lunch or dinner nearly every day next week! (Yes, I AM salivating over this!)
From Bryan, the Butcher
We have some great deals on Turkey! Organic Prairie Organic Whole Turkeys are in. These turkeys are ranging between 10lb to 16ln at the great price of 2.99lb. Find them in stock at the meat department. These turkeys come from small family farms that are part of the Organic Valley/ Organic Prairie Farm Co-op. Remember, these turkeys will require time to defrost
We also have Niman Ranch center pieces:
Niman Ranch Smoked Spiral cut Hams $6.99 lb
Niman Ranch Boneless Pit Hams $8.49 lb
These would be great for appetizers and sure to please!
Niman Ranch Dry cured Salami. Original $6.99 and Herbed $7.49.
Wild Alaskan cold smoked salmon $31.99 lb
From Greg, on Cheese Island
New for the Holidays!!!
Cahill's Irish Porter Cheese- Cahill's Porter is an Irish cheddar flavored with their own, farm-made, Irish Porter (like Guinness Stout). The cheese is made from pasteurized cow's milk (from a Friesian herd). All of their cheeses are hand-crafted and individually blended, with no artificial ingredients. Marion uses vegetable rennet, making Cahill's Porter also a vegetarian choice. The finished cheese is sealed in a brown wax truckle.
Tasting Notes: A dark brown wax-rind (remove before eating) cheese.
The pate is marbled cubes of light beige/brown in dark brown. The cheese breaks easily and could be melted or grated. Really good on a ploughman's plate or lunch with beer. Would be good paired with ripe pear or cooked apple. It's a semi-hard cheese with a floral cheddary nose of fresh butter. The pate has a meaty texture with caramel and chocolatey, almost malty notes.
Ardagh Wine Cheese- This red waxed gourmet cheese truckle is called after the Smith O'Brien home of Cahermoyle, Ardagh, where this medieval monastic cheese was revived about a hundred years ago. This is an adventurous red waxed cheese, veined with red wine, was revived from an old Limerick Palatine Recipe. It has a sharp taste with a strong presence of dry red wine. Enjoyed best on crackers or crisp-bread with a glass of vintage port
Black Diamond Spreads
Extra Sharp Cheddar-The great taste of sharp Canadian cheddar in a smooth spread
Merlot Cheddar-The great taste of sharp cheddar mixed with the sweetness of Merlot
Super BEER Blowout Sale!
Sessions Black Lager 12 packs, formally $13.99 are now only $10.99 for a limited time. Short, Dark, and Drinkable and a Gold Medal Winner at the 2009 Great American Beer Festival, Session Black, carries the mantra of drinkability into new territory. Most beers this dark are so heavy-duty, you could eat them with a fork. Session Black, on the other hand, lets you have your dark beer and drink it, too. With just a hint of roasty chocolate character, Session Black is short, dark, and totally drinkable. At long last, a dark beer that doesn't drink like a meal.
The perfect wine for turkey is now only $9.99! Mark west Pinot Noir, brilliant and bright, this wine's garnet color suggests its weighty characteristics. Heady aromas of black raspberry jam, cranberries, dried cherries and dried herbs intermingle with oak notes of nutmeg and a hint of smoke. Expansive and silky with cherry and raspberry suggestions, the wine lingers on the palate. This wine would be an excellent addition to your Thanksgiving Feast!
Check out our "Staff Top Ten Picks" posted throughout the store, we work here and shop here!!!
Look for the green signs in front of the products.
From Lucio Gamboa, Cashier & Bagger
1. Smoked Gouda from Holland: I want to eat my way out of this.
2. Niman Ranch Apple Gouda Sausage: Everything about this is delicious.
3. Helwa Choco Wafers: The perfect treat.
4. Spaten Optimator : Will keep you warm and buzzin' this winter.
5. Garden of Eatin' Guac Chips: Add cheese to these and its nachos!
6. Almond Krinkles (in bulk): Make my mornings so much better.
7. Sambazon Amazon Cherry Smoothie Packs: Who needs a smoothie when they taste so good?
8. Bubbie's Sauerkraut: Makes my heart go pitter patter.
9. Pureluck Del Cielo: Del Cielo + bread = Heaven
10. Quorn Gruyere Cutlets: They make great sandwiches.
From Stacy Lamy, Cashier
1. Wheat-free Thai Style Pasta- kinda spicy deliciousness. Peanuts make it crunchy. Best when warmed up.
2. La Croix (lah-qwah) - Lime goes great with Mexican fare, mixed berry with everything else. Great price!
3. The Merry Hempsters Vegan Hemp Lip Balm- Great texture and yummy flavors. From the great land of Oregon!
4. Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread (soy-free variety)- Never thought I'd find a substitute for butter, but...VOILA!
5. Texas Longhorns (dark chocolate)- Oh My! I get some when I've been a good girl :)
6. Pyrenees Cheese with Green Pepper- A little sweet, creamy and peppery...the cheese they eat in heaven.
7. Aura Cacia Essential Oils- Blend equal parts: clove, cinnamon, eucalyptus, rosemary and lemon for an immunity boosting bacteria killer. Use topically.
8. Gala Apples- My most "favoritest" apple. Grab some crunchy bulk peanut butter and munch out!
9. Ravenswood Zinfandel- Always pleasant, never rude. My first Zin is my favorite. From California.
10. Adbusters Magazine- This stellar publication makes me think, feel and question.
In The Grocery Aisles
Carter's Select Salsas:
I'm happy to report that we now have Carter's Select Salsas in five varieties on our grocery shelves. These excellent salsas are made here in Austin. Carter's uses fresh vegetables and herbs instead of dehydrated, and no water or vinegar is added. The first thing I noticed when I tried a sample of Carter's Select spicy salsa is that it tasted like real vegetables. I'm now a fan, and so is my family. To read more, check out their website http://www.cartersselect.com Justin Merrifield, Grocery Buyer
I hope you have a great weekend and that we can be your Thanksgiving store!
Dan Gillotte
Wheatsville GM and e-mail guy
We are seriously gearing up to have the best Thanksgiving ever here at the co-op and we want to help you have a great holiday!
But before we get to that, it's TIME to vote! Vote for the board, the Community Action Wednesday groups and on our boycott of products tested on animals. http://wheatsville.coop/election/index.html TIME is running out, the voting will be CLOSED on Dec. 9th at 6pm, so get your vote in TODAY!!!
Scroll down for:
Thanksgiving, local and what's in season in Produce
Vegan Marshmallows by request!
Thanksgiving in the deli
Super Special Thanksgiving Hot bar!
Turkeys, hams and more
Cheese yums! Lots of new and exciting cheeses.
Super Beer!
Staff Top Ten Picks
Grocery news
Thanksgiving in Produce
We're gearing up for a great Thanksgiving here in your produce department and are hoping to have everything you need for a successful holiday. In order to make your shopping experience as easy as possible, we will be converting our front display into a Thankgiving-centric array of staple items. Look for easily accessible items such as green beans, celery, cranberries and packs of mixed fresh herbs. We'll have lots of the other staples like onions, garlic and potatoes as well. We're ready to make this Thanksgiving a success for you!
Local in Produce
This was a pretty devastating summer for local farmers. The drought really impacted our selection of local produce here at the Co-op over the past few months, yet things seem to be coming together for a successful fall season. We still aren't offering too many local options, but here is a short list of local produce we are currently carrying. Green beans from J&B Farms in Hondo, fresh creamer peas from Lightsey Farm in Mexia, fresh sprouts from New World Produce out in by Lake Travis, and bibb lettuce from Amador Farms in Dripping Springs. Wednesday we will have some locally grown kakai pumpkins. These pumpkins have beautifully mottled orange, green and beige skin and have hull-less seeds that can be eaten with the flesh. We will have a limited number of these through the holiday.
What's in Season?
Apple season is in full swing right now. If you haven't tasted our new crop organic honey crisps this year, then you are missing out. Organic ambrosia apples have been a big favorite amongst our owners, as well. When it's apple season it is pear season too! Our new crop organic pears are amazing. My personal favorites have been the organic concord pears and the bosc. The concord pears have a sweet candy-like flavor that to me is unparalleled in the pear world. Bosc pears are my favorite pears for cooking, and keep their shape and texture after poaching or baking.
Persimmons, kiwi and pineapples are in season as well. These fruits are a little bit more exotic, but we've probably all tasted them at some point. Eat them now while they are in season for peak flavor.
On the vegetable front, potatoes, sweet potatoes, hard squashes (kabocha, pumpkin, sweet dumpling, delicatta, spaghetti and butternut), and Brussels sprouts are in season. Leafy greens will start to come into season over the next few weeks.
Wow
We have really excellent Fair Trade avocados right now. Come in and get a few of these ethical delights!
By Owner Request
Niki Nash, Wheatsville Merchandising Manager
This week I want to feature an item that was brought in several months ago by owner request because I want to make sure that everyone knows we have it. I'm talking about the delightful Dandies Vanilla Vegan Marshmallows! Most marshmallows on the market contain gelatin, which is a animal by-product that vegetarians avoid. Dandies are made without gelatin but even if that's not an issue for you, you can enjoy the fact that they are handcrafted, air-puffed and taste amazing. Most people say 'that's what a marshmallow is supposed to taste like!" Use in any recipe that calls for marshmallows, like rice krispy treats, sweet potato pie, s'mores or just use them on top of hot chocolate! Enjoy!
Thanksgiving from the Deli
It's that time again! Your newly expanded Wheatsville Deli is now more than ever ready to make your Thanksgiving a roaring success with a complete, delicious meal for you and yours! With our new, larger space, we have the opportunity to cook up even more goodies for your holiday table this year. So go ahead and start your T-Day countdown! By letting the Wheatsville Deli do all the cooking, you can have a full meal that is honestly homemade without spending hours in the kitchen!
Leek-Roasted Carrots and Tempeh makes a hearty vegan main course unto itself, or can simply be a delicious side dish for your table. On the side, as always, we will have a bountiful selection of seasonal dishes for you: hand-creamed vegan Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans with sautéed mushrooms and toasted walnuts, the hearty Roasted Fall Root Veggies, fruit and honey-baked Festive Sweet Potatoes and our best-selling vegan Cornbread Dressing. In addition to all of our classics, this year we'll have a traditional, savory Bread Stuffing made with our in-house sausage and even more tasty treats for your family and friends to enjoy! We'll also be featuring six-packs of flaky vegan Rosemary Biscuits, as well as our fresh-baked La Brea Bakery whole wheat dinner rolls. Our ever-popular, veggie-packed vegan Mushroom Gravy will also be on the menu alongside tart, gingery Cranberry Orange Relish – my favorite! – to go with your turkey or Tofurkey! We will be putting together sides for a family of four as well, available in our self-serve area. Just swing by, grab a bag of goodies and go!
And of course everyone knows what comes next – dessert! Your Wheatsville Bakery will be whipping up a delectable assortment of seasonal pies for your holiday dessert table: Pumpkin, Pecan, Coconut Cream and more, all homemade and fresh for you! With some organic vanilla ice cream, or vegan whipped cream, your meal will be complete!
The Hospitality Desk, located at the entrance to Wheatsville, will be handling all Deli pre-orders this year, and it will also be the central pickup point for your orders when T-Day arrives!
So leave the cooking to us! You can pick up a menu at either the Hospitality Desk or Deli Counter. You can also give our Hospitality clerks a call with orders or questions at 512-478-2667. We look forward to cooking for you and yours! Happy Holidays!
EXTRA SPECIAL THANKSGIVING HOT BAR ALL NEXT WEEK!
Yep, get your Thanksgiving early and build up your excitement for the big day!
We'll have Boar's Head Oven Gold Roasted Turkey Breast, Tofurky (yep! we're gonna have it!), Vegan Cornbread Stuffing, Bread Stuffing featuring housemade pork sausage, Garlic Mashed Potato and more! So, have Thanksgiving for lunch or dinner nearly every day next week! (Yes, I AM salivating over this!)
From Bryan, the Butcher
We have some great deals on Turkey! Organic Prairie Organic Whole Turkeys are in. These turkeys are ranging between 10lb to 16ln at the great price of 2.99lb. Find them in stock at the meat department. These turkeys come from small family farms that are part of the Organic Valley/ Organic Prairie Farm Co-op. Remember, these turkeys will require time to defrost
We also have Niman Ranch center pieces:
Niman Ranch Smoked Spiral cut Hams $6.99 lb
Niman Ranch Boneless Pit Hams $8.49 lb
These would be great for appetizers and sure to please!
Niman Ranch Dry cured Salami. Original $6.99 and Herbed $7.49.
Wild Alaskan cold smoked salmon $31.99 lb
From Greg, on Cheese Island
New for the Holidays!!!
Cahill's Irish Porter Cheese- Cahill's Porter is an Irish cheddar flavored with their own, farm-made, Irish Porter (like Guinness Stout). The cheese is made from pasteurized cow's milk (from a Friesian herd). All of their cheeses are hand-crafted and individually blended, with no artificial ingredients. Marion uses vegetable rennet, making Cahill's Porter also a vegetarian choice. The finished cheese is sealed in a brown wax truckle.
Tasting Notes: A dark brown wax-rind (remove before eating) cheese.
The pate is marbled cubes of light beige/brown in dark brown. The cheese breaks easily and could be melted or grated. Really good on a ploughman's plate or lunch with beer. Would be good paired with ripe pear or cooked apple. It's a semi-hard cheese with a floral cheddary nose of fresh butter. The pate has a meaty texture with caramel and chocolatey, almost malty notes.
Ardagh Wine Cheese- This red waxed gourmet cheese truckle is called after the Smith O'Brien home of Cahermoyle, Ardagh, where this medieval monastic cheese was revived about a hundred years ago. This is an adventurous red waxed cheese, veined with red wine, was revived from an old Limerick Palatine Recipe. It has a sharp taste with a strong presence of dry red wine. Enjoyed best on crackers or crisp-bread with a glass of vintage port
Black Diamond Spreads
Extra Sharp Cheddar-The great taste of sharp Canadian cheddar in a smooth spread
Merlot Cheddar-The great taste of sharp cheddar mixed with the sweetness of Merlot
Super BEER Blowout Sale!
Sessions Black Lager 12 packs, formally $13.99 are now only $10.99 for a limited time. Short, Dark, and Drinkable and a Gold Medal Winner at the 2009 Great American Beer Festival, Session Black, carries the mantra of drinkability into new territory. Most beers this dark are so heavy-duty, you could eat them with a fork. Session Black, on the other hand, lets you have your dark beer and drink it, too. With just a hint of roasty chocolate character, Session Black is short, dark, and totally drinkable. At long last, a dark beer that doesn't drink like a meal.
The perfect wine for turkey is now only $9.99! Mark west Pinot Noir, brilliant and bright, this wine's garnet color suggests its weighty characteristics. Heady aromas of black raspberry jam, cranberries, dried cherries and dried herbs intermingle with oak notes of nutmeg and a hint of smoke. Expansive and silky with cherry and raspberry suggestions, the wine lingers on the palate. This wine would be an excellent addition to your Thanksgiving Feast!
Check out our "Staff Top Ten Picks" posted throughout the store, we work here and shop here!!!
Look for the green signs in front of the products.
From Lucio Gamboa, Cashier & Bagger
1. Smoked Gouda from Holland: I want to eat my way out of this.
2. Niman Ranch Apple Gouda Sausage: Everything about this is delicious.
3. Helwa Choco Wafers: The perfect treat.
4. Spaten Optimator : Will keep you warm and buzzin' this winter.
5. Garden of Eatin' Guac Chips: Add cheese to these and its nachos!
6. Almond Krinkles (in bulk): Make my mornings so much better.
7. Sambazon Amazon Cherry Smoothie Packs: Who needs a smoothie when they taste so good?
8. Bubbie's Sauerkraut: Makes my heart go pitter patter.
9. Pureluck Del Cielo: Del Cielo + bread = Heaven
10. Quorn Gruyere Cutlets: They make great sandwiches.
From Stacy Lamy, Cashier
1. Wheat-free Thai Style Pasta- kinda spicy deliciousness. Peanuts make it crunchy. Best when warmed up.
2. La Croix (lah-qwah) - Lime goes great with Mexican fare, mixed berry with everything else. Great price!
3. The Merry Hempsters Vegan Hemp Lip Balm- Great texture and yummy flavors. From the great land of Oregon!
4. Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread (soy-free variety)- Never thought I'd find a substitute for butter, but...VOILA!
5. Texas Longhorns (dark chocolate)- Oh My! I get some when I've been a good girl :)
6. Pyrenees Cheese with Green Pepper- A little sweet, creamy and peppery...the cheese they eat in heaven.
7. Aura Cacia Essential Oils- Blend equal parts: clove, cinnamon, eucalyptus, rosemary and lemon for an immunity boosting bacteria killer. Use topically.
8. Gala Apples- My most "favoritest" apple. Grab some crunchy bulk peanut butter and munch out!
9. Ravenswood Zinfandel- Always pleasant, never rude. My first Zin is my favorite. From California.
10. Adbusters Magazine- This stellar publication makes me think, feel and question.
In The Grocery Aisles
Carter's Select Salsas:
I'm happy to report that we now have Carter's Select Salsas in five varieties on our grocery shelves. These excellent salsas are made here in Austin. Carter's uses fresh vegetables and herbs instead of dehydrated, and no water or vinegar is added. The first thing I noticed when I tried a sample of Carter's Select spicy salsa is that it tasted like real vegetables. I'm now a fan, and so is my family. To read more, check out their website http://www.cartersselect.com Justin Merrifield, Grocery Buyer
I hope you have a great weekend and that we can be your Thanksgiving store!
Dan Gillotte
Wheatsville GM and e-mail guy
Friday, November 13, 2009
Update! With Wine!
Hi friends!
Sorry for the second e-mail, but this seemed important enough to add-
Wine Tasting! Saturday November 14th from 1-4pm, Wheatsville will be hosting a wine tasting focusing on Mark west Pinot Noir. Brilliant and bright, the wine's garnet color suggests its weighty characteristics. Heady aromas of black raspberry jam, cranberries, dried cherries and dried herbs intermingle with oak notes of nutmeg and a hint of smoke. Expansive and silky with cherry and raspberry suggestions, the wine lingers on the palate. This wine would be an excellent addition to your Thanksgiving Feast!
Don't forget, that in addition to this awesome wine tasting that we also have our big Thanksgiving Sampler day, too from 1-5pm. You can try a taste of a wide assortment of our yummy Thanksgiving food from our deli such as cornbread stuffing, cranberry relish, garlic mashed potatoes, our new sausage bread stuffing, lots of pies and more. AND, get a taste of a Tofurkey slathered in our deli's Mushroom gravy and have a taste of Luna and Larry's Coconut Bliss Ice cream, too! We're making a lot, but supply is not unlimited, so come early to get the full tasting experience!
And, one more thing!
Super Blowout Beer Sale! Sessions Black Lager 12 packs, formally $13.99 are now only $10.99 for a limited time. Short, Dark, and Drinkable and a Gold Medal Winner at the 2009 Great American Beer Festival, Session Black, carries the mantra of drinkability into new territory. Most beers this dark are so heavy-duty, you could eat them with a fork. Session Black, on the other hand, lets you have your dark beer and drink it, too. With just a hint of roasty chocolate character, Session Black is short, dark, and totally drinkable. At long last, a dark beer that doesn't drink like a meal.
Hope to see you this weekend!
Dan Gillotte
Wheatsville GM and e-mail guy!
Sorry for the second e-mail, but this seemed important enough to add-
Wine Tasting! Saturday November 14th from 1-4pm, Wheatsville will be hosting a wine tasting focusing on Mark west Pinot Noir. Brilliant and bright, the wine's garnet color suggests its weighty characteristics. Heady aromas of black raspberry jam, cranberries, dried cherries and dried herbs intermingle with oak notes of nutmeg and a hint of smoke. Expansive and silky with cherry and raspberry suggestions, the wine lingers on the palate. This wine would be an excellent addition to your Thanksgiving Feast!
Don't forget, that in addition to this awesome wine tasting that we also have our big Thanksgiving Sampler day, too from 1-5pm. You can try a taste of a wide assortment of our yummy Thanksgiving food from our deli such as cornbread stuffing, cranberry relish, garlic mashed potatoes, our new sausage bread stuffing, lots of pies and more. AND, get a taste of a Tofurkey slathered in our deli's Mushroom gravy and have a taste of Luna and Larry's Coconut Bliss Ice cream, too! We're making a lot, but supply is not unlimited, so come early to get the full tasting experience!
And, one more thing!
Super Blowout Beer Sale! Sessions Black Lager 12 packs, formally $13.99 are now only $10.99 for a limited time. Short, Dark, and Drinkable and a Gold Medal Winner at the 2009 Great American Beer Festival, Session Black, carries the mantra of drinkability into new territory. Most beers this dark are so heavy-duty, you could eat them with a fork. Session Black, on the other hand, lets you have your dark beer and drink it, too. With just a hint of roasty chocolate character, Session Black is short, dark, and totally drinkable. At long last, a dark beer that doesn't drink like a meal.
Hope to see you this weekend!
Dan Gillotte
Wheatsville GM and e-mail guy!
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Thanksgiving Sampler and so much more!
Hi Wheatsville friends!
We're packing a lot into this communication this week, so get a snack and a drink, pace yourself and we'll get through it together! (There's quite a bit of pie talk, so be prepared!)
Here's what you get when you scroll on down!
Coffee with the board
Thanksgiving sampler
Donate to the Capital Area Food Bank
Thanksgiving hours
Thanksgiving Valet parking
Delicious Thanksgiving food from the deli
Message in a bottle from Cheese Island with a green bean and gruyere recipe!
Meat news
Grocery news including a SKATEBOARD GIVEAWAY!
Save the date! Wheatsville Artsfest
Black Star Co-op has site!
Fair Trade arts and crafts fair
Coffee with the board is this Saturday from 9am-11am. Join board member Aditya and others for some fair trade organic coffee and some other treats and talk to your board about your co-op!
VOTE! HERE! NOW! http://wheatsville.coop/election/index.html
Taste the Thanksgiving!
We're super excited about our BIG Thanksgiving sampler this year. It will be this Saturday from 1-5pm. You can try a taste of a wide assortment of our yummy Thanksgiving food from our deli such as cornbread stuffing, cranberry relish, garlic mashed potatoes, our new sausage bread stuffing, lots of pies and more. AND, get a taste of a Tofurkey slathered in our deli's Mushroom gravy and have a taste of Luna and Larry's Coconut Bliss Ice cream, too! We're making a lot, but supply is not unlimited, so come early to get the full tasting experience!
Give a little, if you can
We've got bins ready to collect food for the Capital Area Food bank up at the front of the store. Times are tough and demand is up. Can you help by donating non-perishable food items to those in need? We hope to load them up with food this year and you can help!
Thanksgiving hours
We're open all day long on the day before Thanksgiving.
We're closed on Thanksgiving day to give our staff a well-deserved day off to enjoy with their friends and family.
Friday hours are DIFFERENT this year. We will be open from 10am-10pm on Friday after Thanksgiving. The deli will be offering Tacos until noon. Let us know how this works for you. It's an experiment for us since it is historically THE slowest sales day of the year for us.
Can we park that for you?
Since we are anticipating (and striving for) a HUGE Thanksgiving in our new digs, we want to do all we can to continue to provide a relatively easy breezy shopping time for you. SO, we will be providing complementary valet parking on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving from 10am-9pm. PUll into the lot and if you like, a professional valet will park your car for you so you don;t have to. Then you can slide right into the co-op, do your shopping and get on out! Fast and easy! We're hoping that people, especially those with big shopping trips consider using this service so that we can have enough parking for this busy day.
From the Deli
It's that time again! Your newly expanded Wheatsville Deli is now more than ever ready to make your Thanksgiving a roaring success with a complete, delicious meal for you and yours! With our new, larger space, we have the opportunity to cook up even more goodies for your holiday table this year, including fully-cooked Organic Turkeys available by pre-order, and a brand new Sausage Bread Stuffing, made with our in-house sausage, lots of herbs and fresh-baked bread! So go ahead and start your T-Day countdown! By letting the Wheatsville Deli do all the cooking, you can have a full meal that is honestly homemade without spending hours in the kitchen!
First off, to start your party in the proper holiday spirit, we'll be making appetizers! Our creamy Garlic Chive Cheddar Cheese Balls and savory, vegan Walnut Pecan Pâté are both delicious spread on crackers. With a pre-order, the Deli can also make a lovely Fruit & Cheese Tray for your party, as well as a colorful Crudite Tray, providing a fresh assortment of raw veggies for your table plus a pint of our famous, garlicky Cashew-Tamari Dressing for dipping. Or if you prefer to make your own veggie platters, we will have on hand bottles of Cashew-Tamari Dressing to accompany those, too!
Moving on to the main course, we will be roasting Organic Turkeys in-house for the first time ever! These plump turkeys are being cooked to order, so if you're interested in picking one up and saving yourself hours at the oven, basting and maneuvering that big turkey, just let us know and we'll take care of it for you! Leek-Roasted Carrots and Tempeh makes a hearty vegan main course unto itself, or can simply be a delicious side dish for your table. On the side, as always, we will have a bountiful selection of seasonal dishes for you: hand-creamed vegan Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans with sautéed mushrooms and toasted walnuts, the hearty Roasted Fall Root Veggies, Vegan Mac'n'Cheese with Broccoli, fruit and honey-baked Festive Sweet Potatoes and our best-selling vegan Cornbread Dressing. In addition to all of our classics, this year we'll have a traditional, savory Sausage Bread Stuffing and even more tasty treats for your family and friends to enjoy! We'll also be featuring six-packs of flaky vegan Rosemary Biscuits, as well as our fresh-baked La Brea Bakery whole wheat dinner rolls. Our ever-popular, veggie-packed vegan Mushroom Gravy will also be on the menu alongside tart, gingery Cranberry Orange Relish – my favorite! – to go with your turkey or Tofurkey! We will be putting together sides for a family of four as well, available in our self-serve area. Just swing by, grab a bag of goodies and go!
And of course everyone knows what comes next – dessert! Your Wheatsville Bakery will be whipping up a delectable assortment of seasonal pies for your holiday dessert table: Pumpkin, Pecan, Coconut Cream and more, all homemade and fresh for you! With some organic vanilla ice cream, or vegan whipped cream, your meal will be complete!
Interested in more than words when planning your holiday fare? You're in luck! Come on in to Wheatsville Co-op on Saturday, November 14th between 1:00 and 5:00 PM to sample some of the items from our tasty holiday menu. This will be an all-store sampling event, so be prepared to try lots of tasty treats to help you plan your holiday feast!
November 15th is the deadline for all holiday food pre-orders from the Wheatsville Deli! During the weeks before Thanksgiving, we will be offering plenty of uncooked turkeys, pies and side dishes for you to purchase, but if you have your heart set on a particular item, you might want to order ahead of time. The Hospitality Desk, located at the entrance to Wheatsville, will be handling all Deli pre-orders this year, and it will also be the central pickup point for your orders when T-Day arrives! We know how important dessert is and would hate for you to miss out on your favorites, so pies are definitely a wise thing to order in advance! Raw turkeys can be pre-ordered ahead of time, but plenty will be available in the meat department in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, and this year they'll all be organic! Whole roasted Organic Turkeys – $39.99 each and large enough to feed a family of four with ample leftovers! – are only being cooked to order, so a pre-order and pre-payment is essential to making sure you get what you need. If you're interested in a fully-cooked bird be sure to let us know by November 15th!
So leave the cooking to us! Pick up a menu at either the Hospitality Desk or Deli Counter, and then place your order with the folks at the Hospitality Desk. You can also give our Hospitality clerks a call with orders or questions at 512-478-2667. We look forward to cooking for you and yours! Happy Holidays!
From Greg, on cheese island
Brie is a soft cow milk cheese that originated in the Brie region of France. It has a buttery texture and nutty flavor. Brie is traditionally made with raw milk and aged for a period of four to five weeks. Unfortunately, government regulation requires any cheeses made with raw milk, to be aged at least 60 days. So, that means you have to go to France if you want to eat true Brie. The outside of the Brie is covered with a white mold (penicillium candidum) and is meant to be eaten. Brie tends to have butterfat content around 45%. Then you have double cream bries like Fromage D' Affinios that have a butterfat content around 60% and triple cream bries such as Saint Andres with a butterfat content of 75%. Brie can be eaten with crackers, or crusty bread. Fruits and nuts, like pistachios and pears, would make a great accompaniment. A subtle red wine, like a Pinot Noir or a dry and lively white wine like a nice Champagne. Quince paste or fruit preserves could be served along with the Brie.
There are two "bries" that we carry that I would recommend. Brazos Vellay Cheese Company's Brie and the Saint Andre triple cream. Brazos Valley Cheese Company is located outside of Waco on the Brazos River Let this cheese sit out for an hour, before eating. After a five minutes of sitting, this cheese starts to change states and from the inside out turns into a slow river of butterfat. This brie is made from fresh Texas cow's milk and made without the use of additives and preservatives. The Saint Andre triple cream is made using a sour cream, sweet cream and heavy cream. This gives it its dense body, tangy taste, satin texture and a butterfat content of 75%. I would absolutely recommend Champagne and strawberries to compliment this cheese.
The use of brie does not have to be confined to appetizer or on a cheese plate. It can be used in many different recipes. Use brie in place of butter for mashed potatoes. If you are daring, use it alongside the butter. It can be used in mac and cheese or as a filling for tarts. I had a wonderful sandwich made up of turkey, brie and fig spread on marbled rye. Once you start eating this cheese and understanding the nuances of its taste and texture, you will realize the uses for this cheese are almost limitless.
Thanksgiving Idea!!
Green Bean Casserole With Gruyere Cheese
5 tablespoons butter - divided use
1/2 pound sliced mushrooms
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup all-purpose flour - divided use
2 1/4 cups (2-percent reduced fat) milk - divided use
2 cups Gruyère Cheese (Veldhuizen Green's Creek Gruyere), shredded - divided use
2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed, left whole and steamed or precooked for 5 minutes
1 yellow onion, sliced into thin rings
1/4 cup fine dried bread crumbs
1/8 to1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed and mushrooms are golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes; transfer to a small bowl and return saucepan to heat.
Melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter in pot over medium heat. Whisk in 1/4 cup flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute. Whisk in 2 cups milk until smooth then cook, stirring often, until silky and thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add 1 1/2 cups Gruyère a handful at a time, gently stirring until melted; season generously with salt and pepper and set aside.
In large bowl, toss together green beans, mushrooms and Gruyère sauce then transfer to a 9x13-inch casserole dish and sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup Gruyère Cheese over the top; set aside.
Mix 1/4 cup flour, bread crumbs, cayenne and salt to taste in small bowl.
In large bowl, toss onions with remaining 1/4 cup milk then add bread crumb mixture. Toss gently to coat. Scatter onions over green beans (along with any bread crumbs that didn't stick) and bake until golden brown and casserole is bubbly, about 40 minutes.
Let casserole stand 10 minutes before serving.
Makes 8 servings.
From Bryan, the Butcher
Wheatsville now has amazingly fresh trout sourced by Rushing Waters, located out of Palmyra Wisconsin www.rushingwaters.net . This is a prime example of how fish farming can be done correctly and with zero environmental impact. Please explore their website, it's full of great info. The main thing I'd like to point out is they harvest to order. That means when Wheatsville orders our trout, it's still swimming. Rushing Waters then hips it to us via same day delivery.
Hope your getting ready for the holidays. Be sure to come by Saturday for awesome day of sampling bonanza. While you're here you can pick some special deals from the meat market.
Check out these specials for November:
Got turkey? Later this month Organic Prairie certified organic whole turkeys $2.99 lb. We're proud to offer an Organic Turkey from our friends at the family farms of Organic Prairie co-op. (An amusing side story from Dan- we checked prices at Whole Foods last week and their turkeys were going to be $3.49 a pound. We then had a "Secret" visit from some WHole Foods honchos and afterward, they lowered their price to match ours!)
Fresh made sausages, link and bulk. $7.49 lb, reg $7.99 lb.
Niman Ranch choice boneless beef chuck roast $8.49 lb, reg $8.79 lb; Niman Ranch choice boneless pork shoulder roast $4.49 lb, reg $4.99; Niman Ranch choice boneless Ribeye steak $14.99 lb, reg $16.99 lb.Looking for something new? Check these new items:
Ready to cook crab cakes in the full service meat counter $14.99 lb.
Niman Ranch dry cured Salami. Two flavors: dry Italian $6.99 and herbed $7.49.
Niman Ranch BBQ pulled pork. Fully cooked and ready to eat, 1 full pound $8.49.
Bastrop Cattle Company grass-fed T-bone steaks $18.99 lb.
In The Grocery Aisle
Grocery has all your Thanksgiving needs covered and a lot of what you're looking for is on special this month! Check out our Co-op Advantage flyer on line here: http://wheatsville.coop/CAP%20flyers/SW1109.pdf
Have A Corn Chips:
Tasty. Here's a simple snack with four ingredients that's loaded with flavor. I'm happy to now be able to get "Have A Corn Chips" at Wheatsville. The difference with these chips is that they are flavored with soy sauce instead of salt. This gives it a unique taste that is sure to satisfy the snack attack.
SKATEBOARD GIVEAWAY!
Our friends at Odwalla have provided a skateboard to raffle off to one lucky customer.
The ballots and ballot boxes are at the Hospitality Desk.
No purchase necessary but FYI Odwalla bars are on sale for $1.29!
By Owner Request
This week's focus on a product brought in by owner request is Bob's Red Mill Corn Grits. Bob's Red Mill really uses a stone mill!,offering a wide diversity of whole grains. Their corn grits, also called polenta, can be made into a delicious part of any meal as well as a delicious hot cereal in the morning. Wheatsville also has other yummy hot cereals from Bob's: Gluten Free Mighty Tasty Hot Cereal, Gluten Free Steel Cut Oats, Gluten Free Rolled Oats, Creamy Wheat Farina, and 10 Grain Hot Cereal. (Dan has visited Bob's Red Mill plant and can attest to the great care they put into their products and YES I did meet Bob himself!)
Wheatsville Artsfest back home and spreading out, too!
The annual Wheatsville Artsfest is happening on Saturday and Sunday December 5th and 6th from 10am-5pm. We'll have about many artists set up in half of our front parking lot as well as music and other fun stuff! Our neighbors up and down the street are gettinginvolved this year, too! You'll find arts, crafts and music at EcoClean, I Love Video and Spider House, at Tom's Tabooley, and across the street in the 3110 parking lot. Stay tuned for more detail, but expect a great time! Make sure you don't miss Toni Price's triumphant return to the Artsfest on Saturday from 2:30-3:30!
BIG CO-OP NEWS!
Our friends at BlackStar Co-op, the world's first cooperatively owned brew pub have a location!!! We're so proud of the hard work and dedication of the founders of this co-op. They are having a location unveiling event this Saturday from 1-5. Learn more here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=183173835752&index=1
Fair Trade arts and crafts!
Come and enjoy the 6th edition of our Women & Fair Trade – Sale, Culture & Art. This year we will have eight cooperatives from various parts of the world, formed by women adversely affected by global policies. They will tell their stories and sell beautiful handmade crafts, toys, pottery, jewelry, clothing and textiles.
Art lovers, and the broader Austin community will learn about fair trade and shop at the same time. We will offer a workshop on flute making; children and adults are welcome! The market festival will also feature a cultural arts lunch at Karibu Restaurant on Saturday @ 2:00 pm with the theme "Rise up through fair trade" which will include music, raffles and a discussion on fair trade. Please refer to our website www.womenandfairtrade.org closer to date for details on program and schedule.
What: Women & Fair Trade – Sale, Culture and Art
Where: 1221 East 6th St. (SW corner of 6th & Attayac St.)
When: Saturday and Sunday, November 21st & 22nd, from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
Who: American Friends Service Committee – Austin office
For volunteering please send email to nem@afsc.org
We hope to see you this weekend and we hope that you are planning on doing your Thanksgiving purchasing with your co-op. Let us know how we can help you!
Dan Gillotte
Wheatsville GM and e-mail guy and lover of Thanksgiving!
We're packing a lot into this communication this week, so get a snack and a drink, pace yourself and we'll get through it together! (There's quite a bit of pie talk, so be prepared!)
Here's what you get when you scroll on down!
Coffee with the board
Thanksgiving sampler
Donate to the Capital Area Food Bank
Thanksgiving hours
Thanksgiving Valet parking
Delicious Thanksgiving food from the deli
Message in a bottle from Cheese Island with a green bean and gruyere recipe!
Meat news
Grocery news including a SKATEBOARD GIVEAWAY!
Save the date! Wheatsville Artsfest
Black Star Co-op has site!
Fair Trade arts and crafts fair
Coffee with the board is this Saturday from 9am-11am. Join board member Aditya and others for some fair trade organic coffee and some other treats and talk to your board about your co-op!
VOTE! HERE! NOW! http://wheatsville.coop/election/index.html
Taste the Thanksgiving!
We're super excited about our BIG Thanksgiving sampler this year. It will be this Saturday from 1-5pm. You can try a taste of a wide assortment of our yummy Thanksgiving food from our deli such as cornbread stuffing, cranberry relish, garlic mashed potatoes, our new sausage bread stuffing, lots of pies and more. AND, get a taste of a Tofurkey slathered in our deli's Mushroom gravy and have a taste of Luna and Larry's Coconut Bliss Ice cream, too! We're making a lot, but supply is not unlimited, so come early to get the full tasting experience!
Give a little, if you can
We've got bins ready to collect food for the Capital Area Food bank up at the front of the store. Times are tough and demand is up. Can you help by donating non-perishable food items to those in need? We hope to load them up with food this year and you can help!
Thanksgiving hours
We're open all day long on the day before Thanksgiving.
We're closed on Thanksgiving day to give our staff a well-deserved day off to enjoy with their friends and family.
Friday hours are DIFFERENT this year. We will be open from 10am-10pm on Friday after Thanksgiving. The deli will be offering Tacos until noon. Let us know how this works for you. It's an experiment for us since it is historically THE slowest sales day of the year for us.
Can we park that for you?
Since we are anticipating (and striving for) a HUGE Thanksgiving in our new digs, we want to do all we can to continue to provide a relatively easy breezy shopping time for you. SO, we will be providing complementary valet parking on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving from 10am-9pm. PUll into the lot and if you like, a professional valet will park your car for you so you don;t have to. Then you can slide right into the co-op, do your shopping and get on out! Fast and easy! We're hoping that people, especially those with big shopping trips consider using this service so that we can have enough parking for this busy day.
From the Deli
It's that time again! Your newly expanded Wheatsville Deli is now more than ever ready to make your Thanksgiving a roaring success with a complete, delicious meal for you and yours! With our new, larger space, we have the opportunity to cook up even more goodies for your holiday table this year, including fully-cooked Organic Turkeys available by pre-order, and a brand new Sausage Bread Stuffing, made with our in-house sausage, lots of herbs and fresh-baked bread! So go ahead and start your T-Day countdown! By letting the Wheatsville Deli do all the cooking, you can have a full meal that is honestly homemade without spending hours in the kitchen!
First off, to start your party in the proper holiday spirit, we'll be making appetizers! Our creamy Garlic Chive Cheddar Cheese Balls and savory, vegan Walnut Pecan Pâté are both delicious spread on crackers. With a pre-order, the Deli can also make a lovely Fruit & Cheese Tray for your party, as well as a colorful Crudite Tray, providing a fresh assortment of raw veggies for your table plus a pint of our famous, garlicky Cashew-Tamari Dressing for dipping. Or if you prefer to make your own veggie platters, we will have on hand bottles of Cashew-Tamari Dressing to accompany those, too!
Moving on to the main course, we will be roasting Organic Turkeys in-house for the first time ever! These plump turkeys are being cooked to order, so if you're interested in picking one up and saving yourself hours at the oven, basting and maneuvering that big turkey, just let us know and we'll take care of it for you! Leek-Roasted Carrots and Tempeh makes a hearty vegan main course unto itself, or can simply be a delicious side dish for your table. On the side, as always, we will have a bountiful selection of seasonal dishes for you: hand-creamed vegan Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans with sautéed mushrooms and toasted walnuts, the hearty Roasted Fall Root Veggies, Vegan Mac'n'Cheese with Broccoli, fruit and honey-baked Festive Sweet Potatoes and our best-selling vegan Cornbread Dressing. In addition to all of our classics, this year we'll have a traditional, savory Sausage Bread Stuffing and even more tasty treats for your family and friends to enjoy! We'll also be featuring six-packs of flaky vegan Rosemary Biscuits, as well as our fresh-baked La Brea Bakery whole wheat dinner rolls. Our ever-popular, veggie-packed vegan Mushroom Gravy will also be on the menu alongside tart, gingery Cranberry Orange Relish – my favorite! – to go with your turkey or Tofurkey! We will be putting together sides for a family of four as well, available in our self-serve area. Just swing by, grab a bag of goodies and go!
And of course everyone knows what comes next – dessert! Your Wheatsville Bakery will be whipping up a delectable assortment of seasonal pies for your holiday dessert table: Pumpkin, Pecan, Coconut Cream and more, all homemade and fresh for you! With some organic vanilla ice cream, or vegan whipped cream, your meal will be complete!
Interested in more than words when planning your holiday fare? You're in luck! Come on in to Wheatsville Co-op on Saturday, November 14th between 1:00 and 5:00 PM to sample some of the items from our tasty holiday menu. This will be an all-store sampling event, so be prepared to try lots of tasty treats to help you plan your holiday feast!
November 15th is the deadline for all holiday food pre-orders from the Wheatsville Deli! During the weeks before Thanksgiving, we will be offering plenty of uncooked turkeys, pies and side dishes for you to purchase, but if you have your heart set on a particular item, you might want to order ahead of time. The Hospitality Desk, located at the entrance to Wheatsville, will be handling all Deli pre-orders this year, and it will also be the central pickup point for your orders when T-Day arrives! We know how important dessert is and would hate for you to miss out on your favorites, so pies are definitely a wise thing to order in advance! Raw turkeys can be pre-ordered ahead of time, but plenty will be available in the meat department in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, and this year they'll all be organic! Whole roasted Organic Turkeys – $39.99 each and large enough to feed a family of four with ample leftovers! – are only being cooked to order, so a pre-order and pre-payment is essential to making sure you get what you need. If you're interested in a fully-cooked bird be sure to let us know by November 15th!
So leave the cooking to us! Pick up a menu at either the Hospitality Desk or Deli Counter, and then place your order with the folks at the Hospitality Desk. You can also give our Hospitality clerks a call with orders or questions at 512-478-2667. We look forward to cooking for you and yours! Happy Holidays!
From Greg, on cheese island
Brie is a soft cow milk cheese that originated in the Brie region of France. It has a buttery texture and nutty flavor. Brie is traditionally made with raw milk and aged for a period of four to five weeks. Unfortunately, government regulation requires any cheeses made with raw milk, to be aged at least 60 days. So, that means you have to go to France if you want to eat true Brie. The outside of the Brie is covered with a white mold (penicillium candidum) and is meant to be eaten. Brie tends to have butterfat content around 45%. Then you have double cream bries like Fromage D' Affinios that have a butterfat content around 60% and triple cream bries such as Saint Andres with a butterfat content of 75%. Brie can be eaten with crackers, or crusty bread. Fruits and nuts, like pistachios and pears, would make a great accompaniment. A subtle red wine, like a Pinot Noir or a dry and lively white wine like a nice Champagne. Quince paste or fruit preserves could be served along with the Brie.
There are two "bries" that we carry that I would recommend. Brazos Vellay Cheese Company's Brie and the Saint Andre triple cream. Brazos Valley Cheese Company is located outside of Waco on the Brazos River Let this cheese sit out for an hour, before eating. After a five minutes of sitting, this cheese starts to change states and from the inside out turns into a slow river of butterfat. This brie is made from fresh Texas cow's milk and made without the use of additives and preservatives. The Saint Andre triple cream is made using a sour cream, sweet cream and heavy cream. This gives it its dense body, tangy taste, satin texture and a butterfat content of 75%. I would absolutely recommend Champagne and strawberries to compliment this cheese.
The use of brie does not have to be confined to appetizer or on a cheese plate. It can be used in many different recipes. Use brie in place of butter for mashed potatoes. If you are daring, use it alongside the butter. It can be used in mac and cheese or as a filling for tarts. I had a wonderful sandwich made up of turkey, brie and fig spread on marbled rye. Once you start eating this cheese and understanding the nuances of its taste and texture, you will realize the uses for this cheese are almost limitless.
Thanksgiving Idea!!
Green Bean Casserole With Gruyere Cheese
5 tablespoons butter - divided use
1/2 pound sliced mushrooms
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup all-purpose flour - divided use
2 1/4 cups (2-percent reduced fat) milk - divided use
2 cups Gruyère Cheese (Veldhuizen Green's Creek Gruyere), shredded - divided use
2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed, left whole and steamed or precooked for 5 minutes
1 yellow onion, sliced into thin rings
1/4 cup fine dried bread crumbs
1/8 to1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed and mushrooms are golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes; transfer to a small bowl and return saucepan to heat.
Melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter in pot over medium heat. Whisk in 1/4 cup flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute. Whisk in 2 cups milk until smooth then cook, stirring often, until silky and thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add 1 1/2 cups Gruyère a handful at a time, gently stirring until melted; season generously with salt and pepper and set aside.
In large bowl, toss together green beans, mushrooms and Gruyère sauce then transfer to a 9x13-inch casserole dish and sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup Gruyère Cheese over the top; set aside.
Mix 1/4 cup flour, bread crumbs, cayenne and salt to taste in small bowl.
In large bowl, toss onions with remaining 1/4 cup milk then add bread crumb mixture. Toss gently to coat. Scatter onions over green beans (along with any bread crumbs that didn't stick) and bake until golden brown and casserole is bubbly, about 40 minutes.
Let casserole stand 10 minutes before serving.
Makes 8 servings.
From Bryan, the Butcher
Wheatsville now has amazingly fresh trout sourced by Rushing Waters, located out of Palmyra Wisconsin www.rushingwaters.net . This is a prime example of how fish farming can be done correctly and with zero environmental impact. Please explore their website, it's full of great info. The main thing I'd like to point out is they harvest to order. That means when Wheatsville orders our trout, it's still swimming. Rushing Waters then hips it to us via same day delivery.
Hope your getting ready for the holidays. Be sure to come by Saturday for awesome day of sampling bonanza. While you're here you can pick some special deals from the meat market.
Check out these specials for November:
Got turkey? Later this month Organic Prairie certified organic whole turkeys $2.99 lb. We're proud to offer an Organic Turkey from our friends at the family farms of Organic Prairie co-op. (An amusing side story from Dan- we checked prices at Whole Foods last week and their turkeys were going to be $3.49 a pound. We then had a "Secret" visit from some WHole Foods honchos and afterward, they lowered their price to match ours!)
Fresh made sausages, link and bulk. $7.49 lb, reg $7.99 lb.
Niman Ranch choice boneless beef chuck roast $8.49 lb, reg $8.79 lb; Niman Ranch choice boneless pork shoulder roast $4.49 lb, reg $4.99; Niman Ranch choice boneless Ribeye steak $14.99 lb, reg $16.99 lb.Looking for something new? Check these new items:
Ready to cook crab cakes in the full service meat counter $14.99 lb.
Niman Ranch dry cured Salami. Two flavors: dry Italian $6.99 and herbed $7.49.
Niman Ranch BBQ pulled pork. Fully cooked and ready to eat, 1 full pound $8.49.
Bastrop Cattle Company grass-fed T-bone steaks $18.99 lb.
In The Grocery Aisle
Grocery has all your Thanksgiving needs covered and a lot of what you're looking for is on special this month! Check out our Co-op Advantage flyer on line here: http://wheatsville.coop/CAP%20flyers/SW1109.pdf
Have A Corn Chips:
Tasty. Here's a simple snack with four ingredients that's loaded with flavor. I'm happy to now be able to get "Have A Corn Chips" at Wheatsville. The difference with these chips is that they are flavored with soy sauce instead of salt. This gives it a unique taste that is sure to satisfy the snack attack.
SKATEBOARD GIVEAWAY!
Our friends at Odwalla have provided a skateboard to raffle off to one lucky customer.
The ballots and ballot boxes are at the Hospitality Desk.
No purchase necessary but FYI Odwalla bars are on sale for $1.29!
By Owner Request
This week's focus on a product brought in by owner request is Bob's Red Mill Corn Grits. Bob's Red Mill really uses a stone mill!,offering a wide diversity of whole grains. Their corn grits, also called polenta, can be made into a delicious part of any meal as well as a delicious hot cereal in the morning. Wheatsville also has other yummy hot cereals from Bob's: Gluten Free Mighty Tasty Hot Cereal, Gluten Free Steel Cut Oats, Gluten Free Rolled Oats, Creamy Wheat Farina, and 10 Grain Hot Cereal. (Dan has visited Bob's Red Mill plant and can attest to the great care they put into their products and YES I did meet Bob himself!)
Wheatsville Artsfest back home and spreading out, too!
The annual Wheatsville Artsfest is happening on Saturday and Sunday December 5th and 6th from 10am-5pm. We'll have about many artists set up in half of our front parking lot as well as music and other fun stuff! Our neighbors up and down the street are gettinginvolved this year, too! You'll find arts, crafts and music at EcoClean, I Love Video and Spider House, at Tom's Tabooley, and across the street in the 3110 parking lot. Stay tuned for more detail, but expect a great time! Make sure you don't miss Toni Price's triumphant return to the Artsfest on Saturday from 2:30-3:30!
BIG CO-OP NEWS!
Our friends at BlackStar Co-op, the world's first cooperatively owned brew pub have a location!!! We're so proud of the hard work and dedication of the founders of this co-op. They are having a location unveiling event this Saturday from 1-5. Learn more here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=183173835752&index=1
Fair Trade arts and crafts!
Come and enjoy the 6th edition of our Women & Fair Trade – Sale, Culture & Art. This year we will have eight cooperatives from various parts of the world, formed by women adversely affected by global policies. They will tell their stories and sell beautiful handmade crafts, toys, pottery, jewelry, clothing and textiles.
Art lovers, and the broader Austin community will learn about fair trade and shop at the same time. We will offer a workshop on flute making; children and adults are welcome! The market festival will also feature a cultural arts lunch at Karibu Restaurant on Saturday @ 2:00 pm with the theme "Rise up through fair trade" which will include music, raffles and a discussion on fair trade. Please refer to our website www.womenandfairtrade.org closer to date for details on program and schedule.
What: Women & Fair Trade – Sale, Culture and Art
Where: 1221 East 6th St. (SW corner of 6th & Attayac St.)
When: Saturday and Sunday, November 21st & 22nd, from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
Who: American Friends Service Committee – Austin office
For volunteering please send email to nem@afsc.org
We hope to see you this weekend and we hope that you are planning on doing your Thanksgiving purchasing with your co-op. Let us know how we can help you!
Dan Gillotte
Wheatsville GM and e-mail guy and lover of Thanksgiving!
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