Closing early! Wintertime produce, donation drive, Seafood advocacy, and more!

Hi friends!

We are closing the co-op early tonight to celebrate our staff with a staff appreciation party. Deli closes at 8:340, store closes at 9pm.

Also, anticipate some loudness in the store over the next few days as parts of the north wall bricks get taken down.

This week scroll down for:
Produce news!
Vegheads needed!
Yummy deli
Cheese and meat with a recipe!
Take a trip to grocery isle!
Donation drive!


Montesino Farms Salad Mix and Prepped Spinach
Distribution for the salad mixes continues to be inconsistent, but fortunately the fine folks of Montesino Farms out in Wimberly, TX have saved the day with their local, certified organic salad mixes, and spinach.
Each are bagged in half pound bags, the spinach is running $2.99, and the mixed greens are $3.79. They are available in the regular produce section.

Pure Luck Herbs
These fine herbs are starting to catch on, which is great since they are so awesome. They cut the herbs to order, which guarantees that they are fresh, fresh, fresh. I'll be putting up some tips for some of the more obscure herbs like chervil and marjoram in the next few days.

Citrus and Sickness
I don't think that it's coincidence that citrus season and cold and flu season correspond. Mother Nature provides these vitamin packed beauties just when we need them most. Come in and get some!

Apple Bags are Back
After a few weeks of limited availability, three pound bags of Fuji and Gala apples have returned. If you need'em for juicing, or just hand-eating, we've got them!

Questions, Comments
If you have any produce related questions, need for tips, use, or recipes, feel free to email me at jlivesay@wheatsville.coop. Happy New Year!

Vegetarians needed!
I go this e-mail request for help from a UT PhD student studying how vegetarians/vegans/pescatarians talk about being a vegetarian. Little research exists on this topic, and I would like to hear from as many vegetarian co-op members as possible. Would it be possible for you to post this link on your website or Facebook? http://texascommunication.qualtrics.com/SE?SID=SV_bvyubavkEj7c73e&SVID=Prod and
I am trying to capture the experiences of as many vegetarians across the country as possible by February 1, 2009. At least 250 vegetarians are needed for this study. Please contact me at lynseykromo@mail.utexas.edu or 512-299-6231 with any questions, for additional information, or to receive a copy of the survey results.

Yummy Deli!
As the Wheatsville Deli expands, so do our menu options! This week we have introduced a lovely new vegan and wheat-free Italian Potato Salad tossed with fresh-sliced red onion, flat-leaf parsley and capers, and finished simply with olive oil – it's extra-delicious warm, too! The saucy Indian-Spiced Garbanzo Beans, our homespun version of the classic dish Chana Masala, is back in the case this week – heated up and spooned over some brown rice, they make an unbeatable hearty and spicy lunch! Other cold weather Wheatsville favorites like Frito Pie (owners can save this month with a coupon!), custom-built Tacos and the Italian Stallion sandwich – melted mozzarella on toasted ciabatta spread with pesto and topped with sliced red bell peppers – are ready to warm your belly! Plus, soups are always in stock, from our top-selling African Peanut, to our flu-busting Garlic, to our sweet and creamy Corn Chowder, you're going to pick a winner this week! And be sure to look for even more homemade soups in our self-serve case! Tangy Buttermilk Cookies, vegan Co-op Chocolate Cream Pies and our extra-large Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups are here as well, ready to round out your meal! And don't forget to grab a cup of our hot chai before you head back out into the cold!
 
From Cheese
Keep a look out for a new local Blue cheese, coming soon to the cheese case. It is a Roquefort type cheese made locally by the people at Brazos Valley Cheese inWaco.  They make a variety of cheeses such as a Sage Derby, Brie and even a Parmesean! So look for these cheeses to be gracing our shelves after the expansion.  Also we have brought back the Canadian Brie. It is a great value, and has a wonderful flavor.
 
From Our Butcher
Most of our customers can walk up to the seafood and pick anything they like and know that we're providing them with high quality sustainable seafood. Wouldn't you like to have that same confidence with you when you eat out? Even the best restaurants struggle balancing quality seafood with tight budget, and more often than not the quality is what ends up suffering. Though most restaurants have sustainable options, like catfish or tilapia, you just have to know what to look for.
 
Wheatsville Food Co-op, as a pledged member of the Seafood Advocacy Watch, is proud to provide you with information and knowledge to make informed decisions at all times. That's why we provide you with the same information we use to assist us in choosing what to stock our shelves with.http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/seafoodwatch.aspx The seafood watch list provided by the Monterey Bay Aquarium is wallet sized so you can take it anywhere. You can also have it downloaded to your cell phone. The seafood watch list tells you by region what seafood choices are acceptable based on sustainability and population. We pass out the wallet sized seafood watch list in the store or you can request it from the Meat Department staff. It's a handy tool to use for your self or give it to a friend who may not be as familiar with the important issues of our oceans. We also recommend giving copies to the chef at your favorite restaurant and request that the sell only sustainable seafood. New this year The Monterey Bay aquarium has devised a sushi watch list that we have available so check it out!
 
Be sure not to miss out on the great member coupons we have this month. Niman Ranch natural beef Boneless Ribeye and N.Y. Strip steaks get 1$ off total price with coupon.
 

OMG! You guys will love this recipe!!! Ground turkey burgers with macadamia nuts, cherries, coconut and cilantro, served with chutney.
Hawaiian Luau Turkey Cakes
1 pound Ground Turkey Breast or use 1 pound White Ground Turkey
1/2 cup macadamia nuts (or almonds), coarsely chopped
1/2 cup dried tart cherries
1/2 cup coconut, flaked
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, or parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, coarsely ground
Banana, mango or peach chutney (optional)
In medium bowl stir together all ingredients; shape into 4 patties.
Place on grill. Grill over hot coals, turning once, 10 to 12 minutes on each side, or until browned and no longer pink in center. Serve with choice of chutney for added flavor.
Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition Facts
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 447
Calories from fat: 281
Total fat: 31 gm
Saturated fat: 8 gm
Cholesterol: 90 mg
Sodium: 423 mg
Carbohydrate: 27 gm
Protein: 23 gm

On Grocery Isle
Singing Dog Brand Organic Vanilla Coffee:
This is one of my favorite new products in the grocery department.  The chocolaty tones of this rich, dark roast blend perfectly with the mellow taste of real vanilla beans. It makes a great cup of coffee for after dinner, though I prefer it as the first flavor of the morning.  For more info about this great company, check out http://www.singingdogvanilla.com/
–Justin Merrifield, Grocery Buyer.

Donation Drive
Keep Austin Housed
Wheatsville is participating in a donation program with AmeriCorps called Keep Austin Housed.  They are putting on a "Day of Wellness" for the adult homeless population downtown.  What that entails is a hot meal, professional medical foot care, shoes, socks, underwear and a hygiene kit for 600 people, all distributed within a four hour timeframe.
 
What they are soliciting from the community is the various items that make up the contents of the hygiene kits.  Wheatsville is a drop off point for the community drive.  People may be coming in to drop off items for these kits. Please direct them to the box at the Member Center.
 
Thanks for your help!

Have a great week!

Dan
Wheatsville GM and e-mail guy