Friday, March 25, 2011

New Apple? Yep, Lady Alice Apples are awesome!

Our friends at Ozark Natural Foods Co-op in Fayetteville tipped us off to a new apple, The Lady Alice Apple. It was discovered in a Washington Orchard and is of an unknown parentage. We tried them as soon as they arrived and they are excellent. They have a dense, crunchy flesh and each bite begins with a sweet flavor and ends on a tart note. It's a dang fine late season apple!

Wednesday, March 23, 2011



I hope you are enjoying our first week of (official) Spring! Thanks to you our Birthday week was AMAZING! We had the best sales ever and the most customer transactions ever! We also gave out a ton of cake! Thank you for your huge support!Hello Wheatsville friends and fans!
WHEATSVILLE'S ONE BIG THING
Every week, Wheatsville staff pick the product we're most excited about right now! This week, look no further than our produce department for an exciting variety of herb and vegetable STARTER PLANTS.
 
What do we like about STARTER PLANTS?
1)   Grow your own herbs and veggies at home—it saves time and money.
2)   Speaking of money, starter plants in small containers cost just $1.69 each!
3)   These starter plants are all organic and locally grown at Gabriel Valley Farms in nearby Georgetown, TX!
 
If you want to learn more about where these plants come from, check out the Gabriel Valley Farms website.
 
Reuse a bag, save resources AND help a local group! March's Community Action Wednesday group is Sustainable Food Center. If you would like to donate a little extra to them, a great way is by donating your bag credits. You get five cents per bag or container, and you can give this to the Sustainable Food Center just by asking your cashier! These small amounts really do add up- Wheatsville shoppers gave almost $30.00 through bag credits last week!

Scroll on down for:
New and delicious Seitan
Fish FRYday and more
Local Strawberries and seasonal eating
Health team specials and a talk on nutrition
GRILL IT!
Our friends at Pure Luck are back in cheese!

PeCAN you believe it? LOCAL pecans! (plus recipe)
Beer and wine for you!
Deals to stretch your dollars

Refrigerated news about a Mustachioed vendor's new product
Introducing a brand new product to the dairy case, Upton's all natural seitan the finest in faux meats. We are carrying all four variety's, traditional, ground beef style, chorizo and Italian sausage. They are located at the end with our other meat alternatives and are priced at $3.79 for an 8oz. package.
Having trouble coming up with idea's on how to prepare this delicious seitan? Check out their website for some most excellent suggestions (and check out the mustaches and other finery!)
http://www.uptonsnaturals.com/recipes/
 

Owner Specials & Featured Items at your Deli!

Be sure to come in and try out Fish-Fry-Days on the Deli's hot bar, featuring our cornmeal-dredged, freshly-friedsustainable U.S. farmed catfish filets and a slew of Southern sides!
Owners can now save a dollar on a Garden Bagel! Your favorite RockStar bagel is toasted, spread with cream cheese & topped with sliced cucumbers, tomatoes & red onions by our Deli staff, just $2.99, reg. $3.99!
Lemon Parmesan Tortellini is also on special for owners! Tasty cheese-filled pasta is tossed with artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers & shredded parmesan, in a citrusy vinaigrette from our self-service case, just $7.99/lb, reg. $8.99!
Another Deli favorite on sale for owners is our Thai Iced Coffee, a perfect blend of dark coffee and sweetened milk, $1.99, reg. $2.69!
Our bakery case is always filled with an assortment of sweet treats like our scones, muffins and cakes, and right now we have our gluten-free and peanut buttery Rice Crispy Treats on sale for owners, $1.99, reg. $2.49!
Do not miss out on our amazing, buttery and uber-chocolaty Oatmeal Fudge Bars! This brand new bakery bar has proven itself an instant staff and owner favorite thanks to a thick, truffley chocolaty filling sandwiched between two layers of brown sugar oat streusel! Come on in and try to get your hands on one of these beauties before they sell out!
Featured CoffeeIrish Cream Latte! Organic, fair-trade espresso is subtly flavored with a shot of alcohol-free Irish Cream syrup and blended with your choice of organic milk – cow, soy or rice!
Featured Smoothie: Soylent Green Is…Leprechauns! Mangoes and bananas are blended with organic apple juice and a spoonful of spirulina, making an icy, sweet drink that's good for you and lucky green, too!
Featured Salsa: Poblano Salsa is spicy, tangy and delicious! This is a real favorite with great flavor and is fabulous with just a bowlful of El Milagro corn chips for dippin'. Try some of this emerald delight on your taco or order of $1.99 Brown Rice and Black Beans today!
Classic cold cuts on sale: Boar's Head Oven-Roasted Turkey at $9.49/lb, reg. $9.99 and Provolone Cheese, $4.99/lb, reg. $5.99!
 
From Your Green Grocer
Happy Spring!  We've got tons more locally grown starter plants from Gabriel Valley Farms for you this week.  They'recertified organic and inexpensively priced at $1.69 for a 4" pot.  Come by and take a look.
We're also proud of our locally grown strawberries – they're beautiful and have a better texture and flavor than their Californian or Mexican counterparts.  Grown in Poteet, Texas (the strawberry capital of texas!) by our friends at Oak Hill Farm (who also bring us some incredible spinach), they're $4.49 for a 16 oz package.
Eating seasonally is easy at the co-op.  We try not to carry things when they're not in season, and we load up when things are the freshest and tastiest.  The Organic Asparagus crop has been making its way northward and California fields are in their height of production.  Asparagus is a delicate crop – it likes to grow in between rain showers and doesn't tolerate being wet.  It doesn't care for the heat, either, so the season is short – usually ending in April.  Take advantage of this window of opportunity to taste some fantastic asparagus.  It's versatile and super easy to prepare.  I like it on the grill but you can easily steam it in a matter of minutes.  Check out this video Dan made called "How to cook asparagus, quick-like!"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djCfwniLecE
 
Health Team Specials!
Vega Whole Food Optimizer
34 oz. Chocolate, Berry, Vanilla Chai, and Natural Flavors- regularly $69.99 on sale for $55.99
17 oz. Chocolate, Berry, Vanilla Chai, and Natural Flavors- regularly $39.99 on sale for $31.99
Also, the formulator of Vega, Brendan Brazier, will be at Wheatsville on April 3rd at 1pm to do a FREE community lecture! For more details see someone on the Health Team or email cody@wheatsville.com
Derma E
This is the last week to get your favorite award-winning Derma E products on sale for 15% off! We can always special order you anything you don't see on our shelves!
Rume Bags
We now stock Rume re-usable bags! Grab your re-usable zipper baggies now for $3.99 each or a foldable medium-sized bag for $7.99. All are available in an awesome assortment of colors and paterns.
 
From the world of meat
The time has come, once again, to bring out the grill. The Wheatsville Meat department is dedicated to getting you where need to be with your grilling. From Ribeyes to Hanger Steaks we have a plethora of choice Niman Ranch Beef cuts. Also on the red meat front we've got Niman Ranch Lamb.  If Pork is your thing, we've got that covered as well with Baby Back Ribs andButterfly Pork chops. If your looking more for poultry, we have a range of parts from Buddy's Natural Chicken. We also carry Dewberry Hills Farm whole hand raised local chickens.
 
One amazing way to prepare these delectable morsels, is smoking them. Smokers can be pricey. Here is a youtube link to Alton Brown's segment of Good Eats on how to build a smoker with a ceramic flower pot. There is plenty of further information on the internet about plunging into this project.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oGOZmWZ6r8&feature=related

It's time to talk Brisket. New to the store is Niman Ranch Brisket @ $5.99/lb. We also have a Market Trimmed Brisket @ $8.99/lb if you are shopping for something a little smaller than a whole Brisket. If Local is your thing, we have also got both of these options in Windy Bar Ranch Brisket @ $6.99/lb for a whole, and the Market Trimmed @ $ 9.99/lb. We've got an indoor Brisket recipe for those without a grill or smoker here: http://s.coop/yjn

For any of you Wheatsville friends observing Lent (or seafood fans in general) we will be running sales on some of our sustainable seafood.
First, we have Yellowfin Tuna on sale @ $8.59/lb. reg 10.99/lb., running through April 22.
Every Friday until Easter it's Fish Fridays.  We have Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon on sale @ $16.99/lb. reg $ 17.99/lb. For something a little more versatile in the kitchen, try some Arctic Cod on sale for $12.99/lb reg. $14.99/lb. While you're there,check out some of our other sustainable seafood, like Trollerpoint Coho Salmon Steaks and fillets, or Halibut.
Also, new to the self serve case we have Tanka Buffalo Hot Dogs@ $7.99/lb. These dogs are gluten, nitrate, MSG, antibiotic and hormone free. This is a great alternative for beef and poultry franks.
In the Freezer and on Owner Deals is Blue Horizon Crab or Salmon Cake Bites @ $4.29 reg. $4.99. These little bites are great for a party.
Pure Luck = Pure Bliss!
Our friends at Pure Luck are back to making cheese now that they're done kidding. (Really, they take time off of production for people so their new baby goats get their fill of their mama's milk.) So, that means you can have these award winning cheeses back in your life! Learn more and become a fan on Facebook.
Delicious Local Pecans
 
If you haven't tried the wonderful Whispering Hills Pecans available in the bulk department now is the time!  These quality pecans are locally grown and hand-picked in nearby Hunt, TX.  These are a limited availability so be sure to give them a try while you can.  I've included a really great pecan pie recipe here that adds medjool dates into the mix, perfect for any barbequing you have planned for the near future!
 
We've got a yummy recipe for Medjool Date Pecan Pie right here: http://s.coop/yjm
 
Beer and wine for you!
Real Ale six Packs on sale for just $6.99 regularly $7.99 all flavors excluding seasonal! This is the perfect week to pick up some real ale. Rio Blanco Pale Ale, Full Moon Pale rye, Fireman's #4, or if you can't decide why not just grab a sampler!
 
Get your free Wheatsville six pack insulated wine bag before it is too late! During March, if you buy 6 or more bottles of wine you can get a free Wheatsville wine bag! If you buy six bottles of wine, any wine, any price, mix and match, you get 10% off as well so come in now and stock up!
 
Co+op Deals and Owner Deals save you money!
Check out all of our specials here: http://s.coop/yjv
Our deals really are excellent and a good way to stretch your dollar, as a Yelp reviewer recently said, "You can say what you want about their prices, but when Wheatsville has a sale, Wheatsville has a SALE."
We've got a Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich hankering and Co+op Deals to help!
Maranatha Organic Peanut Butter now $3.49 reg. $5.59
Bionaturae Organic Fruit Spread now $2.89 reg. $3.89.
And
Rudi's Organic Bread, selected varieties now $3 reg. $4.39
Get your PB & J on!


Have a most excellent SPRING week!
Dan Gillotte
Wheatsville GM and e-mail guy


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Co+op and Owner Deals through March 29th!Brooks Wood, Wheatsville Co+op Deals Assistant

Customer favorite, Back to Nature Crackers are now 2/$5.00 reg. $2.99 each, Galaxy Nutritional Foods Rice Cheese Slices now $2.59 reg. $3.79, LightLife Veggie Dogs now $2.49 reg. $3.99, Nate’s Meatless Meatballs now $3.29 reg. $4.49, Cascadian Farm Organic Vegetables now $2.29 reg. $3.49, Amy’s Frozen Indian EntrĂ©e now $3.59 reg. $4.79, Natural Brew Draft Root Beer now $3.29 reg. $5.49 and Equal Exchange Organic Chocolate Bar now $2.99 reg. $3.99.

Great items to stock your pantry with: Spectrum Naturals Canola Mayonnaise now $4.89 reg. $6.89, Annie Naturals Organic Dressings now $2.49 reg. $3.99, Yogi Green Teas now 2/$6.00 reg. $3.99 each, Clif Energy Bars now $0.99 reg. $1.39, Garden of Eatin Tortilla Chips now 2/$5.00 reg. $3.49 each, Salpica Salsa now $2.99 reg. $3.99, Back to Nature Cookies now $3.29 reg. $4.49, Montebello Organic Pasta now $2.89 reg. $3.79, Lakewood Organic Pure Concord Grape Juice now $3.99 reg. $5.99, Organic Steel-Cut Oats now $0.89/lb reg. $0.99/lb, Maranatha Organic Peanut Butter now $3.49 reg. $5.59 and Bionaturae Organic Fruit Spread now $2.89 reg. $3.89.

Owner Deals available through March 29th!

Our Deli is loaded with favorites for Owner Appreciation! Thai Iced Coffee now $1.99 reg. $2.69, Garden Bagel – includes cream cheese, cucumber, onion & tomato now $2.99 reg. $3.99, Lemon Parmesan Tortellini now $7.99/lb reg. $8.99/lb and Rice Crispy Treat now $1.99 reg. $2.49.

Organic Salted Roasted Peanuts now $6.99/lb reg. $10.49/lb, Ancient Harvest Organic Quinoa Flakes now $3.99 reg. $5.59, Clif Mojo Mixed Nuts & Peanut Butter Pretzel now $1.19 reg. $1.59, Blue Horizon Crab Cake & Salmon Cake Bites each now $4.29 reg. $4.99, Earth Balance Whipped Organic Buttery Spread now $3.99 reg. $4.49 and Yves Meatless Breakfast Patties now $2.99 reg. $3.49.

Back to Nature Cashew, Almond & Pistachio Mix now $5.49 reg. $6.99, Clif Builder’s Peanut Butter & Chocolate Bar now $1.39 reg. $1.99, Coombs Family Farms Organic Grade A Dark Amber Maple Syrup now $9.99 reg. $12.39, Food For Life Ezekiel Cereal now $4.49 reg. $5.89, Food Merchants Polenta now $2.49 reg. $3.29, Kashi Good Friends Cereal now $3.99 reg. $4.99, Lakewood Organic Red Dragon Juice now $4.79 reg. $5.99 and Sambazon Smoothie Packs now $4.99 reg. $5.89.

Delicious LOCAL Pecans plus a recipe!

If you haven't tried the wonderful Whispering Hills Pecans available in the bulk department now is the time!  These quality pecans are locally grown and hand-picked in nearby Hunt, TX.  These are a limited availability so be sure to give them a try while you can.  I've included a really great pecan pie recipe here that adds medjool dates into the mix, perfect for any barbequing you have planned for the near future!

 

Medjool Date Pecan Pie

Ingredients:
4 eggs
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter (melted)
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon of salt
1 pie crust
1 1/2 cups soft Medjool dates (pitted and coarsely chopped)
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans


Directions:
1. Mix the eggs, sugar, butter, corn syrup, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl.
2. Place the pie crust into the pie plate and form the edge.
3. Place the dates and nuts into the pie and pour the mixture from step one into the pie plate.
4. Bake in a preheated 350F oven until set, about 40-50 minutes.

 

Brisket Time!

It's time to talk Brisket. New to the store is Niman Ranch Brisket @ $5.99/lb. We also have a Market Trimmed Brisket @ $8.99/lb if you are shopping for something a little smaller than a whole Brisket. If Local is your thing, we have also got both of these options in Windy Bar Ranch Brisket @ $6.99/lb for a whole, and the Market Trimmed @ $ 9.99/lb

Here is an indoor Brisket recipe for those without a grill or smoker.

Roasted brisket with beer

Ingredients:

1 four to five lb. flat brisket

2 thinly sliced onions

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 tablespoons Westershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon pepper, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1 Can beer

1 Cup ketchup or barbeque sauce

Directions: 1. Place onions in roasting pan and put the brisket (fat side up) on top of onions. 2. Spread Westershire sauce and minced garlic on top of brisket. Sprinkle salt and pepper. 3. Pour beer around (not on top of) the brisket. 4. Cover pan tightly with lid or heavy duty aluminum foil 5. Bake at 275 degrees approximately four hours 6. Uncover and spread ketchup or barbeque sauce on top of brisket. 7 Bake an additional hour until fork tender.

Tip- To thinly slice cooked brisket, refrigerate several hours or overnight (wrapped in foil). Slice and reheat in low oven in covered pan.