New Year! Get your collards and champagne and party trays and have a great 2010!

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!