Hello Wheatsville friends!
What an exciting time it is for our co-op! We are just about finished with a momentous project and it feels so great! It wouldn't surprise anyone for me to say that this year plus of construction has had its rough and tough spots. It's been a challenge for you our owners and shoppers and for the staff. So, it is so amazing to be on the brink of celebrating the END OF CONSTRUCTION!
Come on by Saturday from 12-4 for our End of Construction Party.
Food samples from awesome local vendors
Cool music from The Finer Things at Noon and
Don Chani at 2pm
Kids concert with Laura Freeman at 2pm
Hourly tours of the whole store including the backroom and kitchen with Dan at Noon, 1, 2 and 3pm.
And a kids' zone with our friends from Austin Green Art and Urban Roots plus face painting!
Wow! What a line-up. And, this is all just to whet your appetite for our BIG Grand (re)-Opening Party on Saturday October 10th! (More on that later!)
Also, look for our "I survived the Wheatsville renovation" Tee shirts available now for a limited time!!!
We want to celebrate and thank you for your patience and support through the project and have fun!
While we do have lots of new parking, we'd love to have as many people walking, biking or bussing to this event as possible, but don't sweat it if you can't! We just want to see you here!
One other note about parking: our new lot is striped and so we will be asking people to follow our new permanent parking configuration from here on out... (It's a lot like it used to be, really, so don't worry.) We have one entrance and two exits (one by the patio and one at the north side of the building.) Any cars parked along the east side of the building will exit out the north drive, everyone else can head out the exit nearest the patio.
The Wheatsville Deli loves our new Food Bar!
With so much delicious stuff, it's easy to pile on the goodies and have yourself a feast!
The cold side features tons of fresh and tasty salad fixins, running the gamut from the usual – mesclun greens, cherry tomatoes and shredded carrots – to the extreme – vegan Mexican chocolate pudding, vegan bacon bits and edamame! Available every day from 9am to 9pm, grazing the salad bar makes for a quick and healthy lunch! In addition to our classic Cashew-Tamari and Cilantro-Lime salad dressings, the salad bar also holds two newbies: our homemade Creamy Peppercorn Ranch and Red Wine Vinaigrette (Dan's favorite)!
The hot bar runs from 11am to 2pm for lunch service, and again from 4pm to 7pm for dinner. Grab a baked potato with toppings from the salad bar or some rice and kale, or get a full meal like Three-Cheese Lasagna with Florentine Meatballs, or Vegan Broccoli Mac & Cheese with Garlic Bread! Now that we've familiarized ourselves with the hot bar, look for the menu to rotate more frequently in the near future, with ready-to-eat dishes like Tuna Noodle Casserole, Cheesy Chicken Pot Pie and Vegetable Curry! Keep an eye out and we promise not to disappoint!
Also on the food bar, and available in small and large sizes from 11am to 9pm daily, are our award-winning Tempeh Chili, and our hot soup of the day!
And be sure to check out our delicious and diverse antipasto bar, "Tiny Brinies", a selection of mouthwatering nibbles hand-picked by Wheatsville's Deli Manager! Tons of different olives – including a staff favorite, the green and buttery Castelvetrano – pickled okra, roasted red and yellow peppers, tangy peppadews, spicy green beans, crunchy cornichons and so much more await you! Pair a selection of these treats with some delicacies from nearby Cheese Island – try Cypress Grove's lavender and fennel pollen dusted Purple Haze goat cheese, and Cowgirl Creamery's pungent, ripe Red Hawk! – and you have the beginnings of an unforgettable evening!
In The Grocery Aisle
O.N.E. Coffee Fruit Drink:
This is my new favorite thing. Brand new at Wheatsville is the juice made from the whole coffee fruit. Coffee may not be so commonly known as an antioxidant rich superfood, but there is more to the story than the hot, dark beverage we're used to. Normally, the fruit that surrounds the coffee bean is discarded when coffee is processed due to its perishable nature. While the coffee we're familiar with has many benefits, many of the beneficial nutrients are lost with the fruit. O.N.E. has come up with a fruit juice which uses the whole fruit including the unroasted beans. This juice is mixed with two types of Brazilian cherries for an extremely tasty and refreshing beverage for which there is no equal. The first time I tried O.N.E. Coffee Fruit Drink, I loved the flavor. Not much later I noticed that it made me feel absolutely great. There's no going back for me.
Alternative Baking Co. Cookies:
Returning to Wheatsville are the deliciously soft and chewy vegan cookies from Alternative Baking Company. These cookies have a great taste and texture that is hard to find in any cookie. We have Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter, Oatmeal Raisin and Lemon Poppyseed available for $1.99 each. These are some great cookies that we're happy to bring back. Read more at http://www.alternativebaking.com/index.cfm
Justin Merrifield, Grocery Buyer
Shane's Beer news!
I am happy to announce the return of Stone Imperial Russian Stout from the fantastic Stone Brewing Co. This is the perfect Imperial Stout. originally brewed in London, England for export to the court of Catherine II of Russia, Imperial Russian stout is the darkest strongest stout style there is. The Stone version is as Black as night and thick as motor oil! Dark chocolate and coffee flavors, smoky molasses and roasty malt make this a great big brew. This is one strong and complex beer and they won't last long so go ahead and grab one now!
Also we have a non alcoholic beer in the singles case. Clausthaler NA uses a carefully guarded, patented process to prevent the formation of fermentable maltose. Once that's done, beer yeast that's been specifically cultured for Clausthaler is added to the brewing process.
The result is a low-alcohol beer (around .45 percent, by volume) that has all the flavor of a classic German lager. It's a crisp and
refreshing beer, with a pleasant bitterness that will have you forgetting that you're drinking an n.a. after a couple sips. The crisp
flavor of Clausthaler also makes this beer a perfect complement for summer cookouts.
We have some good deals in the beer case right now, too. Dale's Pale Ale is on sale for $8.49 a six pack regularly $8.99. This is Oskar Blues flagship beer and America's first hand-canned craft beer. It's an assertive but deftly balanced beer (somewhere between an American pale ale and an India Pale Ale) brewed with hefty amounts of European malts and American hops. Also from Oskar Blues is Old Chub Regularly $8.99 now $8.49. Old Chub is a Scottish strong ale brewed with hearty amounts of seven different malts, including crystal and chocolate malts, and a bit of US and UK hops, and a dash of beechwood-smoked grains imported from Bamburg, Germany, home of the world's greatest smoked beers. Old Chub is 8% alcohol by volume, yet it is quite smooth for such a big beer. Finally we have six packs of the fantastic Lagunitas IPA for $8.49 regularly $9.49. This is a big hoppy IPA built on a solid malt foundation. This beer is both full bodied and balanced and it is a very solid all around India Pale Ale for a great price. Grab one Today. You deserve it!
Aloha, from Cheese Island with your host Cap'n Greg Flores!
I hope everyone is enjoying their visit. I just want to get everyone up to speed on all the new products we have brought in for all of you. We are now carrying Organic Valley sliced mild cheddar, reduced fat Montery jack, Muenster and Provolone. Also we have Organic Valley shredded Italian blend and reduced fat Montery Jack. We are carrying Galaxy shredded rice Mozzarella and soy Cheddar slices. We are carrying Teese Mozzarella, Cheddar, nacho style and creamy Cheddar vegan cheeses. Which, by the way are on sale for $4.29 each. We also brought in De Mill baby Gouda, baby Edam and bay smoked Gouda, Fleur de France 8 oz brie, President wee Brie, Cypress Grove Purple Haze, Cypress Grove Truffle Tremor, Parrano, Brie de Meaux, Vermont Cheese and Butter Marscopone and Asadero. What I am really excited about is the selection of local cheeses that we have brought in. From Brazos Valley Cheese we are now carrying their Pepper Jack, Parmesan (YES, a local Parmesan!!), Blueberry Havarti, Pecan Horseradish Cheddar, Rosemary Garlic Jack. Coming soon we will have their Sage Derby and Southwest Leicester. And last and certainly not least we have Wateroak Farms Chevre.
I hope you have a great week and I would love to see you on Saturday!!!
Dan Gillotte
Wheatsville GM and e-mail guy!
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!
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Friday, July 31, 2009
Short e-mail?!? Coffee with the board, renovation news and a little bit more!
Short e-mail update this week!
Coffee with the Board
It's on for this Saturday from 9am to 11pm on our newly fanned patio! Sample Iced Coffee Toddy and treats from our deli bakery! Talk to your board representatives about your co-op, the weather or the transformation of society. What will Wheatsville be like in 10, 20 and 30 years?
Almost!
Renovation is almost finished. We're so close to being done, it really is amazing! A few more inspections and tying up some odds and ends is all that is left! It will take us a couple of more weeks to get it all done, but we should be largely finished in a week or so!
Of course, we anticipate it still taking us a month or two to really settle into our new space and make it home.
We've got one more driveway phase coming- We're opening up the driveways completely for this coming weekend starting early Saturday morning. So, we will have the easiest parking in months on Saturday and SUnday. Starting Monday we'll close the drive closest to the store. Parking will still be available on that side, but the flow will be in through the entrance and round the building. By the end of next week, we should be done with all of that and have all the parking opened up! At last!
Save the date for the End of Construction Party Sat. 8/15 from 12-4! Live music, free samples, kid's stuff and hourly tours of the whole building by me!
Also, save the date for our REAL LIVE GRAND OPENING BASH! Sat. Oct. 10th- lots more exciting details to follow!
Oh that delicious deli!
I just wanted to put a personal plug in for the deli food bar- I've had an entire week of delicious salads, yummy pickled treats and hot food that left me really satisfied. I want to commend the hard working deli gals and guys for providing such great stuff for us all. If you haven't had a chance to try it, please check it out! Salad bar is 9am to 9pm, hot food is available from 11am-2pm and again from 4pm-7pm!
The Grocery Aisle
Palm Island Black Lava Sea Salt: Here's a different kind of salt. Palm Island Black Lava Sea Salt begins with freshly harvested Pacific sea salt. Then a special "Molokai Ocean Essence" is added for extra minerals and flavor, and activated charcoal for its subtly smoky flavor and health benefits. This salt is perfect for chicken, potatoes and sea food. Its black color also gives food a unique appearance.
Wheatsville also carries other varieties of Palm Island Sea Salts including Red Gold, Bamboo Jade and White Silver. For more information on the processing and ingredients of these gourmet salts, go to http://www.hawaiikaico.com/products.php?IDc=3 Justin Merrifield, Grocery Buyer
I hope that you have a great week!
Dan Gillotte
Wheatsville GM and e-mail guy!
Coffee with the Board
It's on for this Saturday from 9am to 11pm on our newly fanned patio! Sample Iced Coffee Toddy and treats from our deli bakery! Talk to your board representatives about your co-op, the weather or the transformation of society. What will Wheatsville be like in 10, 20 and 30 years?
Almost!
Renovation is almost finished. We're so close to being done, it really is amazing! A few more inspections and tying up some odds and ends is all that is left! It will take us a couple of more weeks to get it all done, but we should be largely finished in a week or so!
Of course, we anticipate it still taking us a month or two to really settle into our new space and make it home.
We've got one more driveway phase coming- We're opening up the driveways completely for this coming weekend starting early Saturday morning. So, we will have the easiest parking in months on Saturday and SUnday. Starting Monday we'll close the drive closest to the store. Parking will still be available on that side, but the flow will be in through the entrance and round the building. By the end of next week, we should be done with all of that and have all the parking opened up! At last!
Save the date for the End of Construction Party Sat. 8/15 from 12-4! Live music, free samples, kid's stuff and hourly tours of the whole building by me!
Also, save the date for our REAL LIVE GRAND OPENING BASH! Sat. Oct. 10th- lots more exciting details to follow!
Oh that delicious deli!
I just wanted to put a personal plug in for the deli food bar- I've had an entire week of delicious salads, yummy pickled treats and hot food that left me really satisfied. I want to commend the hard working deli gals and guys for providing such great stuff for us all. If you haven't had a chance to try it, please check it out! Salad bar is 9am to 9pm, hot food is available from 11am-2pm and again from 4pm-7pm!
The Grocery Aisle
Palm Island Black Lava Sea Salt: Here's a different kind of salt. Palm Island Black Lava Sea Salt begins with freshly harvested Pacific sea salt. Then a special "Molokai Ocean Essence" is added for extra minerals and flavor, and activated charcoal for its subtly smoky flavor and health benefits. This salt is perfect for chicken, potatoes and sea food. Its black color also gives food a unique appearance.
Wheatsville also carries other varieties of Palm Island Sea Salts including Red Gold, Bamboo Jade and White Silver. For more information on the processing and ingredients of these gourmet salts, go to http://www.hawaiikaico.com/products.php?IDc=3 Justin Merrifield, Grocery Buyer
I hope that you have a great week!
Dan Gillotte
Wheatsville GM and e-mail guy!
Friday, July 24, 2009
Food bar is go! Bulk is home and so much more!
Hi friends!
Scroll down for:
Run for the board!
Change, change, change- news you can use!
Bodycare and vitamins, Grocery and Beer stories
From the Board of Directors Nominations Committee:
Did you know that the nominations process for the upcoming Fall Election of the Board of Directors is in full swing here at Wheatsville? The application deadline is August 1st. We're looking for candidates who love Wheatsville, care about its future, work well with others, and can devote a few hours a month to being active board members. You can get involved in our community and develop empowering ideas about how we can each help transform society.
If you'd like more information, stop by Wheatsville's hospitality desk to pick up a candidate application packet or download it here:
Here's a list of some important dates coming up in the next few days and weeks. We look forward to seeing you at these events:
July 25th, 1:00 pm -- Orientation for Prospective Board Candidates (at 3105 Guadalupe).
July 28th, 6:00pm -- Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors (at 3105 Guadalupe).
Contact the board's Nominations Committee to learn more!
nominations@wheatsville.coop
The only constant is change...
Well, we continue to morph into the new Wheatsville. I appreciate your patience as we move and settle in. Hopefully, you've had a chance to see some of our newest exciting changes this week:
The new bulk department- wow! It looks great, doesn't it? We've gotten a LOT of really great feedback already on this.
The new Cheese Island- a beautiful new cooler for stackable dairy products!
The new Deli Food bar- if loving tiny pickles is wrong, I don't want to be right! An awesome salad bar, delicious hot food and yummy Tiny Brinies (olives, pickles, etc) what's not to love?!
We're really excited about these changes and I hope that you're enjoying them, too!
A few other changes that are smaller, but no less great include:
Kombucha, Odwalla and Naked Juice moving from the old cooler across from the registers to just past the produce department prior to heading in to bulk.
New bike racks! We've got 6 U Loops (that fit up to two bikes each) on the front patio and another 10 (!) just past the windows on the Guadalupe side. Hopefully, you'll find the additional bike parking to be an ease to your cycling life!
More car parking- the entrance is still a challenge, but we have a bunch more parking on the south side lot. Don't be shy, use it!
NEW! in Body Care
Head Organics 2.in.1 Shampoo & Conditioner all rolled up in one bottle! It's sulfate, paraben, glycol, gluten free and safe for chemically treated hair.
NEW! in Supplements
Third Coast Herb Company presents HERBALOGIC, a line of concetrated herb drops consisting of five formulas for common health issues. Deep Sleeper for insomnia, Back in Action for muscle pain, Decompress for stress, Easy Breather for seasonal allergies and Peak Power for energy and performance. All formulas are produced and bottled in Austin by Third Coast Herb Company. In 2007, three accupuncturists committed to educating people on the benifits and safety of traditional Chinese herbal therapy formed Third Coast Herb Company. They will be doing a demo Thursday the 23rd from 4-6pm, so stop by and see them in the Health and Body Care Department.
In The Grocery Aisle
The Return of Mexican Coke and V-8:
We're pleased to announce that we now carry Coca Cola de Mexico. This is the coke in the classic bottle shape with real sugar instead of corn syrup as a sweetener. We've got it in the cooler for instant refreshment. We also have V-8 once again. Here's another classic to grab from the cooler and enjoy. I'm happy to have a little bit more of a choice when I'm reaching for something cold to drink. We hope you'll be happy to see it too. Justin Merrifield, Grocery Buyer
Come to the Dark side...
Now for a limited time we have one of the best new beers I have had in many a moon. Stone Imperial Russian Stout from the fantastic Stone Brewing Co. is the perfect Imperial Stout. originally brewed in London, England for export to the court of Catherine II of Russia, Imperial Russian stout is the darkest strongest stout style there is. The Stone version is as Black as night and thick as motor oil! Dark chocolate and coffee flavors, smoky molasses and roasty malt make this a great big brew. This is one strong and complex beer and they won't last long so go ahead and grab one now!
Have a great week!
Dan Gillotte
Wheatsville GM, e-mail guy and cornichon enthusiast!
Scroll down for:
Run for the board!
Change, change, change- news you can use!
Bodycare and vitamins, Grocery and Beer stories
From the Board of Directors Nominations Committee:
Did you know that the nominations process for the upcoming Fall Election of the Board of Directors is in full swing here at Wheatsville? The application deadline is August 1st. We're looking for candidates who love Wheatsville, care about its future, work well with others, and can devote a few hours a month to being active board members. You can get involved in our community and develop empowering ideas about how we can each help transform society.
If you'd like more information, stop by Wheatsville's hospitality desk to pick up a candidate application packet or download it here:
Here's a list of some important dates coming up in the next few days and weeks. We look forward to seeing you at these events:
July 25th, 1:00 pm -- Orientation for Prospective Board Candidates (at 3105 Guadalupe).
July 28th, 6:00pm -- Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors (at 3105 Guadalupe).
Contact the board's Nominations Committee to learn more!
nominations@wheatsville.coop
The only constant is change...
Well, we continue to morph into the new Wheatsville. I appreciate your patience as we move and settle in. Hopefully, you've had a chance to see some of our newest exciting changes this week:
The new bulk department- wow! It looks great, doesn't it? We've gotten a LOT of really great feedback already on this.
The new Cheese Island- a beautiful new cooler for stackable dairy products!
The new Deli Food bar- if loving tiny pickles is wrong, I don't want to be right! An awesome salad bar, delicious hot food and yummy Tiny Brinies (olives, pickles, etc) what's not to love?!
We're really excited about these changes and I hope that you're enjoying them, too!
A few other changes that are smaller, but no less great include:
Kombucha, Odwalla and Naked Juice moving from the old cooler across from the registers to just past the produce department prior to heading in to bulk.
New bike racks! We've got 6 U Loops (that fit up to two bikes each) on the front patio and another 10 (!) just past the windows on the Guadalupe side. Hopefully, you'll find the additional bike parking to be an ease to your cycling life!
More car parking- the entrance is still a challenge, but we have a bunch more parking on the south side lot. Don't be shy, use it!
NEW! in Body Care
Head Organics 2.in.1 Shampoo & Conditioner all rolled up in one bottle! It's sulfate, paraben, glycol, gluten free and safe for chemically treated hair.
NEW! in Supplements
Third Coast Herb Company presents HERBALOGIC, a line of concetrated herb drops consisting of five formulas for common health issues. Deep Sleeper for insomnia, Back in Action for muscle pain, Decompress for stress, Easy Breather for seasonal allergies and Peak Power for energy and performance. All formulas are produced and bottled in Austin by Third Coast Herb Company. In 2007, three accupuncturists committed to educating people on the benifits and safety of traditional Chinese herbal therapy formed Third Coast Herb Company. They will be doing a demo Thursday the 23rd from 4-6pm, so stop by and see them in the Health and Body Care Department.
In The Grocery Aisle
The Return of Mexican Coke and V-8:
We're pleased to announce that we now carry Coca Cola de Mexico. This is the coke in the classic bottle shape with real sugar instead of corn syrup as a sweetener. We've got it in the cooler for instant refreshment. We also have V-8 once again. Here's another classic to grab from the cooler and enjoy. I'm happy to have a little bit more of a choice when I'm reaching for something cold to drink. We hope you'll be happy to see it too. Justin Merrifield, Grocery Buyer
Come to the Dark side...
Now for a limited time we have one of the best new beers I have had in many a moon. Stone Imperial Russian Stout from the fantastic Stone Brewing Co. is the perfect Imperial Stout. originally brewed in London, England for export to the court of Catherine II of Russia, Imperial Russian stout is the darkest strongest stout style there is. The Stone version is as Black as night and thick as motor oil! Dark chocolate and coffee flavors, smoky molasses and roasty malt make this a great big brew. This is one strong and complex beer and they won't last long so go ahead and grab one now!
Have a great week!
Dan Gillotte
Wheatsville GM, e-mail guy and cornichon enthusiast!
Friday, July 17, 2009
MORE PARKING! Salad bar next week?!? I better read this e-mail!
Hello Wheatsville friends!!!
I hope that you are having a great week! Don't forget to use your owner benefit, the 10% off Member Appreciation Coupon in the Breeze from July. Redeem the coupon anytime from Tomorrow through July 26th.
Scroll down for:
Renovation news with a dollop of important Parking information!
I think it's time for a party!
Show your Wheatsville pride!
Can Beer can be delicious!
OH boy! New food bar and other deilcious deli news!
Set sail for new dairy products when Cheese Island is opened next week!
New from Meat and grocery!
Expansion/ renovation news!
We are so close to the end of this momentous project, I can barely believe it! All signs point to having a lot of exciting changes in the coming week and then having about a week of wrap up to remain. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for all of your amazing patience during this year plus long process! I hope that you are enjoying the fruits of our labors.
Some specific things for you to know about:
Parking should be improved greatly the next time you come in. But, it won't be in its final flow for a little while longer. That's because we decided to bite the bullet and fix the old concrete entrance and exit driveway areas (where your car might scrape sometimes) while we were already in the state we're in. What this means to you is that we will have a lot of new parking open (about 15-20 more spaces) but you'll just have to follow the directions of the flaggers to get the flow down. For the next week or so, you'll continue to pull in as you have been, but we'll have some added parking for you. This parking will require you to backtrack little to drive around the building and leave, but it will keep you from having to drive away without finding a spot.
Next week, the bulk department will be relocating into its permanent home just past the produce department. (Check out the beautiful wall behind it made of bricks salvaged from earlier demolition of the walls of the store!)
On Tuesday, you'll see our deli food bar set in place and our Cheese Island start to get stocked for business on Wednesday.
On Thursday, our long awaited and highly anticipated food bar will OPEN FOR BUSINESS! Look for lots of delicious ingredients on our salad bar! Our hot food will have yummy options from 11am-2pm and from 4-7pm each day. We also hope that you'll be delighted by our selection of olives and other marinated goodies from our olive/ antipasto bar!
Party like construction is over
Please save the date, Saturday August 15th from 12-4 for our end of construction party! We'll have a REALLY big grand opening party later, like in October, but we do want to officially acknowledge the end of the project with something fun and as a HUGE thank you for all of your incredible patience and support! We'll have tours of the new store (including a peek into our backrooms and kitchen!), fun kid's stuff including the awesome Laura Freeman, local vendors sampling their products and live music from 2 great local bands! We hope to see you there!
Show us your love and Help us win Best Neighborhood Grocery
We would love to win Best Neighborhood Grocery in the Chronicle's Best of Austin poll again this year and YOU can help!http://www.austinchronicle.com/feedback/bestof/09/ VOTING ENDS THIS COMING TUESDAY July 21, 2009.
Steam Engine beer for steamy hot days!
We have a great new beer in the singles cooler and this one is in a can. Great beers like Oskar Blues Dales Pale Ale and New Belgium Fat Tire have started showing up in cans and now Steamworks Brewing Company from Bayfield, Colorado have joined the party. Steam Engine Lager is an American classic noted for its malt sweetness and hop spice with a smooth, dry finish. You can find single 12oz cans in the singles cooler for only $1.49 a can !
Beat the heat with a perfect summer aperitif
Looking for a refreshing wine to beat the Texas heat? Then look no further because Gazela Vihno Verde from Quinta de Azevedo located in northwest Portugal is the perfect summer aperitif. An irresistible bright fruity white wine. The bouquet is a lively mix of citrus and floral aromas. Soft flavors of apricot and grapefruit are perked up by the sparkling bubbles and balanced by delightful crisp acidity and strong minerality. At only $5.99 a bottle this wine is the perfect picnic wine.
From the Deli
Well, it's almost time for the installation of our Deli's new hot bar and salad bar, and we are soo excited to be bringing you lots of tasty new dishes!
In the meantime, come on in and cool off with our Grab'n'Go spreads like the fabulous pecan and apple-studded Chicken Salad, creamy, buttermilk Pimento Cheese, Tuna Salad chock full of crunchy and sweet veggies, and the vegan, tofu-based Eggless Egg Salad!
Our spicy, delicious and refreshingly cold tomato Gazpacho Soup is also in stock in the self-service case for your summertime delight!
Green salads will give you the nourishment and energy you are sure to crave during these humid days, either veggie-only or made into a meal topped with strips of baked tofu, slices of all-natural lemon-pepper roasted chicken breast, or fresh, soft cubes of mozzarella cheese! Each salad comes with your choice of our Cashew-Tamari or Cilantro-Lime dressings! Don't forget the Green Salad with Grilled Chicken is on sale all this month!!
Also on sale for July is a new favorite lunchtime treat – our BLT! This toasty sandwich is stuffed with six slices of tasty Boar's Head bacon, fresh Greenleaf lettuce, sliced vine-ripened tomatoes, and a smear of mayonnaise on Rudi's organic sourdough! An instant staff favorite, this fabulous sandwich is on sale for only $3.99! That's 50 cents off the normal price of $4.49!
Our large, 16 ounce bottles of the beloved Cashew-Tamari Dressing are only $3.99 this month, lowering them from $4.49. So come on in and take advantage of your savings!
Did someone say SMOOTHIE? It's that time of the year, folks! Come get your all-fruit, no-filler, icy-cold and super-thick smoothies, made just how you like 'em with all sorts of add-ins possible! Choose your fruit(s) and build from there: pineapple, blueberry, strawberry, mango, raspberry, banana and peach are all on the menu!
And, for a fantastic way to cool down a hot day, be sure to try our renowned Iced Coffee Toddy (called Austin's best iced coffee by Rosie, Dan G's wife), a cold-pressed coffee that takes over 24 hours to create! Other cold brews available include our sweet and milky Thai Iced Coffee, the pink and sweet Nile Valley Hibiscus Mint iced tea, the classic China Mist's organic black iced tea, Yerba Mate and Chai iced tea!
Whole roasted chickens, fresh-baked artisan breads, buttermilk scones, big muffins, espresso coffee drinks, bacon!… there are so many new Deli items already available in our new space – just wait for the hot bar and salad bar, and you'll get to try so many more!
From Greg in the Land of cheese- (soon to be Cheese Island!)
Hey folks! We are very excited to be bringing in some great new cheeses to celebrate our new space. We will be moving the cheese department into the new case next week and we're very excited. Here a couple of the new cheeses we are bringing in:
Mt. Tam
Named after Mt. Tamaplais. This Signature triple cream brie style cheese, from Cowgirl Creamery, is made from organic milk produced from the nearby Straus Family dairy. It is elegant, yet mellow and earthy. Mt. Tam would best be served at the beginning of a cheese plate.
Pairings: Champagne, Pinot Grigio, IPA, crusty bread, crackers, fruit preserves
Origin: Point Reyes Station, California
Milk: Cow
Producer: Cowgirl Creamery
Rennet: Currently Sourcing Information
Web Site: http://www.cowgirlcreamery.com/
Red Hawk
Named after a local raptor that soars the skies of Marin county, this triple cream , washed rind cheese is aged for a period of six weeks. It is washed in a brine solution that promotes the growth of bacteria that gives this cheese it's red-orange hue. It is made from organic milk produced from the nearby Straus Family dairy. Heady, stinky, pungent, robust, voluptuous, Red Hawk would best be served near the end of a cheese plate.
Pairings: Syrah, Pinot Noir, Gewurztraminer, Rose Champagne, Reisling, crusty bread, fig conserve, infused honey, mashed Medjool dates, Pears, Apples.
Origin: Point Reyes Station, California
Milk: Cow
Producer: Cowgirl Creamery
Rennet: Currently Sourcing Information
Web Site: http://www.cowgirlcreamery.com/
Purple Haze
This fresh goat cheese, topped with crushed fennel and lavender pollen, is aged only 10 days before being shipped. Floral flavors compliment a distinct and sharp earthiness. Try figs stuffed with Purple Haze warmed and drizzled with Goodflow orange blossom Honey.
Pairings: Pinot Grigio, Albarino, Viognier, Cava, Old Zinfandel, Dry Rose, bruscetta, tomatoes, cucumbers, avocado, almonds
Origins: Arcata, California
Milk: Goat
Producer: Cypress Grove Chevre
Rennet: Vegetable
Web Site: http://www.cypressgrovechevre.com/
Truffle Tremor
A lightly aged goat cheese made with Black Truffles. It has a velvety texture and sophisticated taste that tends to linger long after the fruity flavor of the wine has left. Sweet, musty, dense, cakey a thin slice of Truffle Tremor would turn a humble side of mashed potatoes and parsnips into a most decadent dish.
Pairings: Dolcetto, Pinot Grigio, Albarino, Sauvignon Blanc, fruit preserves, fresh berries.
Origins: Arcata, California
Milk: Goat
Producer: Cypress Grove Chevre
Rennet: Vegetable
Web Site: http://www.cypressgrovechevre.com/
From Bryan, the Butcher:
The biggest thing that we are excited about this week is being able to offer an exceptional ground beef at an excellent price of $4.99/lb – everyday! This is a very exciting time for us because we negotiated a great deal with the great folks at Niman Ranch to be able to offer this price for our customers on such a good product.
Right now we are passing on a great manufacturer price from the folks at Niman. We're offering Niman Ranch USDA choice boneless beef Ribeyes for $14.99lb! That's 4 dollars off the regular price of $18.99lb, and $6 dollars off the price since the first of the year, wow.
These Ribeyes are unbelievably tender, juicy, and consistently restaurant quality beef.
We have more specials in the meat freezer. Look for Organic Prairie product specials; organic grass-fed ground beef $7.49 lb (regular $7.99lb), organic ground pork $5.99lb (regular $6.69lb), & organic beef patties $6.29lb (regular $6.99lb). Whew that's a lot of great prices on Organic Prairie products. It would be a good time to fill your freezer, on the cheap! But we're still not done with the low prices. There are World catch scampi shrimp in the freezer, on a buy one get one free special. Also Henry & Lisa's wild Alaskan salmon burgers are on special for $6.29 (regular price $6.99lb). I had some of these for the 4th of July and they were great, and quick & easy to cook.
In The Grocery Aisle
New! Pacific Organic Soups with Meat: You can now find all-organic soups with meat at Wheatsville. We've just started carrying this line from Pacific Natural Foods. These are some variations on classic recipes like "Split Pea with Bacon and Swiss Cheese" and "Chicken and Wild Rice". Pacific is known in the natural foods world as a quality brand that we can trust. All the ingredients in these soups are organic including the meat. We're very happy to be able to sell a soup like this for just $2.99. If you would like to read more about them, check out their website at http://www.pacificfoods.com Justin Merrifield, Grocery Buyer
I hope you have a great week, find it easier to park here and come by next week to check out our new stuff! We're bursting with pride to show you it all!
Dan Gillotte
Wheatsville GM and e-mail guy
Oh yeah, I tweet occasionally at www.twitter.com/wheatsville and you can be our friend on Facebook as well as a fan of Popcorn Tofu!
I hope that you are having a great week! Don't forget to use your owner benefit, the 10% off Member Appreciation Coupon in the Breeze from July. Redeem the coupon anytime from Tomorrow through July 26th.
Scroll down for:
Renovation news with a dollop of important Parking information!
I think it's time for a party!
Show your Wheatsville pride!
Can Beer can be delicious!
OH boy! New food bar and other deilcious deli news!
Set sail for new dairy products when Cheese Island is opened next week!
New from Meat and grocery!
Expansion/ renovation news!
We are so close to the end of this momentous project, I can barely believe it! All signs point to having a lot of exciting changes in the coming week and then having about a week of wrap up to remain. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for all of your amazing patience during this year plus long process! I hope that you are enjoying the fruits of our labors.
Some specific things for you to know about:
Parking should be improved greatly the next time you come in. But, it won't be in its final flow for a little while longer. That's because we decided to bite the bullet and fix the old concrete entrance and exit driveway areas (where your car might scrape sometimes) while we were already in the state we're in. What this means to you is that we will have a lot of new parking open (about 15-20 more spaces) but you'll just have to follow the directions of the flaggers to get the flow down. For the next week or so, you'll continue to pull in as you have been, but we'll have some added parking for you. This parking will require you to backtrack little to drive around the building and leave, but it will keep you from having to drive away without finding a spot.
Next week, the bulk department will be relocating into its permanent home just past the produce department. (Check out the beautiful wall behind it made of bricks salvaged from earlier demolition of the walls of the store!)
On Tuesday, you'll see our deli food bar set in place and our Cheese Island start to get stocked for business on Wednesday.
On Thursday, our long awaited and highly anticipated food bar will OPEN FOR BUSINESS! Look for lots of delicious ingredients on our salad bar! Our hot food will have yummy options from 11am-2pm and from 4-7pm each day. We also hope that you'll be delighted by our selection of olives and other marinated goodies from our olive/ antipasto bar!
Party like construction is over
Please save the date, Saturday August 15th from 12-4 for our end of construction party! We'll have a REALLY big grand opening party later, like in October, but we do want to officially acknowledge the end of the project with something fun and as a HUGE thank you for all of your incredible patience and support! We'll have tours of the new store (including a peek into our backrooms and kitchen!), fun kid's stuff including the awesome Laura Freeman, local vendors sampling their products and live music from 2 great local bands! We hope to see you there!
Show us your love and Help us win Best Neighborhood Grocery
We would love to win Best Neighborhood Grocery in the Chronicle's Best of Austin poll again this year and YOU can help!http://www.austinchronicle.com/feedback/bestof/09/ VOTING ENDS THIS COMING TUESDAY July 21, 2009.
Steam Engine beer for steamy hot days!
We have a great new beer in the singles cooler and this one is in a can. Great beers like Oskar Blues Dales Pale Ale and New Belgium Fat Tire have started showing up in cans and now Steamworks Brewing Company from Bayfield, Colorado have joined the party. Steam Engine Lager is an American classic noted for its malt sweetness and hop spice with a smooth, dry finish. You can find single 12oz cans in the singles cooler for only $1.49 a can !
Beat the heat with a perfect summer aperitif
Looking for a refreshing wine to beat the Texas heat? Then look no further because Gazela Vihno Verde from Quinta de Azevedo located in northwest Portugal is the perfect summer aperitif. An irresistible bright fruity white wine. The bouquet is a lively mix of citrus and floral aromas. Soft flavors of apricot and grapefruit are perked up by the sparkling bubbles and balanced by delightful crisp acidity and strong minerality. At only $5.99 a bottle this wine is the perfect picnic wine.
From the Deli
Well, it's almost time for the installation of our Deli's new hot bar and salad bar, and we are soo excited to be bringing you lots of tasty new dishes!
In the meantime, come on in and cool off with our Grab'n'Go spreads like the fabulous pecan and apple-studded Chicken Salad, creamy, buttermilk Pimento Cheese, Tuna Salad chock full of crunchy and sweet veggies, and the vegan, tofu-based Eggless Egg Salad!
Our spicy, delicious and refreshingly cold tomato Gazpacho Soup is also in stock in the self-service case for your summertime delight!
Green salads will give you the nourishment and energy you are sure to crave during these humid days, either veggie-only or made into a meal topped with strips of baked tofu, slices of all-natural lemon-pepper roasted chicken breast, or fresh, soft cubes of mozzarella cheese! Each salad comes with your choice of our Cashew-Tamari or Cilantro-Lime dressings! Don't forget the Green Salad with Grilled Chicken is on sale all this month!!
Also on sale for July is a new favorite lunchtime treat – our BLT! This toasty sandwich is stuffed with six slices of tasty Boar's Head bacon, fresh Greenleaf lettuce, sliced vine-ripened tomatoes, and a smear of mayonnaise on Rudi's organic sourdough! An instant staff favorite, this fabulous sandwich is on sale for only $3.99! That's 50 cents off the normal price of $4.49!
Our large, 16 ounce bottles of the beloved Cashew-Tamari Dressing are only $3.99 this month, lowering them from $4.49. So come on in and take advantage of your savings!
Did someone say SMOOTHIE? It's that time of the year, folks! Come get your all-fruit, no-filler, icy-cold and super-thick smoothies, made just how you like 'em with all sorts of add-ins possible! Choose your fruit(s) and build from there: pineapple, blueberry, strawberry, mango, raspberry, banana and peach are all on the menu!
And, for a fantastic way to cool down a hot day, be sure to try our renowned Iced Coffee Toddy (called Austin's best iced coffee by Rosie, Dan G's wife), a cold-pressed coffee that takes over 24 hours to create! Other cold brews available include our sweet and milky Thai Iced Coffee, the pink and sweet Nile Valley Hibiscus Mint iced tea, the classic China Mist's organic black iced tea, Yerba Mate and Chai iced tea!
Whole roasted chickens, fresh-baked artisan breads, buttermilk scones, big muffins, espresso coffee drinks, bacon!… there are so many new Deli items already available in our new space – just wait for the hot bar and salad bar, and you'll get to try so many more!
From Greg in the Land of cheese- (soon to be Cheese Island!)
Hey folks! We are very excited to be bringing in some great new cheeses to celebrate our new space. We will be moving the cheese department into the new case next week and we're very excited. Here a couple of the new cheeses we are bringing in:
Mt. Tam
Named after Mt. Tamaplais. This Signature triple cream brie style cheese, from Cowgirl Creamery, is made from organic milk produced from the nearby Straus Family dairy. It is elegant, yet mellow and earthy. Mt. Tam would best be served at the beginning of a cheese plate.
Pairings: Champagne, Pinot Grigio, IPA, crusty bread, crackers, fruit preserves
Origin: Point Reyes Station, California
Milk: Cow
Producer: Cowgirl Creamery
Rennet: Currently Sourcing Information
Web Site: http://www.cowgirlcreamery.com/
Red Hawk
Named after a local raptor that soars the skies of Marin county, this triple cream , washed rind cheese is aged for a period of six weeks. It is washed in a brine solution that promotes the growth of bacteria that gives this cheese it's red-orange hue. It is made from organic milk produced from the nearby Straus Family dairy. Heady, stinky, pungent, robust, voluptuous, Red Hawk would best be served near the end of a cheese plate.
Pairings: Syrah, Pinot Noir, Gewurztraminer, Rose Champagne, Reisling, crusty bread, fig conserve, infused honey, mashed Medjool dates, Pears, Apples.
Origin: Point Reyes Station, California
Milk: Cow
Producer: Cowgirl Creamery
Rennet: Currently Sourcing Information
Web Site: http://www.cowgirlcreamery.com/
Purple Haze
This fresh goat cheese, topped with crushed fennel and lavender pollen, is aged only 10 days before being shipped. Floral flavors compliment a distinct and sharp earthiness. Try figs stuffed with Purple Haze warmed and drizzled with Goodflow orange blossom Honey.
Pairings: Pinot Grigio, Albarino, Viognier, Cava, Old Zinfandel, Dry Rose, bruscetta, tomatoes, cucumbers, avocado, almonds
Origins: Arcata, California
Milk: Goat
Producer: Cypress Grove Chevre
Rennet: Vegetable
Web Site: http://www.cypressgrovechevre.com/
Truffle Tremor
A lightly aged goat cheese made with Black Truffles. It has a velvety texture and sophisticated taste that tends to linger long after the fruity flavor of the wine has left. Sweet, musty, dense, cakey a thin slice of Truffle Tremor would turn a humble side of mashed potatoes and parsnips into a most decadent dish.
Pairings: Dolcetto, Pinot Grigio, Albarino, Sauvignon Blanc, fruit preserves, fresh berries.
Origins: Arcata, California
Milk: Goat
Producer: Cypress Grove Chevre
Rennet: Vegetable
Web Site: http://www.cypressgrovechevre.com/
From Bryan, the Butcher:
The biggest thing that we are excited about this week is being able to offer an exceptional ground beef at an excellent price of $4.99/lb – everyday! This is a very exciting time for us because we negotiated a great deal with the great folks at Niman Ranch to be able to offer this price for our customers on such a good product.
Right now we are passing on a great manufacturer price from the folks at Niman. We're offering Niman Ranch USDA choice boneless beef Ribeyes for $14.99lb! That's 4 dollars off the regular price of $18.99lb, and $6 dollars off the price since the first of the year, wow.
These Ribeyes are unbelievably tender, juicy, and consistently restaurant quality beef.
We have more specials in the meat freezer. Look for Organic Prairie product specials; organic grass-fed ground beef $7.49 lb (regular $7.99lb), organic ground pork $5.99lb (regular $6.69lb), & organic beef patties $6.29lb (regular $6.99lb). Whew that's a lot of great prices on Organic Prairie products. It would be a good time to fill your freezer, on the cheap! But we're still not done with the low prices. There are World catch scampi shrimp in the freezer, on a buy one get one free special. Also Henry & Lisa's wild Alaskan salmon burgers are on special for $6.29 (regular price $6.99lb). I had some of these for the 4th of July and they were great, and quick & easy to cook.
In The Grocery Aisle
New! Pacific Organic Soups with Meat: You can now find all-organic soups with meat at Wheatsville. We've just started carrying this line from Pacific Natural Foods. These are some variations on classic recipes like "Split Pea with Bacon and Swiss Cheese" and "Chicken and Wild Rice". Pacific is known in the natural foods world as a quality brand that we can trust. All the ingredients in these soups are organic including the meat. We're very happy to be able to sell a soup like this for just $2.99. If you would like to read more about them, check out their website at http://www.pacificfoods.com Justin Merrifield, Grocery Buyer
I hope you have a great week, find it easier to park here and come by next week to check out our new stuff! We're bursting with pride to show you it all!
Dan Gillotte
Wheatsville GM and e-mail guy
Oh yeah, I tweet occasionally at www.twitter.com/wheatsville and you can be our friend on Facebook as well as a fan of Popcorn Tofu!
Friday, July 10, 2009
Coffee with the board, parking, party and lots of cool product news you can use!
Hello Wheatsville friends and fans!
I hope that you all are having a great start to July!
We're excited because progress keeps being made on our project. We are just weeks away from final completion! Within a week or two, our parking lot will be complete and we'll gain back many many parking spots and have the most we have had here in over a year! Around July 21st-23rd we will be relocating the bulk department into its new location and we'll be opening up our new deli food bar, too! The food bar is a combination salad, hot foods and olive and marinated goodies bar. I just know that we're going to love it! Also at that time, our new Cheese island will be installed and the meat department will expand in its case, too!
It's still best to come as early or as late as you can to avoid parking issues. The lot is pretty manageable up until about 10 am and after 8pm. We are adding flaggers on the next two sundays to help with traffic flow.
Party like construction is over
Please save the date, Saturday August 15th from 12-4 for our end of construction party! We'll have a REALLY big grand opening party later, like un October, but we also wanted to officially acknowledge the end of the project with something fun and as a HUGE thank you for all of your incredible patience and support!
Show us your love and Help us win Best Neighborhood Grocery
We would love to win Best Neighborhood Grocery in the Chronicle's Best of Austin poll again this year and YOU can help! http://www.austinchronicle.com/feedback/bestof/09/ VOTING ENDS Tuesday, July 21, 2009.
Coffee with the board
This Saturday from 10am-noon under our new awning on our new patio furniture! Enjoy our delicious iced coffee and other snacks while chatting with the board about our co-op, the future, the weather, and/ or the transformation of society toward cooperation! When was the last time you had the chance to have coffee with the board of Whole Foods or HEB?
BREAKING MALLOW NEWS
Wheatsville has found the Holy Grail of vegan/ vegetarian delicacies: Handmade, Air-Puffed, Vegan Marshmallows!
Straight outta Chicago, these marshmallows are made in a dedicated vegan facility using guaranteed vegan sugar and no gelatin.
Use them in desserts (especially S'mores), as a topping or eat them straight from the bag. They have a superb vanilla flavor and give you the sense that 'this is what marshmallows are supposed to taste like!'
Let us know how you like them and please share your recipes with us if you come up with something tasty!
From the Board of Directors Nominations Committee:
Did you know that the nominations process for the upcoming Fall Election of the Board of Directors is in full swing here at Wheatsville? We're looking for candidates who love Wheatsville, care about its future, work well with others, and can devote a few hours a month to being active board members. You can get involved in our community and develop empowering ideas about how we can each help transform society.
If you'd like more information, stop by Wheatsville's hospitality desk to pick up a candidate application packet or download it here:
Here's a list of some important dates coming up in the next few days and weeks. We look forward to seeing you at these events:
July 13th, 6:00 pm -- Orientation for Prospective Board Candidates (at 3105 Guadalupe, the building just North of Wheatsville).
July 25th, 1:00 pm -- Orientation for Prospective Board Candidates (at 3105 Guadalupe).
July 28th, 6:00pm -- Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors (at 3105 Guadalupe).
Contact the board's Nominations Committee to learn more!
nominations@wheatsville.coop
Ingrid Devilliers, Mike Crissey, Bob Kinney, Rose Marie Klee
In The Grocery Aisle
Eldorado Artesian Spring Water: We're very excited to now have a water option that is much more affordable than we've had in the past. Wheatsville now offers Eldorado Artesian Spring Water for ninety-nine cents a gallon. This isn't even a sale price. At a time of year when water is an especially important commodity, it's nice to see that a company like Eldorado can provide an affordable, high-quality product to fit the need. To read about Eldorado Springs, and how this water travels from the atmosphere to the bottle, go to http://www.eldoradosprings.com/?action=water
Justin Merrifield, Grocery Buyer
NEW in Body Care
Hugo Naturals
Vegan Bar Soap, Lotion and Shower Gels
Natural Shampoo, Conditioner and Deodorants
Lotion, Shower Gel, Shampoo and Conditioners available in travel sizes
NEW in Supplements
Natren
Megadophilus, Bifido Factor, Digesta-Lac and Gy-Na-Tren
Boiron Homeopathics
We now have the Top 42 Sellers of the 30c single Blue Tubes
12 Care Kits: Allergy, Sinus, Cold, Coldsore, Kids First Aid, Summers First Aid, Jet Lag, Leg Cramps, Stress,
Hot Flash, Quit Smoking and Quit Snoring
Also Gasalia, Acidil, Avenoc tablets, ointment and suppositories, Sedalia, Quietude and Optique 1
Prince of Peace
Ginkgo + Endurance Formula, Green Tea + Panax Ginseng and Red Ginseng +Royal Jelly
All come in boxes of 30 .34oz bottles
NEW and on SALE!
New Chapter
Probiotic Berry Green 180grams for $38.99
E & Selenium Food Complex 30 caps for $9.99
Ginger Wonder Syrup 4oz for $11.99
Nancy and the Health Team
Beat the heat with a perfect summer aperitif
Looking for a refreshing wine to beat the Texas heat? Then look no further because Gazela Vihno Verde from Quinta de Azevedo located in northwest Portugal is the perfect summer aperitif. An irresistible bright fruity white wine. The bouquet is a lively mix of citrus and floral aromas. Soft flavors of apricot and grapefruit are perked up by the sparkling bubbles and balanced by delightful crisp acidity and strong minerality. At only $5.99 a bottle this wine is the perfect picnic wine.
The "gold standard" of alcoholic beers are here!
By popular demand, we are pleased to introduce Clausthaler Premium non-alcoholic malt beverage, imported from Germany.
$1.49 each in the singles area!
Shane
Summertime and the living is Produce!
Tomatoes
If you have been to a farmer's market in the last few weeks, you've probably seen a myriad of tomatoes, squash, eggplant and okra hanging around. We've been fortunate to get some great local tomatoes this year from a few different local producers: Tecolote, Johnson's Backyard Garden, and Green Gate Farms. Currently we are carrying some really nice tomatoes from Tecolote. We also have excellent assorted heirloom tomato varieties that aren't locally sourced. Try the pints of sun gold tomatoes for a savory and sweet treat. Truly amazing. Eating tomatoes in season is the best way to judge true tomato flavor. Caution: eating seasonal tomatoes may ruin your tomato palette for the rest of the year.
Local Stuff and Things
Right now we have some great local produce for you. Local organic okra from Guinea Hills Farm, tomatoes from Tecolote, Texas Naturals organic summer squash and zucchini, local Asian eggplant from Indian Mills Farm and organic green bell peppers, watermelons and basil from Buena Tierra. Texas peaches continue to be delicious and have been a customer and staff favorite so far this summer.
White Nectarines
We will be running a special for the next few days on white nectarines at $2.29 a pound. White nectarines are my personal favorite stone fruit. The flavor is more floral than that of a regular nectarine and the juiciness factor is about an 8 out of 10. Get'em while they last!
Red Bananas
If you read the Breeze regularly, then you may have read the piece I wrote in the December issue titled Yes, We Have No Bananas: Our Impending Reality? In this article I interviewed the author of a book about losing our current banana to a future blight. One of the suggestions that the author, Dan Koeppel , made regarding saving the Cavendish variety(our yellow ubiquitous friend) was to diversify the banana selections available. This will create more demand for Big Banana to grow a diversified crop that will survive the blight rather than a mono-crop that is easier to kill. In an effort to do our part, we have started to carry organic red bananas in addition to our organic and conventional Cavendish selection. Red bananas taste very different than the Cavendish; they have a much creamier, firmer texture, and have a flavor notes of pear and soft fruit. They take a while to ripen and are about twice the cost of the Cavendish but are completely worth it. As we expand our department in the coming months we will continue to look for more varieties of bananas to further diversify our selection.
Social Media and Fruits and Veggies
The produce department is on both Twitter and facebook. Follow or friend us if your are into those types of things. Updates are mostly about products and specials.
Twitter: http://twitter.com/wheatsvilleduce
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Austin-TX/Wheatsville-Food-Co-op-Produce-Department/171671855654?ref=ts
Johnny
From the Deli
BIG MUFFINS ARE BACK!!! That's right, due to popular demand, we have brought back the GIANT WHEATSVILLE MUFFINS of bakery days past! Many vegan and several gluten-free muffins, all baked with mostly organic ingredients, are yours for the choosing, and cost only $2.49 each!! Now that's a handful of breakfast for a pocketful of change!
And if muffins aren't your breakfast bag, don't forget we're now making from scratch our own buttery, flaky buttermilk scones for just $1.99 each! Come on in and try one of our many flavors, both sweet and savory, like Double-Ginger, Glazed Cinnamon-Raisin, or Lemon!
Lots of favorites abound in the Deli case this week, like cool and creamy Red Curry Tofu, balsamic-marinated Grilled Portabellas, Indian-spiced Ambur Chicken Biryani, naturally-sweet Lively Beets & Carrots, golden and sweet Curry Lime Chicken Salad, tasty and dense Paprika-Rubbed Grilled Yellowfin Tuna, basil-flecked Insalata Caprese, and crispy Risotto Cakes! Of course, you'll find all the standards here too, like Popcorn Tofu, Eggless Egg Salad, Tempeh Chili, Tuna Salad, Southern Fried Tofu, Thai Pasta Salad, Chicken Salad… the choices are endless!!
Don't forget a grab and go salad to tide you over until the salad bar gets here!
You still have plenty of time left this month to enjoy our very popular Fresh in the Deli co-op share recipe: Greek Roasted Potato Salad from St. Paul, MN's Mississippi Market! It's a tasty and cool dish of oven-roasted Yukon gold potatoes tossed with Mediterranean ingredients like sun-dried tomatoes, red onion, kalamata olives, artichoke hearts, fresh spinach, basil, and feta cheese in a red wine vinaigrette! Both light and filling, it's perfect for a hot day!
On sale in your Wheatsville Deli this month is a new favorite lunchtime treat – our WVBLT! This toasty sandwich is stuffed with six slices of tasty Boar's Head bacon, fresh Greenleaf lettuce, sliced vine-ripened tomatoes, and a smear of mayonnaise on Rudi's organic sourdough! An instant staff favorite, this fabulous sandwich is on sale for only $3.99! That's 50 cents off the normal price of $4.49!
Also on sale in the Deli this month are grab'n'go items found in our self-serve case: The large, 16 ounce bottles of our beloved Cashew-Tamari Dressing are only $3.99 this month, lowering them from $4.49, and our Deluxe Green Salads topped with tender slices of our Buddy's All-Natural, Grilled Lemon-Pepper Chicken, usually $4.99, are available this month for only $4.49! So come on in to fill your belly and take advantage of your savings!
Dana and Merilee
From greg in the land of Cheese
I had a few inquiries into grass-fed cheeses. We do carry a cheese made from the milk of grass fed cows, Kerrygold's Irish Dubliner. All of Kerrygold's cheeses are made from the milk of grass fed cows. The Irish have a long tradition of raising their free ranging cows to graze on the emerald grasses.
"Complex. Worldly. Somewhat sweet, somewhat nutty. All of these words just as easily describe our Dubliner cheese as they do the city of Dublin itself. So it isn't hard to see where we drew our inspiration.
Dubliner is a robust, aged cow's milk cheese with a bit of a hard texture similar to a Cheddar. In one bite you can taste the diversity of flavors - from nutty to sharp to sweet. What might seem ambiguous is actually a well-balanced mix of cheese cultures and naturally occurring amino acids. This diversity pays off in its ability to be served alongside a full-bodied Cabernet, a freshly pulled pint of Guinness, or simply melted between a few slices of crusty brown bread." -From the Kerrygold site.
The cheese department, for the month of July, have some items on sale. Organic Valley Cottage Cheese is on sale for $4.29, regularly $4.99. Organic Valley Cream Cheese tubs are on sale for $2.49, regularly $2.99. Organic Valley Shredded Parmesan is on sale $3.69, regularly $4.69. Also Morningland Organic Raw Colby is on sale for $7.99, regularly $8.99 and Pureluck Feta is on sale for $9.99, regularly $16.49. The Morningland and Pureluck Feta are on a "while supplies last basis".
Greg
From Bryan, the Butcher
We're getting close to the end folks. Just a little bit more. We're rolling out some of the best price offerings to ever in the meat market at Wheatsville. Right now we are passing on a great manufacturer price from the folks at Niman. We're offering Niman ranch USDA choice boneless beef Ribeyes for $14.99lb that's 4 dollars off regular price of $18.99lb, and $6 dollars off the price since the first of the year, wow. Don't miss this deal. These Ribeyes are unbelievably tender, juicy, and consistently restaurant quality beef. Very soon, look for great new (permanent) lower price on Niman 85/15 ground chuck.
We have more specials in the meat freezer. Look for Organic Prairie product specials; organic grass-fed ground beef $7.49 lb (regular $7.99lb), organic ground pork $5.99lb (regular $6.69lb), & organic beef patties $6.29lb (regular $6.99lb). Whew, that's a lot of great prices on Organic Prairie products. It would be a good time to fill your freezer, on the cheap! But we're still not done with the low prices. There are still World catch coconut shrimp and scampi shrimp in the freezer, there on a buy one get one free special. (sorry not mix-matching on these) Also Henry & Lisa's wild Alaskan salmon burgers are on special for $6.29 (regular price $6.99lb). I had some of these for the 4th and they were great, and quick & easy to cook.
Stay cool people! See you soon. Bryan
I hope that you have a great week!
Dan Gillotte
Wheatsville GM and e-mail guy
I hope that you all are having a great start to July!
We're excited because progress keeps being made on our project. We are just weeks away from final completion! Within a week or two, our parking lot will be complete and we'll gain back many many parking spots and have the most we have had here in over a year! Around July 21st-23rd we will be relocating the bulk department into its new location and we'll be opening up our new deli food bar, too! The food bar is a combination salad, hot foods and olive and marinated goodies bar. I just know that we're going to love it! Also at that time, our new Cheese island will be installed and the meat department will expand in its case, too!
It's still best to come as early or as late as you can to avoid parking issues. The lot is pretty manageable up until about 10 am and after 8pm. We are adding flaggers on the next two sundays to help with traffic flow.
Party like construction is over
Please save the date, Saturday August 15th from 12-4 for our end of construction party! We'll have a REALLY big grand opening party later, like un October, but we also wanted to officially acknowledge the end of the project with something fun and as a HUGE thank you for all of your incredible patience and support!
Show us your love and Help us win Best Neighborhood Grocery
We would love to win Best Neighborhood Grocery in the Chronicle's Best of Austin poll again this year and YOU can help! http://www.austinchronicle.com/feedback/bestof/09/ VOTING ENDS Tuesday, July 21, 2009.
Coffee with the board
This Saturday from 10am-noon under our new awning on our new patio furniture! Enjoy our delicious iced coffee and other snacks while chatting with the board about our co-op, the future, the weather, and/ or the transformation of society toward cooperation! When was the last time you had the chance to have coffee with the board of Whole Foods or HEB?
BREAKING MALLOW NEWS
Wheatsville has found the Holy Grail of vegan/ vegetarian delicacies: Handmade, Air-Puffed, Vegan Marshmallows!
Straight outta Chicago, these marshmallows are made in a dedicated vegan facility using guaranteed vegan sugar and no gelatin.
Use them in desserts (especially S'mores), as a topping or eat them straight from the bag. They have a superb vanilla flavor and give you the sense that 'this is what marshmallows are supposed to taste like!'
Let us know how you like them and please share your recipes with us if you come up with something tasty!
From the Board of Directors Nominations Committee:
Did you know that the nominations process for the upcoming Fall Election of the Board of Directors is in full swing here at Wheatsville? We're looking for candidates who love Wheatsville, care about its future, work well with others, and can devote a few hours a month to being active board members. You can get involved in our community and develop empowering ideas about how we can each help transform society.
If you'd like more information, stop by Wheatsville's hospitality desk to pick up a candidate application packet or download it here:
Here's a list of some important dates coming up in the next few days and weeks. We look forward to seeing you at these events:
July 13th, 6:00 pm -- Orientation for Prospective Board Candidates (at 3105 Guadalupe, the building just North of Wheatsville).
July 25th, 1:00 pm -- Orientation for Prospective Board Candidates (at 3105 Guadalupe).
July 28th, 6:00pm -- Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors (at 3105 Guadalupe).
Contact the board's Nominations Committee to learn more!
nominations@wheatsville.coop
Ingrid Devilliers, Mike Crissey, Bob Kinney, Rose Marie Klee
In The Grocery Aisle
Eldorado Artesian Spring Water: We're very excited to now have a water option that is much more affordable than we've had in the past. Wheatsville now offers Eldorado Artesian Spring Water for ninety-nine cents a gallon. This isn't even a sale price. At a time of year when water is an especially important commodity, it's nice to see that a company like Eldorado can provide an affordable, high-quality product to fit the need. To read about Eldorado Springs, and how this water travels from the atmosphere to the bottle, go to http://www.eldoradosprings.com/?action=water
Justin Merrifield, Grocery Buyer
NEW in Body Care
Hugo Naturals
Vegan Bar Soap, Lotion and Shower Gels
Natural Shampoo, Conditioner and Deodorants
Lotion, Shower Gel, Shampoo and Conditioners available in travel sizes
NEW in Supplements
Natren
Megadophilus, Bifido Factor, Digesta-Lac and Gy-Na-Tren
Boiron Homeopathics
We now have the Top 42 Sellers of the 30c single Blue Tubes
12 Care Kits: Allergy, Sinus, Cold, Coldsore, Kids First Aid, Summers First Aid, Jet Lag, Leg Cramps, Stress,
Hot Flash, Quit Smoking and Quit Snoring
Also Gasalia, Acidil, Avenoc tablets, ointment and suppositories, Sedalia, Quietude and Optique 1
Prince of Peace
Ginkgo + Endurance Formula, Green Tea + Panax Ginseng and Red Ginseng +Royal Jelly
All come in boxes of 30 .34oz bottles
NEW and on SALE!
New Chapter
Probiotic Berry Green 180grams for $38.99
E & Selenium Food Complex 30 caps for $9.99
Ginger Wonder Syrup 4oz for $11.99
Nancy and the Health Team
Beat the heat with a perfect summer aperitif
Looking for a refreshing wine to beat the Texas heat? Then look no further because Gazela Vihno Verde from Quinta de Azevedo located in northwest Portugal is the perfect summer aperitif. An irresistible bright fruity white wine. The bouquet is a lively mix of citrus and floral aromas. Soft flavors of apricot and grapefruit are perked up by the sparkling bubbles and balanced by delightful crisp acidity and strong minerality. At only $5.99 a bottle this wine is the perfect picnic wine.
The "gold standard" of alcoholic beers are here!
By popular demand, we are pleased to introduce Clausthaler Premium non-alcoholic malt beverage, imported from Germany.
$1.49 each in the singles area!
Shane
Summertime and the living is Produce!
Tomatoes
If you have been to a farmer's market in the last few weeks, you've probably seen a myriad of tomatoes, squash, eggplant and okra hanging around. We've been fortunate to get some great local tomatoes this year from a few different local producers: Tecolote, Johnson's Backyard Garden, and Green Gate Farms. Currently we are carrying some really nice tomatoes from Tecolote. We also have excellent assorted heirloom tomato varieties that aren't locally sourced. Try the pints of sun gold tomatoes for a savory and sweet treat. Truly amazing. Eating tomatoes in season is the best way to judge true tomato flavor. Caution: eating seasonal tomatoes may ruin your tomato palette for the rest of the year.
Local Stuff and Things
Right now we have some great local produce for you. Local organic okra from Guinea Hills Farm, tomatoes from Tecolote, Texas Naturals organic summer squash and zucchini, local Asian eggplant from Indian Mills Farm and organic green bell peppers, watermelons and basil from Buena Tierra. Texas peaches continue to be delicious and have been a customer and staff favorite so far this summer.
White Nectarines
We will be running a special for the next few days on white nectarines at $2.29 a pound. White nectarines are my personal favorite stone fruit. The flavor is more floral than that of a regular nectarine and the juiciness factor is about an 8 out of 10. Get'em while they last!
Red Bananas
If you read the Breeze regularly, then you may have read the piece I wrote in the December issue titled Yes, We Have No Bananas: Our Impending Reality? In this article I interviewed the author of a book about losing our current banana to a future blight. One of the suggestions that the author, Dan Koeppel , made regarding saving the Cavendish variety(our yellow ubiquitous friend) was to diversify the banana selections available. This will create more demand for Big Banana to grow a diversified crop that will survive the blight rather than a mono-crop that is easier to kill. In an effort to do our part, we have started to carry organic red bananas in addition to our organic and conventional Cavendish selection. Red bananas taste very different than the Cavendish; they have a much creamier, firmer texture, and have a flavor notes of pear and soft fruit. They take a while to ripen and are about twice the cost of the Cavendish but are completely worth it. As we expand our department in the coming months we will continue to look for more varieties of bananas to further diversify our selection.
Social Media and Fruits and Veggies
The produce department is on both Twitter and facebook. Follow or friend us if your are into those types of things. Updates are mostly about products and specials.
Twitter: http://twitter.com/wheatsvilleduce
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Austin-TX/Wheatsville-Food-Co-op-Produce-Department/171671855654?ref=ts
Johnny
From the Deli
BIG MUFFINS ARE BACK!!! That's right, due to popular demand, we have brought back the GIANT WHEATSVILLE MUFFINS of bakery days past! Many vegan and several gluten-free muffins, all baked with mostly organic ingredients, are yours for the choosing, and cost only $2.49 each!! Now that's a handful of breakfast for a pocketful of change!
And if muffins aren't your breakfast bag, don't forget we're now making from scratch our own buttery, flaky buttermilk scones for just $1.99 each! Come on in and try one of our many flavors, both sweet and savory, like Double-Ginger, Glazed Cinnamon-Raisin, or Lemon!
Lots of favorites abound in the Deli case this week, like cool and creamy Red Curry Tofu, balsamic-marinated Grilled Portabellas, Indian-spiced Ambur Chicken Biryani, naturally-sweet Lively Beets & Carrots, golden and sweet Curry Lime Chicken Salad, tasty and dense Paprika-Rubbed Grilled Yellowfin Tuna, basil-flecked Insalata Caprese, and crispy Risotto Cakes! Of course, you'll find all the standards here too, like Popcorn Tofu, Eggless Egg Salad, Tempeh Chili, Tuna Salad, Southern Fried Tofu, Thai Pasta Salad, Chicken Salad… the choices are endless!!
Don't forget a grab and go salad to tide you over until the salad bar gets here!
You still have plenty of time left this month to enjoy our very popular Fresh in the Deli co-op share recipe: Greek Roasted Potato Salad from St. Paul, MN's Mississippi Market! It's a tasty and cool dish of oven-roasted Yukon gold potatoes tossed with Mediterranean ingredients like sun-dried tomatoes, red onion, kalamata olives, artichoke hearts, fresh spinach, basil, and feta cheese in a red wine vinaigrette! Both light and filling, it's perfect for a hot day!
On sale in your Wheatsville Deli this month is a new favorite lunchtime treat – our WVBLT! This toasty sandwich is stuffed with six slices of tasty Boar's Head bacon, fresh Greenleaf lettuce, sliced vine-ripened tomatoes, and a smear of mayonnaise on Rudi's organic sourdough! An instant staff favorite, this fabulous sandwich is on sale for only $3.99! That's 50 cents off the normal price of $4.49!
Also on sale in the Deli this month are grab'n'go items found in our self-serve case: The large, 16 ounce bottles of our beloved Cashew-Tamari Dressing are only $3.99 this month, lowering them from $4.49, and our Deluxe Green Salads topped with tender slices of our Buddy's All-Natural, Grilled Lemon-Pepper Chicken, usually $4.99, are available this month for only $4.49! So come on in to fill your belly and take advantage of your savings!
Dana and Merilee
From greg in the land of Cheese
I had a few inquiries into grass-fed cheeses. We do carry a cheese made from the milk of grass fed cows, Kerrygold's Irish Dubliner. All of Kerrygold's cheeses are made from the milk of grass fed cows. The Irish have a long tradition of raising their free ranging cows to graze on the emerald grasses.
"Complex. Worldly. Somewhat sweet, somewhat nutty. All of these words just as easily describe our Dubliner cheese as they do the city of Dublin itself. So it isn't hard to see where we drew our inspiration.
Dubliner is a robust, aged cow's milk cheese with a bit of a hard texture similar to a Cheddar. In one bite you can taste the diversity of flavors - from nutty to sharp to sweet. What might seem ambiguous is actually a well-balanced mix of cheese cultures and naturally occurring amino acids. This diversity pays off in its ability to be served alongside a full-bodied Cabernet, a freshly pulled pint of Guinness, or simply melted between a few slices of crusty brown bread." -From the Kerrygold site.
The cheese department, for the month of July, have some items on sale. Organic Valley Cottage Cheese is on sale for $4.29, regularly $4.99. Organic Valley Cream Cheese tubs are on sale for $2.49, regularly $2.99. Organic Valley Shredded Parmesan is on sale $3.69, regularly $4.69. Also Morningland Organic Raw Colby is on sale for $7.99, regularly $8.99 and Pureluck Feta is on sale for $9.99, regularly $16.49. The Morningland and Pureluck Feta are on a "while supplies last basis".
Greg
From Bryan, the Butcher
We're getting close to the end folks. Just a little bit more. We're rolling out some of the best price offerings to ever in the meat market at Wheatsville. Right now we are passing on a great manufacturer price from the folks at Niman. We're offering Niman ranch USDA choice boneless beef Ribeyes for $14.99lb that's 4 dollars off regular price of $18.99lb, and $6 dollars off the price since the first of the year, wow. Don't miss this deal. These Ribeyes are unbelievably tender, juicy, and consistently restaurant quality beef. Very soon, look for great new (permanent) lower price on Niman 85/15 ground chuck.
We have more specials in the meat freezer. Look for Organic Prairie product specials; organic grass-fed ground beef $7.49 lb (regular $7.99lb), organic ground pork $5.99lb (regular $6.69lb), & organic beef patties $6.29lb (regular $6.99lb). Whew, that's a lot of great prices on Organic Prairie products. It would be a good time to fill your freezer, on the cheap! But we're still not done with the low prices. There are still World catch coconut shrimp and scampi shrimp in the freezer, there on a buy one get one free special. (sorry not mix-matching on these) Also Henry & Lisa's wild Alaskan salmon burgers are on special for $6.29 (regular price $6.99lb). I had some of these for the 4th and they were great, and quick & easy to cook.
Stay cool people! See you soon. Bryan
I hope that you have a great week!
Dan Gillotte
Wheatsville GM and e-mail guy
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