Wheatsville Food Co-op

Friday, October 15, 2010

Fall means yummy food, election and owner gathering!

Hello Wheatsville!

We are heading into the final weekend of Owner Appreciation Days. I hope you've joined the 800+ other owners of Wheatsville in getting your discount this week. If you have not, there is still time! Come in anytime through Sunday and receive a one-time 10% off of your entire shopping trip! A bunch of you are procrastinators, which makes our last Sunday of these weeks really really busy! We don't mind your waiting, but if you want to try and avoid the crowd, there are better times to come- Shopping on Friday nights are usually a breeze. Saturday and Sunday mornings before 11 AM will also be pretty easy. And Saturday after 8pm and Sunday after 9pm should be lighter, too. We definitely want you to shop WHENEVER you can and take advantage of the big savings that come as one of your member economic benefits. We're fixing to have our bext asles week ever, so come on in and help us break a record!

Scroll down for:

Election and Fall Owner Gathering!

Squash your hunger

Co+op Deals and Owner Deals are awesome

Kombucha Kraziness

Sausage Fest

Fall for the deli

New bottles + yoga mats

Lambics!

Perfect pot of tea

Granola Graziness

Wine deal!

Vote!

It is time to vote in our annual co-op election. You get to vote for our board of directors and the community action groups we'll support this year. The easiest way to vote is on-line http://wheatsville.coop/election/index.html but you can also vote by mail or in-person!

We are planning a really cool Fall Owner Gathering this year on Wed. October 27^th at Howson Hall at the Unitarian Universalist starting at 6:30! We'll be featuring a talk by long-time Wheatsville backer and all around co-op hero, Walden Swanson as well as a panel discussion with other co-operative institutions here in Austin. We'll also have light refreshments. The UU is at 4700 Grover Ave.

Squash dinner!

It's finally beginning to feel like fall in Texas! Cooler evening temperatures always make me want to reach for the winter squash recipes. We've got several varieties in stock right now: butternut, acorn, delicata, red kuri, kabocha, and pie pumpkins are in the store right now, with more varieties to come. Regardless of the variety you chose – and trust me, you can't go wrong – cooking them is easy as pie. The simplest way is to cut them in half, rub the cut side with oil, and roast them cut-side down on a cookie sheet for about 45 minutes at 400 degrees. The skin will easily come off, and the flesh can be cubed and added to any dish. You can mash it, add nutmeg, cinnamon, and brown sugar, and you've got a pie filling. Add stock and blend it to make a fine winter squash soup. Endless possibilities.

A fresh crop of Co+op Deals have just arrived! – Brooks Wood, Wheatsville Co+op Deals Assistant

We have a new selection of Co+op Deals this week. Mornings are easier with our lineup of breakfast favorites. So Delicious Coconut Milk is $3.29 reg. $3.99, Organic Valley Live Organic Yogurt is $3.29 reg. $4.99, Shelton's Turkey Sausages are $3.79 reg. $4.99 & Golden Temple Granola is $2.49/lb reg. $3.79/lb in Bulk.

Looking for a warm and easy lunch solution? Our Imagine Butternut Squash Soup is $2.49 reg. $3.99 and Edward & Sons Miso-Cup Soup is $3.49 reg. $4.99. For texture and crunch add Wasa Multi Grain Crisp Bread for $1.99 reg. $2.79. A six pack of fructose-free Blue Sky Soda is $2.69 reg. $3.99 & all three flavors of Newman-O's Cookies are $3.29 reg. $4.49.

Have fall allergies got you down? Give yourself some relief withTraditional Medicinals Organic Throat Coat Tea $3.49 reg. $4.89 or New Chapter's Lifeshield Immunity $26.99 reg. $36.99 and to keep germs at bay, we've put Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap on sale for $9.99 reg. $12.99.

Remember, our Deals are easy to reference. Go to http://www.wheatsville.coop and click on the Co+op Deals link.

Co+op Owner Deals are better than ever!

Our Deli is offering Owners delicious savings on three Deli favorites: Try it hot or cold - Gingerade is $1.19 reg. $1.69, Thai Iced Coffee $1.99 reg. $2.69 and the ultimate comfort food, Large Beans & Rice is $2.99 reg. $3.49.

Living Harvest Tempt Hemp Milk, All Varieties, 32oz is on Deal for $3.29 reg. $3.99, Uncle Sam's Cereal 10oz is $2.49 reg. $3.39 and Santini Evaporated Milk 12oz is $1.29 reg. $1.59.

Our Bulk Department has Lundberg Farms Organic Brown Basmati Rice for $1.79/lb reg. $2.49/lb, Lundberg Farms Organic White Basmati Rice $1.99/lb reg. $2.79/lb and Bragg Liquid Aminos is on Deal for $19.99/lb reg. $26.39/lb.

October is Fair Trade Month so Equal Exchange Organic Hot Cocoa Mix 12oz is $6.49 reg. $7.89 and Equal Exchange Organic Baking Cocoa 8oz is $6.49 reg. $7.99.

For the scary goblins in your neighborhood, Halloween wouldn't be right without Yummy Earth Organic Lollipops 12.3oz $4.99 reg. $6.69.

Remember, our Owner Deals are easy to reference, too. Check them out on our web site @ http://www.wheatsville.coop and click on the Owners link.

Kombucha Kraziness!

Just to let you know after four months of testing G.T's Kombucha is back! We are only able to receive five different flavors right now which include original, gingerade, trilogy, multi green, and gingerberry. They are once again located in the cooler in front of the bulk department.

And don't forget, local favorite Buddha's Brew Kombucha is on sale all October for the crazy price of 2 for FIVE Bucks!

Fresh made sausages oh my!
Did you know Wheatsville has our own house made sausages? The sausages are made from humanely raised animals from Niman ranch meats. We currently make several flavors: Sweet & Hot Italian-strong up front fennel flavor with a zesty garlic after taste, Mexican style fresh Chorizo—great cooked into egg for a super breakfast, Pork Breakfast sausage—sage filled country flavor, Turkey breakfast--- organic turkey version of our pork breakfast. All of these sausages retail for $7.99/lb—available stuffed in pork casings or in bull containers.

Look for our Co-op Deals specials this week: Shelton's lines of gluten-free frozen sausages are on sale till the end of the month. Turkey breakfast, Patties & Italian links—regularly $5.29, now only $3.79! These are really great sellers for us, so stock up now!

In the deli: New Owner Specials and the return of some seasonal dishes!

This week's Bakery case features our delicious and oh-so-seasonal Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins! At just $2.49 each, for one really big muffin, these go great with a fair-trade, organic Mocha from our Espresso Bar! Or slice a muffin in half, warm it up and spread it with some butter or cream cheese! We are sure you're gonna love them as much as we do! Also new to our bakery case are Gluten-Free Espresso Swirl Brownies, a fantastic recipe from our friends at the Wedge Co-op in Minneapolis that combines chocolate, coffee and cream cheese into a beautiful, delectable dessert! These specialty brownies are wheat-free, and sell for $2.99 each.

October is here and we have pulled some of our favorite cooler-weather recipes from the vault, so expect old favorites like Wheatberry Salad with Almonds and Cranberries, Honey-Mustard Sweet Potatoes and Crimson Bulgur Pilaf to show up again in the case soon! Also, we'll be running more hearty soups and chili on the hot bar as the weather demands, so look for WV classics like African Peanut, Corn Chowder, Mushroom Barley, Lucky Black-eyed Pea Soup and Turkey Chili to make more regular appearances!

Our house-brewed Gingerade is on Owner Special through October 26th, $1.19, reg. $1.69. If you've only had it cold, it's time to try it heated up! It's an allergy-destroyer and tummy-tenderizer all in one!

Our Peanut Butter Banana Dream Smoothie is our monthly smoothie special, for just $4.49 each! I like mine Elvis'ed up with a squeeze or two of chocolate syrup! October's salsa of the month, Guajillo con Miel, combines smoky ancho and guajillo peppers with sundried tomatoes, lemon juice, honey and more, at just $4.99/lb.

Looking for a deal? It couldn't be a better time to fill up on the cheap with a tasty, large Rice & Beans, $2.99, reg. $3.49, a fantastic price for a full meal! Also on sale for owners is our sweet, cool Thai Iced Coffee, $1.99, reg. $2,69! These low prices are available to Owners through October 26th.

Also on sale at the Deli Counter for the month of October are tasty cold cuts: Boar's Head Smoked Turkey at $9.49/lb, reg. $9.99 and Provolone Cheese, $4.99/lb, reg. $5.99, so stock up on your lunchables!

What are you waiting for? Come on in and eat with us!

New in House-Wares: ThinkSport Bottles & Yoga Mats, New Designs from ChicoBag

We have some nifty new Double-Walled Insulated Sports Bottles from local vendor ThinkSport for just $17.99. These lightweight stainless steel bottles are free of BPA, phthalates, PVC, cadmium, lead, & biologically toxic chemicals, and are vacuum sealed, making them perfect for hot or cold beverages. The combination wide mouth/spout top allows for easy filling and easy drinking and they feature an interior mesh filter that prevents ice or tea leaves from winding up in your mouth!

We're also proud to offer The Safe Mat, a high-performance non-toxic pilates/yoga mat. These mats are free of latex, rubber, BPA, PVC, lead, phthalates, dioxins, and other biologically toxic chemicals and come in three vibrant colors, $33.99 each. Do something good for your body and the environment!

The Original ChicoBag is a long-time favorite around here and we've got some adorable Halloween Designs perfect for carrying all your trick-or-treating booty, just $4.99. And guess what? ChicoBag will donate 10% of each sale to the GreenHalloween organization. Sweet!

Another new treat from ChicoBag, The Sling rePETe, features the same quality construction as The Original in a stylish single-strap messenger bag made from 99% recycled content. The Sling comes in 3 gorgeous colors (Glacier, Merlot, and Olive Branch) and retails for $11.99.

Timmermans Lambics are here!

TimmermansFramboise Lambic is Red-amber in color, fresh raspberry aroma, with a sweet-sour taste. Timmermans Strawberry Lambic is evokes the perfumes of a lovely summer. Its strawberry flavor confirms the nose's impression without sweetened saturation. If you have yet to try a Lambic now is the time. The Lambic style can trace its roots back over 400 years, and has remained mostly unchanged from its introduction. Lambic beers are made as they were centuries ago, when the process of fermentation seemed to be a miracle. Wild yeasts shepherd the brew on its path to beerhood, converting barley and wheat sugars into alcohol, producing fascinating and wine-like beers.

ZHI TEA!

Local tea darlings Zhi Tea have made the leap from the Farmers Market to Wheatsville's grocery shelves. With hand-crafted blends such as Sweet Texas Dreams, Cacao Chai, Ginger Peach Oolong, Ancient Forest, Turkish Spice Mint and Sweet Desert Delight, Zhi Tea will help you start off this cooler season with a comforting cup of high-quality tea. Take a look at their well-designed website for information about tea, like these helpful tips for brewing the perfect cup. http://www.zhitea.com

Where to begin:

To make a perfect pot of tea, start with one of your favorite loose teas. Then add cold water to your kettle and heat to the desired temperature (see below). Fill your teapot with hot tap water to warm it. Before pouring in the hot water empty the hot tap water from the pre-warmed teapot. Next, add approximately two teaspoons of tea leaf per 6oz cup to your infuser. Pour the water directly onto the leaves and steep the tea according to the directions below.

For Black Tea:

bring your water to a full boil and remove from heat immediately (don't overboil).
allow tea to steep approximately 3-5 minutes and strain.

For Green Teas:

bring your water to a pre boil (appx. 180 degrees. 160 degrees for sencha)
when little bubbles start to form on the bottom of the kettle, remove from heat.
allow tea to steep 1 1/2 - 3 minutes and strain.

For Oolong Teas:

bring your water to a pre boil.
when little bubbles are coming to the surface (a bit hotter than you would need for green tea) remove from heat.
allow to steep 2-4 minutes and strain.

We have a few sales going on at Cheese Island. Our Colby and Colby-Jack are on sale for $5.29/lb, both regularly $5.99/lb. If you like Brie and you like Bleu cheese then I have the cheese for you. Borganzola is combination of the two. A goranzola mold is injected into brie and you get the best of both worlds. Better yet, it is on sale for for $9.29/lb, regularly $11.29/lb.
It is Member Appreciation Days and if you have not used your 10% discount yet come on over to Cheese Island and use your discount on some of the cheeses that you may have been hesitant to buy. Brie de Meaux has a new lower price, $13.99/lb, down from $19.99/lb. We have a Parrano display set up in the apple section of produce. Parrano is a delicious, robust cheese. It has the nuttiness of fine parmesan, but the texture of nice Gouda. I have been eating this cheese with a Jonagold apple. Also the Borganzola is an interesting cheese. It is Brie that has been inoculated with a Bleu mold. It has a very Bleu taste, but follow it up with a black grape. The sweetness of the grape will mellow the Bleu and add another level of flavor.

Bulk Granola Madness!

I'm excited to let you know that all of the Golden Temple brand granolas are currently on sale through Co-op Deals! This includes the French Vanilla Almond, Low-fat Strawberry Raspberry, Rainforest, Ginger Snap, Super Nutty, Strawberry Vanilla Hemp, Coconut Almond, Maple Pecan, Fruit & Nut, Blueberry Flax, Vanilla Macaroon, and 35% Fruit Muesli varieties. Also on sale is a brand new granola, the super tasty Cranberry-Acai! These will all be on sale for $2.49/lb reg. up to $3.79/lb.

We'll be sampling these granolas throughout the weekend so stop on by the bulk department and try some!

Wine deal!

Don't forget that Wheatsville Co-op has a new wine deal. Buy six or more bottles of wine and get 10% off. Any wine! Any price! Mix and match! We are also offering a great way to transport your wines with our spiffy new Wheatsville six bottle carrier. These are very cool bags that hold six bottles of your favorite beverages and they are only $1.99 each! Best of all they have the Whatsville logo on the side so you can bring it to a party with co-op pride!

I hope that you have a great week!

Dan Gillotte

Wheatsville GM and e-mail guy

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Johnny Appleseed Day, Fall, Flags and more!

Hello Wheatsville friends and fans!

I hope you are enjoying the (slight) cooling weather! Happy Fall to you! September 26^th is Johnny Appleseed's birthday, a great time for us to eat apples! Learn more about the special person who became a legend http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Appleseed

Scroll down for:

Raise it up the flag pole…

Asian pears and Washington Apples!

Co+op Deals = delicious savings

Deli, meat and cheese news including a vegan bread snafu

Bulk coffee

Get your kettlecorn

Help with allergies

New in grocery

Meet the board candidates

New flags!

We are really excited about our new flags and flag pole. Check out our US Flag, our Texas Flag and our Co+op: Stronger Together Flag now proudly flying outside the co-op! We're excited to show our civic pride and hope you are, too.

Produce Notes

I'm excited to announce a new partnership with Wheatsville and HannaLeigh Farm here in Austin. Rob Nash over at HannaLeigh is really charged up about aquaponics (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquaponics), an incredibly cool symbiotic cultivation system similar to hydroponics but with zero waste products. HannaLeigh is now supplying us with pesticide-free basil and will very soon expand their offerings to other herbs (look for rosemary next). Cross your fingers, we may also see aquaponic tilapia in the meat department very soon!

To continually beat the Northwest USA tree fruit drum, come check out some Organic Gala Apples this week. They're super fresh and crisp! If you like sweeter apples, the gala is a good choice for you, and attractively priced at $1.79/lb. Don't forget about pears, either! We just got our first delivery of USA grown Asian pears. Asian pears have a crisp, light texture almost like jicama. Almost never cooked, they are best peeled but can be eaten out of hand. If you don't really count yourself as a "pear person," give an Asian pear a try. They'll change your mind!

Keep the faith!

Adam

CO+OP DEALS ARE BRINGING DELICIOUS SAVINGS TO OUR TABLES! – Brooks Wood, Wheatsville Co+op Deals Assistant

This is the last full week to seize the saving opportunities of our new crop of Co+op Deals. This week we're offering Annie's Homegrown Organic Pasta & Cheese $1.49 reg. $2.49, Natural Sea Yellowfin Tuna $1.99 reg. $2.99 and Amy's Frozen Entrée Bowls $3.59 reg. $4.79.

We've brought Dr. Oetker's Organic Pudding Mixes onto our shelves to satisfy your sweet cravings with the great taste of Chocolate, Vanilla, Butterscotch, Banana and Coconut $1.19 reg. $1.69. And to compliment the pudding, we expanded our popular line of Country Choice Organic Cookies to include Vanilla, Ginger Snaps & Iced Oatmeal $2.79 reg. $3.49. What better to follow the satisfying crunch of a delicious organic cookie than a comforting cup of Yogi Ginger Tea 2/$6.00 reg. $4.39 each.

We're also offering fresh and healthy snack options with Lundberg Family Farms Organic Rice Cakes 2/$5.00 reg. $3.39, Crofter's Organic Fruit Spread $2.79 reg. $3.99 and Maranatha Organic Raw Almond Butter $13.99 reg. $21.99.

And to make any cleaning chore easier while being kind to our planet, we're offering Seventh Generation Natural Paper Towels for $1.79 reg. $2.89.

The savings keep adding up! These and so many other items are on sale until Tuesday, September 28^th.

To make our deals even easier to reference, we have a terrific new Co+op Deals feature on our web site. Go to http://www.wheatsville.coop and click on the Co+op Deals link.

Last week for September Deli Deals and lots more tasty goodies!

This is your last week to get a great deal on our September Owner Specials! Come in and get a deal on our most popular sandwich, the vegan classic Southern Fried Tofu Sandwich, $4.49 each, reg. $4.99! Also on sale is our infamous 24 hour cold brewed Iced Coffee Toddy, just $1.49 each, reg. $1.99! I still say it's the best legal buzz around! Our best-selling wheat-free Thai Pasta Salad adds some peanutty goodness to the menu, $5.99/lb, reg. $7.49.

Beat the heat with our Acai Superfood Smoothie for just $6.29 each! This month's smoothie special blends acai with strawberries, bananas, apple juice and soymilk for a frozen drink that's good for your body and tastebuds, too! September's salsa of the month, Salsa de Otono, combines smoky ancho and sweet red bell peppers with organic apple juice for a taste that beckons autumn, $4.99/lb – ask for a sample at the Deli Counter!

Also on sale at the Deli Counter are tasty cold cuts: Boar's Head Honey-Maple Ham at $8.49/lb, reg. $8.99 and Muenster Cheese, $4.99/lb, reg. $5.99!

New items abound in the Bakery case, including three new vegan bars that have caused a lot of excitement and big grins among staff and owners: fruity Blueberry Cobbler Bars, salty-sweet Peanut Butter Blondies and chewy, nutty Caramel Pecan Bars! At just $2.49 each, these big bars will satisfy your sweet tooth and then some. Try a sample at Deli Counter – we guarantee you will be coming back for more!

Don't forget, we're here for your catering needs as well! Whether it's a birthday cake for that special someone or a full spread for watchin' the next Longhorns game, our ready-made dishes can help make your celebration a success! Take a look at our Catering Menu, featuring a mouth-watering assortment of Meat & Cheese Trays, Crudités & Dip Trays, Middle Eastern Trays, and Fruit & Cheese Trays! Platters and salads, like our Thai Pasta, Popcorn Tofu Platter and Ginger Tempeh Pasta are perfect for every occasion, and for any size gathering! Check out our website at http://wheatsville.coop/catering.html or call us at the Deli to place your order: 512-478-1164! Have a ball and leave the cookin' to us!

Deli Sandwich bread

About 2 months ago we were delivered a different focaccia then we normally carry in the Deli for our sandwiches. I immediately called our vendor, Sweetish Hill, and asked if this change in the recipe would make the focaccia not vegan. Our contact informed me that the focaccia bread was not vegan, nor had it been vegan. I was shocked by this because we had spent quite a bit of time in phone conversations, one on one meetings, and in email discussions about our need of vegan bread for the Deli. In fact, we did not choose to go with their whole wheat bread because it was sweetened with honey.

For the first 2 days after discovering this, we began informing our customers, on a person by person basis, that if they were ordering a vegetarian or vegan based sandwich with the focaccia that the focaccia was not vegan itself. We then cancelled the focaccia bread order and have been dealing with the owner of the company from that point on. We talked to the owner of the company and told him how upset that we were and how this is a crucial piece of information for us. He assured us that he would handle our account from here on out, assuring us that this would not happen again. He sent a very nice, thoughtful apology to us which really let us know that he took this very seriously. They are still working on getting a vegan focaccia breads for us. We have had a few requests to bring back the focaccia, regardless of whether or not it is vegan, and have been holding off on that decision.

We are truly sorry for any confusion on this matter. We take dietary needs very seriously in the deli and make a point of discussing new products with vendors when they come in to the Deli.

If you would like to discuss this further with me or have any other questions or concerns please contact me directly. My email is deli@wheatsville.com and I am happy to talk to you about this. I am very committed to making sure that our products are what we say they are. In fact, I am embarrassed that this got past me. I would like to say again, that I am sorry for this to have happened.

Cheese Island

We have a few things on sale this month. We have our New York Sharp Cheddar on sale for $6.39/lb, regularly $9.99/lb. White Mild Cheddar is on sale for $3.29/lb, regularly $3.99/lb. Yellow Mild Cheddar is on sale for $4.29, regularly $4.99/lb. Smoked Goat Gouda is also on sale for $8.39/lb regularly $9.99.

New Meat stuff!

Pederson's/Wendzel natural pork & bison Bierwurst are new to our store. Same great product we expect from Pederson's, and always certified humane. Pick some up for $9.89 10oz package.

Niman Ranch Apple Cinnamon breakfast sausage is yet another delicious sausage brought to us by the Niman ranch brand. Small, snappy, bursting with juicy flavors…. 12oz pack $6.39.

Locally farm raised quail from Lockhart Texas is a great switch from the same old chicken dinner. Semi boneless little birds can be cook anyway but really are something special off the grill. (Ask me for recipes) Texas quail sold frozen in a 4 x 4oz pack, only $18.99.

Bastrop Cattle Company 7 bone chuck roast is a beast of a roast. Easily able to feed 4-5 people, you can slow cook (Crockpot) this cut all day long and have an easy dinner. BCC chuck roast sells for 12.99/lb average size 3-4 pounds. Look for this and all the Bastrop cattle company 100% grass fed beef in our freezer next to the beer case.

Tasty new frozen fish entrée from Henry & Lisa; Battered Wild Alaskan salmon filets. Easy preparation and nice sized portions make this a great item to keep in your freezer for easy meal. Try them for $6.59 for 8oz.

Scratching you head trying to decide on a way to send you kids to school with a healthy lunch? Try our new organic line of lunch meats from Organic Prairie. Certified Organic and certified humane these are wholesome choices with a variety of flavors; Roasted Turkey, Smoked turkey, Smoked ham, Roast beef, and Roast chicken. Pick them up next time in the your in the store for only $6.99 for a 7oz package, and while supplies last grab the 1$ off coupon located next to the lunchmeat section for a real bargain.

Still on special this month:

Buddy's natural Leg Quarters are one the best sellers in the meat department. For good reason; humane treatment, no confinement, locally produced, and all vegetarian fed. Plus this month you can pick them up for $1.49/lb, regular $1.99/lb.

Be sure to look for a great mid month special on Applegate Farms Smoked & Roasted turkey breast sliced lunchmeat. Regular priced at $5.99/7oz., NOW ONLY $5.49 7oz starting on the 15th of September.

It's also the last week for our introductory priced Shrimp cakes. I recommend you try these. And now is as good of time as any. Only $10.49/lb regular price is $10.99/lb.

Don't forget to get some snacks for watching football!

New Local Coffees in Bulk

Hi folks! I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce you to a couple of great local coffee companies we have recently started carrying in the bulk department. Fara Coffees are grown on their four farms located in the mountainous region of Matagalpa, Nicaragua, and roasted here in Austin. All four of their farms are certified for sustainability by the Rainforest Alliance, and all of their coffees are a great deal right now at $8.49/lb.

Also new to the Bulk Department are the wonderful coffees from Third Coast Roasting Co.. All of their coffees we carry are Organic and Fair Trade certified. A staff favorite here is their Yirgacheffe, a delicious medium roast from Ethiopia.

Popcorn Indiana All Natural Popcorn!-Niki Nash, Wheatsville Merchandising Manager

You may have noticed the giant stack of bags of popcorn by the front door of the co-op this week. This is a new, amazingly delicious, popcorn that we can't seem to get enough of around here. Bob Kinney, former Wheatsville Board President and lifelong popcorn enthusiast, really sums it up in an email he recently sent me:

Hey, Niki
Can't recall any popcorn tasting quite like the Sea Salt Indiana Popcorn.
It's comfortably crunchy without worrying about a tooth.
The taste is pure corn -- in this incidence that's a very good thing!
Made a good dent in the bag and am buying the butter version Friday.
A nice find!
Bob

At a recent staff meeting we tried to decide which was the best flavor and we couldn't! They're all super yummy: Smoked Cheddar, Aged White Cheddar, Sweet & Salty Kettlecorn, Touch of Sea Salt and Movie Theatre Popcorn with real butter! Bonus: there's a $1.00 off coupon in the Co+op Deals coupon book AND they're on sale through next Tuesday.

http://www.popcornindiana.com/

Ahh- choo! Help for Austin allergies!
With the currently high levels of mold and ragweed as well as pesky pigweed and fall elm, you may be feeling pretty miserable right now. We would like to highlight two amazing locally made products for you to consider:

Herbalogic Easy Breather-locally made, Chinese herbs in a liquid formula. Use as needed to control acute sinus symptoms, or use daily to prevent sinus attacks and improve the immune system. Use to prevent seasonal allergies or reduce the occurrence of year-round allergies. http://www.herbalogic.net

Texas Medicinals Texas Allergy Relief Formula-Temporarily relieves hayfever-like allergic symptoms. Alcohol extracts of fresh organic Ambrosia (Ragweed), fresh wild Yerba Santa, fresh wild Yerba Mansa, fresh organic Turmeric, fresh wild Prickly Ash. Made with Organic Alcohol.http://texasmedicinals.com/

New in the Grocery Aisles!

We're proud to tell you that we now carry some wonderful pre-packaged beans in our coffee section. The Just Coffee Cooperative has roasts like Half Caff, Bike Fuel, the Reanimator and Wake the Dead (this one is seasonal, get it while we've got it!). These 12 oz bags are on sale for $8.99/ reg $9.99 until September 28^th.

Our friend Josh from Just Coffee wants you to know this:

Just Coffee Cooperative is a worker-owned coffee roaster based in Madison, WI. We are dedicated to creating and expanding a model of trade based on transparency, equality, and human dignity-- real fair trade. We strive to provide total quality building long-term relationships with small-scale coffee growers and bringing you a truly incredible cup of coffee. We look at coffee as a great opportunity to connect producers with consumers so that we can all understand how we affect each other's lives. Toward that end, several times a year we take our customers and other allies to visit grower communities and have our people on the ground with farmers for several months out of the year. We also often host growers in Madison so that they can visit with our customers and get to know them. We see our co-op as an everyday opportunity to challenge the status quo of the coffee business and we take pleasure in turning free market logic on its ear whenever possible.

Please visit http://justcoffee.coop for more information.

Over near the deli in our single serve cookie and brownie section, we've started carrying Mary Louise Butter's Brownies in their Demi (half) size servings. We have all your favorite flavors like Mental Julep, Hot Lips, Vegan Madeline, Kona Buzz, Grande Orange and Denise (salted caramel brownie! Dreams do come true!). Each perfectly sized brownie is just $1.99. There are more exciting treats coming soon to these shelves, so stay tuned!

I am happy to announce that Wheatsville Co-op has a new wine deal we are unveiling. Buy six or more bottles of wine and get 10% off. Any wine! Any price! Mix and match! We are also offering a great way to transport your wines with our spiffy new Wheatsville six bottle carrier. These are very cool bags that hold six bottles of your favorite beverages and they are only $1.99 each! Best of all they have the Whatsville logo on the side so you can bring it to a party with co-op pride!

Board Candidate of the Week

The nominations committee has worked diligently to bring you seven candidates for four open seats on the co-op's nine-member board of directors. We'll be featuring one or two of them every week until voting starts on October 1.

Reyna Bishop is an East Texas girl who grew up eating mostly veggies from her mother's organic garden and drinking milk from a local dairy 5 miles away. At the time, she longed for more Velveeta, white bread, and Fruit Loops. However, a love of fresh food and interest in its impact on health led her to eventually earn a Master's degree in Nutrition from Texas Woman's University and to complete the Natural Epicurean Culinary Program. Professionally, Reyna has worn a variety of hats including Nutritionist and Diabetes Educator, Clinical Research Project Manager and Consultant, Owner of a Vegetarian Food Delivery and Catering Company, Personal Chef, Cooking Class Instructor, and (most recently and wonderfully) Mom to a precocious 2 year old. Reyna has been a member of the Wheatsville Co-op for 6 years and is excited at the possibility of serving on it's Board of Directors.

To find out more about all the candidates, visit http://wheatsville.coop/election/questionnaire.html

Remember, voting begins in October!

SAVE THE DATE! Fall Owner Gathering Wednesday, October 27^th!

I hope you have a most awesome week!

Dan Gillotte

Wheatsville GM and e-mail guy

Thursday, September 16, 2010

MIcheladas anyone? How about tacos or honeycrisp apples?!?

Hello Wheatsville friends and fans!

We're in a celebratory mood this Thursday! In honor of Mexican Independence Day we have a fun end cap with everything you need to make a tasty Michalada, the popular Mexican cocktail or cerveza preparada (prepared beer) that became popular in the 1940s in Northern Mexico. We have copies of this tasty recipe and all the ingredients to make your own festive cocktail and we've included it at the bottom here, so just scroll on down.

What else do we have?

Scroll down for:

Cheese news

Honey Crisp Apples!

Still Grillin' in the meat department

Deli deals

Granola Girl

New Organic bodycare

Co+op Deals are buzzing

Meet your board candidates

Many recipes, Tacos, Enchiladas, and more!

Cheese Island

The Sixteenth is Mexico's Bicentennial Celebration of their Independence from Spain and the Centennial Celebration of the beginning of the Mexican Revolution. If you feel in a festive mood and want to help celebrate I have included some wonderful recipes that I have personally tried and love. These are recipes from Rick Bayless' cook books. Scroll to the bottom for the recipes!

Produce News

One of the great things about eating seasonally is enjoying food at its best. You begin to anticipate new crops while at the same time fondly remembering the outgoing ones. Soft fruit like peaches, nectarines, and plums, while still tasty, have already reached their peak and are on the decline. More and more new tree fruit is on its way in. USA grown pears and apples are increasing in variety and quantity, which will drive prices down and flavorful choices up.

Honeycrisp Apples are in! A longtime favorite of Wheatsville staff and customers alike, they have a perfect sweet/tart balance with a great, crisp texture. Even if you're not really an apple eater, I encourage you to give them a try. These apples taste great with cheese, and we've made it easy on you and merchandized some yummy sharp New York cheddar, mild white cheddar, and mild yellow cheddar alongside our honeycrisp apple display.

See you around! Adam King, Produce Manager

Grilling season isn't over yet!

Just cause labor has come and gone. It doesn't mean you have to stop grilling. We have plenty to choose from including some new, soon to be favorites.

Pederson's/Wendzel natural pork & bison Bierwurst are new to our store. Same great product we expect from Pederson's, and always certified humane. Pick some up for $9.89 10oz package.

Buddy's natural Leg Quarters are one the best sellers in the meat department. For good reason; humane treatment, no confinement, locally produced, and all vegetarian fed. Plus this month you can pick them up for $1.49/lb, regular $1.99/lb.

Be sure to look for a great mid month special on Applegate Farms Smoked & Roasted turkey breast sliced lunchmeat. Regular priced at $5.99/7oz., NOW ONLY $5.49 7oz starting on the 15^th of September.

It's also the last week for our introductory priced Shrimp cakes. I recommend you try these. And now is as good of time as any. Only $10.49/lb regular price is $10.99/lb.

Don't forget to get some snacks for watching football!

New September Deli Deals and lots of tasty goodness!

To welcome back all of you who have been away for the summer, the Wheatsville Deli has so many new items to whet your palate! We are super-excited about our brand new vegan Greenburgers! We use great ingredients like fresh zucchini, chickpeas, fresh herbs and spices, and fry 'em up to get a crispy, crunchy outside and tender middle! We are delighted to present our Greenburgers as an incredibly tasty and affordable new item! Greenburgers are available in the Deli full service case for $2.49 each as a patty, or $4.99 as a sandwich!

Another new dish we've quickly come to love is Quinoa Polenta Corn Cakes with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce! Combining quinoa, polenta, roasted corn and red peppers, these gluten-free little cakes are chockfull of goodness and go for just $1.99 each with a bonus side of smoky red pepper sauce!

New items abound in the Bakery case, including two new vegan bars that have caused a lot of excitement and big grins among staff and owners: salty-sweet Peanut Butter Blondies and chewy, nutty Caramel Pecan Bars! At just $2.49 each, these big bars will satisfy your sweet tooth and then some. Try a sample at Deli Counter – I guarantee you will be coming back for more! We've also brought some other tasty treats back into production this month – Apple Squares and Dark & Spicy Guinness Gingerbread, I'm lookin' at you!

Also recently introduced to our Deli's grab'n'go case this week are two hit platters! Tom's Tabooley's Mediterranean Platter has generous portions of hummus, falafel, tabouli, and pita with a stuffed grape leaf for just $7.49. Kala's Kuisine's Nepali Platter features chole garbanzo beans, saag spinach, chapati bread, potato samosa, spinach pakora and two sauces for just $6.49! Both of these plates are ideal for a quick, easy and tasty lunch or dinner, or a picnic-perfect shareable snack for two!

Welcome to the second run of September Owner Specials – these ones will run through Tuesday September 28^th. Come in and get a deal on our most popular sandwich, the vegan classic Southern Fried Tofu Sandwich, $4.49 each, reg. $4.99! Also on sale is our infamous 24 hour cold brewed Iced Coffee Toddy, just $1.49 each, reg. $1.99! I still say it's the best legal buzz around! Our best-selling wheat-free Thai Pasta Salad adds some peanutty goodness to the menu, $5.99/lb, reg. $7.49.

Also on sale at the Deli Counter are tasty cold cuts: Boar's Head Honey-Maple Ham at $8.49/lb, reg. $8.99 and Muenster Cheese, $4.99/lb, reg. $5.99!

Come on in to your Deli and try something new!

Granola Girl: Fresh, delicious, local granola!-Niki Nash, Wheatsville Merchandising Manager

I'm happy to announce the arrival of new Granola Girl all natural granola to the shelves of Wheatsville. It is soooo delicious. Fresh and crunchy with an abundance of nuts-only lightly sweetened with brown sugar. Here's an excerpt from their webpage from the Granola Girl herself:

"Granola Girl LLC is a company founded here in Texas in 2010 that makes homemade granola from 100% all natural ingredients. My approach to making granola came from trial and error, experimenting with different kinds of nuts, sugars, spices and flavors. The tasty result is from years of practicing and getting my measurements down just right. I start from scratch with fresh ingredients. I bake my batches in the oven one at a time to ensure each granola grain is nice and toasty. My granola is made with love and care."

-Jessica Sturgeon Vogt A.K.A. Granola Girl

COMING SOON IN BODYCARE! NEW & FABULOUS!!!!! ACURE ORGANICS!

Acure Organics is a family owned and operated company founded on sustainable principles to provide the highest quality fair trade, natural and certified organic personal care products that are free of parabens, sulfates, phthalates, synthetic fragrances, petrochemicals, and animal by-products. In addition, 100% of their carbon emissions are offset through a partnership with CarbonFund, and their office is completely green, having gone paperless with solar water heating, non-voc paint, and in-office recycling programs for every item they use. They also reuse shipping boxes and packaging materials and only ship their products using kraft paper- NOT FOAM PEANUTS—YEAH!! And just when you thought it couldn't get any better, the company gives back to the community by donating $1.00 for each item sold to fight breast cancer through their partnerships with Bright Pink, a non-profit organization that provides education and support to young women who are at high risk for breast and ovarian cancer and The Breast Cancer Research Organization, which is the most highly rated breast cancer organization in the U.S.! Wheatsville is so excited to offer you such an incredibly clean and socially conscious product line- so next time you're in, stop by and check it out!

New Affordable Water Filters!

We are excited to offer a new and inexpensive water filtration system from Culligan. These compact filters require no tools to install, attach directly to your faucet and eliminate bad tastes and odors from your tap water. The filters retail for just $20.99, replacement cartridges are $11.99 and each cartridge lasts for 2 months or 200 gallons.

Babushkups!

The M-Cup nesting measuring cups from Fred & Friends have been so popular that we've decided to bring in the equally adorable Babushkups nesting glasses, $13.99 for a set of 3. These colorful glasses make an excellent gift for someone special or a fun treat for your self. They look especially sweet lined up on a window sill and make nifty flower vases.

CO+OP DEALS ARE CREATING QUITE THE BUZZ! – Brooks Wood, Wheatsville Co+op Deals Assistant

Our new crop of Co+op Deals begins on Wednesday, September 15^th. These Deals offer fresh solutions for every meal. For breakfast, try our Lakewood Organic Pure Pineapple Juice $3.49 reg. $5.39, Nature's Path Organic Optimum Cereal $2.99 reg. $4.59, and our wildly popular Organic Rice Dream $3.49 reg. $4.99. We've got four amazing yogurts on Deal this period; So Delicious Coconut Milk Yogurt 2/$3 reg. $1.89 ea., Nancy's Organic Plain Yogurt $2.99 reg. $3.79, Wallaby Organic Yogurt $0.79 reg. $0.99, and Stonyfield Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt $1.59 reg. $1.99. Our Cheese Department is featuring the most popular cheese in the world, Cheddar! Cheddar cheeses pair wonderfully with many items we carry in our Produce & Bulk Departments – apples, pears, dried fruits, grapes and toasted pecans – or, for something savory, drizzle a bit of local honey on a wedge of sharp aged cheddar!

Are you looking for a fresh & healthy lunch solution? Pick up our new Fresh in the Deli Curried Cauliflower, save $0.75/lb., gently heated and infused with East Indian spices, carrots and potatoes.

Want a warm and easy dinner idea? Try our Bionaturae Organic Pasta for $1.99 reg. $2.89, Napa Valley Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil $8.99 reg. $13.99, and our Muir Glen Organic Pasta Sauce 2/$5 reg. $3.99.

These and so many other items are on sale until Tuesday, September 28^th.So come in and stock up before they're gone!

To make savings even easier, we have a terrific new Co+op Deals feature on our web site. Go to http://www.wheatsville.coop and click on the Co+op Deals link. Our Deals are now just a click away!

Board Candidates of the Week

Laurie Viault has over 13 years of professional experience including ten years in product management. Laurie has an MBA from Thunderbird, the American Graduate School of International Management and a BS in Radio-TV-Film from the University of Texas. Prior to her MBA, Laurie worked in television news production as a production associate and later as an associate producer for major cable networks. Upon receiving her MBA with a concentration in global brand management Laurie went on to work in product management for major fortune 100 companies. Laurie has been an active member of the Austin community for the past 9 years donating her business skills to serve as treasurer and marketing director for several non-profit boards including the United Way Young Leaders Society as well as the Austin chapter of the American Marketing Association.

To find out more about all the candidates, visit http://wheatsville.coop/election/questionnaire.html

Have a great week and enjoy the recipes!

Dan Gillotte

Wheatsville GM and e-mail guy

Micheladas!

* 1 ice cold Mexican beer

* coarse salt (for the rim)

* 1/4 cup fresh lime juice

* 1-2 dashes of hot chile sauce (such as Tabasco or Cholula)

* 1 dashes of soy sauce

* 1 dashes worchestshire sauce

* beer mug or large glass (chilled if possible)

* Ice

* lime wedge for garnish

Preparation:

Salt the rim of the glass by wetting the edge with some of the lime juice then dipping it into a plate with salt on it. Now fill the glass about half way with ice and pour in the lime juice, chile sauce, soy sauce and worchestshire sauce. Mix with a spoon then slowly pour in the beer to the top of the glass. Push the lime wedge onto the edge and serve immediately. When you have a few drinks, pour the remaining beer into the cocktail.

Variations include chili powder on the rim of the glass, pickled okra, salsa, clamato juice, black pepper, Tabasco and even Cooked shrimp!

These are recipes from Rick Bayless' cook books. We have a wonderful asadero cheese to top these enchiladas and tacos. You can find the achiote paste at any Mexican market.

Pork Tacos al Pastor

Ingredients

A 3 1/2-ounce package achiote paste
3 canned chipotle chiles en adobo, plus 4 tablespoons of the canning sauce
1/4 cup vegetable or olive oil, plus a little more for the onion and pineapple
1 1/2 pounds thin-sliced pork shoulder (1/4-inch-thick slices are ideal—the kind Mexican butchers sell for making tacos al pastor)
1 medium red onion, sliced 1/4- inch thick
Salt
1/4 of a medium pineapple, sliced 1/4-inch-thick rounds
20 warm corn tortillas
About 1 1/2 cups raw tomatillo salsa

Directions

1. Marinate the meat. In a blender, combine the achiote paste, chiles, canning sauce, oil and 3/4 cup water. Blend until smooth. Use 1/3 of the marinade to smear over both sides of each piece of meat (refrigerate the rest of the marinade to use on other meat or fish). Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.

2. Grill and serve. Light a charcoal fire and let the coals burn until covered with gray ash but still very hot; bank the coals to one side and set the grill grate in place. Or, heat one side of a gas grill to high. Brush both sides of the onions slices with oil and sprinkle with salt. Lay in a single layer on the hot side of the grill. When richly browned, usually just about a minute, flip and brown the other side; move to the cool side of the grill to finish softening to grilled-onion sweetness. Oil and grill the pineapple in the same way. Finally, in batches, grill the meat: it'll take about a minute per side as well. As the meat is done, transfer it to a cutting board and chop it up (between 1/4- and 1/2-inch pieces). Scoop into a skillet and set over the grill to keep the meat warm. Chop the onion and pineapple into small pieces as well, add them to the skillet and toss everything together. Taste and season with salt, usually about 1/2 teaspoon. Serve with the tortillas and salsa for your guests to make soft tacos.

Enchiladas Cremosas de Pollo, Estilo Cafe Tacuba

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

2 fresh poblano chiles
1 cup (lightly packed) roughly chopped spinach leaves
2 cups milk
2 cups chicken broth
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) butter—or you can use vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 cup flour
Salt
3 cups coarsely shredded cooked chicken (I usually use a rotisserie chicken or leftover grilled chicken)
12 corn tortillas
A little vegetable oil for brushing or spraying
About 1 cup Mexican melting cheese (Chihuahua, quesadilla, asadero or the like) or Monterey Jack, brick or mild cheddar
A little chopped cilantro for garnish

Directions

1. Make the sauce. Roast the poblanos directly over a gas flame or on a baking sheet 4 inches below a very hot broiler, turning regularly, until the skins have blistered and blackened on all side, about 5 minutes for an open flame, about 10 minutes under the broiler. Place in a bowl, cover with a kitchen towel and, when handleable, rub off the blackened skin, tear open and pull out the seed pod and stem. Quickly rinse to remove any stray seeds or bits of skin. Roughly chop and put in a blender jar. Add the spinach.

In a medium (3-quart) saucepan, combine the milk and broth, set over medium-low heat to warm.

In a large (4-quart) saucepan, melt the butter (or heat the oil) over medium. Add the garlic and cook for a minute to release its aroma, then add the flour and stir the mixture for a minute. Raise the heat to medium-high. Pour in the warm broth mixture and whisk constantly until the sauce boils. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Pour half the hot sauce into the blender with the chiles and spinach. Cover loosely (I remove the center part of the lid, secure the lid, then drape a cloth over the whole thing) and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining sauce. Taste and season with salt, usually about 2 teaspoons.

2. Finish the enchiladas. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Smear about 1/4 cup of the sauce over the bottom of each of four to six 9-inch individual ovenproof baking/serving dishes or smear about 1 cup of the sauce over the bottom of a 13x9-inch baking dish. Stir 1 cup of the sauce into the chicken.

Lay half of the tortillas out on a baking sheet and lightly brush or spray both sides of the tortillas with oil; top each tortilla with another one and brush or spray those with oil. Bake just to warm through and soften, about 3 minutes. Stack the tortillas and cover with a towel to keep warm.

Working quickly so that the tortillas stay hot and pliable, roll a portion of the chicken up in each tortilla, then line them all up in the baking dish(es). Douse evenly with the remaining sauce and sprinkle with the cheese. Bake until the enchiladas are hot through (the cheese will have begun to brown), about 20 minutes. Garnish with the cilantro and serve without hesitation.