Something New for Salad Season

New from Follow Your Heart (the makers of Vegenaise): Salad Dressings!

We have two varieties:
Chunky Bleu Cheese ("Thick and delicious, loaded with chunks of luscious organic, rennet-less blue cheese crumbles, you can eat this dressing with a spoon")
and Chipotle-Lime Ranch

These dressings are organic, Non GMO, and Gluten Free.










Look for them on the top shelf of the Egg Case.

These are a few of my favorite beers – Lagunitas

I try not to post strictly based on my own taste but in this case I just can help myself. Lagunitas Brewery of Petaluma, CA has always made really solid beers but this year they are knocking it out of the park with their big bottle series (22 oz.). These are some of the best beers in a bottle that I've had this year and they are an amazing value. The Hop Stoopid quickly became one of my favorite beers because of it's big, juicy, citrusy flavor. I've had it on tap, on cask, and in a bottle and every time it was outstanding. At 7.7 abv it is strong but incredibly fresh, well balanced, and drinkable so tread lightly.

And just when I thought it couldn't get better Lagunitas has released the Correctional Ale, another riff on their run-in-with-the-law series. The Correctional Ale is very similar to the Hop Stoopid but has a little less weight at 6.33 abv. It's fresh and bright and one of the best spring/summer hop backbone beers that one can find in a bottle.

Lagunitas brews whatever they want, whenever they want so, don't expect these beers to be around for long but look forward to Lucky 13 and other great beers at fair prices from these eclectic brewers.

Cheers, Anngel

Picnic-ready Charcuterie for Going A-Maying

A Book of Verses underneath the Bough,
A Jug of Wine, a Loaf of Bread,
A 10-oz. Stick of Parisian-style Saucisson --
And Thou...

If you can sing in the wilderness, you can throw a killer picnic. That new Cavafy translation, a fresh baguette, a bottle of plonk, some cheese, maybe an onion, and all you need to hit the grassy meadows is a few slices of a good, garlicky French sausage.

Local charcutier Daniel of Larchmont Charcuterie offers a delicious, clean, natural alternative to the highly-processed meats and salamis commonly produced. No added nitrates or preservatives here; just top-quality pork and grass-finished beef, garlic, sea salt, and spices, all smoked over real wood. Try both the Pork/Beef Saucisson (Daniel recommends pairing with a full-bodied Medoc) and the All-Beef Spicy Cervelat (a Chianti or Cote du Rhone).

Beer is good, too.

-- Guillaume le Boucher.

Bleu without the Cheese

Looking to add variety to your non-dairy cheese plate? Try these organic cheese alternatives from Sunergia:

Soya Bleu

Soy Feta: Tomato Garlic &
Lemon Oregano flavors

Find them with the non-dairy cheeses in the Milk/Juice Refrigerator.

Pollo Rosso -- Yes, ANOTHER new chicken

"This red-feathered, Italian heritage breed chicken has been imported* by a community of farmers in Pennsylvania Amish Country. Raised humanely with access to pasture, fed a vegetarian diet, with no antibiotics ever administered, every effort has been made to duplicate the stress-free and slow-growth traditions of Italy. The result -- a chicken with firm texture, thin skin, and wonderfully rich flavor." -- Pollo Rosso farmers' press release

*smuggled

Oh, these babies are gooood. That piquant dash of intrigue, knowing you're carving a chicken raised from contraband eggs bootlegged in from Tuscany under cover of darkest night, only adds to the savor. A special occasion chicken you'll want to roast every day.

Have you BOBOed?

If you've been hanging around the poultry case lately, you've probably heard the ruckus about Bobo Farm and the amazing chickens they've been providing to the Coop. "The Chinese-American farmer brings these down LIVE from the Hudson Valley to his cousin in Williamsburg, and the Coop gets them the next day!" These fresh magnificent birds come "Buddha-style," with the feet attached, a boon to those who know that feet enrich and add great flavor to soups and stocks.

The Bobo White Feather chicken is a Cornish cross breed, bred for plumpness and lots of breast meat, butchered at a tender 9 weeks, perfect for roasting. The Black Feather is a Silver Barred cross breed with a narrower breast and longer legs and wings: a European-style chicken which lives 12 weeks, yielding a more flavorful meat which responds well to braising and stewing (although it also roasts up nicely). The Bobo Poussin is a baby White Feather....split it and grill it!

GF! LS! HC! WTH!

GF stands for "gluten free." Not only did we get a new gluten free waffle from Kinnikinnik, the freezer finally has doughnuts! These cinnamon sugar doughnuts are also from Kinnikinnik and are also gluten free.

LS stands for "low sodium" which is what Amy's Mattar Paneer meal is. Loaded with all kinds of veggies, Indian cheese (paneer), and exotic spices.

HC stands for "holy cow" which is what some people will exclaim in reaction to the new products.

WTH stands for "what the heck?" which is what some people will say when I tell them that the Henry and Lisa frozen shrimp might have been discontinued. We haven't been able to get them for weeks but our distributor kept on saying "next week." Well, they've changed "next week" to "maybe never again." I'm looking into other enviromentally friendly sources for shrimp.

It's springtime in the produce aisle

Right now we have English peas (peas in a pod)






and fava beans, both organic and from Mexico.






On Friday we are expecting from Lancaster Farm Fresh Co-op from Lancaster County PA, the following organic greens:

loose arugula
loose dandelions
baby red russian kale
baby mache
loose baby spinach
loose wild watercress

And on Monday we expect: organic rhubarb from California!

Life by Chocolate

We've added some new chocolates from Life by Chocolate in Greenville, New York in time for Easter. The bunnies are hopping out of here very fast. (More are coming Thursday afternoon.) We've also added bars with unusual flavors (choc covered smoked peanut butter, anyone?) Some of the chocolate is fair trade and some of the bars are vegan. One of their best selling bars is Bee's Knees, made with honey.

Laissez les bon temps rouler!

The coop has tons of sale beer at not merely good, but amazing prices – 50-70% off kind of prices. Look on the front display rack and/or for shelf labels with little yellow dots.



Anderson Valley Winter (it’s not just for January) $0.76
Rogue Chipotle Ale (smokey but not crazy) $0.76
Otter Creek Raspberry Brown (nice) $0.91
Elysian Pumpkin Ale (restrained pumpin, yummy) $1.41
Corsendonk Gift Packs (2x12 oz. beers plus a glass) $8.97
Schneider Weisse (5x16.0 oz. beers plus a glass) $8.83

Bear Republic Racer 5 and Red Rocket were $1.61, now $1.51 and the Bear Republic Hop Rod Rye was $4.74, and is now $3.93. Krusovice was $1.72, now $1.51

Cheers, Anngel

Lindt Pistachio bar not recalled

Correction, correction. Lindt pistachio bar was not recalled by Lindt. Yuri received a confirmation from our distributor, who confirmed that this bar was not made with California pistachios. They erred on the side of caution.

Pistachio Recall Redux - Lindt Chocolate w/ Pistachio

Please be advised that Lindt Pistachio Chocolate bar is being recalled by our supplier. Bring in any bars to the return desk on the second floor you may have purchased.

Pistachio recall

Here we go again--the FDA is recalling pistachios processed by Setton Pistachio in Terra Bella, California. This is thanks to a heads up from Kraft, which detected traces of Salmonella in the nuts it purchased. Kraft alerted the FDA. The news broke last night and here is the NYTimes take on the issue.

Ron Zisa, the bulk buyer, contacted our two major nut suppliers, and both of them told us that they do not purchase pistachios from Setton. We don't carry a lot of other products that contain pistachios, and the suppliers that we have contacted were not prepared to give an immediate answer.

For example, I called Larabar regarding their raw pistachio bar. Larabar is owned by General Mills, and I spoke with a customer service rep. She did a quick check and then assured me that they didn't purchase any pistachios from Georgia. After I hung up, I realized that the conversation should have been about California not Georgia. I called back and got another representative who admitted that they did not yet have any information on the recall.

Nuts are very nutritious, and I would hope that the FDA would increase inspections of processing plants. During the recent peanut scare, our members did not turn away from peanut butter--sales remained steady. None of the brands of peanut butter that we sell were recalled. But it was also clear that some people were totally unaware of the peanut recall. I had one mother upset that her child's favorite Cliff peanut butter Zbar (which was recalled) was not available.

We'll try to provide information on the pistachio recall as we receive it.

5 year old Parm available for limited time.

Stravecchio Parmigiano-Reggiano aged 5 years will be for sale this week. Look for it on the Cheese of the week shelf. At $17.30 per pound its a lot more expensive than the Vecchio we normally carry, but the added flavor is well worth it for a table cheese of this quality.

Recipes for Health

When the New York Times speaks, our members shop. We try to keep up to date, but, hey, we didn't know the Times was going to post a recipe featuring farro late Friday. We do sell farro (aisle 6A), but only a case or two a week. So don't expect to find any on Monday--our next delivery will be later in the week.

This week Martha Rose Shulman is featuring recipes using whole grains in her Recipes for Health column. I primarily read the Times online and surprisingly usually do not find this column in the Dining and Wine section. I access it through the Health section. I find her column is a terrific resource--she is systematically going through the vegetables plus other basic foods, usually offering a week of daily recipes of a food, for example beets or even stale bread. These recipes don't require much preparation and include soups, salads, entrees, and sides. The point is that even if you are not a skilled cook and don't have a lot of time, you can make delicious and healthy food. She indicates which ingredients can be prepared in advance, i.e., cook the farro the night before while you are watching TV, and then the dish will be easy to assemble when you get home from work the next day. These recipes are neatly archived on the Times website. Have chard in the fridge? Click on its photo and see your options.

Earlier in the week, she posted a recipe for red quinoa--which she called "royal." Shulman wrote that red quinoa has more protein than white. I did a little Googling, and the nutritional info I came up with showed white and red equally high in protein. Quinoa is one of the highest protein grains. We sell more than 400 pounds of white quinoa/week. Only a case or two of red quinoa (Aisle 6A). Both are organic. I bought extra red quinoa--so give it a try.

Time to get your hands dirty--seeds are here.

Equinox was last week and it is definitely time to start your tomato seedlings. In addition to Brandywine tomatoes, you could branch out and try Amish Paste or Cherokee's Purple. Elinoar ordered seeds from Fedco, a gardening cooperative in Maine. Most of their seeds are organic. We have an assortment of vegetable, herb and flower seeds.

She also ordered small, cheap (25 cents) packets of seeds from Artistic Gardens in Vermont. You only need a few seeds to start tomatoes or herbs. And if you have never gardened before, it is a very economical way to give gardening a try on your fire escape or roof.

In a week or two there will be more flower, herb and vegetable seeds from Seeds Savers Exchange.

Seeds are being sold in the produce aisle near the potatoes. Also look for gardening books in the rack nearby. Topics include container gardening, herbs, organic practices, gardening with kids , etc.

Lactose-free. Gluten-free. Gelatin-free. And Dairy? True Dat!

Those Vermonters, they think of everything.


"What will they think of next?" you ask.

Well, let me tell you: lowfat lactose free yogurt from organic milk of jersey cows from a small family farm just down the street from where the yogurt's made.

"Lactose free?!?"

Yes, it's true. It's TRUE Yogurt.

And if they don't getcha with the snazzy packaging (those fruits look delicious, don't they? And that pretty vanilla flower, so delightful.), try this on for size: all the fruit in the yogurt is made from real fruit pieces, not purees. Organic fruit is used in the yogurt whenever possible even if it doesn't have the li'l logo. The Vanilla is certified organic, and also deliciously custardy, different from most all other vanilla yogurts that we carry. These healthy treats are also gluten and gelatin free.

"You're lying!"

No. It's True. True Yogurt, in the Yogurt Case.

Frozen stuff is way better than fresh stuff!

Spring!!!
I can think of no better way to welcome spring than with new frozen fruits and vegetables from Stahlbush Island Farms. Yep, more sustainably farmed greens (and reds and yellows) from our friends off the coast of Oregon. Look for peas, butternut squash, and whole strawberries.

Amy's Kitchen Empire Still Growing!
I know some of you might have been thinking, "there's just no way this freezer could hold any more Amy's products." Well, I'm glad to tell you otherwise. I somehow managed (magic) to fit two more whole meals in there. I don't know where she finds the time to go to Standford and run a factory but Amy seems to have quite a knack for whippin' up some awsome tex-mex which she proves once again with her new Tamale Verde meals. We have the cheese tamale and the black bean tamale (GF!!!). Both come with rice. So good that Leah gave them an enthusiastic "all right."

rip ))<>((

In the News.....

Lots of Coop members have cats. Most are concerned about the environment. Probably most have not thought about how feeding fish (or chicken that was fed fish) to their cat plays a significant role in diminishing the ocean's resources, further endangering large ocean mammals, like whales. Paul Greenberg, who is writing a book on the future of fish, points out this problem in an interesting op-ed in the NYTimes 3/21/09. The Coop doesn't apply the same standards to fish, poultry and meat in the pet food we sell as we do for the products for human consumption. Something to think about.

The recent peanut scare highlighted how unregulated the food industry is. Both the Wall Street Journal and the NYTimes detail how many manufacturers do not know the origin of many of their ingredients, even when they are required to document their sources.

And the LA Times weighs in about a similar problem concerning pharmaceuticals. Reporter David Lazarus was unable to track down where his generic acetaminophen was manufactured. Unlike the food industry, there is no requirement to cite the source of ingredients in pharmaceuticals, and many sold in the US are manufactured in other countries. China is a major manufacturer.

An independent lab that tests supplements, ConsumerLab, recently updated its review of fish oils. The good news is that the 52 products that they tested did not have high levels of mercury. However, the free summary on the web hinted that some of these products were more like snake oil than fish oil, i.e., they didn't contain the omega-3's the labels cited. Unfortunately, in order to read the full report you need to spend $$ and subscribe.

Don't Leave Home without your Shopping Bag!

Enviro Sax has new print designs for their bags. Their bags are large, waterproof and sturdy with wide handles that slip easily over an arm. EnviroSax bags roll up easily and have a snap. Unfortunately, the company seems to have difficulty keeping up with demand for the most popular designs.




Chico Bags

The new Vita Chico bag is larger, has a wider strap and they say can carry up to 40#--but it still fits in the handy little stuff sac.

The RePete bag is 99% recycled material by weight, containing 7 soda bottles. Even the aluminum for the carbiners is recycled. It is the same size as the original bag, but is still a sturdy workhorse (up to 25#), but in groovier colors. The bag with recycled content is more expensive than the original bag--costs more to process all those useless water bottles.

Three New British Cheeses

And they're all made with vegetable rennet!


Few British cheeses in recent years have quite so impressed the outside world as multi-gold award winning Old Smales. Made in the Gouda-style (with more than a hint of Parmesan about it), Old Smales is aged for 14 months to reach perfection. Full-flavoured, it has an underlying sweetness, and a wonderful crystalline finish that crunches on the tongue.



Park Farm is in Kelston, just outside Bath. Graham Padfield is a third-generation farmer, but the first in his family to make cheese: he started, back in 1993, with Bath Soft Cheese, and this is now the name of the company.

Wyfe of Bath is a succulent, springy cheese which, according to its makers "is redolent of buttercups and meadows"!

Sharpham Cheeses are near neighbours of Ticklemore Cheese in South Devon, and between them they produce a remarkable range of marvellous products.

The 'Rustic' is semi-hard, matured for approximately 6-8 weeks, giving a light-flavoured cheese with a moist, creamy texture. A thin, natural white rind forms during the maturation process. It's a real delight, and and if you haven't tried it, dare I say: you should!

New Items from a New Supplier

Saveur D'Anjou is bringing us freshly made soups in pint and quart sizes, and small pecan and sweet potato pies. Look for these items in the prepared food case.

—Lisa

Savory Soy Selections

Several new products for soy-savvy shoppers!

Look in the dairy case for...

1. Lightlife LightBurgers (currently on sale for only $1.92)
   
2. Lightlife Smart Sausages, Chorizo Style
   
3. Sunergia Soy Feta: Lemon Oregano
   

And check the Egg/Tofu Case for...

• Sunergia Tofu: Savory Portabella
• Sunergia Tofu: Peanut Ginger
• Lightlife Tempehtations, Classic BBQ (Yes, you read that correctly -- "tempehtations" are small cubes of marinated organic tempeh, ready to eat!)

Easter bunny coming?

Divine Chocolate's mini-eggs arrived today. We expect to get larger chocolate eggs next week, in both milk and dark chocolate. Divine is a great company, all their chocolate is Fair Trade. They work with a chocolate growing cooperative in Ghana. The packaging is very attractive, while avoiding plastic wrap.

The name of the cooperative in Ghana is

"Kuapa Kokoo" which in the local language, Twi, means "Good Cocoa Farmers Company". Their motto is "Pa Pa Paa" which means "the best of the best of the best". For more info:
www.divinechocolateusa.com

TONS OF NEW FROZEN VITTLES

It's been so long since I last blogged. I don't blog in real life so sometimes it slips my mind to keep my fellow co-owners up to date on all the amazing culinary breakthroughs the South Pole has to offer (you know that's where we get all our frozen stuff, right?)

GF/DF Pizza
Amy's single serve rice crust pizza I chose the single serve because as Kevin pointed out, it's rare that the whole family is gluten free. This way, everyone can be happy on pizza night(or morning, I don't judge).

Frozen Fruits
Woodstock Pomegranate Kernels What an awesome idea! It wasn't mine but when Janet told me they were coming I freaked out! Just think to what heights the smoothie can sore to on the wings of such a worthy anti-oxidant!
Stahlbush Health Berry Blend more sustainably grown goodies from the delightful little island off the coast of Washington state. The mix contains raspberries, blueberries, and marion blackberries.

Meat and Fish
Tre Bella Organic Turkey Meatballs Since the supply of Shelton's turkey meatballs is inconsistent, I wanted to find an alternative option as a backup. While searching, I stumbled upon this lady to the right. How could I resist?
Royal Asia Cod Fishsticks These are Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified and come with wasabi aioli and cocktail sauce. The box has a picture of Chef Martin Yan on the side (you know, the "if Yan can cook, you can too?" guy) so I trust it.
Northern Chef Cooked Salad Shrimp Little cooked shrimp that's also MSC certified.

Waffles
Natures Path Flax Plus Redberry Waffles. The ones without berries sell really well. I figure these will do pretty good also.

Chocolate for Chimps!

Theo Jane Goodall chocolate
We've added two new high quality, Fair Trade chocolate bars from Theo--these bars have Jane Goodall's seal of approval, and the profits support all sorts of good things, including keeping chimps in the wild and not in Connecticut. Aisle 7A, top right shelf.
www.theochocolate.com/products/jane-goodall.php

Acai juice--

Interesting article in the NYTimes yesterday regarding Acai juice. We now have the 32 oz size in the dairy cooler. Diet drink? hmm. Maybe not with 600 calories/32 oz.

-Click here to read the article-

Krazy for Kale Chips?

There is a new raw food snack in the Coop, but it's so popular that it never seems to stay on the shelf for more than a few hours. So what's the story with these mysteriously appearing and disappearing Kale-in-a-Krunch Chips? Late last year, Alive & Radiant Foods (a small company in Berkeley California) introduced this unusual savory raw snack: organic curly kale, covered in spices, dehydrated to the texture of a chip. They became an instant hit here at the Coop. So why can't we keep them in stock? The answer is that Coop members aren't the only ones who have discovered Kale Chips, and Alive & Radiant Foods can't keep up with the skyrocketing demand. These chips have been blogged about extensively, generally hailed as the tastiest raw vegan snack ever, and even referred to as "kale krack". We increase the order amount every week but every week they sell out within a day or two of delivery. We spoke with Blessing (the founder of Alive & Radiant Foods) and she is moving as quickly as possible to increase supply. She recently purchased two new dehydrators and added a second production shift. She has also created three new flavors: Ranchier, Thai High, and Pleasing Pesto. We will try to stock these flavors as they become available. In the meantime, get them when you see them. They hang in Aisle 7 near the other small bags of chips. And when you can't find them, try making your own -- recipes for raw kale chips are all over the web.

Vegan Treats

Vegan brownie-eaters may have noticed the disappearance of the Smart Treats Brownies. The Smart Treats company transformed itself in 2008 into a dedicated gluten-free facility, which required changes to many of their recipes. Sales of their brownies then slowed significantly until our supplier stopped distributing them entirely. Not wanting to deprive vegans of their brownies, we have begun stocking Frankly Natural Baker Brownies in three vegan flavors: Chocolate, Misty Mint, and Wacky Walnut. The mint and walnut flavors are gluten-free as well as vegan.

Also new are the vegan Betty Lou's Fruit Squares in two flavors: Apricot & Blueberry. You can try one for less than $1.

Look for these new vegan treats in Aisle 7 near the other vegan cookies.

Tofu & Tempeh, totally new

We recently began carrying a new organic tofu made by a worker-owned cooperative located on 400 acres in central Virginia (which makes them local by Coop definition). Twin Oaks Community Foods happens to be one of the businesses of the economically self-supporting Twin Oaks Intentional Community, which has existed since 1967. Twin Oaks also supports local agriculture by using only Virginia grown soybeans. You can find Twin Oaks Extra-Firm Fine Herb Tofu in the Egg & Tofu Case.

Another delicious addition to our selection of soy foods is also from Twin Oaks. Vegetarian Chorizo Sausage can now be found in the Dairy Case near the other non-meat "deli" items.

Tempeh lovers now have a second option in addition to the Lightlife brand. Look for organic Soyboy 5-grain Tempeh in the Egg & Tofu case.

Jasper Hill Farm Cheeses

From the Jasper Hill Website:

Constant Bliss is based on a Chaource recipe, which we modified to suit our production schedule and cheesemaking facility. The result is a cheese which hardly even resembles a Chaource. It is a slow ripened lactic curd made only with fresh, right out of the cow, uncooled, evening milk. We actually begin the cheesemaking process before the cows have finished milking. Constant Bliss is made with raw whole milk. This is not a double or triple crème cheese as is sometimes thought. Seasonal variations in the milk result in variations on the surface and flavor of the cheese. We like to use Constant Bliss to highlight our milk, and rather than overpowering the natural microflora of our milk with cotton white mold, we prefer to see a mottling of diverse molds and yeasts, which are prevalent particularly in the summer months when the cows are out on grass. It is aged 60 days before it leaves the farm, and is a ‘sell it or smell it’ item for retailers.

We named Constant Bliss after a revolutionary war scout killed in Greensboro by native Americans in 1781. He was guarding the Bayley Hazen Military Road with his compatriot Moses Sleeper, who died with him.

Bayley Hazen Blue is a natural rinded blue cheese. It is made with whole raw milk every other day, primarily with morning milk, which is lower in fat. Ayrshire milk is particularly well suited to the production of blue cheese because of its small fat globules, which are easily broken down during the aging process. The paste of a Bayley Hazen is drier than most blues and the penicillium roqueforti takes a back seat to an array of flavors that hint at nuts and grasses and in the odd batch, licorice. Though drier and crumblier than most blues, its texture reminds one of chocolate and butter. It is aged between 4 and 6 months. We developed this recipe by starting with a Devon Blue recipe, changing its shape, and altering the aging process to end up with a stable rind that will hold up under typical retail conditions.

Bayley Hazen is named after an old military road that traverses the Northeast Kingdom. The road, commissioned by General George Washington was built to carry troops to fight the English on a Canadian front. Though no battle ever took place, the road brought Greensboro its first settlers and continues to be used.

Look for these on the shelf today!

Meyenberg Goat Cream Cheese

New to the Co-op! Just in this week! Goat Cheese Alert!


This creamy goat cheese spread is available in the cheese case on the shelf that the other cream cheeses are sold from. Don't overlook this product to use in place of regular cream cheese, or in recipes that call for regular cream cheese.

$4.63 for a 5oz tub. Buy yours today . . .

Smoked Paprika

We have these three Spanish smoked paprikas available in aisle 2A, above the other teas and spices. $1.94 for a 2.83 oz size tin. Delicious!

Local Cheeses

More Tasty Goodness from Sprout Creek Farm.

Look for 3 cheeses: Ouray, an old favorite - nutty and buttery, Bogart, Mild and crumbly and Batch 35 - something of a maverick (not in the John McCain way) - washed rind, semi-soft and delicious. On the shelf this week.

Sprout Creek Farm

Bela Sardines Are BACK!

And I ordered 50 cases of each flavor, so don't panic purchase

Hot Sauce, Lemon Sauce, Olive Oil, Tomato and the Boneless & Skinless varieties. They're all in the store and on the shelf. Come and get 'em,

Weekend snacking

Zapp's Cajun Dill Tater Chips & New Zealand's Favorite Licorice

Speaking as an snacker, not a grocery buyer this time, there are two salty, sweet treats dangling above our heads.

SALTY
Kevin is starting a flirtation with the Zapp's Kettle Chip people in Louisiana. First in, the Cajun Dill flavor, which packs a little picante along with the pickley goodness. We found them above the meat freezer, although they may move. From their site:
"Back in the age before computers ruled the world, great potato chips were cooked in kettles, a batch at a time. Zapp's is unique, continuing in this traditional method of slow cooking our thick cut potato slices in a cholesterol free peanut oil blend for maximum crunchiness and flavor. Then we season them with our great spices that make your mouth say 'It's Mardi Gras Time!'"

SWEET

RJ's Natural Licorice, seen here in Raspberry. The package says it's New Zealand's Favourite Licorice, and we have no information to the contrary. The shape is peculiar, but the flavor is great if you love licorice ropes. (I love licorice ropes.) Intriguingly colored by elederberry and black carrot juice, and flavored with actual raspberry juice, it's vegan, preservative-free, and family run. Located hanging at the end of Aisle Seven.

http://www.zapps.com/
http://rjslicorice.co.nz/

Transport yourself to the sunny Mediterranean (or maybe Canada) with these delicious yogurt delights

Expanding our local selection with another 2 great flavors from those Canadians at Liberte

Liberte's New Coconut and Lemon Mediterranean Yogurt

If you think it's cold here in Brooklyn, think about how cold it is in Quebec?!?

Imagine the yogurt makers up there at Liberte sitting in their creamery one cold day chewing on some hay, milking their cows when they said "Goodness I could use a holiday! Somewhere warm, with beaches and coconuts. I miss those lazy summer dog days, evenings with lemonade on the porch..."

That's all it took. Mediterranean-style, like the Greek isles crossed with sandy white palm tree beaches of the tropics. "I've got it! Coconut flavored Mediterranean style yogurt. Take me away!"

Or maybe thoughts were closer to home. "Say, I miss those warm summer evenings, fresh squeezed lemonade on the portch. What should I make for that picnic? Hmmm... Lemon Meringue Pie!"

Eureka! That's all it took.

Liberte recently announced 2 new flavors to their already stellar lineup of Mediterranean-style yogurt - Coconut and Lemon. We want 'em. I know we do. Heck, yesterday I brought the Coconut upstairs and put it on the shelf for the first time. 15 minutes and BLAM-O. Over half a case was gone, disappeared into the neverending pit, that fantasy shopping cart that holds everything you'd ever want to eat...delicious.

Think coconut cream pie. Think lemon meringue pie. Think BREAKFAST just got a whole lot better. In the yogurt case now! (Unless it already sold out! I'll try to keep up with demand.)

UPDATE: Today, Friday the 6th, we were shorted both the Coconut and the Lemon yogurts from our Supplier. OH NO! We should get many more cases on Monday though. Sorry if you missed out, but once we get it in stock, it should never leave again...except in your belly.

Southern Tier Brewing embraces winter with it's strong seasonal line-up

New York state has been putting itself back on the brewing map for a couple decades now. One brewing company that has been building up a good head of steam recently is Southern Tier. Based in Lakewood, NY they've been brewing up a storm since 2004.

Southern Tier started out with a fairly conservative stable of solid beers and from there has built a creative, diverse, and, delicious portfolio. Here is a shortlist of some of the limited release, seasonal brews are worth exploring at the coop:

Gemini - Hoppe & Unearthly blended together & placed in this vessel, the mission of our Gemini is to travel high & take passengers on a journey far into the heavens. 10.5% abv
Krampus - Dark malts and aromatic hops create the diabolical spirit of this brew. It is finished with lager yeast and aged cold for no less than 30 days. This Imperial Helles Lager will warm even the darkest hearts. 9.0% abv • Imperial Helles Lager
Cuvee 1 - ALE IMPRESSIONS: Light copper color, slight malt flavor with mild bitterness, dry finish with subtle hop aroma. FRENCH OAK IMPRESSIONS: Qualities of toasted coconut, almond biscotti and toasted almonds with a taste of honeysuckle. 11.0% abv
Choklat - Moving through centuries, the circular journey of cacao has been realized in our brewing house, encompassing the complexity of the darkest, bitter-sweet candy together with the original frothy cold beverage of the ancient Maya to bring to you our Blackwater Series Choklat Stout. We have combined the finest ingredients to tempt your senses & renew the power & interrelation of history in every bottle. 11.0% abv • Imperial Chocolate Stout
Oat - Pour Oat into a snifter, allow its thick tan head to slowly rise, releasing unbridled aromas. The color of Oat is as dark as a moonless night. The first sip reveals Oat’s thick and nourishing taste. Like a haversack to a horse, a bottle of this stout is a meal in itself. Enjoy responsibly. 11.0% abv • Imperial Oatmeal Stout

*info courtesy Southern Tier Brewing

NEW FROZEN PRODUCTS!!!

Helen's Kitchen frozen entrees are here! After staring at the freezer for quite a while, I realized I had a bit of room for some more frozen dinners. While perusing the UNFI catalog, I came across Helen's Kitchen. Besides the fact that Helen offers organic, GMO free, and in some cases gluten free vegetarian meals, the package was nice and I had a great aunt Helen who was a wonderful lady (she wasn't much of a cook though and we usually just ate Chinese take-out). I started with the Thai Red Curry with brown basmati and tofu chicken and the Cheese Enchiladas with tofu steaks in Spicy Red Sauce. Both are gluten free.

Also, in an ongoing struggle to meet the hand-held meal needs of Kevin and Janet, two new burritos have found their way into the freezer. Kevin has been begging for Amy's Southwest Burrito (filled with all kinds of peppers, corn masa, and Monterey Jack cheese) and I try to keep him happy cause he needs some meat on his bones. Janet overheard Kevin's request and chimed in with a suggestion for a new breakfast burrito so I picked up Phil's Breakfast Burrito with Green Chili.

New Ciao Bella in the Freezer

Fresh Mint Chocolate Chip

Hey co-owners,

Many of you have been asking for a couple of new flavors of Ciao Bella Gelato. Fresh Mint Chocolate Chip and Malted Milk Ball were the two most popular requests. I had to sadly turn away these requests as they were not offered buy our main Ciao Bella supplier, United Natural. Along came Joey, our totally great Ben and Jerry's supplier who said "I'll see what I can do for ya." He got us the Mint, he couldn't get the Malted Milk Ball. The price is higher than the other flavors because Joey is a smaller distributor.

Enjoy!

Brooklyn Black Ops at the Coop!

It feels strange to announce something so covert and shrouded in mystery but, there you have it. I was afraid that all of the mystery and scarcity of this beer was feeding into it's global hype, creating a beer of mythical and unreal proportions. I was bracing myself to be not entirely impressed.

Having now tasted the Black Ops, I have to say that I'm a fan. It's wonderfully complex and balanced. Having been aged in bourbon barrels it certainly has a bourbony flavor from start to finish but, it also has moments of vanilla, wood, chocolate, coffee, maybe a hint of licorice in there, and a steady alcohol warmth. I guess those are all the things you would expect of an imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels but, it all works to a really nice effect and has a very satisfying chocolate malt finishing flavor. This beer is black with a ruby hue and has been fermented in the bottle with champagne yeast, whatever they did, it worked.

There are only a couple cases to be had so get it now and enjoy it later.

Cheers, Anngel

Sherry Vinegar

Well, thanks to Mark Bittman's New York Times Article we're carrying a full line of great sherry vinegars. The 750ml bottle is in aisle 3 for $5.24 and we'll find a home for the smaller more expensive ones at the rear end-cap (you know where I mean).

Frozen Bread, Coconut Ice Cream, and TOFURKEYSALE!!!

Rudi's Bread

Hey co-owners, we got new bread in the freezer. I started out with the Colorado Wheat, the Honey Whole Wheat, and the Oat Multigrain. More will follow if these do well.

By the way, you may have noticed Rudi's bread being sold defrosted in other stores. Rudi's bread is a frozen product. All stores receive it frozen but we're giving you the freedom to defrost it when you want.

Update on Coconut Bliss

A while back one of our tech guys, Martin, told me to look for a coconut based ice cream called "Coconut Bliss." We searched for it on line and the closest it came to New York was Colorado as it is a Oregon based company. That wasn't close enough for us. Since then, many people have asked for and/or suggested this product. I have sadly had to turn them away until now! One of our distributors is picking them up soon so keep your eyes peeled.

Cheap Tofurkey!!!

Hey lovers of Tofurkey, we have a bunch of Tofurkeys left over from the holiday times that we need to get rid of so we're chopping the price from 9 bucks to 4 bucks. $4!!! Come get em. Give them to you friends. Serve em up for your Superbowl party. Serve em up for Passover. Have you ever realized how much more romantic your Valentines day would be with a Tofurkey? Decorate your snowmen with em. Fill up your freezer with em so when the economy totally crashes, you and your vegetarian friends can dine like vegetarian royalty!

NEW ICE CREAM

So this nice lady representing Van Leeuwen's Ice Cream brought over some samples the other day. She said she was from Green Point and that the ice cream was full of fat. Some co-workers and I tried the stuff and were pretty blown away. She gave us vanilla, chocolate and pistachio and while the first two were great, it was the third that was outstanding. I'm usually not a fan of pistachio ice cream due to the soggy nuts and the ninja turtle green ooze they're swimming in. Van Leeuwen's offering was quite special though and I may have kinda dreamt about it for a week or so. Van Leeuwen. Get into it.

We also got some new vegan ice creams from Purely Decadent. People have been freaking out for these and asking for more. We got more. Mocha almond fudge, chocolate and peanut butter, and mango passion fruit.

In the next issue:
RUDI"S BREAD TO TAKE OVER THE FREEZER!!!

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(Photo credit - photographer)

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Three weirdo beers that I’m loving for their lightness and brightness for the holidays.

Leelanau and Penn Brewing
Firstly, let’s talk about the Leelanau Brewing Company of Michigan. The Gold Harbor Golden and Whaleback White are amazingly delicious, complex, and in a way, easy. I guess it’s easy when you taste that good. They are handcrafted by Ron Jeffries, one of the best craft brewers on the planet. Just try them, they're expansive and subtle. Think champagne course.

My other favorite is the Penn Kaiser Pils, 2008 GABF gold medal winner. This beer is clean, crisp, and has a nice bitter closure. That sounds like a trite explanation of a pilsner but this triple-decocted bit of loveliness is really gooooood. Try it! It’s easy with food.
cheers, Anngel

Wicked Beer Sale

What better way to celebrate the holidays than with SALE BEER. The coop currently has a ton of sale beer scattered between the front display and the regular beer section. We have several varieties at $0.61 / can and they are: Kirin Ichiban, Flying Dog Dogtoberfest, Blue Point Oktoberfest, Stoudts Pumpkin, and Abita Fall Fest. We also have the Elysian Night Owl Pumpkin for $1.82 (was nearly $5) and we still have some of the Weyerbacher Muse for $2.52 (was $7-s0mething).

GIFT PACKS: We also have a variety of gift packs on the front display. Usually, these packs are the same price as the beer would regularly be and they throw in a free glass.

GIFT BOTTLES: We can special order large (1.5 or 3 Liter) gift bottles so please speak to Anngel if you want a very special bottle for the holidays.

cheers, Anngel

COOP T-SHIRTS ARE HERE!

Park Slope Food Coop T-shirts have returned! Our T-shirts are made by Organic Apparel (based in Denver) of certified organic, "homegrown" (in the U.S.) cotton, spun and manufactured in sweatshop-free facilities in the U.S. They are hand dyed for each order using a low impact, cold-wash dye-bath method. Colors may vary from dye lot to dye lot, as many factors figure into the dying process (i.e. what the city of Denver decides to put into their water each day, temperatures, etc.). The printing has been done by Denver Screen Print & Embroidery using a more environmentally friendly water-based printing method. You won't believe how soft and supple these T-shirts are! We have a variety of men's and women's cuts in small, medium, large, and extra large, and 2 different designs—the old Coop design slightly modified and a new design created by the Signage Committee—and a large selection of colors. The T-shirts don't seem to shrink in washing, but be forewarned that they do run small.

Plans are being formulated for a T-shirt design contest, likely to happen sometime in 2009. Stay tuned for details.

Lower Cheese Prices!

Strong dollar means lower cheese prices

Take advantage of the strong dollar to purchase Italian and Spanish cheeses at a lower price starting this week. Look for (among other items) Taleggio, Drunken Goat, Fontal, Gorgonzola, Pecorino Romano, Ricotta Salata and Parmigiano Reggiano with new lower prices as well as (this week only) 1 year Manchego at the (new lower) 6 month price!

Happy Holidays!

Yo, Fans of McDonald Farm Beef!

Due to DEER SEASON, Peter McDonald's upstate cutter/packager will be closed until Dec. 15. Rather than not carry Peter's spectacular grass-finished beef during this festive time of year, we are going to have our cows shipped to us frozen until they re-open.

If your steak seems a little stiff, just defrost overnight in the fridge (or quick-defrost in a bowl of trickling water in your kitchen sink).

Please do not re-freeze this beef.

Sorry for the inconvenience. Everything'll be back to normal on Dec. 17.

FABULOUS TURKEY SALE (frozen)

The Coop has EBERLY ORGANIC TURKEYS on sale in the freezer case at only $1.99 lb!

We have about 100 14-18 lb. turkeys available at this price, and until we sell out, we won't be getting any fresh ones, so if you're looking for an Xmas/Solstice turkey, this is your safest bet. And that price is pretty amazing.

The USDA recommends a refrigerator defrosting time of 3-4 days for birds this size. Keep it in your freezer until then.

-- Bill, the poultry/meat buyer

Fish, Waffles, and Lasagne

Fish
So there's this guy Bill (not the butcher) who brought us some salmon a couple weeks ago. The salmon is pretty great and is certified by the Marine Stewardship Council. This week he brought some cod. It's also pretty great and certified. He also has some sea bass that we'll be carrying soon.

Waffles and Pancakes
So there are these guys Janssen and Meyer aka, De Wafelbakkers, who make waffles and pancakes. They used to make waffles in Holland and send them to America. Demand was high so they built a bakery here. Now you can get them here in our freezer! We have the A+ Whole Grain Spelt Waffle made with sweet potatoes and the Whole Grain Pancake.

Lasagne and Gnocchi
So there's this guy Caeser. I think he's kinda famous for some stuff he did a bunch of years ago like conquering the salad or something. Well, he hasn't stopped his quest for supermarket domination as evidenced by his new company Caesar's Pasta. He was generous enough to give us some gnocchi as well as a wheat and gluten free, cheese lasagna. WF and GF!? What a thoughtful guy.

Cabot Cheddar Overdose

I just ordered a bunch of Cabot cheddar in various flavors, including Horseradish, Habanero, Super Sharp, and Tomato Basil - They're $2.84 for a 8 oz piece wrapped in parchment. Perfect for your Thanksgiving table or anytime. They're on the bottom of the cheese case in the back (it'll be our secret).