Cafe Rebellion aka The Human Bean Company

The founder and owner of Cafe Rebellion, Kerry Appel, is retiring and will no longer be roasting coffee in Colorado for the Coop. I always enjoyed calling Kerry and hearing his cheerful greeting The Human Bean company! It was often difficult for him to hear our order over the clatter of the roaster.

Kerry went to the Chiapas region of Mexico in 1994 to document how the Fair Trade Agreement between the U.S. and Mexico was affecting the indigenous people of Chiapas. After making several documentaries, he was asked to leave by both the U.S. and the Mexican government. So he decided to return as a businessman and establish direct trade between the citizens of Chiapas and the U.S.

According to Kerry, his coffee was grown in cooperatives under the Organic and Fair Trade standards in Mexico, but was not certified in the U.S. as that would have entailed paying the certification fees in both countries. He also sold us the honey bees made from coffee flowers--Zapatista honey.

Please appreciate all the labor that it takes to make a cup of coffee. -Click here for photos on Kerry's website taken in 2006 that detail the backbreaking work of harvesting, cleaning and transporting coffee beans.-

Ron, the bulk guy, plans to replace Cafe Rebellion with other high quality, fair trade coffees.

Seltzer makers

Soda Stream selzter makers are finally here--sold in Aisle 2A, top, next to the Vintage seltzer--which we hope we will sell less and less of. The Soda Stream chargers are superior to the Isi siphons, which we are no longer selling.

-Click here for more info-

The company is a little difficult to do business with--they don't return calls and lose orders. Right now we have lots of seltzer makers but we are waiting on a back order of chargers. We expect the chargers will arrive soon. Used chargers should be returned to desk on the second floor of the Coop and you will receive a deposit refund of $9.99.

Green Clothing

Interesting article in the Christian Science Monitor on how to determine which is the most ecological clothing. Surprise: organic may not be the winner. Of course, as the article points out, the greenest of all is the shirt you leave hanging in the store. Next: used clothing, then clothing made of recycled fabric, then maybe organic. But what about those toxic dyes on your t-shirt? And where was that organic cotton grown? The latest craze--bamboo--grows faster than weeds but it takes a lot of processing to become silky fabric.

There will be an followup article in the CSM on the environmental costs of keeping your clothes clean.

-Read all about it-

Oktoberfest and Pumpkin seasonals

...more than you can shake a stick at. It seems everyone is making an Oktoberfest and a pumpkin beer these days and we seem to have most of them. Dogfish Head, Weyerbacher, Wolaver’s, Blue Point, Stoudt’s, Smuttynose, Brooklyn, and Southern Tier are some of the local varieties. I’m trying to squeeze in a couple German Oktoberfests like the Ayinger and Hacker Pschorr. Let me know which ones you like and which are seasonal dogs.

-Anngel

Christmas comes early in beer aisle

Or that’s how I felt when I took home a PSFC Variety pack. If you haven’t noticed these little gems on the bottom of the display rack, they are cases made up special for us at a shockingly low price ($19.99). Little secret, any of the beers inside would retail for at least $30/case and my case had two Chimays which go for around $95/case. You have to buy the whole case and it's a little mystery as to what's inside but, well worth the adventure.

Schmanyway, so far we’re the only store that has ‘em and I plan on keeping them stocked as a regular item.

-Anngel

These beers don't come around everyday

Aecht Schlenkerla Ur-bock (1678)
The uber-smoke beer is Schlenkerla. This German brewery uses local, aged beechwood logs to smoke the malts that give this rauchbier it’s distinctive, um, smoky flavor. The Ur-bock is full-bodied with a good malty sweetness and yes, lots of smoke from start to finish. 6.5 ABV Great with smoked meats, dark bread, and I liked it with grilled lamb too. If you like Lagavulin you might like this. I’m thinking a good smoked gouda might do it proud.

Leipziger Gose (1738)
This beer survived the Iron Curtain! This un-filtered, un-pasteurized brew from the Saxon town of Goslar is a lemony, refreshing wheat beer (60% wheat, 40% barley) with salt and coriander added to the mix – off course in delicate quantities. 4.5 ABV. This beer has a nice acidity that makes it a good match for I think, milder, creamier cheeses. Yuri and I will get back to you on that… Some (Germans) think it’s a good match for potato soup, schnitzel, cucumber salad, and fried calamari. Anyway, it’s refreshing.

Regenboog Vuuve
Vuuve is a Belgian Wit (60% barley and 40% wheat malt) with coriander and fresh organic orange peel. This wit is classically fruity, spicy, and citrusy on the palate with a long lingering finish of the aforementioned coriander and orange peel. 5.0 ABV The brewer, Johan Brandt is an artisan and doesn't use any chemical products; every brew may be slightly different. (Info courtesy B. United)

Regenboog Wostyntje
This mustard ale from Johan Brandt released first in 1999 is a tribute to the then 130-year-old Wostyn mustard factory. 7.0 ABV A strange brew, this has a little sweetness and then a bit of astringent mustard at the end. I have to try this beer again but it brings to mind memories of good medium-bodied cheese, pate, mustard, and cornichon; don’t quote me on that.

Cheers, Anngel

Cheese of the Week 9/1

-Grayson Cheese in the NY Times-

Murray's sells it for $20/ LB and we have it for $12.60 . . .Delicious, creamy and available again for a limitied time.

Siggi's Yogurt Update

According to Siggi's they are making some repairs at the factory and hope to have product out to stores by the end of September.

What's up with my YOGURT?

Good new for all of the fans of the formerly Woodstock Water Buffalo yogurt. It's back and it's new name is Bufala di Vermont. We currently have plain, maple, and raspberry. The luscious cappuccino and black currant flavors are not being made at this time but, a rep from the company hinted that cappuccino would be the next flavor on the roster once they get their operation at cruising altitude.

We're also bringing some of the delicious Ronnybrook products from upstate into the case. Look for peach and blackberry drinkables as well as peach and coconut yogurts.

And lastly, Dahlicious Mango Lassi has made a big splash in the drinkable section, check it out, there are little bits o mango inside.

Bad news is that Siggi's Skyrr yogurt continues to be out of stock. They have been having production problems that apparently are taking a while to resolve. We order Siggi's twice a week, so, as soon as it's available we will have it.


Anngel

Cheese of the Week 7/30

Bra Duro

Produced as a Italian farmhouse cheese from cow's milk, Bra Duro Cheese is a "sister" cheese to the Bra Tenero cheeses which differ only in the length of aging. A Bra Tenero cheese will be aged for slightly less than 2 months while a Bra Duro cheese ages for 3 months at a minimum and longer for some cheese producers enabling a sharper flavor to develop. The term Duro is the Italian word for rough or rugged, which is used to describe the coarse outer rind. Darker yellow in color and semi-firm to firm in texture, Bra Duro Cheese provides a cheddar-like flavor from a paste that is filled with numerous small eyes. Sharp and somewhat nutty tasting best describes the flavor from this cheese. It is a good cheese to use for snacking or for grating as a topping on pasta and casseroles. When paired with wine, this cheese goes well with a medium-bodied red wine or an amber beer.

Mahon, from the island of Menorca, is one of a few cow's milk cheeses from Spain. Mahón boasts a certain sharpness, and its lemony, salty flavors evince the rural Mediterranean seascape. Its rind contains a hard, crumbly cheddar-like texture and darkens as the wheels age. At peak, Mahón is tangy, intense and delicious. Pair this cheese with Madeira or Tempranillo.

Cheese of the week update

Castelrosso is made using the milk of the Pezzata Rossa and Bruno Alpina cows and is aged in underground cellars for at least three months during which time it develops its crusty rind that is mottled with grey, white and yellow molds. The rind contrasts beautifully with the interior which is pure white. The aroma is earthy and lactic, the texture is moist but slightly crumbly and the flavor is a balanced combination of lactic flavors and lemony brightness. As it ages, the interior will darken from the outside edges toward the interior and those sections will give bigger flavors of nuts and earth.

Autor Cheese is a raw goat's milk cheese from Quatratondo, 60 km outside of Valencia. Raw goat cheese is curdled with thistle rennet and aged 60 days in an underground cavern. Depending on the season the cheese can be creamy, flaky or runny. The flavor finishes grassy, herbal and citrus-y.

Malvarosa was first imported to the U.S. in August of 2004 to save the nearly extinct Guirra sheep. The paste is firm, but buttery, and incredibly rich and sweet. Aged for a minimum of three months; careful cheesemaking and gentle pasteurization preserve the delicate flavors.

Two New Italian Cheeses

Strachitunt - (strah-kee-TOONT) - A rustic raw cow's milk blue cheese from the Lombardy region of Italy.
The production of Strachitunt gourmet cheese follows an ancient 2-curd technique. The mixture of the warm morning curd with the cold evening curd promotes the formation of mould. The rind is wrinkled and thin with a light-brown color. The Strachitunt cheese paste is pale or straw-yellow. It has an aromatic, mouth-filling flavor and a attractive nose of 'autumn leaves' and hazelnuts. Pair this cheese with Sauternes, Sémillon, Sauvignon blanc, or Muscadelle.

VerdeCapra - A new (so new there are no pictures) Blue goat cheese. I tried this at the fancy food show last week and I thought we should have it here as soon as possible. It's a creamy and tangy Pasteurized cheese with a moisture level similar to Gorgonzola Dolce.

Cheese of the week explained

When I order the cheese from the distributors we buy from, I'm (A#1) sometimes able to get some great close-out deals on things, (B#2) or I'm providing special requests or finally (C#3) buying some favorites that are almost always in stock but aren't always available.

This week some of the things that I've bought for you are:

Mitiblue

Produced with milk from Castilla Leon and aged in El Escorial. Firm blue. Sheep's milk. Very salty. Has a hard to describe unique taste. Do not plan on kissing anyone for a while after trying this one.

Tronchetto
A soft-ripened pastuerized cow's milk cheese from the producer that makes the Tallegio. Has a smooth, full flavor and a powerful aroma.



Leonora
Made in the mountains of Leon, Spain, this tangy cheese is made from pure Alpine goat milk. Uniquely molded into a long brick shape, the cheese is covered with a natural mold and
develops a creamy consistency over the three month aging process.

BBQ Sauce Overload

Well, we've tried the D.L. Jardine sauces and we thought they weren't bad. Supposedly the Organic-ville (I didn't name it) sauces are quite good. There was an ordering snafu with Bone Sucking Sauce and we only have Hot & Spicy. And back by popular demand are the Bar-B-Bar sauces.

Look for all of these brands (and Olde Cape Cod which I'll put out next week) scattered around the store.

Beers of Summer: Part Wheat

With all the pent-up excitement of a new season starting line-up, breweries are releasing their summer beers. Refreshing and quaffable, these beers are made with the leisurely pursuits of summer in mind. Here’s a very loose guide to style and sometimes looser guide to what the coop is carrying.

Summer suds are celebrated heartily by the Germans and their Weissbiers (aka Hefeweizen) comprise a huge portion of summer seasonal brews.

The south German weissbier is made by adding wheat to the mix and yields a characteristic banana, clove, or sometimes bubblegummy flavor due to the particular yeasts used in the fermentation processes.

Look for these fine examples at the Coop: Schneider Organic Edel-Weisse, Ayinger Brau Weisse, Brooklyner Weisse, Pinkus Organic Hefeweizen, Long Trail Hefeweizen, Ebel’s Weiss Beer, Stoudt’s Weizen,

While Belgian brewers are usually known for rich, fortifying beers that keep you warm in winter, they maintain a good balance with light and refreshing Wit, Blanche, or White beers for summer. Belgian whites are usually spiced with coriander and orange flavors.

Beers of this variety at the Coop are: Allagash White, Ommegang Witte, Avery White Rascal, Leelanau Whaleback White, Victory Whirlwind Witbier, Weyerbacher Blanche, Wolaver Wit, Otter Creek White Sail, Long Trail Belgian White, to name a few.

American brewers have always been quick studies and have taken off and riffed very successfully on traditional styles. Some breweries hew closely to their German or Belgian roots while others jump off with their own blends of summer beers.

Though American brewers are known for pushing beer to the limits of flavor, creativity, and experience using juiced up amounts hops, malt, yeast, or sugars, in the summer many brewmasters lighten their touch to match the season and produce more delicate offerings. Some are truly good and others seem like hapless attempts at lager or wheat beers. Let me know what you think at anngel_delaney@psfc.coop

If you’re having a barbeque or kicking a ball around the park check out some of these light hitters.

-Anngel

Klean Kanteen update

We have sold-out of the 450 Klean Kanteens that we received on Friday, June 13. In anticipation of this we have a second order that was placed weeks ago but, according to Klean Kanteen, they can't make the things fast enough and we may not receive our next order until mid-July or August.

We are looking into other products that might be similar in function, form, and safety.

We will post on the blog as soon as they are in so please check back here for info rather than calling the office.

-Anngel

(Local) Cheese Update

So, I'm going to try and give an update of the cheeses every week. Please don't hold me to it.

This week we've got some great new(ish) local cheeses from NY state and Vermont.

First up are three great cheeses from West River Creamery in Londonderry, Vermont. The first, named after the town it's made in, is the Londonderry English-style Farmhouse Cheddar. Raw Milk, aged in cloth - good stuff. 2nd is an old favorite, Three Mountain - also raw milk, but washed-rind and creamy delicious. Also available is a Pre-cubed marinated Feta in oil (which I double-bagged for your protection!) and herbs. We tried some today and the verdict was unanimous. . .amazing!

From upstate (well, Poughkeepsie) New York are two cheeses that we've known and loved from Sprout Creek Farm. Ouray is an earthy buttery cheese with sweet floral flavor and edible rind. And Batch 35: smooth, with an open texture - pungent, and earthy. A crisp coppery rind sheaths a straw colored interior of this smear-ripened cheese. Also try the Sophie - a goat milk cheese that will blow your mind.

In the Pre-packaged section of the case look for Green Hill from Sweet Grass Dairy, a pasteurized cow's milk cheese, soft-ripened with a white bloomy rind.

Siggi's Skyr yogurts

Good news: We recently added the Siggi's Skyr Icelandic-style yogurts to the yogurt case. Bad news: Siggi's had a production problem and we have been unable to get any of the flavors for the past week and we have sold through our inventory of those products. According to Siggi's we should be receiving regular shipments by week's end but, bear in mind that suppliers are sometimes overly optimistic about things like this.

Rest assured that we are ordering all of the flavors everyday and as soon as they are available we will have Siggi's back on the shelf.

-Anngel

NEW FREEZER ITEMS

Bahama rice burgers. Rice-based veggie burgers.
Blue Horizon Thai-style shrimp spring rolls and pesto shrimp farfalle entrees.
Evergreen organic wheatgrass juice.
Amy's margherita pizza. Amy's veggie pot pie pocket. Amy's mac and cheese kids meal with broccoli.
Seeds of Change mushroom risotto.
Pika's carrot ginger soup.
Buenatural cheese enchilada.
Morrison's clam chowder and seafood chowder are back.

New products in the ice cream freezer:
Ciao Bella gelato sandwich with chocolate gelato and chocolate chip cookies.
Lemon gelato with lemon poppy cookies.
Adirondack Creamery almond English toffee ice cream. Chocolate walnut ice cream.
Ronnybrook ginger creme brulee. Butter pecan.

—Caleb

The Great Yogurty State of New York

The slow and steady march of change has come to the isle of cool serenity known as the yogurt case. We are trying bit by bit to bring in more local yogurt. New York is the third largest dairy-producing state (behind California and Wisconsin), and of course that means some things have to go.

Over the past few months we have added more flavors from the Evans Farmhouse organic line. It's often a mix of flavors based on production so look for a rotating cast of characters with plain, lemon, raspberry, and maple making up the bulk of our offerings. They recently discontinued the magnificent blackberry. Evans is both an organic dairy and organic creamery based in the Catskills. As a creamery they produce and package the Kortright Creek goat yogurts (also from the Catskills) that we offer in plain, maple, and raspberry flavors.

We've expanded the Liberte line, starting with the organic flavors of strawberry, raspberry, and vanilla. We then added Liberte's goat cheese-style yogurts of the honey, raspberry, strawberry, and plain varieties. Liberte is a local brand as it is within 500 miles—milk from a Vermont cooperative and produced in Quebec.

Recently, we've also added a couple of the Siggi's yogurts: plain, pomegranate passion, and orange mint. Siggi's makes an Icelandic-style of strained yogurt called Skyr—it's not unlike a strained Greek yogurt and it's made from New York state milk.

Fage Total yogurt, one of our top-selling products in the case, has switched its production over to a New York facility so that it no longer has to import its product.

Sky Top is a New York state product that has joined our yogurt-y crew recently and is hopefully coming out with a low-fat variety in the coming months.

Our other yogurts that are sourced and produced locally and have been stalwarts include Hawthorne Valley, Stonyfield, Butterworks, Coach Farms, Erivan, Old Chatam, and Seven Stars.

Some of the yogurts that have been discontinued recently are Cascade Fresh small cups—my reasoning is that they are at a similar price point to Stonyfield, a product that is both organic and local; Cascade Fresh is neither. Woodstock buffalo yogurts have also been absent because the company has ceased to exist. We are eagerly awaiting their next incarnation.

–Anngel