Wheatsville Co-op Austin, TX

[Dan gillotte <dangillotte AT gmail.com>]

Hello Wheatsville friends and fans!

Hopefully, you've been finding your way through the ever changing funhouse that is Wheatsville these days. If you feel lost, be sure to ask one of our staff members and they'll be glad to set you on the right path! Thanks for your patience and enthusiasm for our project. I've had so many really nice comments from people. I really appreciate it. 
We'll be open regular hours this weekend. For those of you that partake, I hope you have a great Passover and Easter filled with family, friends and fun!

We've got so much to share it's kind of unbelievable! 

Scroll down for cool stuff like:
Seventeen Year old Bakes spelt yumminess for you!
Did someone say coffee bar?!?
The new deli is rockin'
Cheese news
Loncito Lamb and other meat news
Earthday!
Rush Hour Recipes
Staff Picks
Ooh! Strawberries and the good stuff is coming!

I want to share some cool feedback from Wheatsville owner, Bob Morgan. He took a situation that could have been a complain and turned it on its head and found the really positive aspect of the situation! 

This is NOT a complaint, but a sign of success.  At one point this afternoon, there were 10 bikes on the bike rack (mine included), and 8 more hung on various handrails.  It took some cooperation to pack that many onto the rack, it normally wouldn't happen.  

You ought to get a picture of the bike rack full of bikes sometime and use it for some kind of publicity (and somewhere along the way, expand the bike rack (We will. Soon!- Dan)).

I bet that there weren't 18 bikes total in all of Austin in front of all the other grocery stores in town combined.
This is success for Wheatsville, for Austin and for all of us on the planet.

New Items in grocery!

Introducing: Munchie’s Lunch Box 
Munchie’s Lunchbox is a small, family run bakery located in Bastrop. Their Head Baker is 17 year old Zach. In the beginning, Zach wore many hats including baker, packer and seller. The bakery has grown and now his two brothers Robert and Duncan work with Zach. They use Organic spelt flour, real butter and Cage Free eggs. They recycle and compost all of their banana skins and egg shells. The finished compost goes back into the garden to grow fresh herbs. Additionally, they buy wind credits for 100% of their electricity use. Spelt is the main flour in all of their products. Spelt is an ancient grain that is high in fiber, protein and complex carbs. It is not gluten free but can be tolerated by some people with wheat allergies. Munchies Lunchbox uses only Organic spelt flour from Vita Spelt.
 
Wheatsville is currently offering their delicious brownies, banana or pumpkin breads and many flavors of scones. Try one today from our new hot coffee section by the deli.
 
 
Come into your brand new Wheatsville Deli and check out our new space – and offerings! We have a wonderful new fair trade coffee bar where we make to order delectable all-organic lattes, cappuccinos, mochas with your choice of sauces and flavorings! There’s even a money-saving member coupon for 50 cents off the Wheatsvillain – our signature coffee drink with an eye-opening shot of espresso! For you tea drinkers, we are also now making chai lattes and are offering a lovely assortment of many organic varieties of Mighty Leaf teas!

This month the Deli Counter brings you a warm weather cooler, the refreshing Pineapple Banana Dream, a smoothie bursting with fruit and reminiscent of sipping pina coladas surfside! This tasty pineapple-banana concoction will have you in your flip-flops basking in the salty sea breeze in no time!

Sweet and spicy, Sweet Serrano Salsa is the salsa for April – this tasty orange salsa combines hot serrano peppers, vine-ripened tomatoes and red onions with sweet peaches and cilantro to make a beautiful, flavorful salsa, perfect for dipping chips or topping your tacos!

On sale at the Wheatsville Deli now through April 15th are our two brand new Fresh in the Deli Specials for April. From Food Front Cooperative Grocery in Portland, Oregon, comes a delicious grain salad, Greek Artichoke Hearts and Bulgur. Abundant with seasonal spring vegetables, nutty bulgur wheat is complemented by artichoke hearts, baby spinach, fresh mint and roasted red peppers. Flavored with Greek staples oregano, garlic and lemon, this salad is a both healthy and hearty.
Also at the Deli, you can pick up some of our new Honey Almond Beets with Feta, recipe courtesy of the Willy Street Co-op in Madison, Wisconsin. Here, sliced tender spring beets are tossed with crunchy almonds and salty feta cheese. The delightful textural contrasts are heightened by a sweet-tart dressing of local honey, red wine vinegar and cardamom.
In other money-saving coupons this month, you can get 50 cents off a custom Boar’s Head Ovengold Turkey Sandwich, as well as 25 cents off our wheat-free Thai Pasta Salad available in our self-serve case!

And be sure to remember, this week brings us the Easter holiday! Deli specials for the weekend include hard-boiled Easter Eggs colored with all-natural homemade dyes, sweet honey-glazed Spring Ham layered with shredded Parmesan and fresh basil, and Broccoli and Cheddar Quiche for your brunching pleasure! Also in the beautiful new bakery case will be our favorite (and the Easter Bunny's too, we hear) Carrot Cake!
Come on in and check out your NEW WHEATSVILLE DELI!!
 
From Greg in the Land of Cheese
Cheese is now located in the new addition, to the left of the deli counter, inbetween meat and beer. Cheese will eventually move into its own cheese island, but that is a few weeks away. We have a couple of items on sale. Organic Valley Cream Cheese in the tub for $2.49 and Organic Valley Parmesan for $3.49.
 
Bryan, the butcher
Hey folks!  For Easter we will have small Niman Petite Hams and Loncito's boneless lamb legs available. You favorite local items can now be found in the freezer, with an expanded selection of Thunderheart bison and Bastrop Cattle Company products. Loncito's got a wonderful write-up in the Statesman today: http://www.austin360.com/search/content/food_drink/stories/2009/04/0408loncito.html unfortunately, his production has been a little low, so we don't have as much product as we would like, but we will this weekend.

 Look for fresh sausages in our new Quick to Fix case.  We have beef and pork Italian sausage made with Niman ranch meat & Chicken sausages made with Buddy's chicken. And we have some great tasting salmon burgers, perfect for you to take home and cook right up for your dinner. 
In our new seafood case we currently have great selections of Wild Caught Alaskan Sockeye and Coho Salmon. Fresh oysters are coming! So keep an eye out for those.
 
Austin Green Art eARTHday
Wheatsville is the major sponsor of Austin Green Art's Earthday at Republic Square Park on Saturday March 18th from 9am to 3pm. This should be a really fun event and Wheatsville will soon be launching our newest local food initiative in conjunction with this event. Stay tuned! For more information about the Green Art eARTHday go to: http://www.austinearthday.com/

Rush Hour Recipes
Every month we'll feature a new entree recipe (featuring a mix of vegetarian, non-vegetarian and vegan options) at the Deli Counter and on our website. We will keep an archive of recipe cards at the member center as well, so that you can pick one up and use it for your dinner shopping. You can even use these recipes to build your own recipe book. These recipes come from various co-ops all over the States, which is pretty cool. Plus they have been kitchen tested so you trust them to turn out right. Increase your kitchen repertoire with these quick, easy, fresh, entree recipes.  Follow this link to see the Rush Hour Recipes:  http://wheatsville.coop/recipeindex.html .
 
Staff Pick 'em! Yummy and awesome stuff tha you can trust! 
Check out our “Staff Top Ten Picks” posted throughout the store, we work here and shop here!!!  Look for these signs in front of the products that our staff love.  These guys are featured for the month of January.
 
Featuring Laurie Power, Deli Cook:
 
The Diva Cup.  It's easy, environmentally responsible, and undetectable. I can ride my bicycle in white pants if I wanna.
Bota Box - Old Vine Zin.  It's economical, environmentally responsible, and magically delicious - I can't believe it's boxed.  
Bionaturae pastas. Toothy, sauce grabbing, my favorite dry pasta ever. I love the fusilli!
Lacinato kale. I cut it in skinny ribbons and add to raw salads, cooked grains, pasta dishes, or stir-fry.  It's healthy, delicious, versatile, and user friendly!
El Milagro.  I can't decide which of their products I love most. Tortillas? Tostadas? Chips?  All are staple items in my house.
Pineapple-zucchini muffins.  They are delicious, and smell incredible when they are toasting.  I wish I had one now.
Turkish Garbanzo Bean Salad - Not only is it a lovely color, it's delicious, textural, complex, and unusual.
Thayers Rose Petal Witch Hazel Skin Toner - Not only does it smell wonderful, it is very refreshing and hydrating.  I put it on after a shower instead of moisturizer. 
Cafe Brasil Poco Fundo (Coopfam) - my caffeine addiction supports after school art programs and Estela's scholarship fund, so it's totally worth it.  The coffee's good too.
Chocolove Cherries & Almonds in Dark Chocolate Bar - This is essential for my well being.  Blurs the line between want and need.
 
Featuring Ryan Soutter, Grocery Stocker
 
Gopal Curry Power Wraps- It's like a hippy slimjim.
Thai Young Coconuts- Sweet refreshing nectar.
Quorn Products- I love them ALL! The UK finally made something right.
New World Sprout Salad- Tasty. Invigorating. Alive.
Avery The Reverend- This Sinister Minister is a serious sipper. Prost!
Ginger People Ginger Drinks- Feel good in a bottle.
Morningland Cheeses- Marvelously crafted cheese, a long time favorite of mine.
Eco Teas Mate- When you have to get something done with tenacity.
Hunza Goji Granola- Plus almond milk = Happy delicious breakfast-time.
Niman Ranch Grass-fed Beef- Grass makes this meat so sweet. Support humane farming.
 
Produce is heading into the delicious season!

Berries
It is the beginning of the strawberry season, and conventional Texas berries have started showing up. We also have organic strawberrys, and a blueberries. Berries are good by themselves, but even better dipped in sugar or covered in whipped cream (preferably homemade).
 
Kumquats
This current batch of kumquats is the best we've had all season. These are really fun to watch people eat. I love sampling them out to kids and watching the reaction to the sour aspects, and the redemption of the sweet finish on their face. Hilarious. These should be eaten whole. If you like you can rub you fingers on the skin and release the essential oils.
 
1015's
Sweet onions are delicious. They can be eaten raw, or slow cooked for righteous carmelization. There are three pound bags of organic 1015's and loose conventional 1015's.
 
Local Herbs
We are proud to carry Pure Luck's organic culinary herbs. Pure Luck is known for their amazing artisinal goat cheeses but they grow some high quality herbs as well. Each bunch is $1.49, and are bagged and are stocked in water for freshness. We are also carrying Buena Tierra's organic basil. We are looking forward to another great season from them.
 
Ch Ch Changes
Big changes are coming for your produce department (like the rest of the store) and we'll try to make the transitions as smooth as possible for you, and your shopping. Look for this the week of April 20th or so...
 
I hope you have a great week!

Dan Gillotte
Wheatsville GM and e-mail guy