Wheatsville Co-op Austin, TX

[Dan gillotte <dangillotte AT gmail.com>]

Hello Wheatsville friends and fans!

We are so excited for our ZBirthday week coming right up!!! Wheatsville was "born" on March 16th, 1976 and we're celebrating! We'll have cupcakes available for purchase all weekend long and if you come in on our birthday from 12-8 at the Hospitality desk, you can get a piece of special BIRTHDAY CAKE on us! (Singing Happy B'day is optional. We also love to hear "for Wheatsville's a jolly good store".)

Do you have friends visiting for SXSW? Don't let them visit Austin without a trip to your favorite food co-op! Bring them by for them breakfast tacos the NY Times is always writing about... or teach them to love the popcorn tofu!

Scroll down for:
The scoop from Bulk
Produce bites
Cheese island
Grocery is NUTS
From the deli
Meat and seafood for you (Grilling is ALMOST here!)

Here’s the scoop… news from Bulk!

Casa Brasil will be here tomorrow 3/11/10 from 11am until 2pm offering free samples of their “Coffee 101” education roasts.  They will set up outside on the patio near the front entrance.  This is the first of 3 demos this month, the others will be on 3/21 and 2/28 from 1pm until they run out!

Produce bites
Citrus Wanes
This year’s citrus season has been phenomenal. We’re nearing the end, and still have some goodies to offer before the seasons roll over. Right now in produce we have organic blood oranges, organic minneola tangelos, bags of organic honey tangerines, organic rio star grapefruits, organic navel oranges, organic valencias, bags of organic texas valencias, and bags of clementines. My current favorites are the rio star grapefruits, the honey tangerines and blood oranges. Get’em while they last!
 
Greens!
We are getting some gorgeous Texas grown greens from Texas Naturals in Buda. We are currently offering organic collards, lacinato and green leaf kale! These are very tender, and delicious. See my article in the current issue of the Breeze for information about these delectable items.
 
Wheatgrass Returns      
We have started to bring in flats of wheatgrass from the fine folks at New World Produce out near Lake Travis. The flats are pretty large and are $12.99 a piece.
 
Wholly Guacamole
For years we’ve been getting requests for packaged guacamole, and now we’ve got it! Three varieties in fact, spicy, pico de gallo style, and organic. These really are delicious, and taste just as fresh as fresh guacamole made at home. I know it sounds crazy, but it’s true!!!

Cheese Island says Aloha
Good News! Pureluck Chevre is back on our shelves, the Del Cielo, Ste. Mare and the spreads will follow. A few sales for this coming week. Argentine Parmesan is on sale for 6.99/ lb, usually 8.99/lb.  Also, the Smoked Goat Gouda is on sale for 8.29/lb, usually 9.99/lb. I will be ordering the Daiya shreds on Wed. and they should be in on Fri.
 
I was looking down the wish list and I just want to comment on the items that were requested. So, as I was writing earlier, The Daiya shreds should be in on Fri. We did bring in the Woolwich Goat Brie and Goat Mozzarella.  Also, we are now carrying Full Quiver Plain Neufchatel and the Organic Valley Blue Cheese Crumbles and Cow’s Milk Feta. I am waiting for the Veldhuizen Bleucheese to finish aging. And I am currently trying to find a source for Vegan Parmesan. The Lifeline Cheddar is now packaged as Mild Print Cheddar. It is the same cheese.

Bad News- Sorry folks!!! We have some sad news about P/2 Organics.  They lost their basil crop and are unable to make their basil pestos.  They are still making the rest of their line, which includes Alfredo Sauce, Spinach Pesto, and Cilabtro Pesto.  We are expecting to have their products back in stock in April.

From your friends in the grocery aisles!
LIMITED TIME ONLY!
 Wheatsville Owner produced Texas Pecans!
 
From Wheatsville owner Booka Michael’s Rancho Pancho in Hunt, Texas, 100% All Natural shelled pecans conveniently packaged in a “generous” one pound bag. These nuts are naturally dried for two weeks and husked by hand. They are SO delicious. Eat them out of the bag, toast them for your next salad, or use them to bake pecan brownies. He only has about 100 pounds to sell, so it’s first come first serve. They are by the front door in the produce department next to the bagged apples (just add cinnamon for baked apple with bits of pecan!)
 
 From the Deli
 
Your Wheatsville Deli is geared up for a new month of tasty specials!
Shared with us by the good folks at Berkshire Co-op Market in Great Barrington, Massachusetts comes a pretty Chocolate Ganache Cake. This vegan treat is sweetened with organic maple syrup and spread with a fudgy icing, and will be available in our Bakery Case through the 15th!
And from Open Harvest Natural Foods Co-op in Lincoln, Nebraska, we have a Spinach Frittata on our hot bar! Flavored with spinach, green onions, garlic and mushrooms, and chockfull of cottage and cheddar cheeses, this egg dish will bring you back for seconds!

Our St. Patrick’s inspired smoothie and salsa of the month both stress the wearin’ of the green! “Soylent Green Is Leprechauns” smoothie blends sweet mangoes and healthful spirulina into a sweet, green frozen treat. In our Poblano salsa, poblanos, jalapenos and tomatillos all combine to create a flavorful, emerald dip!

Owner Specials this month include the Italian Stallion, a melty, toasty mélange of fresh mozzarella, pesto and fresh red bell peppers on toasty ciabatta, $6.49, reg. $7.49. Also on sale for owners are both sizes of our organic and fair-trade Coffee Bar’s classic Wheatsvillain, a freshly brewed cup of coffee with a shot or two of espresso to help wake you up, at fifty cents off! And in our self-serve case you will find our Lemon Parmesan Tortellini, cheese-filled pasta tossed with artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers and shredded parmesan, and dressed in a citrusy vinaigrette, $7.49/lb, reg. $8.99.

Also on sale are Boar’s Head Ovengold Turkey $9.49/lb, reg. $9.99 and Muenster Cheese $4.99/lb, reg. $5.99, so stock up while the gettin’s good!

And for those of you following Lent, or who just like to eat seafood, expect to see fish in our case on Fridays, from Lemon-Pepper Catfish and Paprika Grilled Tuna to Crispy Fish Cakes and Marion’s Classic Tuna Noodle Salad. Come on in and eat up!
 
 
From Bryan the Butcher
 
Some unfortunate circumstance to deal with-- due to the Earthquake in Chile, our supplier for fresh Tilapia (Honduras) is not shipping any new product until further notice. I am currently looking for another tilapia source. No worries though we still have plenty of sustainable seafood to choose from.
 
Are you in the mood for BBQ but not ready to put time on the grill for it? Niman Ranch meat offers great fully cooked BBQ choices for your hungry belly. Try the Pulled pork for great sandwiches, only $8.49 for a 16oz. (1 lb) package. Also try the Niman Ranch St. Louis style ribs, fully cooked and sauced just need to heat & eat. Try them for $13.49lb.
 
You need something for a light snack? Try 2 of our new products Blue Horizon Crab cake bites and Salmon cake bites. Both are easy to prepare, bake, pan fry, or even toaster oven, both only $5.29 6oz box.
Some great value add products hit the case last weekend…Family pack Buddy’s chicken tenders & Boneless skinless thighs. Pick up the tenders for $6.99lb and Boneless thighs $4.79lb, that’s 30 cents off the regular price! Of course the one that started it all off whole leg quarters are still $2.79 lb. Look for more choices on value add product coming soon.
 
Everyone loves bacon! We have Applegate bacon on special this month.
Natural uncured bacon $4.99lb
Natural turkey bacon $4.99lb
 
It’s prime grilling weather this week. Check out specials on Niman Ranch meats sausages: Bratwurst, apple Gouda, and sweet Italian. Try them all for $5.49 ea. Regular $5.99 ea.
 
I hope you have a super awesome week!

Dan Gillotte
Wheatsville GM and e-mail guy!