Community Supported Agriculture

by Lauren, February 28, 2009 | Permalink

The term “CSA” (short for Community Supported Agriculture) was virtually unknown a few years ago to the mainstream public - and even many loyal Whole Foods Market shoppers - but these three letters have become a household word lately.  The Boston Globe recently printed an article about this socio-economic model of agriculture which stems from the demand for fresh, local produce as well as concerns about food safety, environmental degradation, and health.  Conscious consumers are walking past displays of shiny organic Gala apples from New Zealand and opting for the imperfect-looking Macintosh apples from New York state.  We realize that the “Local” label has surpassed organic in value and importance for many of our customers.  Farmer’s Markets are multiplying as shoppers seek a personal connection to the source of their food (we know because we hear you talking about it). 

CSAs allow people to go even further and put their money where their mouth is.  By paying the farmer at the being of the growing season, consumers who desire locally grown produce are demonstrating their willingness to accept the real risks associated with farming rather than taking their food for granted.  Most of the time, the investment pays back delicious dividends every week during the harvest.  Most farms plant a wide range of crops so if one fails, there are bound to be others which flourish and handsomely feed their CSA members. 

In addition to stocking local fruit and vegetables in our produce department, the Brighton store gives shoppers the opportunity to partake in the CSA movement.  We have partnered with Red Fire Farm in Granby, MA so they can bring the fruits of their labor to our community.  They are currently signing up CSA members interested in picking up weekly shares in our parking lot beginning in June.  For more information, stop by the store on March 20 to speak to a representative from the farm and taste some of their freshly harvested spring greens.

Cheese, Glorious Cheese

by Lauren, February 27, 2009 | Permalink

You may not be able to afford an airplane ticket to Spain, France, Italy or some other European destination right now, but you can still enjoy the delicacies of countries with delicious food traditions.  The Brighton Specialty department offers hundreds of imported cheeses that are sure to please the most discerning well-travelled epicure.   Whether you prefer a stinky Stilton, creamy Brie or salty-sweet Parmigiano Reggiano, our team will not let you down.  Let us introduce you to lesser known wonders - we even encourage sampling to ensure that you are satisfied with your selection.

Our buyers have discovered several amazing cheesemakers within the locavore limit of 100 miles.  Great Hill dairy in Marion, MA makes blue cheese which rivals all-American Maytag Blue and fine Italian Gorgonzola.  Westfield Farm Capri goat cheese is another local favorite - great crumbled over salads or roasted beets.  We include Vermont on our list of great cheese-making states (far better than Wisconsin in our opinion).  Vermont Butter & Cheese Co. is renown for its award-winning artisan creations and dependable consistency.    While Cabot is a household name, our team members prefer Grafton Village cheddar -  great for eating on the run or melting in a grilled cheese sandwich. 

In our never-ending effort to keep our customers coming back for more great-tasting food and delight you with new choices, we recently installed two new refrigerated cases to house our glorious collection of cheese (and dips, spreads, olives, etc).  Drop by for a sample next time you’re in the neighborhood!

Let them Eat Cake!

by Lauren, February 25, 2009 | Permalink

We are excited to welcome a brand new cake case to our Bakery department!  Our team of bakers and cake decorators has been busy perfecting their recipes and pastry skills so that the Brighton store can bring you the prettiest and most delicious desserts.  The variety of sweets we now offer is almost dizzying.  How does a chocoholic chose between Chocolate Ganache Cake, Chocolate Mousse Cake and Chocolate Velvet Boule?  Chocolate isn’t your favorite flavor or you’re watching your waistline?  There are plenty of “healthy” options like fresh fruit tarts, key lime cheesecake and carrot cake (dieticians recommend that we eat more fruits and vegetables, right?).  We offer an assortment of miniature tarts, cheesecakes and individual brownies so you don’t have to run the risk of eating a whole cake by yourself. 

At Whole Foods Market, we take healthy eating seriously but believe it is OK (and sometimes necessary) to indulge every now and then.  If it’s any consolation, we never use artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners or transfats in our products.  Besides, we think butter, natural sweeteners like honey and maple syrup, and real fruit taste better than anything created in a chemistry lab.

Please let us know what you think of our new cake case.  We also make special occasion cakes.  Ask a bakery team member for more information.

Empowerment at the Grocery Store

by Lauren, February 20, 2009 | Permalink

Did you know that you can empower a poor person in the developing world with a single dollar bill?  That’s the beauty of “microcredit.”  Believe or not, a loan of just $200 is enough to help a woman in Nicaragua, Bangladesh and other countries start her own business.   She can then earn enough money to help improve the quality of life for her family and the village in which she lives.   The Whole Planet Foundation  was formed with the entrepreneurial spirit of Nobel Peace Prize winner, Muhammed Yunus, and focuses efforts on communities that supply Whole Foods Market stores with products such as bananas, chocolate, coffee and tea.  Giving a dollar therefore not only supports entire villages, the small act of generosity ensures a steady supply of some of your favorite products. 

Next time you are in the store for your weekly grocery shop or simply grabbing a cup of coffee on the way to work, all you have to do is let the cashier know that you’d like to give a $1 to the Whole Planet Foundation.  You can give with confidence that your donation will go directly to microlending projects because Whole Foods Market covers 100% of the foundation’s overhead costs.

Gluten-Free Black Beans & Rice

by Lauren, February 20, 2009 | Permalink

Sarah, Brighton in-store demo specialist, prepared a smokin’ black beans and rice dish at our “Gluten-Free Living Day” this past week.  We had tons of fun trying gluten-free samples in all the departments and everyone learned a bit about gluten-free foods.  In case you didn’t make it to the event or forgot to pick up a recipe sheet, here is the recipe for the Easy Black Beans and Rice dish:

Easy Black Beans & Rice

Serves 6

1 cup uncooked white rice

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 (16 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed

2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp cumin

sea salt and black pepepr, to taste

optional: lime wedges and fresh cilantro, to taste

1. Cook rice according to package instructions and set aside.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Saute onion and bell peppers for 3-4 minutes, until just beginning to soften, then add garlic and saute one minute more.  Add the black beans, vinegar and cayenne.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

3. Stir in rice, cumin and oregano.  Add salt and pepper to taste.   Serve sprinkled with chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime, if desired.

Did you enjoy this recipe?  Have any tips for gluten-free shopping at Whole Foods Market?  If so, please leave a comment and let us know!

Where did my favorite crackers go?

by Lauren, February 19, 2009 | Permalink

We moved them!  Sorry for the inconvenience.  We move things around sometimes.  And believe me, it is just as frustrating for team members as it is for everyone else. 

I’ve been shopping in the Brighton store for years and do not like having to search for something when I am in a hurry.  So I try to take a look around the sales floor and scope out new products when I have time on my shift.  I decided to do that today and found a couple cool things.

In the cracker aisle, I noticed that the 365 Organic Water crackers - delicious with cheddar cheese and apple butter! - were moved to the top shelf.   There are now a bunch of new products on the shelf they used to occupy.  I was particularly intrigued by the Mondovino brand savory wine crackers which are meant to be eaten with wine and cheese.  According to the package, the Spicy Moroccan Seed and Nut crackers pair well with red wine.  They recommend the Black Olive crackers be eaten with white wine and the Creme Fraiche and Spring Onion flavor is meant to be served with an off-dry Rose.  I know what I’ll be serving at my next cocktail party.

Products were also shuffled around in the cookie section.  In case you are an Annie’s Bunny Grahams addict like myself, bring your knee pads with you because they now sit on the bottom shelf -  low enough for a lovely little toddler to fondle. 

You may need to ask a team member for a step stool if you wish to purchase Loacker Quadratini wafer crackers.  They have been relocated to the very top shelf.  I’m only 5 foot 2 but was able to flick a package of the Dark Chocolate flavor off its perch and catch it in my arms.  (I don’t recommend this strategy for people with slow reflexes - in which case, you should seek assistance.) 

I was excited to see a new Late July product: Mini Sandwich cookies.  The product features cute endangered animal cookies to highlight the fact that 10% of the profits are donated to the Jane Goodall Institute.  Late July cookies and crackers have always been transfat free and organic.  Now that they have teamed up with such a great cause, I may have to get back into the milk-and-cookies-before-bed habit.   In spite of the down economy, I still want to be charitable.  I particularly like the idea of giving when it means something yummy to eat in return.

Protection from tainted Peanut Butter

by Lauren, February 13, 2009 | Permalink

I’m sure all you folks out there with peanut allergies are smugly sitting back as your nut-loving friends panic and check their pantries for recalled products.  In this instance of nationwide outrage, your imperfect immune system has actually served you well.   You may not be able to eat a slew of products on supermarket shelves, peanut-flavored or simply processed on shared equipment; but you have been spared a trip to the doctor or the inconvenience of having to return foods suspected of harboring Salmonella to the store.

I bet your allergy has inspired you to get creative and try new things.  If you’ve got a sweet tooth, chances are you are now an expert baker since your diagnosis because peanut-free dessert choices are severely limited.  The same rings true for those with celiac disease who can not eat products containing gluten.  According to the Celiac Disease Foundation, one in 133 people can not tolerate the protein found in wheat and other popular grains like spelt, rye, barley.

Even if you don’t like to bake, you can still eat really well while avoiding gluten.  The number of gluten-free products on the market has exploded in the past couple years due to the sharp increase in newly diagnosed cases of celiac disease.  Whole Foods Market not only carries a variety of gluten-free products, we operate a dedicated gluten-free bakehouse to meet the needs of shoppers on special diets (gluten-free diets are also favored by folks with diabetes and other disorders).  Whether you crave bread, cookies, pizza dough, cake or pie, you’ll find gluten-free versions of your favorite foods in the Brighton store. 

Stop by on Tuesday, February 17 to learn how to navigate our aisles in search of healthy and delicious food free of gluten and sample tasty gluten-free snacks.  You can sign up for a store tour and speak to a nutritionist who specializes in counseling people with celiac disease.  Check out the Brighton store calendar for more information.

Sugar & Spice Salmon Rocks the House!

by Lauren, February 6, 2009 | Permalink

Last night, the Brighton store held its annual no holds barred chocolate samping extravaganza - Chocolate Fest 2009!  Chocoholics flocked to our humble little store to try a myriad of chocolate-y treats.  Children’s eyes lit up at the sight of chocolate flowing from a mini fountain in the produce department while their parents tried to show restraint, but mostly failed to.   Who can blame them with all the samples of organic truffles, chocolate covered cocoa nibs, rich European-style hot chocolate and crepes stuffed with bananas and ganache.  How do you say “no” to Chocolate Explosion cake served on a tray by a stylish & sassy bakery team member (Jena owns the funkiest tights on the East Coast!).

But the sample that caught most people off guard and blew all the others out of the water was the “Sugar & Spice Rubbed Salmon” served by Raul in the Seafood Dept.  It’s too good not to share the recipe, so here it is:

Sugar & Spice Rubbed Salmon

 1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

1 Tablespoon paprika

1 teaspoon cocoa powder

1/4 cup chile powder

1 Tablespoon ground cumin

2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 1/2 Tablespoons Kosher salt

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 (16 oz) salmon fillet

Whisk together the sugar, dry mustard, cinnamon, paprika, cocoa powder, chile powder, cumin, black pepper and salt.  Coat salmon with oil and liberally rub spice mixture on fish. 

Bake salmon at 400 degrees or grill until cooked through, about 10-15 minutes depending on thickness.

A Locavore asks, “What’s for Lunch?”

by Lauren, February 2, 2009 | Permalink

The produce department in the Brighton store is looking just as beautiful as ever these days.  I am greeted by stacks of vibrant oranges, rosy red apples and an assortment of fresh berries.  A long row of leafy greens - kale, collards, dandelion greens (yup, those feisty weeds that will be popping out of the ground in my backyard come April), parsley, leaf lettuce, etc - lines the wall of the department along with colorful bell peppers, deep purple eggplants, shiny cucumbers, and wild mushrooms.  I love all these fruits and vegetables.  But how do I reconcile my culinary tendencies, which are quite ambitious and exotic, with a consciousness about the environment.  Despite my “vegetable envy” - if only I could bask in the California sun like that head of romaine - I have reservations about consuming the sun rays absorbed by those asparagus spears grown in Argetinian soil.

On closer inspection, I spy organic butternut squash from Massachusetts, potatoes from Maine and parsnips from Vermont.  Hey, there’s even some greenhouse tomatoes from Maine over there and herbs from another Massachusetts grower.  I begin dreaming of a Moroccan root veggie stew infused with turmeric, ginger, cinnamon and cumin (I have all these spices in my cupboard at home).  I’ll have to “cheat” a bit and serve the stew with couscous (made with wheat grown in the mid-West) and garnish it with cilantro from the West Coast.  That’s OK.  You have to allow yourself some slack or else you could starve or develop a nutrient deficiency during the long Boston winter.  But, with a little creativity, a locavore-leaning New Englander can eat really well in February. 

A stroll through the store with both eyes peeled will reveal many other great local options.  Cheese heads can delight in Vermont goat cheese, Great Hill Dairy blue cheese from Marion, MA, and Grafton Village cheddar produced in Vermont.  You’ll find New England-raised beef, eggs and milk to round out your choices of protein.  And if you have a sweet tooth, you won’t be disappointed by our bakery.  Choose from locally made cookies and vegan chocolate cake not to mention cakes and pies from our own bakehouse in Medford, MA .  In case you never noticed, most of the bread we sell is baked within a very short radius from the store.

I could go on and on about all the unique local products we sell in our grocery aisles, but I won’t right now.  You’ll just have to stop by the Brighton store on Tuesday, February 10 from 3:00pm to 6:00pm for our monthly “Locavore Lunch” tasting to find out what else our neighbors are cooking up.