Instead of another email from Chuck

by Chuck O., June 8, 2009 | Permalink

Every year on the day after AIDS Walk Boston, I sit down and write an email to than everyone at Whole Foods Market who helped out on the walk in some way and send it to all of those people and a few others here at Whole Foods Market.  Walking to the store today, I thought that I could do this instead and that hopefully everyone here will see it as well as our supplier/partners at the walk and the folks at the AIDS Action Committee and anyone else who’s reading this!  Then my co-workers might not cringe and think “not another email from Chuck”.

The “instead” is to talk about the things that I remember each year as preparations begin for our involvement in the next walk.  First and foremost I think about friends and acquaintances who have passed away from AIDS, especially Jim, my partner’s former roommate, one of our best friends, and an overall amazing guy.  Of course, it saddens me becasue we miss Jim but then all of the pleasant memories of AIDS Walk Boston and the WFM sponsorship make me happy again as I know that I am doing something and that the company of which I am a Team Member is honoring so many of its Core Values through its support.

The members of the Whole Food Market family who are in some way assoicated with this project are many.  First, at the regional office are the coordinators and VP’s and everyone who tell us to “go for it” and be there the first Sunday each June!  Then, there in the same buliding on CambridgePark Drive, is Gail who works faithfully and unceasingly to be sure we’ll have enough of our suppliers involved so that walkers have plenty of snacks when they finish.  We’d never make it to the Esplanade without her help.

Our distribution center in Cheshire, CT, is where all of our participating suppliers ship all of their products to be given out during the Wellness Festival after the walk is finished.  Rick, Andrea, Nina and the team there expertly receive and sort all of the boxes and bags and pallets when they arrive the first week in June and make certain that everything is loaded on the Whole Foods Market trailer many have become accustomed to seeing on Storrow Drive on Walk Day.  (One gentleman told us that seeing the WFM truck makes him feel like he’s “home”.  I’m not exactly sure what that means but it sounds pretty good to me.)

There’s one more WFM Team Member who needs to be mentioned here.  That goodie-filled trailer truck doesn’t get from Cheshire to the Esplanade by itself!  I’m not sure anyone else could navigate the low bridges and twisting lanes of Storrow Drive quite the way Alex does.  Yeah, it’s probably pretty exciting for him to have that State Police escort at the end of his journey as he approaches the Hatch Shell, but you can tell that it’s his dedication which fuels him the rest of the time.  You see, he doesn’t simply drop the trailer and run.  From the time he arrives until the time he leaves, Alex is the man in charge! 

He coordinates the unloading of products and their delivery to the tent as if he’s been doing it forever.  The rule is that no one gets into the truck but Alex and he’s careful to enforce it.  Volunteers line up with arms open and carts ready to carry everything to our partners in the tent awaiting their products to make ready for the walk’s end and the start of the festival.  We’d never survive the day at the Esplanade without Alex’s help.

Who else?  Can’t forget Tommy from the Wellesley store who decided he would head up our walk team this year.  Rising extremely early many mornings, he attended 6am meetings at stores far from his to rally for participation- and then went to Wellesley for a full day’s work.  Tommy succeeded in getting walkers from an assortment of our stores-

Sometimes I think i have the easiest job when it comes to AIDS Walk Boston.  I simply coordinate the dedicated suppliers Gail has already signed up and figure out who gets which table.  Then, I run around taking photos while other Marketing Team Members (this year, Jen, Kirsten, Rodney, Tina, Eddie, Tommy again. And, thanks to Lynay and Nick) make sure folks have everything they need.  You guys make everything so easy.

I’ve been talking about suppliers; who are they you ask?  They’re our vendors who donate to the Walk for the privilege to give out their products.  This is already too long but here’s this year’s list- Clif, GoodBelly, Gaga’s, Immaculate Baking, Zico, Cabot, Polka Dog Bakery, Late July, Tribe Hummus, Nature’s Path, Rick’s Picks, World of Grains, Stonyfield Farm, QBel, Quorn, Pop Chips, Grandy Oats, Olivia’s Organics, and Applegate Farms.  Again, we wouldn’t get through the day without them.

So what I would have said in my email to a few people I’ve turned into this “instead” which anyone with internet access can read.  Yeah, it’s pretty long but there are so many people to mention.  I’m done for now- but, this morning, my thoughts did turn to Jim as I walked down Boylston Street and crossed Clarendon on the way here…

I’m a Local

by Chuck O., May 13, 2009 | Permalink

I’m a local.  It’s true.  I’m actually one of the few people I know who’s actually from here.  Ok, the ‘burbs but only 20 miles away.  We’re not talking people here though; we’re talking food!  But still there are plenty of delicious products grown, made, baked or otherwise created within 20 miles of the store- and, even more when you consider that our WFM definition of local includes all of New England.

This Friday, May 15th, from 5pm until 8pm, we launch our “I’m a Local” program for the summer.  It centers on local produce but also takes in all of the fine jams, sauces, desserts, cheeses, beverages, baked goods and all the other tasty foods from the six states in our corner of the country.  To celebrate, our store will host nine food artisans from Maine and here in Massachusetts.  We’d love to invite you to sample locally-grown lettuces, squash, carrots and such, but the vegetables won’t really begin to come in until next week when we receive our first deliveries of the season from Atlas Organic Farm in South Deerfield.

Fields at Atlas Organic Farm.

(We do have fiddlehead ferns from the banks of the Connecticut River and Backyard Beauty tomatoes from Madison, ME.)

Instead, please join us and sample the creations from these fine folks-

• delicious sauces from Sassy River in Billerica
• fresh chevre from Crystal Brook Farm in Sterling
• fresh salsa by Nahant’s LaMarissa (check out our Demo Guru JP)
• Akara Beancakes from Sunderland
• salad dressings and dips from Cindy’s Kitchen in Brockton
• naturally-sweetened Tommy’s Naked Sodas (Brighton)
• New England beef with DennyMike’s rubs and marinades (York, ME)

Top it all off with sweets from SwissBakers in Reading.  And, finally, take home a treat for your puppy from Polka Dog Bakery right here in the city.

See you Friday.

Cooking for Mom

by Chuck O., May 8, 2009 | Permalink

I was thinking about how many people will be taking their mothers to brunch on Sunday and how many more will be buying flowers for them.  I will probably be doing the same things.  Actually, I will definitely be doing the Mother’s Day brunch thing at Tremont 647 so only the flowers are “probably”.

Anyway, what I was thinking was what if you wanted to do both and were trying to figure out what it would cost you which leads me to a plug for our Double Dozen of Roses for just $19.99.  You can find this and our other specials on our store web page by clicking on the “specials” icon in the upper right hand corner-

If you got the two dozen roses, Mom will love more than your siblings… joking.  It’s not a competition.  The main thing is that you’d have extra money leftover to take her to brunch.  Dad, too, if he’s in town.

All of this aside, I am actually going to recommend that you prepare brunch at home for your mother.  Whether you live alone in a fabulous loft in the South End or with 2 or 3 roommates in JP, I really think Mom would appreciate a home cooked brunch more than restaurant food- especially considering all the meals she’s prepared for you!

You’ll find hundreds of recipes on our web site.  Choose a few simple ones or choose one complex dish and roundout the meal with a couple easier “sides”.

Whatever you prepare, I think you should try to include this amazing coffeecake.  It was developed as a “healthy makeover” in response to a Whole Foods Market customer inquiry and posted on our national blog.  Click on the photo for the recipe.

So, come get the roses and maybe go with simple scambled eggs, cage-free, of course, and bacon or sausage, and perhaps a simple salad of assorted cut fruits- berries look really good today- AND the blueberry coffeecake.  Let us know how things turn out.

After looking at the coffeecake photo and the recipe, I’m thinking of cancelling my reservation.  Happy Mother’s Day!

A dedicated WFM_Symphony follower’s day at the Marathon

by Chuck O., April 17, 2009 | Permalink

DIARY FOR MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2009

8:00am    Wake up, shower, check the news and weather.  Eat part of fresh fruit cup I got at Whole Foods last night.  Good thing they make them there fresh everyday!

8:20am    Hoping for a tweet from WFM_Symphony.

9:00am    Head out the door

9:15am    Meet friends at Whole Foods- Symphony for breakfast.  They have French Toast with Maple Syrup and Bacon and Broccoli Quiche and those great Breakfast Burritos…  and Iggy’s Bagels.  Did you know they hide the little cream cheeses and butter pats by the cream pies?  Almost forgot coffee!  Allegro Breakfast Blend the other day; today????

9:30am    Eat breakfast oustide just staring at the “Husky Card” sign.  I’m glad they got the chairs and tables back out here.  I was tired of sitting on the concrete by the windows.

3 for $10.00

9:45am    Run back inside the store for Newman-O’s on I saw on sale, apples, and water for later.  Other guys are still trying to fiugre out which muffins to get- Glorious Morning or Corn or Apple Streusel.

10:30am  Arrive on Boylston and wait for the runners.  Getting hungry again.

10:45am  Open the Newman-O’s and pass ‘em around.  Drink water.  Eat an apple.  Hand out the rest.

10:55am  Wondering why no WFM_Symphony tweets.  They must not be on Twitter today because of the holiday.

11:00am  Out of food.  Back to WFM.  Pizza’s ready.  Should I get that?  What soups are good?  No soup tweet today.  OK, pizza it is!  Love the “by the pound” price.  I always ask the guy for three dollars’ worth :-).  And a 365 Cola.  Should I have gotten lunch for everyone else?

12:00pm  At the register.  Gumdrops look excellent.  Grapefruit flavor?  Meyer lemon?  Acai?  Pomegranate?  OK, grab a container.  Pizza for me; gumdrops for the rest.

12:30pm So many people out here.  Crowds everywhere.  Got to get back to Boylston to see who wins.

1:00pm  Almost there.

2:00pm  Made it.  I missed the winner?  Where is everyone?  I’ve got pomegranate gumdrops.  Mmmm… worth tweeting about!

2:30pm  Back at Whole Foods in search of what to make for dinner.  Guess I have time to cook.  Deli looks really tempting.  What are all these yellow signs!??!?!?  Madness?  What the-?  Steak tips $4.99?  Beef.  It’s what’s for dinner.  I’ve heard that somewhere before.

2:40pm  In produce now.  Got my steak tips and a bunch of asparagus and some Olivia’s Organic crunchy salad mix and heading for Bakery.

2:45pm  Focaccia!  2 for $5.  I only need one.  That’s just $2.50.  I’m a mathematical genius.

3:00pm  On my way home with a bag full of dinner.  Can’t wait to tweet about this.

You know by now that this might have been written by someone before it actually happened or maybe it didn’t really happen but we think it most likely did happen or may happen to someone.  Anyway, you, too can follow our store on Twitter.com.  We’re WFM_Symphony.

Madness, where everyone’s a winner

by Chuck O., April 15, 2009 | Permalink

Whenever I’m with a group of friends- or strangers- and I mention I work at Whole Foods Market, inevitabley there’s a contest to see who can be the first to shout out something about the high prices at our stores.  Usually, it’s a tie with most everyone a winner since both Whole Foods Market shoppers and non-shoppers are under the impression that our prices are higher than other markets.  Some popular comments-

“I can’t believe how much your seafood costs!” 

“Why is your produce so much more than ____?”

“The pasta salad at your stores is so good but why is it higher than down the street?”

Rather than focus on product differentiation here and the fact that our pasta salad is prepared in the store with pasta we cook and vegetables and a dressing and doesn’t arrive in a “milk carton” container or the fact that our seafood is delivered to us 6 days a week from our own facility in Gloucester, I am going to talk about an event which happens periodically at our stores and is very heavily promoted on the radio.  So, in case you take the T to work or walk or listen to your iPod instead of the radio, I am letting you know that it’s time for the Whole Foods Market

You’ll find avocados at 5 for $5- that’s $1 each for those who are mathematically-challenged- and sirloin tips for $4.99lb.  Mike from our Meat Team says the tips make great fajitas!  Anyway, I challenge you to find products of the same quality at a lower price!  The sirloin tips are $3 off our regular price and $2.30 a pound lower than I saw elsewhere on my way to work this morning.  OK, you may find a deal on avocados on Saturday afternoon at the Haymarket but I guarantee they won’t be as large or in as good a shape as ours.

Continuing, we’ve got extra virgin olive oil from Italy and some sweet and tasty bay scallops plus pasta primavera, crostini, and in-store baked focaccia!  The cool thing is that this sale lasts for two whole weeks so you can stock up over time.  Plus you don’t need a card of any sort and you can purchase as much as you need- so everyone wins… like in the shouting contest my friends enjoyed before Madness began!  (Note:  please call ahead if you need to purchase cases of a product.)

At this point, I assume I’m temporarily out of danger of being beat up for the price of beef at my store this coming weekend.  On second thought, I may not see many of the “Let’s trash the prices at Whole Foods” crowd until the Madness Sale ends.  Chances are they’ll be shopping or enjoying a homemade meal of beef fajitas with fresh guacamole; hopefully, by the time they are done eating, I’ll have access to specials for May.

Definitely not your grandmother’s mint jelly!

by Chuck O., April 8, 2009 | Permalink

Spring.  It’s the time of year for two very important religious holidays.  Passover, during which Jews commemorate the flight of the Israelites from ancient Egypt, is beginning as I type and lasts for 8 days.  On Sunday, Christians will celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  My family tradition is Christian so we celebrate Easter but, since we are also Italian, there’s always been more focus on food than on church.  (The same is true at Chrsitmas, too!)  In this case then, I will write what I know about:  food.  To make things more interesting though, I am going to let my dual roles as Marketing Team Leader and Local Forager guide us through a menu for Easter.

Before we begin planning for dinner, I’ve got two Easter treat ideas for the kids-small or big as the case may be.  Sandra Rhoads of Starlight Creatives in Lynn makes the most amazing all natural, sugar cookies we’ve ever seen or tasted!  Each “theme packet” contains a large and several small hand-decorated treats which will please any child.  Or, choose a chocolate bunny or eggs from Lake Champlain Chocolatier in Burlington, VT.  Easter Shopping Hint:  The selection of both items will be better if you arrive sooner.

Back to dinner.  Although not everyone does, many folks plan Easter dinner around a ham or a leg of lamb so we’ll start in the Meat Department.  If you want to go with a ham, we offer both Wellshire Farms and Niman Ranch.  Looking at the hams, the Wellshire looks more like what my mom prepared for us but I’ve tried the Niman and have to say that it’s lean and tasty.  Unfortunately neither of these is produced in the local area but in places like Iowa and Michigan and Minnesota.  That’s still a little closer than our featured lamb which is from New Zealand.  It’s very tender and is delicious with traditional rosemary and mint preparations.  My final answer here?  Call the store at 617-375-1010 or come on in and talk with Steve or Mike, our Meat Team Leader and Associate, or any member of the team and ask them questions and hear what they have to say!  Ask them for recipe ideas!  These guys- and gal- know what they’re talking about!

Now for the local touch!  Whether you choose ham or lamb you could start with a pasta course the way we Italians do.  Who cares if you won’t be hungry by the time the main course is ready?  Personally, I’d prefer a plate of NJ’s Severino Ricotta Stuffed Shells with Pomodoro & Basilico made right in Somerville by Tessa and Paolo at Sauces ‘n Love.  If you prefer soup, why not try one from our Prepared Foods Department?  Two suggestions:  Carrot & Fennel Bisque or Spring Vegetable Orzo.  Both of these are expertly made at the Whole Foods Kitchens in Everett, MA.

You can serve the salad whenever you’d like; Italians sometimes serve it last- just before dessert.  But can there be such thing as a local salad for Easter when the holiday falls so early in April this year?  Yup.  We’ve got Olivia’s Organic Salad Mixes which are packed locally in Chelsea so to me they seem to stay fresher than the others.  Slice some Backyard Baby Tomatoes from Madison, Maine, and top with your favorite Vermont-made Drew’s All natural Salad Dressing.  Don’t have a favorite yet?  Now’s your chance then.

When that ham or lamb roast is ready to come out of the oven, be sure to have some fruit spreads from Deborah’s Kitchen (Littleton, MA) ready to serve along side.  Deborah, who concocts these recipes and makes them herself in small batches with real fruit and a little sugar and no high fructose corn syrup, suggests the Peach Melba or the award-winning Pear Lime Limbo with lamb.  This is definitely not your grandmother’s Mint Jelly!  I personally think the Apricot Joy would complement a baked ham- either on the side or in a sandwich for lunch on Monday- which would, of course, be made with a local rye bread from When Pigs Fly (York, ME) or Nashoba Brook Bakery (W. Concord, MA).

The day would not be complete without a slice of our famous Easter Egg Cake from the Bread & Circus Bakehouse in Medford.  We’ve got many designs to choose from- all made with real butter and eggs without any artificial colors!  And, to end the meal on a local note make your coffee with beans roasted in Acton by the George H. Howell Coffee Company (GHH) or Jim’s Organic Coffee in W. Wareham.  On Friday, April 10th, between 4:00pm and 7:00pm, Nathaniel from GHH will be here doing a coffee tasting.  Stop by if you can.  Oh, yeah.  did I mention that the Easter Egg Cakes are on sale through Easter Sunday for just $13.99?  That’s $6 off the regular price of $19.99 so buy two and freeze one for Patriot’s Day!  After all, cake is cake.

As I was writing and this was becoming longer, I started thinking about those who might not be celebrating Easter or those who can’t/don’t/or hate to cook.  What will they do?  Another Easter Shopping Hint:  Call us at 617-375-1010 and order a pizza; It should be ready to pick up within 20-30 minutes.  And you can surprise the pizza people by checking the menu online ahead of time!

Whatever you decide, have a Happy Easter… or a Happy Sunday.

The Madness of Whole Foods Market

by Chuck O., March 22, 2009 | Permalink

We’ve all been hearing about the market and its downturn, about banks and other finacial institutions losing money and having to be bailed out, and about certain individuals receiving bonuses in addtition to their salaries.  Certainly those folks earn more than I do and I’d bet more than you do, too.  I’m thinking that many of them don’t do much of their own shopping and haven’t been to a supermarket lately.  Most of us though have begun to pay more attention to prices everywhere- including in the grocery store; I know I have!

I don’t about you but Spring Madness came to our store just in time for me.  If you haven’t already picked up a couple of pineapples at 2 for $5.00 or Split Chicken Breasts for $1.99 a pound, there’s still time as this round of Madness runs through March 31, 2009.  Hey.  And no frowning when you see that the chicken in still on the bone; this actually makes for a tastier end result.  Roasted Chicken Breasts with Romesco Sauce is a recipe you can try next weekend-

(By the way, the recipe photo shows the chicken served with green beans; I acutally bought some today to use in a stir fry tonight with tofu, asparagus, broccoli, and peanut sauce, since they looked really good.  Could spring be on the way?  Maybe?)

And, there’s more than this Madness thing I mentioned!  We’ve still got our weekly specials which are outlined in the flyer available at the front when you enter along with our new flyer for Whole Body, Whole Body Buys!  Both of these flyers run from Wednesday through Tuesday.  Our own 365 Everyday Value brand provides great products at great prices; these are usually highlighted by green-colored More of the Good Stuff for Less tags on the shelf.  Last but not least is the Whole Deal which is filled with money-saving coupons for national brands as well as our own brands, budget conscious recipes for one, two, or four people, plus sasonal savings and other value-themed ideas.  The new issue will be in our store on April 1, but you can still check out current recipes online.

At Whole Foods Market, we know that price is very important but we like to think of value as a combination of price, quality, and amazing customer service.  When you come in to the store it’s hard to miss the bright yellow madness promotional materials and the yellow and red/orange weekly specials and the bright green Everyday Values.  If you cannot locate a flyer or a flyer special or a Madness special or anything else you are looking for though, remember to always ask a Team Member.  Nothing is special or a good deal if you can’t find it!

Dinner, island style

by Chuck O., March 11, 2009 | Permalink

You may be expecting some recipes or at least more about the foods of Hawaii- from the “foodie” tourist point of view to which I’ve already introduced you.  I promise that we’ll arrive there if you can bear with the circuitous route which follows.

Monday afternoon I went to a meeting to learn more about the RAFT Grow Out, a project conceived by the Chefs Collaborative and Slow Food USA to help restore and promote 16 heirloom vegetables in New England.  The program will provide seeds to farmers who will grow these vegetables and, come harvest time, sell them to chefs in Providence, Portsmouth (NH), and Boston who, in turn, will promote them on their restaurant menus.  It’s a really cool idea and we at the Whole Foods Market stores in Boston, Cambridge, and Newton are excited that our 5% Day held last fall is helping to fund the program.

At this time, the Chefs Collaborative is still seeking additional farmer participants in hopes that there will be a greater abundance of vegetables which would enable us to offer them to you in our Produce departments!  If you are an interested farmer in Massachusetts, let us know and we will put you in touch with the Grow Out’s program director.

Back to Hawaii.  So one of the attendees at the meeting, Ilene Bezahler is the publisher of Edible Boston, a magazine in which our company has a presence.  When I was in Maui last month (seemed like years ago as I glanced out at the huge snowflakes Monday), I picked up a copy of Edible Hawaiian Islands, a sister publication to Boston’s.  Although I did notice that there was a Whole Foods Market ad in the magazine (we recently opened a store on Oahu at the Kahala Mall in Honolulu), I was quickly drawn to the recipe photos and, even way back then, knew that I wanted to find some recipes for island cuisine to share in one of my first blogging attempts.

I tried to find some recipes that would seem really authentic to people here in the Boston area.  What foods do people think of when they imagine Hawaii?  In reality, Hawaiians enjoy pork and lots of fresh fruit and fresh fish, but what do we think of as Hawaiian foods?  Pineapples and macadamia nuts; right?  Maybe I’m not giving you enough credit, but my feeling is that many of us first think of these two foods as being very Hawaiian so here are two recipes using them.

Hawaiian Pineapple Stir Fried Rice which you can find on the Edible Hawaiian Islands website and also the recipe which follows which is in their current print issue for Winter 2009.  Both are contributed by Dahlia Haas who also does an amazing job arranging and photographing food for the magazine in addition to creating the recipes!

Wok-Fried Garlic Noodles with Macadamia Nuts

Makes 4 servings

This is a secret family recipe.  Not mine, but from a well-known family restaurant in Los Angeles.  these noodles are the bomb!  I decoded and re-created their recipes in my kitchen.  It took a few visits.  Then I added a few ingredients that i think make this recipe even better!  It’s the finest and most loved dish I make at home.  If you wish, add sauteed shrimp, diced baked tofu, slivers of barbecued pork or seared Chinese sausage.

1 pound thin spaghetti

3 tablespoonsextra virgin olive oil

6 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons minced garlic

3 tablespoons soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, fish sauce or combination

1/2 cup oyster sauce

1-1/2 teaspoons chili oil

Cracked black pepper to taste

2/3 cup minced cilantro

2/3 cup minced scallions

2/3 cup macadamia nuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

-Fill a pasta pot with salted water and bring to rolling boil.  Add pasta.

-While pasta cooks, heat a large wok over medium heat and add butter, olive oil, and garlic; sautee until golden brown.

-When the pasta is al dente, drain in a colander and add pasta to the wok wtih the garlic and the butter/olive oil, tossing to combine.

-Add worcestershire or other sauces, oyster sauce, black pepper, and chili oil.  Toss together so that strands are well coated.  Add more buter if too dry.

-Garnish with minced cilantro, scallions, and macadamia nuts, stirring well to combine.

Note:  To toast macadamia nuts, heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat; add nuts and cook until golden brown, stirring frequently; then chop.  Nuts can be frozen and used as needed.

Again, thanks to Dahlia Haas for the recipes; I hope the time it took to get to them was well spent.  Enjoy.  Aloha.

Aloha, bring on the snow!

by Chuck O., February 28, 2009 | Permalink

I just returned from a Hawaiian vacation.  I consider myself to be very lucky to have a sister who has lived on Maui for over 10 years.  A vacation in Hawaii for the just the price of a plane ticket (yay, a free place to stay!) is something to be thankful for and I am.  But, we in New England have much to appreciate as I will soon explain but back to aloha for a bit.

Hawaiians use the word aloha in many instances.  Most of us know aloha as hello or good-bye.  Truly though, it is all about spirit and grace and the Hawaiian way of life which is different in so many ways from ours on the mainland.  For me, perhaps aloha has been the force that has drawn me back to Hawaii many times even though I am not really a beach person.

So, here we are again, back in Maui.  Imagine sitting at a restaurant with your feet in the sand as you look out across the aquamarine water at the neighboring islands of Lanai and Molokai.  It’s 80 degrees.  Keep in mind that it’s February.  Your grilled fish sandwich (today it’s Ono) arrives and it’s delicious- as delicious as it would have been last September had you been here and as delicious as it would be in June if you ordered it then!

So here’s my point!  For some, this is a dream.  For me, after two weeks, it becomes “island fever”, a condition which affects many mainlanders when they feel they have exhausted all the benefits exotic, tropical island life has to offer.  For us, just-caught seafood and mai tai’s and lava flows and even that heavenly feeling of aloha can’t keep us from craving winter’s hot chicken soup or a bowl of thick and gooey oatmeal.  After two weeks, I miss the smell of baking chocolate chip cookies in my own kitchen.  I actually like having to drink coffee to stay warm on the walk to work and not simply to savor the fine aromas from a cup of steaming kona made with just roasted beans.

OK, it’s actually pretty cool to see red coffee beans growing on the bush but there’s something to treasure about winter in Boston.  It’s the perfect time to make a pan of lasagne with fresh ricotta and not care if the house heats up.  Better yet, run to our store now and pick up a beef sirloin roast at a great price during our Winter Madness Sale (through March 3) and prepare a hearty dinner to enjoy while you watch snow blanket the city once again this week.  Aloha!

(Note:  I mentioned my vacation in Hawaii.  I promise to torment you for the next week or two with some food memories from Maui.  And, for the record, it does snow on occasion on Maui at the summit of the Haleakala Volcano.)

Will Blog for Chocolate!

by Chuck O., January 29, 2009 | Permalink

So here goes.  My first attempt at this blogging thing.  All along I’ve been wondering why people would want to read about what some other ordinary person has to say about anything.  Who cares?  Hah!  Now I’m expecting you to read what I’m writing.  I guess the big difference here is that I’m writing about something which I know is as near and dear to everyone else as it is to me- chocolate.  Specifically, Chocolate Fest!

For those who’ve been to this event here at our store in the past, you know what I’m talking about.  Right?  Spread the word.  Tell everyone you know what to expect.  Where else can one go and be bombarded by unending samples of chocolate bars and chocolate sauces?  Is there anywhere besides Whole Foods Market where people would actually hound you to sample a rich dark chocolate truffle or to please try this cup of chocolate chocolate chip frozen yogurt?  And no sooner have you found a place to dispose of your tiny cup and spoon (please not on the soup station!) when one of the chocolate experts from our Specialty Team is standing there with a cup of steaming hot Allegro drinking chocolate from somewhere in Africa that you cannot remember exactly because you are starting to feel that sugar high, similar to but much more refined and specifically chocolate-focused, than the one you used to experience after a long night of trick or treating on Halloween.

Anyway, the Whole Foods Market Chocolate Fest has become a hugely anticipated extravaganza each year here in the Boston area.  It’s bittersweet for some (the pun is fully intended) as it means that Valentine’s Day is fast approaching; we’ll talk about that another day, another place maybe?  Probably not.  But, for those who rush into the store after a daily workout at the gym- still in shorts- because a little taste certainly won’t do any harm, and for the vast number of students who leave the dining halls of Northeastern and BU and other places immediately after dinner to congregate around the tasting stations, thankful that some darker chocolate is even vegan, Chocolate Fest has become something in which to indulge- regardless of one’s feelings about Valentine’s Day.  After all, whatever one thinks of the love connected with the holiday, who doesn’t love chocolate?

Here at the store, we are thrilled to have chocolate vendors lined up on Westland Avenue all the way to Symphony Hall anxious to provide you with samples of their creations but since we only have so many Team Members to hand them out and so much space in our store that we actually began dividing the Symphony store Chocolate Fest in half.  Chocolate Fest will be held at Whole Foods Market- Symphony on Thursday, February 5^th this year.  We will  present half the chocolate products at lunchtime from noon until 2:00pm and then start again at 5:00pm and sample until we run out, usually around 7:00pm.

We’re happy to be joined this year by several local vendor reps- from Dancing Deer Baking Company in Hyde Park and Sweet Scoops Frozen Yogurt in Portsmouth, NH- who will be helping us out.  You can meet them in person and sample their products.   I can’t forget our other special guests.  Junior and Maryann from Betty’s Wok & Noodle Diner will be on hand starting at 5:00pm to share tastes of their tantalizing Banana Bomba dessert.  So we’ll see you at noon.  Or five.  Or perhaps both times?

One last thing.  Here’s a link to our Guide to Chocolate in case you want to study up before you get here-

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/guides/chocolate.php

OK.  I know what you’re thinking..  For someone who had nothing to say that would interest anyone else…