At Whole Foods Market, our local producers – and their products – are truly one-of-a kind. And recipients of our Local Producer Loan Program are no different! From kombucha and raw chocolate to vegan ice cream and sticky toffee pudding, their products reflect the variety that makes our stores such wonderful places to shop. Here are a few of the most unique!

Alaska’s Bakery

Owner: Noreen Naidus

Location: Las Vegas, Nevada

Product: Organic dog treats

No, Whole Foods Market hasn’t opened a store in Anchorage or Fairbanks! Alaska’s Bakery is named after owner Noreen Naidus’s dog, Alaska. Noreen started Las Vegas-based Alaska’s Bakery in 2007, after having discovered that the organic treats she baked for her dog were popular with others. She has been selling to our stores for about two years. Noreen is using her loan for marketing, ingredients and packaging, which will help her expand her business.

Gourmè Mist

Owners: Sherene Costanzo and Simona Bunin

Location: Coral Springs, Florida

Product: Oil misters
I know from personal experience that a heavy hand on the oil bottle can totally ruin a meal. So I think that Gourmè Mist is a great idea: eco-friendly misters for oils and vinegars. Some are even organic! And even better: Sherene and Simona are using their loan funds to extend the line into packets of oil and vinegar for food service.

BTTR Ventures

Owners: Alex Velez and Nikhil Arora

Location: Emeryville, California

Product: Mushrooms and mushroom kits

So, two recent college grads growing mushrooms in a warehouse using leftover coffee grounds (some from our Allegro cafés!) is cool. Using the waste product from those ’shrooms for compost is very cool. But grow-your-own-mushroom kits using those same recycled coffee grounds? That’s just awesome! And that’s what BTTR (pronounced “better”) Ventures does. BTTR stands for “Back To The Roots”, and these two Berkeley grads certainly embody that spirit. Their loan will help them purchase equipment and expand into a larger space, so that more of our customers can grow their own.

ImagiPLAY

Owner: Barbera Aimes

Location: Boulder, Colorado

Product: Earth-friendly toys

Ever needed an eco-yo-yo, a wooden fruit cutting set, or a hedgehog rattle? ImagiPLAY has you covered! Not only are Barbera’s wooden toys environmentally responsible, but they will also stimulate your child’s mind while they are having fun. ImagiPLAY’s loan has helped them expand their inventory to serve even more of our stores. Which is a good thing, because, really, what kid doesn’t want Counting Penguins or a Puff the Alphabet Dragon?

How fun to read Lewis Lazare’s review Whole Foods ads escape from the ordinary in the Chicago Sun-Times. Here are a few excerpts from that review along with the five “out-of-the-ordinary TV commercials” he watched. Fun stuff! Hats off to our new Schaumburg store team members for a great job.

“…Perhaps because it has always tried not to be part of the pack, Whole Foods turned to the very offbeat ad man Vinny Warren and his Escape Pod/Chicago agency to develop a new ad campaign for the launch this month of Whole Foods’ newest Chicago area store in Schaumburg, which, for the purposes of this campaign, has been dubbed the “freshest Whole Foods store in the whole world.” A bit of a stretch, for sure, but the tag line is certain to grab viewers’ attention.

…In this Whole Foods campaign, Warren has simply put employees in front of a camera in the store and let them talk about their areas of expertise, including olives, flowers, bread, sausages and fish. Even though Warren appears to be playing it exceedingly straight in these spots, something about them — perhaps the slightly off-center personality of each Whole Foods staffer — keeps the viewer off-balance and half-expecting something odd to happen at any second. Nothing ever does, but after watching all five, we felt as if we had just seen very out-of-the-ordinary TV commercials.

…Our favorite of the lot is fishmonger Ryan Stover, who offers an explanation of how Whole Foods tracks the route each fish takes from wherever it is caught to whatever store it lands in. In the wrong hands, this could have been dry stuff, indeed. But the jovial Stover, holding up a giant halibut while he talks excitedly, makes it riveting. Amusing too. And yes, a little strange. But in a delightful sort of way.”

The cookout season is upon us, and we can’t wait to fire up the grill and get ready for summer entertaining! If you’re in need of a refresher on tips and general grilling how-to info, check out our grilling guide.

Here are some recipes for summer get-togethers that will be on our menus all season long:

Veggie Options

• Grilled Tempeh
• Grilled Veggie and Goat Cheese Wraps
• Teriyaki Tofu

Chicken and Meat Ideas

• Cedar-Grilled Flat Iron Steaks with Coffee Rub
• Grilled Chicken Salad with Peach-Pecan Vinaigrette
• Grilled Steak with Thai Summer Salad
• Honey Mustard Chicken and Veggie Kabobs
• Korean-Style Steak with Vegetables
• Spicy Grilled Peach and Chicken Kabobs
• Whole Grilled Chicken

Seafood Possibilities

• Grilled Salmon with Sweet Corn and Avocado Salad
• Grilled Tuna Nicoise Salad
• Linguine with Grilled Shrimp and Arugula-Parsley Pesto

Summery Sides to Serve with Grilled Foods

• Beet and Mint Slaw
• Corn on the Cob with Feta and Herbs
• German-Style Potato Salad
• Grilled Zucchini with Kalamata Vinaigrette
• Napa Cabbage Slaw with Miso Dressing
• Red Potato and Asparagus Salad
• Summer Baked Beans
• Summer Salad with Peach-Walnut Dressing
• Sweet Corn and Black Bean Salad
• Sweet Corn Soup with Peaches

A Sweet Ending or Two

• Raw Berry Crisp
• Coconut Milk Ice Cream
• No-Cook Cherry Vanilla Pudding with Lemon Wafers

Thirst-Quenching Quaffers

• Double Grape Slushies
• Peach Berry Iced Tea
• Sangria Coolers
• Watermelon Lemonade

We know what we’re making…do you? We want to know what have you been waiting all winter to grill?

Happy Grilling!

When it comes to celebrating the pastoral perfection of the early summer blooms, peonies often herald the warmer months’ arrival. As any flower grower will tell you, these highly sought after treasures enjoy a brief yet spectacular season. Typically starting in the last week of April to the first week of May (depending on when Mother Nature makes the call), peonies make their final appearance by mid to late June. With their lush petals, light fragrance and sense of rustic luxury, these blossoms have cemented their place in the hearts of brides, moms and floral devotees everywhere!

One of our partners in bringing these splendid blooms to you is the Van Staalduinen family at The Terra Ceia Farms. In 1938, Leendert Van Staalduinen left Holland with his wife, Cornelia, and their ten children. After a five-year stay in Ontario, Canada due to war-time immigration policies, their paperwork was finally in order and in 1943, the family arrived in Pantego where they established The Terra Ceia Farms. This part of North Carolina was originally known as dense swampland and literally translates as “heavenly earth” — all that decaying organic matter made for ideal growing conditions. Now in the hands of the 3rd generation, brothers Carl, Mark and Casey Van Staalduinen have watched their family business grow to include 1250 acres devoted to row crops, and 250 acres devoted to cut flowers and nursery bulbs.

Our friends in the peony business aren’t just on the east coast but spread throughout the United States — Van der Salm Bulb Farms located in Woodland, Washington; Holland America Flowers in Nimpo, California; and Star Valley Farms in Madison, Wisconsin, just to name a few. Each farm, regardless of location, takes great care to ensure that their peonies are packed with their customers’ enjoyment in mind.

There is still time to take pleasure in the fleeting beauty of spring… but it won’t be long before the heat of summer comes calling, and more sturdy (though no less beautiful) flowers take their place in the limelight!

I remember the first time I ever tasted a radish. My mom was eating them raw with her sandwich and offered me a bite. With no warning! Being a culinary-curious child, I reasoned that as long as it wasn’t an internal organ, it was my human duty to try it. Oh my! After the initial shock, I was certain I would never repeat that experience.

Fast forward and I have long-since befriended that “evil” radish! Undoubtedly, it was my introduction to the Japanese Daikon radish that was responsible for my turnaround. The Daikon was just the beginning, though, and I quickly learned to love the pungent crispy flavor and the versatility of lots of different radishes. I enjoy pairing them with salads, sandwiches and side dishes, and I eat them raw, cooked and pickled.

The radish is an edible root and a member of the cruciferous vegetable family. That makes it a cousin to kale, broccoli, cauliflower, mustard, turnips and others. It was originally domesticated in Europe during the pre-Roman era. These days, radishes are grown and enjoyed all over the world. They come in a rainbow of colors including red, white, purple and black. Some are small and round and some are long and cylindrical. They range in flavor from mild to very spicy and pungent.

So, you already know they pack a pungent punch, but did you know how good they are for you? They have antioxidants, which help protect against free radical damage and help protect the immune system. And like other members of the cruciferous family, they deliver isothiocyanates, compounds that may help the liver to detoxify. Eating the whole radish plant insures a high intake of vitamin C because the leaves contain nearly six times more than the root. Remember that cooking can destroy vitamin C, so when possible, enjoy your radishes and their leaves raw.

Read the rest of this entry »

Its creamy texture and light and tangy flavor make goat cheese a perfect cheese for spring and summer.

We’re thinking about goat cheese in seasonal salads, dips, frittatas and more.  Try some of our favorite recipes starring this delightful cheese:

Starters

• Herb and Garlic Goat Cheese Dip
• Moroccan Spiced Goat Cheese
• Herb-Crusted Goat Cheese

Salads and Sides

• Berry Goat Cheese Salad
• Watermelon Salad with Tomatoes, Goat Cheese and Basil
• Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Salad
• Steak and Goat Cheese Salad
• Spinach and Strawberry Salad with Goat Cheese
• Green Beans with Goat Cheese, Bacon and Cranberries

Main Dishes

• Grilled Veggie and Goat Cheese Wraps
• Goat Cheese Zucchini Frittata
• Goat Cheese and Leek Quiche
• Savory Fig and Goat Cheese Tart with Arugula

For more tips and recipes using goat cheese, check out our handy guide.

What’s your favorite way to enjoy goat cheese? Tell us in the comments below!

With cookout season around the corner it’s time to start rounding up great recipes for summer get-togethers. What hot dog and burger cookout is complete without baked beans? It’s easy enough to heat a few cans of prepared baked beans — and there are plenty of great canned options in our aisles that meet our exacting quality standards — but have you ever made baked beans from scratch?

We think our version of Classic Baked Beans is pretty awesome! It’s not a very complicated dish and you can choose to cook your beans or simply use canned white beans. Here’s what we think are the keys to great baked beans:

• Building blocks of flavor: bacon (optional) and onion
• Something sweet:  brown sugar and molasses
• Something tangy: apple cider vinegar
• Something complex: chili powder, dry mustard, tomato paste
• Great beans: Navy beans or Great Northerns are the classic choice for baked beans, but you could try other white beans or any bean for that matter.

Try our Best Ever Classic Baked Beans and see what you think for yourself. Judging from the comments posted on this recipe, we’re not alone in our high assessment of these homemade baked beans. “My all time favorite baked beans!” wrote HLTX and Yashieka said: “The BEST Baked Beans ever! I used 4 different beans and it came out FABULOUS!” Pretty high praise. Think you can top that? We’d like to see you try!

We want to know: what’s your best ever recipe for baked beans? Share your great baked bean recipes and suggestions for what makes baked beans great in the comments below. Let’s see who can claim bragging rights.

Happy summer cooking!

Grilling never gets old…and neither do great grilling tips! Here’s an encore presentation of our favorite grilling tips blog post to help you avoid those grill-gone-wrong experiences that are so humbling. Read on and learn from the masters (um, that’s not me…I gathered these tips from our experts!). And if you feel like sharing, let us know about your worst grilling nightmare. It’s always fun to commiserate together!

Grill Tips

• Clean your grill, especially the rack, before each use.
• Oil the rack prior to heating to prevent sticking.
• The area of the fire needs to be wider than the area of the food you’re grilling.
• Preheat your charcoal grill and don’t skimp on the charcoal. Light the coals at least 30 minutes before you plan to begin cooking. Do not put foods on the grill until the fire dies down to glowing coals. (Real hardwood charcoal will always have a small flame, even when ready.)
• Even gas grills need to preheat. Turn on the flame at least 15 minutes before putting food over the fire.

Veggies and Fruits

• Use a light brushing of oil on vegetables and fruits to help prevent sticking. The use of non-stick grates, foil packets or a grilling basket lightly coated with oil can also be helpful.
• As a general rule, don’t peel vegetables before grilling—you’ll get more nutrients and enjoy a smokier flavor. Leave the husk on corn to act as a natural insulator, keeping the steam in and preventing the corn from drying out.

Poultry

• Thin pieces of poultry can be cooked over direct heat; larger pieces of chicken should be cooked over indirect heat.
• Pick up a butterflied whole chicken (backbone removed) from the meat counter. Flatten chicken and grill about 15 minutes per side. Check out our detailed recipe for Whole Grilled Chicken.

Beef/Pork

• Use direct heat for sausages, chops, steaks and hamburgers.
• Use indirect heat for roasts and larger cuts of meat.
• Slash the edges of steaks and chops on the diagonal, about ¼ inch into the center to prevent the edges from curling.
• Start sausage off on high heat to get a really nice char on the outside, then move sausage to a cooler part of the grill to finish cooking through.

Seafood

• Oil fish well with a neutral-flavored oil to help keep it moist.
• Once you put fish on the grill, don’t touch it for at least three minutes. A crust needs to form on the outside, which will allow the fish to naturally pull away from the grates.
• Fish is naturally tender and should not sit in an acid-based marinade (like lemon juice) for longer than 20 minutes, or it will start to “cook” the fish, turning it mushy.

Quick Tip: Wait to brush on any sugar-based barbecue sauce or other ingredients until the final 5-10 minutes of grilling. This allows the charcoal flavor to penetrate your food first, and prevents the sauce from becoming charred black.

Looking for more tips? We’ve got lots more in our Guide to Grilling.

Looking for grilling inspiration? Check out our recipes for the grill.

Confession time: What was your worst grilling nightmare? Was the food edible? Did your guests revolt? Please share!

Chesapeake Greenhouse – Sudlersville, Maryland
John Maniscalco grows a delectable array of lettuces in a controlled greenhouse environment in Sudlersville, Maryland, using the most recent technologies in soil health and hydroponic growing.  This system allows John to provide lettuces year-round to Whole Foods Market, get high density production, use energy more efficiently and lower water consumption.

Congrats to Oscar whose comment (#414) was randomly selected to win the $25 gift card. Thanks to everyone who shared their ideas for the best dog toppings!

———————

Lawn chair dining and hot dogs were meant for each other. It’s about the easiest food you can eat with one hand and your feet propped up. Plus, it frees up the other hand for an ice-cold beverage, a beach ball or a high-five. Oh yeah, and most kids and kids-at-heart love them. (Read on for a chance to win a $25 gift card.)

But things can get downright serious when it comes to topping a dog. My favorites are the classic trio: ketchup, yellow mustard and pickle relish, always in that order. But my classic is blasphemy to others. “Ketchup on a hot dog?” they gasp. “Oh, no!”

Take the “Chicago Style” dog. It’s often referred to as being “dragged through the garden” because it’s loaded with toppings – mustard, onion, sweet pickle relish, tomatoes, pickled peppers, a dill pickle spear and celery salt – but never, never ketchup. Then there’s the “Coney Island” dog that actually originated in the Midwest.  It’s smothered in a beanless, all-meat chili, diced yellow onion and yellow mustard. But if you’re eating a hot dog on Coney Island then it’s probably topped with mustard, sauerkraut and maybe some sweet onion sauce.

If you’ve avoided hot dogs since you were a kid because you’re not sure what’s in ‘em, here are our tips on picking the top dog.

• Don’t overdo it with preservatives. We only sell “uncured” hot dogs, which means they don’t contain added synthetic sodium nitrite.
• Our hot dogs are held to the same high standards as all our other products. They’re made with meat from animals raised without antibiotics or added growth hormones. And they’re not stuffed with additives and fillers. (FYI – Federal regulations prohibit the use of hormones in raising pork, bison and poultry.)
• There really is a dog for everyone, regardless of dietary preference: beef (grass-fed and organic choices, too), pork, turkey, chicken, meatless, even a whole small zucchini!

What about the bun?

• If you’re not willing to give up the classic soft white bun, you can still get the most out of your food dollar by choosing a white bun made from untreated flour and no artificial flavors or preservatives.
• If you want to get even more nutrient value for your money, go for whole wheat or sprouted whole-grain buns. Keep in mind that “wheat” is not the same as “whole wheat.”
• You can even choose a bun that’s not a bun. Try sliced bread (look for whole wheat or sprouted whole grain here, too), whole-grain pitas or corn tortillas.

So what hot dog toppings are tops in your book? By May 26^th, enter a comment letting us know how you top your dog, and we’ll choose a random winner to receive a $25 gift card.

A fun way to use some of that loot is to host a budget-friendly backyard cookout and set out an assortment of condiments for a dress-your-own hot dog bar. Use The Whole Deal value guide to plan your summer party. With over $40 in coupons, budget tips and simple warm-weather recipes you’ll be able to relax and enjoy, in your lawn chair with your feet propped up.