I work in a part of Whole Foods Market that our customers probably don’t think about very much – one of our regional distribution centers. Here in Maryland, my facility stocks and moves most of the product that you find on the shelves in our Mid-Atlantic Region stores. We’re moving pallets of food around all day and we do that with a lot of forklifts and pallet jacks.

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Did you know October is Fair Trade Month? We’re celebrating with Fairhills Bus Stop Red and Bus Stop White. Both of these wines are products of one of the world’s largest Fair Trade projects, a joint venture between exporter, Origin Wine, Mendoza Vineyards in Argentina and Du Toitskloof Winery in South Africa. Over 1,400 farm employees and their families benefit from this unique social development project.

The Fairhills Bus Stop Red is full-bodied with aromas of berry fruit and chocolate and hints of plum on the lingering palate. It goes great with fall and winter dishes like hearty soups and stews, grilled meats like pork loin and lamb chops or pastas in red sauce. You don’t have to take our word for it’s great taste – The Beverage Institute’s World Wine Championships awarded it the Gold Medal. And what makes this wine taste even better? Proceeds are dedicated to purchasing a school bus for the children of the over 800 farm employees and communities of San Martin, Lavalle and Medrano in Mendoza, Argentina.

If you’re in the mood for something a little on the lighter side, try the Fairhills Bus Stop White. It has a creamy acidity on the palate with flavors of apricot and melon and aromas of lemon grass on the nose with a hint of spice. You can enjoy it with shellfish, grilled trout and vegetables, poached salmon or chicken dishes. This one brought home the Silver Medal in the World Wine Championships. Plus it will be so much more enjoyable knowing that proceeds from this wine are dedicated to purchasing a small bus to transport tourists from the city to the communities.

So raise a glass to Fair Trade this month and know that you have impacted the lives of over 1400 farm employees and their families. Salud! Cheers!

Have you heard about The Prince’s Rainforests Project? His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales is asking everyone to help send the world’s biggest SOS on behalf of the rainforests before the international climate change meetings are held by the United Nations in Copenhagen this December.

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Whole Foods Market was one of the major sponsors of Fun and Fit in the City, part of the Food Network New York City Wine and Food Festival last weekend. Fun and Fit in the City is a groundbreaking event focusing on family health, nutrition and fitness and took place at the Harlem Children’s Zone, an innovative and unique community-based organization, offering education, social services and community building programs to children and families since 1970. Over 700 community members participated in the health expo featuring Chef Ann Cooper, local vendors Red Jacket Orchards, Honest Tea and Munchies Cookies, and a rooftop garden tour for children with vegetable lifecycle and composting stations. A panel discussion on Healthy Eating was moderated by Tara Parker-Pope of the New York Times, with special appearances by NBA star Allan Houston, Rachael Ray and Dr. Mehmet Oz. The panel discussion was preceded by Former President Bill Clinton who addressed the crowd on the topics of diabetes and obesity facing the community.

Whole Foods Market, in partnership with Weight Watchers and Share Our Strength(R), also sponsored the Good Food Gardens that were installed permanently at the Harlem Children’s Zone rooftop providing sustainable healthy food options for children and a platform for nutritional education.

Since we all couldn’t be there for this fun event, we’ll share some of it with you in pictures. A thousand words, don’t you know?

It’s October and that means it’s pumpkin ale time in the beer world. Check your local store to discover which of these delightful brews are available in your neck of the woods.

Wolaver’s Certified Organic Will Stevens’ Pumpkin Ale

This adventure began back in 1997 when Wolaver’s embarked on the mission to brew their beer in a sustainable way. It was one of the first certified organic breweries in the nation and simply put, its mission is to brew great beer and to support organic agriculture. Will Stevens’ Pumpkin Ale is brewed with organic pumpkins grown by Will Stevens and his wife Judy at their farm in Shoreham, Vermont – less than 10 miles from the brewery. With every sip of this amber ale characterized by a hint of pumpkin and baking spices, you will be supporting Wolaver’s local agricultural ecosystem – beer that will warm your body and soul!

• Produced at a brewery working to minimize environmental impact, supporting organic agriculture.
• Well balanced amber ale with a hint of pumpkin and spices.
• Pairs well with cheesecake or other desserts.

Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale

The adventure began in the historic seaport city of Portsmouth, New Hampshire in 1994. Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale is a tribute to the craft and heritage of America’s brewers. It is brewed with the addition of real pumpkin to the mash, along with traditional spices. With aromas of cinnamon and hops and a full-bodied, roasted malt flavor and hints of pumpkin, this is a true American original that pairs exceptionally well with many autumn dishes such as squash casseroles, hearty stews, as well as your Thanksgiving feast.

• The nose is full of spice, mostly cinnamon, with hints of the Liberty hops lending itself to a full flavor with a nice bitterness yet balanced with the roasted malts.
• The taste lingers into a nice dry spicy, hoppy finish that stays with you without being overbearing.
• A unique blend of spicing and hop goodness backed with just enough malt sweetness to bring it all into balance.

Buffalo Bill’s Brewery Pumpkin Ale

The adventure started in 1983 in Hayward, California, when Bill Owens started one of the first brewpubs in America. Owens began adding unique ingredients to his beers after learning that George Washington was a home brewer who used pumpkin. Today, the Seasonal Pumpkin Ale carries on that tradition – brewed with real pumpkin, cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg and has been referred to as “Pumpkin Pie in a Bottle.”

• America’s Original Pumpkin Ale handcrafted for 25 years.
• At the brewery they serve “Pumpkin Roca.” Rim a wine glass with lime dip in finally chopped spiced roasted pumpkin seeds, fill with Pumpkin Ale, and enjoy!!
• Golden amber to orange in color with a rich head. It has aromas of pumpkin pie with distant pumpkin spice flavor and malt character.
• Pumpkin Ale is wonderful with all fall foods like roasted turkey, sweet potatoes, cranberries and nuts. It is perfectly paired with the traditional Thanksgiving meal.

Dogfish Head Punkin Ale

The adventure began in 1995 in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Dogfish Head Brewery was borne out of the idea that beer can be food-friendly and worthy of ageing like wine, and it continues to maintain its commitment to quality and to developing “off-centered ales for off-centered people.’” The seasonal Punkin Ale is a lush, smooth, and full-bodied brown ale brewed with pumpkin, organic brown sugar, and all-natural spices including allspice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. It was originally named after a local “off-centered” event – the annual World Championship Punkin’ Chunkin’ that takes place the weekend after Halloween in which teams compete to build machines that hurl pumpkins through the air.

• Full-bodied brown ale with smooth hints of pumpkin and brown sugar. Pairs well turkey, roasted duck, lamb, stuffing, and dessert dumplings.
• It’s also a great cooking beer – Perfect for beer bread and for soups/stews!

October brings shorter days and a chill to the air along with the final harvest in most parts of the U.S. Out of that final harvest comes an item I look forward to every year with great anticipation: pumpkins! Yes, pumpkins and winter squashes have arrived and Halloween is not far behind. Like every year I gear up for the one day I get to practice my hand at a fleeting but wonderful art form – Halloween pumpkin carving!

Our home garden crop

Our home garden crop was harvested a few weeks ago from our “mystery bed” – seeds we saved from our favorite jack-o-lanterns the year prior. My son Aidan nursed our prize winner through the summer, feeding it every few weeks and watering it every day until we wrestled the 125 pounder out of the garden along with the rest of our harvest (which totaled 21 medium-sized and 50 or so smaller squashes and pumpkins). It’s also time to harvest the compost from our last halloween. What’s left of the 46 pumpkins we carved last season is now a rich, dark humus; ready to feed our fall and spring gardens.

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Every month, we are pleased to add many new products to our shelves that have passed the testing and tasting and met our strict Quality Standards. And each month, we choose a dozen or so to call to your attention. Look for the “what’s new” poster and shelf signs for new products — or new varieties of old favorites — that we think you’ll especially enjoy.

Cascal
Non-Alcoholic Effervescent Sodas
Upgrade your lunch or dinner with handcrafted Cascal, an ingeniously delicious bubbly born in France and fermented for a “grown-up” taste. Available in Crisp White, Light Red and Fine Dry.

Coconut Secret
Organic Coconut Aminos
Made from the nutrient-rich “sap” of the coconut tree, these are raw, gluten-free, sugar-free and vegan alternatives to soy sauce, dressings and marinades with less sodium and more beneficial ingredients.

Dr. McDougall’s
Ready-to-Serve Soups
Delicious and filling with whole pieces of vegetables, beans and pasta, but limited calories and salt. BPA-free, eco-friendly packaging sourced from FSC certified forests. Try Lentil, Vegetable, Black Bean, Chunky Tomato, Split Pea, Minestrone and Roasted Pepper. Read the rest of this entry »

Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes at your local Whole Foods Market? From my vantage point as a Store Team Leader there is never a dull moment, and my team is always working hard to bring our customers the best food and customer service experience possible. Here’s a recent day in my Whole life.

7:30am: I arrive at the store bright and early but am far from the first to clock in. Did you know that many of our team members are already hard at work at 5am? The first thing I do is walk around the store, check in with my team members, and see if any problems have arisen overnight. First issue of the day: the cold drink case is making a loud humming noise and leaking water. I poke around a bit and determine I’ll need a professional. I make a call – the technician will be in later today.

8:00am: We are open! I unlock the doors and let the customers in. As I continue to walk the floor and talk with team members I come across another obstacle for the morning – my Prepared Foods Team Leader, Jimmy, tells me he has a team member whose car won’t start. He won’t be able to make it to work, so we need to find someone to help out in his department. We make some calls and, fortunately, we find some help. Read the rest of this entry »

To heck with all those doubters who think kids won’t eat healthy food! Not only will they eat it, but they’ll cook it too! Culinary arts and home economic students from Houston’s Barbara Jordan High School, Louie Welch Middle School and Eleanor Tinsley Elementary competed in a “Top Chef” style competition to create healthy, yummy school lunches. Chef Ann Cooper, “The Renegade Lunch Lady,” came to help and got her hands dirty teaching the kids proper technique and encouraging them in creating their culinary creations. The kids formed teams of five to six students so that each school was represented in each group. The older kids mentored the younger ones and they all had a hand in creating some delicious food.

After all the kitchen hustle and bustle was done, Cooper was joined by fellow chefs — Mark Holley, executive chef at Pesce; Monica Pope of T’afia and founder of the Midtown Farmers Market; and Houston ISD Executive Chef Jon Guimond — who raved about the professionalism and pure culinary talent the “chefs of tomorrow” exhibited. Congrats to Team One who came out on top in this first annual competition. In spring of 2010, all of the students in the Houston Independent School District will experience the winning lunch menu of sautéed marinated chicken, whole grain rice, sautéed mixed vegetables, rosemary roast potatoes and organic yogurt with cucumber, watermelon and strawberries. Makes you want to try a school lunch, doesn’t it?!

Kimberly Crowder is our Houston Media and Community Relations Coordinator.

Oktoberfest has been held every year in Munich, Germany for almost 200 years. The first fest was not really a festival, but a celebration of the wedding of Crown Prince Luitpold I and Princess Theressa of Bavaria. They celebrated with beer and wurst (sausages). These days, an astonishing ten million pints of beer and more than 3/4 million sausages are consumed annually at this festival.

Here are some of our fave Beer and Brat pairings: Read the rest of this entry »