Okay, here’s our share of the wings, where’s yours? ;) All pics given courtesy of Whole Foods Market.
Broncos vs. Panthers. 2/7/16. SB50. You down with that?
Even if your favorite team didn’t make it to the final game of the year, we say don’t worry. That’s because Whole Foods has shared with us some pretty awesome things: Continue reading
#doit
Update: make sure you bring cash with you for the cheese melts!
Here’s a collaboration of awesome proportions, coming together to help make a difference and to melt away poverty. Just come by Two Roads Brewery in Stratford from 12 to 7 pm this Sunday, 3/30, drink some brews and eat some grilled cheese sandwiches. Yeah, that’s a pretty easy way to help out, huh?
If you’re into the specifics, Two Roads will donate .50 for each pint that you sell and Whole Foods Market of Fairfield will be donating all their profits from the cheese melt sales (cash only) directly to the Whole Planet Foundation. Here is a description of this worthy charity from their site:
“Whole Planet Foundation is a private, nonprofit organization established by Whole Foods Market. We provide grants to microfinance institutions in Asia, Africa, the Americas and the Middle East, who in turn develop and offer microenterprise loan programs, training and other financial services to the self-employed poor.”
Also, don’t forget to tweet up @WholeFoodsFAI and let them know how you “melt away poverty.” Make sure to use #meltawaypoverty in your tweet. By doing this, you’ll be entered into a contest to win a $50 Whole Foods gift card and some highly coveted Two Roads tour passes…plus, it’s also great to spread the word about helping out.
Two Roads Brewery
Melt Away Poverty
12-7 pm on 3/30/14
Address: 1700 Stratford Avenue
Stratford, CT
We know the typical options for yogurt at your grocery store: vanilla, vanilla with crumbly things, vanilla with fruity things, and vanilla with swirls of artificial fruit-like syrup! Oh yum! But, when’s the last time that you had Carrot, Tomato, Beet, or Butternut Squash yogurt?
If you’ve been to Blue Hill in NYC or Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Pocantico Hills, then you might recognize those flavors. That’s because both amazingly famous and popular restaurants specialize in these savory yogurt flavors and people can’t seem to get enough of them. It all began for them when they created their luxuriously decadent and beautiful Savory Granola with Beet Yogurt dish. Now you won’t have to go to their restaurant just to get the yogurt anymore. You’ll just need to head out to Whole Foods in NY, NJ, and now Whole Foods Market in Danbury and Greenwich to get a cup of Blue Hill Yogurt.
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When Whole Foods Market presented us with the challenge of building a recipe around a secret ingredient from their upcoming Madness sales, we were totally game. We waited (impatiently) a month to find out what our ingredient would be. Would it be something easy to cook with, something we liked, something we hated, or something weird like burdock or smoked eel? Well, we found out a couple of weeks ago that our secret ingredient was shrimp, which would be featured in the first week of their sales. At first we were a bit unsure what to do because the shrimp we were asked to use was pre-cooked, cleaned, and then frozen. But, a flash of inspiration crashed down and we knew that we had to make a bright, citrusy, and refreshing ceviche.
Kristien’s handiwork in our kitchen…
We thought about all the ceviche that we had eaten: from Port Chester, to Stamford, to Norwalk, to Costa Rica, even to Barcelona, Spain. From those dishes, we took what we loved the most and turned it into a killer recipe. We knew it had to have a good kick from the citrus, a nice contrast in texture, and have some heat. We headed out to Whole Foods Greenwich (we might have driven out a bit before the driving ban was lifted after Nemo, just maybe… shhh) with our video camera and our shopping list. After we got all the ingredients, we shot the “cooking” portion of the video then edited it all together and turned it into what you see here! Yes, you don’t cook ceviche, that’s why we used the quotes. :P Enough teasing, here’s the recipe:
What Ya Need
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All photos are courtesy of Whole Foods Market
Ready to plan out your Thanksgiving meal and head to the store to get your shopping done? Yeah, you and half of the country! Before you head out, check out our interview with Chef Michele DiPietro, Associate Culinary Concepts Coordinator for Whole Foods Market Northeast Region. She lays out tips for finding the perfect turkey, different ways to cook and prepare your bird, easy sides, and even a cranberry sauce with candied ginger that will wow your guests. Check out the food she mentions at these Whole Foods Market locations.
Easy – I buy it every year at Whole Foods Market! I generally opt for the “Free Range” version, but have tried most of our varieties and love them all. I grew up on fresh, never frozen turkeys, so always prefer one, but of course, a frozen turkey can be great as well. The trick is really in the cooking process – if you get it right, almost any turkey can be moist and flavorful. One thing that I haven’t yet tried are the different heirloom turkeys available today that some people claim apparently have a much richer flavor …. maybe next year!
As for amounts, I generally go by the “2 lbs per person” recommendation (then add couple more pounds! WE love leftovers, right???).
Kristien and I were sitting by the fireplace of The Inn at Sweet Water Farms in the Berskshires last year, enjoying the warmth, sipping on some wine and spirits, and reading. We had picked The Inn at Sweet Water Farms because it was named a top bed & breakfast for foodies to stay. Why, you ask? Lynda Fisher (co-owner) cooks an amazing breakfast for you from local food…and even rabbit from her own farm if you’re daring. We sat there, soaking in the flames and came upon a magazine with Michel Nischan on the cover. Hey, that’s the chef from The Dressing Room (Naughty Angel=BEST DESSERT EVER) where we just ate last weekend! Well, turns out that Michel Nischan is so much more than a celebrated chef.
We discovered the amazing change that he and Wholesome Wave are bringing about in the world. Michel, CEO and Co-Founder, has made the mission of Wholesome Wave to provide easy and affordable access to healthy and locally grown produce in communities that need it the most. They realize that when communities begin to produce more of their own food, they will become more sustainable and the local economy will grow too. In addition, Wholesome Wave has recently made big changes happen at Whole Foods Market. As we reported to you, starting this past Earth Day, Whole Foods Market will only sell sustainable and environmentally friendly fish at their stores. That’s a whole lot of change that will help keep our environment safe, but will also keep our food fresh, clean, and healthy.
Here piggy piggy
Because Wholesome Wave is a nonprofit organization, they need funds to help make food available to communities and support small/mid-size farms. They have created a foodie/locavore/celebritychefophile’s heaven called The Whole Hog to bring in much needed funding. Four of the best chefs in Connecticut will literally be using all of a free-range pig in an oinky plethora of small dishes. These dishes will highlight cuts of the pig that you might not be used to. They will also be offering some special previews of their seasonal dishes. Ooooh! Wait, don’t worry, there will also be wine to wash it down. ;)
First piggy: Tim LaBant of Schoolhouse at Cannondale in Wilton.
Next piggy: John Barricelli of SoNo Baking Company in South Norwalk.
Third little piggy: Bun Lai of Miya’s Sushi in New Haven.
Last little piggy: Joe Wolfson of the newly opened Terrain Garden Cafe in Westport.
Host piggy: Michel Nischan of The Dressing Room in Westport.
So, jot down this info:
Thursday, May 24
6: 30 PM
Clarke Showroom
64 South Main Street
South Norwalk, Connecticut 06854
866-838-9385
$145 per person (think of where the money is going…you’re making great change in the world)
There will also be a live auction!
Buy tickets here or call (203) 226-1112.
Starting on Earth Day, 4/22/12, Whole Foods Market will only sell sustainable fish at their stores across the United States. The kind of seafood they will no longer be selling is called red-rated. Basically, there are three levels to describe fish bought in a store as explained on the Whole Foods Market site:
This decision by Whole Foods Market will help the ocean stay safer from harmful fishing methods and will help to keep the fish population thriving. There is an interesting local spin to this story, too. Chef Michel Nischan of The Dressing Room in Westport, Connecticut has partnered with Whole Foods Market to make this Earth Day dream happen. His view on sustainable foods has changed the world already, and this added push will definitely keep the movement steamrolling. Check out his recipe for Seared Wild Salmon with Wilted Greens and Ancient Grains and see how awesome fish can be. In fact, wouldn’t it be awesome to talk with Chef Nischan? Well, you’ll have your shot on April 26 at 7 p.m. EST! You’ll hear about what kinds of fish you can substitute red-rated species with and how to cook them. When you tweet, make sure to use #WFMFish and follow Chef Nischan. Here are directions for the chat.
Dan and Kristien Del Ferraro
OmNomCT 
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