The Co-op Current: April/May 2014

www.tidalcreek.coop 1

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APRIL-MAY 2014LOCALLY GROWN • COMMUNITY OWNED • SINCE 1982VOL. 11- ISSUE 12

What is your green inspiration this year?

Maybe eating more local, all-natural foods grown without GMO’s or driving a zero

emission EV. You can even start with something as simple as beginning a home

recycling program. Every green act of kindness helps take care of the planet

we all call home.

Community Join with family, friends & the Co-op to celebrate the Earth!

2 April - May 2014

Mission & Vision StatementOur MissionWe are dedicated to serving and connectingour community through a thriving natural foods cooperative business.

Our VisionTo foster and nourish health of the individual, community and planet by offering:

■ High quality natural, organic and local foods and other environmentally sound products

■ A comfortable, affordable placeto shop and share knowledge

■ Education and training to helppeople make informed choicestowards well being

■ A sustainable and economicalmodel which invests in the localand cooperative communities

7 Cooperative Principles1. Voluntary and open membership

2. Democratic member control

3. Member economic participation

4. Autonomy and independence

5. Education, training, and information

6. Cooperation among cooperatives

7. Concern for the community

“The cooperative business model, with its roots in democracy, is a solution to many of the world’s issues: social conflict, poverty, human rights and environmental issues”

—Paul Hazen, President and CEONational Cooperative Business Association

Advertisements in the Co-op Current are paid for by the advertiser and do not imply endorsement of any product or service by the Tidal Creek Co-op Board, Management or Staff. Advertising space is available. Rates range from $35 to $200, depending on size. Distribution is 4,500.

Ad copy must be submitted electronically in camera-ready quality by regular publication deadline. Articles and letters for publication are welcome. Articles must be submitted in digital form and may be edited for length or clarity. If interested, please [email protected]

Deadline for the next issue isMay 1st, 2014

Published bi-monthly by Tidal Creek Co-op

Managing Editor Katie Wright

Editor Rebecca Warfield

Graphic Design and Layout Sue Cothran

Contributors Craig Harris, Deb Lovan, Andrea Houlihan, Bethany Delaney, Katie Wright, Amy Hawkins, Bridget Callahan, Michelle Britt, Evan Folds

Board of Directors Joe Kertesz, Anthony Garguilo, Kathryn Waple, Matt Collogan, Ryanna Battiste, Michelle Britt, Evan Folds, Justin Murphy, Danielle Richardet.

General Manager Craig Harris

Marketing Manager Katie Wright

Co-op Kitchen Manager Deb Lovan

Perishable Manager Mack Fleming

Front End Manager Kathryn Waple

Wellness Manager Andrea Houlihan

Finance Manager Amy Fleming

Human Resources Manager Vicki Baty

Board Note ....................................................................3

Manager Message ..........................................................3

Mailbag .........................................................................3

Around The Co-op ........................................................4-5

Co-op Scoops .................................................................6

Partner Spotlight ..............................................................7

Nourishing our Planet ..................................................8-9

Look For Local ..............................................................10

Natural Therapies for Allergy Season .............................. 11

Book Review ............................................................ 12-13

Staff Spotlight ...............................................................13

Co-op Events ............................................................ 14-15

Wild Card Coupon ...........................................Back Cover

ON THE COVER

THE CO-OP CURRENT

Contents

2 February - March 2014

Earth Day is April 22, 2014Tidal Creek is proud to take action and honor everyday as Earth Day. We are committed to nourishing not only our planet, but our community in a myriad of ways.


MANAGER MESSAGE

MAILBAG

Board NoteCraig HarrisGeneral Manager

Comments or Suggestions? Submit them at the Customer Service Desk or email us at [email protected].

Tidal Creek is a special place. In a foodscape dominated by marketing and corporate posturing, the co-op is passionate intention and decentralization at its finest. We are all a group of small business owners who have come together to create a better place to learn, meet, eat and grow community.

Being cooperatively owned means there is no one person at the top of our company making a profit. We share in the growth of the store equally, and profits are reinvested locally in the form of owner refunds and patronage towards local scholarships and charities. Literally, the more we support Tidal Creek, the more value we bring to ourselves and to our community. No other grocery store in our area can make that claim.

The Board of Directors would like to take this opportunity to thank its members—and to challenge them. Now is the time to ask ourselves what kind of world we want to live in and take action. Now is the time to make the conscious decision to drive a little further past the other food outlets in town to support your community. Now is the time to spread the word to our friends and networks about the importance of paying attention to what we eat and how we can strengthen our local food system by becoming members at Tidal Creek.

If you reduce Tidal Creek Co-op down to its essence, we are about increasing access to clean food. What could be more important than that?

Love the smoothiesand juices. - Tim

We do too, Tim!

Please stop letting people who don’t have electric cars park in front of the electric

car chargers. -Dave

Thanks Dave, please let us know if someone is there longer than the alloted time on the signs. We have a premium on parking and have not had enough use yet to change the

allotment. Thanks!

Please get a #5 Recycling Bin for preserve and

yogurt cups, etc.

We’re so glad you asked about this! The bins in the cafe area go to co-mingled recycling. This includes any plastic container #1 - #7,

as well as rigid plastics (such as plastic tubs), aluminum, tin cans, glass, paper, and cardboard. We found the complete, detailed

list at wilmingtonnc.gov/public_services/trash_recycling , under the “recycling” tab.

I’m very inspired by the work Tidal Creek does in our local community

supporting our organic farmers, the way that the management and

staff are so present w shoppers needs and health tips, and the

special treats like a free piece of organic fruit when you shop with your child. I’m also so grateful for the vegan options and the love that Deb puts into every catered event-we’ve had many over the years-and she always adds extra food/flowers/

love. We travel to Co-ops around the US and are so thankful that we have one of the best in our humble

little city! Thank you TC! - Kristin


After four years as the General Manager of Tidal Creek Co-op—and over ten years in total in various roles—I decided that I’d like to move into different challenges in my

career. I have loved my time at the Co-op, and getting to know so many of our owners has easily been the best part. After much thought, and consultation with my family, I gave the Board of Directors my notice of resignation in November. They began a careful and thoughtful hiring process, one that will soon bring us a new GM. Because I have served for the past year as Grocery Manager in addition to being General Manager, I will move into being just your Grocery Manager once the new GM comes on board. Our transition should be fairly smooth, and I look forward to welcoming the new General Manager to the Co-op. I hope you will join me in making sure that he or she senses immediately the powerful community that makes our Co-op so special. Thank you all for your support of Tidal Creek Co-op, especially during the past few years, in which increased competition in our local market has made the impact of your support more profound.

Thanks Kristin! We’ve always enjoyed working with you, too. Thank you so much for

your kind words!

4 April - May 2014

PRODUCE NEWSMack FlemingProduce Manager

GROCERY NEWS

AROUND THE CO-OP

Spring is Coming!The produce department is very excited

about the upcoming Spring/Summer season. We have a couple of new local organic sources for fresh produce here in town. One of these sources is Progressive Farms, which is less than a mile up the road across from Progressive Gardens. One of our very own, a former produce genius at Tidal Creek, Mike Slaton is back in town and growing food with Progressive Farms. We recently visited the site, and the potential looks great! We’ve already been enjoying some of Mike’s mixed greens, and you can definitely taste the love and effort that he puts into the crops. Soon we’ll have vegetable plants available for sale out front, along with a variety of fresh herbs and vegetables to come!

This winter was tough on a lot of local crops, with quite a few ill-timed freezes and harsh weather systems. Hopefully, the upcoming season will bring us better luck! This will be my first Spring/Summer season here at the Co-op, and I’m looking forward to trying to find as much organically grown, local produce as I can. All winter long, I’ve been waiting for that first summer tomato sandwich, when the tomato is right off the plant and still warm from the summer sun. Mmmmm!

Be sure to stop in on Thursdays because it’s our “Double Sale” day. Each week, new produce items go on sale Thursday morning, while the previous week’s sale items expire Thursday night. This means that every Thursday we typically have about 10 items on sale instead of 5!

We’ll see you soon!The Produce Team is committed to providing

the healthiest, local, naturally farmed, and organically grown products for our owners, customers, and the community. We make purchasing from local growers and small farms a priority. We bring in the highest quality produce possible.

Time to Bulk Up—Our Bulk department is growing and

the opportunity to save money, use less packaging, and reuse your own containers is too. Please look in our bulk bins for dark chocolate ginger, and dark chocolate coconut. Also look for new organic and fair trade mango and chocolate covered pomegranates. In our bulk or loose herb department we have some amazing organic Brazilian acai powder, organic bee pollen, organic smoked paprika and organic kelp powder. We also just added a large re-useable 64oz glass jar. At only $2.99 it is a great deal and can be reused. Every little bit helps, and you can start saving money and reuse more containers this year.

FIND US ONLINE ATwww.tidalcreek.coop

The Grocery Team is committed to providing the healthiest products for you, your family, pets and our planet. We make purchasing from local growers, producers and small farms a main priority of our daily business. Our Bulk department offers a wide assortment of organic and Fair Trade products as well as providing unique herbs and spices, at affordable prices. Quality beer and wine selections are available from small vineyards and microbreweries with several organic and low sulfite options available. We work to ensure that our products are free of hydrogenated oils, artificial colors, sweeteners, preservatives and flavors. We provide you with meats and dairy products that are free of hormones and antibiotics. We will purchase GMO-free products whenever possible. We purchase items from companies with ethics and standards similar to the Co-op’s.


AROUND THE CO-OP

WELLNESS NEWS

CO-OP KITCHEN NEWS

Andrea HoulihanWellness Manager

Deb LovanCo-op Kitchen Manager

New Kitchen Hours We hope you have discovered the

Co-op Kitchen’s new hours. Starting in March we ceased to offer breakfast and dinner service. The hot bar is now open from 11:00 until 3:00. The rest of the department’s hours of operation have stayed the same. For those of you who ate with us the week nights or had breakfast on the weekends, we regret that the action was necessary. There were just not enough of you dining to make it viable at this time. We have, however, tried to change our focus and offer prepared meal options in both individual and family size. Hopefully that will satisfy your needs plus attract a lot more customers to the prepared foods case.

Macaroni and cheese, lasagna, and enchiladas are in the prepared foods case. Biscuits, scones and gluten free products can be found on the freezer shelf. Also look for our cornbread mix, gluten free bread, and fat free granola on the shelves.

We will continue to listen to you and try to find ways to serve your needs.

The Co-op Kitchen Team is committed to providing the healthiest products for ourselves and our planet. We avoid the use of any products with high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils. Organic products are central to our department and we weigh carefully the choice between them and conventional products when availability or financial concerns cause us to make this choice. Developing relationships with local food producers and companies that share the Co-op’s vision is also of central importance to us. We understand that our effort to bring well-prepared, fresh foods to our customers contributes to a larger ecological and cultural mission.

Everything You Need for SpringWe all look forward to spending more

time outside this time of year, and our shelves are full with all you’ll need this spring!

We have a large selection of sunscreens, some carefully selected using the Environmental Working Group’s list of top-rated sunscreens for broad-spectrum protection with fewer hazardous ingredients. Biodegradable options go a step further - protecting you, and our environment - they’re reef safe. While we can hope that the polar vortex we endured this winter will

have negatively impacted the biting insect population, we have bug sprays and balms that are safe for you; no fun for them!

If you’re one of the many suffering with allergies this time of year, we think you should consider a neti pot! Touted by Oprah and Dr. Oz, the neti pot provides a physical irrigation of the sinus cavity – it can relieve pain, pressure and congestion, while flushing out bacteria, allergens and other irritants. Baraka neti

pots and kits are on sale in April! We also offer homeopathic, enzyme and herbal products for this allergy time of year.

What’s new? Look for MegaFood’s first-of-its kind whole food nutrient booster powders. They’re designed to supplement smoothies, juices, or shakes. They are on sale in April, so go ahead and give them a try!

The Tidal Creek Wellness Department is committed to providing its customers with superior quality

supplements and body care products. We select goods from companies who, like Tidal Creek, have policies in place to control the use of unsafe ingredients and ensure that products and processing have the least amount of negative environmental impact. The Wellness staff strives to have reliable information available about the benefits and effectiveness of our products.

6 April - May 2014

CO-OP SCOOPS

Community, Surfing & Films—the Perfect Combo!Epic waves hit the screen this summer as the Surfalorus film festival celebrates

surfing on camera. This year’s festival consists of shorts, features, documentaries and the 50th anniversary of Endless Summer. The three-day event will be held May 1-3 and Tidal Creek is excided to partner with the Surfalorus team again this year to host some fun festival events on Saturday, May 3rd. Check out our website in April for more event details (tidalcreek.coop) and save the date to join us for this amazing local film festival. You can check out the full schedule of Surfalorus events/screenings at surfalorus.com.

This year Wilmingtons Earth Day Festival takes place on Saturday, April 26, from 12pm – 6pm at Hugh MacRae Park. Invite friends & family for a day of celebrating the Earth with great drinks, food, live music, kid’s activities and a whole lotta fun! The theme for the festival this year is “Clean Water Starts Here”. Sustainability, or ensuring our resources are here for future generations, is important for protecting our Earth, water, and natural resources. This belief is at the core of Tidal Creek Co-op’s mission and is an intention behind everything that we do. One initiative we are really excited about, in terms of creating healthy local waterways, is the building of our Tidal Creek Ocean Friendly Rain Garden.

In an effort to help limit storm-water pollution in our creeks, Tidal Creek Co-op is partnering with the Surfrider Foundation,

the City of Wilmington, North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, to install a rain garden (bio-retention area) to help treat polluted runoff from a nearby parking lot before it can reach Hewlett’s Creek. The rain garden will be located across from the store on Oleander drive and will capture and filter storm-water containing chemicals, sediment, and

bacteria. The garden will serve as an educational opportunity for citizens who are interested in helping to improve water quality in their watersheds by including BMPs (Best Management Practices) like rain gardens, rain barrels, and downspout reroutes, on their own property. For more information on storm-water pollution and what you can do to help, visit the City of Wilmington’s storm-water website at: www.wilmingtonnc.gov/stormwater

2004 Earth Day Festival – Clean WaterStart Here

Celebrating 15 Years with the Co-op!We are so grateful to three of our

favorite Tidal Creekers who are celebrating their 15 year anniversaries working at the Co-op. Freda Brewbaker, Brandon Ballinger and Sue Derstine you represent everything that makes the Co-op so special. Thanks you for all you do!


PARTNER SPOTLIGHT

What’s to love about food Co-ops?

HEALTHIER WORLD

BETTER FOODSTRONGER

COMMUNITIES

Progressive Gardens is a garden consultant. Over the last 12 years serving the Wilmington, NC area community, we have found that a proper perspective towards the gardens we grow provides far greater results than any single product. That’s right, we can think our way into an amazing garden. For instance, using artificial fertilizers from a big box store is no better than feeding your plants fast food. We make movies out of what happens to us when we eat fast food for every meal.

In other words, what we think, we grow. A founding philosophy of our business is that conventional food no longer contains the forces people need to carry their will into action. Our food is no longer alive. And we are so disconnected from it, we do not collectively retain a proper means of evaluating it. This is what makes places like Tidal Creek so important.

We are proud to supply the wheatgrass served at Tidal Creek and look forward to deepening our relationship with Tidal Creek going forward with our new growing project Progressive Farms. Keep a look out on the produce shelves, and while you’re at it try a shot of our wheatgrass in the Co-op Café!

Progressive Gardens: Serving Our Community Since 2002

StayConnected

Tidal Creek co-op

twitter.com/tidalcreekcoop

@tidalcreek

Tidal Creek co-op

8 April - May 2014

Nourishing Our Planet Celebrating Earth Day Every Day!

Earthday.org describes this yearly event as, “Every year on April 22, over a billion people in 190 countries take

action for Earth Day.” Tidal Creek is proud to take action and honor everyday as Earth Day. We are committed to nourishing not only our planet, but our community in a myriad of ways.

Have you ever wondered what that Lincoln Log looking house towards the back of our main parking lot is? The charmingly constructed building actually houses one of Wilmington’s bio-diesel stations. Piedmont Bio-Fuels ( http://www.biofuels.coop/ ) provides the community with a fresh and environmentally friendly alternative to regular fuel. If you have a diesel vehicle and it is fitted to accept Bio-diesel, stop by Tidal Creek to fill up and drive away “nourished.”

We also house one of the few electric car charging stations in Wilmington. Right across from the bio-diesel station, you will find outlets to plug in and re-charge your engine. Plug in, have a smoothie at Tidal Creek in the sun, and leave “nourished” on the inside and out.

Also, Tidal Creek encourages and welcomes the use of your own glasses, mugs, and containers. Bring in your own coffee mug, smoothie glass, or container for bulk and receive a discount of the item you are utilizing your own vessel for. Our customers have some pretty creative ways to fill up on bulk. Have a fun jar? A basket or sturdy sack? Just have one of our helpful staff weigh it before you fill it (you can also do this yourself via the handy scales in the back) and the price will be adjusted when you check out. Less waste, more nourishment for our planet.

We are very excited about the creation of our onsite rain garden. This project has been in the works and is coming to fruition this summer. This unique space is “a shallow depression that is planted with deep-rooted native plants and grasses. The garden positioned near a runoff source captures rainwater runoff and stops the


water from reaching the sewer system” (http://www.raingardennetwork.com/). While you won’t see flowers or veggies in this garden, you will also not see the small lakes that used to form in our grassy area after a particularly rainy day in Wilmington. Tidal Creek is proud to help naturally nourish our ground and water supply.

Our most recent community event Shellebration was a wonderful gathering sponsored by NC Costal Federation. NCCF utilized our awesome deck space and hosted a night of food, fun, and environmental awareness. (Check out our

Facebook page for some great photos of this event). Tidal Creek is happy to host your community centered occasion as well and support causes that reflect our mission to be a positive and nourishing part of our community. You may fill out an event request sheet via our webpage or ask for a form at our smiling customer service.

From fuel, to food, to fun Tidal Creek wants you to celebrate Earth Day every time you shop with us. Let us help you help nourish the planet, our community, and yourself. Celebrate Earth Day everyday!

Play the Earth Day Memory GameHave some fun with the kids and teach them about Earth Day! The person that collects the most cards, wins! Cut out the cards, shuffel themand lay them on the table, face down. Take turns turning over two cards (one at a time) and keep them if they match numbers. If they successfully match a pair of numbers, that player also gets to take another turn. When a player turns over two cards that do not match numbers, those cards are turned face down again and it becomes the next player’s turn. Check out the Co-op Kids Club the next time you visit.

10 April - May 2014

LOOK FOR LOCAL

BY Bridget CallahanCustomer Service

Tidal Creek Co-opis dedicated to serving

and connecting our community through a thriving natural foods cooperative business.

Thanks for all you do to support the Co-op and

help us fulfill that mission.

Did you know that honey bees can recognize faces? Using the same method as a human brain,

the bee brain takes groups of lines and shapes, and remembers them as a pattern. It’s called configural processing. This gives a little more credence to the old wives tale that if a bee comes into your house when a visitor is on the way, and if you kill the bee, it won’t be a pleasant visitor. Because maybe the bee is coming to warn you that it recognizes your nasty neighbor from down the street. Okay, that’s a stretch. But still, bee facial recognition is pretty cool.

Earth Day is coming up, and bees are the canaries in the coal mine when it comes to our planet’s health, so they

are on our minds as we start working the garden. Bees are not only responsible for pollinating billions of dollars in agricultural crops every year, but honey is a bona fide wonder food. It’s low glycemic, antibacterial, good on burns and scrapes, known for helping alleviate seasonal allergies, and it’s awesome in a warm cup of tea on a still-chilly spring morning. Every year at this time, you’ll notice a local honey shortage, so its best to stock up now before the rush. Tidal Creek has plenty of local options to choose from. We have honey on our shelves from Bee Haven Farms, Green Forest Farms, Silver Spoon Apiaries, and our newest selection David Bridgers - all Wilmington neighbors.

I bet their bees all recognize their faces. Bring in your own jars, fill them up with local honey in our bulk section, and do the planet a solid by saving plastic and packaging.

Support your local bees!

Integrative General & Special Needs Pediatric Care

910.319.7744 • www.clinicforspecialchildren.net • 5725 Oleander Drive, Suite C-1

We Believe every child is special.We Believe in treating the whole child by addressing their physical, emotional, social and environmental needs.We Believe in addressing the root cause of illness.We Believe the integrative approach, combining western medicine & evidence-based complementary healing modalities with an emphasis on natural medicine, is the best way to heal and prevent illness. We Believe in a parent’s right to vaccine education and informed consent. We Believe in partnering with parents to create a living legacy of vibrant health for future generations.

Welcoming our New Healthcare ProviderAmy Hawkins, ND Doctorate, Naturopathic Medicine

Integrative General & Special Needs Pediatrics


Aaachooo!Natural Therapies for Allergy Season

Spring is here! In our little corner of the world, this time of year is a mixed blessing. Days are clear and warm and

we are called outdoors for gardening, hiking, biking and boating. Unfortunately, the season also brings high pollen counts and significant seasonal allergies. Standard allergy medications can provide some relief, but they also have undesirable side effects. Natural remedies are wonderful allies in alleviating allergy symptoms safely and effectively.

At the very top of my list of natural allergy treatments is Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica). In addition to its deep nutritive properties, this amazing herb inhibits several key inflammatory events that ultimately result in allergy symptoms. Since the anti-allergy constituents are concentrated in the little stinging hairs, Nettle is most effective if juiced fresh (drink 1 Tablespoon twice per day) or freeze-dried (300-600 mg twice per day).

If Nettle isn’t doing the trick on its own, try adding 2000 mg per day of Vitamin C to your seasonal protocol. This little antioxidant further inhibits the release of histamine AND helps your body detox histamine faster. If your “seasonal” allergies actually last for multiple seasons, then Butterbur (Petasites hybridus) may be a better choice for you. Multiple studies have shown that this herb at a dosage of 50 mg twice per day is as effective as standard allergy medications for the treatment of perennial allergic rhinitis.

So what’s going on at a deeper level? Why do we get allergies in the first place? Well, allergies happen when our immune system sees something that it should tolerate as an invader and mounts an immune response. This can happen for many reasons, but the most common reasons include gastrointestinal inflammation or “leaky gut” and adrenal imbalance. So what’s a girl (or guy) to do? First, figure out if you have GI inflammation and why. Maybe you have food sensitivities or allergies. If you do, eliminate the foods that you’re sensitive

to and heal your digestive system with a clean diet, glutamine and healing herbs. Maybe you need to supplement with some probiotics and incorporate fermented foods into your diet. This will increase the good bacteria in your GI which help educate your immune system on what it should and should not freak out and attack. What about adrenal imbalance? Check your cortisol levels and get some help supporting your adrenal glands if needed.

When it comes to getting some much-needed relief from itchy eyes, runny nose, sneezing and the general misery of seasonal allergies, we should also remember that modern research supports

what our grandmothers knew. Pick up some local honey and local bee pollen at the farmer’s market and enjoy them before and throughout allergy season. These work to educate your immune system on what to consider friend or foe. Also remember, nothing beats simply washing that pollen out of your sinuses and nasal passages. Saline irrigation morning and night using a Neti pot or a pressurized nasal wash system works wonders.

I hope these suggestions help you enjoy this time of year when everything is coming back to life and we are inspired anew by the gifts of Mother Nature. Love and light from my family to yours. –Dr. Amy

BY Dr. Amy Hawkins, NDDoctorate, Naturopathic Medicine

Drop by the Co-op andpick up some local honey!

12 April - May 2014

BOOK REVIEW

Making Food Simple

“The Art of Simple Food” by Alice Waters

Sautéed CauliflowerMashed Potatoes

Alice Waters opened Chez Panisse restaurant in 1971, serving a fixed-price menu that changed daily. The

set menu remains at the heart of Alice’s philosophy of serving delicious organic products when they are in season.

The network of local farmers and ranchers gave this famous restaurant good, local, and simple food that is the trade mark of the area. In 1984, her daughter Fanny opened up Café Fanny upstairs near Chez Panisse and serves breakfast and lunch.

This food expert finds that the best tasting food is always organic: “When you have the best and tastiest ingredients, you can cook very simple and the food will be extraordinary because it tastes like what it is.” She stresses food from the source (the farmer) and simple cooking. She convinces the reader that the underlying principles of good cooking are the same everywhere. They have less to do with techniques than they do with good ingredients.

Here is the main theme of this cookbook: eat locally and sustainably. In other words, eat seasonally, shop at farmer’s markets, plant a garden, conserve, compost and recycle, cook simply, engaging all your senses, cook together, eat together, and remember food is precious.

This book is great for the novice cook. The experienced cook can get some great ideas, but the recipes are long and detailed. It is great to get food from the farmer or a great place like Tidal Creek Co-op, but recipes should be concise and less detailed for the seasoned cook. The food is simple but the recipes are not, which could make the novice cook happy with detailed steps. The variations in each recipe are great and can be used in that recipe as well as in others. Another drawback is that there are no color illustrations - only line drawings.

The recipes, along with many hints about nutrients, are sprinkled throughout the book, with loads of ways to vary your cooking, which is essential to everyone in the kitchen. This very informative book just delights the user with its variations.

Pantry staples, such as olive oil, salt, black peppercorns, and spices, are an integral part of this book. Waters’ advice is to buy small amounts and replenish them often. Buy from markets with high turnover. Also, it might be helpful to date them. Her recommendation for the spices to have on hand includes bay leaves, cumin seed, fennel seeds, aniseeds, ground ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and others.

Soup suggestions are in the body of this book. Minestrone means “big soup” in Italian and is a great soup especially for winter. When adding vegetables, do so in stages. Long-cooking veggies are added first, the tenderest ones later. Dried beans and pasta are cooked separately and added at the end. Garlic is added at the end to ensure that it does not burn. This type of soup can be made for

winter or summer according to the veggies added. In the fall, make the soup with kale and butternut squash. In winter, bring on the turnips, potatoes and cabbage. In spring, you may have peas and asparagus.

METHOD:

Clean the leaves from one large or 2 small heads cauliflower. (If cauliflower is large, cut in half for easier slicing).Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Once oil is hot add the broken up pieces of cauliflower with a taste of salt.Let the cauliflower start to brown, stir and toss. Cook until tender. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil. Variations: When cauliflower is a minute before done, add a couple of chopped garlic cloves and one tablespoon of parsley. Garnish with a handful of toasted breadcrumbs. Sprinkle with cumin, chopped garlic, turmeric.

METHOD:

Boil in salted water, for 15 to 20 minutes, until fully cooked: 1 ½ pounds of yellow or russet potatoes, cut in medium size pieces.

Drain potatoes.

Add to the pot: ½ cup of whole milk or potato water.

Return potatoes to the pot. Add 4 tablespoons butter, cut in pieces. With a masher, mash potato over low heat, to keep them hot. Season with salt and pepper. Variations: Substitute extra virgin olive oil instead of butter. Squeeze garlic out of the skins and into the mashed potatoes.

BY JoAnn L. FoglerCo-op Owner


I have worked at the co-op for the past six months as a wellness buyer, ordering supplements and beauty products. Although I am relatively new to the Co-op family, it only took the first few days on the job to realize how much I felt at home among my co-workers. My fellow wellness team members are amazing; not a day goes by without a laugh, and I truly enjoy working with them! The most rewarding aspect about the job is speaking with the customers and getting to make at least one person’s day brighter, whether it’s by helping someone find a product to help with their ailments or simply passing on a warm smile. I also love constantly learning about herbs

STAFF SPOTLIGHT

Kirstin ThompsonWellness Buyer

and supplements that work to naturally heal the body and mind. To me it is truly fascinating how well the body can heal itself when given the right tools!

Simple FrostingEnough for one 9-inch cake or 24 cupcakesMETHOD:

Beat until light and fluffy: 12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened. Beat in 1 1/3 cups powered sugar, sifted. Continue beating until light and fluffy. Add: 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice. Beat until smooth.

Variation: Flavor with 2 ounces of melted but not warm chocolate.

14 April - May 2014

Upcoming Events APRIL - MAY

SATURDAY, APRIL 12TH 10 AMGRUB’s Real Food for a Real Budget Class Join GRUB for this class at Tidal Creek Co-op Cafe. Get the scoop on how to stock your kitchen with nourishing foods without breaking the bank. Discuss bulk bin buying, produce, and purchasing strategies. Improve your well-being with nourishing food while sticking to your budget. Suggested $10 donation. Register at thisisgrub.com or by calling 901.632.0464.

SUNDAY, APRIL 13TH 2 PMNature’s Way Farm Tour

Join Tidal Creek Co-op for our Annual Farm Tour of Nature’s Way Farm. Get your tickets today for this guided tour of one of our local farms, the “Home of the Happy Goats.” Explore the milking room, check out the cheese-making process with Tina, and learn about local seafood with Mr. Bill, and feed the goats! Tickets are available only at Tidal Creek Co-op. Adults $10, Children 3-12 $5, Kids under 3 FREE. Tidal Creek owners receive a 50% discount! Give us a call at 910.799.COOP or stop by the Customer Service Desk at the store. More information available at tidalcreek.coop

SATURDAY, APRIL 26TH, 12 – 6 PMWilmington Earth Day Festival

Join Tidal Creek Co-op at the Annual Earth Day Festival at Hugh McRae Park. This is a spectacular springtime activity that’s fun for the whole family! The Earth Day Alliance, founders and organizers for the Wilmington Earth Day annual celebration, are thrilled to announce the 2014 theme: “Clean Water Starts Here.” Sustainability, or ensuring our resources are here for future generations, is important for protecting our Earth, water, and natural resources. This event is FREE to attend. Food & drinks will be available, live music, kid’s zone, and a whole lotta fun! For more info go to wilmingtonearthday.com.

MONDAY, APRIL 28TH, 6 PMTidal Creek Co-op Board of Directors Meeting

All owners are welcome to attend monthly meetings in the Co-op Cafe.

SATURDAY, MAY 3RDThe Surfalorus Film Festival comes to Tidal Creek. Join us to celebrate surfing, films and our local community. Times and details about the event will be announced in mid April. Please visit our website at tidalcreek.coop for further details.

SATURDAY, MAY 10TH 10AMGRUB’s Creating a Gluten-Free Kitchen

Going without gluten isn’t hard once you get in the groove. In this class we’ll discuss gluten, where it’s hiding, and gluten-free pantry essentials. Leave knowing how you can keep gluten-free meals at your fingertips! Suggested $10 donation. Register at thisisgrub.com or by calling 901.632.0464.

SUNDAY, MAY 11TH Happy Mothers’ Day

Grab some fresh local flowers and a handmade greeting card for the special mothers in your life. P.S. Moms love lunch at the Co-op!


Upcoming Events APRIL - MAY

DON’T FORGET TO

RECYCLE OR COMPOST

this issue of The Co-op Current

Tidal Creek Co-op will be closed on

Sunday, April 20th for the

Easter holiday

MONDAY, MAY 19TH, 6 PMTidal Creek Co-op Board of Directors Meeting

All owners are welcome to attend monthly meetings in the Co-op Cafe.

16 April - May 2014

APRIL/MAY WILDCARD COUPON

This coupon is good for a

5% OWNER

DISCOUNTany day April 1 – May 31, 2014

Coupon must be presented at time of transaction. Limit 1 per Owner. Owners may receive a

maximum of 25% off subtotal of purchases.

$ ___________________

______ /______ /______

Initial _______________

Owner # ____________

5329 Oleander DriveWilmington, NC 28403

(910) [email protected]

OPEN: Monday-Sunday 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.

www.tidalcreek.coop

Tidal Creek co-op

twitter.com/tidalcreekcoop

@tidalcreek

Tidal Creek co-op

5329 Oleander DriveWilmington, NC 28403 PRESORTED STD

U.S. POSTAGEPAID

PERMIT NO. 109FAYETTEVILLE, NC

The Co-op Current: April/May 2014

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