I am, admittedly, a follower. A recipe follower, that is. For some, dumping a bunch of stuff in a pot and hoping for the best is a successful formula for culinary achievement. But for me, that hope-and-a-prayer type of cooking is, well, a major fail. I guess I just ... Read More »

The Redhead restaurant in Solon is sorely missed by those of us in foodie-land. Many a day I've reminisced about my all-time favorite Redhead entrée, the Steak & Blue Cheese Salad with ... Read More »

Oh the weather outside is white-ful, but inside, I'm dreaming green. Greens, actually. Big fat crunchy leafy greens.

This time of year, our bodies are aching for raw leafy greens. And where else but your Co-op can you find LOCAL lettuce ... Read More »

Here's some great information from the City regarding recycling your old holiday lights:

Recycle Those Old Holiday Lights Locally
Information courtesy of the City of Iowa City Read More »

I was having dinner (or as us SW Iowa folks would say, "supper") at The Red Avocado last night (delicious, by the way), and speaking with Chef Dave Burt about what to order. I was sitting with my significant other, and we were trying to decide who ... Read More »

Post-holiday cooking should be easy. Once the zeal of preparing a massive mega-feast for friends and family has passed, and the last of the turkey bones have been sucked dry, I look to light, simple recipes made with fresh ingredients to wake up my starch-dulled pal ... Read More »

That's right, folks, the Beaujolais Nouveau is here! 

Every year, on the third Thursday of November, wine lovers around the world are able to taste the first wines of the recent harvest. Now, some people think that they're too good for Nouveau.  They think it is a light, insubstantial, and altogether frou-frouey wine.  Do not pay attention to such snobbery.  I happen to love wines from the Gamay grape. It's true that Nouveau can sometimes be disappointingly thin, and it is never a serious, ponderous wine.  But different wines have different places in one's life, and the place of Nouveau is one of simple, cheerful enjoyment.  And I can attest that this 2009 we just received is the best Nouveau I can ever remember trying.  The color is a beautiful, dark garnet.  The flavors are full fruited but also crisp and bright.

It is a happy coincidence that Nouveau is released one week before ... Read More »

Do you serve your chicken noodle soup over mashed potatoes? Is it just me, or is it a Midwestern thing?

This year's Home for the Holidays Sample Fair is Sunday, November 15 from 11am - 3pm at the Coralville Co-op. Despite what you may have read elsewhere, yes, this event is in Coralville.

This event is a great way to experience the wide range of locally-made or grown products that you can use throughout the holiday seasib. We'll have over twenty local vendors in attendance, including Oasis Falafel, the Red ... Read More »

I've got a quick update today on a few new local products we’re now carrying.

Mama Basso’s Pizza – Made in the Quad Cities, these pizzas are easy, delicious, and affordable ($4.99 for a 20-23oz. pizza). Available in varieties like Pepperoni, Cheese, and Mama’s Special (Cheese, Sausage, Pepperoni, Mushrooms, and Green Olives). Iowa City Grocery Staffer M ... Read More »

It’s right here!

This weekend, I finally caved, and using m ... Read More »

Just a quickie from your faithful if embarrassingly inactive wine blogger.

I am thrilled to announce that three of my favorite wines of 2009, recently absent from our shelves, have returned.  As it happens, they are a white, a pink, and a red.

The white is the Ch. de la Dimerie Muscadet.  Now some people mistakenly think that Muscadet is sweet, probably because the name is a similar to Muscat, a white family of grapes usually made into dessert wines.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Muscadet is bone dry, with crisp, cleansing acidity and lovely minerality.  The wine comes from near where the Loire River empties into the Atlantic Ocean, and it's a perfect match for shellfish and other seafood.

The pink is the Domaine Rouge-Bleu Rosé.  I love the wines made by Jean-Marc Espinasse, and this was my favorite rosé of ... Read More »

Today, resident "Genie-us of Food" Genie Maybanks brought me a little dish of last night's leftovers: Pumpkin Gnocchi. Genie is an amazing cook and handmade pastas and gnocchi are something of a specialty ... Read More »

 I know it's been awhile since my last post, but don't worry, I haven't stopped eating!

 This weekend I happened to be in Des Moines where the Read More »

Raspberries are one of my favorite fruits ever, and I love it that they come not once, but twice, most years. The bush beside our old administrative office (the Bookery) is loading up once again, and my Mom sent me home a piece of the most fabulous raspberry pie the ot ... Read More »

On a recent visit to Grinnell Heritage Farm, I met the wonderful Andy Dunham, owner of this 5th generation organic vegetable farm. Andy currently grows lacinato kale (and carrots, and a variety of other produce) for New Pi. He's a huge fan of the stuff, and I got to ... Read More »

Red cabbage is underrated. I discovered this recently as I eyed a swiftly-wilting half-head in my fridge and sighed, "But I already made stir fry this week." I buy red cabbage for stir fry. That is all.

Lucky for you ... Read More »

Whoa. Remember how I was talking about all of those “garden miracles”?  Well I’ve got about a doze ... Read More »

Foodies take note: If you haven't seen Julie & Julia yet, plan to! A group of Co-op foodies and I spent our Friday hunched over obscenely large tubs of butter-like-substance-drenched popcorn, taking in the fascinating stories of Julie Powell, a 29-year-old temp who decides to make every recipe in Mastering the Art of French C ... Read More »

Sitting down to dinner this week after returning from a family vacation, I wanted a nice bottle of wine.  What did I reach for?  The Domaine Rouge-Bleu "Dentelle ... Read More »

The gardening adventures continue out at Earth Source Gardens, where my sister and I purchased a plot for $25 from our fine Co-op earlier this year and proceeded to plant a whole bunch or stuff either way too early, way too close, or way way too much (zucchini ... Read More »

For those of you who are seasoned gardeners, this post will likely be a little passé. Perhaps even naïve. However, I think it is important to make a mention here on my blog that my lovely sister, Melanie, ... Read More »

Today is such a gorgeous day, why not make some sun tea? We made this version using mint and ginger … it was mellow and refreshing.

Earth Source Gardens Mission Statement
(The New Pioneer Co-op Board of Directors Planning Committee recently asked members and staff for input regarding the future of New Pioneer Co-op. Read More »

Realizing the Vision: How Would It Work?

(A follow-up to my summer Catalyst article discussing Earth Source Gardens and the proposed future vision for our community accessing local foods.)

Years One Through Fiv ... Read More »

... not quite gone! But close! As we lament the closing of morel season, allow me to share a recipe from this weekend's Morel Madness cooking class that I got to sample today (thanks Theresa!) This is a wonderful new way to try your favorite fungi ... herby, with ... Read More »

It has felt like a long time in coming, but at last we have the latest New Pioneer "Private Label" wine on our shelves.

Perched at the #1 spot on our May/June Top Ten, the wine is called "Original Zin," and we are dang happy ... Read More »

Hooray, they're here! In case you've been buried under a rock or you're new to town, let it be known that it is officially morel mushroom time here in our beautiful state.

What is a morel mushroom? A morel mushroom is an edible fungi that can b ... Read More »

Toward the end of last week I bought something for myself that I've never bought before: a 3-liter bag of wine in a box.

Now put those prejudices aside.  I'm not talking about some grocery-store dreck.  I'm talking about Read More »

We've got all kinds of cool events happening at your Co-op during the month of May.

For starters, stop in for samples of Farmers All-Natural Creamery Cheese and Goose Island beer at the Iowa City ... Read More »

Well it looks as if the New Pi blog has become Steph Catlett's blog.  Not that there's anything wrong with that, really.  Steph is a lovely human being and I always enjoy reading whatever she writes.  But it doesn't seem fair that nobody ... Read More »

Brunch. When the heck did this thing start? Some may disagree, but I believe brunch is basically the perfect meal. Eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, biscuits and gravy, and oh, um, mashed potatoes, green beans, and prime rib??!! Due to my extreme devotion to sleepin ... Read More »

Whew! Is anybody else tired?! For those of you out there in blogland reeling from some major mid-week burnout (like me), don't forget that your Co-op is here for you in all! its! caffeinated! glory!

Lest you forget -- we serve coffee here. Real ... Read More »

There's a petition swirling about internet land that I thought might be of interest to you all. Sign here if y ... Read More »

Your favorite local co-op (eh-hem, that's New Pi) has just made KCRG's A-List of the best area business. Read on to vote....

 Today at the U of I Library, a display of "Edible Books" sponsored by the Center for the Book featured this amazing entry by New Pi's pastry artist, Miriam Alarcon-Avila:

We know that you know that your co-op totally rocks. So why not let the whole world know, and have a chance to win some killer prizes to boot?

The National Cooperative Grocers Association (NCGA) is sponsoring a fun video contest where you can s ... Read More »

I'm old enough to remember the Gerald Ford presidency.  For a while he had a campaign where people were supposed to wear buttons that read "W I N."  The letters stood for "Whip Inflation Now!"  Just how consumers were ... Read More »

Iowa City Grocery Buyer Stacy Webster just clued me in to some new products you can look for in the Iowa City store this week. Here are the highlights:

Tejava Unsweetened Black Tea (Aisle 4 & Juice Cooler) - "Delicious!" says ... Read More »

Just a quick hit here to mention two delicious new things available at your Co-op:

1. Believe it - LOCAL RADISHES. I know, right--how is this possible? Well, due to a 5-acre greenhouse located north of Cresco, Iowa. These radishes are beatiful ... Read More »

It's been awhile and I'm back with a simple of and delicious recipe for you all. I was shopping at the downtown store this Friday, and picked up a lovely (and inexpensive!) piece of sole to fry up Jamie Oliver-style for my dinner.

So, this reci ... Read More »

My lunch was so good today I just had to share it. It was easy, it tasted great, and it was fast. Here's the recipe:

Open-Face Ham 'n Pear Sammie

1 New Pi French roll, cut in half the lengthwise
1/2 yellow pear, ... Read More »

A call to readers: I'm researching an upcoming Catalyst feature on all things reused and reusable. I'm looking for innovative, thrifty, fun, and funky ideas on how everyday household items can be reused rather than recycled or thrown away.< ... Read More »

Well Hotsy-Totsy, we've got three new grower Champagnes on our shelves.  If you don't know what I mean by "grower Champagnes," check out my article on page 8 of the current New Pioneer Catalyst:

http://ww ... Read More »

Happy Holidays from New Pioneer!

‘Tis the season for food fiends everywhere to gather together and gorge on all of your favorite holiday treats. Lucky for you, New Pi has some great in-store specials this week to make your occasion eve ... Read More »

A few quick thoughts for this week.

* In my last entry, I wrote about New Pioneer's new weekly sales promotions, and I urged you to pick up a bottle of the grassy, zippy, delicious Spanish white wine, El Perro Verde Verdejo Read More »

Continuing the thread of this week's theme (apples, if you hadn't noticed), I was just sent a unique recipe from my friend Erin, adventurous cook and all-around fun human being. Thanks for sharing your recipe with us! If you've got a recipe you'd like to share, pl ... Read More »

It was a great year for local apples in Johnson County, and as a friend and I munched on apples fresh from the tree she said, “The Macintosh apples have good flavor this year.”

I pondered this. Wouldn’t Macintosh apples always taste the ... Read More »

Happy Monday! This fall was a banner season for apples here in Iowa, and if you're anything like me, you've been scrounging around for recipes to use up your appley abundance.

Today's recipe is a long-time family favorite that ... Read More »

I think that this time of year is a really great time to make potato soup. You've probably got potatoes in your cellar or basement from this year's garden, or if you are like me, your Mom gave you a whole bunch from her garden.

The title is a bit tongue-in-cheek.  Wine-industry geeks occasionally hype one grape varietal or another.  Merlot had its day, then Pinot Noir.  Now Malbec seems to be all the rage.  There was a time not long ago when Albari ... Read More »

Another quick one.  I'm not usually so bossy in my blog titles, but you need to buy the Alain Jaume Côtes du Ventoux either today or tomorrow.  Of course you can buy it after that (so long as it lasts on our shelves), but it's regularly $12, ... Read More »

This weekend, November 22nd and 23rd, New Pi is donating 10% of all sales to the United Way.

I encourage all members and shoppers to do your Thanksgiving shopping early and come to the Co-op to help support this terrific organization. Give back ... Read More »

A reminder to all Co-op shoppers: Come to the Coralville Co-op this Sunday between 11am and 3pm for our annual Holiday Sample Fair. This year the theme is "Home for the Holidays" encouraging local eating throughout the holiday season. All of the samples ... Read More »

Join me in breathing a collective sigh of relief ... this election is o-vah!

Just a word or two here.  Refer back to my entry of 6.21.08.  The wine I wrote about then, the Frontera Carmenere, is back in stock, again for $4.99 a bottle, and everything I said in June is true again.  Yay.

All right, it's been far too long since I wrote something for this blog, so here I go.  Life sneaks up on you and keeps you running and then you think, Oh, I just have about a half-dozen minutes to spare.  But that's what blogs are about, mostly, ... Read More »

But as long as it is on Peanut Butter Tarts, I'm okay with it....

If you happened to be in the Iowa City Co-op today over the lunch hour, then you were lucky enough to taste the heaven that is Heavenly Organics honey. We sampled two varieties of 100% organic raw honey. Fair Trade! Sustainable! Completely to-die-for delicious!< ... Read More »

Alright, this meal is easy. Back in the day, I made this for a special someone who shall remain nameless, and let’s just say flowers began to arrive daily and the sweet sound of violins wafted in through the windows. Birds chirped and etc.

Anyw ... Read More »

Just a quick note to readers:

Here in marketing we've got a craving. A mad, mad craving for Popcorn Indiana. A craving fed by our very own patti zwick, who keeps bringing bags of this tasty popcorn upstairs to taunt us. Mara, Peter, &a ... Read More »

There's a new kid on the cheese block in Iowa, and you need to give it a try.  It's made in Oskaloosa, at a family-owned, humanely run farmstead creamery called Frisian Farms.

I use those descriptions purposefully.  It's good ... Read More »

While we're on the subject of football (yep, still on that subject), let's talk bean dip. My take on 7-layer dip has some adjustments  that I think add lots of flavor and possibly even nutritional value if you can get past that layer of cheese, oh and tha ... Read More »

Wooooooooooooohooooooooooooooo!

Okay, just had to get that out of my system. It’s the big one folks, Iowa vs. Iowa State, my favorite football weekend of the season. I’m planning to fully get my game on with a whole lot of chomptastic munchies ... Read More »

I was just informed that today is our very own Chad Clark's birthday! Chad works at the Coralville Co-op in the Java Juice stand. Here he is on a recent visit to NYC.

Here's a great salsa recipe from Theresa for those of you with an overabundance of summer tomatoes:

Theresa’s Salsa Fresca&l ... Read More »

I see that it has been awhile since I've written, and I wanted to let you all know about some fine new products now available at your own Co-op:

1. Potatoes from Rainbow Ridge Farm: We've got a great assortment of potatoes from our fri ... Read More »

Well, I've been out of town on family vacation, so apologies for the hiatus in my blogging.  The sound of my blogosphere fans clamoring for my next entry has been precisely the sound of one hand clapping.  Gratefully, Eric Creach boldly ... Read More »

Summer is filled with the kind of food sounds that can make you drool in your sleep (along with the smell of your neighbor's grilling coming in the window). The schunk of slicing a melon so ripe it’s about to bust open all on its own, t ... Read More »

i do not think i can say... much... more

Was it as good for you as it was for me?

shallow scuff flop and chop

gnomes never till, codes smodes

alot of riding for the old guy.

alot to digest food and thought

 it's the soil: there's not one word

symbiotic connection to everything

the restaurant angle on local.

Bob was great. My Vegetables surname is Braverman.

this is a good way to reduse my negative impact on this planet.

things i grow... some by accident.

The Eat Local America Challenge is right around the corner ... nervous yet?

avocados, rice, cheap french wine, cashews, and tempeh.

Let us now praise Riesling, my single favorite grape variety.  Or at least, I'm going to praise it.

Frequently when I suggest Riesling to shoppers, the response is similar to what I get when I urge people ... Read More »

Why local? Smaller foot prints mainly.

What exactly shall we eat though?

That's the challenge. How small can we make the distances travelled in the circle of suppliers we choose? I am choosing my bike as the means to keep that distance short, but I will need some things to be trucked in.

Sorry it's been awhile since I've written to you all; we've been busily preparing our fall (if you can believe it) issue of the Catalyst newsletter here in the marketing department at New Pioneer. 

This we ... Read More »

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What and Where and with Whom

I had a graduate-student colleague who told me, years ago, that she had come to the point in here life where there were two things she did not want to run out of in her house: toilet paper and wine.

Her observation struck me as urbane and wise, ... Read More »

Today I'm going to rattle off some 'hits & misses" of recent food experiences for your education and enjoyment. Hopefully I will save you from screwing up, at least in the exact same way that I do.

Hits! Read More »

This weekend, I threw a "Welcome to Iowa City" mexicali fiesta for my sister and her hubs who are planning a move to our beloved town next month, along with their mega-adorable daughter. I thought the best way to ease them into my funky little crowd was ... Read More »

It's no secret that our economy has gone down the . . . , well, it just isn't very good.  Everything is getting more and more expensive.

Well, almost everything.  Here's something to cheer you out of your financial doldrums.&a ... Read More »

I've got one word for you all today: Wow!

Wow, Co-op member-owners and staffers! You guys are absolutely amazing. I know I'm not the only one who was touched and awed by the dedication of our friends who worked their fannies o ... Read More »

Last Sunday, three of my best girlfriends and I met up to have lunch, giggle and gossip, and eventually make our way to ArtsFest. We sat in Erin's sunny kitchen and brought together a magnificent local feast that would do any locavore proud. Read More »

How fortunate are we here at New Pi to be surrounded by so many cool and creative staff members each and every day? The Co-op employes a myriad of artists, writers, chefs, musicians, and craftspeople, and it never ceases to amaze me at the great vibe generated in ... Read More »

I was thinking about magic the other day.  Magic is all about transformation, really, one thing becoming another.  The thought occurred while I was making ice cream for the fam.  Sweetened milk in and of itself doesn't ... Read More »

Today as I roamed the aisles of the Iowa City Co-op, I ran into our resident wine authority Robert Morey. I told him I was looking for something to blog about (other than my little green asparagus obsession), and he smiled with that impish twinkle of his and said, ... Read More »

Yeah, yeah, yeah—we made it to the weekend everyone! While I would like to imagine myself relaxing in the backyard yard, sipping on pink wine, and playing my guitar for the next two days, it's a fact that I will be moving instead. I'm gl ... Read More »