The Latest News from Wheatsville

Local Vendor Spotlight: Vital Farms

Vital Farm Folks Interview by Chris Moore, Chill & Bulk Coordinator

How long has Vital Farms been farming, and what sets your standards apart from other farmers’?

Vital Farms was started in 2007 by our founder Matt O’Hayer and his wife, Catherine. They purchased a small farm in South Austin and began tending a flock of 20 hens, believing that there was a better way to produce eggs, sustainably and humanely. As the company grew, we began working together with small family farms to pioneer the Pasture-Raised standard here in the US, providing a minimum of 108 sq ft of green, organically maintained pasture for each and every hen. We’ve been Certified Humane since 2010, and even helped Humane Farm Animal Care develop the Pasture-Raised standard for egg laying hens.

How long has Vital Farms been on Wheatsville’s shelves?

Wheatsville Food Co-op was one of our very first retail partners here in Austin. Our partnership goes way back to 2008, and is very special to us. We are grateful to Wheatsville for believing in our mission early on.

Vital Farms produce different types of eggs. Is there one that is better than the rest? What makes them all different?

Pasture-Raised is the gold standard for eggs, and all of the eggs we produce reflects our passion for treating our hens humanely and bringing the very best eggs to market. Every single one of our hens are Certified Humane, Raised and Handled, and enjoy a standard of living that we believe all hens should have. They go outside every single day, and enjoy fresh air, sunshine, and 108 sq ft of green pasture each to roam and forage. The only difference in our organic brand and non-organic brand is in the supplemental feed we give our girls, to keep them healthy.

Vital farms has recently started to produce butter, what made you go in that direction?

We launched our butter in late 2015. We wanted to extend our Pasture-Raised farming standard to our other favorite Girls on Grass: cows!

What do you like most about Wheatsville Food Co-op?

Wheatsville is a great place to discover something new. There are so many great and innovative products coming out from mission-driven food companies that want to change the way we produce and consume food. We find ourselves in very good company at the co-op!

Is there anything new in the works at Vital Farms?

We’re always working on leading pasture-raised. We’ve got lots of exciting things in the works that we can’t wait to introduce to the world. Follow our Facebook and Instagram for the latest!

Do you have a favorite recipe you would like to share with our patrons?

Our Baked Eggs with Fine Herbs was recently featured in the Vital Times, our mini newsletter that is included with every carton of our eggs. It’s absolutely delicious, very easy to make, and takes no time at all! You can also find our other great recipes on our website: www.vitalfarms.com/recipes

Baked Eggs with Fine Herbs

Ingredients
3 Large Vital Farms Pasture-Raised Eggs
½ TBS Vital Farms Pasture-Raised Unsalted Butter
1 TBS Heavy Cream
1 TBS Grated Parmesan Cheese
½ TBS Breadcrumbs
1 tsp Finely chopped garlic
1 tsp chopped parsley
1 tsp chopped Sage
1 tsp chopped Rosemary
1 tsp chopped Thyme
 salt and pepper to taste

• Set oven to Broil, and let heat for about 5 minutes. Place rack no higher than 6 inches from the burner.
• Take a shallow gratin dish, and place 1/2 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of heavy cream in the dish. Place in oven and heat until the cream and butter start bubbling, about 5 minutes.
• Mix chopped herbs, garlic, and grated parmesan cheese together and set aside.
• Crack 3 eggs carefully into a small bowl, taking care not to puncture the yolk.
• Once the cream and butter are bubbling hot, remove the gratin dish from the oven and set on a trivet. Pour the eggs into the gratin dish and sprinkle with the herbed parmesan mixture until well covered. Sprinkle salt and pepper liberally   all over.
• Place gratin dish back in the oven and broil for about 5 minutes. The dish should be done when the edges of the gratin and the garlic from the herb mixture are nicely browned. Remove from the oven and let sit for about 1-2 minutes, to cool and set the eggs.
• Enjoy with a slice of baguette or your favorite bread.

For more information about Vital Farms: http://www.vitalfarms.com

Local Vendor Spotlight: Bola Pizza

We’ve been carrying Bola Pizza here at Wheatsville since July 2012. Jamie Bowers, co-owner of Bola Pizza with her partner Christian Bowers, talked to us about their business.

1. What inspired you to make pizza and how long did it take for your business to take off?

We started having pizza parties at our house when our friends started getting married and having kids. It was a good way to get people together. It was even more fun when Christian started inviting some food bloggers he knew. We were invited to do the Green Corn Project Fall Festival that year (2010) and that was our real start. We were invited to the Susutainable Food Center’s Downtown farmers market and started catering. Frozen pizzas were launched by persistent customer demand—thank you for the persistence!!! We weren’t sure about doing a frozen pizza at first because they’re not known to be very good. The frozen pizzas are still in the process of taking off. We are a super small company, but growing every year. This is probably the first year frozen pizzas are self sustaining.

2. What are some of your favorite things at Wheatsville?

We love the range of local products, especially eggs, cheese, fresh produce. I love to look through the personal and household sections. Wheatsville always has so many unique and beautiful things. I’m also addicted to the southern fried tofu!

3. Do you have anything new in the works that you would like to share with our patrons?

We are working on developing two new pizza flavors. We have also had requests for a frozen or refrigerated bread product that we are testing.

4. What is behind the name Bola and is there a story?

I got my first dog, Bola, from the Williamson county shelter when I was 19. I like to say we grew up together. I started making pizzas around the same time. Later, when I was in school at UT, I hosted pizza parties. My friends spoiled him feeding him the crusts (aka pizza bones). Years passed, then Christian and I decided to relaunch the pizza parties at our house. We used his special dough recipe and Bola was just as spoiled by our guests. Bola loved his pizza crusts and all the attention he would get at parties. Unfortunately, he didn’t make it to the founding of our pizza business, so we named it after him.

5. Is there is anything else you’’d like to share with our owners?

Christian came up with our three day cold fermented dough recipe because it tastes so good. I learned later from a nutritionist that it’s also very good for you. As the structure of the dough is developing, it is are also breaking down the gluten in the flour. So it’s much lower in gluten than a standard bread or pizza crust. The process also starts to break down the flour itself which allows your body to process the protein in it. Not being able to digest the wheat protein is what causes gluten intolerance. Flour quality is a big issue as well. We use King Arthur which has no bleach, no bromate and is non-GMO. King Arthur farmers are not allowed to spray Round Up on their crops as is standard practice with most of the wheat industry. We are committed to using the highest quality ingredients. Our other suppliers are: Andrew & Everett, Bel Gioso, Applegate, Niman Ranch, Kitchen Pride and organic crushed tomatoes from California.

Local Vendor Spotlight: Hat Creek Provisions

1. How long have you been producing pickled fare and what made you decide to do so?

Hat Creek Provisions began in 2013 with three friends (Tim, Adam and Drew) dreaming of a better way to pickle. Drew, the principal of Hat Creek Burger Company, and Tim & Adam from Strange Land Brewery (a craft brewery in Austin) merged a commitment to quality ingredients, the artisanal approach of craft beer brewing, and age-old pickling techniques to produce a wide array of local, organic, and seasonal fermented veggies. We've recently added Martha Pincoffs of Hot Dang grain burgers to the team in order to help keep us all in line!

2. How long have you been a vendor for Wheatsville food co-op?

Wheatsville was actually our first major retail account! We made our first deliveries to both the SoLa and Guad stores in Spring 2014.

3. What are some of your favorite departments at the co-op and why?

Beer and refrigerated pantry, naturally, and we love to check out bulk spices for new product inspiration. The coffee department keeps us fueled and we're suckers for the rice & beans (with spicy kraut on top) from the deli counter and the Ruben is out of this world!

4. Does Hat Creek Provisions have anything new in the works?

We are in the process of perfecting our vegan kimchi and giardiniera. We're also working through the R&D on a host of new offerings.

5. Do you have a favorite recipe you would like to share with our patrons?

Briney Mary!
Mix 3 parts tomato juice with 1 part Spicy Cucumber brine add a splash of Yellowbird and your favorite beer or some vodka. Garnish with HCP fermented cukes, okra, and carrots!

Local Vendor Spotlight: Sweet Ritual Vegan Ice Cream

1. Why did you decide to make and sell vegan ice cream?

Amelia already had a crowd-pleasing recipe that she developed while working at Toy Joy in their vegan cafe. Combined with Valerie's ice cream store management experience from her years at Amy's, we figured we were in a prime position to fill a need for dairy-free ice cream. We're so excited to provide more people the magical ice cream shop experience that their dietary needs might otherwise prevent them from enjoying.

2. How long have you been a vendor at Wheatsville and what are some of your interconnections with the co-op?

Wheatsville has been carrying Sweet Ritual since January 2014.  We also love seeing all of our friends in the deli like Robert, who first hired Valerie to work at Amy's Ice Creams, and our friend and former employee Nandy. Their warm smiles always brighten our day!

3. What flavor of Sweet Ritual, out of all the pints Wheatsville carries, is your favorite?

We love the new Yellowbird Hot Chocolate! Not only is it our delicious almond-based chocolate, but we got to team up with our friends at Yellowbird Hot Sauce to give it a spicy kick. An amazing collaboration all the way around.

4. What are some of the things you love at Wheatsville?

Oh, so many good things! The produce section is always full of fresh and delicious fruits and veggies. We guzzle Kosmic Kombucha's Pear of the Dog by the gallon (goes great with vegan Frito Pie!). The soaps and personal care section is great— I've fallen in love with the Wheatsville Birthday soap. We love the deli and hot food bar! The food bar is our favorite place to get a quick and comforting dinner, and we can't get enough of the buffalo popcorn tofu sandwiches.

5. Do you have a favorite recipe that you would like to share?

Here is our delicious Peanut Butter Magic Shell:

14 oz peanut butter
15 oz coconut oil
1 1/3 c powdered sugar
1/2 Tb vanilla
1 tsp salt

Melt peanut butter and coconut oil together over double boiler until melted. Or if you prefer to use a microwave, heat for 30 sec at a time alternating with stirring until melted.

Sift in the powdered sugar and salt. Remove from heat and add vanilla.
Store at room temperature to keep liquid. It will make a hard shell when it touches the ice cream!

6. Do y’all have anything new in the works?

We're expanding our line of gluten-free ice cream sandwiches with the help of Better Bites Bakery, and we've begun experimenting with ice cream cakes!

We’ve also just moved into our new shop at 4631 Airport Blvd. Suite 125. We are excited to have our very own space and the room to provide more great vegan ice cream to Austin! Keep checking our website and facebook for updates on our hours. And both Wheatsville locations are now fully stocked to meet your Sweet Ritual needs!

Local Vendor Spotlight: Celeste’s Best

Q&A with Celeste Caswell, Owner and President

1. How long have you been making your cookie dough and why did you decide to make a vegan cookie dough?

I started baking vegan cookies for local coffee shops in 2001, and pretty soon after that I had the idea to sell the dough unbaked so people could make freshly-baked vegan cookies at home whenever they wanted! It took a while to perfect the recipe, but our Ready-to-Bake Cookie Dough was on the shelves at Wheatsville in 2011.

2. What have been the hardest challenges that you have come across being a small business?

The biggest challenge has been production. Demand increased and when we had to scale the recipe for larger orders, it took a lot of trial and error to maintain the quality we wanted. We don’t have a research and development department as some bigger companies might so we had to put in long hours and lots of elbow grease to make it work. Running a small business has made me understand the expression “building the airplane while you’re in the air.”

3. What are your favorite things to buy at Wheatsville?

My favorite things to buy at Wheatsville are the cashew tamari dressing, Sweet Ritual ice cream, and the vegan donuts with an iced coffee on the side. I always buy as much of the local produce as I can. I was also excited to see Miyoko’s vegan cheese appear in the refrigerated case recently.

4. Do you have anything new in the works, possibly a different dough other than chocolate chip?

We have so many things we’re working on, starting with two new flavors of dough that we’re hoping to roll out within the next year. We did a taste-test voter poll at Texas Veg Fest, and the winners were peanut butter and oatmeal cranberry, so that’s what’s coming next. The people have spoken.

5. Do you have a favorite recipe that you would like to share with us?

Since Celeste’s Best dough is vegan and doesn’t have any eggs, there are some tasty ways to eat it raw. Here’s a recipe for Celeste’s Best Cookie Dough Pops:

What you need:

• 1 Tub Celeste’s Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
• 14-16 Popsicle sticks
• 1 Cup non-dairy chocolate chips
• 2 Tbsp. soy, almond, or coconut milk
• ½ Tbsp. shortening
• Colored sprinkles (for variations you can also use crushed Oreos or Chik-o-Stiks—they’re both vegan).

Assembly

1. Take Celeste's Best cookie dough out of the fridge and let it soften at room temperature. This will make for easier scooping.
2. In a microwave-safe bowl microwave the chocolate chips, soy, almond or coconut milk, and shortening for 1 minute. Remove and stir briskly until smooth.
3. Roll the dough into little balls. The size is up to you. We made ours around 1½ tablespoon each.
4. Dip a Popsicle stick into the melted chocolate and then stick it firmly into the ball of dough. The chocolate will help your pops to stay on the stick better.
5. Dip the dough into melted chocolate and then coat with sprinkles, Oreos, or Chik-o-Stiks. We did one side, then let the chocolate harden in the fridge before doing the other side.
6. Refrigerate for 1 hour until it’s time to eat. The cookie dough pops should also be store in the fridge.

Variations

• You can make peanut butter cookie dough Balls by replacing the shortening in the chocolate mixture with 1 tablespoon of creamy peanut butter. Replace the candy coating with crushed peanuts.
• Make coconut cookie dough balls by replacing the shortening in the chocolate mixture with coconut oil, and replacing the candy coating with toasted coconut.
• For S'Mores Cookie Dough Balls, form your cookie dough ball around a vegan marshmallow (we like the Dandies brand). Replace the sprinkles with crushed graham crackers.

We have some big plans coming down the pike, so if anyone would like to be a part of it, please follow Celeste’s Best for the latest info:

Celeste’s Best on Facebook
Celestesbest on Instagram
@celestesbest on Twitter

Local Vendor Spotlight: Margarita’s Tortilla Factory

Interview with Sonia Grizzle by Chris Moore, Chill & Bulk Coordinator

1. How long have you been in business and why tortillas and tamales?

We have been making organic flour tortillas and non-GMO corn tortillas & tamales since January 1997.Why tortillas & tamales? I grew up eating home cooked meals accompanied by hand made flour or corn tortillas. My mother, Micaela, taught me even at the young age of 7, to make flour & corn tortillas. When I married, I continued in that tradition. After my second child was born, I looked for an easier way and bought the first commercial flour tortillas. I don’t remember the brand, because at the store, all tortillas look the same when you read the ingredients. And they all taste and smell the same. From there on, my thought was, “I can’t believe people actually eat these tortillas! because the tortillas tasted like cardboard and smelled terrible!” So I set out to make the first true “homemade” tortilla. I went to local natural foods stores and presented my tortillas.

2. As a small business how hard was it for you to source organic and non-GMO ingredients?

Sourcing organic and verified non-GMO ingredients from Texas has been difficult. Our organic materials come from Colorado and verified non-GMO corn comes from California. There is one Texas organic corn producer and they sell their corn to an international corn processor, limiting their local sourcing.

3. We know that you run a family business but what does that mean on the labor side of your business?

 We are truly a family run business. My children have grown knowing every aspect of the business, from production to delivering the product, to doing demos. However, we would not be able to produce these products without the help and dedication of our employees.

4. Do you have a favorite product that you produce and or recipe?

To me, there are certain foods that can only be eaten with flour or corn tortillas. For example, red meats and soups, to me, go best with corn tortillas. My favorite food are beef fajitas. I enjoy eating them with Margarita’s stone ground corn tortillas accompanied with roasted onions, tomatoes and serrano peppers. Flour tortillas taste best with guisados, like carne guisada. On our website, www.margaritastortillafactory.com, we have recipes that my three children have enjoyed over the years. These are simple recipes yet they are so delicious. As a child, I was fascinated by how my mother and father created a fabulous meal with simple ingredients. With my family, I continue the tradition of home cooking all the meals. I enjoy staying true to my roots, my heritage. I enjoy watching the expressions of my family and friends as they eat the food I have prepared. Good food is to be shared. It brings joy and happiness to everyone present.

5. Do you have anything new in the works?

Austin is a great place to live and do business. There are thousands of tourist visiting our city and discovering our products and wishing our products were available in their local grocery store. Our company is going through a transition. We are slowly growing into the national spotlight. As our products become available statewide and even nationwide, we will strive in making the cleanest product possible, still adhering to the basic family recipe, without preservatives or additives. It brings me great joy that Margarita’s tortillas and tamales will be enjoyed by many more people.

Local Vendor Spotlight: Jeremiah Cunningham’s World’s Best Eggs

1. How long have you had the farm and what made you choose to farm chickens and eggs?

 Our founder, Jeremiah Cunningham, started his first large-scale flock of chickens in 2005. Like most sustainable farmers, we had to bootstrap our way to get started. We knew that if we were going to make it in this industry we had better start with what we knew best - eggs. Organic, pasture-raised eggs weren’t on grocery store shelves at that time, so it was an exciting time to start a pasture-based chicken farm. 

Jeremiah was always quick to point out that “World’s Best Eggs” isn’t a brag - it’s a classification. He always reminded folks that they too could raise the world’s best eggs if they raised chickens on grass, bugs, and organic feed, with plenty of space and sunshine. Part of our mission at Coyote Creek is to teach others about organic farming and backyard chicken ventures.
 
2. When you first started out how hard was it for you to source organic materials for your feed?

When we started producing World’s Best Eggs in 2005, there wasn’t an organic feed mill in the southern United States. Sourcing organic feed was a difficult task. Since then, one of our primary goals as the only organic feed mill in Texas is to provide a market for Texas-grown organic grains and to support the conversion of acreage from chemically-intensive conventional agriculture to sustainable organic agriculture.  We are committed to Texas farmers, both grain farmers that utilize Texas farmland to provide the ingredients for our non-GMO and certified organic feeds, and to Texas farmers and ranchers who raise animals in the most considerate way possible - humanely, on pasture, with organic feed, and as part of a healthy ecosystem.  As we have grown, we have been successful in converting 8,000 acres of farmland into organic grain production to meet our farm’s needs and the needs of all of the local, organic farmers!
 
3. How do your farming practices differ from conventional/ cage free farming?

To start, the happiness and welfare of our birds is our #1 priority.  Our chickens live entirely outdoors where they are able to fully express natural behaviors such as scratching in the dirt for bugs, taking dust baths to stay clean, and stretching their wings in the sun.  Our hens are provided with a variety of environmental enrichments such as roosts and perches, shade covers, protection from predation, patio misters on warm days, and safe and ergonomic housing.  Their houses are moved weekly to fresh pastures.  

In addition to our hens’ wild diet, we mill organic feed for them daily on-site at the farm.  Our feed is USDA Certified Organic and Non-GMO Project Verified, and it never contains herbicides, pesticides, animal by-products, hormones, or pharmaceuticals.  Because the hens forage in the pasture all day, about 30% of their diet comes from green plants and insects.  This makes our eggs extremely nutrient-dense, higher in Omega-3 fatty acids, and lower in cholesterol than eggs produced in confined conditions.

At Coyote Creek Farm, we adhere to the most stringent animal welfare standards and  have been instrumental in establishing some of the animal welfare standards adopted by current agencies. Our farm is recognized as one of the highest rated organic egg farms in the U.S. by the Cornucopia Institute.
 
4. What are some of your favorite products at Wheatsville?

Late July Tortilla Chips, Dewberry Hill Chicken, the produce section (yes, all of it), Ruta Maya Dark Roast Coffee, Jaime’s Red Salsa, Margarita’s tortillas, Bubbie’s Sauerkraut, Theo’s Chocolate Bars… 
 
5. Do you have a favorite way to cook eggs or a favorite recipe?
It’s hard to choose just one favorite egg dish! We love pickled red beets eggs, breakfast tacos, and homemade eggnog, but Tortilla Española is sure to please everyone!

Tortilla Española

3⁄4 cup olive oil
1 lb potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
6 eggs
 
1. Heat oil over medium heat in a 10” skillet.  Add potatoes and onions and cook until potatoes are soft but not brown.  Set aside to cool slightly.

2. Beat eggs in a large bowl.  Season with salt & pepper.  Add potatoes and onions with a slotted spoon to beaten eggs while reserving oil in pan.  Cover and refrigerate for l hour.  

3. Heat 2 Tbs. reserved oil in the same pan over medium heat. Add egg and potato mixture, spreading evenly in the pan. Cook uncovered on low heat until the sides have set and the middle is beginning to set.

4. Gently slide a spatula along edges and underneath tortilla to loosen.  Place a large plate over pan and quickly turn plate and pan over so tortilla falls onto plate. Add 1 tsp. reserved oil to pan, slide tortilla back in (uncooked side down), carefully tuck in sides with a fork, and continue to cook until eggs are just set, about 3 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve at room temperature.
 
6. Is there anything new in the works for Coyote Creek?

Coyote Creek Organic Feed Mill & Farm will soon be expanding into the South!  We have recently purchased property in Georgia, and will be opening an organic feed mill and pastured egg farm there. It will follow the same model as our Elgin, TX farm and mill, and will provide organic eggs and animal feed to a new community!
 
Thanks to the following folks for answering our questions:
Cameron Molberg, General Manager/CEO
Jenny Myers, Farm Manager
Emily Erickson, Community Relations & Sales Manager
Rob Cunningham, Owner

Learn more at: http://coyotecreekfarm.org/

Easy to Fix Frozen Pizza

Need a quick dinner after work or school? Wheatsville has a great selection of frozen pizzas just waiting for you to grab and take home.

From local artisan Bola Pizza to family sized pizzas from Home Run Inn and Against the Grain, we have the quick meal for you.

Need gluten free? We have a personal sized pizza with crust entirely made out out of cauliflower by Absolutely Gluten Free.

You can also find a multitude of additional toppings and add-ons all around the store including vegan and traditional Parmesan, pepperoni and every kind of delicious veggie.