Ellwood’s Local Love Valentines Day Giveaway!
This Valentines Day, we’ve gotten together with some of our favorite local vendors from our Nourish Department to give you the chance to win a truly unique and locally-made prize bag, filled with all things local that we love.
To be eligible for the prize you must answer the following question and email your answer to lpinckney@ellwoodthompsons.com before Thursday, February 2nd. The question is: Where did the phrase “Virginia is for Lovers” come from?
A winner will be selected via a random drawing on Friday, February 3rd and be announced via email and on our Facebook page.
This unique, local prize pack includes the following:
An iPod/iPhone pouch from The Revolution. Bath fizzles from BCakes, Valentines Soap from Richmond Soap Studio. An 8oz tin candle from Naked Soy, and some Frankenrose love refresher oil from House of Lukaya!
Infant Formula and USDA unapproved additives
The Cornucopia Institute, one of the nation’s leading organic industry watchdogs, condemned the position of the United States Department of Agriculture for its position allowing products containing unapproved synthetic additives to be labeled “organic” for an indefinite grace period.
The Cornucopia Institute had filed legal complaints against infant formula manufacturers and Dean Foods, manufacturer of Horizon dairy products, for adding unapproved additives: Martek Biosciences Corporation’s omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids (DHA/ARA), derived chemically from fermented algae and fungus, to foods with the organic label. These additives have been linked to serious gastrointestinal symptoms in infants according to reports submitted to the FDA’s MedWatch program.
A list of products that are using these synthetic additives has been issued. Ellwood Thompson’s will not sell any products from this list while they contain these additives. Click here to read more about this issue.
Bell’s Hopslam is Here
If this picture means anything to you, then a big smile should be on your face and your taste buds starting to tingle. It’s that time of year again, an even almost bigger than Christmas and the Daytona 500. The day that Bell’s Hopslam arrives in the store.
Once again, we have a very limited amount of this one of a kind ale. Bell’s starts off with six different hop varietals added to the brew kettle & culminating with a massive dry-hop addition of Simcoe hops, Bell’s Hopslam Ale possesses the most complex hopping schedule in the Bell’s repertoire. Selected specifically because of their aromatic qualities, these Pacific Northwest varieties contribute a pungent blend of grapefruit, stone fruit, and floral notes. A generous malt bill and a solid dollop of honey provide just enough body to keep the balance in check, resulting in a remarkably drinkable rendition of the Double India Pale Ale style.
Come get it by request only.
Love Your Roots
If you’re truly planning on eating locally year round, when it comes down to winter time, you have to face it – you’re going to be eating root vegetables. Whether you live in California or Virginia, the winter puts root vegetables in abundance and it’s up to us to eat them.
And we’re not just talking carrots and potatoes here (yes, we know potatoes are tubers), we’re talking parsnips, daikon radish, beets, fennel, turnips, rutabaga, etc. Mark Bittman, the NYTimes food columnist says, “Most contain starchy sugars, so they brown beautifully and become sweet after cooking. (Only carrots and beets are sweet raw.) All of this can be disclosed simply by substituting just about any root vegetable you like in your favorite potato recipe. The treatment won’t be identical (the more sugar, the quicker the browning), but it will be similar, and the results will almost always be startling and good.”
So if you’re looking for some easier ways to truly enjoy the flavors of winter, click here for 6 delicious root hosting recipes from the New York Times.
The Dish Of The Week: Farro!
If you’re like me you knew nothing about farro before reading this post. It’s an old grain that is said to be one of the first domesticated plants and dates back to pre-Roman times. Farro is a really cool distant cousin of modern wheat and is very similar in texture and taste to spelt. Farro has twice the fiber of wheat and the cyanogenic glucosides found in farro have been found to stimulate the immune system, lower cholesterol and help maintain blood sugar levels. However, if you are a person that needs to be gluten free farro may not work for you. The gluten molecules are weaker than modern wheat, making it more easily digested but farro does contain gluten. We are featuring farro on our hot bar in the store this week. If you are curious about it, stop by and try some of our dishes! Click here for some cool Farro Recipes.
The Urban Assault Ride is Coming!
In just under two months from now, the New Belgium Urban Assault Ride will come through Richmond, Virginia! The Urban Assault Ride has evolved from a lifelong love affair for bikes and all things bike related. The 1st UAR was in Austin TX in June 2003. The idea was to combine all the cool things from bike races, adventure races, and music festivals into one crazy event. It has since grown to be one of the biggest cycling events in the country!
On Sunday, March 25th, the UAR will make it’s way to the east cost to the river city!
Richmond VA – Sunday March 25, 2012 benefitting: TBD
The Urban Assault Ride is coming to the River City! We hope you’re ready for the party, Richmond!
Price : Only $30-60/person! (sign up early to get the best pricing!!) You’ll get a 100% cotton t-shirt, a couple of the best beers you’ve ever tasted, and some great SWAG!
Online Registration closes Friday, March 23th, at 4:00 PM EST.
Packet Pick Up: (Saturday 3/24 11 – 2pm)
Location: TBD
Shopping “Local” and Shopping “Locally”
Do you make a point of shopping locally? What about shopping local? While they might sound the same, there’s an important distinction. When we say “shop locally,” we are referring to the practice of buying from stores in our community, and when we say “shop local,” we are talking about buying from locally-owned small businesses.
Eat local, buy local, give local — the local movement is alive and well in central Virginia. One of Ellwood’s primary missions is to promote local goods and produce; to support local charities and nonprofits; and to make a difference in our community. Be sure to join us by supporting the many wonderful growers and producers in Virginia. Stop by a farmers market; adopt a pet from a local rescue organization. Help us support our community. Click here for a cool article we found in Forbes Magazine about supporting local business and why it is important.
Ellwood Thompson’s and Conscious Capitalism
At Ellwood Thompon’s (ET) we believe that what we do is beyond just making money. Our ET mission: To aspire to be the heart & soul of our community through a commitment to local and organic food, is what we focus on when making decisions. We are passionate about making a positive impact on the community and marketplace. At ET business means we are competing to make the world a better place through the service and products that we provide. A new ideology called “conscious capitalism” embraces some of our ideas.
Conscious capitalism is an emerging form of capitalism that holds the potential for enhancing corporate performance while simultaneously advancing the quality of life for our communities. This idea has become a movement that challenges business leaders to re-think why their organizations exist and to acknowledge their company’s role in the marketplace and community. The Richmond Times Dispatch featured a story this Sunday (January 22, 2012) that includes comments from companies that have said they embrace Conscious Capitalism, as well as comments from Rick Hood, the owner of Ellwood Thompson’s Local Market. Click here to read the article and learn more.
Diabetes Can Effect You
Paula Deen’s public admission that she has Type 2 diabetes and her follow-up announcement that she is also a paid spokesperson for the pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk, and its diabetes drug, Victoza, has sparked an interesting debate about the deeper issues surrounding our food system—especially the impact it has on the many people diagnosed with diabetes. And according to Deen’s comments on the Today show, she implies to her millions of fans, that the primary ways to deal with this largely diet-related disease are through personal responsibility and pharmaceuticals. Click here to read more of this article
Support the right to know about GMO’s
Many may ask, what is a GMO, and why should we be concerned? A GMO is a “genetically modified organism”, often called genetically engineered (GE). The correct scientific term is “transgenics.” This is a process whereby the genes of one species are inserted into another species. The main reason we want them labeled is that there is enough independent data to suggest possible health risks. Many don’t want to eat GMO’s but can’t know which foods they are in, if they aren’t labeled. It’s a basic consumer right to know what we are buying and putting in our children’s mouths.
93% of Americans want the FDA to label genetically engineered foods. Watch the new video from Food, Inc. Filmmaker Robert Kenner to hear why we have the right to know what’s in our food. If you would like to support the NON GMO initiative you can show your support by educating your friends and family on the issue and signing a petition by clicking here .
