Welcome to the second product update for semester two, 2008. This is where you get to find out why your favourite food is missing from our shelves at the moment, learn about exciting new products, and get more details on the origins, nutrients and random interesting trivia of featured products.
This week I’m also attaching the most up-to date version of our product database, listing everything we stock and current prices. Please note that it is as up to date as possible, but prices are subject to change- the price on the barrel is the correct price.
Featured Products
Quinoa
Pronounced ‘keen-wa’, this beautiful curly little number has become a favourite of many thoughtful-foodies in the past couple of years. Here’s some random facts about the delicious quinoa, or ‘chisaya mama’ (mother of all grains) as it was known in the Incas.
- Technically it’s not actually a grain, but the seeds of a herb.
- Not only is it a complete protein source, containing a balanced set of amino acids, it is also high in iron, phosphorous, dietary fibre and magnesium. No wonder it has a reputation as a super food!
- It has a naturally protective coating known as saponin, which protects it from insects and solar radiation. However, this can give a bitter taste, and needs to be washed off before cooking, either by soaking or running the quinoa under water.
- Francisco Pizarro, the Spanish conquistador, banned the growing of quinoa in Peru, attempting to impose a more European agriculture based on livestock and barley. He conducted regular raids in the mountains to destroy quinoa. So it is heartening to see that quinoa is making a comeback!
- Our quinoa comes from a workers cooperative in Bolivia, bought at a price sufficient to provide a decent living wage.
- As well as being delicious cooked like rice, you can also sprout quinoa and use it in salads. Rest it in a glass of clean water for at least 2-4 hours. For more recipes, see the Veggie Train from last year. http://www.thoughtfulfoods.org.au/ingredientoftheweek It’s at the very bottom.
- Try using cooked quinoa for the crust of a pie! Just press it into the tin. You can mix it with a bit of flour and water first to make it stick together more, and blind bake it before adding the filling to make it more crispy.
Information was gathered from Wikipedia and Andrea Chesman’s 366 Delicious ways to cook rice, beans and grains.
Out of Stock
- Organic tinned chickpeas- currently unavailable from the supplier, but we are watching the availability list like vegetarian hawks, and will get them back in as soon as they are available again.
- Organic dried strawberries- last summer’s supply is over, but hopefully this long awaited sunshine will give those little strawberry plants the energy they need.
- Organic turmeric, organic white chocolate- these were out of stock when we last ordered from the relevant suppliers, hopefully next time they will be back in, it is taking a while as we don’t order from the relevant suppliers very often
- Organic dried mango- there is currently no Australian organic dried mango available. The only thing we could get from one of our suppliers is non-organic mango from overseas, and that seems crazy considering how well Australia does mango. Hopefully the arrival of summer will bring it back to us soon.
- Short and long grain brown rice- gone for a very long time due to the drought! Try some barley or millet instead.
- Organic peanuts- this year’s crop failed, so won’t be in till next year, at the moment we have conventional peanuts.
- Bush tomato and pepperberry seasoning, bush tomato- this year’s crop was very small.
New Stock
- Organic pearl barley- yay, let’s all diversify our grain intake.
- Organic millet- coming soon.
These two grains are being trialed as an alternative to rice, since organic brown rice is out of stock. They are both grown in Australia, and neither of them require irrigation. Let me know what you think of them, and share any delicious recipes you discover on the thoughtful foods chat email list.
If you ever have any questions about particular stock or ordering, please contact the coop. If I don’t know the answer I will try and find out or point you in the right direction. I aim to be open to suggestions, and would love to converse with people about things such as the nutritional wonders of cacao powder or the living conditions of our beloved bees that make our honey.